Chapter three

Chapter three

Reminiscing

Andrea's Pov

 There's no way I could ever forget that voice or its owner. The very same voice that has filled my senses for the past six years. My Thoughts trawl through treacle. Nothing makes sense.

Why is she here? I ask myself a thousand times over. Why her, Of all people.? What trick and shady planes do she have in-store against me, this time around?

How dare she appears to me after the evil acts she perpetrated without thinking or considering my feelings. How dare she come into my office and act like a naive stranger? But above all, how dare her, Hazel Kaitlin Moore, walk into my office looking as beautiful as before. Scratch that. She looks ten times better, gorgeous, sexy, and hotter than the last time I saw her.

The woman received a couple of dollar notes in exchange for what we had. The female Judas. The same woman that threw the happiest moments in my life into the gutter and made them beautiful nothings. The woman that turned me into a cold-hearted monster.The woman who betrayed me.

I am angry!

Angry at Hazel for all the hurt she caused, angry at myself for letting myself get ridiculed by a mere woman, but angrier at myself after a few reality hits me. I watch as she hurries out of my office, saved by John's timely rescue. It's not like I was really expecting an honest response, though. That lying conniving bitch!

My mind is filled with thousands of questions, and someone only Hazel needs to and can give me the answers.

John walks towards my desk with a questioning look etched on his oval-shaped face, and this thick lash does nothing to hide the confusion in his brown eyes.

"Why is Hazel here, Andrea?" John asks the same question I asked myself when I caught a glimpse of her standing two feet in my office.

"Well, She showed up this morning, apparently, she is the head of accounting for stohlman, the mega-corporation we merged with.

"Small world," chuckles John." So, What are you going to do about this new development?" John says, taking a seat on the same coffee brown leathered Italian cushion Hazel had earlier sat on. Concern mixed with pity filled his eyes, causing the unpleasant taste of irritation to brew in my stomach. I'm not an object of pity.

"Things are going to be awkward around here, that's for sure," I reply in my signature monotone.

" And because of the contract you signed with Drew Collins, CEO of Stohlman, you cannot transfer or lay off any employee for the next two years. Except Hazel has plans of moving or volunteers to be transferred to one of the regional offices, it looks like you guys will just have to make things work." John says in his usual Mr-know- it- all kind of way. My look turns murderous instantly, and there's no way I'm forgiving her if that's what he is trying to imply.

God damn it!

"There is nothing to work out, she is an employee, and I am the boss. That is our only relationship. Whatever happened between us is in the past" Reply in my end-of-discussion tone.

" Do you think she got married" John quizzes, and my head flies to look at him? This guy can't take a clue, can he?

" Why are you here, John," I ask, thinking of ways to shove his insatiable ass out of my office.

"Lunch. . , I came to pick you, there is this new place I discovered recently their dishes are quite eatable".

High praise is coming from John Eberly. John is lactose intolerant and has a nut allergy, so there is a limit to his diet. Growing up, he always had home-cooked meals. He possesses a sort of Royal palate. So if he talks about food from a restaurant, they must have one hell of a menu.

"Well, it does not hurt that their female staffs are easy on the eyes," John adds and smiles mischievously.

I fight the urge to roll his eyes at his cheesiness." I'll pass, I need to catch up on Stohlman's management, and I still have one more meeting with the head of operations."

"Alright, I'll bring a sandwich for you," John rasps and smiles warmly " Take it, easy, bro," and with that, he is gone. Thank God.

Seconds turned into minutes and minutes into hours, and I still didn't accomplish any task. Running a hand down my face, I try to clear the fog latching onto my brain, and instead of focusing on the file right in front of me, my thoughts keep going back to a reddish-brown-haired goddess.

swirling slightly in my chair, my mind skims over what happened earlier. "What are the odds?" My sigh comes out heavily. I never imagined meeting Hazel under these circumstances. I can't possibly confront her and demand an explanation for her treacherous actions, not that I needed one anyway. I already know exactly what she is. A convincing cold-hearted bitch.

I don't want her to think she got to me or hurt succeeded in hurting me or that she still exists to me because she doesn't, she is poison. My poison!

The sandwich my secretary brought in a while ago from John rests on my work table staring at me. My stomach was already filled with the aroma. Unwrapping it from the serving pape, I nimble at it before gracefully shoving it in my mouth. The sandwich was usual, spicy chicken with cream cheese on a bed of lettuce. I've always loved this sandwich, and the only other one I love is peanut butter, one of the childish love that I can never get over.

The first time I saw hazel, she was stuffing her face with a sandwich. Six years ago, I had gone to my usual diner on campus while waiting for my Expresso Latte, that is when I first saw Her. the fourth table to the left facing a window, one hand scrubbing furiously and the other hand filling her mouth with a sandwich. The barista who attended to me, Robin, noticed me staring. "That's Hazel, a third-year accounting major."

"Is she always such an aggressive eater?" I ask, amused.

