Was it a joke? How dare he bossed me around! Giving him a death stare was never enough, and I wanted to kick him so badly. “How dare you?”
“Why? Did I say something wrong, Miss Montes?” He asked while pretending to be innocent.
“In case you have forgotten, Mr. Lee, I am the boss here, and you are my employee,” she reminded him. Instead of feeling remorseful, the arrogant man just grinned at me as if nothing happened. Was he crazy?
“We just made a deal; shouldn't we seal it with a kiss?” He jested.
“Do you have a death wish?” I scolded him immediately.
“Alright, a handshake will do,” he compromised, and then he extended his hand for a handshake.
Accepting it was the easiest part, but the moment our palms connected, I was jolted to the core and felt the electrical energy run through my body. When I was able to speak on the subject, Lee quietly moved his plate and took a faraway seat from me, where he went on to eat as if nothing had happened.
My body's reaction to his proximity was very different. Sometimes, I briefly glanced at the man at the other end of the table who was eating his breakfast, and I wondered what was so distinct about him.
What was the matter with me? When I couldn't get him out of my head, I wondered, “What the hell is wrong with me?” His brown eyes were indelibly engraved in my head, no matter how much I tried to ignore him. For my part, I don't think he was any different from any other Greek God. He was an absolute cut above average in every aspect, including his excellent looks. It only took a couple of minutes for my eyes to be glued to him.
A somewhat bizarre concept came to mind, and I felt that it would be a good idea to be on good terms with my bodyguard. Later on, I shook my head and disagreed with myself since Lee, and I should not become buddies! He was bossy, and as a result, he presented a dangerous threat to others, especially me. I convinced myself that he was not my type, and therefore our relationship should remain professional.
I sighed while looking at my plate, but perhaps the noise I made was loud enough for the man to hear since he raised an eyebrow at me. “I believe I will be spending the day at home. Therefore I want you to take the day off,” I told him after changing my mind. The meeting could be postponed to the next day.
“May I see your schedule for today, Miss Montes?”
“Why? Are you my secretary?”
“I am your bodyguard, so it's only that I should say everything about you,” he reasoned.
“Whatever, Lee,” I replied to him. “Anyway, I have changed my mind about the meeting. I need to meet one of my associates at ten. By the way, I wouldn't say I like your outfit today. Is it a uniform?” I asked about his tuxedo. Although he looked great in them, it's too formal for her taste.
“Yes, Miss Montes. Your father was strict about the dress code, and I was always ordered to look presentable whenever I am with you.”
“My father is not here, Lee. If you want to tag along, you need to put on some casual attire. My associate would think I'm bringing a lawyer! A pair of jeans and a t-shirt will do,” I told him.
“Noted on that, Miss Montes. I will go and change now, only if you will promise not to disappear while I'm changing my clothes.”
“I promise,” I assured him that I'd be waiting.
When he returned in his casual clothes, I gaped open at his masculinity. He looked so good in a white shirt and blue jeans. I couldn't stop looking at him. What's wrong with me, dude? He wasn't the first good-looking person that I'd meet, but there was something about him. Perhaps, could it be his charismatic aura or his strong sex appeal.
I had to shake my head several times to let go of some of the indecent thoughts in my mind. “Perhaps, are you married?” I asked him because it would be embarrassing to have a crush on someone with a wife. After discovering that my ex-boyfriend has a wife, I'd rather be careful in dealing with men.
“I am single, Miss Montes. Why? Are you attracted to me?”
“It's daring of you to say that, Mr. Lee,” I reprimanded him for having the courage to play with words around me.
“Just because I asked about your civil status doesn't mean that I am physically or sexually attracted to you!” Lee raised his palm to tell me that it was alright, and I arched my brows in response.
“There's no reason to get so worked up when it's still early in the morning,” he reminded me. “By the way, from now on, I should know your daily schedule.”
He told me about it already, so I just rolled my eyes at him. “I'm a smart woman, Lee. You don't have to remind me from time to time,” I sneered at him.
“If you don't mind, Miss Montes, will you please be honest with me? I just noticed that you're a little harsh with your mouth whenever I am around. Ah, that mouth…,” he stated in a low voice, which made me wonder what he was thinking while staring at my mouth. I furrowed my brows when he stared at my mouth, and the intensity of his gazes made me uncomfortable!
