Chapter 9

"What are you doing?"

I bit my lower lip as I felt the tissue on my private part. Closing my eyes while silently hoping he won’t notice I am so turned on right now. What are you doing, Maya? You were just intimate minutes ago, and now you're feeling this turned on while he's cleaning you up?

"So beautiful," I heard him whisper.

I opened my eyes only to find him staring at me. What the heck, Alexander? My body is tired, and I am sore all over. I just let him do his thing while I'm trying to sleep peacefully.

When I woke up the next morning, Alexander had already left for work, and Tamara had left too. Thank God.

The meeting with the board of directors adjourned early. Missy was busy talking with someone in the operations department.

I left the conference room and went to my office. My head is aching so bad right now. I'm so tired and too lazy to do things, but I need to work.

Missy informed me afterwards that Alexander was asking for my presence at his company.

The merger of the two companies is still ongoing. Sooner or later, Alexander will be the one handling both companies.

"Mr. Alexander wanted to know what you want to eat for lunch. Any specific restaurant in mind? He said you two will be having lunch together."

"I am fine with anything."

I don’t know why Alexander doesn’t like texting me on my phone. He always tells his secretary to message Missy instead.

"Why? What’s with the frown?" I asked Missy when I saw how heavily she sighed every time she tapped her screen.

She looked at me and faked a smile. Behind her thick glasses, I could still see she was bothered by something.

"You and Mr. Alexander are going to have lunch at Ms. Tamara’s restaurant."

Oh? She has a restaurant? I didn’t know that. I have been following her on social media using the dummy account I made, but I didn’t search for much information about her beyond that.

I've only been stalking her because of Alexander. It's been almost a week since I last visited her account. I got busy and felt like I didn’t need to because Alexander is already mine.

"Is she going to dine with us?"

She shrugged her shoulders to answer me. Of course, she doesn’t know. No one knows because Tamara always invites herself wherever.

I got busy after that. Reading reports is giving me a headache. I feel like I've been studying the wrong way. Everything is different from what I thought.

"Your late father already agreed to the development of the building."

"I know. I already read it." I am just thinking about the budget right now. I’m also a bit worried about the merger of the two companies. If it happens sooner, I won’t have to worry because Alexander knows everything about this business.

I have knowledge, but I don’t think I have the ability to make the company earn more. I don’t have the skills to strengthen it. I hope it happens sooner so I won’t have to deal with all this.

"Why are we eating in a public place?"

This place is definitely high-end. I saw some business people around the corner eating their lunch peacefully. Others would glance at Alexander, who didn’t seem to mind.

I smiled bitterly when I saw a camera focusing on us. Some people, particularly women, were whispering to each other. I could tell by their actions that they were talking about us, maybe curious why we were having a casual lunch.

They have known Alexander as a beast in business. He doesn't mingle with anyone while working and doesn't allow anyone to flirt with him. I read about it in articles online. He's known as a womanizer, only seen with different women after work. But still, he’s a womanizer. That's why I don’t like him. I would never like him.

"I am trying to make them see that there is something going on between the two of us."

Is this to prepare them for our marriage? But before that, he should stop being with different women in bars. As much as I wanted to say this, I stopped myself because I didn’t want to ruin his mood.

"When you take over my position, can I do what I want, like opening a pastry shop?"

I am trying to express how I want to live my life after he takes over my position. I've tried my best to help my family’s business, but I don’t excel in that field. I only want a normal life, even though my late parents were always in the spotlight. I never imagined myself being like them.

The puzzled look he gave me sent chills down my spine. I gave him a genuine smile. "It’s okay if you don’t want it. I was just trying my luck. I really don’t see myself managing my family’s businesses."

He was about to say something when he was interrupted. I almost rolled my eyes when I heard Tamara’s flirty voice. I almost forgot that she took a break from her work because of the almost wedding between them. That's why I feel like she’s always tailing us, always available wherever Alexander is.

"Oh! What a surprise to see you two here." She stopped in front of our table, and her eyes immediately fixed on Alexander. What happened next shocked me. She kissed his cheeks in front of me!

"You should have told me you were coming. I could have prepared your favorite dishes."

So... he didn’t tell her, but I know she definitely knew we were coming. Of course, she has eyes everywhere. I kept my gaze away from them, seeing how the two ladies across our table avoided my eyes when I looked at them.

I am not surprised by their curiosity about me. When both my parents died, I came out publicly as their only daughter. People were curious about my life, why I chose to hide my identity, how I lived alone, and other questions about my life. I never opened myself to the public beyond being my parents’ daughter. Eventually, the news about me subsided.

"Excuse me for a moment."

I only noticed Tamara was already sitting beside him when I glanced back at them. I wanted to go to the powder room to freshen up. They were so engrossed in each other that they didn’t even hear me. I was about to stand up and leave when I realized something. I can’t leave. I won’t let them have their moment when it's our time together. "Babe, can you accompany me to my parents' house?"

Tamara was the first to look at me, seeming a bit annoyed. I couldn’t help but applaud myself for that. Alexander raised his eyebrows at me. "What will you do there?"

"I’ll visit the house and also bring some of my stuff to your place." I tried to sound convincing and maybe a bit flirty. I don’t know if it was enough to persuade him.

Without looking at me, he agreed. "Okay, we will go there after here."

"Can I come?"

What? I raised my eyebrows at her, even though she was asking Alexander for permission. But why was she asking him when I am the owner of that house?

"Sorry, outsiders are not allowed. My parents are really sensitive when someone comes without their permission."

"What?!" she exclaimed loudly, realizing her voice had caused other customers to look at us. Why was she here anyway? Shouldn’t she be managing her restaurant instead of other businesses?

"Did you hear that? I think you made a mistake by marrying her. I was just trying to be nice."

I rolled my eyes when I heard her say those words to Alexander. Alexander, on the other hand, was looking at me. If looks could kill, I should be dead by now.

"She’s not going inside your house. She will come with me. I am only going to drive you there. I have other important business to attend to."

I saw Tamara’s face light up after Alexander said that to me.

"If it’s really important, you can leave me here. I can go alone."

I should have listened to Missy. She told me to use my car for emergencies, but I never listened. I asked Alexander to pick me up, and now I didn’t expect to leave without him.

"Thanks! I will get my things from my office."

I took a deep breath as she left us to get her things.

"Are you doing this on purpose?" The anger in his voice was evident. We were the only ones left here. I won’t assume anything anymore because I know he was referring to me and my attitude towards Tamara.

"I am not. You are just imagining things. Anyways, I will leave you now. Enjoy your day with her."

"Didn’t I tell you to never meddle in my personal life?"

I was about to leave when he said that. What is he talking about?

My forehead creased as I looked at him. Is he serious? "What are you talking about?"

"Tamara is my girlfriend. You should be nice to her. Don’t you dare say something insulting to her."