CHAPTER 8
1910 Words
BRIANA MORRIS
I step into my room just to grab my bag and then head straight to my apartment.
Even though my mom insists that I live with her, I still prefer my privacy.
I confess that sometimes I feel guilty for leaving her alone, but I know she understands me.
I don't live very close to the company, so it takes me a while to get home, and since I'm already late to meet Duda at that nightclub, I can't waste much time.
I rush to shower and get ready as quickly as I can.
I look at myself in the mirror and like the image I see. The dress that falls to mid-thigh suits me well, and the hair tied in a loose bun completes the casual yet sexy look.
I don't feel very comfortable dressed like this, but the occasion calls for it, so I finish with light makeup.
Lastly, I put on perfume.
I love floral fragrances; they are my favorites.
I'm about to leave, and it's as if I hear Oliver's voice in my ear, so I run back to the bedroom:
“Always wear your necklace when you go out, Briana, it's for your safety.”
I look for the necklace and put it around my neck. It's a beautiful rose gold pendant with London topaz and diamonds.
It's beautiful and discreet.
It even matched my dress.
Now I can leave the house, and according to Oliver, I'll be safe, which is ridiculous to think about.
But if he insists, I obey.
I drive through the streets calmly until I reach my destination.
When I park in front of the nightclub at the address my friend sent, I feel like running back to my apartment.
Wow, this club is Oliver's.
Duda had to choose this one?
I'm only not leaving because I had already sent her a message on the way, letting her know I was almost there.
I take a deep breath, gathering courage, and get out of the car.
Oliver will definitely know I was here and will bombard me with questions as he always does, but I have nothing to hide from him, and I'm meeting a friend and her fiancé.
Nothing more.
Since there's no way I'm facing the huge line in front of the club, I approach one of the security guards and whisper a name that will get me in quickly.
As I expected, the whispered name soon appears in front of me.
"Briana Morris, does Oliver know you're here?"
I smile at the elegant gentleman in front of me, and he shakes his head.
"No, and you're not going to say anything either."
"Briana!" He says my name as a warning.
"Fred..." I say affectionately to him.
Fred is both a cousin and father-in-law to Oliver; their relationship is quite amusing.
"Just go in, you rascal, but he'll find out."
"Fred, I'm not up to anything. I came to meet Duda and her fiancé. When she gave me the address, I didn’t realize it would be here. I won’t be long; you know I don't like places like this."
"All right. If you need anything, let me know. Denner is here too."
I freeze in place when I hear that name.
— Denner is here!?
He looks at me as if trying to read my soul.
"Of course he is. After all, he's the owner of all this too, isn't he? My grandson is very good in business," he says with a serious tone.
Sometimes, I forget that Denner is his grandson.
"How can someone so arrogant and heartless be the grandson of such a charming man like you?"
He laughs.
"You never change, girl. Denner has a strong personality, but deep down, he's a good boy."
"He's no boy, and he's absolutely terrible. I can't stand him and feel like throwing him out the window of the president's office. He irritates me to the point of making me..." I stop talking when I realize I'm speaking about his grandson. "Sorry, Fred."
He smiles, shaking his head.
"Oh my God, it's like watching the same story repeat itself after so many years."
"What story!?"
He smiles awkwardly.
"A very painful story, but one that, in the end, had a happy ending. Now let’s find your friend."
I don’t quite understand what he’s saying, but I follow him and soon find Duda and her fiancé.
"If you need me, you know where to find me," Fred says and gives me a kiss on the cheek.
As soon as he leaves, I greet Duda and her fiancé.
"Do you know the owner here?" she asks, surprised by Fred's behavior.
Duda doesn’t know that I know him; she only knows about my relationship with Oliver.
"It’s a long story."
She smiles.
"I’m glad to know you still hide things from me, while my life is an open book to you."
"Best friends' spat? I'm going to get a drink while you air your dirty laundry," Justin says, giving Duda a kiss, then kissing my cheek.
"Is the drama starting?"
She huffs, annoyed.
"It’s not drama, it’s just that this is the only way you tell me things. I miss you. You came back to the city and didn’t even have the courage to call me; I had to use emotional blackmail to get you here."
I go to her and hug her.
"I’m sorry, Dudinha, but it all happened so fast that I didn’t have time. My arrival in the city wasn’t easy; my days turned into hell."
"A hell that’s nice to admire, or a real hell?"
I end up smiling at the way she talks.
"A bit of both. And Fred is Oliver’s cousin and father-in-law."
She widens her eyes.
"Really?"
"Really, and this club belongs to Oliver, not Fred, but for all intents and purposes, Fred is the owner. So..."
