6. Twist of Fate 1

Jane was enthralled and tried to hug him but he pushed her away.

“What do you want to do, Jane? I don't want intimacy until after marriage. Don't you get it?”

She gave him a seductive look and apologized, “I got it. I hope you are no more mad at me?”

He pulled her nose and stated, “You know I will always forgive you if you stop being naughty.”

“I will be a good girl this time.”

"You have said that before," he made clear to her.

"I will keep to my words this time."

“Promise?”

“I promise. I will get a good cook that cannot come between us for you.”

“That will be fine,” he acknowledged without knowing what she had in mind.

To sustain their relationship, she resolved to get her naive half-sister whom she could manipulate for him as a chef. 

“He can sleep with her as his toy if he wants instead of another girl who may take him away from me,” she reasoned.,

At Brian's Apartment 

His father, Mr. Fredrick Garfield, loved him so much, and he loved him too. As an heir apparent, he showed much enthusiasm in the family business very early. Not only that, he has the attributes of a worthy successor and kept his eyes on the ball. In his quest to expand their business, he resolved to bring the company to the grassroots. Therefore, he socialized with the locals in the suburbs and introduced their products, which were for the higher-ups. 

Previously, his father was against that because the lower class could not afford their products, and he loved it that way. Nevertheless, Brian was able to convince him by requesting that the quality of the product be reduced and sold at an affordable price to the locals.  

“Dad, you have to reconsider your stand,” he pleaded.

“Why should we waste our energy on the locals and cheap products when our goods are in high demand by the higher-ups? Besides, we hardly meet their increasing demand,” his father pointed out but he persisted.

“I am aware of that, Dad. This is my business strategy. If we don't capture their interests, our competitors will do that and take over the market. After all, it will not cost much to do that.”

After much consideration, his father agreed with him, and the cheap versions of their products — F&B Garfield Cosmetics were produced. Just like they envisaged, it gave the locals a sense of belonging and the company got enough patronage. Once in a while, they organize and sponsor a carnival.  Howbeit, a lot of the local youths loved it and attended in their numbers. Likewise, some girls were regular at such events just to butter him up. On such occasions, he became acquainted with Jane and other girls but was careful not to be intimate with them. 

After his call with Jane that Friday morning, Brian left his office at once with his strong security squad. Soon, they were at his expensive and impressive, Garfield Estate.

Although he loved Jane, he refused to be physical with her because he reserved that for his wedding night. Nevertheless, they had different perceptions about sex. She thought that it could take place anytime, anywhere, and with anyone. 

At twenty-one, she was sexually active, just like her loose mother and it was obvious that she inherited that lifestyle from her. Nevertheless, between Monday, after she promised to be a good girl, and Thursday, she had goofed up with several men, and Brian was aware of that. 

When they arrived, his assistant walked them into his lavishly furnished parlor that was richer than a palace and he received them happily.

“Welcome to my humble home," he greeted them but his eyes were on Valerie.

“Good morning, Boss,” Valerie greeted him shyly.

He was mesmerized by her melodious voice and responded, “Good morning, Young lady. Kindly take your seat," he offered her

Valerie looked out for directives from Jane before accepting the offer. Instead of doing that, she decided to confuse her by being playful with Brian. Her reasons were simple - to prove to Brian that she missed him and to Valerie that they were friends.

Without caution, she walked up to Brian and held his hand. 

 “Hi, Brian,” she greeted him seductively.

Valerie smiled softly at her immodest act. Nevertheless, he glared at her and shoved her aside forthwith.  Although without any fragrance, his interest was captured by the naturally beautiful Valerie who was nervous about the rich environment.  

“Welcome once again, Beautiful lady,” he greeted Valerie without responding to Jane's overtures.

Likewise, he motioned her to the three-tier couch. She looked at Jane again for a signal and she nodded positively. Thereafter, Valerie looked at his handsome face and smiled softly.

“Thank you, Boss, for the offer," she appreciated him.

To live up to Jane's expectations, she resolved to stop him from the unofficial remarks.

"You can call me Valerie, Boss,” she stated and sat down.

Despite her efforts, Jane's jealousy was aroused when she noticed the emotional attachment and lecherous look in Brian's eyes. Besides, he had not shown her such affinity even though she needed it. To rub it in, he embarrassed her before Valerie.

All the same, she grinned and bore it. She took her seat reluctantly while Brian ignored her and concentrated on Valerie. Despite her reason for coming, he was confused. With the news he got from his spy about Jane after her promise, he doubted if he would not quietly call off their friendship.

“Wow! Valerie. What a beautiful name."

"Thank you for the compliment, Boss."

"You are welcome. Jane said you are a good cook,” he praised and sat beside her.

Now, she was nervous. Therefore, she shifted away from him and closer to Jane. 

“She is right. Thank you for the compliment,” she responded cautiously. 

Although Brian had seen many girls in the past, he saw something special in Valerie, and it gave him a different feeling. 

He looked at her nervous face, inched closer to her, and requested, “As a good cook, what will you serve me when I return from work?”

Jane was enthralled and tried to hug him but he pushed her away.

“What do you want to do, Jane? I don't want intimacy until after marriage. Don't you get it?”

She gave him a seductive look and apologized, “I got it. I will until after our wedding."

"Now, you know."

"Yes. I hope you are no longer mad at me?”

He pulled her nose and stated, “You know I will always forgive you if you stop being naughty.”

