I looked at him and nodded. Terry continued to hold my gaze before whistling in admiration. “Wow! I can’t believe how quickly you made it to the top with the A-listers,” he said with a snicker, his eye twinkling in amusement.
I shook my head and grinned back. “I haven’t. Don’t worry,” I said as I walked away from him towards the bedroom. “Can you keep yourself company while I change? I don’t have much time until someone picks me up.”
“Who is picking you up?” he asked suggestively, the end of his lips twitched into a smile.
“No. It’s not who you think it is. And I have no idea why you would even think that. Not in a million years,” I said with conviction as I opened the door of my new room. “Can you keep yourself company, please—and don’t destroy anything! Turn the television on,” I suggested with a smile.
“Hell yeah!” he exclaimed in excitement, all thoughts of teasing me were gone as he jogged to the living room.
I smirked at his actions and shook my head in amusement. He could be such a guy sometimes. I left him to watch shows while I closed the door of my room and stared at the dress on my bed. I hadn’t moved it from where I last put it down this morning. I glanced at it for a moment before sighing dejectedly. Afterwards, I walked towards the dresser on the left side of the room and pulled out the chair from under it. I stared at my face for a second before styling my hair with a comb.
It only took me half an hour to do my hair and makeup. That was mainly because I only owned a compact powder and lipstick. With my hair and makeup done, I stood in front of the dress again, hesitant to put it on. When a minute of internal debate passed, a knock on the door brought me back to reality.
“Andy? There is a man in a suit outside the door waiting for you. Do you know him?” Terry asked. His voice was muffled from the wooden door that separated us.
“Yes. If his name is Kevin, you can let him in. Tell him to wait for a second,” I called as I picked up the dress from the bed.
“Okay,” he shouted as his voice and footsteps got fainter the farther away he got.
I distinctly heard Terry tell someone to get in and wait for a few minutes. I quickly put on the dress before I thought twice about backing out. After a quick look in the full-length mirror, (which was located beside the door leading to the walk-in closet), I let out a huge breath and walked out of the room.
I heard someone gasp when I closed the door behind me. I turned around, a little curious as to who made the noise, when I saw both Terry and Kevin look at me in surprise. I felt a sudden blush creep on my face as their eyes assessed me from head to toe. I was a little uncomfortable with it, so I cleared my throat to get their attention.
“Andy, you look fantastic. I didn’t know you had it in you,” Terry spoke up first, breaking the silence.
“Thank you,” I said to him with a shy smile.
“You look lovely, Ms. Peterson,” Kevin agreed with a small smile of his own, nodding his head briefly in greeting.
“Thank you, Kevin. Shall we go?” I asked, mainly because their praise made me feel awkward.
“Sure. This way please,” Kevin said as he offered me his arm.
I looked at him, not really processing what to do until Terry silently signaled me to take it. I mouthed a thank you at him as I put my arm around Kevin’s. Terry winked at me and chuckled softly to himself.
As we walked out of the apartment, with Terry trailing silently behind us, I felt my heart beat faster. On our way down in the elevator, once again I thought about my predicament. I couldn’t believe the things I did out of desperation. This job may have been a gift from heaven, but then the person I would be working with might as well have belonged smack in the middle of hell. It was weird how your life can change in a short amount of time.
We stopped in front of the building as I waited for Terry to leave. We hugged for a second and exchanged a few jokes before he finally left. When I could no longer see his motorcycle on the street, I allowed Kevin to take me to the car, which happened to be the same SUV he drove that morning.
The drive to the mansion was long. Since the house was located just a few miles from the edge of Chestnut Hill, it took us almost an hour to get there. We drove past houses that could have been on the covers of architectural magazines. Obviously, this was a neighborhood for the rich, however, it was the huge modern-designed house, located a few blocks away, which caught my eye. It might not have been the only one in the neighborhood with its own lawn, huge grounds, possibly a pool, and a tennis court. But what set it apart was the fact that it was surrounded with trees and bushes that were shaped into different figures. As the car continued to drive towards that particular house, I had a gut feeling that it was the Maxwell’s Mansion.
The car stopped in front of a huge back gate where a man in a black suit and tie stood. Several more of them were scattered throughout the perimeter. From the way they clenched their jaws and looked at the car, I could tell they were guards. Kevin rolled down his window to talk to one of them. He smiled at the man and addressed him in a friendly manner.
I wasn’t able to hear their conversation since I got so engrossed with the stately house in front of me. After they finished talking, we slowly drove towards the house. The exterior of the mansion had the same shade of cream as the lobby of my new apartment. Some of the walls were attached with tinted glass, which gave the house a modern edge. The huge lawn near the entrance had a huge pond with a fountain. The female figurine at the top of the fountain provided a classic look, which softened the modern edge of the mansion. All in all, the place was mesmerizing.
When we finally stopped by the front porch that led to a huge, dark, wooden door, I was startled when the car door opened. Apparently, I was so preoccupied with the beauty in front of me.
“We’re here, Ms. Peterson,” Kevin said and then offered me his arm again. I absentmindedly looped my arm around his and allowed him to guide me inside.