“You and your wild imagination,” I muttered while retrieving my handbag from the console table. “So, do you have the names already?” I asked, but he seemed to have forgotten about his first assignment.
“I have few names on the list, Miss Montes. What do you plan to do next?”
“Kindly set an appointment to each of them, then I will negotiate,” I replied.
“Negotiate to move the wedding?”
“No. I have to stop this ridiculous union no matter what. I assumed that you know how to drive a car?” I asked before I threw into him my car key.
“Yeah, of course,” he replied.
“Alright, let's go!”
A few minutes later, we were on the way to the headquarters. Our family was engaged in the logistics business, and I was tasked to learn the ins and outs of our business. I managed one of our branches which catered balikbayan boxes. It's a small office because we most used contractors for trucking and shipping. Our offices in Hong Kong, Singapore, Canada, and the USA regularly shipped balikbayan boxes, and it's my office that would process everything in the Bureau and its delivery to our clients. Including me, there were five people in the office on the topmost floor of my father's building.
“Are you amazed?” As soon as we arrived at our destination, I asked my bodyguard, but he only stared at me as if he was not interested in my wealth or my father's wealth.
“About what? Oh, your beauty? Of course, Miss Montes! You look beautiful in your mini skirt today,” he commented, but the way his eyes roamed around my exposed thighs offended me.
I rolled my eyes at Lee and said, “Why don't you get something to eat for my staff? I'm sure that some of them didn't have their breakfast yet.”
“It's not part of my responsibility, Miss Montes. Don't worry, and I can always call for delivery service as soon as we get to your office,” he replied.
“I don't like your arrogance, Lee.”
“Does it matter?”
“Never mind,” I said before going out of the car. When I turned around, he was following me, with his eyes being alert on the surroundings. Suddenly, I was also in alert mode, and then a loud sigh escaped from my lips as soon as I recalled what happened when I tried to leave home.
“An exclusive lift?” He inquired.
“Yes,” I replied, and he just nodded his head.
Opposite to my expectation, the office was empty, except for the security personnel and the cleaner who prepared the office before our arrival. “Good morning,” I greeted both of them, and they smiled back. “Have you eaten your breakfast already?”
“Yes, Miss Montes!”
“Good,” I said and gestured for my bodyguard to follow me inside the office.
“Nice office,” he commented as soon as he got inside, and he checked the place immediately.
I frowned at his style because he made me feel uncomfortable with all the checking and double-checking. Was it even necessary? My office was safe, for goodness sake! “Thank you,” I replied to his comment because it was the right thing to do. Well, the interior design of my office was great. With the decors inside the office, it wasn't apparent that I grew up in a lonely household.
“While I do my job, please do yours, okay? I will be glad to meet one of our prospects tonight,” I reminded him about his assignment.
“Why do you want to stop this marriage, Miss Montes? Surely, your father knew what is best for you!”
“I don't need a man, Lee, and you know that,” I responded, and the man's reaction surprised me. He just raised the tip of his eyebrow as if he didn't want to believe me.
“You might regret it later, Miss Montes,” he said.
“Why? Why would I regret it?”
“Because it feels different from being with a man,” he said, and I raised my eyebrow in response.
