Chapter 16: Chapter 16



Charles POV

I woke up with a splitting headache as the events of last night came crashing down on me.

Robert, the slap, Annabelle, the bar, the elevator, the kiss, she ran!

And then I also remembered:

Meg and her game of seduction. I had indulged her by playing her game and winning. Oh, it felt so good to see the look on her face when I dumped her in the corridor without a backward glance.

Ouch! That had to have hurt.

Although I always believed I was strong-willed enough to say no to any form of seduction. I also knew the reason I was able to overcome meg was because I was hooked on Annabelle.

Yeah. What a single-minded and selfish way to live. I know, and I wasn't going to apologize for what I was and who I was. I had always dealt with my issues the best way I could. I wasn't the loving type, the type to have a pickled fence with flowers and a duplex. All in the guise of raising a perfect family. Marriage was a tragedy I was never going to enter. Never!

Most of the habits and unusual traits I had was actually developed when I was a little boy. Which was the perfect age if you had a mentor like mine.

And she was perfect wasn't she?

"Well, I don't know! Just leave me the hell alone!" I yelled, Shouting at the poor innocent ceiling. If that wasn't a clear sign of madness, I couldn't fathom what was.

I didn't want to think about my past. I only wanted to think about Annabelle. She was a good distraction from the fact that I hadn't heard from British Invest.

I had done some research on Robert last night and came up short. I didn't get any information that could prove he was up to no good. But my guts never failed me. I would just have to use less mundane methods to get the information I needed.

I picked myself up from the bed and began my day using the checklist I had created earlier. I freshened up, called the restaurant to reserve a table for two and sent a bunch of beautiful flowers and a bottle of red wine to Annabelle's room. Along with a note apologizing for yesterday and promising to be a gentleman from now on.

When that was done, I decided to go pick her up for breakfast myself as we planned yesterday. I was sure that after the kiss we shared yesterday, and my romantic gesture today, she would be head over heels with me.

On reaching her door, I knocked and it immediately opened, but Annabelle wasn't dressed. She just stared back at me like she was having a bad morning.

"Yes? What do you want?" She grounded out, with her voice sounding clipped, but I didn't let that determine my expression.

"Hello Anna, don't tell me you are still pissed about last night kiss. I am so sorry. Did you get my gifts?"

She studied me for a moment. her expression unreadable. "I heard you loud and clear when your gifts arrived at my doorstep this morning. So, I'll ask again, what do you want?"

Wow! She definitely wasn't going to make this easy for me.

"Okay, I was thinking we could have that breakfast you owe me together at the restaurant. I want to properly make amends for being so indecent last night."

"I can't. I have an appointment this morning. I'll pass." With that, she slammed the door to my face.

Damn!

That was harsh. Too harsh for my crime. I began to wonder if she was just angry about the kiss or if it was something else entirely. But what could it be? We had concluded that we were going to have breakfast this morning. What could I have done to make her so pissed at me that she could completely shot me off?

Are you sure she didn't catch you and meg making out in the corridor?

No! That wasn't likely, if someone was in the corridor last night I would have noticed right?

Noticed indeed. Your mouth and hands were busy, and your head was occupied with the thought of refusing. so which sixth sense did you use moron!

My tummy rumbled and groaned loudly. Indicating that it needed food. There wasn't much I could do right now, so I decided to go eat the breakfast I had reserved for Annabelle and me. I was sure that if I could get enough food into my system, I could think probably about the next step to take concerning Annabelle.

I walked out of the elevator and into the lobby. Glancing at the counter, I noticed that the second receptionist that had lied about Vivian was on duty. What was her name?

I didn't know.

She saw me as I approached her desk and rolled her eyes. You lying bitch.

"Good morning." I raped.

"Morning sir." She replied, lowering her eyes to her computer in a bid to avoid mine.

"Why the hell did you lie to me yesterday?"

Her eyes immediately shot up to mine. The look on her face showed confusion. she almost looked believable. I was about to berate her further when someone cleared their throat behind me. the look on her face made me turn to see who it was.

It was Vivian.

Why on earth did the receptionist look so scared when she saw her? I looked to her breast pocket to see if her badge could tell me what position she held in the hotel. But to my surprise, she had no badge. My eyes raised in suspicion.

"I saw you yesterday at the restaurant and you were dressed like a maid," I said to her when it was clear she wasn't going to speak.

She chuckled.

This lady had something else going on with her. First, she was a receptionist with a family tattoo on her wrist, then she was a maid having breakfast with a client. There was more to it and I didn't like not knowing, I didn't like it at all.

"Looks can be deceiving Mr--?" She looked at me expectantly.

