Chapter 5

Helen returned to her apartment later than usual after running a couple of errands. The new restaurant she built, named Essence, would be opening in a couple of days so she needed to inspect every little detail about this new venture. She didn't want her new business venture to start out weak. Helen wanted to start strong and end stronger leaving a big impression on her customers and any potential competition.

When she arrived home she was greeted by Isabelle who sat on her couch. "Welcome home!"

Placing her bag down Helen entered her apartment puzzled by Isabelle's sudden visit. They met today and she hadn't informed Helen she would be visiting. "Hi," Helen said with a look of suspicion. "What do you want from me? When you said talk later I assumed it would be a phone call or text."

Isabelle chuckled at the fact Helen believed she only visited unexpectedly when she wanted something as if they weren't friends and maybe, just maybe Isabelle just wanted to be in the comfort of her friend. But Helen was right, she did want something. "I came to borrow a pair of your shoes. They're so pretty and they go with my new dress."

"Isabelle, I love you but please let me know when you're coming to my apartment. One of these days you'll give me a fright. I might use my self-defense moves on you thinking you're a robber and hit you with that one-two combo," Helen crisscross her feet jumping and positioning her arms ready for a fight. She learned these moves from a self-defense class she took with Isabelle once. They only went to one class.

Isabelle looked unimpressed with Helen's moves. "Can you still get a refund for that class? I think that man scammed us. I'm pretty sure he taught us a whole bunch of nothing and we just stood there in the class like two idiots mimicking him."

"Let's not forget there were ten more idiots inside that class," Helen reminded her friend whilst taking off her bra. The moment she took her bra off she swore she heard angels singing for the release of her boobs. "Freedom," She said, stretching her body. "Why did it always feel so good to do this? Anyway, we should find another class with all the trouble stirring up in the city."

"There's a lady on social media who seems to be good. All of her comments are good and the videos from her classes look legit," Isabelle recalled picking up her phone to look her up again. "Oh, someone new is trending. Eli King."

Helen decided to get two glasses of wine since Isabelle had become distracted.

"He had an interview and blew up when the magazine came out. He doesn't have any social media though. He certainly is fine. I would definitely slide into his arms and more," Isabelle fanned herself looking at the pictures others had managed to find of this Eli king.

"We could have beautiful babies. Wait, did someone just compare him to my Kevin?!" She exclaimed looking through the comments. "He's good looking but Kevin is Kevin. Kevin would be the white prince while Eli would be the black prince and everyone knew you should always pick the white prince."

"His last name is literally king so he should be the black king. Probably has the money to live like a king."

"It seems like he does. He's extremely rich and so is his parents. The more I look at him the more I realize I've seen him before in the background of well-known people. I just never knew what he did until now. Whoever saw the magazine and shared it blessed our eyes. Take a look," She handed Helen the phone.

Handing Isabelle her wine and then taking the phone she recognized the bastard who sat in the back seat of the car today. "I met him today, unfortunately. We were involved in a small accident. Trust me, he's nothing to gush over."

Isabelle's mouth fell wide open. "Are you serious? Where? How?"

"In the parking lot of the cafe, we went to today. He's one of the most annoying men I've ever come across and rude too. I mustn't forget the rude part. The man who was driving his car hit my car was apologizing and this guy, mister Eli King, accused me of being at fault even though his companion already said he was in the wrong. Total waste of my time, his time, and the people around who didn't care or know what was happening," Helen argued, drowning her glass of wine in one sitting. "Just thinking about it makes me angry all over again."

"Easy there tigress," Isabelle said in regards to how fast Helen was swallowing down the wine like a fish in water. "Calm down and tell me what happened afterward. This is just too juicy. Who would imagine one of us would run into someone like this. Since you met him I believe I have also met."

"How is that even logical?" Helen questioned.

"It just works. I should've stayed there even longer darn it. I might've missed my future husband or sugar daddy," Isabelle pouted at the thought. She missed her one opportunity to meet someone famous. "I might've had a life similar to one of the characters in the web stories I read. Maybe this was your calling for love."

"With Eli King? I don't think so," Helen immediately denied. There was no way she would be with that infuriating man.

"You had one bad encounter but the next one might be better. I don't feel like this was a random meeting. The books always say this would be a fated love. I'm calling it now that you two will meet again and fall in love."

"Please don't use me to live out your romantic fantasies. I'm so tired," Helen said, laying back on her couch.

"Congrats on your restaurant opening soon," Isabelle commented, laying down on the other end of the L-shaped couch. "Girl power. Harlow city has to make way for their new boss lady."

"Thank you."

"Do you think we'll find romance soon Helen?" Isabelle questioned.

"Maybe not," Helen realistically answered. She had never cared to be romantically involved with someone. She preferred a few quick relationships then dip. What was the reason to get attached to another person?

"Helen! We are going to find love. I'll put my search for my love on hold and focus on you. We need to find your first love. I bet he's somewhere out there wondering when you'll show up in his life. Don't worry king, your queen is on her way," Isabelle declared, making it her second job to find someone for her friend.

Helen closed her eyes and hummed, "Sure."

The next day Helen stood outside the building she bought for her new restaurant staring at the new essence sign the workers had just put up and were celebrating the job was finally done. She tapped her finger on her chin thinking about the placement of the sign.

"We finally got your sign put up, Ms.Reed!" Someone called to her on a ladder.

"I don't like it there," She answered, making all the worker's shoulders drop. They thought the job of putting up the sign was finished. "I never said to put it in the middle. With the aesthetic look of the building and how it's shaped, I think it'll look better in the corner. Don't we all agree?"

"But-" One man paused before looking back up at the good job they did.

"You should've consulted me first before putting up the sign. Now you have to waste time doing it all over again. Let's all work hard and fix this!" She cheered them on since one way or the other, they'll be fixing her sign.

"Women and their damn orders. Can't even make up their mind," She heard one of the male workers angrily muttering to another work male worker. Helen knew he wasn't expecting her to hear what he said as he shouldn't offend the person who hired him for the day but he wasn't speaking softly. Many of the people around heard him. Some of his coworkers even nudged him.

"Men and thinking they know what's best when they really don't," Helen said out loud so he could hear her every word. "If anyone I hire is going to speak negatively about me please do so out loud. I like to know the honest opinions of what people say about me. Just so I can be on my guard if you ever want to attack me. I'm keeping my eye on you, sir," She pointed to the man who spoke negatively about her. "I see you so be aware."

The man bowed his head not wanting to go against her and continue the conversation any further.

"Feisty today to spitfire."

Helen's upper lip twitched remembering the last person who called her spitfire. She reluctantly turned around and to her horror, he was standing in the parking lot of her building.

Eli King.