Chapter 1
-Don’t forget they will have a HEA-
-English is just a second language for me, forgive me for any mistakes-
Contentment. I was feeling the most delicious and absolute contentment.
My body was floating in a world of peace and happiness. I’ve had the most amazing night, with the most amazing and gorgeous man. Last night he was so tender, so caring, so loving to me.
I had no words. No WORDS to describe this amazing night. I am in heaven.
That’s it. I have found heaven and it is in this man’s arms. I didn’t know bliss like this could be real!
I am lying now in the most amazing and comfortable king-size bed, inside the most elegant and modern apartment I have ever seen in my life, in a very elegant and over-the-top building. He brought me here last night, after months of courting and sweet-talking.
Cristopher. You are the best. The absolute best!
He is everything I have ever wished in a man. His pursuit of me left me totally breathless and without defenses. He is obviously a very successful rich man. He was always so elegantly attired, wearing the most expensive suits, groomed to perfection. But, in the end, I didn’t care for any of this. I just cared for his love and attention.
The man knew what he was doing. No woman could have resisted him, although I did resist him a bit, at least, for a while.
But yesterday I couldn’t deny what was already burning inside me. The desire to be with him. The desire to say yes. The desire to be his. So it happened. It finally happened.
This man... This wonderful man... Cristopher Sanders. A man of means. And he was now mine.
I opened my eyes to the clarity of the day entering the room. I had no time to observe the decoration yesterday, but now I can see that I am in a spectacular room, beautifully arranged.
The room was silent, though, and I couldn’t see any signs of Cristopher anywhere. Well...? That’s okay. He surely is in the kitchen.
I sit in the bed, clutching the sheets to my chest and blinking slowly, trying to clear the sleep from my eyes. I know my hair is in complete disarray, but I can’t be bothered. I am so, so very pleased to be here with him.
Cristopher will be entering the room anytime now, with breakfast I hope,and I want to be prepared when he arrives.
I rise from the bed and take my clothes that were neatly organized in a chair close by. Thirty minutes later, I am somewhat dressed and ready but, even now, there are no signs of Cristopher’s. Maybe he is busy in the kitchen? I mean... He obviously didn’t... He would have not left me here...!
“Miss, excuse me,” A voice says from the bedroom door. “Can I come in?”
I get startled for a moment, hearing a strange voice entering the room. I didn’t know what was happening here. Where is Cristopher? A middle-aged lady, very polite and calm, gives me a sweet smile, presenting herself as the housekeeper.
Where is Cristopher? What...? I don’t understand.
“Mr. Sanders asked me to prepare your breakfast and to call the limousine to take you wherever you wished to go. He also left something for you. It’s in the living room. May you come with me?”
What...? But why isn’t he here? I may have a strange expression in my eyes because she asks me, preoccupied.
“Miss, are you feeling alright? Do you need something?”It’s okay. It’s okay, Jacqueline. No freaking out. You go with the nice lady, take your purse, leave the building, and run for safety.
That’s it. Run for safety, don’t think about him... Because, if I am not mistaken. He just left me here, alone in a strange house!
“Ham... Mrs. Smith, Cristopher is here, right? I mean, where is he...?”
She shakes her head in denial. “I am so sorry miss,” she says. “He is not here anymore, he left earlier, but don’t you worry. He gave others and everything is settled. You can take your breakfast and the drive will take you home, darling.”
Oh no... He did it... He really did it. Oh no... Don’t panic...!
I run to the bathroom, hearing a preoccupied sound coming from the dear Mrs. Smith and the inevitable happens: me being sick for some minutes. The housekeeper asked if I wanted to go to the doctor or to take some medicine, to which I answered with a, no, thank you, I think I ate something bad last night Mrs Smith.
She looked at me with kindness and led me to the breakfast table. Everything looked appetizing and amazing but I couldn’t eat to save my life. There is a box from a very famous jewelry store on the table and I look at it like it’s a snake prepared to pounce.
“Dear, why don’t you take a seat so I can pour you some coffee? And please take a look at the gift Mr. Sanders left for you. It must be beautiful!”Oh my... Certainly, there is a good explanation for this. Maybe it is just the way Cristopher acts, I mean... he would not treat me so cheaply...
He wouldn’t.
“I...” I ask her, “Will Cristopher be coming back, Mrs. Smith?”
