Chapter 10: Rich.
"You look hot." Naya says as I pass her desk, walking into my office.
"Please, don't ride my dick this morning." I tell her, rolling my eyes.
"I'm serious." She says, laughing. "I'm glad to have you back." She says, smiling at me.
I took a one month break from work to be emotionally and physically ready to work again.
"Well, I'm glad to be back." I tell her.
"That's great to hear. Mr. Wang is your ten o'clock, you have a meeting with Steven and Son's at twelve and you will be attending a charity event this evening at the plaza." She says, reading my itinerary for the day from her black binder.
"It's going to be a busy day." I tell her, sitting on my chair. "Make me a coffee, would you?" I tell her.
"Coming right up." She says, before she leaves my office.
***
"I think you look fine." Aaron says, smiling at me.
"You're just saying that." I tell him.
Aaron decided to treat me to lunch after our meeting. We are currently at a restaurant five minutes away from my office.
"No, I'm not. I don't need to flatter you, it's the honest truth. You're beautiful." He comments, staring into my eyes.
"Thank you." I reply, taking the compliment.
"So, anything new?" He asks, cutting the potatoes on his plate.
"Um, not really. I'm taking a vacation in three months, though. Really looking forward to it." I tell him.
"Oh really? Where are you going?" He asks me.
"Singapore." I reply.
"Wow, I am jealous." He says and I chuckle.
"Why wouldn't you be? You work so hard, you never have time for vacations." I tell him.
"You're right about that. I can't remember the last time I went on a vacation." He says, laughing.
"Exactly." I say, laughing with him. "Maybe you should come with me?" I ask him.
"No, I wouldn't want to impose." He says waving his hands.
"Impose? I'm going on a vacation alone, so if anything you're going to keep me company." I tell him.
"Okay, fine. I'll come along." He agrees and I clap my hands.
"Yay, we're going to have so much fun." I tell him.
He just smiles at me as he continues eating his steak.
"I've been seeing pictures of you and this dude. The one that plays football. You know the tall one." He says as I wipe my mouth.
"Oh you mean, Zachary. We went to High Shool together." I inform him.
"Is there anything going on between the two of you?" Aaron asks me and I laugh.
"No, he has a girlfriend." I tell him.
"And if he didn't?" He asks and I don't have an answer for him.
"Um, let's stop talking about him now. How's the company?" I ask Aaron, changing the subject.
Aaron immediately starts going on and on about his company and I thank God.
All these business moguls are the same, self-indulgent assholes. It doesn't take much for you to make them talk about themselves.
"So, will you be joining me tomorrow night?" Aaron asks me.
"Yeah. Every business owner is attending this charity event, I'll be there." I tell him, chuckling.
"Great. 'Cause I want you by my side when I win the humanitarian award." He says and I flash him a fake smile.
I like Aaron, don't get me wrong.
But he's just so...rich.
Okay, let me explain.
He is so high up there, and not in a bad way. He's just not relatable, he just acts so rich. He doesn't even need to mention how much he has; he just exudes wealth.
"I'm looking forward to it." I tell him before I turn on my phone, staring at the time on my lock screen.
Oh shit, my meeting with Steven and Son's was supposed to start an hour ago.
Ugh, I gotta stop doing this.
"I gotta go." I say, standing up.
"This was fun. I'll call you." I kiss him on the cheek, before I rush out of the restaurant.
Entering my car, I drive back to my office. Praying that Naya helped me hold things down over there.
***
"Absolutely divine, you look absolutely divine." My mother says, wiping her eye with a tissue.
She is literally crying over a dress.
"Mom, why did you bring me this dress?" I ask her, folding my arms.
"Because...this is your first event with your boyfriend, the billionaire, Andre Wang." She chirps.
"First of all he's a millionaire, not a billionaire. Let's not get ahead of ourselves here. And second, he is...not, my boyfriend." I tell her.
"Oh please, millionaire, schmillionaire. He is wealthy and you are going to marry him, I can feel it." She says and I roll my eyes at her.
"Mom, I can't do this right now." I say, walking past her as I sit in front of my vanity table.
"I'm not pressuring you into anything, but marrying a rich man is a lot of work and I'm always here to give you pointers whenever you need them." She says, placing her hands on my shoulders and she stares at me through the mirror.
