Chapter 9
Aziz Mustafa, I repeated the name in my mind.
Not only was I fantasising about someone that could never be mine, but I also just met and had a meeting with someone out of my league.
‘I know what you are thinking?’ He said, effortlessly putting a stop to my thought.
‘What?’
‘Your face gave everything away, you are thinking. What does a man so powerful and rich want with me?’ His face was impassive, it was hard trying to figure out what he was thinking.
‘If I should tell you that isn’t what I am thinking, then you would know it is a lie.’ I swallow hard. ‘So, I would like you to tell me what it is you want.’
Schooling my face, I looked into his eyes and tried to keep my emotion at bay. He had seen into me in ways that even my mother never did, and I would not let him see anymore.
‘Now, that is exactly why I handpicked you for this job,’ a smile graces his lip briefly and then it was gone.
‘Handpicked? That means the meeting wasn’t necessary.’ My confusion was apparent in my voice.
‘I don’t want people to spread rumours if they knew I hired you on a whim, so I let my HR and design team have a say in the decision. That would curb any form of rumours that may arise in the future.’
‘What do you mean, future?’ Now I was getting confused by his words. Something in my gut keeps telling me he didn’t hire me because of my capability alone. There are some hidden agenda behind it.
Whatever he was planning, he wasn’t set on failing. That is why he involved his team when he could have decided himself.
‘Let’s just say you and I will see more of each other from now on,’ he grinned sinisterly.
‘Are you indirectly telling me it would have nothing to do with business?’
‘You ask so many questions, don’t you?’
‘When it revolves around me, yes.’
The door to the conference room slid open, Bianca and two other staff walked in, each one of them holding a covered tray in their hands while Bianca carried a bucket of ice. The set it down and with a wave of his hand, Aziz dismissed them.
Once they were gone, Aziz got up from his seat and set one of the trays in front of me. With a gentleman-like manner, he uncovered the tray and my eyes widened at the enormous dish set on it.
The tray, which was large enough to accommodate three to four ceramic plates, had only two large ceramic plates on it and three small cup-like ceramic dishwares. On the two large plates are Italian roulade and beef paprikash with fire-roasted tomatoes. And on the small dishware are sour cream cucumbers, pastitsio and shrimps respectively.
‘What is going on?’ He is acting so out of character for someone who just met me for the first time. He is indirectly going to be my boss because he is hiring my services and he isn’t supposed to be having dinner with his employee.
‘You need to have breakfast Lexi, I know you didn’t get the chance to eat anything before you rush down here,’ he picked up the wine glass lying next to the small dishware and turn it over.
He was right but I wasn’t going to let him know that, was I?
‘I am not hungry,’ I mumbled, my mouth salivating as the aroma hit me. ‘I had breakfast before I left my house.’
‘Red wine?’ He arched a brow, and right in front of my eyes he pushed aside some ice cubes and pull out a bottle of red wine out of it.
‘Is that…?’ My throat dried up, unable to form more words as I stared at the bottle of Gio De Rosso in his hand.
‘The one and only,’ he grinned like someone who just impressed his girlfriend.
‘How did you get your hands on it? I heard it isn’t on sale,’ I couldn’t hide my surprise and I could tell everything I was feeling is right there on my face.
‘I have my ways,’ was all he said as he pops the bottle open.
Of course, how could I forget he is Aziz Mustafa? Dravilsberg richest man.
‘Thank you for all these,’ I gestured across the whole meal he had referred to as breakfast which was enough to feed a household while looking into his eyes. ‘But as I told you earlier, I already had breakfast, so I am not hungry.’
‘You want to know one of my secrets to be this successful,’ he suddenly blurted out, his gaze trained on me. ‘I can see through people and read their emotions.’
‘What has that got to do with me?’ I narrowed my eyes at him, what did not being hungry and secrets to success have in common?
‘The same way I can see through my business partners and client and know they are lying is the same way I can see through you right now,’ he paused to let the meaning of his word sink deep. ‘You are very obvious when you lie.’
He knew it was a lie so trying to defend myself would be pointless. Instead, I came clean.
‘You are right,’ I glared at him. ‘I was in a rush this morning but that doesn’t mean I would take your offer,’ I made sure to clarify things to him.
Whatever he was planning to do with me, I wouldn’t want to be indebted to him and find myself in a situation I would never be able to get out of because I owe it to him. I push the chair I was sitting on back, and picked up my bag but before I could get up…
He pushed me back into the chair, looming over me like a shadow. ‘I insist Lexi,’ his voice sounded gruff like he was holding himself back.
‘Now eat,’ he looks down at me with no expression on his face. ‘Eat.’
I could feel the authority in his voice, he wanted me to obey him without question. He sounded like someone who was used to being in control but with me, he was losing control of himself.
‘How about this then? You tell me what it is you want with me, and I consider eating your meal,’ I could feel myself getting paranoid.
It was my first time meeting him, yet things are starting to go wrong with the way he commanded my attention at first and now he wants me to obey him without asking questions. He was every inch different from the way the media painted him to be.
To them, he was perfect, gentle, and calm. They did say he was a force to reckon with which was the only iota of truth in everything they published. And I guess the part where ladies fall at his feet is also true unless he commands them to fall.
‘Lexi,’ he snagged my attention again and I looked up to find him looking down at me with a hard glint in his eyes.
‘No,’ I insist. ‘You are not going to order me around like one of your employees, and need I remind you that we only agreed I was fit for the job, I haven’t signed the contract yet?’ That seems to strike a blow because something akin to regret flashed across his face, but it was gone in an instant.
He relented and walked over to his seat. ‘Please,’ he mumbled in such a low voice that I thought I misheard it. ‘Have some food.’
I suddenly felt guilty, he has done nothing but treat me with hospitality, yet I kept pushing for answers. Deciding to let it go until we are done having our meal, I picked up my cutleries and start to dig into the food.
When I looked up at him again, he was looking at me as if fascinated by the way I eat. He picks up the wine bottle and puts some for me before attending to himself. I must have been starved because I cleared everything on my plate within minutes.
‘You have a great appetite,’ he remarked, and I felt the sting of shame once again.
Just a few minutes ago, I was insisting I didn’t want to eat his food but as soon as I had a taste of the heavenly meal, I couldn’t stop eating more until there was nothing left.
‘So,’ I began. ‘What is it you want from me.’
Aziz set aside his cutleries, pushed the rest of his meal aside and down the rest of the wine in his glass before looking deep into my eyes.
‘I need your help, and I need you.’