As the front door opened, I gasped at the interior of the house. It was even more stunning than the exterior. The dark wooden walls rendered a classic feel to the room, which was balanced out by the contemporary furniture and design. The staircase across the main door was huge. It was made of dark wood and was so well polished that you could see your own reflection. I was in awe. No words had come out of my mouth as we stood by the door.
Kevin cleared his throat to get my attention. I looked at him with a shy smile. “Do you want a drink, Ms. Peterson?” he asked as invited me to enter the house.
“Please, call me Andy. Ms. Peterson makes me feel old,” I whispered.
He chuckled at my words and nodded his head once in reply. As we moved inside the house, I could hear soft murmurs and light music playing in the background. I took in a huge breath as we slowly moved towards the sound.
Mentally, I was praying that I wouldn’t see him at all. But as we entered a hallway, my eyes landed on a familiar figure with dirty blond hair and a well-built physique. That night, he was wearing a navy suit. When he was about to turn our way, I gasped in shock. Luckily, I was able to react fast and shifted away from his line of vision, dragging Kevin along with me.
When we got to the nearest room and made sure he didn’t see us, I took in a steady breath and looked back at Kevin (whose eyes were wide and astonished by my actions). I let go of my grip on his arm and bowed in apology.
“I’m so sorry about that. I thought I saw something... Anyways, I’m sorry,” I fumbled an apology and trailed off, not wanting to explain my reason.
Kevin chuckled at my embarrassment and patted my shoulder lightly. “Would you like to meet Ms. Maxwell right away?” he asked with a small smile.
“I thought you’d never ask,” I answered in relief.
He laughed at my response and signaled for me to follow him. He led me towards the grand staircase and onto the second floor. On the way up, I grazed my hand on the wooden railing as we ascended the carpeted stairs. It was as smooth as I had imagined. Once we arrived on the seco
nd floor, we continued along a vast hallway. I couldn't help noticing that the carpet was the same color as the walls downstairs. It wasn't until Kevin stopped in front of a door, and I heard a soft familiar voice behind it, did I realize that we had arrived. He knocked before opening the door, not waiting for a response.
“Ms. Maxwell, Ms. Peterson is here to see you,” he announced then opened the door wide enough for me to go in.
I slowly stepped inside, not sure what to say to her. When I finally got a view inside, I was in awe again. It was a study. The room was filled with shelves of books that reached the ceiling. There was a wooden desk in the middle where Alexandra was seated. The study looked like it came out of the nineteenth century.
“Andy, welcome to the Maxwell Mansion. I hope you are enjoying the party,” Alexandra greeted, effectively grabbing my attention. She had an open laptop on top of the desk, which looked out of place considering the classic design of the room.
“Yes. Thank you for inviting me. And I also would like to thank you for the apartment. It was more than I could have hoped for, along with the furniture and all,” I said softly to her, not sure how to properly respond.
Her beauty took me aback. She looked like royalty with her hair styled up at the crown of her head, elegant, white dress, and natural-looking makeup. I was sure that with or without the makeup, she would still look stunning.
“It was nothing. I don’t need them anymore since I’ll be moving in with my fiancé. We don’t have enough room for them at his place,” she stated dismissively as she glanced down to type something on her laptop.
“Uhm... So, what is it you want to tell me, Ms. Maxwell?” I asked after a few seconds of silence.
“You’re quite direct, Andy, which is why I hired you,” she stated mostly to herself. “I want to discuss with you about work this Monday,” she added aloud, her tone serious and business-like.
I nodded, telling her to continue. “Starting this Monday, I will be travelling to Europe to plan my wedding. Don’t worry. You’ll still work for me. I want you to send me reports about the situation here while I’m away. However, you will be working with my brother instead,” she started and paused for a second. I opened my mouth to protest but she beat me to it. “I know you hate my brother, so hear me out. You still work for me, so I assure you he cannot fire you. He can still ask you to do things only if it is related to work. But other than that, then you can tell him to screw it.”
I smiled at her words, glad that he didn’t control my professional fate. But it didn’t mean I would be safe from him in other ways. I stiffened at the thought of facing him again. Granted I saw him a few minutes ago, but that didn’t count since he didn’t see me.
Alexandra looked at me with amusement as I struggled internally. “You don’t have to worry, Andy. He can’t hurt you. His bark is worse than his bite,” she chuckled at her words, which I gladly joined in.
After that, she briefed me on some of the reports I would make and gave me her email address. I finally excused myself when she went back to typing. Once I was out of the room, it was only then I noticed that Kevin had gone away. I was glad that I remembered the way down or I would have to ask Alexandra for directions. I didn’t want to bother her after what she had done for me.
As I headed for the stairs, I noticed too late one of the doors nearby open and a man came out. I bumped his side and was about to fall, but the man acted quickly by wrapping his arm around my waist to prevent me from tripping. I glanced up to the man to apologize but stopped myself when I realized who it was from the navy suit he was wearing. I frantically shoved myself away from his hold.
Nine
William was stunned before he regained his composure.
“What are you doing here?” he asked sternly, his voice authoritative.
I stared at him with the same expression before replying, “I’m here for business.”