For a moment, I was dumbfounded by his statement and immediately dismissed him for doing his job. However, his words continued to bother me, even when I was working in front of the computer. At that time, it appeared as though Lee was excellent, and it made me wonder whether or not he was handsome. It must have occurred to him that I’d been studying him from a distance and had glanced in my direction. Suddenly, I became uncomfortable in my seat. I had to push myself to smile at him, but he had the opposite reaction. Finally, when our eyes met, I panicked when he stood up and walked towards me. Oh no! I glared at him for a second, but it wasn’t enough to stop him. “So, how’s the job, Lee? Who are we meeting tonight?” I referred to his assignment regarding the issue of my impending marriage. Lee had lowered his head to mine, and his eyes were staring directly at my cleavage. The fact that he had been able to sneak up on me was surprising to me, and I let out a gasp. “Perhaps you shou
Supposedly, we would meet one of my prospects. However, it was canceled at the last minute. As a result, it appeared like I was dating my bodyguard in a fancy restaurant. I was chewing on my steak when my father called, and I had to excuse myself from Lee. “I’ll just take this call,” I told him. “Go on,” he said. “Yes, Daddy?” “Hey, pumpkin! How have you been? I hope that Lee didn’t give you a headache!” Father said on the other line, and his voice told me that he was excited about something. “You sound so excited. Are you with a woman?” “No, of course not, pumpkin! You know how much I loved your mother very well, so it’s not in my plan to take another wife. Well, I’m on my way home now, and my friend from the university will have dinner with us tonight. Please come home early,” he stated. “That’s so sudden! I’m afraid we will embarrass them, Daddy,” I said worriedly because I wasn’t home to supervise what food to prepare for dinner. “Don’t worry because your Aunt Jenny will p
During dinner, I noticed that Lee was not nearby. I assumed that he’s probably somewhere or with the security personnel who worked for the hotel magnate, Mr. Bradley Salcedo. The man’s wife was funny to converse with, and if there was one thing I disliked about her, it was her constant mention of her youngest son. The couple just returned from one of their trips, and the first thing they did was visit my Dad. My father was elated at the sudden visit of his close friend. Well, who wouldn’t? After all, they were not able to bond most of the time because of their hectic schedule. “You are so beautiful, Selena. I’m sure that you have several suitors by now,” the woman said. “You are wrong about it, Ma’am,” I replied. “Oh, you’re single?” “Technically, yes!” After responding to her inquiry, I waited for a sign from the woman. A sign that could give me a hint that one of her sons was my fiancé; however, there was none. “Dear, what do you think about asking Liam to date this gorgeous l
At first, I thought he would say no, but the darn man just agreed to my wishes. He even grinned widely at the prospect of having my body. Before I went downstairs to take my breakfast, I wondered if I made the right choice of offering it to him. Was I reckless? Maybe I was. Nevertheless, I should give it a go. It was only right to ask Lee for that favour. After all, if things would go awry between us or accidentally make me pregnant, my child would look good for sure. Wait, should I do it to get pregnant? Hmmm, the idea seemed absurd, but my unwanted pregnancy would make it easier to cancel the wedding, right? Brilliant idea! I clapped at my own cleverness and grinned widely at the first person I saw when I entered the breakfast room. “Good morning, Aunt!” I greeted him with an unusual excitement in my voice, and she probably noticed it because she arched her eyebrows at me. “What’s going on, Selena?” She inquired. “Oh, nothing unusual. I’m just happy that we have an arrival o
Without further ado, I stood up and sashayed my hips towards him. “Take off my clothes,” I muttered into his ears. Lee sighed, and I was curious to know what was going through his mind at that moment when his hands pulled down the strap of my dress. My dress had dropped to the floor, and the coolness of the air had instantly caused me to tremble. To allow him to unfasten my brassiere more easily, I moved closer to him, and he went to work on getting it off. Once it was loose, he instantly went to work on one of my breasts, licking and sucking on it while I gasped for breath. I placed my hands over my eyes and took pleasure in the ticklish, delightful sensation his tongue made while licking and biting my nipples. For a bit of a moment, he paused and stated, “You should touch me, too.” I couldn't focus on the task because I was fixated on the things his mouth did to my sensitive parts. There was a lot of strange eroticisms and wildness about it! I felt his hand on my waistband, and
“Do you think I'm a loose woman because I allowed you to touch me like this?” “Of course,” he answered honestly. “However, I am glad that you decided to do it with me first. Why?” Lying was something he should have done because his honest reaction wounded me. My attempt to get up was thwarted when his legs locked onto me. It was then that I informed him that I needed to go. I was astounded earlier by what happened! “We need to go home,” I reminded him, but the truth was, the sight of a man's naked body made me uncomfortable. “It’s still early, Selena. We can still do it one more time,” he stated. “What?” I was surprised when he suggested doing it again. “My God, Lee! Do you want to kill me?” “You didn’t die earlier, remember?” “It was different! I wanted it to happen,” I reasoned out with him. “You will love it,” he teased me with his flowery words. “And what will you do?” I inquired about it because we've finished the first round, and there was nothing else to do in the hote
