Chapter 3

• ADIR’s POV.
• I chug down the entire glass of scotch as my assistant continues blabbing on about something I have no interest in aside from the lady I met a few hours ago. Her innocent looking eyes, her smile, her cute baby and what more? Evanthe Festilio, it’s actually been a minute.
• “Can you listen to me? Alexander’s voice jolts me out of my train of thoughts.
• “What are you talking about?” I ask him, “Can you let me think in peace?”
• “You still haven’t told me why you agreed to it, boss. We have thousands under you yet you chose to…
• “It’s like you have a lot of free time on your hands” I cut him off, “I am going to give you some work. Here” I pick up a document and hand it over to him, “I want everything about him on my table before I get to the office. Failure to do that and I will make sure regret it for the rest of your life”
• “You only threaten me when you want me to get things done fast!” Alexander says, rolling his eyes. I have known him for close to five years and even though he is very hardworking, he is also one of the most annoying people that I know. Many times, I have wanted to rip his head off his body but I haven’t , just yet. I watch him pick up the file and skim through it, a look of confusion flashes through his face.
• “This man, he is running for office now. Why do you want to find out about him?”
• “Are you going to ask again?”
• “Of course not, boss, I am on it”
• With that, he disappears out of the office while my mind drifts off to a certain someone.
• She really is beautiful, more than I ever could imagine. Much more curvier and a good sense of judgment. Who would have thought but well, it’s all good. My phone chimes with a message and when I see it is from her, my lips tilt into a tiny smile.
• “Thank you for today, I really appreciate it but can I stress you a little? Can you come to dinner with me? I will feel more assured with you there”
• Hmmm, interesting. Now she wanted her bodyguard to go with her? The smirk on my lips intensifies as I quickly type in a response.
• “Sure, I will come pick you up” I click send and a few seconds later, her messages pops up again.
• “Sure, I will be waiting by seven”
• “Seven, it is then”
• After I send the message, I drop the phone on the table and lean back against my reclining chair. This is going to be very fun and I can’t wait to enjoy every step of it.
• *****
• My Maybach pulls up in front of her and I see how a look of bewilderment spreads across her face. I climb out of the car and make my way towards her. She is dressed in a black sequined gown that clings to her hourglass figure perfectly, her hair is pulled into a neat ponytail and she has a little makeup on her face…one word, stunning and I know she knows it.
• “A Maybach?” Her voice floats across to me, “you had an Aston martini in the morning and now you have a Maybach. Tell me, Mr bodyguard, what else do I need to know about you?”
• “You know everything already” I tell her as I lean against the car, “you looks stunning”
• Her lips part for a brief moment before turning into a smile”
• “Thank you and you clean up well to”
• I am dressed in a custom made Armani suit but that’s for me to know and for her to find out.
• “Thank you ma’am, we should get going now”
• “Of course”
• I open the car door for her but she doesn’t move an inch, rather a confused look forms on her face.
• “Aren’t you getting in?”
• “I sat in the front seat in the morning and now you will give me the back?”
• “Yeah” I shrug, “we were getting to know each other in the morning, now you are my boss and I am your bodyguard. I should look the part”
• “But..
• “Get in the car, Evanthe” I cut her off as my eyes travel towards her back. I can see her father standing behind the curtains. That old man doesn't like me and I don’t like him either.
• “Well; we will definitely talk about this later”
• She slips in the back seat and in a few seconds, the Maybach zooms off the premises. For a few minutes, none of us say anything to each other. She is busy on her phone while I keep stealing glances at her through the mirror. She has a slight frown on her face.
• “A dollar for your thoughts?” I ask her, “why do you look so upset”
• “The CEO of X-gaming announced a press conference in the morning. I have a feeling this has to do with the company”
• “That’s why you need to make an impression tonight or you might end up losing everything”
• “But he promised me I was getting the deal. Even the other companies involved had to take a bow and now… what the hell is going on?
• “Relax, talk to him first”
• “I just hope this is some kind of joke”
• She continues pressing her phone again while I focus my attention on the road. If she wants to impress that old man, she needs all the luck she can get.
• Half an hour later, I pull up in front of the building and she hastily alights, not waiting for me to open the door for her…eager much.
• “Do you need me to wait here or..
