"Tori!" Amber rushed to her and hugged her. "God, I missed you.""Me too." Victoria hugged her back."Me three." They both heard Kim."Amber said you weren't feeling too well yesterday, how are you now?""Obviously better." Amber said smiling and Victoria understood what was going on."I wanted to come see you at the hotel but Amber said there wasn't need for that." Kim still said."Oh really? Then you wouldn't have met her then." Brie came from nowhere."What?" Kim asked."Kim?! Can you come over here for a bit?!" Someone called making Kim excuse herself to leave. Amber was glad she didn't have to listen to Brie."You think I don't know?" Brie asked looking at them suspiciously."Don't know what?" Amber retorted knowing that most times when Brie used that ' you think I don't know' phrase, she really didn't know and was waiting for the person to tell her about what she wanted to know."Victoria wasn't at the hotel yesterday and the night before, she didn't return with you, I know.""Com
"You seem to know so much about the Tophers." Victoria told her."Of course I know much about them, anyone who has lived in city A more than a year should know as much as I do about them, they basically own city A, I mean financially and economically speaking, they own a large share in many of the companies here. The Tn group doesn't focus much on their entertainment enterprise but look at how big it is, didn't you see how wild the news of Jake Topher's secret marriage spread through yesterday?"The designers finally came and after the meeting with the models, they could go home."He is going to come pick me up himself, apparently all the drivers are on break." Victoria told Amber as they left the Tn studio, they stood in front of the bus, it wasn't leaving yet, some of the girls from Plaintwood were not there yet."Jake?" Amber whispered, they frequently had to talk like that, especially now that they knew Brie was snooping."Yeah, he told me to call him if I was done here.""Did yo
"Mr Topher, I can't have you here, I'm very sure my master would not be pleased that you are here in his absence." Victoria was confused when she heard Felix talking to someone downstairs. Was Jake back? Who was the master that wouldn't be pleased to have Jake be here, wasn't it his?She went and stood by the top of the stairs to know who it was and she saw that it wasn't Jake but it was someone who looked like him, height-wise and facially too. She could tell it wasn't Jake from far because this person had longer hair which was styled all the way back and held with a hairband. The person also looked slimmer."Do I look like I care?" She heard the man say. She quickly remembered how Kim was saying earlier that Jake had a brother. Was it him?"Mr Topher, please understand me here...." The man raised his hands and Felix stopped talking. He didn't have his usual smile."You didn't tell me she was here at Jake's mansion." She heard him say and hid behind the wall before the stairs. She di
Late afternoon.She called Jake later that day, after she walked Amber to the bus and after they had left, she wanted them gone before Jake came to pick her up but she had to wait longer now because of that. She went back inside after standing there for a while.When Jake came he didn't see her where she was when he came to pick her up yesterday. He went into the studio knowing she would be there.Almost all the models had left, it was just the non modelling staffs and workers like the receptionist around. Victoria stood in front of the spread out mirror, across one part the wall and opposite the modelling ramp, which was there so the models could watch their own walk while they practiced.The door wasn't shut, it was open as always till everyone in the building had left. Jake walked in but she didn't notice, he didn't make a noise when he walked in. He didn't know she would be there, he planned on going to Brown's office to ask of her whereabouts.He was walking by and almost passed
"Was your day shitty too?" "Yes, but I think I'm used to it, unlike you, it's obviously affecting your mood so maybe you could tell me, maybe I can help?" He started on the road."No, you can't help." She shook her head."What are you going to do, I mean she already said it, others are also going to say what they want to say, you can't stop people from saying what they want.""Who said what?""Never mind." She said not finding the need to tell him about the things Brie said."Tell me, if you do so, I'm sure you'll not think much about it anymore." She didn't say anything more concerning how her day was till after a while she asked him something she just thought about."Must we stay together?" He paused the car at the red light and turned his attention to her when she asked that, she was staring outside the window, something she did often while in the car with him. "Must we? It's a fake marriage isn't it? I don't have to stay at the mansion, I could stay at the hotel till you want me t
Evan walked into the mansion and after a whispered chat with Felix, he went outside and stood waiting while Felix came up to let her know that Evan was going to be the one driving her."Mr Topher wants him to drive you." Felix said approaching the table after Victoria was done eating.Cora immediately stood up when she heard him, thinking she was in trouble for sitting with Victoria and so did Emily but Felix knew Victoria must have asked them to."Oh okay." She said getting up and waving at both helpers while she left but only Emily waved back.Sitting in the back of the car, she watched Evan drive, he caught her staring when he looked at the rear view mirror. "Any problem ma'am?" He thought he should asked because of how she was staring."No." She lied at first not really wanting to tell him that she thought he took a wrong turn but after some seconds she said her mind. "This is not the road to the studio." She told him because even if she didn't know her way around, she knew what
