Veil trailed behind a group of young girls in mini-exposing dresses as they made their way through the entrance hallway. Under the blue lights, she could see a few couples making out, and hear groans and moans and soft music playing. The more they walked down the hallway, the louder the music got. Reaching the end of the hallway, she entered a place where the music was at its loudest. The room was more like a hall and was crowded. She stumbled upon a few insatiable love-making lovebirds, some drunks, coughed once and then twice at the choking smell of cigarettes. In less than five minutes, she was already regretting the decision she made in a state of excitement. Why didn't she just sit back and wait?
First time in a club and she was already hating the idea of it.
How was she supposed to find June in such rowdyism, and that too, with such lights?
As she moved around searching for June, a group of drunk dudes in the company of three drunk ladies quaked her
"Hey!" One of the guys screamed.
"Move! Out of the way, nerd!"
Veil heard them laugh and then one of the girls spoke next.
"Who dresses that way to a club?"
Veil accessed herself, she was still wearing the same cloth since morning. A pair of baggy jeans and a hoodie. She couldn't help but agree with the girl's question. Indeed, who wears such clothes to a nightclub? But she isn't here to party, she only came for her friend. As she turned to leave the scene, someone grabbed her ass, and with a deep husky voice, whispered into her ear...
"Hello! Magmosel!"
Outraged eyes popped out of their sockets as Veil turned around to see who the imbecile that had dared to assault her was.
The man was handsome and looked like yet another male model, he was wearing a rich business suit that complimented his features so well and had a sexy smirk on, but, Veil didn't care about all that. A sensible man never assaults a woman. With so much anger, she gave him a slap across the face. The man's face turned to one of displeasure in that instant. He was going to grab her by the wrist, drag her to his suit, and then punish her in a way that'd leave her traumatized for the rest of her life, but then, someone tapped him from behind.
"Mr. Rodriguez, you're here." A man's voice stated. "Please follow me."
The other man didn't have a choice but to follow him. Besides, this is the important business that had brought him to this place. He nodded and followed behind as the elderly man led him to a quieter room. On his way, he took a glance behind and realized that the woman was no longer there.
Under the red light, the two men talked. While the older man kept on quoting figures and numbers, Mr. Model's mind had traveled to another world entirely.
Someone dared to hit him. A woman at that...
When was the last time he had fun? He was going to have fun with this one.
"Mr. Rodriguez, are you with me? Mr. Rodriguez?"... The older man tried asserting in noticing the younger man's distraction.
"Let's do this some other time, shall we? I have more important business to take care of." Rising to his feet, the model concluded.
The older man was displeased to hear this, but, could he question a person who had the power to render him unemployed for life? So instead, he nodded in agreement.
"Do you want me to get you a woman for the night?"
"No, I already have eyes on someone." With that, he walked out in search of the woman from earlier, but, didn't find her.
Veil reached the apartment and surprisingly found it open.
"Where did you go to?" June's question welcomed her. "I've been worried about you."
"I went to the club to see if I could find you. How are you back this early and... undressed...?" Veil queried. She was concerned. June never returns from the club until morning. Did something happen?
"I didn't go to the club. Why did you go there to look for me? I only went to the store to get us something to eat. How in heaven's name was I going to leave you in such a condition?" June stared at Veil.
"Oh! I see..."
"Nahh! This wouldn't fit." Veil grumbled over a piece of blue dress. June picked out another, but she rejected it outrightly.
"That's way too exposing for work, don't you think?" She grimaced.
June picked out yet another, a red one.
"How about this?"
"That'd draw way too much attention." Veil frowned. June picked another dress that had a V opening at the back, down to the waist, and a slit on its sides. Looking at the dress, Veil stared dumbstruck at June.
"Really?" Veil queried.
"What? The dress is sexy." June argued
"It's a job interview I'm going for, not a club."
"I know that. Now, imagine a body like yours in a cloth like this. I'm sure the interviewer wouldn't have any choice but to...." June was saying, but Veil's disappointed glare at her interrupted her.
