CHAPTER 14 ~ ONCE BITTEN, TWICE SHY

FLAVIA'S POV

It honestly still feels like a dream, I can't believe that I now have an office to myself. Even now, after leaving Louis's office with my documents in hand, on my way back to the building to meet Jaz, it still feels like a wild dream.

As soon as the car stopped in front of the Prime corner suite, I stepped out. "Wow, fancy." Jazmine teased as she saw me stepping out of the car. "Who's car is that?"

"Louis, he asked his driver to drop me." It was a little weird going to his office today because I can still remember what happened the last time I was there.

I was practically eating in his office, created a scene and then he offered me contract marriage and with recent development, I am not entirely sure if I am still mad at him or not.

"Oh, I see. This is getting really interesting, an office space, a black card to furnish the space and then a car to bring you here." I already know what she's driving at but I don't want to give it a thought because I am honestly confused.

"Well I guess he is just being nice and probably trying to make up for all his previous misbehavior." I point out. "Anyways, can we go and see the space?" I asked curiously.

I haven't been able to get the office space out of my mind since he showed me yesterday, I just want to furnish it as soon as possible, so that I can start going to work.

"Of course, let's go. I can't believe we finally have an office space, and here of all places." We went through the elevator and the closer we got to our destination, the more excited I got. "This complex is amazing, I can't believe that he gave you an office here for no reason, I think he likes you." She blurted out and I started laughing.

"Don't be ridiculous Jaz, like me?" I asked as we stepped out of the elevator and walked towards the office space. "That's not the case, he just did it for his reputation. He wants his wife to have a good office space, it has nothing to do with likeness." I clarified.

"Well, if you insist but I know there is more to it. We both know that you are the reason he has been treating you badly, you made it obvious that you don't like him and he followed your lead." She stated but I don't believe that he likes me.

I mean he is just so rude and arrogant, he is so annoying and I doubt it has anything to do with the way I treat him. "Anyways, here we are." I walked into the familiar office space and just like yesterday, I still feel like it was specially crafted for me.

"Oh my goodness, this is so perfect. I love it, there is no way we could have been able to afford a place like this even in a million years." Well that's true, very true.

"Yeah and I stupidly offered to pay him."

"What? Is that a joke?" Jaz asked in disbelief while staring at me.

"It felt wrong to take a place like this from him for free, I mean we are not even friends and I was scared that he will ask for something impossible in return as compensation." He told me the annual payment a while ago in his office and I instantly realized that I made a mistake by offering to pay.

"Well, the best thing to do is to turn it down before it's too late because it's obvious that we can't afford a place like this."

"Yes, we can't afford it but we also can't turn it down. He insisted we have this place, so we will figure out later how to pay off besides he is not going to pressure me, so we have more than enough time." I said as I looked around the space and pictured what I can do with it.

"Alright then, let's set it up." She said excitedly.

We spent the rest of the day discussing the interior design style and how we want it to look while figuring out all the things we need to bring the space to life. We wrote a list of everything we needed and then we went to the store to do a little shopping.

We spent hours, going from one furniture store to the other picking out the perfect desk, chairs, couch and the likes.

"Thanks so much ladies for the patronage, everything will be delivered tomorrow." The store manager said as soon as we made payment and gave him the address of the office space for delivery.

"Okay, see you tomorrow." We left the store and continued our shopping spree.

By the time we were done shopping, my legs were aching and I had lost count of the numbers of stores we have entered today and I am glad we did because we have bought almost everything we needed. We had a few online shopping to do, for a few things we couldn't find but other than that, we are good.

"I'm so hungry." Jazmine pointed out and I am very tired and hungry as well.

"Me too, let's stop at a restaurant." I said as the driver drove out of the parking lot of the last store we shopped at.

"Yeah, that's perfect." Within a few minutes, the driver took us to a five star restaurant that I can't afford on a normal day but thanks to Louis's card, I can today.

"This is fancy." Jazmine gushed as soon as we got in.

"Yes it is." We start at a table that has a good view of the city. I grabbed the menu and skimmed through it while waiting for the waiter to attend to us. "This place is really expensive." I pointed out.

"Yes it is but I bet the food will worth every penny." She said just as the waiter got to our table.

"Hi, what can I get you?" The waiter asked as soon as he got to our table.

"Can I get Creamy French onion chicken pasta." Jazmine requested while I was still trying to decide.

"I will have Keto chicken coconut curry with broccoli rice and a bottle of wine." I requested.

"Okay, I will be right back." He said as he hurried away.

True to his word, a few minutes later, he returned with a bottle of wine, two glasses and he opened it and served us before going back for the food that will take a while.

"Wow, this is good." Jaz said as we took a sip from the wine.

"Yeah, it's really good."

"I think it's time for you to stop all this childish banter with Louis. I know you are upset with the way he treated you back in highschool but that was in the past, he is obviously a different person now and I think he likes you." Jazmine said out of the blue.

"It's not a childish banter besides I am not mad because of what he did in highschool, I am mad because he is pretending not to know me." I clarified.

"What if he is not pretending, you and I know that you look different now. So what if he genuinely can't recognize you, I don't want you to blow the opportunity of having a good relationship with him because you are holding on to something so trivia." I see her point but what he did back then was very hurtful and it's even more hurtful now that he is acting like he doesn't know me.

True, I have changed and grown but am I really that different that he can't even recognize me? It's hard for me to believe.

"Don't get carried away Jaz, the fact that he did one great nice gesture doesn't mean that he likes me now or that he wants anything more than the contract deal between us. I will cut down on trying to annoy him so frequently but forget about us having a relationship because it's not happening." I don't want a relationship with him.

"Well, if you say so but it's obvious that he likes you. I mean, everything he has been doing lately has nothing to do with the contract and a man like Louis doesn't act without a reason." She said just as the waiter arrived with our food.

I am glad he came right on time because I really don't want to have this conversation with Jazmine. "Fine, let's just eat."

"I know you are trying to avoid this conversation but it's fine." She said and I started laughing.

"You know me so well. Look, you have a point about Louis, he doesn't act without a reason but I honestly don't think I can trust him with my heart again, so I prefer we maintain the relationship we have right now... It's better like this." I said truthfully. "Once bitten, twice shy." I said just as we started eating and I am glad that Jazmine decided to let the topic go.