Drowning

Chapter Four

The second I sent the small text below it, instantly said read. Someone was desperate to know how it went, I usually have to wait hours for a text back from her. Instead of seeing the little bubbles meaning that she's typing, my phone starts ringing.

"What happened?" Mariana asks as soon as the phone reaches my ear.

"Hello, how are you? I hope everything is good with you." I answer, holding back a smile. This is going to piss her off.

"Cut the bullshit Valentina and tell me what happened." This is the second time she swears today. I guess she's in an off mood.

"Honestly, I don't know what to tell you. One minute we were fighting and the next she was giving me a lawyer contact"

"Fighting about what?" she asks, sounding confused. She's gonna be even more pissed if I tell her, so I better just try and not say it.

"Nothing to worry about,"

"Valentina," she says in a warning tone.

"Fine, fine, she brought up Aubrey and wouldn't let it go. Okay."

"Valentina," she breathes out in her usual worrisome tone. I don't get why she worries so much about me, I have it handled, and her saying so much Valentina creeps me out. She always calls me Vale.

"Really Mariana, dont worry about it, it was nothing and we got what we wanted." It was strange but we got what we wanted. I'm just going to check out who she sent me to and if I don't like that lawyer I'll just have to find a new one by today.

"All I can do is worry, because of Aubrey you don't sleep, and if you want to admit it or not what you're doing is not healthy,"

"We already had this conversation today, can we do it later." I say, closing my eyes, I really don't want to argue with her right now.

"I'm just preoccupied that if you don't like what the PI finds out about Aubrey you'll go down a worst path than not sleeping,"

"I know," I mutter. I'm scared too of the news they might give me and I don't know how I'll react when I find out what truly happened, but I can't tell that to her, she's already worried as it is. But suddenly my whole life is surrounding Aubrey and I need it to stop.

"Ok, fine. I promise that I'll let you drag me to therapy if you think I need it, but only after the PI gives me the info." I still havent changed my mind since this morning. Therapy is not how I like to spend my evenings, but sacrifices are things you do for your family, right?

"Really?" she says in a surprised tone.

"Yeah sure," I say reluctantly. "Now can we stop talking about me and my feelings," Desperate to change the topic.

"So, what contact did Evelyn give you?"

"Honestly I don't know," I feel the car come to a halt and it doesn't keep moving. I glance out the window and see we are outside a building. I guess we're here. When I look up to the building I see the name of the firm.

"Holy shit," I say without noticing.

"What?" Mariana exclaims.

"The lawyer works at Ambrose & Black,"

"Isn't that the bigge-"

"Law Firm in New York, yes. Who the hell does Evelyn know here?" when I say that Luke opens my door.

"Ma'am," he says as I step out of the car."Thank you Luke," I put the phone down and ask him,
"would you tell me what was the name of the contact I forwarded you?"

"Elijah Black ma'am," I feel my eyebrows rise, but my face remains emotionless.

"Thank you Luke, I think I'll take a while," putting the phone back to my ear.

"It's Elijah Black, that's her contact," I tell Mariana, while walking through the entrance door.

"How the hell does your mother know Elijah Black,"

"I don't know but I plan to find out, talk to you later," I said, near the entrance desk to ask for directions.

"Ok," and the line goes dead.

I come close to the entrance desk where a woman sits typing on her computer.

"Hello, I have an appointment with Elijah Black," I say, putting my phone away. She only looks up with an annoyed glare and continues typing, this is why I don't pretend to be nice.

"Eleventh floor, straight down the hall take the first right." She says not even looking at me and not trying to hide her annoyance, and they say I have an attitude.

"Thank you, and no need for the attitude sweetheart if you keep that expression you'll need to get botox soon," If you want to be a bitch to me I can be one back.

I don't listen to her muttered response as I walk towards the elevator, not looking back. As the elevator dings noticing me it's here I get inside, press the button for the eleventh floor and take out my phone stepping towards the back.

I want to text Alice and see how things at the office are going. It's almost two thirty, I can maybe squeeze in an afternoon meeting.

I start typing, talking to Alice. When I feel the elevator stop, I glance up at the elevator panel and see it stopped on the ninth floor, so I keep texting Alice, as she notifies me everything is good.

When the doors open, men's shoes come into view beside my phone. The man is talking to a woman who is still outside the elevator.

"Why don't you stop chasing me around and go do what I pay you for, Katherine." The man tells the woman who apparently is called Katherine.

I look up at her and see her wearing a very not work appropriate dress, with very high heels. I like to wear my heels high, trust me, and I applaud her for wearing those all day around the office.

When I look at her face, Katherine, who I assume is his assistant, is looking at him with a stunned expression, hurt laced in her eyes. But as the elevator doors close, she spins around and walks away furiously.

His large hands reach the elevator panel buttons, they hover but he does not press any, I assume he is going to the same floor. He is tall, maybe 6'3 or 6'4, way taller than me in heels that's for sure, but besides that I don't get a look at any of his features except his broad back and dark chocolate hair. What I can tell is he has money. Wearing an expensive suit and a musky cologne that fills the elevator already telling me he's well groomed.

I look down and continue sending my text to Alice, telling her to keep one or two meetings for the afternoon. But I can't help myself, "A little harsh don't you think?" I say, my eyes still on my phone.

I can feel him turn around and look at me typing, I send the text and slip the phone back into my purse. I look up and meet a pair of stunning emerald eyes trying to analyze me. He can honestly try but I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy as I have become the expert in hiding everything there is to find in my face, especially at the office.

My gaze falters from his eyes, I can't stop myself from seeing his other features. I look up from his eyes and see the rest of his sleek brown hair, brushed back effortlessly. I run down to his jawline, and my eyes are met with its sharpness, and when I see his plum mouth I am met with a smirk, filled with smugness. I quickly look back up to his eyes and he turns around, facing the elevator doors once again.

I can see he became hyper aware of my presence as the back of his dark navy suit looks tighter and he stands taller.

"Sometimes darling, you've got to be a little harsh on your employees so that they listen," he says, filled with the smugness as his smirk. Who the fuck does he think he is?

The elevator door opens, and I walk beside him, standing as close as I possibly can.

"And how is that working for you, sweetheart?" I say filled with the same smugness he was giving me.

Before he can react I make my way out of the elevator with a grin on my face, feeling the intensity of his green eyes on my back as I walk towards Mr. Black's office. I pay no mind to him because I know I just won.