Whoever said being a Quality assurance officer was an easy job was obviously kidding. They had never taken such a taxing job and that was why they had the audacity to say what they said. it was almost as though there wasn't a bone left in her body when she was walking home. Filled with tiredness, she removed her coat and hung it on her shoulders. Her driver had miraculously called in sick today so she had to walk to the nearest bus stop hoping that she'd see a cab.
To her amazement, after thirty minutes, no cab showed up. Other workers had soon begun to come out of the premises and they shared cars, but she didn't want to ask that they take her home.
All of the cab drivers seemed to go on leave and left her stranded there. She was already fuming when she saw an exotic car speeding her way and she stared at it. It could be none other than Alistair.
Boy, she wasn't wrong when the car neared her and the windows came down to reveal a smiling Alistair, "What are you doin over there? Come in." He invited but she smiled at him.
" Oh, no, I'm fine, I am just waiting for my cab." She lied. She was already tired of his presence. He was out to draw her blood earlier. No wonder his employees did something else the minute he turned his back because who in their right senses would want to work under a tyrant.
Alistair signed, " C'mon, anyone would kill for this opportunity."
Lacey wondered what Elsa would do in this situation. Probably tell him to fuck off! She smiled widely, and Alistair thought she was about to agree.
" Thanks, sir. I'll just wait for my cab." She replied, if she stayed there an extra minute, she might lose her mind.
Alistair realized that her resolve was strong, stared at her. He purposely didn't allow her to enter the staff bus because he wanted her to ride with him but now that she proved to be stubborn, maybe it was better that he just let me stand till eternity because he knew that cabs didn't ply this road except by special order. It was a completely industrial area.
" Okay, then. suit yourself."
Another thirty minutes passed and Lacey grew weary, two staff buses had passed by and she turned down their offer to give her a lift
What was wrong with me for heaven's sake? She asked herself when she didn't find a cab. No wonder Alistair was smirking, he knew that she was wasting her time but her stubbornness wouldn't allow her to enter.
Suddenly, a cab hailed from afar and hope blossomed in her heart. Maybe this was the one who would take her out of this mess.
She flagged down the cab and it stopped right in front of her. The driver wound down the window and she was utterly shocked to see Mark in the driver's seat.
" Mark! When did you become a driver?!" She exclaimed. She had never seen him drive. Well,it wasn't as though she was going to give him her car to drive lest he smashed it against a wall since he was...
" useless?" Her subconscious finished and she rolled her eyes. Why wouldn't it leave her alone?
" Get in, you've been standing for a long time." Mark urged.
Stunned by his confident tone, she entered the car, and sighed in relief when she relaxed in seat. Lord, these heels were damaging! What made her wear them in the first place?
" Your feet must be sore." Mark commented and her eyes flew open at his tone. There was something different about Mark today, she didn't know if it was the way he carried himself, his tone had a hint of self awareness in it. He had a swagger around him and she wondered when that happened. The Mark she knew would never be so firm in his words.
" What are you thinking about?" He quizzed her and she gazed at him again in astonishment.
" What is happening to you? I mean what happened to you?"
Mark raised perfectly arched eyebrows which Lacey just noticed. It was beautiful. " What?"
"Your sudden ability of being able to drive a car? You look more put... together." She said as her gaze raked over his form. He was wearing a sea blue shirt and paired it with a dark blue pair of jeans. It was nothing fancy but he didn't dress that way before. He managed to make it work.
Maybe what made it look attractive was the way he held the steering wheel like a professional driver or the way he arched his brows and made sure that he was right on point or... She was lost in an endless sea of scrutiny.
" Is that a good or bad thing?" Mark replied with a small smirk lighting up his face.
Lacey shook her head to clear this picture she was seeing. Had she not known that he was the only child, she would have said that he was either a clone or a twin.
The mannerisms were the same but his charisma was different.
" something is different about you." She blurted and stared at him curiously as if she wanted you to pick his brain and find out what was occupying the room in there.
Mark shrugged, " I don't know what's different. I sure do know that I woke up like this. " He said, answering her question.
Lacey didn't reply, instead her eyes bore holes into Mark's head. At one point, they went to the steering wheel, a few minutes later they went to the brake pad, she was scared.
What if Mark decided to drive her to death for what she did to him?
" I hope it's love that's making you to stare at me so deeply." He said and she stared at him. This was when she knew that there was a problem.
Mark was about to be a menace to her and her family.