Chapter 31 Headline
By Alejandro
We sat in the armchairs; it was five hours until the next stop.
I searched for some documents on my laptop to continue with the topic, and when I looked at her, she was completely asleep. I asked the flight attendant for a blanket; I didn't want to wake her up. I loved watching her sleep; she looked so angelic.
I fell asleep too.
We slept uncomfortably, or at least not as comfortably as in a bed, until the last stop.
The flight attendants woke us up to put on our seat belts.
By the time we were flying again, we were fully awake, and I took her back to the office. I hoped I wouldn't get distracted by her cherry lips; my member had tasted them... or she had tasted me... damn, how she distracts me.
"Valeria, the thing is, you've shown loyalty, and Omar and I want your friend Emi to be our front person, and you to be the link."
She stared at me because she clearly wasn't expecting that proposal.
I said it quickly and without beating around the bush.
"We don't understand anything about that business. What I know, I learned from you."
"You don't need to know. Emi would be the owner; we'll handle the rest."
"The accounts will work out. I think you're overpaying me with my 2%."
"You're the embodiment of honesty."
"It's only fair. You don't have to pay a percentage of the profit; it's your business."
"Someone else would charge it."
"I think you shouldn't have to pay it."
"But it benefits you, and if it were someone else, they would charge it."
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely."
"I should tell you that this will be good for Emi. Something happened, and they won't renew her contract at work."
I didn't want to smile. We were the ones who pressured them not to renew it.
"Have her come by my office tomorrow. Check my schedule tonight to see when I'm free."
"Ale... thanks for trusting me and my friend."
"You deserve it."
I tried to sound indifferent. I didn't want her to feel like I was doing it to get her into my bed. I hoped it would help, but honestly, Emi is the right person for this, and besides, Omar could hit on her more easily.
By Valeria
As volatile as he is
I wasn't expecting that proposal for Emi and how it involved me, or that they met her through me. They were going to give me 2% of the profits.
They were just about to make her permanent, and last week they told her they wouldn't renew her contract or make her permanent, which was logical.
I know I earned my position as Alejandro's secretary and personal assistant, but total recognition was something else. In small, yet significant details, he had already shown me his complete trust.
Entering his house with my fingerprint and, even more so, entering the office with my fingerprint—no other secretary had done that. Knowing about all his businesses by his decision—very few people knew that. I'm sure not even his father's secretary knew.
I think there are fewer than ten people, and all those who know are somehow involved.
Having lunch with his aunt and Susana every Sunday also speaks of his total trust in me.
"You know everything has to stay with you; no one can ever know. We’ll sign confidentiality documents anyway."
"Of course, that's the right thing to do."
"I trust you completely."
"I know, and I appreciate it. You know I would never betray you."
"That's true. So far, you haven't... in any way, quite the opposite..."
He was already talking about us, and I knew it.
"She'll come tomorrow. If she has any doubts about the topic, I'll clear them up."
"Until we have her signature on the confidentiality agreement, give her as little information as possible."
"Even though she's my best friend and the person I trust most in the world, I'll tell her just enough. I never talk about work, only in general terms, you know... if I had a lot of work, if..."
"If?"
I smiled nervously.
"Personal matters..."
He moved closer to me.
Every time he gets close, I'm afraid he might break down the barriers, which are getting weaker.
Yet, the kiss never came.
I confess I was left wanting to feel his lips.
I'm going crazy.
Several more times, on the plane, I saw him approach me, but his kisses and caresses never came.
Now it's me who waits anxiously for him.
I try not to make it too obvious.
Finally, we arrived, we spent hours talking about the hotels and other businesses.
I was happy to know that he valued my opinion.
Before getting off the plane, he took me in his arms and kissed me as he usually did, and unable to resist, I returned every single caress.
I think he was surprised.
I'm becoming as volatile as he is.
It saddens me to be just another name on the list of thousands of women, but little by little and with all the pain in my soul, I think I'm becoming just another number to him.
I have to do something to forget him, and without realizing it, I get more involved in his company and his life, I practically take care of everything at his house.
At the office, I help him with everything he asks, which are more and more matters from each of his hundreds of companies.
I realize I push myself so hard to become so important that he depends only on me.
I think I'm going to end up in therapy, Alejandro drives me crazy.
We said goodbye at the door of my apartment, with a deep kiss on the mouth.
Emi was waiting for me, disapproving of how we greeted each other.
After kisses and hugs with my dear friend, she asked me if we had had sex during the trip.
"No, he spent his time hiring geishas kisaengs."
"What?"
"Chinese prostitutes."
"He's an asshole."
"I know."
"Friend..."
I told her about my trip, what I could tell her.
Emi was discreet and knew to respect what I couldn't share about my work.
It's true that I never signed a confidentiality contract, but that didn't mean I would reveal the number of companies Alejandro owned or the amount of money he moved, although I think even I didn't know that.
When I started telling her about a particular company, the one with the short-stay hotels, she was surprised, but she listened attentively, without interrupting.
"I don't understand why you're telling me about this."
"Omar's father is a federal judge."
"But if the company is legal..."
"It's legal, I assure you I know all the details, there's no prostitution, they hire the prostitutes elsewhere."
"They're the same, both of them..."
"Yes, I suppose they are..."
"I like Omar."
"I know, but it's the same as with Alejandro, you end up being just another one for them."
"You're much more than that."
"Because I'm the secretary..."
"You're not just the secretary."
"No, I'm not... I handle many matters for him and they trust me a lot, that's why, on the return trip, I talked to Ale for hours, they need to put a front man for the short-stay hotels, and they're going to offer it to you."
She sat down suddenly, she was just pouring her fourth coffee, it was late and we were sleepy.
I explained the benefits of the deal, and that 5% was almost being a millionaire compared to a normal salary, and that I got 2%.
When I calculated the money I had left from the trip to China, Emi was very surprised.
"They're multimillionaires, although they work a lot, they could stop working and live doing nothing for the rest of their lives, I can't tell you the number of companies they own..."
"Do you trust him?"
"Alejandro? Yes, totally, he's serious and hardworking with business, and I know he could crush you the moment he decides, but he won't, he can do it without you working for him, they have a lot of power, both of them."
"You scare me."
"You don't have to be, I know I can count on him for many things, despite his volatile and childish nature and being arrogant and thinking he's the master of the universe."
"He's full of flaws."
"And virtues... friend... I'm in love like I never imagined I could be."
"You're crazy."
"Yes, for him."
I told her I thought I was going crazy for him, so he would need me for everything.
She kept thinking I was crazy and that I was going to hit my head against the wall.
She might be right.
The next day, I went, like every morning, to Alejandro's house, he was alone.
While he showered, I arranged his clothes for the day and separated the laundry for the dry cleaner.
When he came out of the bathroom, he dressed in front of me.
I wanted more and more to be in his arms.
Luckily, he didn't know it.