• “Please, come with me, Adir” she suggests, “you know him, maybe your presence will be a bonus point for me”
• “Are you sure? I don’t think…
• “Just come on, Adir!” Confidence, I like that.
• “Fine”
• I take the gift bag from her and we both make our way into the house. The housekeeper leads us towards the sitting room where the old man and his grandson are both seated. His face lights up the moment he sees us.
• “Adir, my boy” the smile on his face intensifies, “I didn’t know you were acquainted with Miss Festilio here”
• “Adir is my bodyguard” Evanthe responds, “I told him to come with me”
• “I see” the smile on the man’s face widens, “he is a good lad”
• “Here” I hand him the bag, “ma’am brought this for you”
• He collects it and opens it, a small frown forms on his face but he quickly masks it up.
• “I am sure you told the lady, Adir”
• “I had to impress you somehow” Evanthe butt in, “I want to know why you called off the deal, sir”
• “Did you come here because of that?” He asks, “your father said you were coming for dinner”
• “You and I know I am not only here for dinner, Mr Smith. I want to know why you called off the deal when we have already made necessary announcements. You made me look like a fool in front of the press this morning, I didn’t even know what to say”
• The old man leans against the chief, his attention to me. A smirk is lingering on his face, “An old acquaintance called in for a favor and I had to respond. I am sorry Miss Evanthe, but my mind is already made up. The deal will go to someone else”
• “Who is this acquaintance?” She sounds persistent and I love it, I love the fact that she has the zeal to want this deal.
• “I want to meet him. Does he even know anything about gaming? You can’t just go back on your word after everything you have assured me about sir”
• “I think we should have dinner now” his grandson speaks up for the first time, his gaze has not left Evanthe since we got in here. I can admit that he is awestruck by her, I mean she is an epitome of everything beautiful.
• “Yes” the old man chips in, “the food will get cold”
• “Are you perhaps taking revenge on me?” Her question startles everyone , including myself. What does she mean by that?
• “Are you still upset that you lost the acquisition of Vortex gaming to me? This is a business, Mr Smith and you must always be ready to lose or gain. I didn’t think you were this petty”
• “Evanthe!” His grandson calls her. “Mind your language”
• “It’s okay” the old man cuts him off, “she is her father’s daughter after all. But like I said Evanthe, you are like a daughter to me but I had to do an old friend a favor. I hope you understand”
• “But you..,
• I immediately grab a hold of her hand, she has said enough and I know Mr Smith too well. No matter what she says, he will not be giving her the deal. She looks broken and shattered. I see the way her father spoke to her on the phone earlier and I know how much she wants to prove him wrong, this is just not the time.
• “Well, thank you for the beans sprout, I will make sure to let your father know you tried hard so he won’t tend you as incompetent”
• Her grip on my hand tightens but Evanthe doesn’t say anything, she just keeps looking at the old man.
• “You should have dinner before you leave” he says again before pulling his body off the couch, “it would be a waste if you didn’t” after that, he starts to walk away but stops and turns to me, a smile returns to his face,
• “Stop by for some coffee later, my boy. I haven’t seen you in forever”
• “Sure”
• Then he walks away, leaving the three of us.
• “Evanthe….” Anton tries to talk but she beats him to it.
• “You don’t have to say anything, I understand. Adir, let’s go”
• Without waiting for my response, she turns around and makes her way out of the room leaving me and Anton.
• “I didn’t know you were her bodyguard” he says, his voice laced with sarcasm, “neither did I know you were such a pussy”
• Scoffing, I turn around and walk away. Anton and I share a complicated relationship but all the same, he is someone I can call a friend, partly.
• She is leaning against the car when I step out and she looks so upset, more angry and her eyes are brimming with tears. This is not how she perceived the night would end but then again, that old man does not fold.
• “I will take you home” this seems like the most logical thing to say.
• “You know him Adir, help me”
• Okay, now I was not expecting this, she is asking for my help in such a way.
• “Now you are going to bring your bodyguard into this?”
• “You and I know you are not an ordinary bodyguard, Adir” she scoffs leaning forward, “that man cares about you, I want you to use that to get me the deal. I am going to pay you triple the amount we already agreed on”
• “You think money is my problem!”
• “What?” A look of confusion and desperation flashes through her face but instead I scoff and pull open the car door.
• “Get in the car, Evanthe”