PARTNERSReid could not believe Maria had accepted his offer without too much protest. He expected her to at least demand something else other than the profit percentage they had agreed on. Deep down, he should be feeling lucky but felt bad at how he had cheated Maria.He was so sure she’d never forgive him once she found out about all his terms and conditions. The scowl that she always had on her face when talking to him was sure going to worsen. He wouldn’t be surprised if he got murdered in his sleep or worse, get thrown off a cliff. Knowing the fact that it would be teamwork (Athina and Maria), there’d be no chance of him surviving.The joy Reid felt as he finally got what he’d been dreaming of was un unexplainable. Things were finally set in place to fulfill his mother’s dream.He took his time flipping through the pages of her recipe book, commiserating the tone used in the explanation like she was right beside him and speaking to him. Reid had long gone found the perfect chef t
DEVIL'S ADVOCATEMaria paced to and fro, hand on chin, face set in a tight frown. She couldn't shake the feeling that Reid stood a chance to gain more from the deal and at the same time, she couldn't back out because as much as she hated to admit it, it was a good way to expand the business and make high profits. Maybe leaving Clara in charge of the head branch wouldn't be so bad too, considering she basically knew Clara's family ties and other personal information. Plus, they were considerably close friends.However, that meant she would have to stay with Athina for a while. Her lack of clothes were an issue since she only packed enough for two weeks but thankfully, her mother had decided to come visit Athina and along with her, bring the rest of her accessories. She had just explained to both her parents what had been going on with the business the night before. It was through face time, she could see her mother's smile crack with uncertainty and her father looked down sadly, no dou
ROCK GIRLIt was a quiet ride for the first 20 minutes as they both kept to themselves and enjoyed the uncomfortable silence. Reid considered starting the conversation but decided not to since Maria hadn’t been particularly warm towards him. Turning on the radio seemed to be the solution to ease the tension in the car.Imagine Dragons “Believer,” a heavy base resonated within the car and Reid caught a glimpse of Maria, who was staring out the window, nodding and humming to the song.Reid smirked and said, “I didn’t peg you to be a rock kind of girl.”He judged according to the kind of music Athina tortured him with the first and last time they took a road trip to his uncle's cabin upstate. It was all pop and heartbreak songs that made him groan all through the ride and made him regret not driving himself.He assumed those were the kind of songs someone like Maria would like, or perhaps a touch of hip hop or whatever trended these days.She shook her head. “How stereotypical,” She murm
EMBARRASSING MOMENTS OF MARIA'Maria Papantoniou, you've really done it this time' Maria muttered under her breath.Her eyes stayed glued to the ground as she fiddled with her fingers. This definitely topped the list of the most embarrassing things that had ever happened to her in her lifetime of 24 years. She had never wished to be hauled out of existence more desperately than she wished now. They had both heard it, the ripping of her gown right when she bent down to pick up her purse. So maybe wearing a fitted gown wasn't exactly the best idea.The gown ripped vertically, right where her natal cleft was and no doubt, her pink panties were probably showcasing themselves proudly since the color was a contrast to the silvery-white gown. She hoped Reid didn’t notice but unfortunately, he did. If the questioning look he gave her when the sound of her dress ripping wasn't enough proof then his goofy stare definitely was. She couldn't stand it. She couldn't even move a step, literally as t
THE ART OF FIRST DATEAfter much thought, Athina had decided it was better for Maria to dress lightly, in a sundress and black summer boots. After Maria and Reid had gotten back that evening, Kyros called, asking if it was okay to reschedule the date the following day. Of course, Maria was overjoyed and jumped at the offer, thankful that Kyros was in fact willing to still meet up with her over coffee. She put on light make up, courtesy of Athina. Before Kyros had come to pick her up for their little date, Reid had stopped by that morning. She was just coming down the stairs when she saw Reid talking to Athina who was describing something to him by the looks of it since she kept making wild hand gestures. Reid's eye lit up a little when he saw her but slightly dimmed when he took in her appearance. Or maybe it was just her imagination."Oh Minnie here is getting a lot of attention from the males" Athina jumped to explain proudly when she noticed Reid's questioning look at Maria being
REALISTIC OUTLOOKTo be happy all the time was not realistic no matter how Nadine, Reid’s mother made the writings in her journal flowery. Every page was selling a hint of happiness that Reid wasn’t buying as he read the book but he did adore the optimism his mother had.In the spirit of celebrating mother’s day, Reid finally got his alone time after getting rid of the insufferable couple that rubbed their happy marriage in his face every chance they got and it made him regret spending time at their place. Yet, he kept coming back.Other than the fact that he was enthralled with his mother’s poetic and witty writing, he was appalled by Colton's disregard for the champions League game abandoning him for Athina. The level of betrayal had him shaking his head with a bitter taste in his mouth.Reid was tired of waiting and decided to call it a night. As he closed the book in his hand to head off to bed, the front door opened.He watched as Maria walked in gently like a novice thief. It di
PHILANTHROPISTMaria was left flabbergasted after she went to check out the apartment Reid had offered her on platter of gold. It was hard to think that he's so rich he could give away generous gifts like that. Yes she knew he was wealthy but this was the first time she had experienced it firsthand. Reid's condo was bigger than she had imagined, leaving her agape and filling her with a feeling of intimidation. The apartment he had offered her which was a sub section of his Condo was a two bedroom apartment which easily twartled her expectations. It was painted grey and white and had a few appliances already set in. Although she still had to get things like curtains, rugs, mattress and common furniture. Athina jumped to assistance as expected, she was so happy about the offer Reid had made, only squinting her eyes in suspicion before deciding there was nothing to worry about. Athina considered that Reid had never been stingy to her, not like she ever needed his help financially but
UNCANNY ENCOUNTERThere is a first time for everything but with many firsts, comes hard work that feels like torture. Moving into a new apartment was not all I expected it to be though the time I and Athina spent decorating the place was wonderful, it involved backaches and sore thumbs. What I craved more than anything in the world was to soak my body in the huge bathtub filled with bubbly warm water. A glass of white wine, cookies, and chocolates were the finer details to add.It truly did feel nice to decorate the place as I wanted without my mother scrutinizing everything and judging my choice of drapes. My sister’s unwanted inputs would have been run mad that eventually slam my head into the wall with her incessant talks like she knew better than me. Tch, kids these days.The items I bought a few days ago had just arrived like my dining table set, bed, and other heavy things. The amazing part that made things less of a hassle was the fact they helped set them up. Especially the