"I see. Rich people are really strange, you know? When you get rich, don’t let them contaminate you."
I end up laughing at what she says.
"You never change."
"Never, my dear. Now tell me what it’s like to work... Damn!" She puts her hands over her mouth, and I look in the direction she’s looking.
I see Denner in a deep kiss with the woman who was on his lap earlier at the company, and I don’t know why, but seeing this bothers me a little.
"It’s none of my business," I say, and she raises an eyebrow.
Why does he have to be here?
It feels like I’m being followed.
"Is your crush on him over?"
I look at her in surprise.
"What are you talking about? I don’t even know him."
She smiles.
"Oh, come on, Briana. You don’t know him personally, but you know practically everything about his life."
"I’ve told you already, I’m not interested, and I’ve never had a platonic love for anyone. Where’s your fiancé? He hasn’t come back with the drinks yet," I ask, trying to change the subject, but she doesn’t give up easily.
"That gentleman isn’t the owner here, but Oliver is, so that means your new boss owns this place too, since he’s the heir to everything Mr. Thompson has."
"He’s not my boss."
"You work for him."
"I work for Oliver."
"Isn’t it the same thing?"
"No, it’s not."
"To me, it’s the same thing. You have to do everything he says, so he’s your boss."
"Oh, Duda, you can be so annoying when you want to be."
At that moment, Justin arrives with the drinks. I take a glass from his hand and down it in one go, feeling the liquid burn down my throat.
"What the heck is this?" I ask, making a face.
"It’s my expensive whiskey that you just downed in practically one gulp without even appreciating the taste."
"This tastes awful. And where are the other people who were also coming to celebrate your birthday?"
"They’re on their way. Meanwhile, let’s enjoy. Now I’m going to get another whiskey."
"Why can’t I ever enjoy places like this? To me, this is all just a big bore, especially with the sight of Denner with another woman in what looks like a private glass room."
"You’re going to end up attracting his attention if you keep looking at him like that..." Duda stops talking the moment Denner looks in our direction.
It’s like my eyes are drawing him in.
"Sometimes I’m scared of the things you say."
She smiles.
"That’s just experience talking."
I see him say something in the woman’s ear and look at me again.
"I’m leaving, I’m sorry."
"Briana! You just got here."
"Can’t I stay here?"
"Briana. At some point, you’ll have to..."
"No, Eduarda. I don’t need to say anything. I already have enough problems with him thinking I’m Oliver’s mistress."
She widens her eyes.
"What!? Does Mr. Thompson already know about this?"
"No, and he won’t hear it from me. Oliver is a very busy man, and I won’t bother him with this."
"You need to tell him."
"No, I don’t. And now I’m going to..."
"Excuse me, miss. Would you mind coming with me?"
I’m interrupted by a very tall and strong man standing next to me.
"No, she can’t."
Duda knows exactly what’s going on here; she’s not naive.
"He asked you to escort me to the exit, didn’t he? He doesn’t want to have to enjoy himself while having to look at his father’s mistress," I say, looking at the man.
"That’s ridiculous," Duda says, very upset.
"It’s fine, Duda."
"It’s not okay, Briana. You’re a customer like anyone else here."
"Please, miss, come with me."
"She won’t."
"I will, I don’t want any more trouble, Duda. You know very well that I don’t feel comfortable with this."
She looks at me, takes a deep breath, hugs me tightly, and whispers in my ear:
"You’re the best person I know in my life, but you can’t let others walk all over you like this, Bri."
"It’ll be okay, at the end of the day..."
"Everything always works out," she completes the sentence.
"It always does. I’ll call you as soon as I get back home."
"I’ll be waiting. I won’t stay here either. As soon as Justin comes back with the drinks, I’ll ask him for us to head out. I’m never coming back here."
"You don’t have to cut your night short because of me, that would only make me feel bad."
She hugs me even tighter.
"Sooner or later you’ll have to put a stop to this. You have to learn to fight your battles and come out on top, Bri."
"I’m trying, but it’s not easy. That’s why I don’t want to involve Oliver in this absurdity, it would only upset him." I kiss her cheek, and we say goodbye with the promise that I’ll call her as soon as I get home.
When I approach the exit, the man who accompanied me grabs my arm, and I’m startled by his grip.
"This way, miss."
He guides me in another direction.
"The exit isn’t this way."
"No, it’s not. Mr. Thompson is waiting for you in the game room."
My heart skips a beat upon hearing this, as this place isn’t just a regular nightclub like the others.
Knowing that Denner wants to see me in the room where rich men leave as poor sends a shiver down my spine.
- Writer
