Tempted

Sitting down on my chair to face Jenifer I already knew rubbish is going to come out of her mouth. She has her spectacles on with a red lipstick. Have you ever seen a corporate woman wearing a red lipstick like she is some piece if meat that stands by the robot waiting for men to pick her up.

"The House of Swank can't just pull out the contract,"she says looking at me.

Can't? HOS is my baby I can do anything I want with it. She is merely a retailer that supplies fabrics to me.

"House Of Swank has no interest at all to renew their contract with Ferreira Fabrics,"I say.

"You can't just throw us out in the cold! I am paying you and making you a lot of money with my fabrics! I made you! "she shouts hitting the desk.

"That's your problem thinking you have some sort of intitlement over me! You made me? Are you God? This is my God given talent! I toiled and worked day and night designing until my sweat turned into blood!I made Bree Fischer! I am the House of Swank!" I yell.

I feel my mouth shaking. I am tempted to jump and grab her. I want to hit her head on the table.

"Ladies please let's all come down. I believe we can find a reasonable solution amicably without pulling each other's hair,"he says.

"I am not going to sign that contact. I am taking my business elsewhere,"I say.

I pack my things and get out of the boardroom.

" You have gained yourself another enemy! No retailer will work with you ever again! I am going to blacklist you!" she screams.

I walked back to the boardroom and looked at her in the eyes.

" I encourage you to get a troop of soldiers. Go get the cops with their dogs. You can also bring the State private security. I am not going to renew that contract. I'd rather die than to work with you again with your arrogance,"I say.

I turn back to walk to my office. There is no day when we are having a meeting I won't go head to head with Jennifer.

"You are all going with her?" she asks.

"She is the major shareholder with the deciding vote,"he says.

"Mrs Ferreira it was a pleasure doing business with you for all the past years. You have rendered us good service" he says.

He stretches out his hand to shake her hand but she rather stormed out of the boardroom. 

Jennifer is a rich spoilt brat that got everything from her father. She did not build Ferreira Fabrics from scratch. She inherited it. She does not know what is like to build something from scratch. How many times I have failed and went ti the drawing board to start all over again. I did not use my father's name to open doors for me.

Mentioning my father's name would totally shut doors for me.He was against the whole idea of me becoming a fashion designer.At the mention of his name my dream would be destroyed.

I pick up my phone and go through my contacts list. I circle my finger around Lola's contacts. I want to vent. I need to offload what's on my chest.

Lola's phone rang many times and I was answered by her answering machine.

I did not leave a message for her m I wanted to talk to her face to face.

I dialed Liam's numbers. Surprisingly I knew them by heart. I don't usually memorize contact numbers but his was very easy for me to memorize. Sudden excitement hit me as his phone rang. My heart is pounding so fast.

"You need another cigarette already?"he asks.

"That offer of cocktails. Is it still on the table?"I ask.

"Of course sweet Bree,"he says.

As much I did not like the pet name he gave.It brought me a smile on my face.

I have not being out in a club in so many years. I feel like an old woman walking into the club. I feel like I have  missed out on too much being stuck at the Fischer mansion playing wife to the mighty Brian Fischer. The CEO of a multi million rands construction company.

I didn't like clubbing too much during my varsity years.No let me me not say I did not love what my peers were doing. I was just afraid of my father. He is a very strict man and he believes that clubs are placed where the devil hangs with his gang. They work very hard to destroy life of youngsters by introducing them to drugs and alcohol.

"One virgin cocktail and one gin cocktail," he says to the bar man.

"Who are you ordering a virgin cocktail for?"I ask flicking my hair.

I have let it loose for a change.

"You are not drinking alcohol,"he says.

"I am going to start tonight. Yay!"I say.

We both giggle. He changes the order and asks the waitress ti bring the order if drinks to our table.

"Wow I did not know you can dress this way,"he says.

"Oh you thought I am the scary monster that is always wearing formally?" I ask.

We both burst into laughter.

I am wearing a short floral dress. Of course it is Spring. I did not want to be left out. On my feet I opt to pun on a pair of sneakers my mother bought for me as a gift on my last birthday.

They had flowers that complimented with my dress.I  wore sneakers for just in case we hit btte dance floor. I must be able to move. That's if I am still able to move my body.

"Your husband is going to get mad when he finds you gone,"he says.

"Can we not talk about about Brian tonight? Let's enjoy this good time together,"I say placing my hand on his thigh.

He chuckles a little picking up his glass to take a sip of his drink.I look at his beard as he presses his phone to put it on silent.

I smile biting the straw sexily. I felt like this about a man in my high school days.

"Why are you still single Liam,"I ask.

"I haven't met anyone suitable for me I can say,"he says.

"Suitable?"I ask.

"I mean someone who makes me happy like you. With a good sense of humor and can laugh a little,"he says.

He touches my cheek.

"With a good heart and big one to accommodate everyone,"he adds.

He continues to rub my cheek with his finger.

