Meeting Mr. Mogul(61)

"Okay, I'll walk you out," He nodded and gestured towards the door.

It was slightly awkward as we walked out of his office and walked the  short distance towards the main door. We didn't say anything to each  other. Before steeping out, I turned around to say goodbye, but Jack  spoke up before I could.   





 

"Andy, I'm sorry if this sound so intruding, but is it true that William  and you are a couple?" he asked seriously, curiosity thick in his  voice.

I looked at him with wide eyes. Though I may have expected it, I wasn't sure if he would actually do it.

"No. My god. No, we aren't a thing," I denied as my voice rose at a higher octave.

"Oh, right. I'm sorry if I'm making you uncomfortable by asking," He gave me a small apologetic smile and a slight nod.

"It's alright. This isn't my first, anyway. I'm not saying I'm used to it now."

"Well, then, have a good day. Please visit anytime. It doesn't have to  be within store hours," he changed the subject, relieving me from my  misery.

"Sure. I'll try," I replied with sincerity and slowly back away from the door.

With one last wave of goodbye, we separated ways as he got back inside. I  couldn't help but smile as I remembered how awkward Jack looked when he  asked me about my relationship with William. It was like watching my  own father's reaction when we talked about dating.

As I reached the bus stop, I was in luck when the bus arrived at the  same moment. I sat on one of the chairs in front, which was mostly  empty. I reviewed a few things for my next meeting. I was going to a  pastry shop to order specialized cupcakes for the event. And on the ride  there, I wasn't aware of the black car that was beside the bus. When we  reached a red light, the bus stopped beside the black car. I was  preoccupied with my thoughts that I didn't realize the window of the car  beside me rolling down.

"Hey! Andy!" I faintly heard a voice calling my name.

At first, I didn't bother looking around and assumed that it wasn't me.  But when the voice continued to call my name, I was starting to get  alarmed and glanced around until I found the source sound.

"Hey! Can you hear me?" William asked. The clear glass window between us muffled his voice.

I stared him for a second before opening my mouth for a reply. Yet as I do so, no words had come out.

"Where are you headed? You can get out. We'll drive you there," he shouted in command.

Behind me, I noticed the people who were inside the bus looked in his  direction. I regarded them shyly before looking back at William with an  annoyed look.

"Go away. I'm alright here," I mouthed in reply.

"What? I can't hear you!" he shouted even louder as his voice becoming clearer.

"Stop shouting," I mouthed wide and slow, with my eyebrow scrunched together to make my intent clear.

"I really can't hear you!"

"Would you shut up?" This time I didn't hold in my voice and shouted aloud.

William looked at me with his lips pursed, like he was hiding his  amusement. Though from his eyes, I knew he was enjoying the moment. "We  aren't finished talking!" he shouted. He didn't care who heard our  conversation.

My eyes wide grew wide at his words. Did he plan on talking about this  in public? I signaled him to shut up, acting out like I was zipping my  mouth.

"If you don't get out of the bus at the count of ten, I will scream to  these people here about what I really think about you!" he warned at the  top of his lungs as he gestured towards the other passengers in the  bus, who were still looking at him.

I give the people behind me a quick glance before giving him an annoyed look. "Are you kidding me?" I mouthed in outrage.

He smirked at my expression, unaffected by my anger. I couldn't believe  he found the situation funny. And now I'm thinking why the bus hadn't  moved an inch. I looked away from him and studied the obstruction in  front of us that stopped the flow of traffic. I watched people in an  orange vest stood in the middle of the street.

"You know I have time to convince you … " He warned. His face was smug when he knew he was going to win.

With a frustrated sigh, I quickly stood up from my seat and told the bus  driver that I was getting off. He looked at me weirdly but didn't  question my request. He opened the doors without a second thought. I  jumped down from the bus and walked around towards the black car beside  it. The back passenger door was already opened before I got there.   





