Guilt

It was one emotion he wasn't used to, yet he wallowed in it.

Ricky Mears was restless. He felt guilt haunt him like a horrid picture, eating him up till he spent his time wondering how best to apologise without making a fool of himself.

As soon as she had left the buildings the day before, the investors themselves felt tired of going to and fro their country, and signed the deal, although drafting it in two different contracts, one merging with Raymonds and another only his corporation. 

But he intended to convince J.K. to still agree to merge with his corporation, using the redrafting of allocation of shares as a strategy. Problem was, he doubted if she would listen to him if he showed up in her company.

If the previous day's event hadn't taken place, he would have been sure she would cast that robotic polite smile at him and politely ask him to get out of his office for  the sake of professionalism.

But after the previous day, he discovered she had fire in her, one that had virtually burnt him when she cast her eyes at him and called him a "chauvinistic bastard." 

 The unpredictability of her personality left him with mixed feelings of excitement and anxiety at the same time, making him wonder if she would hit his head with the nearest object or walk him out politely.

 At that moment, he appreciated the background check into her life he had asked his P.I. to do, for apart from feeling guilty for technically embarrassing her in front of people she would probably come across in the future, he also felt an admiration for her.

She had graduated from high school at seventeen and worked part time as a secretary to a huge corporation, during  the time her father was the CEO of the then small Raymonds company.

She had modelled for a year while working as a secretary, and although she had not been in big commercials, she had made a name in Michael Kors and Armani wears. 

Watching pictures of her in revealing designers' dresses had made his shaft throb, which had only increased his intriguing impression of her.

She was damn hot in anything she wore.

 He read on to the time she assumed the position of a Vice President and taken up a big project which earned her the support of the board.

What he didn't understand was the rivalry he suspected ensured between her and her father, for the man was voted out as the CEO and his daughter J.K. who had acquired 60% of shares without his consent voted in by the board. 

Her ruthlessness, disguised by that polite professional personality of hers made him admire her even more.

And further increased the guilt he felt for practically questioning her worth.

 At last, when Ginger came to announce she was leaving for the evening, and he was amazed at how time had flown past, he picked his jacket and made for his car, with one destination in mind, inwardly grateful that her contact address was in the file he had gotten from the P.I.

                                 * * *

"Esmeralda Raymonds! I'm not playing this game with you. Get down here this minute or you'll be grounded during the Halloween." Knowing that was one threat that could get the five year old girl to do what she wanted, Jade never got tired of using it to her advantage.

Just like every other day, Esmeralda descended the stairs slowly, hugging the Barbie doll Annabelle had gotten her on her fifth birthday.

  Staring at the doll now, Jade couldn't help but wonder if she practiced Halloween with it, owing to the plucked out eyes and torn ears. The doll looked more like the fairytale evil step mother, gaping stiffly with empty sockets and twisted nose, but her doll was the least of Jade's problems.

  "Good evening, ma'am." Esmeralda's nanny greeted, emerging from the room upstairs, Jade wondered if she had been so lost that she hadn't noticed her behind  Esmeralda all along.

  "Evening, Susan. Did she give troubles today?" 

  Smiling in a weird way that made Jade conclude she couldn't possibly give her the right answer without fear of being fired, she replied. "Not so much." 

  "Thank you, Susan" Jade said, removing her shoes and unbuttoning her suit. Esmeralda sat on the floor in front of her while Susan returned to the room to get her bag, ready to go home.

Jade had Somto, a young Nigerian woman completing her studies come in and clean everyday, and stay in her house sometimes when she was on holiday, but Susan came in the afternoons each day after bringing Esmeralda back from school and babysat her till Jade returned.

Sometimes the big mansion felt lonely, making her regret leaving the bungalow she had inherited from her mother, but she couldn't deny the satisfaction watching the result of her earnings and hard work. The architectural design of the expansive mansion decorated in white and champagne gold and equipped with the best artworks was topnotch.

Like every other thing she did, she had employed the services of the best architect available.

 The door bell rang as Susan made her way to the door.

  "Are you expecting anybody, ma'am?" Susan asked, smiling at the little girl who was making faces at Jade, trying to get her attention.

  "No, but open the door please, it could be Chloe, have been trying to contact her since. Esmeralda, you stop pulling my legs right this minute." When the little girl didn't stop being mischievous, Jade carried and placed her on her lap, just as Somto came out from the kitchen bearing a tray of covered plates.

 "Good evening, ma." Somto greeted Jade. At first when she had come to apply for the part time job, Jade had been unable to guess her age, and  till she saw her CV, she hadn't quite believed that the curvaceous young woman whose hair was so thick she wondered how she managed to keep it jet black and neat all the time was eighteen, but it had been two years now.

Somto carried the tray to the dining and set it on the table, and Jade released the first two buttons of her blouse, wondering who was at the door. 

  The deep baritone voice had Jade frowning in confusion. It wasn't everyday she had male visitors especially in the evening, neither was it normal to hear Mears freaking Ricky's voice responding to Susan's greeting. 

Why the fuck was he here?