Drew knocked on the door before he came in, he quickly analyzed Jake's glare the moment he entered, noticing Jake was not as much in a sour mood as earlier but decided to go on with what he came to tell him to avoid bringing it back "Sir, the president is here and is on her way to your office."As soon as he finished that sentence of his, he opened the door when he heard footsteps approaching the office. Gemma walked in with Edward; her assistant holding her bag for her. Victoria saw her in a different look for the first time. She wasn't in one of her usual and similar white apparel, she looked more bossy than Victoria had seen before in the white suit she had on. T"Is she here yet?" Gemma asked Jake who still sat comfortably in his chair."Mhmnn." Jake nodded looking in Victoria's direction.Victoria stood with everyone in the office looking at her. Gemma smiled but she(Victoria) couldn't tell if she was smiling at her or just smiling after knowing she was there already."We can s
Gemma smiled after the man spoke, she understood that he had just been calculative at that point, he was in support of her stepping down and Jake taking over. He was one of the oldest members of the board, he was there when Jack Topher was still in charge and just like every other person seated at that table he was after the position Gemma held but he was smarter than most of them were. He had long realized that trying to overrun Gemma off her position was impossible and it would be harder with Jake so he lowered his ambition, he knew that once Gemma wasn't the head anymore, Jake would become the member with the highest share and he had a chance to buy more shares to become the second highest.Gregory's plan was different, he mostly didn't care at this point, he knew Gemma didn't trust him and Jake didn't either so he was direct like Max whenever he wanted to oppose any decisions made by them(Jake and his mother).He(Gregory) has been after the position of president since Jake's fath
"Do you think you can use any of these?" Felix asked when she came to where he stood and looked into the pan full of vegetables."Is there any reason I can't use them?" She asked still peering into the pan because they all looked fresh and okay."Not really, it's just that we don't use these things after they become a day old, the chefs get new and fresh vegetables every day.""Every day? It doesn't look bad?" Victoria took one of the red and round tomatoes, looking at it."Maybe I could ask someone to go get you fresh ones...""No," She refused immediately."they look pretty fresh to me. Thanks." She said and Felix smiled, happy that he had tried his best to please her before he left.When he walked out of the kitchen he saw Jake arrive downstairs. Jake was about to retire to bed after his extra time spent at his home office when he noticed that the kitchen lights were on and someone had to be there, it was the only place with bright light downstairs."Why are you still awake?" Jake a
"Dinner is ready, Mrs Topher." He said to her."Is Jake downstairs?" "Yes, Mrs Topher.""He is, huh?" Felix nodded to the second question."He was the one who had me come get you, after the helper I sent returned without you.""I see," She said, her mind thinking of what to do, she needed to show Jake that she was angry about what happened so he didn't repeat it."I'll be there soon."Going down the stairs, she saw Jake seated at the head of the table and as usual, she went all the way to the other end and took a seat, his eyes on her the whole time. He saw that she wasn't all smiley with the helpers when her dinner was brought, it was obvious she was displeased with what he did earlier, she wasn't even looking at him.Don't look, Tori. Don't look. She told herself as she forked some salad into her mouth, she suddenly didn't want to be angry anymore now that she was here seated at the same table with him. She was avoiding looking at him, hoping she could pull it off; pretending like
Taking her lower lip first, he kissed her, pecking her chin region right below her lips before kissing her full lips again. He had closed his eyes the moment his lips touched hers and so couldn't see the bewilderment on Victoria's face. She wouldn't admit it to herself but it felt good, maybe it was because she hadn't kissed someone for a long time but she had kissed him before and she was feeling like she felt back then. He was a good kisser, he took his time to explore every part of her lips and his tongue wasn't rough in her mouth, he was so gentle that she didn't know when she had her eyes closed too. She wasn't kissing back but she let him continue. He would have stopped but when he noticed that she wasn't stopping him, he continued, stealing her breath as he kissed her more. When he finally separated his lips from hers, he met her eyes again they still looked confused. "Am I gay?" He asked her in his usual low deep voice and she shook her head slowly. She was lookin
