28
ESTELLE
“Oh, hey, Estelle. I didn’t expect to see you here.”
I didn’t even know what to say or what I was doing in here in his penthouse. The smell of alcohol and sex was everywhere, making me want to throw up.
Klayton swayed in my direction in his boxers. His eyes were blotched red. At two in the afternoon, he was still wasted in his boxers in his penthouse. Wow. And this was the man that I was going to marry? What did I put myself into?
“I need to talk to you, but not when you are drunk.”
“I’m not. I just woke up. Wait, how did you get in?”
I ignored his question because he should know it by now. “At two in the afternoon.”
“Don’t be a bitch.” He stopped and towered to me. His face was just mere a few inches over mine. “I will have you after we get married, and get ready that ass of yours. These tits were mine before, anyway.” He was about to have his hands on my breasts. Thankfully, my bodyguard, Qamar, was quick enough to grip his hands away from me.
“I suggest you take a few steps back, Mr. Weston.”
“Or what?” He narrowed his eyes at Qamar. “You won’t have a job if you lay a finger on me.”
“I take my chances, Mr. Weston. First, you’re drunk. Second, you’re wildly inappropriate towards my client.”
He turned to me. “I will only talk to you without this man.”
“Meet me at—”
“No. Right now. In my office.” He pointed upstairs.
“She’s not coming with you alone.”
“Do you know who I am?” he tried to intimidate Qamar, but my bodyguard remained in his stance. He probably handled a lot like Klayton before he worked for me.
“I know who you are, Mr. Weston. You’re trying to show and belittle everyone because you’re a billionaire’s son, a playboy, and, oh, you don’t even work to earn money. All you did was get wasted in the club, throw parties, and waste your father’s money. So without your dad, you’re nothing. You better show some respect to a wonderful lady like Ms. Bladwyn. She deserves it.”
“Fuck you. Get out of my penthouse!” He jabbed a finger at Qamar’s chest.
“Is something going on?” A half-naked woman tiptoed out downstairs.
Wow. I shook my head in disbelief and disappointment.
“I’m sorry. I just heard him yelling.” She shrugged and smiled as if I was so happy to see her. Then her eyes widened a bit. “You’re Estelle Bladwyn, right?”
“Do the decency to put some clothes on, lady,” I told her as I began to get annoyed.
“Fine.” She rolled her eyes.
I began to regret my decision to talk to Klayton. This was a bad idea, after all. I had to take a deep breath to calm down and mentally tell myself they weren’t worth my stress hormones.
“No. Go back up. I’ll be done here in a few,” Klayton ordered the woman.
Poor blonde. The woman went up, still covering her chest with her hands as she went up.
“You could join us.” He smirked. “If you want me to stop sleeping around, then stay with me. We’re getting married anyway. What’s with the demure when I will have you in a few months.”
“Now you sound sober. You should consider canceling the engagement, Klayton. You’re far ready from settling down. You’re still whoring around with women every night. Clearly, you are not ready to take the responsibility as a husband.”
“Who said I would stop after we get married? This arrangement is bullshit anyway, but if I don’t do what my father told me, he will cut my trust funds. What would I do without it? And looking at you here right now, it seems you don’t have a choice, after all.”
“Stop being so entitled. Be a man for once, Klayton. Don’t depend on your father. Grow up. You’re twenty-five, for God’s sake. Start working to pay your own bills.”
He shook his head and chuckled, mocking me. “We’re getting married.”
“I don’t like you. We have nothing in common.”
“You don’t have to like me. All you have to do is be pretty and stand next to me in any event my father wishes us to be there. And make sure you won’t have any fats in your body, or I will starve you until I get what I want.” He went towards the stairs. “If you have nothing important to say, get out of my penthouse, and don’t bring that asshole again if you wanna see me again, Estelle.”
Once I was back in the car, I was still shaking with anger. I wanted to scream that it might help with all my problems. I noticed Qamar checking me out every now and then.
“What have I done?”
“You can’t do anything about the past, but you can still do something for what is about to happen.”
“You heard me?”
“I’m sorry. I should have punched him to stop from insulting, but—”
“No. No punching. I don’t want you to get in trouble.”
“My job is to stop the trouble before it’s happening.”
“You did the right thing. I still want to get through to him. Yes, he’s a jerk, but I need to convince him to stop the stupid marriage.”
“Good thing my family doesn’t believe in that practice anymore.”
“Where you from?”
“Second-gen Egyptian immigrant.”
“Well, good for you and your family, Qamar.”
“I know, ma’am. Where to? Back in the office?”
“Yes.” I sighed deeply.
“Don’t stress what happened back there. Can I say something?”
“Sure.”
