Gold digger
Leaning closer holding her gaze, he sealed her lips with his swallowing the curses. Deepening the kiss she gradually relaxed, putting her hand’s around his neck as his hand lavished her body. Caressing and kissing her from her eyes to her neck enjoying her sweat lavender perfume cent. With his hand under her dress, she unbuttoned his shirt…
Melissa…
“What?” Jolted from her hot thoughts, Melissa turned to Mark and found him staring at her.
When Nancy nudged her with her foot, she realized everyone in the conference room looked at her as Mark handed her a napkin. Making her feel more embarrassed for drooling while daydreaming having steamy sex with her boss. The one man she was trying so hard to stay away from.
“Melissa, are you okay? You have been chewing hard on that pen.” Nancy beside her asked the question in everyone’s mind.
“I’m fine.” She responded noticing the teeth marks on the pen. And before the meeting came to an end, she took her bag excusing herself to go to the lavatory.
“What’s wrong with me?” Splashing water on her face, she looked at her reflection in the mirror. After what had happened in the conference hall, She couldn’t get herself to face anyone. Drifting off in a room full of people, was so embarrassing.
“Ah! This is all your fault, Mark.” She bellowed pointing at her reflection.
When she heard movement outside the door, she rushed and locked herself in one of the toilets stall.
“Melissa, it’s me, Jenifer. Are you okay?” Jenifer knocked on the door after confirming she was inside.
She reluctantly opened the door. “I’m fine, are we going back to the office?”
“Yes, will you ride in the company van with us?”
“Yes, let’s go find Nancy.” After touching up their make up they joined the rest in the reception area.
“What’s wrong with you two? I was about to call for a search party.” Nancy complained.Material © NôvelDrama.Org.
“Where is everyone?” Looking around Melissa asked feeling relieved.
“They went back, we have to check everything for the party and Melissa here will accompany the prince charming. Oh wow.. look who just walked in.” Nancy said looking at the entrance.
An elegant looking lady walked to where Mark, James, and the manager were talking. Waving her hand at the two men she kissed Mark on the cheek and hugged him glaring at them. Standing beside him she intertwined their arms.
“Who’s that?” Melissa asked staring at them.
“That Sasha, his fiancee. She has come to show off or maybe someone told her about you accompanying her fiance.” Nancy admired Sasha’s beauty.
She was way more sophisticated than Melissa. Wearing body hugging pants in heels and black short hair that made her look more slender and young than she was.
James called Melissa aside and asked if they could drop her off at the office but she declined, he made an excuse for Sasha being there but Melissa was not ready to hear any of it.
They watched them as Mark held open the car door for Sasha. They were not riding in the limousine, they drove his Porsche Panamera. Melissa didn’t want to see them anymore, she walked to the ballroom to assess how the preparations were progressing. She didn’t see Mark sit beside James at the front set as James drove off escorted by two security vehicles.
As they walked out of the hotel, Melissa got her phone to ask Adams to pick her up but before she made the call, the limousine she had come in drove towards them.
“The boss asked me to wait for you, ma’am.” The chauffeur said as he opened the door.
“Thank you.”
“My, have never been in a limo before. It’s so spacious, wow look at these seats.” Jenifer looked around in admiration as they drove. They gave their address for them to be dropped off.
‘Wow, you know what this means Melissa? The boss likes you. He may have a fiancee but it seems he wants you as his side chick. I noticed how he couldn’t keep his eyes off you and how he kept whispering in your ear at the meeting. No wonder you were lost fantasizing throughout the meeting. If I didn’t know otherwise I would say he is in love with you.” Nancy had been spying on them the whole morning, watching how they kept glancing at each other.
“You’re talking nonsense Nancy, stop interpreting what’s not there.” Melissa tried to downplay it but as always Nancy come up with her theories.
“Come on, Jenifer can you back me up here?” Nancy pleaded
“What you’re saying is impossible Nancy, they probably won’t meet again. Stop putting ideas into Melissa’s head.” Jenifer tried to help Melissa out. she knew Melissa was hiding her real identity but never questioned her.
“Not if we make them meet coincidentally, at the party even if we have to corner him in the men’s room.” They all laughed listening to Nancy’s crazy theories.