While he was preparing to make a move on me for the third time, I rose from my bed and made my way to the shower. “Do you want to join me inside?” I tried to tempt him while squeezing my breast before his eyes. “It’s not a good idea, Selena. Go ahead and wash, then I’ll take you home.” I responded by arching my brows because when I focused my gaze on his manhood, it was growing bigger. Before I knew it, we were having sex in the bathroom once again. It was just a quickie. Nevertheless, the satisfaction it gave to both of us was great. Two hours before midnight, we departed the hotel and went home. We never talked much inside the car, but when we happened to pass by a coffee shop, I told him to pull over. “Go and get me a Grande of their macchiato,” I ordered him to buy me a coffee. “Alright,” he agreed without asking further. Being my bodyguard, he has a card for our expenses such as gas or coffee, and snacks. When he returned with my coffee, I smiled at him. “Thank you,’ I said
My proposal shocked my bodyguard tremendously. Initially, I thought he would refuse to accept my offer, but the darn man didn’t let a one-of-a-kind opportunity become wasted. He agreed to be my partner in bed, with no strings attached. In the beginning, we both wanted to indulge in our sexual cravings. He was nice to me, and in return, he could have had sex for free, but deep down, I wanted more. It was hard to accept that I liked his affection more than his body or the pleasure that I could from his body in the long run. “Is there something wrong?” He asked me after we did it, and I just remained in bed, feeling unimportant and used. I shook my head in response and said, “Don’t worry about me.” “You look sad,” he noticed, so I had to fake a smile. “I have no reason to be sad, Lee. By the way, have you set an appointment with Richard Vera?” “He’s not available as of the moment. I was informed he’s out of the country.” “I see. While waiting for his return, can you check on the o
I was taken aback by the property where he took me after the wedding. From the exterior, this property seemed to be luxurious. It was constructed of grey brickwork and had white cedarwood ornamentation. Tall, circular windows allowed plenty of natural light to enter the residence, and they have been strategically placed throughout the structure in a reasonably symmetrical design. The property was furnished with a standard kitchen and three bathrooms, a large living room, two bedrooms, a small dining area, a library, and an oversized garage with plenty of parking spaces. The structure has a rectangular form to it, and beautifully landscaped grounds completely encircled it. A large number of smaller windows would let plenty of natural light enter the rooms below the roof. Besides the home itself, there was paved land around it with numerous party areas, such as a luxury grill and a campfire. I was amazed at the design, but it was expected for Liam to own something gorgeous. “Vera buil
The majority of the female guests were taken aback by the edginess of my wedding dress, but the majority of the male attendees were drawn to my cleavages. I shook my head in surprise when I realised that even married guys were staring. When a marching song began to play in the background, my father appeared behind me, and the two of us went together toward the red carpet that had been spread out on the ground. Over the years, he practiced hypocrisy, and he successfully convinced everyone that we were on good terms. “You should get an award for being the finest actor in the world, Daddy,” I said with my teeth gritted, and when I turned to look at him, he grinned at me. “It will be over soon,” he whispered back as if his statement would make a difference. I was so preoccupied with my predicament that I completely missed the presence of the guy waiting for me at the altar. I looked around for my groom, but I couldn’t seem to locate him anywhere. “Can you tell me where Robert is?” “T
The skyline was dotted with towering buildings, many constructed within the previous ten years or less. The city was seeing unprecedented growth in employment, which has received a great deal of attention. Several distinct cultures have left their imprints on education and the personality of the city as a whole. What was once a city of little variety has evolved into a fusion of everything. The sense of belonging to a heterogeneous society has made its imprint. One may choose from hundreds of clubs, theme restaurants, and diners. Those looking for something different could go sightseeing, touring the city, doing aerobics, or visiting one of the numerous other recreational places. “My parents can be talkative sometimes,” he suddenly said while he turned left in the next corner. “Your parents? Wait, are you saying that we are going to dine with them?” “Yes. We are heading towards one of your restaurants,” he said. I slapped his arm to question his motive, but he just ignored it. Th
