by Tyla Walker
Come Monday morning, I'll act as if I'm the perfect fiancé in front of everyone. But as soon as we're alone, I'll act as though we are simply co-workers and nothing more.
With those thoughts in my mind, I strengthen my resolve. I won't let myself get caught in his charms.
"Mommy!" Lauralee shouts, breaking me out of my thoughts. She's waving her arms, trying to get my attention. She has a huge smile on her face, and I can't help the smile that makes its way to my own.
I wave back, and she giggles, probably happy that she got my attention. She then goes back to playing with some of the kids, splashing around and chasing each other.
That's right. If anything else, there's a lot of good that will come out of this arrangement for my daughter and me. I get to spend more time with her, just like today.
I only hope that I'm not making a mistake.
Sixteen
Grant
I’ve been known as impulsive, especially by my own mother. I have a reputation as a playboy that I don’t want to be ruined. And what I have with Sonya, it’s a business agreement between the two of us. I like her, I know I do.
But waking up next to her the morning after we had such fantastic sex, it honestly overwhelmed me. So being a man who has been known to make stupidly impulsive decisions, I left.
I left without so much as a word. I shouldn’t let it get to me, but I feel guilty about what I’ve done. A huge part of me is practically screaming at me to apologize.
I look at the time, and it’s already close to three in the afternoon. I run a hand through my hair in frustration, feeling distracted from the guilt that I feel.
I hesitantly grab my phone, deciding to shoot her a message.
Hey, Sonya. I’m sorry about leaving without saying anything. I feel bad about just walking out on you. I was just eager to get some work done. I had a really great time, though. I finish typing and click send.
I stare at my phone, expecting a reply, but minutes pass, and nothing.
I then remember Lauralee. I wonder how she’s doing. We had such a great time. What if Sonya decides that spending time with Lauralee will only complicate matters? I hope not. I really like the kid.
I let out a heavy sigh. I really messed up. I hate the thought that Sonya may be mad at me. It brings an uncomfortable feeling at the pit of my stomach.
No matter how much I want to wait for her to reply, I need to get back to work. I try to focus. I remind myself that this is my dream. It’s finally becoming a reality, and it’s thanks to Sonya.
‘And you just had to fuck her.’, my conscience says reproachfully.
I groan, rubbing my hands against my face.
It’s the weekend, and I need to get my work done. I’ve already apologized. The ball is in Sonya’s court.
Getting back to work, I type in a few charity ideas on my phone’s notepad. I want to provide a shelter for women and children. That is my priority, for now. I’ve already got some potential properties lined up. At the shelter, I’ll even provide a soup kitchen at the ground floor.
And speaking of soup kitchens, I’ll get volunteers who will help me organize feeding programs. Another idea that I’ve got lined up is to get some volunteer doctors and nurses. We can organize a free check-up and provide some medicine for those who are in need.
We could ask people to donate some clothes to the needy. I have a lot of friends who are willing to help with that. I’m sure they’ll even donate large sums of money for the cause.
But as rich as my friends are, I’m going to need larger funding. The non-profit charities have to be funded by the company. Being non-profit, we won’t be making any money out of them. And, the challenge is how to syphon new resources so that the company can cover all those expenses.
A fundraiser seems like a good idea, but I need to make better plans for it. Sonya crosses my mind. Through the years, she’s been able to organize company events like a pro. I’m sure this fundraiser is right up her alley. Unfortunately, we aren’t on speaking terms. And in order to get her on board, I need to tell her what I’m up to with the company’s extra money.
I’m not sure if I’m ready to divulge my plans to her just yet. It’s still a little embarrassing.
Going over some of the company profits, I notice how Sonya’s work garners most of the profits. My mouth hangs open in utter amazement. She truly is a genius. My mom is lucky to have her. And just from the look of how she works, anyone can tell that there’s no question about her devotion.
I shake my head. No one can be that perfect.
I review the data regarding Sonya’s work. And as if my recent discovery wasn’t enough, I find out that not only are we reaping in the most profits from Sonya’s work, but we’re also saving more money because of Sonya’s designs.
The materials that she chooses for her designs aren’t very costly, but still provide good quality merchandise. She’s smart about the materials she uses. She’s practical with regards to her every move.
Did I say that she’s a genius? She’s damn brilliant! She exceeds expectations. As head of the finance department, I can say that her talent is simply mind-boggling.
If only my mother saw through her employee’s talent sooner. We could have put Sonya’s intelligence to better use, rather than running her ragged with administrative work. She’s like a godsend, and my mother does not even realize this. It’s truly a pity.
I recheck the data, just to be sure that I’m not dreaming. But no matter how many times I go through them, the results always stay the same. Sonya has indeed been doing a lot of good for this company for that past few years.
I’ll need to talk to mother about this. Sonya’s talent and intelligence should not be wasted. But knowing my mother, she’ll think that I’m just making another rash decision.