"Mom, I am a rich man." I reply before applying powder on my face.
"Look, you're not getting any younger. I need some grandkids." She tells me and I roll my eyes.
"You mean you're not getting any younger. I'm perfectly fine, mother. And I just turned twenty four, I'm not popping out kids any time soon." I snap at her.
"I'm just concerned about you, Valarie. You just suffered a very public miscarriage and losing that baby must have scarred you. But now you have Aaron and the two of you can start making babies when you feel ready." She says and I groan.
"God, mother!!! Aaron and I aren't even dating. We're just friends." I inform her.
"Oh Valarie, you're so naive. Your father and I were also friends and look at me today. Married with a millionaire for a daughter. You could be the next me, as a matter of fact. You are me." She says, rubbing my brown hair.
I get up from the stool in front of the vanity table, causing her to stumble backwards. Turning towards her, I try to control my breathing before I speak.
"I am nothing like you." I tell her.
"Just because you spread your legs to win the heart of a millionaire doesn't mean that I will do the same. I am going to work for every penny I earn, and I hope and pray that I don't become a materialistic housewife like you." My mother slaps me across the face after I'm done speaking.
"Don't you ever talk to me like that. I only want what's best for you. Can't you see that? This world is evil, Val." She says, touching my cheek as she stares at me. Tears spill from my eyes as I stare at her trying to control my anger.
"And I will die, before I ever see you being swallowed up by the evil men in the business world. Your line of work is a male's playing field. Sooner or later, you'll see that and you will apologize to me." She tells me before she grabs her purse from my bed.
"And don't pair that outfit with those awful green pumps, they make your calves look fat. Tah, tah." Is the last thing she says before she leaves my room.
Anybody wanna trade moms?
Anyone?
Oh, come on.
***
"Miss Stone, your jacket please?" The man at the jacket booth says and I take my trench coat off. I hand it to him before I walk towards the hall where the event is happening.
I am about to open the door when I hear voices down the hall.
Being super nosy, I walk down the hall and I see Zachary and Sabrina arguing.
She is pissed and cussing him out.
He must have fucked up as usual.
He grabs her arms and pulls her close to him, shutting her up with a kiss. It works like a charm. They are having a full blown make out session out here.
Yeah, I'm gonna go inside.
Walking inside the hall, all I see is black. It's so dark in here, the only source of light is coming from the stage.
Where is Aaron?
I scan the room looking for him, but I don't see him.
"Looking for me?" Aaron says, as he hugs me from behind.
"Actually, yes." I tell him, laughing.
"You look stunning." He says into my ear and blush.
"Thank you, it's Dior." I say, giggling.
"Want a drink?" He asks, turning me to face him.
"Yeah, I would love one. Scotch on the rocks." I tell him.
"Coming right up." He says before he leaves.
My phone buzzes in my purse and I take it out.
Troubleâ£ï¸: That green looks good on youð
Me: Fuck off.
Placing my phone inside my purse, I walk towards the bar, spotting Aaron.
"Are you that impatient? I wasn't taking that long." He says, laughing.
"Oh no, I just needed a break from these heels." I tell him, sitting on one of the bar stools.
"Understandable. These things are always fucking boring." Aaron says, handing me my drink.
"Thank you." I reply.
"You're welcome." He says as I take a sip of the cold alcohol.
"Um...you have a little something on your..." He says, trailing off. He wipes the side of my mouth before he cups my chin and kisses me.
The kiss is so addicting that I have to force myself to pull away.
"Wow, you are absolutely mesmerizing." He says, looking into my eyes.
"Dance with me." He tells me, placing his hand out in front of me.
"I think I'll pass, no one dances at these things. That'll be so embarrassing." I tell him.
"Then I guess we'll be embarrassing together." He says, smirking at me.
I stare at his outstretched hand before I place my hand in his, getting down from the barstool.
A slow song starts playing and we sway with the music.
Aaron tightens his grip on my body like I'm some fragile thing. Like he's afraid that I'll trip or something.
"You're kinda cute." I tell him.
"You're kinda cute too." He retorts, smiling at me as we sway from side to side.