Anna was waiting for me at the entrance of the building like she always does because she always prefers running through the activities of the day with me as we walked back to the office. I took a deep breath as I stepped out of my car. The rest of the drive to the office was enough for me to get back a bit of my composure. I learned six years ago that no one should ever see you weak, it’s eat or be eaten.
“Good morning Miss Norman”
“Morning Anna. Let me have the activities for the day”, I said immediately.
“Our first activity is the meeting with MIX Fashion Wear which has now been rescheduled to eleven am due to unforeseen circumstances.”
I looked at my watch, it was fifteen minutes past ten, and I still had a while to fully get myself together before the expected guests arrived.
“After that, we have a two-hour meeting with Vogue magazine for a little run-down of what to expect from the interview for next week on Saturday.”
We got to the elevator and I pushed the button to go straight to the fifth floor where my office is located. The office opens and it's empty.
Thank goodness. I inwardly sigh.
“Are you okay, Miss Norman?”
“Of course. Why wouldn't I be?”
Show no emotion, trust no one, eat or be eaten
The elevator rang and informed us that we had arrived at the sixth floor.
“Is there anything else, Anna?”
“No, Miss Norman.”
“Then I'll be in my office until the CEO of MIX arrives. I do not wish to be disturbed.”
“Understood”
I finally release a breath the moment I'm behind the door of my office, I run my hands through my hair countless times, and the image of Asher staring at me floats back into my head. My knees grow weak, and I collapse on the swivel chair, willing my heart to slow down.
Asher was probably here because of a business concern. Because of what I recall, he was rich, and his father owned one of the most successful conglomerate companies. No doubt he was in charge of a few of them now. It was a no-brainer that he would have to come over to New York since they have a couple of branches here. It's been years, six years to be exact, he could have possibly come here in search of me.
I’m fine and Melody will be fine… like we've always been.
“Breathe Samantha… breathe”
Fifteen minutes left, I spring up and walk over to the mirror area I created just to make sure I always look presentable before I leave. I brush off my suit jacket and matching white bottoms in case there are any creases. I was touching up my lip when there was a knock and Anna walked in.
“They are five minutes away, Miss Norman.”
One last glance at the mirror and I walked up to her, feeling like myself again. I flashed her a smile just to clear the doubts she had earlier.
“It's time for a new era. Let's go”
I walk in, and the board of directors rises to greet me as I sashay into the room. I sit and they follow. I tap my microphone to make sure it's on before I speak.
“I'm sure you are all aware of the reason we are gathered in this conference room today. Let's give it our best and when I say best, I want perfection from every one of us, including myself.”
Agreeing murmurs and nods fill the room. The doors swing open, revealing a total of seven men. I walk over to greet them… a smile on my face until I saw the last man. There I was staring again, like a fool.
“Good day, I'm Asher Stone, the CEO of MIX Fashion Wear. It’s nice to meet you.”
THE CEO OF WHAT??
I don't care!!
I wanted to yell
get out!!
I wanted to scream.
Why are you here?? How could I have missed this?
I wanted to ask
“Miss Norman '' Anna whispered sternly behind me, causing me to jump a bit.
I looked down at Asher's outstretched hand that had been left hanging and could feel the weight of all the eyes in the room on me. I took a deep breath and returned my gaze to Asher, praying I wouldn't break down. I looked straight into his eyes, his emerald greens holding my gray ones, both of us fighting for dominance like old times. The moment my hands took hold of him, a very familiar feeling coursed through my veins… so familiar I wanted to run, but I couldn't. I won't.
“I'm Kimberly Norman. Pleasure” I smiled stiffly and Asher's eyebrows rose mockingly, like he was waiting for me to say like and tell everyone what hides behind my curtains. I snatched my hands from his, turned, and smiled. I will not let him or his family make a fool of me again. I have one goal and that is to get this contract signed. I don't care who he was to me or who I was to him… this business proposal was the best and that was why he flew here, and so he can hardly disregard it… I hope.
“Ladies and gentlemen, shall we begin?”
I couldn't help but notice Asher constantly staring at me since the meeting commenced. He stopped for a while to glance at the documents of the itinerary of the meeting for a few seconds and then looked back at me. Not only did I feel like I was under a microscope, I was scared of what would follow after this meeting and angry at the fact that he was barely paying attention to what was being said. His sole interest was me.
The last presenter finished, and it was finally my turn to go up the podium just to add some finishing touches to what had been said by the others and answer any questions they might have.
