Published: Oct. 4, 2019---Sept. 30, 2020

"Are you kidding, Mr. Steele?" Nicole asked after a minute of silence, and Mark is already driving the car to the former's place.

"No, I was not unless your friend met him with another guy."

Nicole turned to her immediately with questioning eyes, which made her explained. "He never saw me with another one. It was only with you when we were in front of the elevator."

"You said this morning you live in the basement. So how come the three of you run into each other in the elevator?"

"Did she tell you she lives in the basement?" Jared asked with amusement in his voice.

"Yes...No she didn't... it was me who assumed she live there," Nicole answered more to herself than to Jared.

"Because you're speculating too much, Nicole, when it's just simple," Mark interrupted.

"What is the reason for you to say that?"

"Mr. Steele can meet your friend in the lobby while he is waiting for the elevator to open. As his assistant secretary, if they meet, they will surely talk. Louis only put a different meaning to it," Mark explained in a no-nonsense attitude.

"Yeah, you are right. Maybe I was overthinking," Nicole admitted after a thought.

Mark parked the car in front of the building he was directed by Nicole to stop, but before she went out of the door, Jared said something that gave all of them a reason to ponder.

"Nicole, if I court your friend, will it be okay with you?"

"I...Is that for real Mr. Steele?" Nicole stammered as she asked while looking at her, who is rendered speechless by his question.

"Yes, it is."

"If you're sincere, who am I to stop you?" Nicole answered after a while and then squeezed her hands before going out of the door opened by Mark.

She wanted to ask Jared about his reason in asking her friend's opinion, but the place is inappropriate.

She did it when they are in their bed while he settles beside her. She turned to look at him before asking. "What is your reason for letting Nicole know you're courting me? I thought you wanted everything about us to be in secret."

He raised her chin to look in her eyes before he answers." She is your close friend here. I know you girls like to talk about men and tell each other's confidential matters. Don't you want it? I am helping you lessen the burden of your secrets?"

"As if it will," she answered to herself but pouted at him.

Her action had invited him for a kiss, his lips touch hers briefly before pulling her closer to him.

"I am sorry, I was stubborn before. I never thought a day would come when I would like to be with a woman forced on me. If I did, you would not go through this complicated life." In a soft voice, he told her.

There was a brief silence afterward. A time for Katelyn's brain to process the words he uttered, but the way he caressed her hair and the warmth of his body distracted her mind. It almost made her snuggle closer in his arms and sleep comfortably.

He kissed her hair before he continues to speak, making her brain get back to its alertness.

"There are things that I need to clear first, and once I have done it, everything will be in its place. But for the time being, can you trust me, Tori?" he whispered in her ear.

What else can she do but nod her head?

Then it dawned in her that Jared said sorry. As far as she knows, a man like him will never admit he made a mistake.

"Jared did you just said sorry to me?" she asked while getting out of his embrace.

"No, I did not. I only said for you to trust me."

Mischievousness is heard in his voice as he answered.

With her head supported with an arm, she looked at him lying on his back as if assessing him. After a minute or so of no words coming out from his mouth, she said. "Ah, so you are trying to deny what you had said. I cleaned my ears this morning, so I am sure it can hear clearly."

"Come on, Tori, it is time to sleep. You are not tired of all the activities that you went through? Or maybe because you met that guy, what is his name?"

"Louis."

"Yeah, that's right."

"I think you are trying to divert my mind, Mr. Steele, because you don't want to admit what you had said," Katelyn said to Jared more on teasing than accusing.

"Oh no, Mrs. Steele, maybe you went into your dreamless world for a while, and you heard me said those words."

"Tsk, Tsk...Not only am I being accused as a deaf but also a delusional person. What a sad life I have." She told him in a pitiful voice while she played with the buttons on his pajama top.

She heard him took a deep breath before he said," Mrs. Steele, are you seducing me now so I can confirm it to you?"

"Of course not," she answered.

"He thinks he is the only one who can pretend to be innocent, well...she too can."

"But how come your hands are roaming around?" he told her while he turned into his side. He then looked at her as he continues. "I will tell you; no one can seduce me easily, knowing that there is this woman I am interested in."

"Jared!" she called in frustration after being tired of his teasing her.

"Okay, okay, I am sorry, my beautiful Tori."

She kissed him on his lips before she said," okay, you know now how to say sorry."

She was going to turn her back from him when he suddenly holds her. Her wary eyes looked at him, and she saw the desire in his eyes.

"I thought no one could easily seduce you."

"Well, with your seductive pose and touch, someone responded."

