You Come First

Chapter 5: A Busy Week

Mercedes walks out of her house and heads to her car but is stopped by a bulky man dress in all black. Looking at him curiously she asks, "Can I help you, Sir?"

"Good Afternoon Ms. Johnson, I am Levi. I was hired by Mr. Rossi to be your bodyguard," says the man.

Mercedes mouth open and close as she looks at the man before asking in a serious tone, "You are kidding right?"

Levi shakes his head no, then opens the car door for her to get in. Looking at him she walks toward him and says, "Take me to Roman because I am positive I do not need a babysitter."

They arrive twenty minutes later at Rossi's Company but before Mercedes can get out, Roman jumps into the car next to her. They stare at each other for a while before Mercedes speak.

"Explain!" she says as she crosses her arm.

"Explain what?" You are going to be my Wife, I must make sure that you are protected at all cost, Roman says as he smiles at her.

Huffing, she closes her eyes then opens them as she says to him, "I think it is very considerate of you but I have a private life that is filled with personal secrets. So if you don't mind, can you please assign Levi to another person?"

Roman looks at Mercedes with a spark in his eyes before he says to her, "I know about Benz, so you do not have to hide it from me nor Levi because he knows too. Do not worry, he has signed a confidentiality contract, so your identity is safe."

Sitting up she asks him, "Who told you that? Was it Ethan? I am so going to kill him! We had a deal that nobody was supposed to know the truth about my secret identity."

Laughing at Mercedes as she rants on and on, he leans over and puts his finger on her lips. Then he says to her, "Ethan did not tell me about Benz, I actually saw you transform one day when he dropped you off. I was following him to see what he was up to because I was suspicious of him always going to the hospital at a certain time."

"Is that how you found out about me being your Donor?" She asks in a soft tone.

Nodding he says, "Yes! That is how I found out about you being my Donor. One of my mother's friends saw him at the Hospital and became worried so she alerted her. My mother told my father who told me, so we decided to investigate and saw him pick Benz up and take her to the Hospital. But the funny thing is that instead of Benz coming out of the car, you did. We went inside and ask, well actually threaten the Doctor and that is when he told us about you being the Donor and that you were there for a checkup."

Cringing, Mercedes looks out the car window and says, "I never thought you would find out who I am that way. I have been Benz for a really long time and since nobody take notice of me, I guess I never had to worry about my secret being out."

"Why?" He asks vaguely.

"Why what?" she asks him turning her head slightly to the side as she looks at him.

"Why not let the world know who you really are. You started this alter-personality on your own becoming successful. Not to mention the businesses you own along with your educational background of attending Harvard at such a young age. Why not flaunt it?" Roman asks.

"Because if I do, then leeches like my family will suck up to me, and if I try to ignore them they will ruin my reputation," she answers Roman.

Roman looks at her with a frown on his face as he thinks. He knows what she says is the truth because if it wasn't for her giving Ethan a recording of Tobias and Madison plotting to ruin the Rossi's name, his family would have lost great Associate's. 

Smiling to himself, his thoughts went to the day when Mr. Smith came to them asking them to forgive his daughter. Right then and there his father rejected them because he knew that they were conniving and evil.

It has been a hectic week for Mercedes as she is drag from store to store by her mother, Clarissa, Veronica, and Ciara. They are getting things ready for her Wedding that takes place next week and is still looking for the perfect dress.

"I actually have an idea that I would like to run by you ladies if you do not mind," Mercedes says.

"Go ahead sweetie," her mother says eagerly.

"I am deciding to reveal who I really am on my Wedding day. Meaning after that I will be known as Mercedes "Benz" Johnson Rossi," she says as she bites her bottom lip.

Everyone becomes quiet as they look at her and Ciara gets up and asks, "Are you sure you want to do this Merc?"

"I agree with Ciara darling, make sure this is really what you want because after you reveal this, everyone is going to be digging into your personal life as well as comparing you to your sister who is not really making the best headlines these days," says Veronica.

Smiling at them she says, "I have thought about it and it is time I show everyone the real me, after all, I am a grown woman who is about to be off the market. Add on the fact that I am going to be Roman's wife which makes me an easy target for reporters wanting a scope in my life, so why not show them the real me."

Everyone smile in the room as they listen to Mercedes speak. Clarissa gets up, holds her hands and asks her, "How did we miss this mature young woman that is in front of us? How did we not see the immaculate girl that stands before us?"

"Because instead of getting to know her, we disregarded her for rumors that pass through our ears causing us to paint a dirty portrait of her. And for that we apologize," says Veronica with tears in her eyes.

As the week went by, Mercedes busied herself with her career, planning a wedding and spending time with her soon to be family.