The moment I was on the podium and I turned around, I immediately met his eyes, staring, trying to dig into my soul. I looked away.
“Hello everyone, I'm Kimberly Norman, the CEO of Canary Fashion Line. I want to appreciate this opportunity. I do not take it for granted in any way, and I am sure we would have a good time working as partners. Not to summarize what has been said. We aim to make lounge and gym wear that are comfortable and make the wearers feel comfortable in their skin, like someone trying out the gym for the first time would want something more modest and not too showy. Our loungewear has many good reviews of its comfortability for both staying in the house and as sleepwear. Working with MIX would be our first step to breaking the market”, I explained, trying my best to avoid eye contact with him.
“You seem very confident” Asher chuckles as his eyes trailed from the length of my legs up until he got to my eyes, slow enough, so I could see it and fast enough that no one besides us noticed.
“I am Mr Stone,” he replied confidently. The only thing he wants is to see the weak girl he dated years ago… well, she is dead.
“why?”
“why not? I know what I am capable of once I put my mind to it and I believe my proposal is incredible. Do you have any doubts?” I asked with my eyebrows raised, and my arms folded over my chest.
“You tell me” he smirks… that darn smirk.
“I believe if you felt like this was a waste of time, a busy man like yourself would not have flown over to New York for this meeting. That should be enough explanation. Anything else, Mr Stone?” I stated as a matter of fact, and the look on his face turned a bit sour. He ignored my question, but I quickly brushed it off and moved on to answer the other questions that were being thrown at me. At least that stopped him from staring at me until the meeting ended.
The moment the meeting ended, I immediately ran off to my office after instructing Anna to send off the visitors from MIX on my behalf, obviously because I was trying to avoid any further interaction with Asher. I know it is quite stupid because we may end up becoming business partners, but I just need a moment for myself.
Any more of his staring or questioning looks would have made me run mad. I shut my office door and rested my forehead on it, finally able to take a deep breath, but that again was short-lived by his voice.
“It's a bit early for that love, don't you think?”
My body steeled, and I shut my eyes hard hoping what I heard was just my imagination, but he spoke again.
“ahh.. Kimberly Norman now, isn't it?”
My day of reckoning is finally here
“Are you going to keep making out with the door? Are you going to face me? You've been running long enough”, Asher demanded.I turned around, he sat comfortably in my chair as he played with the name plaque on my table, running his hands through my new identity.“How did you get here?” I asked as sternly as possible, fully knowing my voice is failing me.“It is of no importance.”“It is to me,” I scoffed.“You went so far… so far, you know that, right?”“Oh please…” I started. But he cuts me off“I looked for you like a madman, I looked for you, I thought you had died or something. You just vanished. You and your mom. Like you never existed”“Stop” I snapped, but his eyes narrowed with anger.“What the heck happened?! We had plans!”“Did we? I don't think so… Asher don't bull sh*t me right now” I answered, rage filled me as I recalled the day I ran away, everything I knew that he didn't know that I knew. Everything I had been told.He stood up now and walked over to me, stalking me as
It's been a week since my stay in Asher's penthouse, a big mistake that will never repeat itself, and he has called me a little over fifty times since then. I know that because an unknown number had been blowing up my phone all week. The contract had been signed, so there was no point in engaging in pointless things like calling each other, it would only lead to more complications… with what went down last week. It is obvious that I should stay away from him as much as possible. Besides, if he has something of the utmost importance to tell me, he can relay it to me through my assistant.I've been telling this to myself all week since he started calling. I'm sure it's because I left his penthouse bright and early without saying goodbye. no doubt he is pissed off about it. Things are better off this way. At least I had things to keep me busy for the day. I had to shoot a campaign for the upcoming brand collaboration release between Canary and MIX. I got his first text.Unknown: I've bee
The last time I had seen Asher’s father was about four years ago on the day I graduated from college, he didn't say anything to me but I saw him stalking me from the crowd reminding me of the promise I had made. I tried to remain as calm as possible as I stared at him while he made himself comfortable on the sofa opposite me.“When was the last time I saw you? four… five years ago?” He scoffed as he looked around my office with a look in his eyes- as if he was judging, no one had to tell me he was.“Are you trying to make small talk Mr. Stone? I imagine you are a busy man so let's cut to the chase. what do you want?” I asked as I crossed my legs, his eyebrows rose in surprise.“You’ve grown bolder”“I refuse to let your family ridicule me again” I finalized, he nodded with a smirk that irked me… why did Asher have to look so much like him? It makes it so hard to hate him the way I want.“I only did what was best for my family”I scoffed.“And it was the best for me too” I added before
