Esmerelda the Flower

Chapter 16: Esmerelda

It had been a couple weeks since that disastrous dinner. Chris and I were still going steady. Work was better now. People get bored so easily of gossip, and they were already onto some new drama about a cheating scandal between some business mogul and model.

We didn't hide our relationship as much, many of my coworkers were fond of our relationship. Saying that it made Chris a little less of a jackass when it came to work.

I got home before Chris as usual, when he sent me a text message saying that he would be working later. I replied back, telling him it was totally okay and that I knew he was busy.

I lazily lounged around the rest of the day. Wandering the huge penthouse which I still haven't thoroughly been through.

I went into the kitchen, deciding that to ease my boredom I would surprise him at work. Now that the talk of our relationship died down, what was the harm in bringing him some food?

I decided on making fried vegetables and steak, a classic favorite of mines growing up. I wanted to make my Mom's version, she had a way of making it taste so good. I couldn't seem to remember so I decided to call her.

She answered on the first ring, "Hey sweetie, how've you been?"

Me and my mother were as close as we could be. We of course had our disagreements and arguments but she was still my main confidant, aside from Camryn and my Dad.

I had been keeping her updated with my life. She knew about Nathan, about Christopher and about my work. Chris and I had been planning on arranging a dinner with my parents but my mother was a busy nurse and my father was project managing some construction sites.

"I've been doing okay Mommy, how's Dad doing?" I asked.

"Oh you know, same old same old."

We continued catching up and she told me her trick when making the steak . I told her I loved her and said goodbye so I could cook.

An hour later his food was perfect. I put it inside a lunch bag and wrote him a note. I got dressed, wearing a baby pink blouse and jeans, putting on some gold diamond earrings Chris gifted me. I taken my braids out some time ago and had my hair in its soft, natural Afro with a headband to match my top. Then I finally got into my gifted Maserati and drove to the office.

Since it was late, most employees were gone and headquarters was quiet. I made my way up to the 6th floor where his office was, going down the large hallway and heading his office when I heard giggling.

What the fuck? I thought to myself.

I tried to calm myself down. There were a million and one explanations why a woman could be giggling in his office. And I should just be rational before I do anything serious.

"I remember your favorite color is red, so I brought this lacy one" the female voice continued to giggle.

Fuck it.

I angrily kicked his office door open. Barging in as I shouted out, "How could you do this you bastard! Cheating on me with some....oh."

I was confused. Christopher was sitting at his desk, looking irritated, papers and piles stacked on it while a woman was holding up a set of lingerie in front of him.

Wait, but why was she doing that? Was she trying to show him what she'd be wearing for him? What the actual fuck? And how did she know his favorite color? 

I stomped over to them, slamming his lunch bag on his desk. "Here, I made this for you but obviously you're busy," I seethed.

I turned to walk away but he got up quickly, grabbing my arm. "Esme, baby, wait. It's not what it looks like, really. Fiona was showing me some lingerie from her line. She has a company of her own and she came to show me some of her work because she wants me to invest."

I looked at him questionably, not trusting his words until Fiona spoke up.

"Oh and you must be his girlfriend! Im Fiona and he's right, I was just looking for an investment since your boyfriend's company is so huge!"

I relaxed, my fears of him cheating on me going away.  Fiona held out her hand for me to shake it, and I being a classy woman cautiously reached out my hand to shake hers.

"I know this looks really bad, but I have no ulterior motives with Christopher, we're just old buddies from highschool," she said while giving him a knowing look as he turned his head away.

"Anyways," Fiona continued, "I'll be on my way now. And Christopher, when you make your decision, call my office. And it was lovely meeting you Esmerelda."

Fiona waltzed out of the office, shutting the door as Christopher turned to me.

"Gosh she's annoying as fuck. Im really sorry Esme, she somehow got into my office without me knowing about it. I'll make sure my receptionist is more careful with who she sends up, and Esme I would never betray you."

I sighed in relief, "okay good, because I don't ever know what I'd do if I ever found out you lied to me about something like that."

Chris suddenly had a look of guilt on his face but quickly went back to his normal self as he pecked me on the cheek.

"And you know, the whole time Fiona was showing me her lingerie line, I couldn't help thinking about how perfect you'd look in them."

"Ugh, you're such a pervert Chris," I said as I playfully pushed his arm.

We hung out for a while until I decided to head back to the penthouse.

"Wait baby, you don't wanna stay longer? I promise I'll be done in an hour or so. I don't like you going out when it's dark."

Recently, Christopher had been super protective. At first I thought it was the regular protectiveness since I was his girlfriend after all. But then it started to irritate me a little. He wouldn't let me go out to pickup DoorDash and had a doorman bring it up, which he knew I hated. He wouldn't let me go alone to the store the other day. And although the penthouse already has top security, he hired 2 additional doormen and a bodyguard that I swear has been following me around.

"Christopher, I have a taser and mace in my purse, I'm going to be fine," I said as I rolled my eyes.

Christopher sighed deeply, "okay, please be safe driving home, okay baby?

"Of course." I gave him a quick kiss as I turned and left his office. I quickly made my way to the parking garage.

I hummed a song stuck in my head as I walked towards my car when I saw a dark black vehicle. I had been seeing that car a lot lately and knew it was the bodyguard Chris secretly hired for me.

I got into my car, started it and started to back up from my parking spot when all of a sudden the vehicle hit my car.

"What the fuck!!" I screamed out as the airbags in my car deployed. What kind of bodyguard was that guy? Instead of protecting me he was trying to kill me!

I tried to get out and then felt a sharp pain in my upper thigh.

"Shit!" I called out in pain as I managed to open the car door and fell to the ground. I fell out headfirst and coupled with the pain in my legs I could feel my head throbbing as I slowly....lost....consciousness...

And then it went black.