More than friends
On her way to work, Melissa got a call. Holding the phone in her hand, she looked at the face wondering when he added his number and picture in her phone.
“Hello.” As she answered her lips curved up involuntarily as his deep voice came from the other side.
“Did you get home safe?” Listening to his concerned voice, she imagined him sitting behind his desk gazing out the window looking all handsome as always.
“Yes, we got home safe but I’m heading to the office.” Answering Mark, she shook her head pushing away the distractive thoughts.
Though he asked her to take some time off and take care of their son, she disagreed needing to get back to work to complete her project.
She had spent a week from work and he had been so supportive sticking with her every step but now she had to get her head back in the game.
They had to complete all the furnishings on time since the deadline was near, and it being her first project, she wanted to see it through. Needing to show her colleagues that she didn’t get the job just because she was close to the boss.
“He will be fine, aunt is taking care of him.” Assuring him, she ended the call just as they got to the office.
She suspected most people felt she was not qualified for the position, and though no one complained, there were small talks behind her back.
No one knew about her real relationship with the CEO but she knew that soon everyone would find out.
“Ah… Melissa, you’re back.” Walking into the building, Jennifer and Nancy spotted her.
Looking at the two rushing towards her, she took a step back shy to have everyone stare at her, but she couldn’t run as they engulfed her in a hug.
“Oh, Melissa! We are so happy to see you, how have you been?”
“I’m okay, thank you so much guys for your support.” She smiled almost tearing up.
Since they found out about her kidnapped son from social media, they always checked up on her and took over her work when she had to stay at the hospital.
“You should take the rest of the week off. Nancy and I will see the project through.”
“Yeah, Jennifer and I can take care of things here.”
“Thank you guys, but I can manage the work. My son is doing much better now and I have my aunt taking care of him, besides you have other projects. I don’t want to overwork you two.” She smiled at them both glad to have found friends who cared for her.
“Come on you guys, let’s get back to work. We have a lot to finish in such a short time.” Nancy spoke walking to the elevator and as they went to their shared office, she told her all the latest gossip.
…
“Augh!”
At the Steels company, Diana slammed the door shut with a bang, and threw the water glass on the antique painting on the wall shattering it into pieces.
Her plan didn’t work, she had failed again but what infuriated her more was realizing that Melissa was helped to look for her son by the most influential and wealthy man in the country.
Thinking of all she stood to lose, her hatred and anger toward Melissa grew exponentially. Making her more determined than ever to use her resources and connections to destroy her.
Though her father didn’t want her to attack Melissa if she didn’t try to stop their operations, Diana was hell bent on ruining her. With her clientele at the casino increasing immensely, she had made many contacts in and out of the country. Impressing her bosses with her work, if everything went according to her plan, she would become a partner in the business.
Diana planned to take control of all the businesses from her dad since he was getting soft, unable to make crucial decisions about their other businesses and Melissa’s case.
Cooling off, she sat in her office after her secretary cleaned up when she got a call from the warehouse informing her that the local police were checking their containers. It was not likely to have police investigate their business, she knew someone had tipped them off but luckily her men were swift hiding the merchandise on time. With so much going wrong, she decided to have all the employees investigated and took all the confidential documents home.
They couldn’t risk having a spy in the company that would sabotage their operations. If anyone got the documents, their lives would be ruined.
Walking to the house with the documents in her arms, she found her mum and Melissa chatting and laughing in the living room. Startled to see them together, she almost drop the papers.
Melissa was the last person she expected to see in her home. Her mother had requested her several times to invite Melissa over, but she kept putting it off. She knew how attached her mother was to Melissa and her family.
When the accident happened four years ago, she had convinced her into taking a vacation to spare her from heartache. By the time she got back to the country Melissa was not around, she asked them to look for her, and after searching for weeks they stopped.
“Oh, Diana you’re back. Why so many documents, are you moving from the office?” Her mother inquired looking concerned.
“No mum, I just needed to review them and the office is a bit depressing so I brought them home with me. Melissa, what are you doing here?” She turned to Melissa, changing the subject.
“I bumped into her on my way from the grocery store and invited her over for dinner. Hope you don’t mind dear.”
“Of course, I don’t mind mum, I know how much you have missed your goddaughter. Let me take these to my room I’ll be back to help prepare dinner.”
“D sorry I didn’t tell you I was coming over, godmother insisted and I couldn’t say no to her.” Melissa walked towards her, then touched her hand.
“You don’t have to explain anything Mel, I know how much my mother loves you.” Diana spoke taking a step back from her. “I’ll go to my room now, excuse me.”
“Can I help you with those? They seem heavy.” Melissa offered trying to take some of the documents.
“No, I can manage, thank you.” With a smile that didn’t reach her eyes, Diana walked upstairs leaving Melissa with her mother.
Looking at her godmother as they got back to their conversation, Melissa knew she could easily use her to get to the house and close enough to find out what was in those documents.
Knowing that Diana wouldn’t want them to meet, she had tracked down Mrs. Steven and made it look like a mere coincidence.
Since Mrs. Steven had always cherished her friendship with her mum and felt guilty for not being there when her best friend died, Melissa planned to manipulate her.
Joining them in the kitchen, they made dinner together, with Melissa promising to bring her son to visit. She would also get some cooking lessons from her godmother whenever she could, giving her an opportunity to frequent the house. Though none of them knew her real motive, Diana disliked the idea, hating Melissa for always managing to get the people she loved.
“You think you’re smart?” Holding the knife in her hand, Diana looked at Melissa wishing she could stab her in the heart a hundred times.
Killing her would bring immense satisfaction but Diana wanted to make money from her as she suffered. With a sly smile on her face, she chopped the carrots on the board.
“Don’t be so hard on those carrots honey.” Mrs. Steven cautioned placing her hand on Diana’s back.
“Sorry mum just got carried away.” “When we were little D never liked cooking, I did all the cooking and cleaning in the apartment we used to live in. I’m surprised to see you helping godmother out.” Melissa spoke causing them to laugh remembering how mischievous Diana was as a child.
“She doesn’t like cooking, I’m sure she is helping just because you are here. On a normal day, Diana would be out taking care of her many businesses.” She spoke proudly of her daughter.NôvelDrama.Org (C) content.
“Calling me a workaholic mum?” Diana smiled at her mother giving Melissa a side glance. “Don’t listen to her, mother loves staying in the kitchen, and I help out when I can though it’s not my thing. I love challenge and action.” Looking at Diana’s cold gaze, Melissa felt it was not just about the kitchen or cooking with the way she pointed the knife at her.
“Melissa, what happened to your apartment?” Her godmother asked while they sat in the garden waiting for the maids to set the table.
“I don’t know, maybe the bank took it like they took all the properties under my father’s name when I left.” When she joined the university her dad insisted on buying her an apartment near the university.
After her aunt took her she was not well for some months then Tommy was born. And now coming back to the city she forgot all about the apartment.
“I don’t think so, he bought it for you so it may be under your name. We can ask your godfather to check it out for you.”
“No you don’t have to, I’ll check it myself. Thank you.” They sat to eat dinner listening to Mrs. Steven’s stories of how she met Melissa’s mum in the orphanage when her mother and her little sister were brought after their mother died. Telling them how Melissa’s mother defended her and Betty whenever they were bullied, Melissa could see the sorrow in Mrs. Steven’s eyes. They were more than just friends.
“How could you throw all that away for money?” Melissa questioned in her heart not understanding how they could betray her family.