In his office Mark laughed, watching the three women converse. He had put up a camera so he could see the kind of people Melissa worked with. They were inquisitive but he was glad they treated Melissa well.
Satisfied he turned off the phone and concentrated on his office work.
….
In her room, Melissa checked the direction to the address she got from the Stevens on her laptop, the shipment was to arrive in two days.
“Are you busy?” Mark asked after knocking on the door twice. Startling Tommy who was stacking blocks to make a train on the carpet.
“No, I’m not.” She switched off the laptop hoping he didn’t see what was displayed on the screen. “Do you need something from me?” She asked sitting up on the bed.
“Get ready, you, Tommy and I are going to have dinner at the mansion. Have asked Mary to get Tommy ready.”
“What, do we have to meet your grandfather today?”
“Yes, he knows about you and Tommy that’s why he sent Sasha to the hotel today, besides I can’t keep this off any longer. He has to see his great-grandson.”
“Okay, I’ll be down in a few minutes.” She walked into the closet to look for what to wear after calling her aunt and sending Tommy to his room to change. Melissa didn’t like the idea of them getting married after seeing him take off with Sasha but they had a deal she couldn’t back out from, besides it was Tommy’s right to be recognized as a Johnson, and she couldn’t keep him away.
Her aunt helped her choose a dress to wear, did her make-up, and gave her motherly advice on how to carry herself when she meets his family. People said Mr. Johnson was old fashion and mean. Betty knew the challenge Melissa was to face and prayed her niece would get the courage to face them. She had experienced all this. Stayed strong and fought for the man she loved but in the end, she lost everything. Now she didn’t want Melissa to go through what she did.
….
The house manager stood at the door, a golden retriever at his feet wagging its tail waiting to invite them in. When they got off the car, the dog got up and barked a few times running to Mark. He got down on one knee to pet it as it licked his face while he introduced them. They were taken to one of the living rooms and offered a cup of coffee as they waited for Mr. Johnson to get from his room.
“Careful grandfather.” They looked at the first floor when they heard the female voice. They stood up to see Sasha helping old Mr. Johnson get downstairs from his room.
“Thank you, my child. You are too kind.”
“Grandfather, is your health okay? Should I take you to the hospital?” Mark went beside him taking over from Sasha. His grandfather was not weak to need support unless he was not feeling well.
“I’m okay, this poor child felt she should help me get from my room. My health is fine, you can ask my doctor here.” Mark understood what he was trying to do. “Are you not going to introduce the guest you brought to my house?” He asked sitting on the couch.
“This is Melissa, the young lady I told you about, and this is Tommy our son.” Melissa shook his hand bowing to show respect. He sat Tommy beside him as he seriously scrutinized Melissa.
“So you are the woman causing my grandson so much trouble?” Melissa didn’t understand what he was talking about. She looked down at her hands on her lap’s avoiding his eyes.
“Grandfather, what are you talking about, Melissa has not caused any trouble for me.” Mark asked amazed by his accusation.
“Dinner is served, let’s talk more later.” He announced after the home manager whispered in his ear.
Mark never talked much while eating a habit which he may have picked from his grandfather who sat opposite them enjoying his meal. Sasha sat beside him, paying so much more attention to him than his real grandchild would. She was putting up an act to impress them and show Melissa she didn’t stand a chance. Mark didn’t seem to mind that Sasha was there and the old Mr. Johnson was quite fond of her.
“So, Melissa you were a housekeeper before Mark got you a better job?” Sasha asked pouring tea for Mr. Johnson as they sat out in the garden. The night had set in but it was warm with the beautiful sky full of bright stars.
“I worked in a hotel as head of housekeeping.”
“Melissa designed our hotel, I’m sure you have seen it. She did a very good job.” Mark squeezed her hand. His grandfather saw how caring he was towards the young lady and decided not to interrogate her as he had planned.
“Yes I was there earlier, quite impressive but I thought that company has two more designers. You definitely didn’t work on the hotel alone.” Mark tried to speak up for her but Melissa stopped him. The way Sasha put it made Melissa look like a gold digger.