“I will be a good girl this time.”

"You have said that before," he made clear to her.

"I will keep to my words this time."

“Promise?”

“I promise. I will get a good cook who cannot come between us for you.”

“That will be fine,” he acknowledged without knowing what she had in mind.

To sustain their relationship, she resolved to get her naive half-sister whom she could manipulate for him as a chef. 

“He can sleep with her as his toy if he wants instead of another girl who may take him away from me completely,” she reasoned.

Brian's Apartment 

His father, Mr. Fredrick Garfield, loved him so much, and he loved him as well. As an heir apparent, he showed much enthusiasm for the family business very early. Not only that, he has the attributes of a worthy successor and kept his eyes on the ball. In his quest to expand their business, he resolved to bring the company to the grassroots. 

To achieve that, he socialized with the locals in the suburbs and introduced their products, which were for the higher-ups. Previously, his father was against that because the lower class could not afford their products, and he loved it that way. 

Brian had tried to convince his father by proposing a new strategy: create a more affordable line of products for the local market.

“Dad, you have to reconsider your position,” he pleaded.

His father was skeptical. “Why should we divert our energy from the elite clients who can’t get enough of our products? We can barely meet their demand as it is.”

Brian was persistent. “I understand that, but this is a strategic move. If we don’t capture the local market, our competitors will. The initial investment would be negligible compared to the long-term payoff.”

After much debate, his father reluctantly agreed. The company, F&B Garfield Cosmetics PLC, launched a budget-friendly line. The move was a resounding success; it gave the community a sense of pride and ownership, translating into fierce brand loyalty. To further cement their presence, the company began sponsoring local carnivals, film screenings, and charity walks. These events became immensely popular, drawing crowds of local youth.

Inevitably, Brian became a minor celebrity in his own right. Many young women, including Jane, attended these functions hoping to gain his favor. While he enjoyed the attention and became acquainted with several of them, he was always careful to maintain his boundaries.

He held a deep affection for Jane but refused to be physically intimate with her, believing such intimacy was reserved for marriage. Their views on the matter were fundamentally different. At twenty-one, Jane was sexually active and believed sex was a casual affair, a trait she seemingly inherited from her mother. Though she had promised Brian just that Monday to “be good,” by Thursday she had already been with several other men—a fact Brian was painfully aware of.

After his call with her that Friday morning, Brian left his office abruptly, his security detail in tow. Soon, they arrived at his opulent Garfield Estate.

His assistant ushered the guests into a lavishly furnished parlor, a space so sumptuous it rivaled a palace. Brian greeted them warmly, though his gaze was fixed on Valerie.

“Welcome to my humble home,” he said.

“Good morning, Boss,” Valerie replied, her voice soft and shy.

He was instantly captivated by her melodious tone. “Good morning, young lady,” he responded, his voice warm. “Please, make yourself comfortable.”

Valerie waited for a subtle signal from Jane a slight nod or a glance—the prearranged sign to accept Brian's offer. Instead, a mischievous impulse took hold. She wanted to prove a point to Brian - that she had missed him, and to Valerie - that their friendship was a tangible, powerful thing.

Dispensing with caution, Jane glided over to Brian and took his hand in hers. “Hi, Brian,” she purred, her voice laced with playful suggestion.

From the corner of the room, Valerie offered a faint, uncomfortable smile at the brazen display. Brian, however, was not amused. He fixed Jane with a cold glare and withdrew his hand sharply, brushing her aside. His attention was already captured by the woman beside her. Valerie’s natural beauty, unadorned and genuine, stood in stark contrast to the opulent house that seemed to make her shrink with nervousness. She was a breath of fresh air in a perfumed room.

“Welcome once again, beautiful lady,” he said, his voice warm and directed solely at Valerie, pointedly ignoring Jane’s overture.

He gestured to the luxurious three-tier couch. Valerie’s eyes darted to Jane, seeking guidance. Receiving a tight, nearly imperceptible nod, she turned back to Brian. 

“Thank you, Boss, for the offer,” she said, her voice soft.

Remembering Jane’s instructions, she gently tried to steer the conversation to a more professional footing. “You can call me Valerie, Boss.” She took a seat on the edge of a cushion.

Jane watched, a cold knot of jealousy tightening in her stomach. She saw the raw attraction in Brian’s gaze, a look he had never once bestowed upon her, despite all her efforts. Now, he was humiliating her in front of her own sister. She forced a brittle smile, swallowing her pride as she took a seat, utterly ignored while Brian focused entirely on Valerie. His spy’s report on Jane’s activities, which had arrived just that morning, made him question the entire foundation of their relationship. Perhaps it was time to quietly sever their ties.

“Valerie,” Brian said, savoring the name. “What a beautiful name.”

“Thank you for the compliment, Boss.”

“You’re welcome. Jane told me you’re a fantastic cook,” he said, settling onto the couch beside her, and closing the comfortable distance.

Valerie’s nerves spiked. She instinctively shifted away, edging closer to Jane’s unresponsive form. “She’s right. Thank you for the compliment,” she replied, her tone guarded.

Brian had known countless women, but there was an undeniable, refreshing authenticity about Valerie that stirred something unfamiliar in him. He watched the flutter of anxiety on her face, leaned in slightly.

With his low and intimate voice, he asked, “So, as a wonderful cook, what would you serve me when I come home from work?”