Chapter 7

As they left the restaurant, Mona couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. That was a close call. Luckily, the girls didn't recognize her.

And what did she just hear? The customer paid for the drinks? How is that possible? The customer didn't even see the drink before that pervert ran all over her!

"Ella, do you think what the girls are saying is correct? How can a customer pay for something they never saw?" Mona turned to her friend.

"Well, maybe he felt pity for the girl which happens to be you. There are still kind-hearted fellows around"

"Yeah, I think so. But it's still strange"

"It's not strange. You are just lucky or else those girls would have hunted you down to the end of the world" Ella mocked her friend.

They both burst into laughter. Mona continue following her friend as they made their way back to the hostel. She had no idea what the surprise was all about as Ella was being secretive.

"Why don't you just tell me what it is? Why are you acting so sneaky?" Mona queried her friend as they got closer to their hostel.

"It's meant to be a surprise, Mona. How would it be a surprise if I tell you?" Ella rolled her eyes at her friend.

"You know I hate surprises!" Mona whined.

"I bet you would love this surprise" Ella winked at her. It seems Ella was determined to keep her mouth shut.

When they got to their hostel room, Ella blindfolded her friend with the silky scarf she tied around her neck. She was grinning.

"Hey! Why the blindfold? I thought it was just a secret?" Mona grumbled. What was this cheeky brat up to this time? And where was Gary?

"Of course girl! It's a secret and that's why I am blindfolding you. I don't want you to cheat", Ella replied, still grinning.

"Come on girl!", Mona insisted.

"Just be patient, it won't take up to a minute", Ella said, pushing Mona towards the bed.

Ella removed the blindfold around Mona's eyes with a wide grin. There in front of them was Gary holding an expensive yet simple red dress in his hands. As usual, he was full of smiles.

"How do you like my present?", Ella asked with a wide smile.

Mona looked at Gary who was holding the gown. Then her eyes settled on the gown. It was a customized one. It seems Ella had it all planned way before their graduation.

The gown looked smoking hot. It was a body hug tight fitted gown meant for the graduation party. And it was in her favourite color, red.

Mona looked at her friend who was grinning widely alongside her brother. Her heart was filled with warmth. These two people never fail to amaze her.

"You made this for me?", Mona asked as tears flowed out of her eyes.

"Hey, girl! No emotional scene, okay?" Ella said smiling.

"I love you, Ella", Mona choked on her words.

"And I love you too, Mona. Now wipe those tears as we get ready to rock that party in a fortnight", Ella said as she twisted her body in a dancing style.

Mona and her friend burst out laughing. She was going to that party after all.

"What about me, Mona? Aren't you going to tell me you love me too?" Gary asked with a pout.

"Fuck off Gary!" The girls echoed together.

Gary looked like an abandoned pet as he slumped on the sofa looking at the girls giggling.

Mona had a rare smile on her face as she looked at the gown. She was going to make good use of that night. Going to be sold to that sleazy old bag of bones?

Not a chance!

********

In a well furnished office painted in grey colors and exuding elegance yet coldness, a man was carefully reading a file without a care for anyone. From the side, he looked like a refined sculptured statue oozing elegance and beauty. It was such an irresistible sight.

In front of him was another well suited man who looked much like his secretary. He was holding stacks of documents in his hands. There was no sign of tiredness as he stood stiffly like a statue.

While lying on a couch, a flamboyantly dressed man was just staring at the sculptured man reading the documents. Gerald was gulping a glass of wine while looking bored already. It was almost night already and this man was still working.

"Hey, Lester. I am getting bored here. Let's go out and drink tonight" Gerald said to Lester.

"If I hear any more word from you, I will throw you out of my office" Lester warned his friend. Then he looked up at his secretary." Craig, get me the file of the B&B group of companies. And start making plans of purchasing it in the next 48 hours"

"Yes Sir" Craig answered though he looked a little confused. Wasn't that the company that had a contract with them? Why was his boss purchasing it instead?

"Any problem?" Lester asked, looking at the confused Craig.

"None sir. I will go and work on it right away" Craig immediately bowed as he left the office.

Gerald, who was stretched out on the couch, got up and stared at his friend." You are so brutal, Lester!"

"He deserves it" Lester simply answered as he focused on the remaining documents." Did you do what I asked you to do?"

"Uh? What's that?" Gerald asked, confused.

"The club," Lester said.

"The club? Will it kill you to tell me the whole thing? Oh right, I remember now. Yeah, I did as you asked" Gerald replied after a thought.

"And…"

"And the person you are asking about does not exist!" Gerald said.

"Explain."

"It simply means that the waiter who was supposed to serve the drink never dropped her information. She was hired on the spot when one of the girls fell sick. The club was shot of hands"

"It baffled me how could a club be so careless! What if something worse had happened that night? Gosh! I am never going to that club again!"

Gerald kept talking while Lester narrowed his eyes. There was no information about her? That's strange.

Lester doesn't know why he was insisting on getting to know the girl again. It's not like he wanted anything to do with her again but he just simply can't forget her smell.

He decided to push that thought aside. There was a more pressing matter on the ground like his grandparents. He was supposed to meet them in three days.

"Let's go out to have fun at our regular spot tonight. Eric is hosting a party"

"Not interested" Lester couldn't be bothered with Gerald.

"It's necessary, man. We can't afford to offend Eric at this stage. We need that deal" Gerald reminded him.

"Hmm. Fine"

"Great, then. Let's get going, it's almost time for the party" Gerald beamed. But Lester still remains seated.

"Have you found out when Alvina will be coming back?" Lester suddenly asked.

"Yeah. She will be back in two days" Gerald answered as he drew closer to his friend." What are you planning?"

"Placating my grandparents" Lester simply replied. By now Gerald was getting more frustrated but he just had to hold it in.

"How is Alvina related to placating your grandparents?"

"Related. I want her to be my nominal fiancee and after a year, she will become my wife" Lester responded.

Gerald almost spat out the wine in his mouth. He looked at his friend as if he had gone crazy.

"Don't tell me you are really going to do it? Bro, that's a huge risk!" Gerald immediately disagreed.

"It's not yours to say" Lester ignored his friend.

"Not Alvina. You know her feelings towards you and…and…" Gerald still tried to persuade him.

"And what?" Lester narrowed his eyes.

"And…and you know… she loves you too much. It's…it's not really good to use people like that" Gerald came up with a lame excuse.

There was another reason he was against the idea but he wasn't going to let Lester know about it.

"Bro, are you sure about this? You know how Alvina is. What if you fall in love in the future and want to get married? She would pose a problem" Gerald advised him.

"Not a chance," Lester replied.

"Not a chance of what?" Gerald asked in frustration.

Lester looked directly at his friend as he replied coldly.

"Not a chance of falling in love"