Her Addiction

CEO

"Ughhhh" she hit the door again like it would open if she hits harder, she had misplaced her keys, again for the third time that month.
She went round checking for an open window to squeeze herself in through.
She did, the window to the visitor's bathroom with the adjustable burglary but the space was much too small for her to squeeze in through quite easily but she struggled and wiggled her way in.
"Fuck!" she shouted quietly in distress breaking a nail and finally managed to get in without calling for so much attention especially after dropping her very much expensive red stilettos heels.

It wasn't such a long day she had at the office so she returned home to soak herself in the bathtub listening to quiet sounds she loved, puffing her cigarette and gulping champagne, it was a hobby for her.

She went to the kitchen to fix a snack of wine and chocolate cookies she baked over the weekend then lit some candles and change the flowers in her vase when she saw an invitation card she left on her counter earlier.
It seemed to be a cuffing season as she received a new invite every week, even her college best friend Chantelle, she swore would never get married got Selene to design her wedding dress. Chantelle's wedding was an intimate affair with just close friends and relatives, which became the topic of her mother's discussion whenever she rung the phone.
"Oh my dear" she'd start "didn't you notice how simple and lovely chantelle's wedding was"
"Hmm-hmm" Selene responded from the other end of the line
"And her husband, such a solid fine young man he is" she paused for a second "dear Chantelle would be so pampered like a princess""
"Hmm-hmm" Selene more uninterested than before would begin sketching a new design or drafting her grocery list for shopping
"Linn you can tell me if there's someone" her mother was ever pushy on getting Selene married since all of her friends started getting their girls settled down
"No, mamá there's no one I have work to do I'll call back later" she ended the call while her mother kept talking about how old she'd be turning soon.

Getting married was the least thing that occupied Selene's mind not to mention committing to one man. She was always thought of getting married as a lifelong bondage, she made up her mind in highschool that she didn't need a man to define her status in the society, when she could work hard and give herself everything she could ever want. She had her whole life well detailed and worked strictly with her schedules "no IFs and BUTs" that was a ground rule for her and all the people she worked with in her company.
She was the Alpha Queen and everyone knew it.
Everyday for Selene was a constant repeating cycle that didn't end, following the same routine every week. Her Mondays to Thursdays were busy days, days she worked round the clock in her fashion design company, she beat everyone to establish, Fridays were chill days rounding the day in the club or by the pool side or home in bath flipping through fashion magazines for inspiration with her glass of cocktail and on the weekends she reviewed, prepared and spent alone time baking, shopping and cleaning, sometimes taking long drives.
Everyone but her thought she was lonely and she liked it that way, the secrecy of her peaceful luxurious life not many could afford.
She thought Chantelle had gone insane when she brought the contract for her to design her wedding dress_ a white pearl silk dress_ flaunting her expensive diamond engagement ring.
"Gorgeous huh?" She asked, not to get her opinion but to make sure she got a closer look at it.
"You never mentioned anything about this man, uhh... what's his name again?" Selene accused
"Gerald" she answered swiftly "and I introduced y'all sometime at Becky's Cafe" she felt a little offended
"I didn't believe you were serious about him...I thought he was..."
"One of the men I used to while away time right I know but Gerald was completely different " she cut Selene off.
"So now you're Mrs... Mrs Leveth"she laughed in-between her words.
"Yes! Mrs Chantelle Gerald Leveth" she took another sip from her coffee feeling and looking pleased with herself.

Selene was never a fan of weddings but now she was willing to attend as many weddings as possible especially after her friend's intimate affair, just to drink champagne, find productive business investors and laugh at what people call "love" and 'sacred" but came over as a competition with the others, whispering in each other's ears gossiping about how who turned up in what car or how one tried to control her drunken husband that was chasing after younger women of Selene age bracket or who's daughter is of age to be married but still single, that topic had Selene as the subject of focus being a successful fashion designer CEO at a young age.
She sat quietly in the shadows of the other guest sipping her second glass of sparkling wine while carefully observing and judging the outfits of the others when her mother walked up to her
"Linnnnn" she dragged; the name her divorced husband, Selene's father always called her, it was short for Linona her second name.
"Yes Mama"
"Alcohol?!" She gasped
"No! It's sparkling water" Selene lied to save herself from her mother who won't hesitate to rain curses on her constantly drunken father pulling the ear of her 27 year old CEO daughter.
"Come over to the others when you finished I want to introduce you to a friend" she turned to join the other guest walking gracefully and happy like she just finished a task for one week in one afternoon.
Selene let out a sigh of relief and gulped what was left in her tumbler.
"Sparkling water huh?" A masculine voice from behind inquired knowing it was a lie, although not a familiar voice Selene froze for a while then slowly but calmly turned to see who had been watching her
"Hush you" she commanded turning away to join the rest of the guest
"Ms. Selene Àngelou"
"And you are?" She examine him from head to toe then back up again.
He was a fine young lad dressed in a black tuxedo over a black shirt and tie, tall with quite a muscular build, brown skin and dark curly hair he probably forced to slick down for the formal event. He stood up stretching his hand out for a handshake.
"Lance... Carlos Andrés Lance" he looked directly into her eyes like he needed her to concentrate on him alone.
"Hmmm, so Mr Lance are you my stalker or a secret spy hired to trail me" she took his hand
"Very funny Linn, if I may call you" he took a bow to kiss her hand then she pulled back.
"Selene, you may address me as a Selene" she snapped "and I'll be leaving to join the rest" she turned around letting her straightened hair flip taking her steps elegantly and gently like always.
She wasn't bothered the young man knew her, after all she was the Selene Angelou the famous designer all over Mexico, she was concerned she had met him somewhere, but where?
She joined the her mother with a group of aunties her mom's age that couldn't help but tug on her slim cheek
" Maria" they called her mom "you need to take her to a fattening home"
And her mom chuckled knowing the next question would be " when will she get married? She is old enough " but she'd smile and say "soon, very soon".

Maria held her daughter's hand tightly like someone was going to steal her away from her "mi diamante" she called her my diamond oftentimes, her Spanish had become more fluent over the years, she wasn't Spanish but she married a Spanish man that owned a fish shop and drowned himself in beer till he sunk his marriage of 6 years, a relationship of 16 years.
Maria saved herself from Leon's abuse taking off with her little Linona.
Maria walked like the proud mother she is with her daughter bride walking like she couldn't care more who was watching, till they reached a group of three young eligible men, bachelors would be right to describe.
"Aunty Maria " one called out like he had been expecting her, he relaxed his arm across her shoulders fumbling with her ear rings
" Ohh Jameson you play too much" she slapped his hand away gently and Selene stood there wondering what was going on with this lousy unattractive man and her mother.
' Jameson this is..." Maria began to introduce her daughter to this pale skinned man
"Selena, our pretty Selena and your precious se...."he kept ranting proving to be an ignore know it all and then came Selene's cold voice
"Selene " she interrupted sharply and walked out to the terrace grabbing another glass of wine.

I don't know how to feel about this chapter and I'm not sure where the lines of this book will be going but I'm really trying my very best to make it worth a read and I'd love you to make your votes and drop your comments about how you feel about it and what you'd be expecting to see coming....your votes are really encouraging to me and recommending would mean so much more...thank you my lovely readers, muahhh!🥹🫶🏾
Yours faithfully,