The CEO favorite is a college stripper (BWWM)

Chapter 47: What are friends for!

Taleela's POV

I find it amusing watching Susan walk around my apartment. She is filled with awe as she stares at the jacuzzi around the adjoining room. I am standing behind her, holding a glass of wine.

   "Let's go take a seat, Susan," I finally say, still feeling edgy. I need to talk to Susan about something that will definitely have her fainting and regaining consciousness all over again. "I need to talk to you about something."

   Susan, turning immediately, nods and follows me back to the living room. We sit beside each other, and I still feel that tension in her body. I know it's because of everything she's seeing right now. Yeah, I can tell that she is still processing everything.

   I recall when she had just stepped into my apartment. All of the lights were off save for the lights from the balcony's chandeliers that poured in, giving the room an incredible feel. Susan immediately walked towards my balcony, crying in delight at how beautiful it looked. Merely moments away from a beautiful sunset, I was well aware that Susan had been feeling a lot more captivated.

I had also taken her to my kitchen so we could make lunch. However, she had spent most of her time checking out every gadget there while gushing about how up-to-date they all were. She had forgotten to make a meal for herself and had settled for instant noodles when she saw my empty plate. I could feel the emotions pouring out of her as she sat beside me, eating and listening to me tell her about my company. I had seen the desire to work with BSL in her eyes.

   Now, with the news I'm going to break to Susan, I am sure it will have her in tears. Knowing Susan, it will not surprise me.

   "What's it you wanted to talk about?" Susan asks, picking up the glass of wine she left on the glass table while taking a mini tour.

   "Uhm, I know this is all so unexpected, but I'm not sorry," I say, scratching my head. "Anyways, so I don't know if you'd love to work with BSL as a—"

   She doesn't even let me complete my statement before jumping to her feet, crying out loud in pure happiness. "Yes! I would love to work with BSL! Oh my gosh!"

   Chuckling, I wave a hand to cut down her excitement. "I'm still talking, Susan. Take a seat. Let's talk about it before you start getting all excited."

   Susan obeys, but I can see the heave of her chest as she tries to control her excitement. "Okay, I've taken a seat."

   "Right, okay. So I know how much you're in love with art and designs. Yet you still have a terrible dress sense, and you need me in your life." I wink, and we both burst into laughter. Oh, I love Susan so much. I feel the swell in my chest.

"I beg your pardon?"

"I have decided to make you the head of my design team. I've gone through the portfolios of my existing employees, and none of their designs comes close to yours; the precision, details, and tiny additions which seem to make a huge difference are unrivaled."

   By the time I am done talking, I can see tears streaming down Susan's cheeks, just as I predicted. She throws her arms around me.

   "Thank you so much, Taleela," She says in a shaky voice. "This means a lot, a whole lot. I don't know what I would have done without you. You've been a great friend, even though you're sometimes not readable. You keep coming through for me, even the most minor things."

   I wrap my arm around her in return, rubbing my hand down her back to soothe her. "Susan, all I do is for you, my friend. You've been an amazing roommate and company, and I want to appreciate you with this little thing. I mean, what are friends for?"

   Susan chuckles and sniffles, moving away from me. "It's not as little as you think. You just made my dreams come true. Do you know how long I've been dreaming of working with a fashion design team, ever since high school? You made that possible for me, so it's not little!"

   Raising my hands, I wipe her undried tears affectionately, and she shuts her eyes, sighing deeply. This moment is lovely, and the sun setting behind us makes everything so ethereal.

   "I am so glad that I can make your dreams come true," Patting her back, I bring an end to our emotional moment. Susan gets the memo and immediately sniffles. "Let's get to business. We're in our third year of university, and I'll be leaving Crete soon. I'll not be transferring to another university, though. I'll study from here to get my degree while working. So, I'll be switching to an online program, and you'll see less of me. To make things easier for you, I'll let you go back to Italy, finish your degree and come back here. That way, it's easier for you to go to school and work from the comfort of your home. I trust you to deliver breathtaking designs, and I also trust you to be able to control your department from Greece, right?"

   Susan nods. "Yes, I can be able to do all these."

   "And I want you to stop stripping," I add. "It's going to be bad for your image."

   Remembering the pictures Allegra showed me, I sigh and facepalm in frustration. Susan sees my worried look and touches my shoulder in concern. "What's wrong?"

   "It's nothing, honey. I'm just already tired from thinking about work on Monday," I lie smoothly. I don't want Susan worrying about some crackhead lady walking around with a picture of my hanging off a chrome pole in the club.

   Susan chuckles. "I understand how you feel! You're new, so getting to meet your employees and introducing yourself to them, getting used to them, and gosh, getting them used to you will be quite hard!"

   Nodding, I agree with her. She's right, even if I lied about my distress. "I'll just print a card with an introduction, asking Nikolai to share it."

   Susan's phone vibrates on the table before us, and she hurriedly picks it up, a smile creeping up her face as she picks up the call. I know who's calling.

   "Hey, Achilles," She sings in a tinier voice than what she had been speaking to me with. I give her a look that has her sticking her tongue at me. We're back to teasing each other, and honestly, it's a thing of relief. Susan acting all uncomfortable around me because of her idea of my wealth and position in life has me feeling weird.

   I'm so lost in thought that I do not realize that she has ended the call.

   "Taleela?" She corrects herself immediately. "I mean, Jemmah."

   "You can stick with Taleela. I've gotten used to that name," I say in reply. I notice she has her purse in her hands as she locks it, getting ready to stand to her feet. I raise my brow in askance.

   "I'm sorry I have to be leaving at this time," She says, and we both stand to our feet. "But Achilles called to tell me that he wants to take me out, and I can't miss it for the world,"

   Shaking my head, I laugh. "Girl, you're down bad. Smitten and fallen to the ground like a wounded soldier."

   She glares at me playfully, and we both walk to my door, laughing as I tease her the more. It never gets old— two roommates toying with each other.

   I unlock my door, and we both step out. Susan turns to give me a stern look. "You do not have to risk yourself by following me outside,"

   Shrugging, I ask why.

   "You totally forgot that a lot of reporters are sleeping on the ground floor of this apartment building?"

   Immediately she says it, I remember. "Fucking hell! I totally forgot!"

   Susan shakes her head. "Go back inside. I'll guide myself out from here. Bye!"

   Waving at her, I say, "Bye. Enjoy your evening with Achilles, and I hope you both make babies!"

   She sends me the middle of her finger as she steps into the elevator. She's soon out of sight, and I turn back, entering my apartment. I honestly forgot the number of reporters I had encountered a few days before, and sighing in appreciation, I shut my door.

   When I pick up my phone, there's a notification from my messages.

   It's Karanos. Sighing, I tap the message open.

   "I need to see you."