The restaurant

 Living in the gated community, the driver had to drop off Melissa to work every morning then pick her up in the evening. Soon their was a rumor that the CEO's lover was working in the company when they saw his driver but Melissa didn't pay much attention to it.

 Having not seen the lady who was driven to the company by their CEO's driver, many didn't take it seriously.

 Since joining the company, Melissa got along well with her two colleagues and the other employees at the company as always helped each other complete the project.

"Ladies, today lunch is on me." Nancy said while arranging the design paper's on her desk preparing to leave the office.

"Nancy, what the occasion? We always eat at the company cafeteria or is the food not up to your standard today." Jenifer asked mockingly.

Taking her bag, Nancy stopped to stare at Jenifer. "You think? Anyway a friend opened a restaurant some two weeks ago and invited me for lunch since I helped with interior design and yes, of course I can bring friends. Jenifer can you stop looking at me like that." She said walking up to Melissa's desk. "Melissa, are you coming? "

Looking up at Nancy who had her bag draped over her shoulder, Melissa lightly shook her head. "I need to finish this so I can leave work early today."

"Stop that, Melissa you can't keep skipping lunch and working overtime every day."

"Nancy is right. You can't keep this up." Turning to Melissa, who's desk was next to hers, Jenifer took her bag handing to Nancy. "We are going for lunch, besides it's free anyway, Nancy's treat." Closing the folder she was working on keeping it aside, both Jennifer and Nancy dragged Melissa out of the office. 

 With the restaurant a few blocks from the office, they decided to walk while charting about the social event's happening in the country. 

"Wow!" Jenifer said as they walked into the restaurant.

Being at the heart of the city, the hotel was serene, the guests couldn't hear the noises from outside giving them a relaxing place to their meals.

As the owner spotted them, he walked over giving Nancy a goofy hug.

 "Lady's, welcome. Please order as much as you can, it's on the house." Having to attend to other clients, he excused himself leaving the waiter to serve them.

"Oh! Look at that, he is fine." Jenifer murmured as Nancy's friend left.

"Jenifer can you stop that." Nancy slapped her hand getting her attention back to them.

"Stop what? Come on, Melissa you saw that to. The hug and all. Nancy, are you sure he is just a friend or your boyfriend?" Raising her eyebrows, Jenifer turned to Nancy as the food was brought to the table.

"Jenifer you talk too much, eat your food."

"Come on Nancy, juice me up."

"As i said, he is just a friend. Seriously I'm already regretting bringing you along...." 

Looking at the two bickering, Melissa smiled. 

Though they kept teasing each other all the time, they were friendly to her. They helped her a lot at work and showed her how to get the best materials and the best companies to work with on her project.

"Mm! Jenifer I heard that the big boss will come to our monthly meeting next week." Nancy turned to Jenifer, their department head changing the subject.

"Do we have to do the presentation then?" Inquiring, Melissa took a sip of water from her glass.

"There is no official communication yet but we should be prepared." 

"I heard about his supposed lover working in the company, maybe he will introduce her."

"Not you too Nancy, you know that is nothing but false rumors."

"Well then maybe now we should also get some new clothes and a makeover to catch his attention. I would do anything so the CEO could look at me twice."

"Don't flatter yourself Nancy, he has a fiancee he is getting married to soon and definitely won't see any of us when he as such a beautiful woman by his side."

"No, that not true. Melissa is more beautiful than that lady. We will go for a make over see if he won't like either of us." 

 Talking of the CEO, Melissa thought of Mark. Looking for him and telling him about Tommy had crossed her mind but looking outside the window, at the vast bustling city, she felt their was no way she could run into him. 

 Opting to stick to what brought her to the city, Melissa turned her attention to the conversion on the table.

"Jennifer is right, so let not waste our time on make-up besides that restaurant friend of yours likes you."

"Not you too Melissa. Lunch break is almost over let get back."

After they were done they thanked Nancy's friend and walked back to work.

"Melissa, hey Melissa...." Looking back they saw an elegantly dressed young lady. Her clothes looked quite expensive and the designer bag she was holding was worth almost a million.

"Diana, hi! What a surprise?" Melissa said giving her a hug.

"I just saw you at the restaurant. When did you come to the city, Melissa? You didn't give me a call. It been years since we saw each other, how have you been?" 

Since Melissa had moved with her aunt, they had not communicated. After the weekend party Diana had persuaded her to go to, Melissa tried to call but Diana didn't pick her call. Later she got a voice message from Diana informing her that she had gone out of the country with her new boyfriend. Since they had grown up together, went to the same school from kindergarten to university, Melissa took her has her best friend and sister but when her parent died she was left all alone.

"I'm good, I got here a week ago and I was quite busy at work. This are my work mate." Diana look at them both and politely nodded at them. "How is auntie and uncle, it has been long since I saw them."

"They are doing okay, we actually moved to a new house. Since I'm in a hurry, give me your number I'll call you. Let hangout sometime." After exchanging numbers, Diana walked back to the man who was watching them.

Looking at the man Melissa felt uneasy. "Melissa......" When Jennifer tapped her on the shoulder, she turned and walked into the office building. 

"That friend of yours gives me some bad vibes." Nancy said to Melissa when they got to the office.

"Me too, especially that man. The way he looked at Melissa was scarily." 

"Have never seen him before but he look at me like he knows me. Anyway, don't let that bother you. " Melissa shook her head to clear her mind. Meeting those two disturbed her.

 "Was it a coincidence they met or were they following her?" She couldn't really wrap her figure around it.