All of a sudden Asher decided to leave the picking of the models to me, everything… saying he trusted my judgment. yeah right- like he didn't threaten me a few days ago. the moment I saw him outside my door I realized he just did that because I was letting him see Melodie but I never agreed to him showing up in my home and how on earth did he find my house? I never left my house address on the contract “Let him in” I responded to the security guard. why was he here? So early in the morning as well. Was he here to threaten me again? Or was he here to finish what we started yesterday? What am I saying? Nothing happened yesterday I was so lost in thought that I hadn't noticed that Melodie come to me and was calling out to me. I shook my head as I felt her light tug on my night dress. “Mummy, someone is ringing the bell” “oh yeah right, sorry honey. why don't you eat your pancakes while they are still hot? I’ll get the door” I hugged myself as I walked down the stairs, I should ha
Those big green and gray eyes would be the end of me soon enough, all I did was leave Melody with Asher in the sitting room while I did some laundry and by the time I got back she was already begging me for permission to go over to Asher’s and I could just “tag along”. It was no rocket science that I lost. I let out a lengthy sigh as I watched Melody and Asher swim in his infinity pool from the lounge chairs, her giggles filled the air as Asher showed her funny new tricks. I wondered how they could swim with the sun as hot as it was, I was under a shade and I felt like I was going to have a heat stroke, I only swam an hour before I decided I was over it… I’d rather guard the refreshments. “Mummy come join us. We want to play tag and only two people would be boring” Melody complained while she floated across the water. “Aren’t you tired already? It’s way past your nap time bean” “Tag first then nap time. You don’t want Mr. Asher thinking you are boring, do you? It’s best we keep it
Transferring to this stupid school filled with stuck-up *ss holes was a huge mistake. What the heck was I thinking? That I’d fit in? That I’d make friends? That I’d live a drama-free life? I was so wrong… so wrong that I hate myself so much right now. I can barely afford lunch and my old tennis shoes were on their last legs while everyone here can afford a more-than-they-can-eat buffet and they have shoes for every week. I don’t fit in here. “Gonzalez wait up” Why… why… why?? “Just f*cking leave me alone!” I yell, increasing my pace. “Come on. Don’t leave” “Why?! What does it matter to you? You are just like the rest of them” “I don’t think that way about you” he turns me effortlessly by my backpack “Sure” “Damn it! I’m serious right now Sam. I think you are the most interesting person I’ve ever met” “You can’t fool me. I won’t become one of your booty calls Stone” I roll my eyes and fold my arms as I stare up at him. his blazer was nowhere to be found, as usual, his uniform
It was safe to say Stephanie and I sat there staring at each other for ten minutes, she didn't look as surprised as I was so she obviously knew I was the one she was going to meet. Did Asher have to make this week even worse for me? I cleared my throat and was about to talk but Stephanie beat me to it.“When Asher had told me about everything I thought it was a lie” she scoffed, flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder“Yeah, I can't do this right now”I grabbed my bag, stood up, and made my way to the exit.“I begged him to let me come. he tried to tell you about it but you had been avoiding him all week” she chased after me“Oh, so it's my fault now”“No, it’s no one's fault” She shook her head, coming closer. I take a step back.“Are you really here as the head of models or are you all just here to make my life worse”“Both but only if you insist on still running Sam. Despite what you think, the reverse is the case” I narrowed my eyes at her and took a step closer.“what do you m
I guess he was pretty pissed. In my defense, I didn't do anything. It's not like I flirted with Mike or anything, Asher and I are dating anyway. I haven't seen him in over a week. I couldn't care less… in fact, I haven't been happier. “Mummy? When is Mr. Asher going to come over again?” Melody stares at me from the mirror “I don't know bean. He's been swamped”. I flashed her a smile I hoped was somewhat comforting. She looked out the window. “He promised he was going to teach me some new swimming tricks.” “I know honey. We are trying to work things around okay. He'll come around soon," I replied. “Okay mummy” my heart was breaking at how sad her voice sounded. No doubt she had grown attached to Asher in such a short time. Where the heck is he? I take it back. I care, as much as I don't want to… I do. Anna joined me as I sashayed into the building. the clacks of our heels against the marble floors were all that could be heard for miles. “Good morning Miss Norman” “Good morning