First Blood: The Perfect Mistress

CHAPTER 13

I stared at the files on top of my table and although they were arranged according to their priorities, I couldn’t bring myself to work. My mind was filled with unnecessary thoughts and no matter how much I tried to empty my head, I couldn’t seem to concentrate.

Another sigh escaped from my lips before I walked towards the window. I adjusted the blinds that blocked the sunlight and crossed my arms while watching the people on the street. Everybody was busy…except the guy with dreadlocks who loitered in front of a warehouse. The guy had been in the area since the time I joined the company.

Keith Demakis, who the hell are you?

From the window, I paced back and forth inside the office and sighed in frustration. Why couldn’t I keep him out of my mind? I was slightly worried that his presence would be a threat to my peace of mind.

After I met with Rachel, I had no choice but to transfer school, but it was the best decision I’ve ever made. In the new academy, no one knew my troubled background and it stayed that way until I finished high school. In college, things got even better. I was only known for my almost perfect qualities and I preferred it that way.

During Senior High, I learned the basics of Accounting and Business Management, then I took a two-year course in Information Technology before joining Anderson Shipping. No one dared to question my educational background even if I held a high position in the company.

Overseeing the entire operations required extensive knowledge in customs administration but earning its degree would take more than four years including the board exam preparation. I couldn’t afford to waste my time in school so I hired topnotchers. Anyway, learning was a process and I used them to learn.

Anyway, I only had to figure out the basics and the experience would be gained from the actual process. In one year, I managed to increase the efficiency of our services by creating a system that would benefit everyone in the company. My mother just had to pre-sign the checks and everything would be up to me.

Well, it was a win-win situation considering how busy she was in the club. I was lost in my thoughts that the telephone ring caused me to jump. “Anderson Shipping, this is Cassandra speaking. How may I help you?”

“Cassie, have you made a decision?”

I shut my eyes and clenched my jaw when I recognized his voice. “I’ve already told you that you’re not what I’m looking for,” I replied. During a pause, I realized that maybe I should grab the opportunity to know more about him or the woman in his gallery who used to be a club member.

“Are you sure that you won’t regret it?”

“Where are you now, Mr. Demakis?” I asked because talking in person would be better than talking on the phone over something important.

“I’m in the lobby,” he replied.

“Lobby? Where?”

“Just outside your office, Madam.” Then he ended the call.

The next thing I heard was the voice of my secretary trying to stop him from entering my office.  I went outside to meddle because having a commotion inside my office was something I wouldn’t tolerate.

“For you,” he said when he handed a coffee from the nearby coffee shop.

“Thanks, please have a seat, Mr. Demakis,” I told him as soon as we entered the office.

“Stop being formal to me, Cassie. We have been on our first name basis already, did you forget what happened?”

When I looked at him, I knew that he was the kind I couldn’t control easily. “Well, if you want to be considered then you should prepare your comprehensive resume. Just give it to me then I will decide on it soon. As you can see, I have so many things to do today,” I said while showing him the bulk of documents I had to sign.

“I know you are busy, Cassie. So to help you, I’ve prepared the contract that will bind us. You just have to sign it and I’ll have it notarized,” he explained.

“WHAT?” I shouted at him for being so impossible! How could he prepare the contract when we haven’t talked about the details? “Stop being ridiculous, Mr. Demakis!”

“I’m serious!” He insisted.

“The hell you are! As you can see, I’m not in a hurry to become pregnant this year.”

“I’m also not in a hurry, Cassie. You can use me anytime you feel the need to relieve yourself. At the same time, you should be available when I’ll need a date, anytime.”

“If the payment is not in the form of cash, then the conversation is over!”

“I’m already rich, Cassie so I don’t need your money. However, I need someone who can act as my date so that my cousins would stop accusing me of being gay.”

The guy must have assumed that to gain one, he should give me something like a secret. I chuckled at his desperation because it wouldn’t work on me.  “Where’s the contract? Just leave it here and I will ask my attorney to review it,” I told him.

“Really? You will let anyone know about it?”

For a moment, I realized that he was right. I couldn’t let anyone know about our situation if ever we would agree. “May I see it?”

“Yes,” he replied and handed over a rolled document.

“You shouldn’t handle the document that way!” I scolded him and before he could react, I put the paper in the shredder. “If you have the soft copy of the file, you can just send it to my email now.”

Keith shook his head in disbelief that the document he brought was shredded into tiny little pieces. “What’s wrong with you?” He inquired.

“Did you expect me to sign on that dirty little garbage?”    

“Garbage? How can you say that when the document was fine?”

“It didn’t look fine to me, so just let me know when you sent the file.”

“My goodness, Cassie. Aren’t you being over sensitive to menial things like a piece of paper?” When he realized that he wouldn’t get a response from me, he resigned on his chair and said, “Alright, I’m sending the file now.”

A smile was formed in the corner of my mouth when he chose to be submissive and agreed to my terms. “I’ll need enough time to study your proposal, Keith. I will let you know my decision in one week.”

“Tomorrow, Cassie.”

“What do you mean?” I was confused at his latest statement because it didn’t make sense.

“I’ll come again tomorrow for the signing,” he responded.

“In one week, Keith.”

“No, it should be done tomorrow.” He insisted and for a moment, we sized up each other. However, it was me who conceded in the end. “Okay fine!”