Rejected at first glance now desired

The cold floor sent shivers down her spine as she mopped the floor.

The weight of everything felt like a mountain on her shoulders. Tara was tired. To be honest, she wanted to give up but she couldn’t. She had been working to finally pay her dad’s debts for 2 years and she wasn’t even quarter way there.

She had many questions to ask him if only he was alive to answer them. She missed him so much but she couldn’t help but blame him for putting her in such a horrible situation.

Sweeping the hotel, mopping the floors, cooking and serving dishes was the same routine she had done everyday here at “ H & A’s restaurant” since she dropped out from college because she couldn’t afford her tuition f*e.

“ Taraaaaaa……”

Madam Clara screamed her name from the kitchen.

“Yes ma'am, I’ll be there in a minute.” Tara answered her, squeezing the mop and headed towards the kitchen.

The kitchen was the same extravagant place. The aroma of the food was already making her stomach grumble.Madam Clara was a woman in her early thirties. She was the Head of chefs and she was actually a very kind person.

“Tara, are you done with mopping the floor?” she asked, kneading the flour on the table.

“She’ll be done in a few minutes ma” Tara replied.

“That’s good, you have to round it up in the next five minutes because we actually have business later.” Madam clara noted, while she continued to knead her dough.

“Hale innovations is actually holding a gala and we need to prepare some deserts for the occasion” Madam Clara said slowly turning to her.

She gently tapped her shoulders with a little smile on her face

“I trust you’ll do a good job Tara, you’ve been working here for long. You’ll finally see the person whom you’ve been working hard to pay”

Tara swallowed hard. Her Dad had worked at the Hale Innovations three years ago where he ditched the company and ran away with $3,00,000 which she had been living to pay for the past two years. Rumors had it that Mr Hale was a ruthless man. He was the owner of the Hale Innovations. 

She nodded her head slightly at Madam Clara and turned back to finish cleaning.

Thirty minutes later, they arrived at the event centre and began to make something for the gala.

The next 2 hours was a mix of preparing desserts and dining them. They moved to helping the decorators in decorating the event centre.

When they finished, Madam Clara called tara and gave her a dress that looked like that of a waitress and she changed into it.

She stood at a corner across the room. People filled the whole area in no time, billionaires from different cities and across countries arrived. Many investors she had only heard of on the radios arrived and one man. She didn’t need to be told. She was sure he was Mr Lucian Hale Alfonso.

The man she had spent two years working for. He was dressed in a fine printed blue suit and his dark hair was impeccably styled. His sharp commanding features carved his handsome face. He was 6’ft tall and his presence commanded authority as two bodyguards walked side by side with him.

Madam Clara called out for tara and she had to return to the kitchen to assist in serving dishes.

Madam Clara handed over a glass of wine on a fancy tray.

“Take this and give it to Mr Hale”.

Tara’s eyes flew open. Mr Hale? Why her?

“But ma'am….”

“I don’t need any excuse Tara, make sure you serve this to him now, I don’t want to keep him waiting”

Her heart started hammering so fast. Her hands shivered as she collected the tray from Madam Clara.

As she walked through the corridor, her breath hitched and she suddenly became restless. An image of him scolding her and embarrassing her at the gala flashed in her head but she tried to keep it cool.

“No….no Tara, I’ll do just fine…..”

She started giving herself confidence as she closed her eyes and she ran into someone and spilled the drink on his suit.

She quickly raised her eyes to meet his’ and it turned out to be Mr Hale.

She swallowed hard and fell at his feet begging him for forgiveness.

“I'm sorry sir, I didn’t mean to, it won’t happen again, I'm sorry” she pleaded.

“It's fine, you can stand up”

Stand up? Why was Mr Lucian asking her to stand up. She quickly stood up and kept her gaze low.

“Let me see your face” he said and she gently raised her head further to meet his gaze. His expression was unreadable.

“You must be Tara, the one who works at the restaurant to pay her father's debt”

“Yes sir” Tara replied, her voice trembling.

He watched her for a while then handed over a card to her.

“I have an offer that won’t have to stress you so much to pay me, if you’re interested visit my office tomorrow morning” he declared and left her alone.

The card initiates an appointment with him. She was sure a man like Lucian had hidden intentions and needed something from her but she couldn’t help but remember his words “I have an offer that won’t have to stress you so much to pay me”. She stood there lost in her thoughts when she finally realized she needed to be in the kitchen.

The rest of the gala was a blur of speech and donations. She couldn't wait to get home and also Lucian's voice was still ringing in her head.

She returned to her apartment after the gala and she was so exhausted. She changed her outfit and slid into a nightwear then laid on the mat she managed to purchase last week from her knitting business.

 Tara closed her eyes to sleep but slowly opened them again. Lucian’s voice echoed in her head. She tried to overcome the thought but the scene in the corridor kept replaying. She kept lying to herself she didn’t need any of his offer and besides if he wanted to help her, he could have simply told her to forget about the debt but he didn’t. She was more confused than ever. If his job was a good and fast one, there should be no reason to say no right? She thought.

The morning sun glowed on her face. The first thing she sighted was the card on the table. She made up her mind. She was going, even if she didn’t have to accept, she needed to know what he had to say. She telephoned Madam Clara and informed her about the appointment with Mr Hale.

---

Thirty minutes later she was standing at the Hale Innovations. It was bigger and more beautiful than she thought. Employees rushed in and out of the company. She stood there rethinking her decision to go in or just go back then she finally decided to give it a try.

She exhaled slightly giving herself confidence and entered the company. It was even more beautiful inside than the outside. The sleek transparent walls gave a vast view of the city.

“Goodday miss, how may she help you?” The receptionist asked, clicking her computer.

“I have an appointment with Mr Hale” she said, handing over the card to her.

She took the card and made few phone calls before she gestured her and took her to Mr Hale’s office.

They finally arrived at Mr Hale's office after a long elevator ride.

She knocked twice and he didn’t hesitate to answer and she slightly managed and opened the door.

His office was even wider than her whole apartment, its sleek transparent walls gave a very beautiful view of the city. She couldn't help but admire the artworks. she swallowed hard as she moved closer. He stood at the window watching the cities from above and all she could see was his stiff back then suddenly he turned slowly. He even looked more intimidating in the office than when they met at the gala, her hands trembled in fear and her heart started beating fast.

“Goodday sir”

“I’m sure you're here because of the proposal,” Lucian said as he walked towards her.

"I gave it a thought sir and I would like to hear what you wanted to say sir” 

Her body was already trembling. She felt like she was about to pee.

He walked towards the vast desk and sat down and gestured her to sit on the chair opposite him.

She slid into the chair gently and kept her gaze low. He was quiet for a while before he slid a document from opposite him to her on the table.

She quickly raised her head and took the documents. She started unwrapping the confidential looking document desperate to see what was inside before his words jolted her halfway.

“Marry me”

Her eyes flew open.

“Marry you!!”