Chapter 12

Hames' driver drove us back to the company. As magical is it may seem, Hames made the accountant give me a $10,000 check.

I couldn't stop staring at the check, counting the number of zeros over and over again. Excitement bubbled in my stomach. If he wasn't present, I would've surely jumped on the table and screamed my lungs out in exhilaration. 

"If you're done swooning over the check, you can get your things ready and let's leave." He said gruffly, hanging his suit jacket over on his shoulder, holding it with his hand, with his other hand shoved into his pocket. What was he trying to do? Pose for a photo shoot?

I pursed my lips, regaining my composure and shoved the check into my handbag. "Wait, leave?" I only heard him well enough. 

He hummed a positive response. "We're done for today and I'm offering to give you a ride home since the staff bus wouldn't be leaving soon."

"Staff bus? There's a staff bus?" My eyes popped out in shock. 

He quirked an eyebrow at me. "You're not aware."

"Absolutely not! This is great, I'll make further enquiries Tomorrow." With a grin, I pivoted and hurried to my office, arranged the things I needed at home into one file, shoving them in my bag and scuttled back to Hames' office. 

He had his eyes on his phone. Obviously noticing my presence, he raised his head to me, shoved his phone back into his pants pocket then started out the door. 

I quietly followed behind him, not walking too fast nor too slow, just to keep tailing behind him. He walked so confidently and proudly, like he was royalty, obviously calling for attention from everyone around.

He stopped walking all of a sudden and I had to do so too, wondering what was wrong now. 

"Don't walk behind me, I hate it when people that aren't bodyguards walk behind me." He said in more of a whisper. 

"Okay, Sir." I stepped forward, standing beside him. 

He sent me a sideways glance, resuming walking. We got to the elevator, stepping into it after it opened. It travelled us to the ground floor, re-opened then we resumed walking. 

Gosh, I knew it was only because of him but that didn't stop me from feeling important as people got out of the way to form a wide path for us, bowing formally in greeting. As we passed different corners, hefty Men appeared in similar black outfits, from nowhere explicable, tailing behind us to serve as bodyguards. This dude commanded so much authority without even uttering a word. 

We left through the back door, then to the Parking lot. 

One of the Men was a gentleman enough to open the door to the passenger seat for me. Reluctantly, I got into it and Hames did the same. It turned out to be Hames driving this time.

He tossed his Suit coat to the back seat, then started the car, swerving out of the compound. 

***

I kept directing him till he finally arrived at mine and Nikita's house, bringing the car to a stop. 

"Thank you so much, Mr. Hendrix." I genuinely appreciated it. 

He didn't reply to me but nodded, glancing at the door to indicate I got out of his car. 

Without wasting any more time, I opened the door, picked my bag then got out of the car. 

After a goodbye wave, I strode to the building, unlocking it with my key then shambled in. 

The presence of a $10,000 check in my bag popped into my head. I ran up to our room, immediately throwing my bag on the bed and slipped out the check. 

A grin separated my lips. I knew just the perfect way to use it. I dropped it on the bedside table, took off my heels. A familiar card rolled out of my bag. I bent to pick it up; it was Tyler's card. I hadn't given that dude a call, for the second time.

I picked my phone and dialed his number. After a few rings, he answered the call.

"Tyler Jones speaking, good afternoon." 

"Hi, it's Imogen Mark. Remember me?" I smiled.

"Wow, the hot damsel? Of course I remember you, there's no way I'll ever forget someone as beautiful as you. I thought you were never going to call.

"I'm calling now so, yay." I beamed. 

"I was going to ask you on a date, is that cool for you?" 

"Sure, why not?"

"Really? That's great." He didn't sound like he had expected me to agree so easily. "Friday night at 6pm sharp, I'll text you the address or will pick you up at home."

"Okay, sounds great." I agreed. Was I doing something wrong?

"Bye, I have to work now." His voice was cheer-filled, sounding adorable.

I grabbed my towel, headed to the bathroom for a quick shower. 

I returned to the room with a towel around my body. After drying up my body and hair, I changed into a mint green dress that ended a few inches below my butt and showed up to half of my cleavage, with a pair of slippers. 

I shoved the check into an empty purse I was certain belonged to Nikita, as well as my phone and money. 

I returned to the living room, went to the kitchen to grab something to eat but there was nothing. That confirmed that Nikita hadn't returned home. 

Grumbling, I sauntered out of the house, securing the doors locked.

I was totally surprised to still see Hames' car parked right in front of the house.

I walked up to the car. He was leaning against it, drumming his fingers on his phone's screen with squinted eyes. 

"Mr. Hendrix, you're still here?" I asked rhetorically. 

