The Lying Game

16.

W I L L I A M

With the meeting over, I am more than ready to leave the office. Phoenix organizes all his paperwork but I can feel him glancing at me.

"What Phoenix?" I turn around slightly agitated.

Phoenix's head nods to my right hand. "Nice flowers, who are they for?"

"Uh-Emani actually." I wanted to reciprocate the kindness with all that's she done.

Phoenix eyes widen and he sneaks a look at Sarah, who was still in the room. "Ah yes, the good ole apology flowers. I hope she likes them."

"Me too." I don't know what her favorite flowers are so I got all of them. I grab my coat and other belongings. "Well, goodnight everyone."

I walk to the elevator somewhat anxious to get home and see her face when she gets the flowers. A hand sticks out in between the elevator. By the painted nails and perfume already stuffing up my nostrils I know who it is.

Oh god, not now.

The elevator doors re-open. Sarah smiles at me as she enters inside and the doors close again. I rub my temples, all I want is to go home.

I hear Sarah's intake of breath and I internally groan. "Oh babe, I think I left my books at your house can I ride with you to go get them?"

"I'll just give them to you tomorrow."

"No, I need them to study for tonight." I just nod my head and the elevator doors open. My car is brought to me as I get outside. Sarah takes her place in the passenger seat.

"Do you mind holding these please? I don't want them to get ruined." I place the flowers on her lap and the smile disappears from her face. When I arrive I see three cars parked in front of my house. I check my phone to see if Emani texted me about her inviting someone. I have no new messages on my phone.

"Were you expecting someone?" Sarah asks looking at the car as well. I see the Bugatti logo on the car which sparks my interest even more.

I get to the front door and my hands go into an empty pocket where my keys should be.

"Shit," I mumble, remembering I left my keys on the office desk. "We have to go around." Sarah follows me around the house to the back. I look for the special rock that has the keys on it. I find it and unlock the door. Sarah passes me back the flowers as we enter through the garage.

"Emani" I yell out. We walk through the living room and enter the kitchen. I hear Emani's laughter. I grin and hold the flowers in front of me. I turn into the kitchen and see a tall African-American man in a tailored suit. My eyes land on his loose tie and a wrinkled shirt that isn't fully buttoned. Emani's back is to me and she's in nothing but a silk robe. They peck each other on the lips and he leaves. Emani smiles and turns around, her body does a little jump at the sight of me.

"What the hell!" I slam the flowers on the marble counter.

♠️♠️♠️♠️

E M A N I

Seeing William caught me by surprise but my body relaxes at the sight of him. I tighten my robe tighter.

"Oh hey, William and Sarah." I look at the flowers. "Nice flowers who are they for?"

William blinks rapidly. "They were for you." He finally says after a long stretch of silence.

"Really?" I smell the bouquet. "What do you mean they were for me?" William's head whips back and forth in between Sarah and I. His face is a mixture of shock and anger.

"Emani, who the hell was that guy?"

"That was John." I smile.

"What is he doing here?"

I furrow my eyebrows in confusion at him. "He's been coming here for the past weeks." Her eyes shift to Sarah and nods, "Sarah introduced him to me."

♠️♠️♠️♠️

W I L L I A M

"What?" I look at Sarah for answers.

Her mouth is open as she struggles to find her words. "There's a service I found out about a while ago for people in situations like these."

"William, why are you mad I thought you knew?" She asks while placing a hand on her hip.

"I'm mad because some jigaloo has been coming into my house without my knowledge or consent."

Emani crosses her arms and raises her eyebrows. "I need your consent to be seeing someone?"

I'm pushing it, I know I am but at this point, I don't care. "It's my house, my rules," I look around and point to the counter  "and I come home and there is no food prepared for me to eat. "

"What am I some maid? I am not some housewife William."

"This is a partnership and if you're living in this house then you have to contribute," I say.

She inches closer and her robe reveals hints of her cleavage. "What were you doing when I wasn't in the house?"

"I had a maid"

"Well Where is she?" She cocks her head to the side.

"I fired her before the wedding." Emani yells incoherent words.

"A woman is supposed to cook for a man." I tilt my head up even though this is all going to bite me back in the butt.

"Supposed to? Supposed to?" Emani says louder, "The more you talk the more I want to stomp my foot up your ass."

"Will, I can cook." Sarah interrupts.

"You can leave!" I shout which makes her jump. She runs off to god knows where. I turn back to Emani whose face is filled with anger.

"You're not gonna see him anymore." I declare.

Emani laughs dryly. "You know these double standards aren't cute anymore."

"Emani, I'm being serious."

"You can't control what I do Mr. Harrington." She yells in my face. When she walked away I kicked the stool. My chest tightened and my breathing became heavier. I shouldn't have been that upset, but I was. It made me look stupid that another man was in my house without my knowledge. This has all been happening for weeks right under my nose.I finally calm down and pick the stool back up. I put the flowers I bought in a vase, water it and place it in the center of the small kitchen table. I click my tongue while looking at the flowers, this woman is gonna drive me insane.