"I think it's time for you to have a cold bath, or else I will tell that young lady you are interested in that a certain married woman easily entices you."

She heard his sigh of frustration while she is propping her pillow, with a smile on her face.

After a few minutes of them just listening to each other breathing while lying in bed, Jared moved to get up, but she stopped him by holding his hand.

Katelyn did not see his questioning eyes as she moved towards him and initiated a sensual kiss.

Jared was surprised by the action of his wife. This time his wife teased him. He would get up and have that much needed cold bath, but all along, she was only teasing him.

With a smug smile, he let her do all the seductions she learned from him.

He is a virile man who had been in celibate for a week, though guilty of breaking his rule not to be seduced, finally succumb to his need for her loving embrace.

They woke up at nine in the morning. As it is Sunday, a day for them to stay with Meme, but they could not do so. They just called her to make it on the other weekend.

The next working days were busy for everyone in the company, especially for Katelyn and Michelle, due to the quarterly board meeting, which will be on Wednesday. Even though they had prepared everything since last week, they still do the document's rechecking and made sure the boardroom is ready to receive the board directors.

After the day the meeting was done, though tired from all the preparation, they were still happy. It is because the newly acquired companies, as well as the old ones, are doing well. The proposed company they want to secure has the board's approval, and there was also the discussion of the annual company anniversary activities.

Like what had Michelle told her, every end of the board meeting, the assistant secretaries were given monetary incentives as well as a day off, so today, Michelle took her. She will take hers on the next Friday. It's a reasonable time for her, too, because earlier today, Lizzy called to invite her to attend the Jewelry show of S&B for their newest collections on the same day. So she has time to prepare herself before the show.

This time she will prepare herself befitting a wife of a successful CEO. Though she is not sure about Jared's exact reason for courtship, one thing she is sure of herself, she will not allow any woman to take away her man.

These past few days, she and Jared had become closer too.

He still has time to let her feel special through their busy work schedule, even though they only do it in private. His simple gesture of tucking her hair once it gets out of the band or wiping her lips when they are eating touched her already smitten heart.

But Charlize's image came into mind because she borrowed the latter's words "She will not share her man."

Doubts creep into her head again, making her unsure of her capability to guard her man, especially if the woman is as determined as his ex.

Because of it, part of her becomes uncertain of her decision to attend such an occasion. Charlize and her place will become smaller by her presence in the latter's world.

But she reasoned out to herself that if she always hides from someone who threatens her peaceful existence, it will not make her grow.

She called Nicole if she can go with her too, but this time her friend refused. Her only reason, as long as it involves Mrs. Baker's, she is not interested.

It seems like her friend was traumatized by the older woman's behavior.

But Nicole's asking her if who is around in the office put a question on her mind.

A few minutes later, she had her answers as Nicole walked inside.

She looked so determined as if going to a battle of wits and set on winning. She passed her table only to say, "Surely Mr. Steel is alone and not busy because I need to talk to him."

"Nicole, you cannot go unannounced inside. Let me call him first."

"He will let me passed this through, so stay put."

At that time, Jared's back is at the door while the curtains in his office are open. He was looking at the cars in the street while talking to his cousin, Teddy Junior.

He is asking about his order when a knock made him turned around.

The door opens without him saying to come in, and a fierce Nicole comes inside to his surprised.

He knows her to always cower in his presence. It was only last Saturday night that she had developed some bones due to her friend.

"I will call you later as I have a visitor," he told his cousin and turned off his phone.

"I'm sorry for barging in without your assistant informing you beforehand, Mr. Steele."

"It's okay, sit down, and what can I help you?" he told Nicole while he pointed out the chair in front of his table.

"Thank you, but there is no need for me to sit down. I only come here to ask you about what you had said."

"Which one do you mean?"

"The one you told us about your intention to court, Katelyn."

"Hmm..."

"Well, Mr. Steele, I know that you are my employer and my barging in your office can be a reason for you to fire me. But I want to tell you because I am concern about Katelyn after you told us of your intention to court her. She is still naive when it comes to men."

Jared almost laughed at Nicole's words, only the seriousness on her face stopped him.

He had looked at her as she spoke. Though her voice is guttural, he deciphered the sincerity on every word she uttered. It had made him realized his wife had found a good friend who cares for her welfare. She is not scared to lose her job as long as her friend is in good hands.

Without him knowing, he nods his head not because of what he heard but because he approved of this woman in front of him.

"We all know Miss Phillips is the woman who had stayed with you the longest. I don't want to say bad things about her as I only heard it from the gossips. But I hope you had made it all clear to her about the status of your relationship. I don't want to hear later on Katelyn get hurt because you get back to your old flame, or she has done something not good to my friend. Well, I only come here to say those words. Have a good day."

