NO MAN LIKE HIM

7

Hakim had a pretty productive day.

He'd cleaned Thomas' bedroom and the entire upper floor of the house. Then, he'd cleaned the backyard as well. It looked much better without the dead leaves and Hakim couldn't wait to show the new look to Gigi and her son.

He also bought groceries and was in the process of stuffing it all in the fridge when he heard the front door opening. Based on the sound of heels rushing down the hallway, Gigi Montagne was home. Hakim didn't wait long before the woman burst into the kitchen and slammed her handbag on the countertop. The housekeeper turned around with wide eyes.

"Water." Gigi ordered without even looking at him.

Hakim quickly filled a glass with water and gave it to her. She drank it all in one go but it didn't seem to quench her thirst or stop the fire that was burning inside her.

"Is everything okay, Mrs Montagne ?" Hakim asked cautiously. "Please, have a seat."

He drew a chair out for her. Gigi sat at the counter and looked at her housekeeper.

"That bitch was sitting on my chair, behind my desk when I got to work today. Can you imagine that, Hakim? And the worst is she has been running my own company for the past few months and Sasha never told me anything. I was so angry when I saw her there with her cocky smile ! I was this close to choking her, this close !"

"Okay but who are we talking about, Mrs Montagne?"

Hakim took a seat across Gigi and stared into her eyes. The woman felt as if she was the most interesting person in the world with her housekeeper leaning towards her, curious and eager to hear her story.

"That bitch Vanessa !" She said with an eye roll. "Augustin's sister..."

"Oh. Your sister-in-law, then."

"Unfortunately."

"Well, why do you hate her so much ?"

"Because she hated me first. In fact, no one in Augustin's family likes me. They did everything in their power to stop our marriage but thank God, Augustin and I were stronger than that. Vanessa was definitely the most resourceful in finding ways to break us, followed by her mother. Now, after everything she's done to me, she has the audacity to sit in my office and do my job ? She said she is just helping me out since I have a drinking problem. What drinking problem ?!"

Hakim couldn't help but think about all the bottles of alcohol he had to clean out of Gigi's bedroom on his first day but he was smart enough to not mention it.

"Actually, I think she just wants to take the company away from me. She wants me to be left with nothing."

"Why would she want that ?"

"Because Vanessa thinks everything I have is thanks to her brother and that I don't deserve to keep it. The Lamberts are so selfish, Hakim...They don't want to share their wealth with anyone."

"Well...Aren't you from a wealthy family as well, Mrs Montagne?"

"I am but my family is not as rich or famous as the Lamberts. My father was a well-known surgeon and my mother was one of the best lawyers in France before her death in 2000. I never needed anything, my parents did it all for me, since I was their only child. When I met Augustin at school, I didn't even know his last name. I loved him unconditionally so it hurts even more when his family treats me like a gold digging bitch. They know nothing about our past."

"I know. I am sorry."

Gigi took a deep breath and seemed to calm down. Without looking into Hakim's eyes, she added in a softer tone: