Chapter 12: Chapter 12

GILDED IN HIS CAGE

"Exclusive Nude Edition!!?", I gasped.

"Leilani, you should calm down, I am talking about going global, you wouldn't be naked, No. It's your first time doing something like this, but just incase Miss Brooke would show you how it's done.

You are not doing porn show, No, this is a modelling agency, but this should also be a once in a lifetime opportunity...., I won't want to persuade you further, but I would tell you the pay you would be getting from this company per shoot", the manager turned to look at the other personnels who were seated on the table, wanting a go ahead before he tells me the pay.

When he was sure that they had agreed to his decision, they nodded their head in agreement.

"$100,000 per shoot, if the company should request more of your shots, like ten, you should be getting $1,000,000... I won't persuade you, but please think about it. The photoshoot would commence from next week Monday, today is Wednesday, so by Friday we would be expecting a reply from you, more of a positive response.

We have searched through and you are the best for it, please just think through, but if it would be too much for you could just disagree, okay?", he said to me.

I answered him with a smile, I was going to think about it, the money also, is a very good deal too.

QATAR

"Yes of course!!, that's no concern of mine, you should do as I say and stop questioning my orders", Rashid glared at his personal assistant, before she quickly strode out of the office.

She was terrified of him, since the last two years, he seldomly smiles, all mean with a serious face. Within few minutes she was back in his office, with the list of files he ordered her to bring to him.

"S..sir, h-here are t-the files", Tiffany stammered before handing over the files to him. Rashid glared at her murderously, his eyes all red, before snatching the files from her.

"Have you gotten a feedback from them?", he queried, his gaze not leaving the documents in his hands for once.

"E-er-er-eeerm, according to the informant from the agency, they are still trying to select the best person who would promote the new brand, although apart from that....

"Stop", he banged his fist furiously on the table, before looking up at her.

"Is that what I told you to do?", he questioned, his tone so icy.

"S-si-sir, I'm sorry sir, but I have been keeping in touch with them, they said they would get back to us on Friday latest, then the photoshoot would be by Monday", she blurted.

"I don't care about the photoshoot, just make sure nothing goes down, you are going to make sure the international celebrities are well taken care of and the fashion designers too.

The photos and the new brand should be out by Tuesday, failure to do so, you would be fired", he threw at her, stood up and walked out of the Office.

Tiffany felt her heart beating so fast, she really needed to get back to work immediately, Rashid had never threatened her of firing her, but now she could not tell if he was joking or serious, but one thing she was sure of is that......

"Are you still here?", he thundered, she hadn't even noticed when he walked back into the Office, she had been lost in a daze little world of hers.

She took the documents from his table with shaky hands and immediately scurried out of his office, making sure she doesn't bang into him.

She almost sighed when she was out of his Office, but suddenly remembered how easy it is for her boss, Rashid to hear things. She quickly shut her mouth and walked to her corner.

The Novato Fashion House was going to promote their new lingerie, it was a well known clothing line, which didn't only expertise in men's wear and female wears, but also baby wears, summer clothes, bikinis, beach wears, and the naughtiest and flimsiest lingeries. They were just going to promote a new lingerie of theirs which was presently designed and made by their exclusive designers.

Rashid paced around in his office, he was furious that some of the modelling agencies he had called to offer some endorsement deals with haven't gotten back to him, since the last two years, he has been so impatient with people, wanting everything to be done his way. His work was just to makes sure that the endorsement works positively and perfectly ending with a fine taste, which would not just please him, but the customers.

His gaze went to the three tiny fishes which were in a small glass vase filled with water. He walked to it and crouched to his table level and peered inside, Janelle had requested for it when they had gone on a vacation to Athens, she had treated them like her babies, and that was the only thing left of hers in his house, apart from the dresses he had personally bought for her and the wedding ring, which he had worn on her fingers when he proposed.

