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Jacob's pov:
Austin wanted to meet the woman who has been making me smile so much these days. Since it was sunday and both of them had time I decide to make them meet. Our rule was to meet once a week but I don't mind seeing her everyday, only if I wasn't so busy with business.
Austin and I meet outside the building of the restaurant and we walk towards the lift "I am going to meet the girl who has been tolerating you." He tells me with fake excitement.
"It's not the first time you're meeting her."
"Our first encounter wasn't really that great. She must find me crazy to ask her to date you." I roll my eyes at that.
"What is she like? Define her." I don't have an answer to that...
When we reach near the lift its packed already but we get in somehow.
"Tell me what is she like?" He asks me again.
"Mia, she is really old fashioned and tacky." The lift stops on the third floor and we get out.
I continue what I was telling him, "I like her old fashioned and tacky because its new and different for me.... her simplicity makes me happy. I have come to the realization that I like her." He smiles at my honest answer and pats me on my shoulder.
After our phone call last night and me goofily smiling to myself, I realized that I like her so much.
"My bestfriend has finally grown up." I fake smile at him and we get a table for us.
We wait for Mia to come, she should have been here by now... she was only across the street.
"Man, I have to go to your grandfather's in sometime. When is she coming?" Austin asks me. Its been thirty minutes since we came here and she hasn't been picking up her phone. Perhaps she isn't coming?
I text her, "where are you? We are waiting here at the restaurant. Come soon."
I am drinking some water when Mia finally arrives. I smile at her and look away but when I look at her again my eyes almost pops out and I get shocked to see her... WHAT IS SHE WEARING?
She confidently walks in wearing high heels and a really short sleeveless black dress. I have never seen her in such revealing clothes. What... why is she in these clothes? Everyone in the restaurant are staring at her.
She comes and sits next to me and greets Austin, "so good to see you Mr. Austin. Sorry for making you wait." She smiles at him.
"Ms. Mia, you sure have changed since the last time we met. You look a lot sexier and beautiful than before." He says that and smirks at me.
"No she doesn't... why are you here like this?" I get jealous too jealous. I get angry at Austin as well.
"To be honest, my old style was really tacky and old fashioned and it had to be changed." She tells him with a slight hint of irritation in her voice.
"No it was better than this." I tell her with annoyance.
Austin gets a call and he excuses himself and goes outside.
"What is the matter with you? Why have you worn this?" I ask her with anger rising inside me.
"What is wrong with this? Wasn't my old style too old fashioned and tacky? I thought I should dress better in front of your friend and not embarrass you." She tells me angrily.
Why is she mad at me? What did I do?
I am about to ask her when some men walk past our table and stare at her. I want to punch the hell out of them but I control my anger and remove my over coat to cover her up.
"Take this and cover yourself."
"No, I won't... I want to show everyone especially your friends that I can look sexy." I cover her anyways with the jacket and she looks at me like she wants to slap me.
"Mia why are you..." before I could complete Austin returns.
"So Mia, what should we order?" He asks her.
"Actually Mr. Austin, I was here to say thankyou to you for whatever legal battles you fought for my friend Kevin. We are really thankful to you."
"No problem Mia." He smiles at her again and it angers me even more. Stop smiling so much at her. He stares at both of us, the environment is pretty heated around us and Austin tries to control his laughter in this situation. Sure its funny to you but it's terrifying to me? Why is she behaving this way?
"I wish I could stay for lunch but I have some prior plans."
"With whom? Aiden?" Befor I know I say that out loud in anger.
"No with Aiden's sister." She looks like she's about to cry and I feel bad for doing this to her. I am so stupid, before I could say something... she leaves leaving my jacket and her clutch behind.
I suddenly realize something.... her words sounded exactly like mine....she heard me and Austin talk and that's why.... shit, I need to clear this misunderstanding right away.
"Jacob, what's wrong? Why did she leave like that?"
I see her clutch resting on the table, "Austin, I'll see you later okay?" I tell him and hurriedly run behind her with her clutch.
I take the stairs and get down as fast as I can. I see her leaving the building and almost crossing the street when I stop her. I drag her back and at first she doesn't come with me but I drag her along anyway. We walk a little and reach at a park near, I take her to one of the benches and make her sit.
"Did you hear me and Austin talk?"
"If you find me tacky and old fashioned, you should ask your grandfather not to set you up with a girl like me." She sounds upset and hurt and obviously she would be.
"You didn't listen to the whole thing. Calm down and..."
"Do not insult me behind my back like this. It wouldn't have hurt me so much if you would have told me on my face but you insulted me behind my back."
