Chapter 5

Janice did not like Ariana because she believes that she used some notorious ways to get into this position. She just left University with no experience and furthermore, Secretary hires are normally a promoted agent from the Administration Department and the department never had five Secretaries at once. It was always four and they did not have a high workload for the company to recruit someone else.

Ariana was shocked by the sudden change but she quickly adjusted herself because the cruelty of Fearon's home had prepared her for people like her.

Ariana did not want to cause any trouble so she did as asked.

…

President’s Office

“Alex, how is Ms. Fearon catching on?” Michael asked while burying his head in his computer.

Alex did not know if he should tell the boss that Janice had her clean the entire Secretary room even though they already hired someone for that. “She is doing quite fine sir.” He lied.

“Good. Ask her to come to my office.” Michael thought of something else and instructed Alex.

“Yes sir.” Alex left to complete his task.

Five minutes later, a knock came to the door. “Come in.”

Ariana opened the door and went in. “President Matthews, you asked to see me?” Ariana approached him formally because she doubted the mighty president from the wealthiest family in Westron City could remember her. She was not counting on it. Ariana looked around in the office and it looked quite exquisite and manly. The walls painted in gray and the furniture are all black.

“Yes, I am going out for lunch and I want you to come with me.”

Ariana was dumbstruck for a moment with her mouth in an ‘O’ shape. Ariana got back her voice shortly, “President, do not want to trouble you.”

He got up and walked over to her and closed the gap between them, “I asked you to come with me so how would it be a trouble to me.” Ariana’s heart started beating wildly in her chest instantly and she wanted to step back but he suddenly held onto her waist. ‘Is he flirting with me?’ ‘He might just be messing around. These big shots like to mess around with a plaything but I am not that type of woman’.

When he noticed Ariana went blank again, he chuckled and loosen his grip from her waist, “Don’t worry, I still owe you for saving me.”

When Ariana heard his words she felt relieved at first and then it slowly turned into bitterness ‘so this was the reason’. She calmed herself and replied, “You don’t need to do that, I helped you because I wanted to, besides, I didn’t think you would have remembered me.”

“Why wouldn’t I?” he sneered and checked the gold watch on his left arm. “Let us get going.” Ariana had no choice but to follow. They took the elevator for Executive staff down to the underground parking lot.

 After getting into the car, Ariana and Michael sat on either side of the window while Alex drove. The car was moving for about 15 minutes to their destination. They enter a five-star hotel called Borax Hotel that is actually owned by the Matthews’ Group. It was Ariana’s first time coming here.

Michael walked in first where he was greeted by the Manager, “Good Afternoon Mr. Matthews.” Michael responded with a nod.

“Sir, Mr. Johnson is waiting inside your private room for you.” The Manager said with his head slightly bowed.

“Okay.” Michael walked off with Ariana and Alex followed suit.

As soon as Ariana entered the room she saw a round belly fat man around forty-eight years old and his entire being looked greasy. Mr. Johnson got up to greet them. “Mr. Matthews, glad to know that you could make it. I know you are a very busy man.”

He looked behind Michael and saw Ariana. He knew who she was but he still asked, “Who is this beauty?”

Michael saw the lust in Mr. Johnson’s eyes when he looked at Ariana. Michael's face was expressionless but he was gloomy inside. ‘Why would Ariana get married to a man like this? She could have been his daughter’ “This is one of my employees Ariana Fearon.”

“Nice to meet you beauty.” Mr. Johnson said after everyone was seated. ‘I saw her picture but I didn’t know she was this beautiful in person. She looks so pure and innocent, I can’t wait to covet that sexy body of hers’.

“Hello, nice to meet you.” Ariana was puzzled on why Michael would have brought her to a business lunch but she did not say anything. She is just a secretary.

Michael passed the menu to Ariana, “order what you want.”

“You can order for me, I am not a picky eater.” Ariana did not take the menu but Michael still placed it directly in before her. Ariana looked at the menu and decided what to order. A waiter came in to take the order and left shortly.

Ariana buried herself in her phone while the men did their business. Throughout the entire process, the men kept their eyes on her. One with interest and the other with lust.

Soon after the food came. Michael kept placing food on Ariana’s plate. Ariana felt weird but she did not say anything because she did not want Michael to be embarrassed in front of Mr. Johnson. But that is not what Mr. Johnson saw, he saw two lovers so he sent a message to his assistant. A glint of anger flashed through his eyes but it quickly disappeared.

During the meal Ariana’s phone rang, she looked at it and frowned when she saw it was her father’s number calling. She slid the phone in her pocket and excused herself. “I will be heading to the restroom. Please excuse me for a while.”

“No problem beauty, take your time.” Mr. Johnson responded with a smile.

Michael looked at him with disgust. He could clearly see through everything. ‘She agreed to get married to this pervert but she seems as if she is hiding it. She hadn’t made contact with Mr. Johnson out of the norm’.

Ariana went into the restroom and she checked to see if it was empty before she went into one of the cubicles and closed the door. She was thinking of calling back but then her phone rang again.

As soon as she answered there was shouting from the other end, “What do you mean hooking up with your boss? Is that how you got your job… by offering your body?” Ashton was completely angered by his daughter. “Why can’t you be more like your sister? She is so sensible.”

Ariana's eyes were filled with tears but she refused to let them out. “Dad, what are you talking about?” She was aggrieved and did not feel like clarifying because he wouldn’t believe anyway. Ever since her sister moved in with her mother, father had never treated her with love. He sat back and watched them abuse her verbally and physically as a daily routine.

Gina first started by stealing her things until there weren’t anything valuable to be stolen. All she had left was the pendant her mother gave her when she was a baby and it was because she kept it hidden.

“Stop pretending, you are nothing but a bitch just like your mother.” Ariana wanted to hang up the call but then her father said something that shocked her even more. “Go back to Mr. Johnson because you will get married to him whether you like it or not.”

Before Ariana could respond, the phone was already disconnected. Her hands and forehead became sweaty and her face went pale as if she had seen a ghost. She went out of the cubicle absent-minded and stood in front of the mirror. She washed her face and closed her eyes for a short while. She can’t believe that a greasy man is her arranged fiancée.  ‘Well not on my watch… and when I did ever hooked up with my boss’.

She had gone out from the private room for a long time and she did not want to go back to see that greasy old man with his mouth full of black teeth looking like a dump. How could dad have known that I am having lunch with Mr. Johnson and Mr. Matthews? Could someone be watching me because I did not see Mr. Johnson using his phone?

Ariana heard the door opened and before she could turn around someone grabbed her from behind.