"You are not one of those who think that a woman has nothing else to offer asides from her body, are you? Do you not believe in my abilities, my potential, my Resume?" Veil queried.
June sighed, dropped the dress on the bed, and then walked over to Veil.
"I believe in you, Veil. I believe in your potential, your CV, and your capabilities. But, with all of those, you need a good dress as well. One that makes an impression. So that when you walk into that building, you'll remain confident until you step out. RM groups isn't just any place. If you don't dress well enough on your first day, you'd end up losing all of your confidence even before your interview." June told. "Now, having said all this, I think I know the best place to shop for a dress with both class and decency. Bills on me." She winked, and then pulled Veil out of the room.
They boarded June's BMW and June drove to a surprise destination.
June pulled over at a fancy dress Shop. She stepped out at the same time as Veil and they walked in together.
The Dress shop was filled with fancy dresses of assorted kinds. Dresses for formal wear and dresses for clubs, but in the vast shop, only a few shoppers were inside.
"This is an expensive dress shop, why are we here?" Veil thought.
"The bill is on me, so you can shop without having to worry about prices. Just pick the things you like. This is the only way I can assist since you don't want my help with dad."
Veil got emotional and pounced on June in a hug. June smiled and then hugged her back.
Snap back to last night when Veil had shared the good news with her friend. June had been so excited, almost more excited than Veil herself. She had popped a bottle of Spiritus Vodka and had almost turned the apartment into a nightclub. Speaking of which, Veil had gone to bed with the thought of the man at the club dangling at the back of her mind. Why was she suddenly craving to be touched? And that too by him.
Oh no! She wasn't having such dirty thoughts right now...."
"I'm done." Veil picked up the last of the items she had selected and they proceeded to make payments at the cashier's after which they made their way out of the boutique.
At 7:30 AM, Veil was up and preparing for a 9:00 clock interview. She had her shower, made breakfast, ate, and used the rest of the free minutes taking in deep breaths. Once it was 8:20 AM, she dressed up. In a white polyester V-neck long-sleeved shirt, a knee-length black skirt that accentuated her perfectly defined curves, and a pair of heels, she looked almost ready to rock. What was she missing....... Yap! Her hair. She brushed the waist-length hair and packed it to the back. She's never been a fan of make-up, so she didn't apply any, besides, her skin was pure and smooth. She picked up one of the bags they had gotten the day before, a Channel. Hurrying to June's room, she knocked on the sleeping girl's room and made her aware of her departure, before leaving. In a hurry, she almost flagged down a Bentley, but thank heavens she was quick enough to withdraw her hand......But. Why did the car feel familiar?....In the passenger seat of the black Bentley that had just passed Veil,
"Ms. Veil Smith. You're up next!" The speaker announced."Huh!!" Veil asked. Was it her or someone bearing the same name as her? Why was it her turn now? She had only been sitting there for five minutes. Some too many other people came before her, so, why was she next?As she stood up and confidently approached the door, she knew that others had the same thoughts running in their minds. Probably she was amongst the top firsts on their list. But! why was her name called, instead of her number? She noticed a lot of people staring at her with disdain and it made her feel strange in a way. She forced a smile in other to clear the air around her before walking in.As soon as she was out of sight, a few women turned to each other."She's the last person to walk into this room, yet she gets called before us all, and that too, by name?" One blonde asked."I think she must be acquainted with the CEO. Hmm! Lucky her." Another, a short-haired brunette murmured with a fixed gaze on the door V
Veil followed Simon as he took her to a spacious office on the fourteenth floor. The office was decorated with a white lilac flowery wallpaper, and designed to fit three or more persons, but, it had just one desk, one arm swivel chair, and a window that looked outside the city. From there, one could see a lot of things. Like, the famous Chinese restaurant."This will be your office. I'll leave you to settle in. If you need anything, you can ring me on the telephone at the desk." Mr. Simon said and turned to leave, but, Veil called out to him just immediately."Isn't there anything I should know about the CEO? Like, his schedule, favorite drink, coffee or tea, etc..." She inquired, earning a smile from Simon."His schedule will be sent to your work email. His favorite color is black, and...strong black milkless and sugarless coffee is his preference. You'll get to find out other things as time goes by. Have a nice settling." With that, he turned around and was gone.The moment Simon le
