Chapter 33
Chapter 33
The investor lists had finally been concluded and finalised after several weeks of planning, stressing, and even hosting. It was proving to be positive as far as | could see. With some impressive investors on my companies sides, success was guaranteed to soon follow.
| signed the last of the files being Mr. Vanderbilts one. He was the most impressionable one by far. His company was well known on a global scale. The man was wealthy behind belief and he could afford any thing he wished even the women on his side were expensive.
Closing the folder, | pushed it to the side right where the sun had shined through the large window creating a designated rectangular to which the files stacked up in.
| was finally done and was about to lean my weight against the comfortable office chair when my door opened and in walked Lucy. Her steps were eager causing her hair to bounce around in the sleek back pony tail it had been in. Her heels clicked against the marble tiling and her crimson coloured I*ps were set in a gleeful, estatic smile.
“You won’t believe what | had just recieved in the mail this morning!” She waved the black envelope in her hand that had a familiar crest embossed in the middle of it.
“| won't until you tell me.” | swung my chair enough to face her, my own curiosity highly piqued.
Lucy handed me the envelope to take and | did but her excitement couldn’t contain itself neither did her impatience wait until | actually got the envelope open.
year. The
“It's an invite but not just any invite. It’s an invite to the most sought after event of the Vanderbilt Ball in the name of charity.” Lucy’s voice rose an octave but | understand her reaction to this.
The Vanderbilt Ball was reserved to just business associates and partners to the company. Not a soul extra. Having just finalised the contract with them, it made me the newest, or at least one of, addition. You get to rub elbows with renowned business men and broaden the network effortlessly. Being seen at such an event itself boded well for ones reputation. It gave of the notion that one was in line with them and on the same level.
“It arrived just this morning, minutes ago in fact.” Lucy reiterated and | looked at the invite that finally unravelled itself.
The gold calligraphy against the black tri- folded paper proudly invited me, requesting my presence at the ball this coming weekend.
“I'll be damned.” | whispered still, over coming my surprise but | was overjoyed by this.
It felt like an indicator that | was doing some thing right. | guess Lucy knew it too hence her own thrill over this invitation.
“It's a fancy event from what | heard over the years. The pictures that come out from there are always perfect like it had been professionally photographed. The whole thing is kept hidden from the paps on a secret location that is only revealed an hour before the Ball. You can’t even be chauffer driven there.” She added that last bit with a hauty tone which made me raise a brow at her.
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“That’s surprising. I'd think that chauffeurs would be welcome since such high end socialites attended. | pointed out but she waved her head from side to side.
“They used to allow it until one year a chauffer was responsible for ratting out the location.” She explained and | pursed my I*ps finally understanding why this was so.
| opened my mouth to ask Lucy for a list of the people attending but my phone began buzzing loudly against the wooden table. Lucy excused herself and | reached for my phone but immediately held back from answering it.
Dante’s number flashed across the screen but | was not going to answer it. He was trying to contact me ever since the last time he was in my office but | kept dodging his calls. No good could come of us giving in to our desires where he was still ina relationship and | had a business that | couldn’t risk, a child that could get easily dragged in to all of this if | was not careful.
| pushed my phone to the side and let it ring until it stopped. My entire b*dy was still electrified at the mere thought of him. Shunned for years only to be unleashed so vigorously by the man who last touched me. | thought after having one orga sm from him fingers would be enough to rid me if the ache but it had only some the opposite making it more greedy, more ferocious, and downright mind boggling.
The severity of this shared desire was proof enough of why it’s best | keep away from him. A man like Dante was not easily shook. He had enough to wealth and security to ensure that his life moved smoothly. He had enough power to ensure that he remained unshaken but what about me?
I
gave my head a shake and pushed my seat back before leaving to go get some thing to eat. | also had to break the news about the Vanderbilt Ball to Adam. | knew that he would be just as estatic knowing exactly how big of a deal this was.
The rest of the week went by like a whirlwind. Between making several stops until | found the perfect dress and it’s accessories, taking Hayley to her physio appointments and her little dates that she wanted to go on, | was exhausted by the end of each day. To top it all off, | had to make an actual effort in dodging Dante like the plague.
The man was not willing to give up. He called my phone countless of times, ha rras sed Lucy for ‘not knowing where | was, and even showed up at my office but | had been in meetings which served to my own benefit. | would deal with him at some other time only because being in the same room as him, breathing the same air as him, being close enough to reach out and know that he would be mere inches away from my touch was agony.
The night of the Ball had finally arrived and it was most anticipated. | had a full scrub down shower by the end of which | had to sit down for a little bit so | didn’t faint from the steam but once | had. recovered, | unzipped the black bag concealing the ruby encrusted dress that | would wear. My inner child was dancing in nostalgic bliss to play dress up just on a much fancier scale.
| slid on a pair of lady black matching underwear for comfort and seemlessness before | dried my hair then worked on styling it in to asleek, pulled back chignon leaving a few curled tendrils to frame my face. | moved on to make up which | made sure to keep dewy and fresh. | didn’t think this event called for dark, sultry tones and instead | went with a clean make up look adding just the right amount of rouge to my cheekbones. | completed the look with a crimson I*p before turning to retrieve the dress from the hanger.
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It was a breath taking dress that hugged my figure to perfection. The square n*eckline kept it elegant whilst the beading added the sparkle and the flare that revealed just enough of leg kept it playful. It had every thing a dress for such an even could need. | sl*pped on a pair of heels and a teardrop white gold earrings then stood back and inspected the look in the large mirror of my dressing
room.
| nodded, grinning in approval at how satisfied | was with this look. It all came together better than | thought it would and | was more than ready to set our for the night and frolick with the elite socialites. It was a big achievement for me, one that happened over such a short time.
You look like a princess, mama.” | turned to find Hayley in her wheel chair at the door way with
Nancy behind her.
Today was one of the days where she had grown tired and her legs didn’t cooperate the best but it was also one of those instances where she was okay with it. When she was okay with her situation then it made it easier for every one but, naturally. | never faulted her for how she felt. She was even comfortable enough to be left this evening with Nancy even though | reassured her that | would easily stay back.
“Thank you, Hayley.” | moved over to her to place a k*ss on her soft hair. “Do you know what you want to do tonight?” | asked since she always liked to plan things with Nancy when | would be out for the evening.
“We are going to watch a movie and Nancy is going to make popcorn. | love me some popcorn.” She pressed her I*ps together as she smiled.
| chuckled and ruffled her hair a little bit. “Sounds like fun. | would just rather be home with you and not wearing these heels all night long.” | complained but she saw right through me.
“Lying is horrible, mama.” She said the line | always said to her and we both laughed.
After making sure that she was settled. | left for the ball feeling my heart hammer eager against my chest with each street | took that lead me closer to the venue.
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