"You are so beautiful Bree. Actually you are breathtaking,"he says.

He leans over to kiss me with his soft lips. I kiss him back. I have been tempted to do this for a long time. It feels so sweet.

"I can book a room for us upstairs. In case you want to go somewhere private,"he says.

I nod yes. 

He stands up and takes my hand as we walk upstairs. He was handed the key of the room by the receptionist as I wait for him feeling like a naughty school girl.

He opens the door widely and I step in. He locks it. I run to pour a glass of wine to calm down my nerves. I could not believe I have walked with another man into a room.

He sits next to me on the bed and he holds my hand. Itbis a very warm hand holding me. I feel so safe around him. I could trust him with my life.

Maybe this is true love. My fair chance of my true happiness. Maybe fate has brought us together. I rejected him many times when we were still in school. But honestly I was afraid of my father. He did not want boys near me. He did not want to see me as a teen mom.

He holds both of my cheeks and looks into my eyes. Tears were stuck in the wells of my eyes.I suddenly felt sad. I felt the edge to cry.

My phone rings before we could kiss. I reach for it to answer it. It is my husband. I clear my voice before answering.

"Hello,"I say.

I tried to stay calm.

"Where the hell are you?"he asks.

I could sense anger in his voice.

"Oh I am with Lola. Her daughter got sick so we had to rush her to the doctor,"I say.

I bite my nails hoping that Lola did not come to the house looking for me. He might be with Lola as we speak now. Oh my God  Brian is going to get mad and kill Liam.

"If you know what's good for you. You are going to come home. You are behaving like a high school kid who has just begun dating. Driven crazy by the attention she receives from boys,"he says.

He hangs up on my ear before o could respond to him.

"I am sorry Liam. I can not stay any longer. Brian is going crazy and I don't want to make him angry,", I say taking my handbag.

"Make him angry? Does he beat you up? Is he abusive?"he asks.

"No! How could you even think of that?"I ask. 

Brian is not a woman beater. He is just strict and loves to shoutm I don't want to be shouted by him.

I run out of the room like I am being chased to the car where my driver is waiting for me.

"I need to get home before my wife gets there,"he says.

He gets off the bed to put on his pants.

"But we are still having fun Briany"she says.

"You can go downstairs to have dinner by yourself,"he says.

"You promised to have dinner with me,"he says.

She hugs him from behind while he buttons his shirt.

"Marcia as much as I would love to stay here with you. I have to get back to my wife. I am just your blesser not your husband. Don't be clingy and nagging. That's my wife duty," he says.

He kisses her forehead and grabs his suit jacket stepping out of the hotel room.

"See you soon daddy,"she says blowing him kisses.

He smiles shaking his head. Brian was throwing money on this slay queen and maintaining her lifestyle. I am not aware of him cheating on me. I also did not know that he was tempted by the devil too. I believe I am his first love.

The driver opens the door for me as I step out of the car. I rush to the front door and open it. I go upstairs to our matrimonial bedroom.

I could hear water flowing from the shower. I take off my shoes and put on my gown on top of my dress. He steps out of the shower with a towel wrapped around his waist.

He has not wiped himself. I could see water on his black and beautiful skin. He steps towards me. 

"Why did not take off your clothes and come to join me in the shower?"he asks.

"I..I..I thought I should just give you privacy since you are mad at me for cancelling the dinner. I could not go have dinner with Jennifer after what happened this morning at the boardroom,"I say.

"I could smell alcohol from your breath. When did you start drinking? Is Lola derailing you and turning my wife into a drunkard?"he asks.

"I am old enough to make my own decisions. How can she pick up a glass of wine and force me to drink? I made the choice to drink that wine. Don't treat me like a baby. I am not a baby. Who has ever stopped you from drinking? I am not even drunk,"I say.

I stand up heading to the bathroom. He pulls me back 

"You can go shower after we are done here. We need to try for a baby please,"he says.

"I checked the calendar and you are ovulating. You are off the pill right?"he asks.

"Did you see any birth control pills in here? You said I must stop. I stopped. What the hell do you want from me?"I ask.

"I want a baby from you. I want you to love me as your husband. I want you to love me the same you have ever loved your deceased boyfriend," he says.

How dare he brings up Marshall? How can he speak about him? I am certain he is the one that caused that accident that took him away from me. He wanted to have me to all himself without anyone challenging him.

"You know I only married you because you were blackmailing my family. I married you to keep my family secret safe.How can you expect me to love a man who is torturing my own family? Is it not enough that I am sleeping with you?" I ask.

"You can learn to love me.Damn it can't you see that I am trying here Bree? I am trying to be a good husband to you? I treat you like a royal princess. I gave you everything you wanted!"he shouts.

He screamed on my face. I got frightened and he rubs his face.He hit his forehead.

"I did not mean to lose it with you. I am sorry to scare you. I think we both had a bad day. You can go shower then we can sleep," he says.

I turned heading to the bathroom.