“Oh no, dear, he is gone already. He traveled to China just this morning. Some meetings he needed to attend. I don’t really know when he is coming back, though.”
What? China!? He went to CHINA and couldn’t be bothered to tell me?! Surely not?
“Mrs. Smith,” I say, clutching my bag tightly to my chest, and taking hesitant steps towards the door. “I need really to get going, you know. I am so sorry for all the trouble... I really am... But, Hamm, I need to... and if you would be so kind as to call for the...? It doesn’t need to be any limousine... I mean, would you call for the driver?”
“Oh dear, why? Don’t you want some coffee? At least, take your gift.”
“NO!” I yell, startling her and myself, “Sorry, I mean, no, thank you. Would you call for the driver Mrs. Smith, please?”
She seems to understand my agitation because she soon contacts the person who will be driving me home. “Will you give my phone number to Cristopher, Mrs. Smith, when he calls? I just want to be sure he has it.”
“Of course dear, write it down for me, I will certainly give it to him.” Okay, that’s good. Cristopher must have been in a hurry, that’s the reason he acted like that. Surely he had some very urgent matters and would be calling me soon, to let me know where he was.
Certainly, he will be preoccupied that he could not be with me this morning, thinking I am upset by now.I will pretend I am mad at him for a little bit, just to set the record straight.
But our relationship will be going forward after this little blitz and everything will be explained. It was bad of him to buy me some jewelry, and I will let him know he can’t do that in the future.
With these thoughts, I start to feel a little less... vulgar. I will let Cristopher know that I don’t care at all about his behavior.
Soon enough, we will be talking about us.
-One week later-
No calls. No texts. No nothing. No Cristopher.
Maybe he suffered an accident? Oh no! Maybe he is in pain, in some hospital in China, without his passport trying to contact me desperately. It can be that. It happens all the time.
I stay silent, realizing how ridiculous was this idea. But maybe...
Maybe his plane crashed and he is trying to survive, while I am here thinking he is a douchebag.Wouldn’t it be on the news, though? Uhhhhhg.
Okay then. I think my telephone must be broken and he is trying to call me but the thing is just not working! With this idea, I run to the neighbor and ask him to call my number. The phone rings. It’s working.Blast!
I need to go to work but I will wait a bit more before becoming mad. Cristopher will be back in no time. We can go to dinner and I will tell him know, how upset I was with his uncanny behavior. He is not going to get out of this one very easily.
I drive to work and park my car with a troubled mind, not yet certain if I should consider myself ghosted or not. I enter my building and finally arrive at my workstation, sitting heavily on my chair. One of my favorite coworkers, Margaret, runs towards me, asking excitedly:
“Did you hear the news?”
“No, about what?” I ask her, fussing with my papers. Am I being ghosted?
“We have a new boss man, girl! A hot one, babe. I saw him just now, he is wonderful, really, really wonderful. He is now assuming the new position as the CEO in his uncle’s place. The man is on fire, dear girl! We need to be in the conference room, understand? He will be talking with each team separately. We need to be there in one hour. Didn’t you look at your email, Jackie?”
Yeah, the email...?I didn’t.“I didn’t, Maggie. I was really busy this weekend”.Staring at my telephone.“So I am going to prepare myself. He surely will be asking questions about our responsibilities. I want to be ready for the new boss.”
“Yes. So am I. I am going to the lady’s room to put on more make-up. Don’t go without me!”
She leaves again, taking her giant makeup bag with her and I sit in my chair, opening the information I might need for this meeting. I check my phone sometimes, just to be sure there are no new messages or calls, and I feel my stomach drop with no signs of contact from Christopher.
Is it normal for a man to act like this? An interested man?
-One hour later-
Maggie and I entered the room together, taking seats and preparing our reports. She dollied up for this meeting alright, but she always looks gorgeous, anyway. At the present moment, she is looking at the door with bright eyes, expecting the most gorgeous boss man she has ever seen, to arrive.
As for myself, I am using a sour expression and a bored face as my makeup for the day. The room starts to fill with people and, in no time, the important ones start to arrive. Everyone rises up then because the boss just arrived for the meeting.
He presents himself to the conference room as Cristopher Sanders Torres the new CEO... What! WHAT! No way...!?
Cristopher??!