I start making a presentation for my mother, so that she’ll see that I’m not making decisions out of emotions. If I show her all the relevant data regarding the company profits, and Sonya’s role in its increase, she’ll definitely consider Sonya for a promotion.
She’d be damn stupid if she doesn’t. And my mother, Gloria Fields, is many things, but stupid is not among them.
I’m typing furiously on my laptop, eager to put what I have learned in a presentation, when I feel my stomach grumble.
I look at the clock and notice that it’s already eight in the evening. I sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose. It’s late, and I haven’t eaten anything since this morning.
I’m almost done with my presentation. A bite to eat can be permitted.
I head for the kitchen. I open my fridge, relieved that there’s some leftover ham, I decide to make a sandwich.
With my mind being free from work, thoughts of Sonya come creeping back in.
With that, I finish my sandwich in a hurry. The sooner that I can finish my presentation and convince my mother that Sonya is indeed worthy of a promotion, the sooner the guilt that I feel will disappear.
With this, I know that I’ll be able to make it up to Sonya. I can’t think of a better way to make her forgive me, than to help her achieve what she’s always wanted, which is recognition from my mother, and a position that is worthy of her talents.
I get back to my study to finish my work. After another hour, I’m finally done.
I look over it to make sure that there are no mistakes.
Satisfied with my work, I save it all, and close my laptop to get some well-deserved rest.
I glance at my phone that’s at the far corner of my desk. Hesitantly, I grab a hold of it. I feel nervous. What if Sonya still hasn’t responded?
I let out a heavy sigh and decide to just suck it up. I turn on my phone, feeling a sense of anticipation.
No response. I feel a huge wave of disappointment but try to push it back down.
I really do regret leaving her like that.
As I get myself ready for bed, my thoughts keep getting preoccupied by our crazy night together. I’ve had sex with a lot of women, but no on
e’s been able to make me feel as amazing as Sonya.
It’s like there’s this magnetic pull for each other that we cannot deny. We fucked all night until she passed out from cumming so much. My cock twitches before it’s already as hard as a rock from the memory of last night.
I groan in frustration. I’m going to need a cold shower. I let myself relax under the cold spray of water rolling off my back. My mind turns blank. I sigh in relief.
I get dressed so that I can get some much-needed rest. As I lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling, my eyes start to get heavy.
I close my eyes with thoughts of Sonya in my mind before succumbing to sleep.
Seventeen
Sonya
"Mommy! Mommy!" Lauralee repeatedly calls me as she tries to wake me up by rocking me back and forth from the bed.
I try my best to ignore her in hopes of getting more sleep before work, but she becomes a bit more aggressive as her voice grows louder, leaving me no choice but to give in and finally wake up. I slowly open my eyes and get a glance at the clock before turning my attention to Lauralee.
"What is it, sweetie?" I ask, even though my voice is hoarse, given that it's only five o'clock in the morning.
"I'm hungry," she declares as she places her hand over her stomach.
"Alright then, let's head to the kitchen and get you some breakfast."
Without any hesitation, I get up from my bed and take Lauralee's hand into mine before heading out of the room.
I walk over to the fridge to grab some milk while Lauralee settles herself on a chair as she waits for her food. I grab a bowl from the cupboard and the box of cereals sitting on top of the kitchen counter before walking back to where Lauralee is.
She gets a bit excited when she sees the box of cereals in my hand. It's always been her favorite breakfast food. I place the bowl in front of her, put some cereals in it, and then pour in some milk.
"Here you go, sweetie," I lightly rub her head as she starts to dig in.
"Thank you, Mommy," she says before taking another spoonful in her mouth.
It's way too early in the morning for me to have breakfast, so I decide to just have some coffee. I walk back to the kitchen counter and start making myself a cup or maybe even two.
As soon as the coffee is ready, I pour myself a cup and sit next to Lauralee while she eats. I let out a sigh as I recall the incident from yesterday. I know that I shouldn't be sulking over it, but a part of me is still bothered.
I mean, I shouldn't expect anything from a well-known playboy when it comes to things like that, right? It's probably my fault for letting things go that far anyway. I should've known a whole lot better.
"Everything's just for show, after all," I subconsciously blurt out.
"What did you say, Mommy?" Lauralee looks over to me with a confused expression on her face.
"Huh? Oh, uh – I said that you should finish your breakfast so that we could get you ready for school," I quickly come up with a response.
I shake my head before taking another sip from my cup. After breakfast, I bring Lauralee to the bathroom to help her get ready for school. The school bus will arrive in about forty minutes, so we still have plenty of time.
After bathing her, I quickly help her dress up. I fix her hair up into a bun so that her hair doesn't get in the way when she's at school. We go to the living room and wait for the bus to arrive in the driveway.
"Mommy, the bus is here!" Lauralee announces as she gets up from the couch and wears her backpack.
She takes my hand as she leads me out of the door. She hurriedly walks towards the bus as soon as she sees the door open.
"Good morning, Lauralee," Mr. Simmons, the designated bus driver, greets.
"Good morning, Mr. Simmons," she greets politely before heading to her seat.
