Meeting Mr. Mogul(66)

"You need to change," he replied briskly as a girl in uniform suddenly appeared in front of us.

"What do you mean?" I asked but trailed off as the girl gave him a brief  nod. I stopped pestering as I stared at the dress in a garment bag that  hung on the girl's arm.

"This way, Miss. We have a room prepared for you," The girl in uniform  gestured towards a long hallway in front of us. I glanced at William's  direction, but he was already walking away from me.

I followed the girl absentmindedly into the hallway towards one of the  close room on the further end. She handed me the garment bag and opened  the door for me. The room was dark for a second before the light turned  on. I looked to the door where the girl stood and waited for me to look  at her.

"I'll be right here if you need me," she said with a smile before closing the door.

I stood in the empty, white walled room for a moment before placing the  garment bag on one of the couch across the door. I assessed the place  for a second before proceeding to change. The room was small. It had  little furnishing. It only had a couch, a coffee table, a vanity table  with a chair and a small fridge on the right side of the couch. This  would be the most poorly furnished room I've seen for a high-class  place. But maybe, this wasn't meant for the rich and famous.   





 

After my quick assessment, I sat down beside the garment back I placed  on the couch and slowly unzipped it. As I pulled out the dress, I gasped  as I hanged the dress in front of me. It was lacy in the front and  hardly had any cover at the back. I stood up and placed the dress in  front of me. I sighed in relief that it was knee length. At least, it  won't be a triple threat.

I studied the dress for a while and glanced down at what I was wearing.  The dress I had on wasn't that bad, and from the feel of its textile,  I'm sure that it's the same brand. I contemplated for a bit, but sighed  in defeat. I knew he would drag me back here if I don't change. So I  place the new dress back on the couch and started to strip.

When I finished pulling on the dress, I looked at myself in the mirror. I  was surprised at how sophisticated I looked with my hair up and the  light make-up. I called in the girl to help me zipped up the dress and  tie the ribbon belt. When we were done, she helped me redo my slightly  messed up hair.

"Thank you so much for your help. I'll be back after the party to get  the dress back and return this," I said and pointed at the dress I was  wearing as we walked back towards the main entrance.

"No, I'll give the dress to you after the party. Mr. Maxwell told me  that you can keep the dress," she replied in a rush but still kept her  smile.

"Oh. Okay." I give her a stiff nod, a little pissed at the mention of William's name. "Thank you again."

As I crossed towards the lobby towards the venue on the other side of  the hallway I came, I was pulled back in surprise. I looked up at the  direction of the hand that was holding my left arm.

"What took you so long to cha … ?" William started but trailed off as he had a good, solid look at me.

I tugged my arm free when his grip loosened. "And, it's not good to see  you. You've already kept me long from my work, so I'll have to go now.  Have a good evening, Mr. Maxwell," I said and made a quick glance around  the lobby, which have a handful of guest arriving for the event.

"Wait, can you …  Wait!" I heard William called as I made a quick escape  towards the venue. I felt him advance behind me, his footsteps ringed in  my ear.

"Would you stop following me?" I hissed silently as I stopped and turned towards him.

He stopped a foot from me, his eyes widen in surprise. But then a  smirked tugged at the end of his lips. "I didn't know that the dress  would fit you so well."

"I didn't know you had a taste in clothes."

"What? No, thank you?" he question with his eyebrow raise, not even bothered by my comment.

I looked at him for a second, and studied his smug face. "With that face? No," I replied grimly and rolled my eyes.

"I'll take that as a thank you," he grinned in amusement.

"Thank you." I mumbled softly as I turned on my heel.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing. Have a good evening, Mr. Maxwell."

Before I could take a step away from him, I felt his arm wrap around my  waist. I staggered back in surprise, my back bumping to his chest.

"I want to hear you say it clearly while you look at me," he whispered in command.

"And what, fuel that damn ego of yours?" I asked and snorted. I shoved  away from his hold. Once out of his grasp, I hastily scanned the room, a  little bothered at the growing crowd around us. If he made a scene like  last time, I wouldn't be able to survive this time.

"Can you let it go? I know you want to talk. But after that little  incident of yours, you made it difficult for me to know what to talk to  you," I paused and regard his expression. "How about we put it off the  next time we meet, if I have time for it?" I offered half-heartedly,  lying smoothly about seeing him again.

"What's wrong with now?"

"Now, we are in an event, and I have a job to do. So, can we just … "

"William, is there something wrong here dear?" Suddenly, a sophisticated woman approached us, interrupting our conversation.

William turned towards the woman in surprise but gathered his expression  before she could look at him from his lack of response. "Mother. You're  here early," he greeted the woman warmly and gave her a light kiss in  the cheeks.   





 

I stood there, watching them exchange a few pleasantries like a statue.  Mother? Did he say mother? I studied the woman for a moment, eying her  familiar blonde hair and light blue eyes. The air around her had a  familiar confidence that I always see coming from Alexandra.

"I'm sorry for not introducing you. This is Andy, Alexandra's  secretary," William gestured towards me, snapping me out of trance.

"Is this the Andy she'd been talking about?" she studied me for a second before she turned to ask William.

"Alex told you about her?" he asked back in surprise.

"Well, she told me something about a girl that you can't seem to get  your eyes off. And, I can see why … " she replied, but trailed off as she  glanced at me with a tight smile.

Why did I always end up in seriously awkward situations when it comes to a Maxwell?





Forty-Two





"I'm going inside, dear. I'll see you later," Mrs. Maxwell said as she  lightly patted the back of her son and gave me a stiff nod.

I nodded back in reply. I watched her walk away as a few men in black  suits followed behind her. When she was out of sight, I visibly let out a  sigh of relief from the tension. I can't believe I've met another  Maxwell even though she married into one.

"I should go inside now. I'll see you later, Mr. Maxwell," I quietly said and walked in the direction that Mrs. Maxwell left.

Before he could reply, I walked away from him towards the entrance of  the venue. In my peripheral vision, I saw him reach out to me but backed  away as a handful of people entered the lobby. A few of them greeted  William, which halted him from approaching me.

As I entered the double doors, I was stopped by the view in front of me.  The last time I was here, we were by a veranda overlooking a golf  field. There were series of lights that hung above the tables set in a  small portion of the field. It looked we were in a different, enchanted  world, creating an ethereal feel to the scenery as the sun hides behind  the distant hill.

"Andy, you're here. And, wow! The dress really suits you," Maggie interrupted me in my awed stated.

"Oh! Maggie …  Thank you," I mumbled shyly and looked up in her direction.

"Many of the guests are arriving and we should finish with all the last  detail … " she leaned and whispered as a few people walked by.

I moved out of the way and nodded in agreement. Maggie led me towards  the waiting staff for the evening as she briefed them about tonight. I  stood by her, mostly listening and helping out with the instructions.  When Alexandra arrived, we called in the event's host to get ready to  start the event.

In tonight's charity gala, it would contain an auction, performances,  and a speech from the head of the charity, which William is representing  instead of his sister. I was startled when I saw that on the list.  Because from the start to finish, Alexandra had the final word to all  the decision for tonight, I assumed she would do it.

When it started, I felt a tingling excitement since I've never been to a  high-profile event. The earpiece radio I had on made me look like I was  a part of security for the president, which Maggie informed me that it  was to communicate easily since we'll be positioning in different side  of the room to operate and watch over the flow of the event. I finally  felt the weight of things that are under my responsibility tonight.

While I stood by the right corner, watching casually on the performers  on stage as the guests ate their dinner, a waitress approached me with a  confused look. I looked at her for a second and thought of a  counter-measure if it was a problem, but I guessed wrong.