SHEIKH DENIED - completed

Chapter Three

Instead of a private dinner party, it had been turned into a major event held by Annie Storm and her husband Jeff. All dying to meet the Sheikh, who was led through the gathering as some prize. Lottie stayed back, swamped by it all. The walls seemed to be closing in on her. It was supposed to be a get-together. A dinner that had turned into a sort of show and tell, and Zaid was the show. 

She felt sick to the stomach.

Ashamed of her friend, she turned to leave, then would call Zaid to get him out of there. Only to have her upper arm caught, looking up into dark eyes. "I'm so sorry Zaid, they have turned this into a circus, I would get you out of here," she promised, leaning into him, placing a hand on his chest, begging.

"Calm down Charlotte," his calming voice washed over her as he always did. "We would deal with this," he promised.

"They were supposed to be my friends, and did this," she hissed. "I trusted them, and look what they did. Put you on a pedestal. Look who I know." Her breath caught to be gently guided to his side.

"Take deep breathes," he ordered to be done. "You work for me, and remember that." She looked at him, closed her eyes, nodded, and calmed.

"I'm sorry it won't happen again," she vowed.

"Good, now stay at my side," he placed his hand on her back as they emerged back into the gathering. Lottie went into work mode, smiling, and supporting Zaid as he greeted, and conversed with others. Just a meet and greet. But deep down it hurt her friend would do this to her to look around to frown, because she saw no others from her old group, only Annie.

"Zaid?" she touched his arm.

"Hmm."

"I need to make some calls." After making calls to her friends she pulled Zaid aside. "We are leaving now," she hissed.

"What's wrong Charlotte."

"She didn't even invite my real friends. This is all her husband's friends, and associates. Please Zaid," she begged. "I can't stay here, not now. I have organised a room at the Crown to meet with my other friends and their families. I had to use your name to get in at all, and booked it under your name as well." 

He nodded to go make their excuses and escorted Charlotte out to be followed by the hostess, who was confused by their sudden departure.

Zaid paused just outside the doorway of the entrance. "If you do this, there would be consequences. I know you're angry. Just do the right thing. I'd be waiting in the car." He walked away to leave her to face her old school friend.

Lottie walked up to her. "I know what you have done, and you disgust me. You used my boss to impress your new friends, and ignored our own."

"Coming from the one who ran from us all."

She gasped to think and nodded because she had. "Because I'm not used to babies and families. I saw how we have nothing in common," she shrugged. "We have all change, and I guess I should've been more tolerant, but then again, none of you was interested in my life either." She wasn't judging, just saying the way it was.

"Your life is amazing. You work for a prince, for goodness sake."

"I didn't tell you that," she said softly, frowning.

"No, just your whole family did for the last four years. They're so proud of you." Her eyes widened in shock. Really? Her heart swelled. They were proud of her. "How can you compete against that."

"You didn't have to. I'm just his assistant."

"Who came to a friend's gathering? I think you're more than that."