Robert remained quiet and puckered his lips in response, and I frowned at him! Was he under the impression that he could intimidate me with a severe look on his face? He has to rethink his position! I stepped away as he walked towards me as if he was going to kiss me! As soon as he got close enough to kiss me, I ran upstairs like a coward and didn’t look back. An hour later, I went downstairs to talk to my father, who had just gotten home. It was up to me to persuade him that my marriage to Robert would be a complete catastrophe. The bodyguard stayed in the shadows but kept a close eye on me at all times. “Daddy, can we talk?” “Can you tell me what it is this time?” He inquired in a severe tone that made my palms shiver in terror every time he spoke. “I don’t get along with Robert, Daddy.” “You’re not required to do so. Just get married to him and let him save you from total humiliation! Your future is safe in Robert’s capable hands!” He said it in a matter-of-fact tone, which I
When Robert stared at me for a second, I thought he would rebut my accusation, but he remained staring at me, and it was uncomfortable. When he remained silent and just stared, I arched my brows at him and asked, “Are you not going to say anything?” “You used to like me when we were younger,” he said, implying that I had a crush on him in the past. I thought I would die of annoyance when he mentioned the ‘crush thing’ from the past. “It’s all in the past, Robert. While it is true that you are still good-looking, I don’t think I can survive living with you. You smelled like a dead person!” “Having body odour is normal, isn’t it?” “Oh, my God! Here we go again,” I let out a sigh of exasperation. When he tried to come closer to me, I yelled and turned around. I hurried towards the door, my hand covering my lips with the other hand. He had feet that smelled like a dead animal, and I felt sick to my stomach! Could he get any more repulsive? “Selena, wait!” “Stay where you are, please
Robert was rendered speechless, but it didn't take him long to change his expression. In a split second, he stared daggers at me, and the way he looked at my neck, and I was worried he would strangle me to death. For a moment, I felt relieved that my father hired a new bodyguard who was probably lurking near us to save me anytime. "Are you looking for the bodyguard? I'm sorry to disappoint you, Selena, but he's not here now and wouldn't be able to save you. Do you understand what I am trying to tell you?" "Yes!" I replied, and without any warning, I ran towards the safety of my room. When I heard him call my name again, my hands shook in fear. When I looked behind my shoulders, I saw him move a little, and as he got closer to me, I became so nervous and almost peed on my clothes. I pointed my finger at him and warned him incessantly not to come closer, but he merely grinned as if there was something funny going on. "Stop where you are right now!" I shouted at him. "Selena, what's
When Robert called my name again, I was worried he would do something terrible to me, so I ran away, and I heard him laugh from a distance. What's his deal? I tried to call Layla to ask her some questions about Robert, but her phone was turned off.With a heavy heart, I went outside for fresh air. From the balcony, I strolled towards our manicured garden and headed towards the swing. I missed spending time in the swing with Lee or my aunt. Speaking of which, I recalled I had something to discuss with Aunt Jenny, so I immediately dialed her phone number.However, it was out of the coverage area. I tried again, but I got the same result. Anyway, I gave up on calling her and shifted my focus to the surroundings. While staring at the budding flower close to me, I couldn't stop thinking about Lee. Every day, I have been checking for an article that would mention the union of Katherine Hamilton and Liam Salcedo, but I couldn't find any write-ups.For the nth time, I sighed in frustration. I
When he mentioned my pregnancy, I narrowed my eyes at him and wondered how the Hell he knew about my condition. For several days, I tried to ignore the issue. As soon as I noticed the delay in my monthly period, I purchased a pregnancy kit that could help me confirm my suspicion. When it was time to use it, I waited patiently, and when it turned out to be positive, I nearly collapsed inside the bathroom. It was such a shocking turn of events, but I couldn't blame anyone for my negligence. I wasn't taking birth control pills when I allowed him to sleep with me. It was reckless, but I was not thinking correctly during those times and let my emotions take over my mind. I let my emotions control me, so I had to bear the consequences of my actions. "I am going to raise my child alone," I declared in front of my father. "Says who? I won't let you ruin our reputation," he stated in a monotone which was even scarier. "Daddy! What about my life? Is it more important than our name? Are you
There was no announcement about Katherine Hamilton’s engagement with Liam Salcedo on news outlets and television, but I knew they were planning their wedding. Some of our common friends mentioned it, and except for Layla, they were all happy about the upcoming union of Katherine Hamilton and Liam Salcedo. Since I was not in the mood to go back to work, I asked my father to lend one of his managers to manage mine for the time being. It was a risky move, especially when my sea freight business had been doing well in the previous months, and we were headed to expansion. I tried so hard to convince myself and go to work, but my mind and heart wouldn’t cooperate! I knew I was wallowing in self-pity and self-destruction, but I couldn’t stop myself from being so melodramatic. I was aware that forgetting him and moving on were the only options to survive the recent heartbreak, but everything about Liam Salcedo haunted me! At night, I would see him in my dreams! During the daytime, I was a