CHAPTER 3: CHANCE MEETING 2
Antonio found a parking space for the car at £3 per hour. Before Angelo could come to his side to open his car door, James had already gotten down from the car himself. He looked at his secretary and said, "let's go meet her".
The duo walked towards the busy street of Piccadilly and stood directly at its junction. With his both hands stuck inside his pocket, James looked around the circus obviously searching for something.
According to the information his secretary brought him, her shop was supposed to be by the road side. As he stood there, some group of girls passed by looking at him and giggling; as they tried to stop and take a picture, only the stare he gave them was enough to send them walking very fast. Angelo stood a step behind him and shook his head in pity at those girls.
For the few minutes they stood there, Angelo felt like it was an eternity because of all the stares and gossip his boss got.
Suddenly he heard ''move," and like a robot he quickly followed.
James crossed to the opposite side of the streets having found where he was going to. They came directly in front of a fairly large shop. The shop was about two stories. He looked up at the sign written on the shop, nodded his head and walked in.
The duo stood at the middle of the waiting area when a secretary walked up to them. The secretary on coming face to face with James, her first reaction was to blink twice, and then she blushed so furiously that it was visible from her extremely red cheeks. Angelo cleared his throat as he noticed the girl staring too much, the girl likewise cleared her throat as if coming to realization.
She said in a small voice. "Hello, my name is Valerie Sutton Secretary and PA to miss Diana Pierce catering services. How may we be of service?".
James still with the stonecold gaze finally spoke to the girl. ''I want to see your boss".
The girl continued. "If its not urgent you....
He cut her short before she could continue, "its very urgent!".
The girl was a bit confused until Angelo spoke. "Miss Valerie please just go tell your boss there is a gentleman here to meet her urgently".
Valerie replied with a nod and hurried to go inform her boss.
James turned to look at his secretary with a smirk, 'gentleman huh', he thought as he looked at him.
His secretary quickly bit his lip and realized that he might have said something wrong for his boss to look at him that way. James only shook his head and looked away from him.
Valerie came back down in two minutes and said to them, "please follow me".
The two men followed her towards the elevator. They got in as she pressed the no 2. The elevator led them straight to Diana's office. They stepped out of the elevator and walked towards her office.
Valerie knocked once and entered with the men.
Diana looked up from what she was writing as she saw the trio walk in. She quickly stood up as James came into her full view. If there was any reaction to his looks she hid it well and only gave him a small smile as she stretched her hands towards him ''Diana Pierce.''
James accepted the handshake and replied without any reaction as usual ''James Alfred.''
She withdrew her hands and looked towards the direction of his secretary still with same smile on her face. "And you are?"
Antonio smiled back as he replied ''Angelo Hermes, his Secretary/PA".
''Oh, nice to meet you then Antonio".
James turned to look at his Secretary, ''excuse us.''
Antonio nodded and quickly turned to leave Diana also nodded at her Secretary before she left.
As the office went quiet she turned back to James please have a seat. He did as she also took her seat at the same time.
James took few seconds to observe her. She was dark skinned, a maximum ebony beauty with dark curly hair that fell just after her shoulders, cute pointed nose, red lips and face that was void of any makeup but still looked very beautiful. He wondered then what will ever happen if she actually put on makeup; with long lashes that fanned her eyebrow, long beautiful neck and an average height he estimated to be around 5,8ft with long legs that made someone drool coupled with a fine hour glass shape. He noticed all this in a few seconds and wondered what was more to this beauty in front of him.
Diana on the other hand was also staring, she didn't think she had actually ever seen someone this beautiful 'yes, that's right. Beautiful!'. She took in all his features in a breadth and felt a longing deep within her that she couldn't explain. Even his voice felt like a beautiful song she didn't want to stop listening to.
'What the hell Diana,' she chided herself immediately for her weird and improper thoughts.
She cleared her throat as she realized they had not spoken anything for like 40 seconds. He picked up his phone and called his Secretary. Diana couldn't help but notice the way his long hands wrapped sexily around his phone, she shook her head again and laughed at herself inside her heart. 'Wow Diana, fantasizing over a total stranger'.
"Get the files'' James said and hung up.
Antonio walked in, handed him the files and walked out again. James in turn dropped the file on her desk without actually saying anything.
Diana shook her head confused and asked, "what is this?".
''Just take a look'' James said pushing the file towards her.
Diana picked up the file and opened it, and for the world of her she would never have believed that what was in that file was capable of determining her fate and future. She looked at the man sitting across her and looked at the file again to be sure she wasn't seeing things. Then she finally looked at him her demeanor already changed. James expected it.
Inside the file, was a marriage agreement between herself and the man sitting across her. The agreement showed it was her parents who had given her up over some contract 5 years back.
"And how am i supposed to believe this?" She asked obviously pissed.
"You don't need to believe it", James said calmly to her. "Just take the file home and show your parents and if it helps am also a victim in this too".
''Well, no it doesn't help". Diana could feel her voice rising and reduced it. "Am saying it doesn't help and even if it was true why bring it to me now?".
"Because the pressure to fulfill the contract is overwhelming". James still responded calmly.
"Pressure from who?" Diana asked again.
"That's not for you to know" James retorted obviously becoming pissed himself. James immediately stood up.
"Take the contract home Diana and confirm if what am saying is true or not". He dropped his card on the table. "I expect to hear from you in the next two days because that's when the contract is supposed to expire, we will get married then".
Saying that, he turned and just as he was about to open the door Diana's angry voice could be heard clearly behind him. "Even if its true, what happens when the contract is expired and we don't get married?"
"Then you lose everything" James replied without looking at her.
"Seriously, you waltz into my office and drop this kind of bomb and expect me to marry you in the next two days? Ha! Just keep dreaming Mr Alfred".
James didn't respond, he opened the door and walked out. The door closed behind him with a loud bang.
Immediately the door shut behind him, Diana let out an exasperated sigh and slumped on her seat. Few minutes later her secretary walked in.
"'Diana, what's wrong?"
"Come on, we are going home. I need some things sorted out with my mother". Saying that she too rounded up her work in the office, picked up her bag with the card he gave and walked out of the office.