Chapter thirty
Finding out about her feelings for Leonardo was step one, getting accustomed and familiar with it was the real deal.
Tossing around in the night excited about her newfound feelings unable to bottle them in.
There is only one person who can familiarize his situation with her?
Leonardo.
There is something about being in love again that feels refreshing.
Something that made her want to live twice the way, she used to. Something about love that pushes her to take risks.
In her case, this is the greatest risk she has taken, and being eager to find out, where it would lead was something she fully anticipated.
Pressing the tip of her nose against the glass window of her room, she shivered slightly at how cool it was, the moon lurked around the clouds, some hovering past, while others dissipated like gas leaving traces of their presence.
Raising her gaze to the moon, she wondered if Leonardo longs to see her as she equally does.
He was right? She would confess her feelings to him...
She planned on doing that the minute she sees him.
She would whisper in his ears 'I am in love with you'
Giggling at that thought, she turned her focus to the moon, it reminded her of his hazy eyes.
She always felt like, beneath all his smiles, there was something buried there, he never showed it but she saw it reflecting. Glimpses of his fear, he covered with his cocky attitude.
The fear in his eyes as she rejected his love.
Her confession of her feelings would repair that.
It felt like years has passed since she last saw him.
It was barely a week and a half, but yet her heart found it difficult to wait anymore.
Falling in love for the second time was even stronger than her first let love maybe because Leonardo was true.
He truly loves her, the fear boring in her mind was, if he would accept all of her.
By saying all of her she meant Samantha. Would he accept her as a single mom, without any hidden feelings?
Samantha was her daughter, and her first priority even before love, Samantha was her life.
It would be Leonardo's decision to make, not hers. All she has to do was to wait.
Two days to his arrival and she is wondering how she is still alive, he infiltrated her thoughts, her dreams.
All she thought was Leonardo, his bright smile lighting her dark world. He has suddenly become the cool crystal water that would quench her parched throat, on a simmering hot day.
The air she only wants to breathe, love was really dangerous. It made you desperate, it made her long even harder for Leonardo. How does he look like now?
Would there be a stubble on his chin? She envisioned it would make him look even sexier.
"What are you thinking about?" A voice broke through her thoughts, she came back to reality, straightening her posture on her office chair.
She sighed slightly as she saw it was Paige.
When did she come in? A sly smile tugged at her lips, as she came closer.
"Let me rephrase that, Who are you thinking about?" Paige teased harder.
Ever since she admitted having feelings for Leonardo she has never had her rest, Paige teased her about it nonetheless she could see how happy Paige was for her.
Drawing a seat, she sat, her smile remained on her lips. She raised eyebrows signifying waiting for a response.
Alison cleared her throat, and darted her eyes around the office avoiding Paige's steeling stare, "No one, what brought you here?"
Paige's smile grew at her response, she tossed her head from side to side, mocking her of her childishness, "Quit smiling." Alison scoffed, angrily, Paige won't let her rest one bit.
"You were thinking about him, right?"
silence ensued for some moments before Alison owned up.
"Yes, I was and I still am. Gosh, I am shameless about." She palm faced herself
"Shame? There is nothing shameful about love, love is special. Be proud of it, you just stole the most wanted bachelor."
"To be sincere, I can't help it. Thinking about him all day, all the time. My mind is in a haze now, I can't even figure anything out. I have been fighting these emotions so I get why it came back ten folds. Stronger, more intense."
"It is simple Alison, you are just in love and it seems new to you. You are still figuring out your feelings." Paige soothed.
Alison kept quiet for a while, thinking about what Paige said.
"Back to why I came here? Ms. Rebecca asked for the monthly reports." Paige said.
"Yes, I gathered that earlier, here take this to her."
Paige gathered the pile in her arms, supporting them so they won't spill over and fall.
Gently she stood up, moving the chair to the side, "I would come back after I drop this. These days you are exciting to be with," Paige said winking.
The teasing has to stop, Alison pleaded inwardly but Paige won't have any of that, so she sighed tiredly and fluttered her hands playfully gesturing Paige to leave.
After Paige left, her plan to focus on work was increasingly becoming difficult, she barely had any sleep last night, making sure she covered all the reports. Paige slept halfway as usual.
She noticed a headache coming up, the sides of her head throbbing in pain.
Standing up from her seat, she straightened her cramped back looking for the cabinet she kept her drugs.
Opening the door outside her office, a water dispenser stood opposite her door, resting on the hallway wall.
Close to the wall was the workstation of some staff.
Some greeted as she came out, others simply acknowledging her with a head bow. She waved slightly at them feeling embarrassed.
Getting flustered and embarrassed whenever she is being respected wasn't a new thing to her.
To her respect doesn't need to come due to a high ranking, or you being obliged to do it.
You just have to have respect to show respect.
She often complained to Paige that she received too much respect.
With Paige counting her outstanding works over the years, she is made to believe she earned the respect.
That doesn't stop her from feeling flustered and overwhelmed by greetings.
Turning over the plastic cup, and placing it under the dispenser, she turned the button on.
Watching the water slowly drip into the cup filling it up, suddenly a force hit her so hard she stumbled backward almost falling to the ground.
Luckily she saved herself from falling but her water wasn't so lucky, it spilled on the floor, seeping under her shoes, she noticed another pair of female shoes.
Raising her head, she saw a young lady, Asian by descent, decorated around her nose was a thick lens.
She had an intern badge on her left breast pocket, on her face was an apologetic look.
Her name was Mia.
"Oh my...I am so sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going." She apologized.
"Don't bother, I am not mad," Alison replied smiling at her, it didn't remove the scared face on the intern's face.
With her lack of social skills, Alison doesn't know how to make the girl feel free and a little less scared of her, "Just get the cleaners they would clean up the spill before someone slips on it."
"Sure...I would do just that, I am so sorry once again," she apologized once more. Nodding at her apology, Alison focused on fetching another cup of water for her drug, picking up the wasted cup, she threw it into a nearby bin. Just before her, she noticed a magazine.
Maybe Mia dropped it when she bumped into her.
Picking it up, she checked if water was spilled on it, but it was as dried as air.
Just then, Mia arrived, "Is this yours?"Alison asked.
"Yes, I might have dropped it. Thank you," She appreciated it.
Handing it over to her, a page turned and some photo caught Alison's eye.
"Wait, can I take a look?" she requested.
"Sure!" Mia handed it back to her.
Flipping through the pages looking for the page she mistakenly stumbled on.
She sighted the photo and hurriedly, flipped it open.
Leonardo! was the one in the picture. A picture of him in Spain, he looked painfully handsome, his eye brooding slightly in the photo.
"This man is a famous restaurateur and currently the acting CEO of the Adriano hotel. His name is Leonardo Adriano, he is extremely famous and rich. I have heard a rumor he has been here at the office."Mia muttered away excitedly. She seems to be a fan of Leonardo.
Noticing a female by Leonardo's side, jealousy churned in her belly.
She looks extremely beautiful, her dark hair reaching her slim slender waist. Her trimmed hourglass shape was a thing of envy. A smile was on her face as she crooked her hand with Leonardo's.
Who was she?
"Can I ask, why you are taking interest in Leonardo Ma'am? Is he also your crush?"Mia asked interest gleaming in her eyes.
"No, I just...erm he looks like someone familiar. I am done with it, you can have it."She replied, her thoughts far away.
Who is that woman?
And what is Leonardo doing with her?