Meant To Be Yours!

Chapter XXIII

"You look amazing babe. I'm jealous, I wanted to be there with you, keep the vultures away", Abdul said as he watched me get dressed for an office party. He had to travel for work and let's just say without him in the house, it felt so big and boring. Yes, the kids were around but I missed him. "It's an office party baby, I'll be fine", I said turning to the mirror to see how my back looked. "I know. I trust you babe", he hung up right after because he had to go to a meeting. It was morning on his side. 

I walked into the ballroom feeling eyes on me. I was not used to such attention and it made me feel nervous until someone connected my hand with his. Looking up, it was Karim. I relaxed. "Boss! Looking sharp", I said looking at him with a smile. "What are you talking about? I always look this good. You, on the other hand, look very sexy tonight Nikki", he said with a wink. I rolled my eyes, he was always cocky with me. "Karim, you need to stop being cocky, it's too much", I said making him laugh. Mercy appeared from the crowd looking so beautiful in a dress that was more for the club than an office party. "What the fuck is she wearing?", Jax asked standing right next to me. "I don't fucking know. Have Simone fix it please", Karim told Jax. He spoke with so much fury that made me worry, I had to intervene before they made a scene. "No, let her be", I said and they both looked at me like I was crazy. "Great! I'm surrounded by the most powerful men in the room and yet they can not tell when a woman is trying to get attention", I said playfully as I walked away. "You mean like what your dress is doing right now?", Jax said and I turned just in time to see him looking at my butt. "What is with you people and my butt! It's not that big", I whined. Before they could proceed with jokes we were swamped by the clients who were invited so, we started greeting them and catching up while appreciating them for coming. 

"May I have this dance?", Karim asked. We went to the dancing floor and for some reason, they decided to play slow jam. "Perfect excuse to hold you", he said pulling me to his chest. "You can't help it can you?", I said making him chuckle. Working with Karim has been amazing, he made me feel like I was part of the business, and it was the same even with Jax. We were more than just colleagues, we were friends. "Well, I am a young, handsome and energetic man so giving up is not my forte", he teased making me laugh. "You're crazy Karim", I said then relaxed in his arms as we danced the night away.

"Mama, wake up", Natalia said waking me up, It was a long night and I found myself getting back home at 3 am but I did as told by my five-year-old. Yes, it is that crazy. She was better than Nathan though. He was too energetic, he would jump on the bed, then scream until I woke up. "Good morning sweetie", "Good morning Mama", she said happily. "Aunt Angie is here to see you, she looks upset", "Oh really? Can you bring her here baby?", I said and watched her run out of the room. She dragged an angry-looking Angela into the room, I wondered who was responsible for that because the last time I saw her, she was cheerful and happy. "Give us a minute Daddy's girl", she told Natalia who left us alone. 

"Nikki, we have been friends for a long time so, I expect complete honesty from you", she said with a voice that had so much anger, that was not good, I tried to see what I could have done to upset her but came out with nothing. We barely hung out together since the last time I saw her. "Angie keep your voice down. What are you talking about?", I asked furrowing my eyebrows at her. She threw her phone at me and there was a picture of me and Karim from yesterday. "What the hell was that? Is Abdul not enough for you?", she spat and I was officially lost. "Angela, he's my boss and we were just dancing. It was from yesterday at the office event", I explained. "Ok if that is true, then swipe left and tell me if the rest of those pictures are from the same party", she said and I did. It was pictures of us from the office, the bar and some from his home. I recalled every single one of them. "Angela, where did you get these?", "I prefer we talk about why you are doing this to Abdul, he is head over heels for you and if he sees these he will be devastated, the guy sacrificed his relationship with his mother for you. Thank god Mercy shared them with me instead", then it hit me. It was Mercy. "Angela, you would take Mercy's word over mine? If I recalled correctly she was the one who broke you up with your boyfriend in school and now you would believe her just like that?", I said and it was like she was reliving the past. "She has changed and we are closer now", she said sounding so sure of herself. "So why do you ask me while it's clear that you already believe her huh?", I was getting pissed. 

"Because I know you, Nikki. Look, you and Abdul have drifted apart, you have kids and he is... was player. Abdul will not settle down anytime soon even though he loves you", she said in a low voice as if confessing. Well, this was one of the reasons I was friends with her. Angela was always honest with me, no matter how ugly a situation is. "Don't you think I know that? I have tried to stay away from him for five good years and they were the worse years of my life, I tried to move on then ended up dumped while I was still pregnant and my parents disowned me, hell even my brothers don't care about me. Abdul is all that I have left and I love him more than life itself. That man you think I'm cheating on him with is like a brother to me but since you choose Mercy over me, I'll make things easier for you. Leave!", I barked. She tried to say something but my glare delivered a message and she left looking guilty.