I cover her with my jacket first because looking at her like that is making me uncomfortable and she glares at me but doesn't give it back this time. "You only listened to some part of the conversation. I am sorry for hurting you but my intention wasn't to insult you."
"What else did you mean by that?" Tell her Jacob.
"I meant..... I like you just the way you are. Your simplicity and this old fashioned style makes me like you even more. You're different and all of this is equally new for me. The way I said it was weird but I meant it this way and not to insult you." She gets shocked hearing my confession.
"You..... you...." one thing I noticed about her is whenever she's nervous she stammers. I don't let her talk and take her back to her friend's store across the street. I don't want to hear her confession now, I know she'll say it back when she's ready.
Mia's pov:
He's taking me back to Annie's store but I am still too shocked to say anything. He said.... he said he likes me? Oh my god.... I want to dance in the middle of the street but I restrain myself and behave cool.
We reach back at Annie's store, "Pick something of your style, its my gift to you and also I would want you to wear kind of clothes you always wear." I roll my eyes at him, he's so dominating. I want to fight back and tell him I want to wear clothes I like but honestly these short clothes and heels aren't really my thing... so I don't say anything of that sort.
"No need for that, I left my clothes here. I'll change and come out in sometime." Annie is nowhere in sight, one of her staff members is at the cash counter and she smiles at me.
I go inside and look at myself in the mirror. Petite, lean but for the first time I look really good but he prefers the way I am, the version I am instead of this. I thought his preference is a Victoria's secret model but he prefers me being in my old simple clothes which makes me want to dance in happiness and so I do jump a little and dance.
When I change and come out... I see Annie and Jacob fighting with each other.
"Don't make her wear such clothes ever again." Jacob yells at her. His temper is so horrible... why is he talking to my bestfriend like that.
"Its called fashion and she looks sexy in that. It's latest in the market everyone wears that and YOU you called her tacky don't yell at me." She angrily tells him and I want to laugh because it looks so funny.
Jacob realizes I have come out so he comes to me and drags me out but before we could exit he turns back and tells Annie, "She's Beautiful like this, don't change her ever." And we that he takes me away. I smile at this last statement, who knew he can affect my mood so much. In an hour I went from angry to upset to hurt and to happy so fast.
When we sit inside his car I text Annie, "sorry for his behavior. I'll see you tonight."
"Oh my god Mi, I AM SO HAPPY FOR YOU. He cares alot about you and seeing a man being over protective and jealous is so sexy. He's quite a catch, even though he's annoying, I approve him."
"Whom are you texting?" Jacob asks me curiously.
"The person you yelled at."
"She should never have made you wear that in the first place." I smile at his over protectiveness.
Grandfather's pov:
Ben texts me, "Sir, your grandson really is changing. Its the first weekend he didn't come to work at all." I smile reading his text and Jay's mother Jennifer arrives.
"Jennifer, how have you been?" I stand up and kiss her on the cheek.
"Dad, I am here to talk about something important."
"Come on sit." We sit on the living room sofa and I ask the maid to get something to drink.
"Dad, why are you doing this to Jacob?"
"What am I doing?"
"A girl from a non-business background? You know he is supposed to be back at the main office in few months. With such distractions he wouldn't be able to achieve what he wants. And you know it would be better to have someone from the business background for his own good." Jennifer isn't money hungry but she badly wants his son to take over the huge business and get successful in life. She loves her son so much that she wants him to get everything best like any mother.
"Jennifer, you trust me and my judgements right?" She nods in agreement.
"This girl will change him and make him achieve everything he wants. He will comeback at the main office and this girl would definitely be a reason for him to be happy."
"Dad but I worry about him. What if he gets hurt in this process?" before I could respond my youngest daughter in law arrives and interrupts us.
"Someone would take you to be his real mother."
"I am his real mother." Jennifer replies to Linda in anger.
"You don't share a single drop of blood with him and you say you're his real mother." Linda tells her sarcastically and I decide to stop her right there.
"Any reason for you to come and interrupt us Linda?"
"Dad, I know Jay is the oldest grandson and one of your favorites but why have you done this? I know you sent out a new will with your lawyer... so why keep Kyle out of it? He's equally an another candidate to be the next chairman." She asks me and I realize what Austin and Jacob have done... Austin didn't give the will to Kyle... I decide to go along with their plan as well.
"There is nothing that I am hiding or keeping Kyle away from... whatever it is has reached to you. Now if you are done questioning me I would like to take some rest." With that I leave both of them and go inside.