"Charles," I replied. Don't you remember me, Vivian?"

"Vivian? Who the fuck is Vivian Mr Charles?" She asked, eyebrows raised.

"I thought your name was-" Turning to the receptionist the sneered, "You lying bitch-"

"You do know there is a strict rule against clients terrorizing our staff right?" She asked, ever so calmly.

"There is? Is there a strict rule against staff misleading clients?" I fired back.

"Yes, there is." She confirmed, looking between me and the receptionist.

"Where?"  I inquired.

"On the booking manual given to you when you arrived. On our online booking page. In your room. On your bedside table. Practically everywhere." Raising an eyebrow knowingly she sneered, "Should I go on?"

"Who's asking?" I inquired.

"Amy, and no, I'm not a maid or a receptionist."

"So who the hell are you?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

What the fuck? Who was this woman? I wanted to further pursue the matter, but then an idea popped into my head. I was going to find out who she was. My way.

Purposely switching to my professional demeanour, I faced the receptionist. "What table was reserved for me please?"

Finally looking up from her computer she answered, "We reserved table 8 for you, sir. Just go into the restaurant and you'll be directed." Her voice sounded meek, but traces of fear was embedded within her tone.

Turning to Amy I said, "Okay Ms Amy. This was an interesting meeting. Hope to sit down with you on a glass of wine someday."

Amy's lips turned up in a sinister smirk.

"You wish." She replied, and turned her face away from me. that was it. She was done with our conversion.

She turned her attention to the receptionist who looked like she was about to get a lashing.

I turned my attention away from them and moved to the restaurant. A waiter came towards me and asked, "Do you have a reservation, sir?"

"Yeah," I answered briskly, "Table 8. Charles Harrell."

"No problem sir. This way," He said, guiding me to my table. I hadn't even sat down yet when I caught a glimpse of Annabelle coming into the restaurant with a man. She was wearing a sexy green dress with high plums and she looked ravishing. But that wasn't the worst part. She was in the arms of Robert.

My blood caught fire.

On her way to her table our eyes met. She held mine for a moment.

Hell!

Why was she doing this? The look she gave me was unreadable. It took everything, every strength I had to stop me from matching over to their table and causing a scene.

A waiter appeared before me, conveniently blocking my line of sight to Annabelle. I looked at him with venom, my eyes searching for his name tag.

"James".

He was looking at me expectantly. Patiently waiting for me to sit down and place my order. I wanted to lash out at him, but I picked up the menu from the table instead and sat down. I was looking at the menu but I wasn't seeing anything. My mind was in a state of temporary confusion.

Damn Annabelle!

"Sir, I would recommend you try the African sandwich. You'd enjoy it." James' voice came breaking through the fog in my brain.

I looked up at him and he smiled back at me. He somehow understood I wasn't concentrating and decided to save us both time by placing a suggestion. I was going to thank him later for his quick thinking with a tip.

"Thank you, James, I'll be having that with a cup of coffee, "I replied, sending him a smile.

He reciprocated, in a very professional way. "How do you like your coffee sir?"

"Black with two cubes of sugar." I said, my eyes trying to meet with Annabelle's."

"On it sir. Will be back in a jiffy." He left, and I turned to find that Annabelle and Robert had left. It seems like they changed their mind about breakfast after all. I had not finished comprehending that when I felt my phone ping. I picked. It was Chang from British invest.

"I am so sorry Charles, but we couldn't invest in your company. We have other investment company we could recommend--"

Ding.

I dropped the call. I didn't want to hear any more cock and bull stories. Could this day get any worse?

Dammit!

I stood up just as my breakfast arrived. James looked at me with a puzzled look.

"Is everything alright sir?" He asked as he set my food on the table.

"No James, I am leaving, but here is a tip for your good service," I said, dropping some notes on the table beside my plate of food.

I was about to leave, but the feeling of James' hands on my arms stilled me. His voice came to me in a whisper.

"Sir, I know what you've to do might be important, but you truly can't do it well without food in your belly. So please just take a bite for the road. It won't hurt."

The way he spoke to me was intriguing, like an old friend. I looked at him for a minute, then succumbed. I sat back down and dug in.

A small smile played on James' lips as he asked, "Wouldn't you like me to take a message for you? Probably to the young lady in green that came in earlier. You know, a document of some kind?"

Wow!

This guy was observant. I guess it came with the job. There was something about him though. He didn't look like someone fit for a restaurant. But well, life happens.

"Yeah, I wouldn't mind you taking a message," Standing up from my chair, I picked out a card from my back pocket and handed it to him. Then I added some extra naira bills on the table and said, "For your stress. Thank you, James."

With that said, I left the restaurant.