Victoria watched Amber smile weirdly when she saw Jake. She hoped her friend didn't say anything embarrassing as they walked towards where he stood.Jake left the garden before they could get to him, he didn't want to be close to Amber by any means so he left. He came back early, he planned to still return to the office but he thought to get some rest first. He could do that at the office but he most importantly wanted to see Victoria, that was his primary reason for returning home not to rest. When he asked of Victoria, Felix informed him that she was in the garden with a friend and he knew it was Amber, her blonde-haired friend, it had to be her, she was the only person he knew Victoria trusted with their secret marriage.Victoria didn't see him when she walked out of the garden with Amber, it was like he disappeared because he just left when they were about to get to where he was so they should have seen him when they left the garden. ‘he must have gone inside.’ Victoria thought
"I'm Max, your brother-in-law.""I figured," Victoria said."You both have look alike.""Let me apologize for what I said during the meeting, it's just that I couldn't find it true that this union between you two is genuine, I mean there hasn't been a woman with a romantic interest in his life before now and suddenly he is married, I hope you understand." Max went on despite the dangerous eyes Jake had on him while he spoke."We were actually in a...uhm, a quiet relationship before we decided to go ahead and get married," Victoria said hoping she was doing a good job at defending their sudden secret marriage but thinking about it after she spoke, it occurred to her that if what she said was actually true then he(Max) would know about her."Really, Jake didn't even bother to introduce me to the love of his life." Max sounded like he knew she just lied and he did but was only giving a snide reply."I didn't bother introducing my wife to you because I figured you already knew about her,"
Gemma smiled after the man spoke, she understood that he had just been calculative at that point, he was in support of her stepping down and Jake taking over. He was one of the oldest members of the board, he was there when Jack Topher was still in charge and just like every other person seated at that table he was after the position Gemma held but he was smarter than most of them were. He had long realized that trying to overrun Gemma off her position was impossible and it would be harder with Jake so he lowered his ambition, he knew that once Gemma wasn't the head anymore, Jake would become the member with the highest share and he had a chance to buy more shares to become the second highest.Gregory's plan was different, he mostly didn't care at this point, he knew Gemma didn't trust him and Jake didn't either so he was direct like Max whenever he wanted to oppose any decisions made by them(Jake and his mother).He(Gregory) has been after the position of president since Jake's fath
Drew knocked on the door before he came in, he quickly analyzed Jake's glare the moment he entered, noticing Jake was not as much in a sour mood as earlier but decided to go on with what he came to tell him to avoid bringing it back "Sir, the president is here and is on her way to your office."As soon as he finished that sentence of his, he opened the door when he heard footsteps approaching the office. Gemma walked in with Edward; her assistant holding her bag for her. Victoria saw her in a different look for the first time. She wasn't in one of her usual and similar white apparel, she looked more bossy than Victoria had seen before in the white suit she had on. T"Is she here yet?" Gemma asked Jake who still sat comfortably in his chair."Mhmnn." Jake nodded looking in Victoria's direction.Victoria stood with everyone in the office looking at her. Gemma smiled but she(Victoria) couldn't tell if she was smiling at her or just smiling after knowing she was there already."We can s
Evan walked into the mansion and after a whispered chat with Felix, he went outside and stood waiting while Felix came up to let her know that Evan was going to be the one driving her."Mr Topher wants him to drive you." Felix said approaching the table after Victoria was done eating.Cora immediately stood up when she heard him, thinking she was in trouble for sitting with Victoria and so did Emily but Felix knew Victoria must have asked them to."Oh okay." She said getting up and waving at both helpers while she left but only Emily waved back.Sitting in the back of the car, she watched Evan drive, he caught her staring when he looked at the rear view mirror. "Any problem ma'am?" He thought he should asked because of how she was staring."No." She lied at first not really wanting to tell him that she thought he took a wrong turn but after some seconds she said her mind. "This is not the road to the studio." She told him because even if she didn't know her way around, she knew what
"Was your day shitty too?" "Yes, but I think I'm used to it, unlike you, it's obviously affecting your mood so maybe you could tell me, maybe I can help?" He started on the road."No, you can't help." She shook her head."What are you going to do, I mean she already said it, others are also going to say what they want to say, you can't stop people from saying what they want.""Who said what?""Never mind." She said not finding the need to tell him about the things Brie said."Tell me, if you do so, I'm sure you'll not think much about it anymore." She didn't say anything more concerning how her day was till after a while she asked him something she just thought about."Must we stay together?" He paused the car at the red light and turned his attention to her when she asked that, she was staring outside the window, something she did often while in the car with him. "Must we? It's a fake marriage isn't it? I don't have to stay at the mansion, I could stay at the hotel till you want me t