Charles and Damien leave to go down to the cafeteria for breakfast, leaving Nikki and I alone.
"Are you okay?"
She leans against her desk, "I'm stressed about this whole situation, I mean now he has dragged your name into it."
I stand in front of her, "Like he should, I was a part of it, Nikki."
"Yes, but you were man enough to tell me the truth," she replies as she walks to her desk and sits on her chair.
I sigh, she's really upset.
I walk to her and kneel before her, "Nikki, I am sorry about all this, for plotting against you and being an absolute dick to you. I am an asshole and now I've put your reputation on the line and probably messed up your business and I'm sorry."
She looks at with her mouth slightly parted, I could tell she was surprised, I mean I am too, I kneeled before a woman and apologised, that's something I didn't think I expect of me, let alone anyone else.
"You probably hate and you're only helping me because Charles asked you to,"
She slides off her chair and kneels in front of me, "I'd never hate you Xander, and I forgive you. You did what most men can't do, be humble and I love that and appreciate that."
I look at her and smile, "Thank you."
"Just promise me one thing, that no matter what happens, you and I will always be equal, just like you've kneeled before me, I did the same, because that's what people should do. Be humble before each other and show humility."
I nod, "I promise."
She kisses me cheek, "Good."
I get up from the floor and take Nikki's hand and help her up.
"So, what are you going to do about Aiden?"
"I was hoping Charles would help us with that one, I've got a lot on my plate. I'm sure he's got some master plan," she chuckles, "Call him and tell him to come back."
I step closer to her and shake my head, "Not yet. I've missed you and I'd like some alone time with my fiancée."
I pick her up and seat her on her desk, I pull up her skirt to her waist and stand in between her legs, she bites her lip, and her eyes are dancing with excitement, "I've missed you too."
I smash my lips on hers and she moans, as I begin to undress her. This is the part where you close your eyes and walk away.
-
Unknown
"What the hell were you thinking?" I yell.
"Babe, come on, relax, everything will be okay," he says as the chains clank against each other on the table.
I shake my head, "You're an idiot."
"Don't you dare talk to me like that!"
I roll my eyes, not bothered by his outburst, he had a simple job, but he messed it up because he couldn't stick to the plan and keep his emotions in check, that's why he's in jail and I'm not.
I click my tongue, "Don't be ridiculous, I'm too obvious."
He sighs and leans back onto his chair, "You better figure a way out of this mess, because if you don't, you and I are going to spend the rest of our lives in jail."
"You think I don't know that?" he replies, "I'll fix it."
I walk to the door, "You better."
And I walk out.
-
Xander
"So, what's the game plan?" I ask Charles, who was seated on the chair next to me, where I just finished ravishing Nikki on.
Charles looks at Nikki and then back at me, he looks around the room and then back at me again, I grin forms on his face, and I furrow my brows.
"Y'all just had office sex, right?"
I groan frustratedly, "Oh my god, Charles, that's none of your business."
Nikki blushes, and I'm pretty sure that I look worse than her. Charles bursts out laugh and almost fall of his chair, I feel my face heat up even more and I groan.
"You two are the cutest things ever!"
"Charles, come on, can we get on with the programme at hand," I seethed.
"Okay, okay," he says, as he wipes a tear of his face, he clears his throat and look at his iPad, "Okay, so you two have to act all lovey dovey, which shouldn't be hard, for Nikki but it should be for you Xander."
"Oh my gosh, enough with the dirty jokes Dante,"
I hear Nikki giggle and I turn to look at her and she laughs, "I'm sorry, he's so funny."
I rub my temple and let out a sigh.
"I'm sorry, let me continue. You will have journalists there asking you a series of question, we'll probably only take three of four and if they ask about Aiden, try not to implicate yourself." He explains.
"Doesn't sound too difficult," Nikki says.
"Yes and no, I'm going to give you both earpieces to help you through it and to answer the difficult questions," he adds.
I nod, "Sounds like a plan."
"Excellent," he smiles, "We leave in an hour, we will be having it outside of the eNCA."
We both nod and Charles gets up to leave, Nikki gets up from her chair and comes to sit where Charles was sitting.
"I knew we cold count on him," she says, "He's got everything down to the last dot."
"That's why he's my assistant, apart from the teasing and joking around, he takes his job seriously," I chuckle.
"He must be a delight to have around," she says with a smile.
"Not as much as I like having you around," I say as I lean in to kiss her. Just as I am about to taste her lips, Charles come barging into the room and we quickly pull away.
"What is it, Charles?"
"Xander, we have a problem," he says frantically.
I get up from the chair and walk to him, "What's wrong?"
"It's the governor, he says they are giving you 24 hours to step down or they will be going to war."
I laugh, "They wouldn't dare go to war and I will not step down."
"Xander please, this isn't the time to be a dick, I think they are dead serious about this," Charles argues.
"I am not stepping down Charles," I say firmly.
