Chapter 23

Tara's POV

I stood at the door, frozen for a while. He was on his cell phone when I walked in, hearing the creaking door sound, he raised his gaze up to see me, the look of shock cut across his face, was he also shocked?

“Why is he shocked?” I asked myself, I frowned when I saw him sitting there giving me an innocent look.

“You know what? I'm done here.” I said to him in the same voice almost like a whisper.

I walked out of the door heading straight to the Manager's office, there had to be some mistakes. I walked passed Glory as she was heading to close a deal with her client,

“Are you done?”she asked,

“There's nothing to be done.” I said through gritted teeth and I stormed the office, knocking slightly on his door.

“Come in,” I heard his voice say, I turned the door knob while walking in. He was stacking up some files on his shelf when I walked in.

He turned to me then frowned,

“Are you done closing the deal?” He asked.

My face immediately went pale,

“Sir.. about that I don't think I can handle such a client.” I said and he froze in an instant, the file he held was immediately tossed into the shelves as he stretched to his full length with a deep scowl in his face.

“What do you mean? Are you rejecting a client right now?” He asked with so much displeasure In his voice. His eyes furrowed at me, like he was shocked at the guts I had to come to him to tell him I didn't like the client he allocated to me.

“Sir…it's not just going to work,”I said again.

He looked at me, with amusement in his face.

He walked over to his seat, taking a seat.

Then opened up his laptop, as he reviewed some applications, ignoring me as I stood them.

“Sir? I called again, I knew he didn't like me but I can't close the deal with Carlos..what was he even doing here?

“Tara please,” he squeezed his face as he looked at me, “ you signed the mail yesterday and you need to close this deal before the end of the day.”

“I thought the boss rejected his offer?” I asked, The manager shot me a glare.

His face squeezed into a deep frown.

“Should the board ask for your permission before making a decision?” He asked with a scornful look on his face.

I was taken aback by his comment, “Andrew allowed?” I asked myself.

“So go and close the deal with him and yes, you don't keep a client waiting,” he added.

I stood there as I watched him, this is not what I bargained for, not at all. I sighed.

“Sir, we can't work it out? Or can I exchange with Glory?” He paused, then looked at me, “she'll be more than happy to work with him.” I said in frustration.

He raised his gaze to me,

“Are you okay?”

I flinched, how would I explain to this man that, that's my ex husband and we are not on talking terms?

“Why are you so hell bent on not giving the client a chance?” He finally asked, my throat felt heavy like the words couldn't come out.

“We have a complicated past together.” I finally said after sighing for the tenth time. His eyes traveled to me, as he scoffed,

“A complicated past.” he says calmly, I nodded,

“Yes sir,” I replied,

“Tara?” He called, this time his voice was deeper than that last. My heart is pounding through my chest hoping he understands.

“Sir?”

“Your complicated past has nothing to do with where you work now” he began, I just knew there was nothing I could do to change his mind.

“But sir_” I tried to intrude he immediately threw me a glare,

“Do you go about selecting clients because you don't need them or because they remind you of something? Listen, when they step into this company, they're no more than clients to you and you have to be professional enough to deal with it! When you leave the four walls of this company, he's no longer a client, understood!’ He scolded.

“But..”.

“Now leave!” He then went back to what he was doing. I sighed, I walked out of his office, I stared at the file, it was boldly written Carlos Anderson as the client, how the hell was not able to see this?

I opened the door to the meeting room, he raised up his gaze at me, with a small smile on his face,

“Is he enjoying this? Because I hate this.”

I frowned, then sat down as I opened up the files handing a copy over to him, I then turned in my laptop, as I slide through the presentation, I felt his gaze fixed on me,

“Can you stop looking at me? It's making me uncomfortable. Let's just end this meeting once and for all.” I said sternly,

“Tara?” He called again,

“Oh goodness gracious.” The strength not to lash out on Carlos was what I was trying to gather.

“You can't avoid me forever, you know that.” He began,

“It's like fate” He says with a smile which I found disgusting. What made Andrew agree to his terms?

I raised my gaze up at him, then scoffed,

“Fate? You wish” I turned back to the file I was sorting.

“I'm sorry about Stella.” He says, instantly I froze on the spot, and didn't understand that I was not in the mood to talk about his idiotic girlfriend.

”C'mon, talk to me, Tara.” He tried to hold my hand when I immediately drifted back.

“Can you do me the honor of respecting yourself. I wouldn't even be here if the boss hadn't persuaded me to come, so please…” my words turned back to what I was doing.

“Are you upset because I engaged her?”

He asked again,

“What the hell is the problem with you?” I asked

“Can you see it, Tara?”he paused,

“I'm still in love with you.”