Before Jared can say anything, Nicole turned her back on him and walked to the door on her fastest stride, leaving him just with a gaping mouth.

Once she is out, Mark also came in with the folder on his hands and furrowed brows.

He knows his assistant is curious about what had happened but, as usual, will not ask him. Instead, Mark handed him a folder in which he begins to browse, forgetting what had just happened.

On the other hand, Katelyn saw Nicole came out of Jared's office with her hand on her chest. She stopped and took a deep breath before proceeding to stand in front of her table.

"Did Mr. Steele reprimanded you or said anything?"

Nicole looked at her first as if assessing her and once satisfied with what she saw, only then she speaks." I left before he can say anything."

"What? So what did you do there inside?"

"Of course we don't look at each other like lovers do. I only told him to be nice to you."

"Hmm, so sweet of you, Nicole, I am touched."

"Oh, don't be silly, who else will stand by your side but us, your friend," Nicole told her in a casual voice while standing up from the chair.

She just looked at the back of Nicole walking out of the door, with teary eyes.

She hopes that her friends will still be there even everything came out to light.

Before the working hour's end, people from the favorite couturier of Meme, the same one who had made the dress that she wore on Tess's party, came. They again brought boxes of clothes, which made her curious about the reason for it.

As far as she knows, she has nowhere to go these days, and Jared didn't know yet of her attending the Jewelry fashion show.

A woman with a nameplate of Brenda approached her and explained to her the reason for their arrival. She called Jared, and he confirmed what the woman had told her.

He also informed her of his trip to Miami the next day. He wanted to bring her with him. The boxes of the dresses are for her to choose for a luncheon meeting.

After she had done fitting in the conference room, she picked a floral collared dress with a full skirt.

The next day dressed in what she had chosen and paired with elongated nude heels, she walked beside Jared to the front door of a mansion.

Jared had told her while they are in his private plane about their host. He is the owner of the company he is going to negotiate. He brought her with him as the older man was a friend of Meme too.

A butler opened the door to an entryway; brushed gold and brass fixture accessorize the room.

They entered a room with the same motif of decoration as the first one.

But what took her attention is the man in his late sixties sitting on a couch but stands up once he saw Jared. Even in his advanced age, he still looks handsome, but his eyes' weariness is still noticeable.

"Mr. Griffin, this is my girlfriend, Katelyn Darcy, and you know already, Mark."

She heard Jared introduced her to the man, in which she immediately held her hand for a handshake.

They all sat down after the introduction. Then Katelyn realized Jared introduced her as his girlfriend, which brought a smile to her face.

She looked at his face, and as if he read her mind, he took her hand and holds it in his lap and continues talking to Mr. Griffin about their flight.

A housemaid came and told their host that most of the visitors are already waiting for them.

The dining area with a long table of twenty-four chairs is almost full of men and women. Jared again introduced her as "the girlfriend." Some of the women are secretaries; only two are wives, excluding Mrs. Griffin.

The foods are delicious, and the services are perfect. It was only the topic of business that made Katelyn feel the boredom.

She decided to get up and used the loo. A housemaid pointed out to her the direction of it, at the end of the hallway.

She closed the door to returned to the dining area when she heard a whistle, to her surprise. She turned around, a man in the early thirties she has not seen before is leaning on the wall with wicked eyes, looking at her.

"So, you are the new mistress of Jared. I never thought he is fond of young and innocent girls now." The guy told her as he walked towards her, cornering her.

"Excuse me; I don't know you. So please let me pass through," Katelyn told him, which only makes him laugh.

"Little girl, once he is tired of you, and he returned to Charlize, you will know me well, so just don't forget this face of mine, and I will be with..."

He could not finish what he would say as he was pulled away from her by no other than a furious Jared.

"Don't ever touch my woman again," Jared told him while holding the other man's collar.

"Hey, Jared, I didn't touch her. I only talked to her, and besides, she is just a woman. Why become so angry with me?"

"Because, as I said, she is mine and not just any woman."

"Okay, okay, I will not do anything, but just release your hand."

"If I don't respect your old man, this is not only what I will do to you. You know that. Be thankful I am." Jared removed his hand from the other man and went to her.

"Did he hurt you?" He asked her while inspecting.

"I never thought that your preference in women had changed, Jared."

His words made Jared scowled. He was turning around to face the guy, but she stopped him and said. "I am okay and don't listen to what he says; just let me out of here."

END OF PART 26

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