He raised his head from his phone, opening his mouth to say something but stopped before the words came out, scanning me with his forehead puckered in clear irritation.

I stopped myself from rolling my eyes at him. "You restricted me from wearing the clothes I like to wear, to work, in which I now agree is totally normal. I'm at home so I have the freedom to wear what I want." 

"I didn't ask for an explanation, I didn't even say anything." He acknowledged. 

"The look said it." I said in more of a whisper, brushing it off. "You're still here?"

"Yes, this is a familiar place. I have an important friend who lives around so I've been trying to give her a call to ask for her home address." He explained, going poker-faced.

"Oh." I nodded in understanding, walking sideways to slowly exit his presence without seeming rude. 

He returned his head to his phone, permitting me to leave. 

***

"Finally, you're back home." I hissed, uncrossing my legs and sat up straight in my seat, turning off the television.

"Wow, I didn't expect to meet you here." Lila admitted with a smile, locking the doors and walked up to me. 

"I have a spare key, remember?" I reminded her. 

"I know." She sprawled herself lazily on the couch, letting her bag fall from her hand. "I'm glad you're here. I was thinking of how boring it'd be, but you're here now. Have you had anything to eat?"

"Nope, and you bet your ass I'm starving!" I rubbed my grumbling tummy.

"Will you ever get rid of your cooking laziness? Such a talent waster; you're such a good cook but you never cook." She shook her head with a small smile. 

"Never do, never will." I smirked. "Let's forget that and jump to my main point of being here." 

"To seek advice out of an issue?" She guessed. 

"No." I furrowed my forehead. "Something better." I grinned. 

She peered at me, sitting up straight and inched forward. "That's not a joking face, let me in on what you have."

Feeling more than blissful, I reached for my purse on the table, reaching for the check and extended it to her. 

She drew her eyes in skepticism. "What's this?"

"Just take it." I rolled my eyes. 

She took it from me, rotating her eyes throughout it. Slowly, a smile appeared on her lips and her eyes became glassy. "Oh my God! Is this what I think it is?!" She exclaimed, raising her head to me. 

With a proud smile, I nodded. "Yes. It's money for your Mom's surgery."

"My goodness!" She jumped to her feet, pulling me into a bone-crushing hug. "You've got to be kidding me!" Her mouth went agape. "You're giving all of this to me?" Tears of joy rolled down her face. 

"Yes, baby. You deserve it."

"How can I ever thank you enough. With this, I can finally have the complete money for the surgery." She hugged me again. "I love you so much!" I felt her tears drop on my neck. 

I chuckled, feeling more than happy. "It's fine." I pulled her to sit beside me, wiping the tears from her face. "It's the least I can do for you, after ALL you've done for me."

Okay, quick story: My parents died when I was in my last year in High School, in a Plane Crash for a business they had spent their entire life earning on. 

It was very traumatic for me, bearing to the fact that I had no other family than them. No Uncle or Aunts. 

Lila's Mom, Mia Austin, being the sweetest creature she was with her daughter, accepted me into her house, though her Husband didn't agree to it. They never really like each other, he used to hurt her in harsh ways. Her husband was very terrible. He tried to assault me, she fought for me then divorced him, leaving with both of us. 

After High School, Lila's Uncle sponsored her to College while Lila and Mia struggled so hard to earn enough to sponsor me to college and cater for our needs and wants. They made me feel loved and helped me through every hardship. They were the best people I could've ever encountered and I hadn't found the best way to repay them yet.

"I love you so much!" She squealed, hugging me again. 

I giggled patting her back, "I love you too." 

After spending a couple of seconds in that position, we finally pulled apart.

"Let's forget about that and—" I was cut off by my phone that began to ring from my purse. "Hang on a sec," I took my phone out of the purse. Hames was calling me? Strange.

A message popped on the screen from Nikita. *Hi babe, just got home and a dude parked his car in front of our compound. Tried to flirt with him…* the message continued but instead of viewing it, I answered Hames' call.

"Good evening, Sir." I started with a greeting, wrinkling my eyebrows in curiosity of what he had to say. 

"Nothing's good about the evening. By the way, I called to let you know that you'd have to cancel all appointments for Next Week, we'll be leaving for Australia."

"Australia?"

"Yes, for a great Business Deal. Start packing. Bye." He ended the call, not giving me the chance to utter more words to him. 

"What's going on?" Lila asked. 

"It turns out I'll be leaving for Australia next week." I wasn't certain of how to react to this. 

"That's great."

"It's terrible; I'll be going with my boss." Now that didn't sound good to utter. Going to such a far place, alone with Hames? How could things get any worse?

***

A/N: Don't forget to let me know your thoughts on this chapter and this book in the comment section. Let me know how much you like/love this book, be encouraging. 

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