His eyes widened in realization before he took a steady step towards me. I stepped back at his advance, which made the end of his lips twitch upward. “I don’t know what you are getting or how you got my sister’s interest, but I’m not going to tolerate your rudeness in my presence. Are we clear?” he sneered.
My eyes hardened as I stared at him. “I can only be kind to others who aren’t a prick,” I replied grimly.
He took another step towards me as his eyes glistened in anger. I held my ground and didn’t allow him to intimidate me. We stood glaring at each other before the door behind us opened suddenly. We both turned at the door and saw Alexandra come out with a confused expression.
“What are you two doing here?” she asked while closing the door of the study. “William, please escort Andy downstairs. Be a gentleman and get her a drink. She is my guest,” she added as she walked towards us.
“I’m not...” William trailed off when Alexandra glared at him.
“Take her downstairs and be a gentleman, Willy.” Alexandra’s voice had a threatening edge to it.
In defeat, William suddenly took my arm and pulled me towards the stairs in frustration. I glanced at him then snickered at his childlike behavior. All of a sudden, he faced me with hardened eyes at my reaction.
I couldn’t help myself any longer. “She calls you Willy? That’s so cute!” I exclaimed with a chuckle.
With that statement, he released his grip on my arm. His eyes remained cold as he threatened me grimly. “If you say anything about this, I will ruin your life.”
I looked at him seriously, all humor drained out of my face. I gave him a curt nod before I walked away from him. I didn’t want to trigger anything else that might fuel his anger. I had already done a lot to piss him off in the past. Plus, I don’t want to make an enemy out of the man who had the power to ruin my life. I took his threat seriously for once since I knew he would do it without batting an eye.
As I descended the stairs, I stared longingly at the main door. I wanted to leave the party. My interest for the event dissipated after I finished my business with Alexandra. Releasing a defeated sigh, I turned towards the door. But before I could get far, a hand held my arm in restraint. I turned to look at who had stopped me only to feel more annoyed at discovering who did it.
“Where the heck are you going?” he snapped as he tightened his grip on my arm.
I shoved away from his hold, which he released after realizing what I was doing. “I’m going home since my business here is done,” I replied and looked at him in annoyance. Why was he asking me this when he didn’t want me around?
“You can’t go yet. My sister would think that I threatened you to leave,” he hissed in frustration as he grabbed my arm again. “Come on. The refreshments are in that room,” he added as he tugged me towards a hall where soft music resonated.
“What? I’m not going in there with you. I don’t care what your sister thinks. If she thinks you’ve threatened me to leave, then she is damn right!” I snapped and whacked his grip on my arm with my free hand.
He spun around to look at me with eyes ablaze with rage. He opened his mouth to reply but closed it when his eyes focused behind me. I turned to check what caught his attention and saw his sister with a man I didn’t recognize. Alexandra stood beside a six-feet-tall, dark-haired man, who was wearing a grey suit and black tie. They stared at us with amusement dancing in their eyes.
“What are you two still doing here bickering?” Alexandra asked as the guy beside her smirked.
We stood unresponsive for a second before I broke the ice. “He was threatening me to leave,” I replied in a childish manner as I gave in to the urge to blame the culprit beside me.
“No, I’m not. You were the one who was adamant on leaving. I was about to offer you some refreshments,” he looked at his sister. “I was about to get her a drink, but she outright refused.”
Alexandra remained stoic while the man beside her burst in laughter, which eventually ended with just a grin.
“Andy, please allow my stubborn little brother to accompany you tonigh
t,” she paused as her eyes shifted to her brother. “I don’t want to hear any more about this please. This is my engagement party. So you have no right to refuse, William,” she said sternly.
We remained silent and immobile for a second before William let out a huge huff of breath. He turned towards me and offered his arm. I looked at him with uncertainty and glanced back at Alexandra. She gave me a small reassuring smile and nodded towards William, gesturing me to accept his arm. With a sigh of defeat, I looped my arm around his and allowed him to escort me inside.
“Treat the lady with respect, Willy. You won’t get anywhere by arguing,” the guy beside Alexandra taunted as we walked ahead of them.
I could feel William's bicep flex, as he stood rooted to the spot before he led us inside the huge hall. While we were walking, I glanced up at him and saw his jaw clenched tight. It was clear he was trying to hold back his anger. He made an attempt to calm down by taking a deep breath.
I tore my eyes away from his face when we reached a small bar at the far corner of the room. The place was filled with socialites and very powerful people. Everyone looked polished and well dressed. The men wore suits and the women wore gowns. It was like attending a queen’s gala rather than an engagement party.
“What do you want to drink?” William asked, snapping me out of my daze.
I eyed him with curiosity. “You don’t have to do that. I can get a drink for myself,” I stated monotonously, then ignored him by turning my attention to the bartender and waved my hand to get his attention.
“What can I get you ma’am?” the bartender asked with a smile.
“I would like a cranberry juice with a pinch of vodka, please,” I replied. I was amused at the enthusiasm in his voice.
“Can I get your name? I might get the orders jumbled,” the bartender asked with a sexy grin and winked at me.
I chuckled at his smoothness and replied, “It’s Andy, and don’t forget it.”