Chapter 13 13

Chapter 13 13
Elliot’s POV

The more I watched Nessa Adam the more I saw the similarities between her and my ex-wife.   Vanessa had loved that weird food mix so when Nessa let out a soft sound when she tasted the food it  stirred something deep inside me and I got curious.
“You remind me of someone; she used to love that exact food,” I’d said to her, not even thinking.
Her eyes darted to me fast, a look of panic crossing her face, “I’m just hungry,” she said without missing a beat, laughing it off but I wasn’t buying it.
it wasn’t just the food; it was her mannerisms sometimes, the way her lips curved when she smiled politely, the calm in her voice when she spoke, the way her fingers rested on the table.
Even at that I knew it couldn’t be. Vanessa was quiet, plain, and always unsure of herself even though she was smart but Nessa was nothing like that. Instead Nessa was sharp, beautiful, well-dressed and carried herself with power, like she knew her worth. 
Still… the similarities between them messed with my head. A part of me wish she would be...
The results of whatever they found on her hasn't gotten back to me. For some reason, it was so hard to get anything on her. That made me extra suspicious... or she is just clean....
The rest of the day, I pushed the thought aside and concentrated on working. 
We visited five franchises in total across Houston. Hayes Holdings had expanded to include a restaurant chain business and I wanted to see each one myself and a part of me also wanted to spend time with Nessa outside the office and see what she was like. 
She surprised me and didn’t complain even once, even when we stayed overtime at the fifth location because it turned out to be poorly managed, and we had to stay an extra hour doing an emergency assessment.
She simply worked still looking elegant and composed while at it. 
It was late when we got off work; the sky had darkened, and rain poured like it had waited all day for this moment.
“I’ll drive you home,” I said. 
“Thank you, sir, but I’m getting picked up.” She said calmly, staring at her phone and not sparing me a glance.
“By who?” I asked, too fast.
She didn't answer, instead she looked at me with that unreadable expression of hers. “I’ll see you later, Mr. Hayes,” she said, opening her umbrella and walking out into the rain.
I stood there for a moment trying to put a name to the burning feeling in my chest. I was annoyed because she was always very cold  once she got off work. 
I got into my car and followed her from a distance wondering if it was true someone was picking her up or if it was an excuse to get rid of me. 
It didn’t take long to spot her standing under the bus shelter. The rain beat hard against the roof, and cars rushed past, their lights blurring in the water.
Shortly after a black car pulled up. I leaned forward trying to see who it was but the rain was too heavy and the windows of the car were  tinted. All I saw was the door open and Nessa getting in.
The car pulled off and I sat there, hands gripping the wheel in anger wondering who picked her.
I clenched my jaw and threw the gear into drive. 
Why did I care anyway? it honestly wasn’t my business who she went home with. She was just my employee and that was it; I was just concerned for an employee. I tried to convince myself but still I was pissed.
My mood didn’t let up. The rain kept pouring and traffic was. The roads were flooded and I sat in it for two whole hours. By the time I got home, it was very late and I was exhausted. All I wanted was to take a hot shower and collapse into bed. 
The moment I walked in I saw Bernice sitting upright in the living room and  knew peace wasn’t on the menu.
“Why weren’t you in the office today?” she demanded once I came in. “I came around and you were out with your secretary.”
I dropped my keys on the table and kept walking, to the stairs not even sparing her a full glance. I wasn’t in the mood for her fight. 
“Don’t you dare walk away from me, Elliot!” she shouted standing immediately. “ You vanished with some woman all day and expect me to act like it’s normal?”
I turned to face her slowly, my patience already on the edge.
“Do I have to explain my movement to you?” I asked, my voice cold. 
“So that’s it? You’re not even going to deny it?” She asked.
“There’s nothing to deny,” I said through gritted teeth. “It was work, Bernice, something you clearly wouldn’t understand.”
That was enough to set her off. “Oh, don’t you fucking start with that bullshit!” she snapped, stepping in front of me. 
“I know you’re cheating that’s the only explanation to this. You’re cheating with that new secretary? I want you to sack her immediately!”
My jaw tightened and I felt pain shot through the back of my head.
“I am too exhausted for this,” I muttered, rubbing my temples. “Can you not do this tonight? It’s this attitude, this nonstop screaming that makes me not want to come home.”
Her mouth fell open and she exploded again.
“Oh, so now it’s my fault you’re chasing after your little secretary?” she yelled. “You’re unbelievable, Elliot! Go on, defend her! Let’s see how far that gets you!”
The pounding in my head got worse with every word she threw at me.
I’m too exhausted for this bullshit, Bernice,” I said, my voice low and shaking with anger. “I just got back from hours of inspections and driving through flooded roads, and now I come home to this?”
“Yeah, right, you mean hours of fucking around with your new toy.” She spat
“Jesus fucking Christ, Bernice, shut up!” I barked. “Just shut the hell up for once!”
She flinched like I slapped her watching me furiously. I took a deep breath, trying to calm down, but I was so pissed. 
“You think I don’t want to come home?” I said, my voice rising again. “You think I like walking into this house, knowing I’ll be attacked the minute I open the damn door?”
“That’s because all you do is lie and cheat and pretend you work but I know you’re chasing your secretary like a horny teenager?”
“That’s enough,” I growled.
“No, it’s not!” she screamed. “Sack that woman tomorrow or so help me God…”
“You don’t control who I hire or fire! Don’t act like you know anything about running a company you don’t even run your own damn life!”
Her mouth fell open, trembling with rage but I didn’t wait for the next wave of screaming and grabbed my keys walking out.
I drove, fast and angry, to my parents’ house, just a few blocks away. When I pulled into their driveway I see a familiar car driving in. It was the same black car that had picked Nessa up earlier.
I parked slowly my heart racing when I see Asher get out from the driver’s side. 
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” I muttered under my breath stepping out angrily. 
I slammed the door shut behind me, my boots splashing in a shallow puddle as I walked to him. 
Asher turned, clearly surprised. “Elliot?” he called out, pushing his hands into his pockets. 
“What are you doing here this late?”
I didn’t answer his question and watched to see if Nessa was in the car but she wasn’t.
I looked at him my jaw clenched in anger. 
“Are you dating Nessa?” I asked coldly. 
His eyebrows shot up slightly for a second and he smiled. 
“What if I am?” he said calmly.