I am on my way back home with Leah. Although I don't have any meeting scheduled for the day, I do have few urgent files that I need to go through right away.
We stop by the office and I wait for Leah in the car staring at the tall Montague Enterprise building while she walks in to fetch the documents from my office. I suddenly felt like going home and since I don't have anything important to tend to at office, I decided to go through the remaining files at home.
The Montague headquarters is one of the first few buildings which was built by the Montague Constructions. The building is around twenty years old and isn't the most modern looking one, but its design has definitely stood the test of time. Also the entire building was renovated when I was away for MBA in the States, so it looks quite unique among all the tall modern glass skyscrapers that all look the same.
The renovation of the office had cost quite a lot of money to the company. Many even said we should shift to one of the other buildings owned by Montague Constructions. But dad was vehemently against it. Dad says he spent several sleepless nights and long days, creating the design for the office and as long as he is alive, Montague Enterprises wouldn't move to any other place.
Although my dad had joined nonna's business early on in his life, he did not neglect his studies. Dad says he was always fascinated by tall, beautiful buildings since his young age. He often wondered who built those large concrete blocks and how did they do it.
Mr. Francesco Montague finally decided to satiate his curiosity by taking up Architecture as his major. Dad is one of the smartest man I have ever met in my life. Just as much as the man is a great businessman, nonna says he also excelled in Academics.
He juggled between completing his graduation in Architecture from University College London and proving himself to be a worthy heir to nonna's business. Soon after being appointed the CEO of Montague Real Estates, he started making plans for expanding the business to Construction and renamed the company as Montague Enterprises.
Leah takes a seat in the driver's seat breaking my thoughts and glances me from the rearview mirror. Our journey back home is weirdly silent. Looking at the way Leah keeps on looking at me through the mirror every five minutes, I can sense she has something to say to me.
Judging by my knowledge about Leah, she will definitely speak in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and...
" So how do you and Sebastian know each other?"
Dang, see I told you!!
" We met the other day at Mum's birthday party. It was just a brief encounter and I soon left."
"Well, well, looking at the way Sebastian wouldn't stop asking you out on dates, it sure doesn't fell like your encounter with him was just brief. Just spill the tea Aveline."
This! this right here. I love everything about Leah except her over enthusiasm when it comes to my dating life. My mum came in to the office and talked to Leah for almost thirty long minutes while I glanced at them every five minutes wondering what my mother and secretary would possibly talk about.
Well I didn't have to wonder for long since Leah came in after mum went away and told me all about it. I haven't dated for quite some time now and mum doesn't like this idea very well. She apparently asked Leah if there's anyone I am secretly seeing. Considering how I never responded to any of mum's questions regarding my dating life, she weirdly assumed I could have been dating shady. Shady as in someone's husband.
Leah says the look of relief on my mum's face after she denied to mum's speculation was hilarious. Like seriously? Why would mum think I would go after someone's husband. She didn't raise her daughter to be a home wrecker and come on! I know I deserve a lot better than that.
Apparently mum also asked Leah to encourage me to go on dates since we both are the same age. I guess Leah took Madame Vittoria's world a bit too seriously and now whenever an attractive look man staring at me, she immediately assesses him. And let me tell you, she becomes the most judgmental person when it comes to approving a guy for me. She truly is like the elder sister I never had.
I wonder how her assessment of Mr. Sebastian Johnson would be like. Will the picky Leah approve Sebastian, or will he be added to Leah's long list of ' Men who don't deserve Aveline's time' ?
" There really isn't much to say. Mum introduced us and then soon fled away. I caught him staring at me, he looked away. Then I confronted him about the staring and he said he something like no man would be able to not look at me, and then we made some small talk. Just as I was getting bored of the conversation, the clock striked ten and this Cindrella vanished from the party. That is really it! "
I tell her everything once and for all before she starts asking me about all the specifics one by one. It's faster and less bothersome this way.
" Woah! So the man has completely fallen for you? Nice. Well looks like he's quite confident, exactly the way you like men to be. He also looks quite good. He's got a good height and although his facial features aren't that great, his eyes and lips looked quite good. Also considering how he's to inherit Glamvents from his father, he does not seem that bad financially too. So tell me what's the problem? Why did you lie about meeting that never existed. Also your schedule for tomorrow can clearly fit a dinner date Aveline! " Leah takes a long breath after ranting in one go.
Damn girl breathe.
Frankly, I have already forgotten what her initial words were. How can she say so many things at once without even giving me a chance to process the conversation.
From whatever I heard, I deduce she wants to know why I didn't agree to go out for dinner with Sebastian. Gosh, this is so repetitive!
Leah and I have been working together for four years now, and all these years, I have never been on a single date.
" Because I don't have time for that Leah." I say rolling my eyes.
"You could have at least given him your real number Aveline. And if you didn't want to, you should have just told him so. It's not like Sebastian and you will never cross path again. Wouldn't this make things weird for the future?"
Well she is right but who cares. I will just ignore him the next time we cross paths. It's unlikely for our companies to work together in the future, so I don't give a damn if he is salty.
" I will tell him oops did I put a wrong digit? My eyes seems to be giving up on me with the growing age"
" Okay I give up. I don't want to waste my energy fighting an argument I will never win"
" Smart choice Leah", I wink at her and laugh as I see her rolling her eyes through the rearview mirror.