 

"Good choice. But I would have loved that you stayed stubborn and  allowed me to shout my confession and apology with sincerity. It would  have been a great revenge for you," William said as I got in the car.

"Yeah, that would have been a good plan except I would also be  embarrassed in the process," I countered in clenched teeth as I try to  distance myself from him.

"So, you still won't forgive me for the betting thing?" he asked after a short pause when I remain distant to him.

"I'm thinking about it … " I whispered in reply and looked out the window.

"Uhm … " he said in understanding, as he remained silent.

After the obstruction in the road cleared, I told Mark, who was driving  as always, the location of my next appointment. The drive was short and  very suffocating. I thought it was my fault the dark atmosphere. William  had tried to start a friendly conversation but I just had to ruin it. I  couldn't look at him straight in the eyes without feeling hurt and sad.

The car slowed down as we finally reached my next meeting. When Mark  parked the car in front of the pastry shop. I was about to say goodbye  but he had his back to me as he opened the door on his side of the car. I  studied his actions for a second before it settled in.

"Where are you going? You're not going in there with me," I asked in frustration, as I remain rigid in my seat.

"I'm the employer. You can't say whether I can or cannot meet the people  who I'm going to hire for this event," he stated in a professional  manner.

I snorted at his arrogance and felt familiar towards his actions. It was  a side of William that I knew well enough, which wasn't voluntary. I  opened the door on my side and quickly got out. I didn't even bother to  give William another look.

I marched towards the pastry shop without waiting for him. As I entered,  I notice his long strides to catch up to me. I went straight to  business and asked the attending staff about my appointment. She was  very welcoming as she asked me to wait while she called her boss. By  this time, William had entered the shop and quickly made his way beside  me.

"So, why are we here again?" he whispered to me in question as he leaned slightly to my ear.

I glanced up and moved away from his close proximity. "I'm here to make  an order for cupcakes and maybe a cake for this Saturday," I replied  swiftly, emphasizing on the ‘I'm'.

"Okay, you only have to place an order and be done with it," He nodded in understanding and stated to himself.

"Ms. Maxwell wanted to have the cupcake and the cake customized for the  event," I explained in context, feeling a little heated up. The annoyed  feeling hadn't evaporated one bit since he showed up.

"Oh! Mr. Maxwell! I don't know you were coming here personally!"  Suddenly, a young-looking, blonde haired girl interrupted our short  staring contest. She jumped out of nowhere and made her way towards  William and looped her arms around him.

Startled at her sense of familiarity, I watched her with wide eyes, as  she talked to William with a seductive tone. Was it my own imagination  to hear a flirtatious tone in her voice?

"Miriam, how have you been?" William asked softly as he stood his ground, looking unaffected by her sudden greeting.

"I'm doing well, thank you," she beamed in reply. "So, why are you here?" she continued, getting straight to the point.

"Andy and I are here to order some cupcakes," he replied with a small  smile as he glanced at me for a second before looking back at the girl.

"Oh! Hi! I didn't see you there … " she silently apologized and offered  her free hand to me, leaving her looped arms in William's. "I'm Miriam  Dowell, co-owner and manager of Just Sweets."

"Andy Peterson, I'm Ms. Maxwell's secretary," I started softly as I accepted her hand and shook it lightly.

" … And, she's my girlfriend," William interjected confidently, making me turned towards him in surprise.

What the … ?





Thirty-Nine





What the … ?

"What are you talking … ?" I started but was cut off when William bumped his hips to mine as he wrapped his arms around my waist.   





 

He took a step back from the girl's hold and leaned on me. "So, where  shall we do this?" he asked her in his business tone and tightened his  arm on my waist.

At that moment, I couldn't grasp the anger that slowly consumed me. Who  the hell did he think he is? And what was he trying to pull?

When Miriam stepped away from William and gestured towards the way to  her office, I took this time to act out. I elbowed him right on the  stomach and walked ahead. Behind me, I heard him grunt in pain.