Veil sat in the front of the Rolls Royce with the driver as they headed for the meeting with HKs executives. From what she had gathered online so far since the ride started, HK is an Advertising agency. She had an idea of what this meeting was about, all thanks to Simon who had given her a briefing. RM Groups was venturing into the Chinese market, so they were meeting with HK at a Spanish restaurant in town, to discuss a perfect Ad for the project. Veil gave a glance outside the window. The weather was still bright and promising. It was that kind of weather that could put a smile on one's face, and it did put one on her face until her mind had to wonder about the call she had received earlier. She moved her attention from the outside view. She needed to distract herself from sad thoughts. It was her first day at work. A clear mind was required for productivity and efficiency. With that, she tried to get herself to focus on something else, and somehow her eyes traveled to the rearvi
Veil sauntered back to her office in a dampened mood. She could tell that this wouldn't be the last time he'd talk to her in such a way. While she tried to sort her mood, her office telephone rang. She answered the call almost immediately."Hello, RM Groups on the..." Before she could conclude her sentence, Ander's cold voice interrupted her."My office in five minutes." Saying that he hung up. Veil could only smile, as she tried her hardest to smile. She started for his office in hurried strides, and in exactly five minutes she was there."Mr. Rodriguez, you called." "Make corrections to these documents. I want them on my desk before 2:00 PM Ander replied nonchalantly.Veiled stared with disbelief at the stack of neatly arranged files heaped on the side of his desk, wondering if he was serious or just taunting her."You ain't still here, are you?" He queried, snapping Veil out of her daze."Uhh! No, I'll just go now." She carried the stack of files and headed out of his office.Du
The door to the office of JK's president opened after a rasp, and PA Garth walked into the spacious office."Master Orleans, we found the woman you're looking for, she works for Anders Rodriguez." Orleans twirled his seat towards his PA with brows dragged together in a frown."Find out at what time she closes from work." His tone was calm but deep. PA Garth reflexly wondered what business he had with the woman.Anders glanced into Veil's office as he strode towards his' with his bodyguards trailing behind him. She was going through something on her computer and Simon was standing next to her, pointing out something. Seeing them so close, Anders' eyes narrowed in anger at Simon. Veil raised her gaze just in time to meet Anders' wicked one. She jerked up from her seat at once."Mr. Rodriguez!" She called. Simon looked up and saw Ander glaring at him with ruthless emotionless eyes and a chill ran down his spine. He couldn't understand the reason behind Anders' gaze so he nervously bowed
On arriving at the construction site, Veil alighted the driver's seat and casually opened the door for Anders. She felt less embarrassed now, the ride had helped her calm down.As they stepped out, a few construction workers in charge were on standby to welcome them, or Anders."Mr. Rodriguez!" One of the men, who looked more advanced in age approached Anders, offering both his hands to him. "Mr. Feliz!" Anders shook them with one of his while the other rested in his trouser pocket.Veil looked at the man dressed in an engineer's wear to see if there was any trace of embarrassment on his face, but there wasn't. He instead looked humble, as if to say it was a privilege to shake hands with Anders.Well of course it was. Was she forgetting who the man in question was? The infamous Anderson Rodriguez, CEO of Kingston Groups. One of the biggest and wealthiest tech companies in the country. Who was she kidding? The man ought even to bow based on the name and classification of power. Veil t