“He’s an asshole. He doesn’t deserve you.”
I chuckled. “It’s complicated.”
“I could see that.”
I met with the creative director in the conference room at the Star building.
“Tell me some good news.”
Jae, the creative director, smiled in excitement. His eyes were almost gone. “You will receive the new product samples in a few days. Then we can shoot a new endorsement campaign. I already forwarded the creative plan to Mrs. Moore. You can tell us what theme you want to add.”
“It’s all about diversity. Talk to people from different walks of life who truly believe in Star Cosmetics and Activewear. Then we can start the shoot.”
“I love it,” he agreed. “I like the Vermilion on your lips, matte.”
“Thanks, but let us not focus on me this time. I’d like to take the photo shoot at Willa Gallery.” I followed Willa Gallery on Instagram. I hadn’t visited the place, but I could tell the campaign would be a success and good exposure for both parties.
“We’ll check out the venue,” he suggested.
“The owner and director is a good friend of mine.”
“Then that wouldn’t be hard to convince her.”
“Let me talk to her first, but just ready the production.”
“Got it.”
“Thanks, Jae.”
“Cheonman-eyo.”
I entered my office as I dialed Willa’s number.”
“Hello?”
“Willa?”
“Oh, my God. Estelle? Are you calling me? I thought you hated the Linden family.”
I couldn’t help but smile. She was just a female version of her brother. “I tried to. I really did.”
“Good to hear your voice.”
“Me too. Anyway, I checked out your posts about your gallery. I was hoping to come by to see the place next Monday. Will you be there?”
“I would free my entire weekend if you need me.”
I laughed. “That’s too much.”
“Honey. My family will always be there for you. All you have to do is call us.”
“Thanks. How about at 10 am?”
“Ten then.”
“Thanks, Willa.”
“You’re welcome, honey.”
After my work, I feel like I need a good massage. Sometimes I forgot that I wasn’t alone anymore. I had to think about my baby as well. So far, there haven’t been changes in my body. I hadn’t experienced morning sickness either, which was a huge relief, and my secret was intact.
“God, what am I doing?” I looked out through the car window, berating myself if I should get out and see him.
Qamar opened my door and said, “Take the leap.”
“You guys should stop pushing me to your boss.”
He laughed. “My loyalty will always be to both of you.”
“I don’t see it. It’s more like ten percent to me and ninety percent to him.”
“He’s a good man.”
“That, no doubt.” I got out and stepped into the pathways. The lawn was freshly cut. I could still smell the grass. I rang his doorbell. I knew he was here. His car was parked just before my sedan.
The door finally opened. He wasn’t expecting me to show up based on how he looked at me. I should have called first. Maybe, I was interrupting something, and he wasn’t alone.
“Estelle?”
“Hi. I was just—”
“Don’t lie.”
I laughed softly. “I was just talking to your sister over the phone, and then I thought I would check up on you. Are you,” I hesitated. What if he really took my advice about going out on a date?
“I’m alone. Yeah.” He read my thought. Great. “Come in.” He raised his hand to Qamar. “Take a seat. I’ll just talk to Q.”
“Thanks.” I went to his living room. He was watching a football match with his smoothie. Wow, and weird.
A few moments later, he came back and joined me on the couch. “I’m surprised to see you on my doorstep.”
“I should have called you first.”
“Nah. Not necessary. Can I get you something to drink? I have white wine I stole from the boss.”
“You stole Moses Braddson’s wine?” I asked in amusement.
“He has plenty. He won’t even know one wine is missing.”
“No wine. I need a clear head. Water or if you have fresh juice.”
“Just a sec.” He got up, and I managed to hold him. His gaze dropped to my hand around his wrist before it lifted to me.
“Thank you.” I smiled genuinely.
“That’s what friends should do, have each other.”
He came back with a glass of fresh lemon juice with mint. “What’s wrong, Estelle?”
I sipped it. “Wow.”
“Do you like it?”
“Yeah. Fresh and minty. What can’t you do, Gabriel?”
“Get my girl back.”
I couldn’t help but smile. “That’s not what I meant, but I take it.”
“You wouldn’t come over here for me, baby. Tell me.”
I took down my restraint and anything that stopped me from doing what I wanted. I moved close to him and leaned my head on his shoulder. It didn’t take a second; he pulled me even closer as he wrapped his arm around me.
“It’s gonna be fine.”
“I don’t think so.”
“Trust me, baby. There’s always a rainbow after the rain.”
“It’s the sunlight that scatters from raindrops called refraction, Gabriel.”
“Don’t ruin my childhood memories.” A chuckle rumbled from his chest,
“Thank you.”
“I will always be here for you.”
A single tear rolled down my cheek when he kissed the top of my head.
