When Sam got to the stairs, she was suddenly nervous. True to Maggie's words, Desmond was seated in the parlor and appeared to be sorting some papers. His forehead creased in concentration. He was dressed in a blue suit. Why was he always working?
Desmond felt eyes on him and looked up to see Sam standing at the top of the stairs. She was dressed in a skimpy dress and wore make-up. This early? Desmond immediately smelt something fishy.
She had let her hair down, and it bounced behind her as she descended the stairs, her little feet tapping noiselessly. When she hit the bottom, she greeted him.
"Good morning, Mr. Desmond."
Then he sat on the couch next to him. He looked back at her calmly for a minute before getting back to work. What was she up to? He grinned to himself. Whatever it was, he was interested in knowing. She looked so beautiful and confident.
The front door opened and he heard the soft clicks of shoes. Stephanie had arrived. She hurriedly came to help him with the papers.
"I'm so sorry I'm late," Stephanie apologized.
"Let's go," he said and stood up.
When he looked at Sam again, she was looking at Stephanie with a distraught face. Now he knew what Sam was up to. He grinned and walked towards the door.
Sam watched the woman gather the papers in the crook of her arm. She was wearing a suit that clung to her shapely form. She wore a pair of those tedious shoes and was very comfortable in them. Her hair was so blond and had body waves that made it bounce at every small movement.
Stephanie finally stood straight and saw Sam staring at her. She frowned at her with her full red lips pouted in surprise.
"Who are you?" She asked belittling Sam.
"Get your ass out here, Stephanie!" Desmond snapped out of the door.
Stephanie looked at Sam scornfully before hurriedly leaving.
Sam watched the woman hurry away as if she were in Snickers, swaying her hips and hair as she went. Sam sat there for several minutes after they left. Just a few minutes ago, she had been confident she was good enough to be the kind of woman Desmond would like, but seeing the curves and poise of that Stephanie lady, she felt like a duck in comparison. With a sour face, she headed back upstairs.
* * * *
"What is the first appointment?" Desmond asked his assistant as they drove to work.
"A meeting with FLOMAX at nine," Stephanie replied.
Desmond glanced at his wristwatch. It was already twenty-five minutes after nine. He looked up at Stephanie. She was looking down remorsefully, blinking her artificially lashed eyes innocently.
"It's all my fault. I'm sorry," she said with a small voice.
Desmond didn't respond but kept watching her. He could tell she had visited a hairdresser not long ago. Either the previous night or earlier today.
When Stephanie didn't get any reply from him, she peeked at him from behind her lashes. She blushed when she saw him looking at her.
"Why are you late?" he asked.
"I..."
"I guess you were trying to look your best."
She turned away shyly.
"I don't care about what you do, just don't delay my schedule again. If this repeats itself, I'll fire you. You should know that I don't care if you are a family friend."
"Yes, sir," she responded with a sour face.
She has to go through all of this every morning for him, and he is still unconcerned about her. Stephanie was appointed as Desmond's assistant as soon as he was appointed manager at Javo. Aside from her connection with the Landon family, Stephanie had a straight record of efficiency. She was twenty-seven but had helped manage and grow three companies.
That had set her at the very top and had made her a hot cake. Though many companies had come seeking her services as a manager in their company, Stephanie preferred to be Desmond's assistant instead for two reasons. One was because Javo was the biggest of all the offers she'd ever had, and secondly, it allowed her to get close to the hiring of the Landon household. Not only was he an heir, but he was also a hand but he was alone. The rumors about his cold and arrogant attitude only fueled her desire to get him.
Stephanie had always been an ambitious woman. That was what raised her from her poor background into wealth. She had that killer instinct that kept the opposition out of her way. Though Stephanie was very intelligent and smart, most of the time, it was her beauty that pushed through for her. Steph had all the right flesh in all the right places, and oh, did she know how to flaunt it?
She had those soft plump lips that were irresistible to kiss and such beautiful eyes that could charm you into falling in love with her. If there was anything that Stephanie took the most seriously, serious her looks because they always served her well against the opposite sex and sometimes with the same sex too. To date, no man has ever been able to resist her. From a young age, Stephanie had learnt to uselearnedweapon to her advantage. She peered at Desmond. He was facing the road now. She secretly ogled at him. Desmond has been a tough nut to crack. He barely even looked at her. But she wasn't going to give up. He will eventually fall like the others, and she'll be a mistress in the Landon household and rip from her years of hustle. She suddenly remembered the woman in Desmond's mansion.
"Do you have a guest, sir?" She asked in a steady voice.
Desmond cocked his brow.
"I mean the girl you were sitting with in the pwithinhen I came in."
He turned and faced the front again. Desmond had a habit of just ignoring questions when he didn't feel like responding. Stephanie's pride was wounded.
"You mean the beautiful woman in the sitting room?" He asked.
Stephanie's pulse quickened. Desmond hardly called anyone beautiful. Desmond glanced at her, then turned away and smiled at the panic she tried miserably to conceal.
"She's not my guest. Don't worry, I'll introduce her to you at my grandfather's birthday party."
Stephanie mentally sighed. If she wasn't his guest, then she was not important. She could be a relative who returned from somewhere and landed at the mansion. A relative of Desmond's won't be a threat to her plan. If she'd known, she would have behaved more friendly with her than she did.