But just when they were almost close to Kingston Groups..."Take a turn to the left," Anders instructed. Veil was a bit hesitant, but then she had no say, she simply did as she was told.She drove down a serene road and just when she was closing up at a small Spanish restaurant, Anders asked her to stop the car.Veil hurried out and opened the door for him and he pulled out of the vehicle carefully. Finally being out of the confinement of the small car, Veil could finally breathe and slowly, she found herself regaining what was lost- her composure."Mr. Rodriguez..." "I didn't have breakfast before leaving home. I need you to read me the rest of my schedule over a plate of meals." Veil noticed the emphasis on the first three words of the second sentence and a picture flashed in her mind. She mentally berated herself for thinking the way she just did."Sure!" She offered him a smile, hoping against hope that it didn't look as forced as it was. Then they walked inside."Hello, Mr. Rod
MONTHS LATERElvis Presley's “can't help falling in love” reverberated across the full hall as Veil walked down the aisle slowly, in the arms of her father, with June behind her, unable to stop smiling so wide. Veil's best friend seemed to be the most excited about this wedding, as she had been in such a great mood since Veil returned with Anders to Mexico, the news of their engagement in tow.She and Amanda had been responsible for all the planning, leaving Veil nothing to do than being doted on by Anders and taking care of her gradually bulging stomach. Veil thought it was better to do the wedding before she wouldn't be able to walk easily, and Anders was cool with whatever she wanted.Anders was at the aisle, with Lucas by his side, the roles reversed so beautifully. His wife, Amanda, was at the front pew, dabbing at her eyes and at the same time, glancing at her watch. She was in charge around here and since Amanda was the queen of perfection, she wanted everything to be in place
Anders walked into the house with trepidation since Veil hadn't said anything about welcoming him with open arms. He had taken too long to realize he was in love with her, and the thought plagued him as he stood in the center of the small and cozy living area, struck at how homely she had made it look.“This is nice,” he noted, not expecting Veil to dignify him with a response. That explained how his eyes raised in surprise when she smiled at him, a sigh escaping her slightly parted lips. “I'd always wanted my own space,” Veil explained. “But living with June has made me realize that perhaps, solitary living isn't for me.” She laughed awkwardly and sat on one of the mismatched couches. “It's been a little bit hard living alone. I don't know how to cook just for myself, and there's no one to fix me a quick snack when I'm too tired to lift a finger.”Anders wanted to tell her that he would happily do all of that for her, but something kept him mute. He wasn't certain how open she would
Anders didn't bother to change into something else, getting onto the private jet from his landing. The tuxedo made him look like he was going to a ceremony, but there wasn't any time to go back home, especially since Anders made the decision in the spur of the moment.The usual readings of the weather, flight safety information, and weather forecast were announced before the jet took off from the ground, and Anders wished they could go faster. His legs bobbed in the aircraft and he shuffled between looking out through the window and scrolling through the magazines before him.He wasn't going to get to Veil in the next five hours and now that Anders was midair, he was beginning to think about the spontaneous choice he had just made. Perhaps, he should have celebrated the day with his best friend, then waited till the following morning before making the trip. He hadn't even considered if Veil would be open to receiving him. If that happened, was he just going to come right back?The ans
Anders was in the room with Lucas, helping him with his brooch before he went to the aisle to wait for his bride. Lucas hadn't stopped talking about how special he thought Amanda was and how lucky he was to have her as his bride. At first, Anders was receptive to the emotions flowing, even handing Lucas a napkin when tears threatened to fall from his eyes. But three hours into the day, Anders decided that it was getting on his nerves. And not in a bad way. The more his best friend spoke about love and the beautiful things it had done to him, the more he feared that his choice not to believe in love was more damning than it did him any good. It was becoming oddly real to him, that Lucas and Amanda were going to need their privacy after today, so he wouldn't be able to disturb them as often as he was used to.“Don't look so sad, Anders,” Lucas drawled, patting his friend's face affectionately. “We're still going to be your friends. Things are just going to be a bit different.”“How so?