"Good morning to you too, Ms. Lynx," he turns his attention to me as soon as Lauralee settles in.
"Good morning, Mr. Simmons. Have a safe drive," I wave goodbye before the bus drives away.
I head back inside and grab my phone to check the time. It's already seven o'clock, meaning I have to get ready for work. I walk to my room as I randomly scan through my phone, and somehow end up at my inbox where Grant's name is listed on top.
I stop just in front of my bed as I tap on his name, revealing the text message that he had left me yesterday, to which I didn't respond.
Hey, Sonya. I'm sorry about leaving without saying anything. I feel bad about just walking out on you. I was just eager to get some work done. I had a really great time, though. I reread it.
Yeah right. I turn off my phone before throwing it on the bed and headed inside the bathroom.
As the water from the shower stream down my skin, I decided to just stop letting what happened to us get to me. I have to focus on more important things, rather than waste my time thinking about the night that probably meant nothing to Grant.
That's precisely what I'm going to do from here on out. I turn the knob of the shower and grab the towel hanging on the side to dry myself before exiting the bathroom. I walk to my closet and grab a decent pair of office suits.
I quickly dress up before heading to my dresser to fix my hair. I lightly swipe a neutral lipstick before leaving the house.
"Good morning, Ms. Lynx," the doorman greets as I enter the building.
"Good morning," I reply, smiling at him before walking further inside.
I hold my phone and scan through my email just to check on what I have to accomplish today. As I reach the elevator, I press the button and take a deep breath before entering the enclosed structure.
This is it. I have to put my game face on and be strictly professional from now on. I'm not going to let my emotions get the best of me.
I slightly straighten out my coat as the elevator ascends. I take another deep breath when the elevator stops on the floor where my office is.
As soon as I step out of the elevator, Grant is the first person I see. I know that I've already decided to keep things professional, but I didn't think that I would see him until later.
I shake my thoughts off before he could turn around. The plan is to play the part of his fiancée when we're around people, especially his mother, then just keep things strictly about business when it's just the two of us.
I continue to walk, still hoping that he won't turn around until I disappear from the room into my office. But of course, he turns around just before I could get into my office.
"Sonya!" he calls out my name, causing me to stop in my tracks.
"Oh, I didn't see you there," I lie.
I walk back towards his direction. Ugh, now I have to act all sweet to him since we're visible to the people around.
Oh, how convenient, I spot Gloria Fields heading to our direction. Now I have to smother Grant.
"I missed you so much, my love," I lean in to plant a quick kiss on Grant's lips and peeks if Gloria sees this.
I can see her eye us from head to toe before turning in one of the corners of the hallway. As soon as she disappears from my view, I pull away from Grant.
"I need to head back to my office. I have a lot of work to do," I make an excuse so that I can get away from him.
I didn't wait for a response. I just turn and walk back to the direction of my office, leaving Grant a bit confused.
As I've already decided this morning, I do my part of the deal just like we agreed upon. Nothing more, nothing less.
I sigh as I shut the door behind me and walk over to my desk to finally get some work done. I pull out my phone to double-check my list of things to do for the day.
I start answering some of the emails that I have received over the weekend from some of our clients. My rule of thumb is, if I get an email over the weekend, it won't be answered until the next office day. Besides, my weekends are allotted for Lauralee.
Well, if I don't have to do overtime. I sigh.
In the middle of answering emails, I hear a knock on the door. I suddenly feel nervous
because I somehow know that it would be Grant. Of course, I'm right.
"Can I come in?" he asks.
"Sure," I answer, not even bothering to look at him.
"Are you busy?" he asks again as he takes a seat in front of my desk.
"Yeah," I continue to type on my laptop.
"Oh," he pauses. "Do we have a problem, Sonya?"
I stop typing and look up at him, blankly, "A problem? O f course not. Why would we have a problem?"
I immediately go back to typing, but I can feel his eyes are still fixated on me.
"Look about the morning–"
"Don't worry about it. We don't have to talk about that anymore," I cut him off. "What happened wasn't part of the deal anyway. Let's just keep things professional between us. That's how it has to be."
"Oh, okay, if that's what you want."
Of course, he just agrees. Why am I even surprised?
We move over to the couch across my desk to discuss my strategies. We review all the details to make sure that everything is set and ready.
"You know what, with the kind of work you produce, they should have given you a promotion earlier," Grant praises.
"They already did," I tell him. Well, it was a senior position. In case he forgot.
"I mean, a more substantial position," Grant says to me.
"Thanks," I smile graciously, not wanting to break the facade that I've decided to build.
I check the time to see that it's already late in the afternoon. We continue to work on my strategies and whatnot. Somehow we find ourselves sitting closer to each other than we are earlier.
As we discuss more on what's in front of us, we simultaneously look at each other. Our faces are an inch away. Grant subconsciously licks his lips as he looks down on mine. Damn it, this is what I'm trying to avoid.
But before I could do anything about it, his lips are already over mine. Fuck.
Eighteen
