"You look amazing," Eric said startling me a bit.
I looked at the mirror and smiled at my reflection.
I did look good. Everything was in place, my makeup, the dress, everything.
"Let's go." I said to him.
At the event, I assumed everyone would be all over me and Eric. As the latest Willingham couple.
But to my surprise, something else caught their attention.
Daven Willingham.
The guests were flocking around him, throwing questions, asking where he has been all this while.
And this made me wonder how I never heard about him, even with all my research.
"Let's go up," Eric whispered in my ears, his hands firmly holding my waist.
We left the big well decorated banquet hall to a smaller room in the same block.
I immediately spotted Anthony and Francis, seated with three men I was not familiar with.
This was the business deal that they were supposed to sign this evening.
The way they all seemed cool and collected made me wonder if Kent had done his job successfully. I hoped he hadn't messed it up.
Destroying this deal is a big thing for me, Kent couldn't have let me down.
I started becoming restless at the possibilities of our plans failing.
"Eric, I need to make a quick call." I said with a smile to my very clingy husband.
He gazed at me for a split second, then reluctantly pulled his arms off me.
I walked to a less noisy corrider, then quickly dialed Kent's number.
"Kent! Tell me you did not mess up!" I roared the second he picked the call.
"Oh, Chill Ady. No." Kent said, quite relaxed.
"Then why are the Willinghams still exchanging smiles instead of blows? You are a supposed to destroy the deal!" I was losing it!
"Chill, the plan is still in motion…" He started explaining but I had stopped listening to him.
Not because of anything, but the man standing in front of me with creased eyebrows.
His green eyes bulged with so many questions, and his lips squeezed to the left corner of his face.
This very familiar face.
"Da_ven?" I stammered.
There's nothing that can change my mind, this man heard me this time around.
He opened his mouth, about to speak. I waited, dreading what would come out.
We were both distracted by a man racing down the halls. He seemed as if something dangerous was chasing him.
He paused, with sweat beads on his forehead, he held Daven's shirt,
"Where is Mr Lukeham?" He asked.
Daven and I looked completely confused.
why was this psycho looking for Mr Lukeham.
Lukeham of Lukeham enterprise.
The same man whose deal I am trying to sabotage,
the same man in the next room with the Willinghams.
"In there," I pointed to the room and the man raced towards it.
I saw it as an oppurtunity to ditch Daven.
so I quickly followed the man to the room.
Daven followed us too.
By the time Daven and I got there, the man was already standing next to Mr Lukeham,
showing him something on his phone while he whispered in his ear.
I looked around, every member of the Willingham family was gracefully seated in this room.
My gaze fell on Eric who was looking at me, then at Daven with questioning looks.
I paced towards him immediately and took a seat.
"Mr Willingham," Lukeham said, standing up from his seat.
He had just finished his discussion with the strange man. An obvious scowl of displeasure was written all over his face.
"Thank you for your time, but we would take our deal elsewhere." He said,
Their jaws dropped. everyone in the room.
"Mr Lukeham? But we've just concluded this deal," Anthony said.
"What's the issue?" Francis joined the conversation.
"You are the most untrustworthy set of people I have ever worked with!" Mr Lukeham was no longer holding back. A deep flush of anger rose to his cheeks.
"You leaked our top secret to a rival company!" He fired, showing the evidence in the man's phone.
"The contract is breached. Now if you'll excuse us." Mr Lukeham did not add a second to listen to their blabbering explanation. He walked out along with his employees.
The room became a silent graveyard instantly.
"But how?" Bianca asked.
"Mom, we have no idea." Eric replied.
"Someone is fucking messing with us!" Francis groaned, stomping out of the room.
"I blame myself for accepting Lukeham's offer. He just used it as an oppurtunity to humiliate us." Anothy added, also leaving.
"We can still enjoy the night right?" Selina asked.
"No, we should go home," Bianca, stood to her feet.
"Everyone should stay back. If we leave early, it'll lead to gossips." Eric said.
"I'll go speak to Dad and uncle." He placed a kiss on my forehead before rushing out.
My heart sank when I looked up and saw Daven staring.
How much did he hear? I wondered.
The last thing I want was a new enemy.
The weight of his glare was getting too much,
"Mom, I'll follow Eric." I said to Bianca then strode out.
"Daven Willingham, you are trouble." I sighed.
The halls were filled with people who all seemed carried away by the actual events.
My first thought was to leave even though it'll lead to Eric getting angry. I would do anything to ditch Daven.
I was halfway towards the exit when i felt a pair of hands hold my shoulders, making me freeze in my position.
I turned to face see who it was swiftly.
"You look like you're being chased by a ghost." My good friend Kent said, holding me.
"Oh God. Kent, you frightened me!" I yelled at him.
"And since when does the great Adriana get scared?" He humped.
I rolled my eyes at his tease.
"Thank you," I said hugging him.
"You are welcome." Kent said.
Without him, I would be nothing but a girl with agendas. He helped me with every step of my plan and I will always be grateful.
"You did a great job with the Lukeham deal! you should have seen their faces." I chuckled.
"I wish I had that oppurtunity." He laughed.
"Come," he said, leading back into the hall.
"Kent, I'm trying to hide from someone." I did not want to share the details of what happened with Daven. It'll make me look like a careless fool.
"Who on earth is scary enough to make you hide?" Kent laughed.
he thought I was joking?
I followed him as he led me to a small sloppy set of stairs at the back of the hall.
"Where are you taking me?" I raised a brow.
"Shhh," he said.
"Okay, Wow." I said when we got up the stairs.
It was the roof ttopof the hall, and even though there was a whole party going on downstairs, the place was so serene, so peaceful.
There were two chairs, a bottle of wine and two glasses.
"Kent, you set this up?"
"It's not much, but it's a cool way to celebrate our victory." He said, filling our cups.
"To our little victories so far." He raised his glass.
"To more victories in future." I smiled.
Our happy moment was ruined at the sound on footsteps coming towards us.
If any of the Willinghams see me and Kent together, it may be trouble.
"We should leave," Kent said as if reading my thoughts.
But it was too late, the person was already up there with us.
Even with the extremely dim lights, I could tell it was Daven Willingham.
His eyes bore into me as if a piercing into my soul.
I signalled for Kent to leave us. I did not want him getting in trouble or risking his job.
He left and it was just me and Daven.
"And what is the sneaky miss up to now?" Daven raised a brow, he had moved too close to be that our bodies were almost touching.
I could sniff the liquor on him.
"I thought you just returned from the rehab. You shouldn't be drinking." I looked up so I can stare directly into his eyes.
With him looking down, our lips were just an inch away from touching.
"Don't worry about me Adriana." He said in a drowsy tone. My heart fell to the pit of my stomach.
"Hmm, Adriana." He said again, making me shudder.
What_at, wha_t are you doing?" I stammered.
My lips were dry, and I was fighting for words. Just a mention of my name and all my confidence was out the window.
"What are you up to?" He asked,
"I don't know what you are talking about." I said, looking away, I wanted to move away from him but It was as if I was frozen
Daven leaned in, then he raised my chin so i was looking at him again.
"You're up to no good." He said with a smirk.
"No one would believe you!" I fired at him.
"Oh, Adriana, they don't have to.
Your secrets would be out sooner or later." He grinned.
I wanted to say something, to deny and act as if I had no idea what he was talki g about. But then, again, I had no words.
"Daven." I called softly.
It was as if his eyes melted that instance, his gaze fell from my eyes down to my lips.
This was the perfect time to push him and leave, but I didn't.
He leaned closer and crushed his lips on mine.