Even though I wouldn't say this out loud... I really want Jacob to take over the company after me... he's more than capable to be the next chairman. I have no problem with Kyle but his parent's attitude really bothers me. Jacob had to go through so much because of them in the childhood. They constantly reminded him of the bad things in life. I text Austin to hide the will from Kyle and tell him I will send out another version to shut his mother's mouth.
Mia's pov:
I am sitting with Annie in my apartment and having chicken nuggets and burger with her (her idea). I cannot forget his sweet confession to me.... he likes me... I giggle and Annie gives me a weird look.
"Did you just giggle? oh my god look at my Mia all giddy and in love. I never thought I'd get to see this day any sooner but I am. He's just too dominating I have to say but really caring too." She tells me with a smile.
"But I did not giggle because I was thinking of him. I giggled because these chicken nuggets are love."
She gives me a knowing smile and takes my phone, "what ya doing on my phone?"
"Taking his number... in case of emergencies like you losing your mental balance.... I'll need his number to warn him. But I need to bond with him since you guys are turning into something serious." She takes his number and keeps my phone back.
I don't say anything because I don't know if we are really getting serious the contract still stays.... things will end after the contract.... he said he likes me but he hasn't clearly told me anything else. Even though our relationship has come to this stage, things haven't changed.... he's still a rich businessman, I am a simple school teacher with minimum salary. Our lives are poles apart.
"What happened to giggly Mia? Why did you become so serious?"
"We finished all the nuggest." I tell her jokingly and she shakes her head in fake exasperation.
Jacob's pov:
I am working a little in my study when I get a message from an unknown number.
"Dear Mr. Miller, since you're my best friend's boyfriend I really have to tolerate you. Here's a treat from me for 'your eyes only' ;) -Annabelle
She has sent me a picture of Mia in the dress she was wearing this afternoon. I mean.... I don't mind seeing her like this when we are alone. I zoom into the picture and see how sexy she looks. Jacob concentrate on your work.
I try to forget about her and concentrate on my work again. But every now and then I see her picture and bring back the energy inside me.
My next two days were really busy and I couldn't talk to her much making me miss her even more. After two busy days I finally have some time tomorrow so I call her up,
"Are you free tomorrow?" I ask her.
"Umm.. yaa I am." She answers cautiously.
"Let's go for a movie and dinner like normal couples do." I tell her and try to hide the excitement in my voice.
"Sure... let's do that." She answers right away which makes me happy.
Before I could talk more, Mr. Ben calls me for another meeting. "Mia, I have to go. See you tomorrow." I tell her with a smile and end the call.
Its finally the day I am going to meet her and I feel so excited about it. I text her the name of the restaurant we are about to meet in and she tells me to directly meet her there. At 6pm I leave the office right away and go to the parking lot to get my car when Mr. Ben calls me.
"Sir there's an emergency please come to the security room right away." I run to the security room right away and see something unexpected.
Mia's pov:
I reach at the restaurant we are supposed to meet at. I am dressed how he likes, a simple grey knee length full sleeves dress, not too revealing how he said. He must have made a reservation so I ask for his name and they take me to the table. They serve some water and I order some juice until he comes. Fifteen minutes later I call him but he doesn't pick up. Might be doing something important....I check the movie shows online, we'll be able to catch the 9:30pm show. He'll be here soon I guess.
Half n hour later he still hasn't arrived and there are no replies to my texts and no call backs. I feel really anxious... why isn't he here yet?
One hour passes by of me still waiting for him. Where is he? Why isn't he coming? The dates we had until now he was never late and he always called me. I try calling him again but now the phone is straight away going to the voice mail. I agree that he is a busy businessman but he could have atleast called me up and tell me that he cannot make it.
I decide to wait an hour more in case he shows up. I don't know why do I have so much faith in him. The waiter asks me if I want something and I deny it.
Two hours later I finally leave the restaurant, it's pretty clear he won't be coming. I walk towards the bus stop to catch a bus to my home. If he was busy he should have atleast told me. What's the meaning of making me wait up for so long. Why did I start expecting so much out of our contract relationship? My expectations got so high that him ditching me hurt me more than it should have. If I wouldn't have started liking him so much, I wouldn't be feeling so dejected today. It's my fault.
I get down on my stop and slowly walk towards my building. I feel so upset.... I shouldn't but I just can't... when I reach I see Jacob's car in front of my building and he immediately gets out when he sees me.
Jacob's pov:
(After he got Ben's phone call)
I run as fast as I can to the security room and see Mr. Ben and few other staff members looking at a note. The environment seems pretty intense.
Mr. Ben looks at me and passes the note,it says, "Dear Mr. Miller, Let's play a game of life and death. Save your precious hotel by searching for the bomb I hid in 60 minutes, if you do you win and if you don't I win. The time starts at 5:30 :)"
I check the time and it's 5:40pm already.