A very sad reminder.

~~~~~~~

I sat tumbled up in between my sheets, my hair was in disarray, infact I don't even think I would be able to look at myself in the mirror, I was a very bad mess. I looked at the phone stand, the thought of Hayden and Hayley, my little cute babies, who always reminded me of Rashid, made me smile, no, not because of Rashid, but because of the fact that I would hear their voice and also see them again.

Don't get me wrong, I love them so much, but I just know I have to do something so they could have a brighter future, I can't keep relying on my elder cousin, Renee. Even though I know she would have helped me through, but I was also pushed through because of the love I had for my career.

I grabbed my iPad from the phone stand, clucked on Renee's number, there was no need to search through, since I had already saved it among my favorites, which were just three in number, Silas, Renee and yeah...., I don't want to admit it, I hate to admit it, but the last one is Rashid.

I video called them, and the screen immediately came alive with loud laughters and shrieks, I already knew that the shriek would be coming from Hayden, he was the cry cry baby, just like me, while Hayley was just like her Dad. Fuck that!!!. They are mine, I screamed in my head.

"Hey booboo", I called, while a deep smile lined out my face, I wasn't going to start getting wrinkles at this age, while I'm just twenty four.

Renee waved at me from the phone, "Hayley took his cake", she laughed.

"Hayley, why would you do that", I gaped at her, she was becoming naughtier than I had imagined, and very stubborn. Silas!!.

"He's spoiling them again!!", I yelled at Renee.

"It's just for today, he promised and after all, they won't have tooth ache, they are having enough fruits and vitamins....., I promise", Renee raised her both hands up in a mockery surrender, as she pecked Hayley on the both sides of her cheeks. Just when she was about to remove her lips from Hayley's cheek, the little girl swerved her head towards Renee's lips and kissed her lips.

"Yulk", I frowned my face in total disgust. Just like her dad, she's a pervert. Don't mind me, but that was so Rashid.

"She got some little piece of cake in her mouth!!!", I screamed at Renee, who didn't look like her was bothered at all.

"You fool!!", she glared at me.

"Where's Hayden?", I suddenly asked, not seeing Hayden anywhere near the camera.

"I got to take him to bed, he slept off immediately, will hang up now, call you once I have tucked him in bed", she said before the face call ended.

"Hayley's left, she's with Silas, she loves the man more than me, always clinging onto him, I'm afraid she would snatch my man from me", she began laughing, while I glared at her.

"Are you indirectly letting me consider if she should have a sugar daddy already?", I arched a brow at her, finding what she just said so funny.

Also, just like her dad, she was so clingy. My mind went back to when we both went on a vacay to Athens, I had for once thought of telling the receptionist in the hotel about making another room for me, but she had totally ignored me, and that was when I found out that like other clubs we had gone to which he owns, he also owned the hotel.

I was amazed, like how many more does this dude have, no wonder he had so many security men following him around.

"You still think of him, right?", she questioned, there was no need of answering her, because she already knew the answer and even if I should lie, she would definitely know I was trying to cover up.

"You need to be strong, very strong, not just for you, but for the kids....., don't get me wrong, I ain't telling you to stop thinking of him....", she cooed softly.

"You mean the mother fucker!!", I bawled, I was trying to be strong, I was trying hard to shut my heart against the man I loved, ever loved, and Goddammit, I still love.

"Renee, I need to tell you something", I said.

"Wait.... there's something you might want to know.. it's about.....", Renee paused.

"Why are you hesitating?, Is something wrong?, Is it about the kids?", I said, as my throat felt like it was clogged up.

"No it's nothing about the kids, they are very much healthy..., it's about...", she paused again, it must be something so alarming, for her to keep stopping at intervals. As much as I was eager to hear it, I was also very much afraid of what she was going to say.

"Speak, you are making me scared", really, she was making me scared, I was afraid that maybe, just maybe, Rashid finally found out about us, I didn't want to think about that at all. I felt a heavy weight of nausea hitting at me.

"The flowers......, since you left they stopped coming", she dropped the bombshell.