Chapter 19 Diet Coke
Verena
Daxton had spent Friday night with me and only left the next morning, after calling a company to install new security cameras in the driveway and fixing the flickering light. And to think that he did all of this to not only make me feel safe but also nab the kids that had broken his car window was hella funny.
I mean, they were just children, and these extreme measures against them—
As I walked towards the parking lot, with coffee in one hand, I texted Daxton. “Thank you for saving the neighborhood. I feel a lot safer. See you at work :)”
I got into my car and soon, I arrived at the V.R. five star hotel. Pulling into the parking lot, I killed the engine and was about to unbuckle my seatbelt when I saw Emily rounding my car, gaping at it while a soft chuckle escaped me.
I could see the eagerness in her eyes as she tried to see who was in the car and the moment I got out of the car, her jaw dropped and for a while, all she did was stare at me.
“Good morning, Emily” I slammed the door shut, the sound reverberating off the walls of the parking lot.
She raised a finger to the car, mouth parted before the words wobbled out. “You won a lottery overnight? I mean, is this your car? I thought you were poor?”
I almost laughed at her words. “Well, if having less than a thousand dollars in my bank account makes me rich, then I would love to know your definition of what being rich is”
Emily pushed her lips forward, taking me aback when she hit me on the arm gently while I faked a wince. “Verena, you drive a Porsche 911 Turbo S! If this is what being poor is, I want to be poor”
I chuckled while she ran her fingers through the front trunk of the car, taking pictures as well. “Do you mind if I upload this to my social media account? If I want to make all the men I have a crush on fall in love with me, I think that posting a picture of this car would make them notice me…” She cackled, her eyes glowing with mischief as she turned her head to me.
I shook my head, took a sip of my coffee, and fixed my eyes back on her. “You do know that you would only attract broke men and in the worst circumstances…” I tilted my head to the side, closing my coffee lid. “Gold Diggers!”
She placed a hand on her chest, her voice barely above a whisper as it dripped with hurt. “Are you trying to say that the likes of Cole McCormick, Ramsey Morgan, and Kian Cooper wouldn't be impressed?”
My stomach churned at the mention of Kian’s name as I forced the smile on my face to remain steady. “I doubt that they would notice you with that”
“Like I said, you would only attract leeches” I swung a hand over her shoulder. “So, my dear Emily, stay true to your authentic self and…”
Before I could finish my words, the click-clack of heels echoed through the parking lot, mingling with the harsh words that filled my ears. Mandy.
“Imagine! Standing around gossiping instead of getting to work”
She strutted towards us as my hand left Emily’s shoulder who grumbled. “Can't believe that I have to see this woman this morning! Bad Omen, Verena”
I sucked in a deep breath, fixing my eyes on Mandy who glanced at me with condescension gleaming in her eyes before she peered at the car behind me. “Mmm…” Her nose was raised to the air.
“I know you two have never experienced what it means to be wealthy. I mean, I haven't either but at least, act like you have class instead of fawning over Mr Daxton’s car”
I almost rolled my eyes to the back and how I was able to keep a calm and collected composure was beyond me. With that smile that always seemed to infuriate Mandy stretching my lips, I said. “But this is my car. Not Dax…” I closed my eyes, stifling a laugh. “Mr Daxton”
Mandy’s eyes widened for a second before tiny bits of laughter erupted from her mouth and before it could escalate, she pressed her palm to her mouth in a bid to muffle it. “That is a lie, where would you get the money to afford such an expensive car?”
I looked her square in the eye. “I am serious, it is my car”
She blinked, her eyes flitting between my face and that of Emily’s before she choked out a laugh. “This reminds me of a situation that happened years back. There was this bold blonde-haired girl who always cruised around the town in her car which she claimed was hers. However, one night, everything changed when the married man funding her luxury took it the moment she tried to leave him for someone younger”
“So, you have the chance to change your lifestyle before you end up like that girl. Don't get me wrong, it is just a friendly warning—” She huffed, pivoting on her heels before strutting towards the back entrance that led inside the hotel.
I was stunned into silence because what the fuck just happened right now? Did she just try to insinuate that I was a ‘sugar baby?’— lecturing me like that.
Fresh anger burned within me, my eyes following her until she disappeared from my sight.
Emily’s scoffs made me drag my gaze back to her as she muttered through clenched teeth. “That male-centered woman gets on my last nerves, sometimes I wish I had a gun and…” She took a stance, aiming an imaginary pistol at the back door, cocking the invisible trigger. “Blam! Blam! Blam!”
Amusement sparked in my eyes as Emily’s chest heaved up and down. “But sometimes, she can be confusing. Like on my birthday, she was the first person to give me a gift, and when she brought me baked cookies. I think she would be perfect if she learns to keep her mouth shut!”
I sucked in a deep breath. “I don't know why that woman doesn't like me but you keep saying she isn't that bad…”
“Except for being a Pick Me, she isn't. You should be careful with the way she keeps coming for you, she could influence Mr Daxton into firing you”
“Hmmm,” I swiped my tongue up and down my cheek.
It wasn't like I cared about being fired because I was confident that Daxton would never but I hated the way this woman kept coming for me at every given chance. It was starting to get suffocating and all I wanted was peace.
“I think I know what to do to please that woman”
And that was exactly what I did. Mandy had been confused when I came into the office and asked what everyone wanted. At first, she stared at me warily before she succumbed to my captivating smile and asked for a Coca-Cola.
“Coffee for Sheila…” I dropped it on her desk, offering her a smile that she returned. “Thank you, Verena. I owe you one…”
As I rounded the office space with everyone’s orders, “You are so sweet, Verena”
“We should have lunch together”
“Oh, you just saved me the stress of getting coffee myself”
Easy. This was the perfect hack to get along with everyone in the office.
Satisfaction made a full swirl within me and all that was left was the last order. Tornado Mandy’s soda.
I rushed to the empty table, dipping my hands into the plastic bag when Kellen walked towards me. “Mr Daxton would be done with his meeting in the next five minutes and…”
I gasped, dropping the can hastily on Mandy’s desk. “I know, this is the last order and I would be right there”
Amidst speaking, Mandy walked into the office, adjusting her glasses but not without sparing me a glance. “Thank you, Verena…”
I smiled. That was easy and now I've got to…
All of a sudden, she let out a high-pitched sound that made my heart lurch forward as I swung my head to her, watching the storm that slowly brewed in her eyes as her chest heaved.
“What is the problem?”
She turned angry eyes to me, reaching for the coca—
Shit!
I had mistakenly dropped my Diet Coke on her desk.
“That is—”
Before I could finish, she basically screamed at me. “Diet Coke? Really? You also think that I am fat, unpleasant to the eye and that is the reason you dropped this on my desk to disrespect me?”
“This is your subtle way of telling me to lose weight?”
My face screwed in confusion. “No, where is that coming from?”
“You are asking me that? How dare you bodyshame me!”
“No, it was just a…”
She screamed again. “Shut up!”
Me? Shut up! The hell.
My blood boiled so bad that it felt like I could explode and in the blink of an eye, I snapped. “You don't tell me to shut up, Miss Mandy. Stop dumping your insecurities on me—”
“Jeez, what the fuck is wrong with you. In fact, fuck this and fuck you!” I raised my voice so loud that she froze, pupils dilating.
She opened her mouth to retort when Daxton’s voice cut through the tension between us as he thundered. “You two. My Office. Right now!”