“Veil!” June yelled from the living room, where she was huddled with her laptop, peering up at the screen. She had been at it for a couple of hours now, muttering that she had a deadline to meet up with, more urgent than having a shower or eating. Peeking out from the kitchen where she had been trying to whip up a snack for her best friend, Veil rolled her eyes and muttered something about her yelling being worth it before leaning on the door frame. She was only about six weeks gone, and the pregnancy hadn’t started showing yet. “I hope it isn’t something as mundane as getting you a glass of water,” Veil murmured, eyeing June, who still had her eyes glued to the screen of her laptop. “You got the job!” June said at the top of her voice, and for once, Veil didn’t complain about her best friend yelling when she was right beside her. Veil covered the distance in one second, planting herself by June’s side as she peered down at the mail open on the screen. Veil had logged on to her ema
Anders was in Lucas’ studio, watching his best friend and Amanda gush over the idea they had for their wedding. They wanted it to happen there since it was not only cost-effective but they could, at the same time, have an influence over the decorations.Lucas wanted the paintings he had made of Amanda gracing the walls that day, with the pictures they'd taken together showing the journey of their dating life. They giggled when they saw an old picture of the four of them - Amanda, Lucas, Anders, and Camila, and tears pooled at the corner of Amanda's eyes. She whipped them off hastily before Anders or Lucas could notice. She only wanted to have happy memories of her best friend.“What do you think about beige?” Amanda threw at Anders who looked like he wanted to be anywhere else but there. Unfortunately, he had nowhere else to go. The bar sounded like a very tempting idea right now, but Anders knew it was too much of a show since the whole of Mexico knew who he was and there wasn't goin
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY-SIXJune couldn't get rid of the surprise etched on her features, no matter how hard she tried. And oh boy, she did try. She walked behind Veil like a shadow, following her every moment and popping the question a million times, so much so that Veil started locking her room door to keep June out in the middle of the night.She had to inform her parents too about the development, and they were supportive of her decision. Veil had resigned from Kingston Groups and sent her CV to the English Investors’ company. She was awaiting feedback from them. On the day she sent in her resignation letter, Veil ensured she was in and out of the company like a breeze, too fast before Anders could realize she was there in the first place. She came just after lunch, meeting Simon at the desk who was about to make a sharp U-turn to stay out of her way.It made Veil laugh about the comedy that had become her life. Just a couple of months ago, Anders was threatening every sing
June was waiting by the door when Veil got home, and she allowed herself get whisked into the living room, with June watching her like she would drop to the floor at any minute. June was not far from the truth because the only thing holding Veil up was the fear of doing anything to harm the baby.It was still pretty early and she had read somewhere that the first few months of a pregnancy were usually the most delicate, and extra care needed to be taken in order to get through it.June said nothing until later in the night, when Veil came out for a snack. She was working in the kitchen, a huge pair of frames on her eyes when Veil sauntered in, covered in her cute small pyjamas.“Hey,” June called, taking off her glasses. Veil hadn't told her anything since she returned because she didn't want to overburden her best friend with the drama that had been going on in her life. They felt unending, from one level to the other. Veil couldn't remember the last time June had complained about so
Those words would have rocked the whole of Veil’s world if she wasn’t so certain of what she had seen in Anders. He was one of Mexico’s greatest businessmen, but the one thing he couldn’t do as expertly as running a business was lying to her. He tried to be mean, to act like he didn’t give two fucks about Veil. But she could see through the walls he had put up, and he had no one to blame for that but himself. The days he had spent with her had opened him up more than he had thought possible, and now, he was left staring at the face of the woman who didn’t believe him one bit when he said he wasn’t in love with her. “I can’t lie about my feelings for you,” Anders said, his tone almost pleading for her to reason with him. “And I have tried my best to make it clear from the beginning that I want nothing more from this than what you want, or at least, what I thought you wanted.” Veil shook her head. “Maybe at first, you believed those words as much as you try to convince yourself now