"Xander, this is not the time to be stubborn, people's lives could be in danger,"
Now I'm pissed, "I don't give a damn Charles. I am not giving up my father's legacy for a bunch of ungrateful people okay, not happening."
Charles looks at me, tears filling his eyes, my heartbreaks a little.
"Don't do this Xander, please."
My walls start to crumble, and I feel guilt overwhelm me, and confusion, I didn't know what to do, I couldn't just give everything up like that, I'd have nothing left but I can't stand seeing Charles like this. I knew my happiness wasn't going to last.
"I'm sorry Charles, I can't."
And looks at me with sheer disappointment and hatred, before walking out of the office.
"How could you be so heartless?" I hear Nikki say from behind me, I turn around and walk to her.
"Nikki, you don't understand, I can't just step down,"
"So, you're willing to lose your best friend and everyone that has ever loved you for a man who is dead and buried?"
I step closer to her, and she steps back, what have I done?
"I care about Charles, more than anyone and anything, he's the only real family I've had, since my mother left," I confess.
"Then do what's right by him and his family. Leave your ego at the door and be a man," she says through gritted teeth, I open my mouth to say something, but she walks past me and leaves the office.
Dammit Xander!
-
There were only a few minutes left until the press conference and we were all waiting backstage, nobody had spoken to the entire ride there and since we got here and I don't blame them, I wouldn't talk to me either.
I was sitting in a corner on the floor with my back against the wall.
"Hey buddy,"
I look up and find Damien smiling down at me, "Your suit is going to get dirty."
"I don't care," I huff.
Damien kneels down besides, "You see why Charles and I call you our baby, you behave like one."
I frown, "I don't know what to do Damien. Help me."
"Xander, I can't help you buddy but what I can tell you is that you need to do the right thing and you know what that is."
Damien gets up and stretches out his hand, I grab, and he helps me up.
"Thank you, Damien,"
"Always here to help man, now turn around so I can check you for dust. Mama Charles would kill you if he saw so as a speck of dust on your suit," he chuckles. I
I turn around and he pulls out a handkerchief and he dust me off.
A stylist walks over to us and tell us that it's time to start getting ready for the press, Damien walks me to the room where Nikki is getting ready and she's looking down at her phone, while they spray her hair and brush it. They powder my face and Charles walks in with a dark-skinned man, who has a shirt that says technician on his shirt, and the name Lance written on top of it.
"This is Lance, and he'll be helping me set up your earpieces," Charles says.
I give Lance a curt nod and he greets me back; Charles gives Nikki and I same earpieces and we put them on.
"Can y'all hear me?" Charles asks.
I nod, "Loud and clear."
"Awesome, good luck guys and remember, you're in love," Charles says and walks out the door.
Nikki and I look at each other.
"I'm sorry Nikki," I whisper, she presses her forehead against mine and sighs.
"It's okay baby,"
I give her a kiss and she sigh, as though she has been waiting for me kiss her. She gives me one and we walk out the room hand in hand. My heart is beating out of my chest, I have never been seen with a woman before, let alone a woman of power, woman of valour, I don't know how people are going to take this, I still haven't processed all of this. One thing I know for sure is that I need her by my side, every step that I take, I need her there. I need her.
We come in full view of the press and the room goes quiet, everybody's eyes are on us, there was a sense of shock and confusion in the room but like in true celebrity style you ignore it. We take out seats and the camera man, gives us a signal and counts from 5 backwards and the on-air sign turns on and the reporters go wild.
Luckily Jo-Anne steps in on the podium and calms the crowd.
"Okay, we don't have much time tonight so, we'll only be taking a few questions, selection will be done randomly. If you have a question, raise your hand," she explains, and all hands go up.
"Sir, in the red tie, two rows back,"
The man stands up and clears his throat, "Thank you. Allegedly, Miss Abrahams, one of your executives has been charged with fraud and corruption but it has not been confirmed, we at SABC just wanted to know, what's really going on?"
"Well, what is being alleged it true, Mr Aiden van Rensburg, has been formally charged with fraud and corruption and my lawyers and the police have evidence and are working to take the matter to court," Nikki replies.
"Follow up question, how did you find out?" the man asks.
"Well, my fiancé is the one that pointed out irregularities in one of the business accounts and brought it to me, that's when I launched and investigation and then we found out it was Mr van Rensburg and we had him arrested,"
"Do you have an accounting department that could have spotted those irregularities?"
Nikki grabs my hand under the table, and I give it a little squeeze, Charles must be telling her what to say.
"Yes, the specific account was being handled by one of the senior accountants and Mr van Rensburg has been [paying him to keep his mouth shut," she answers calmly.
The man writes down something on his notepad and he says thank you and sits down. Hands go up again and Jo-Anne picks out a woman in a bright pink top.
"Mr Forsythe, this one is for you, what do you have to say about the pending deadline, you received from the governor earlier today?"
Shit.