"Where is she from?" Stephanie asked.
"Put your mind to business!" He snapped.
She immediately sat up and faced forward.
* * * *
They soon met all the investors they were scheduled to meet that day and were heading back home.
Desmond and Stephanie were a formidable team. While Stephanie charmed everyone, Desmond kept them all on edge.
The car stopped in front of the mansion. The two bodyguards hopped out of the front and opened the doors for the two at the back. As Stephanie walked side by side with Desmond, she couldn't help but let her imagination run wild. When they got inside, Stephanie sat on the couch, crossing her legs. She imagined what life as Desmond's wife would be like. They'd still work together. They'd be invincible.
"The power couple."
Desmond handed his coat to the Baron, who had come down to welcome him. When he turned, he saw Stephanie seated with her legs crossed and her manicured hands resting on her knee. She had a distant smile on her face. Whatever kingdoms she was thinking of conquering,
"You should go back home and rest." He told her.
Stephanie snapped out of her imagination and flashed her perfect set of sparkling white teeth at him.
"Don't worry about me. I'll just stay here for the night if you don't m..."
"I mind." He deadpanned.
She froze in her speech, uncertainly.
"There are so many rooms." She persisted sweetly. "You won't even remember I'm here."
"You have a house, Stephanie. Show her out, Baron," he gave instructions and began to ascend the stairs.
"Desmond." She whined.
"I'll show you out now," Baron calmly interrupted her whining.
Stephanie turned red with shock and anger.
"What?! "Are you going to throw me out now?" She snapped and got in his face. But Baron retained his expressionless face.
"I'm following orders. If you don't comply, I'll be forced to do that."
Stephanie fumed. She had always hated this butler. He was so full of himself. She was red with anger, but she didn't want to start a fight here where Desmond could see her.
"I'll leave, but I'll deal with you," she threatened and stormed out.
The Baron went up all the way to the top floor to Desmond's room. When he tapped the door, Desmond invited him in. Desmond was shirtless on his bed, sipping coffee.
"I'm sure you have hit your caffeine limit, Master," Baron said in his usually expressionless tone.
"I pay you to lord over the servants, not me," Desmond replied in a similar tone and continued sipping.
Baron came up to the bed and picked up the shirt and tie Desmond had discarded on the bed into the crook of his arm, then stood and stared down at Desmond. Feeling his gaze, Desmond gave him a side look.
"If I don't lord over you, there might be no servants to lord over very soon," Baron said.
Desmond lifted the cup up towards Baron's face.
"See? It's just coffee. Not poison."
"Your father instructed me to take care of you."
I'm thirty-two, Baron. Next thing I know, you will try to turn me into a vegetarian."
"Sounds like something I'd likely do. That'll be good for you, you know. Unlike that firecracker that left just now."
Desmond smirked.
"How did you get her to leave?"
"I told her I was going to throw her out if she didn't leave."
Desmond burst into laughter. Baron smiled.
"You are a mean old man, Baron!"
Baron shrugged.
"I don't slag on orders."
He bent down and picked up the half-drunk coffee.
"So, I'm going to take this with me."
He turned and walked to the door.
"You realize I could fire you for that?"
Baron turned.
"But you won't."
He opened the door.
"How is my little wife?" Desmond asked.
"She has been in her room since morning," Baron replied, looking puzzled.
"I was thinking she would be out exploring."
"Exactly my thought."
Desmond grinned. Baron immediately knew that something was up.
"What happened?"
"It's between husband and wife. On your way down. Tell her to prepare for her grandfather's party tomorrow."
Baron gave a curt bow and left. Immediately the door was shut, Desmond grabbed the telephone beside him and dialed.
"Bring me another cup of coffee."
* * * *
"He married you, right?" Ann whined.
"I know, but... you don't understand," Sam insisted.
"You've been beating yourself since morning!" Maggie groaned.
"I can dress you up exactly like her."
"Hell no!" Sam cried out. "Did you see the curves on that woman? Did you see how she walked in those heels?"
"I didn't, but I'm sure it was just like how other women."
"Excluding me," Sam sighed.
"I could teach you," Maggie offered.
"Really?" Sam hopped onto the bed.
"Ain't you sweet, Maggie? Just yesterday, you were calling me incompetent because my mistress hurt her legs in heels. Now you want to put her in one."
Before Magdalena could shoot back, there was a knock on the door. Ann beat Maggie to it. After talking to the person outside, she shut the door.
"Master sent a message," he wants to remind you of Mr. Landon's birthday party in the family house."
Maggie shrieked.
"What are you happy about?" The panicked Sam asked.
"Can't you see? He wants you to meet his family."
"They are newly married, Maggie. Normally that should have happened earlier," Ann said, rolling her eyes.
"That's smart, Anny," Sam praised.
Ann rarely made sense.
"Whatever. We'll get the mistress dolled up tomorrow and she'll be the center of everyone's attention."
"That doesn't sound like a good thing," Sam said uncertainly.
"Because it isn't!" Ann said. "Not with Mistress Theresa and Rhonda there."
"Nonsense! You'll be alright mistress."
Despite Maggie's encouragement, Sam still felt impending danger, and each time she thought about the party, she was filled with dread.