Bed of Nails

Chapter 25

Only God knows what he has planned for me.

The next day, my alarm rang, and I woke up feeling fresh. I stretched my body and got out of bed to start my day. Yeah, I remember I have a meeting with him today, but I'm not going to let it ruin my good mood first thing in the morning. My mood will be ruined when I see him today, so until then, I'm going to enjoy it. I decided to go for a run. I didn't get time this past week to work out, so a long run could help take toxins out of my pores. I changed into my tights and a top. Wearing my shoes, I went for a long run. There was a beautiful park next to where I stayed. I decided to jog there. I jogged for a good hour and stopped for a drink break. I was so thirsty from all the running. I sat on the nearest bench and gulped the water. I observed my surroundings. A group of guys was doing yoga not that far from my bench, and some people were doing morning walks with their dogs or spouses. I took a deep breath in the cold, fresh morning breeze. 

"Did you read this article?" a yoga girl gasped while looking at her cell phone. 

"What article?" her friend asked while stretching her legs. I ignored them. and took one more sip from my bottle. 

"Erick Villain is dating supermodel, Madison Henry," she said in disbelief, and I almost spit water out of my mouth. I turned around to look at them. 

"What! Show me!" her friend gasped, and she had the same disbelief look on her face. 

"They were seen at the same restaurant last night, and they even have pictures of the fashion week they attended two months ago," his friend explained further. My fingers went tight on my bottle. This time, I listened to them keenly. 

"But the article says he didn't attend the fashion week but was there for business," the friend said, not wanting to accept him dating that model. Only if she knew what kind of person he is. 

"It's all the explanation he and her PR team are giving to avoid controversy. You know how these people are hiding their relationship. They will keep denying it, and the next thing you know, they announce the pregnancy," her friend said, and her words made a bitter lump form in the base of my throat. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Everything they said after that blocked my ears. If he is dating someone, then why did he accept the marriage proposal? Maybe to get on my nerves. He is once again toying with me. Now I was more determined to never accept this absurd proposal. My hands itch to search for that new article and see that woman, but I stop myself. I exhaled and inhaled to calm myself. This sudden news was affecting me in an unknown way, but I wouldn't let his dating news ruin my mood. I decided to jog for half an hour more. Once I was done, I went back to the apartment and took a long, warm shower. It made me feel so refreshed. I grabbed a donut and coffee on my way back home for breakfast. I enjoyed my breakfast to the fullest. I don't know when I will allow myself to eat donuts again. For the meeting, I decided to wear black pants and a lavender bodice with a short black coat. My outfit looked simple but professional enough for the meeting. I decided to let my hair down and applied some rusty-red lipstick and blush. My neck was bare without any accessories, and I liked it that way. Once I was done, I grabbed my lavender high heels and my bag. I had a meeting scheduled with him at ten, so I will have a meeting with him first and then go to the office from there. I check my cell phone on my way out. I received good luck messages from Evelyn and Aria. Don't get affected by his charm. It was Aria. Don't look into his blue eyes. It was Evelyn. I rolled my eyes, and a smile formed on my lips. These girls! Only if they knew him. He is more dangerous than that. I drove to the address his secretary had sent me. My GPS took me to a tall building. So we were having a meeting at his office. I exhaled while looking at the building. 

"Good morning, how may I help you?" the receptionist asked me when I stood in front of the front desk. 

"Good morning, I'm Grace Brown. I'm here for the meeting with Mr. Villain," I said politely with a fake smile on my face. There was nothing pleasant about this meeting, but I had to act. After all, he was going to give business to me. 

"Let me check," she said, typing something on the laptop. 

"Yes, you have an appointment. His office is on the twenty-seventh floor. You can take the elevator, which is over there." She pointed in the direction of the elevator. I thanked her and then took the elevator. My stomach scrunched when the elevator doors opened. There was one more reception desk on that floor. 

"Miss Brown, please have a seat. Sir is busy with a very important meeting. As soon as he is free, I will let him know you are here," she said politely, and she pointed to a leather couch that was beside the reception desk. She asked me if I wanted coffee or juice, but I politely refused. I can't put anything in my stomach until I am done with the meeting.

I bit my lower lip anxiously. I just want to get over this meeting. I want it to start soon and end even sooner. To distract myself, I grabbed the magazine. I kept sitting there, biting my lower lips anxiously. I was just turning the pages, not reading anything in particular. My mind was distracted by so many troublesome thoughts. What if he has called this meeting just to make a fool of me? I should have let Aria come instead of me. No, it was a bad idea. I don't want him to think I'm scared to face him. I took a deep breath and took a look at my watch. I have been waiting for an hour now. Why is he not yet finished with the meeting? I looked at the receptionist to find her busy typing something on her computer. I exhaled loudly and continued turning the pages of my third magazine. After another half hour, the receptionist walked up to me. Once again, my stomach scrunched, and I grabbed my bag to get ready. 

"I'm sorry, Miss Brown, but his meeting is going to be a little long. Would you like to have coffee or juice?" she said with an apologetic look on her face. I exhaled while looking at her. 

"No, thank you," I said politely because it was not her fault that it was taking so long. I slumped back into the couch and grabbed my fourth magazine. Once again, I continued to turn the pages. I received a message from Evelyn asking me where I was. I told her I was still waiting to have a meeting. She was surprised because now it's been two hours since I've been waiting for the meeting. I was swallowing my pride and sitting here only for my company. If it were not for the efforts Alise put in to get this meeting, I would have left. I will wait only for another half an hour. I have already run out of patience. Another half an hour passed but he was still not done with the meeting. I stood up because I knew he had just called me here to waste my time. If he knew his important meeting was going to be this long, he should have told us. If he thinks he is the only busy person on this planet, then he is wrong, and if he is doing this just because we have personal beef, then I don't want to have any business with him. Anger bubbled inside me, and I had enough now. Does he even know how busy I am with a fashion show in my head? I clenched my jaw in anger and strode straight to his office. Before leaving, I will put some sense into his head. 

"Ma'am, you can't go inside. Sir is busy with a very important meeting." The receptionist ran behind me, but before she could stop me, I opened the office door and entered inside. I was so ready to lash out at him, but instead, a gasp left my mouth. My whole body started to shake in anger, and my stomach scrunched again in a painful way.

So this is his very important meeting.

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