"I don't know, man. I think she's having issues with professor Houston. She is in danger of flunking," Robin spoke sharply, evenly sharing his attention between explaining and the coffee mugs he was rinsing out quickly.

“Wow! Houston is no joke man, always with the hardheadedness" I burst out and Robin concurs with a brief nod, as his attention was fixed on making coffee a customer had ordered.

"How do you know so much about her Robin?

“you mean you've never seen her here before?" Robin questioned looking distracted.

"Uhm, no"

"Well, she works as a part-timer here sometimes, she covers shifts when anyone is unavailable". That's enough information to work with.,,, I thought in my mind then proceed to her table.

 My gaze was fixed on her, as I approached her gently. I couldn’t seem to dismiss her features, her shoulder-length auburn curls tumbled around her face as she continues her onslaught. Totally oblivious to the appreciative gaze directed at her, she munches and scribbles away with careless abandon. Maybe it was the way she had no care in the world and went about her business or it was the way she ate that drew me to her.

"Interesting, I never thought the next war would be between man and food” I spout. Immediately, her head sprang up as she harshly chewed on the last chunk of sandwich she stuffed in her mouth. she stared at me and when she noticed my gaze zeroed on her mouth, she made a quick attempt to remove the crumbs that had settled on her lips and its corners, using her right hand.

 

Her long brown hair was swept back in a ponytail, her face was bare of makeup.  Hazel wore a simple tank top and a flowery cotton skirt, a casual summery outfit that effortlessly showed off her stunning curves. The pupils of her large, limpid eyes seemed to dilate and Her eyes were a thousand shades, depths of green and blue and amber like a deep, ancient river. Her pink tongue unconsciously darted out to lick the top of her full, sweetly sensual lips, and I nearly groaned. Where is my self-control? Her figure is a bit plump, and round, even whilst sitting you would know she wasn’t a tall one, 5’2, 5’3 maybe.

Her skin is light, and flawless, even without touching her you could tell how soft it is, it will be a struggle not to touch. Now I was standing almost in front of her and could see most of her face, she is beautiful! I was almost nervous at the intensity of her gaze. Her deep green eyes were the most significant feature of her face, they carefully outlined her small round face, which in all made her look like a well-sculpted doll.

“I heard, you are having issues with professor Houston" he continues. Instead of relying she chewed quietly and stared at me with eyes almost squinting, as you would a stranger who just walks up to you and starts talking.

"Professor Houston has been one of my professors for two years, could be a real piece of work"

"Tell me about it" she chuckled lightly." I am struggling to rewrite an assignment he gave because I made an error in the one I submitted earlier" she sighed.

 " Can I join you?" I asked.

"Well, do you have a weapon I can use to defeat

 Houston?"

"I do" I reply smiling.

"Then you are welcome to," she said and motioned to the chair opposite her.

"So, what is this weapon you refer to Mr-?"

"Andrea..., Andrea Giovanni" I chirp sharply. "As I said earlier, Houston was my professor for two years so I have all his notes and more, I also know how you handle his tests and assignment"

"I like the sound of this" she smiles and leans forward.

"Well, I could help you with them if you want, your major is business administration?" I ask.

"No, Accounting" she replies proudly.

"Even better, what year are you in?"

"My third year, you?"

"Fourth year " I answer.

"I get it now, done and dusted. No wonder you sound a little too excited to discard your notes"

"I wouldn't say discard, I am helping a friend"

"Friend? Wow!" Do her eyes twinkle with excitement and uncertainty?

" Trust me, bonding over Houston's experience is a thing" the smile on my face is permanent, she is so easy to relate to.

"I believe it when I see it, so what do you want in return for the notes? I am assuming it's not for free" she looks serious but her lips form a small smile.

"you go on a date with me"

"Ha, I knew there was a catch, are you flirting with me, Mr. Andrea?" The small on her face lingers.

" Why..., yes I am, Miss Hazel, so do you agree to go on a sandwich date with me?". The walls of her cheeks form a shallow dimple, showing her tiny teeth making her look like a child as she laughs.   

"A sandwich date? That's very specific and how do you know my name? Because I never told you"

"Robin told me"

"Ahh, Robin!" she exclaims in a small voice

"He was the one that also told him about your professor Houston's problems"

"He was?" She asks.

"Yeah, you should thank him really, without him you wouldn't have gotten a romantic date and ammunition to deal with your crisis," I say tucking my tongue at the corner of my lip.

"Cocky much? And if I say no?"

"You won't, you need those notes and I am kinda irresistible".She laughs again.

"Alright fine, you got me, I love food and I need those notes".

"so, Friday 4 pm? Right here, what do you say" I ask standing up.

"Let's make it 5:30 pm, I have a class by 3"

" I bid you farewell beautiful Hazel" a slight blush crept up her cheeks and without waiting for her reply, I walk out of the pub.

I'm still in the train of my recollection when an idea strikes my mind. Of course, I'm going to make her work with me hell and the best mistake of her life. It will be so satisfying to watch her suffer and I know what to do to make her suffer.

"Hi Roberts. Please come to my office this minute"