"Who found this note?" I ask Mr. Ben.
"The receptionist did and the management team got really scared and gave it to us."
"We don't know if its true or not but I can't take any chances when it comes to everyone's lives. Ask the guests and the staff to evacuate the hotel immediately. Call a bomb defuser and the police right away. Until then I'll see the past camera recordings and see if someone suspicious passed by and we can recognize him or figure out something about his plan."
"Okay sir."
"Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you guys. Just do as you're told as fast as you can. We only have an hour." They all nod and leave to help Mr. Ben.
I get myself together and start thinking of ways to handle it.
"When did the receptionist handed you the note?" I ask the security team.
"About ten minutes back sir."
"See all the camera recordings at the entrance and the lobby from last one hour." They do as they are told but we couldn't find anything suspicious.
I suddenly realize, why would he do something so obvious , he will do something that people won't be expecting. Last year for the hotel safety I put cameras at the back entrance as well. "Check the back entrance cameras."
We find someone suspicious in a hoodie entering the hotel but only a staff member with an Id can enter from there. We cannot see his face clearly because he's hiding it and going inside the staff room really fast. Only a person who knows the hotel inside out can do that. This person has been planning this for days.
"Check the staff area camera recordings which is nearer to the back entrance." The suspicious person goes inside the staff room but doesn't come outside. Where did he go after that? There are no other ways connected there except to the main lobby and back entrance? How did he reach at the reception and kept that note? We cannot see him on any other camera recordings. Weird! There are only staff members going in and out.
Mr. Ben calls me, "sir, we asked the guests evacuate the place. When we went to the staff room, we found an unconscious man. He was hit really hard on his head, please come here fast." I immediately go there and see one of our management employee in a bad state. Some of my team members take him to the hospital. So this is what he did, he hit this person, changed into his clothes and left that note.
The police arrives and start searching all the rooms and places in the hotel. "Everyone, please wait outside." One of the cops tells us.
"He left the note for me so I won't leave the hotel until I find out. This is my hotel and I won't let anyone mess with it just like that."
"But sir..." Ben protests but I don't let him talk and start searching with the cops. Mr. Ben follows behind me and together we search at the places we thought are suspicious. The staff room, my office, management team office and the cops search for all the rooms.
Forty minutes later the team of twenty cops come back to the lobby and inform us they couldn't find anything. It's 6:20pm and we only have ten more minutes left.
"Its a false threat then." Mr. Ben tells me. I still don't get convinced. I take them back to the back entrance since we saw him entering from there and ask them to recheck it. I wait outside the staff room with Mr. Ben when my eyes catches a door few meters from the staff room.
I try to open the door but it's locked. Mr. Ben get some keys for me and I open it only to find janitor's closet. It's a small room where some cleaning equipments are kept. I don't really pay much attention and I am about to leave when I suddenly hear a small sound from the room. Like the sound of a digital clock....Can it be.... can that be a bomb? I check the time and I still have five minutes before sixty minutes end. I start searching for it everywhere and finally find a small box at the far end of the room.
"Sir, Don't.... we'll call the bomb defuser."
"We don't have much time... there are only three more minutes left. I need to see if its a bomb and run outside with it as fast we can."
I get all the courage inside me and slowly open the box only to find a spring joker inside it with a fake small machine making the noise I heard. There's also a note inside it.
"Early April fools jokes for our dear Jacob Miller." The note only says that and nothing else. Mr. Ben takes a sigh of relief and we let the cops check the closet properly. But why would someone play such a prank? What was this person trying to do?
Once we are sure everything is under control, my staff calls all the guests back and assures them that everything is okay. The news has reached to our main office. I get my phone out only to see the battery has died. The cops ask us to keep a tight security for a few days until they don't get to the end of this.
I sit inside my office with a really bad headache. Whenever I am too stressed I get these.
I suddenly remember I had to meet Mia. Shit.... I forgot to call her. I know if I'll explain her she'll understand my situation. I re-check everything one last time and run out to meet her but I collide with someone at the lobby. What.... what is she doing here? Amy?
"Jay, oh god you are okay. I heard about the bomb situation and came here right away but they didn't let me in. I was so worried." She tries to hug me but I back off.
"Why are you here? I don't need your concern." I tell her rudely and with that I run off to the parking lot to the person I want to go to.
Even though I know its too late I still check the restaurant and ask the receptionist there, "she left like fifteen minutes back." They tell me and I realize how long have I made her wait. I feel so guilty.... I drive to her house as fast as I can and wait for her outside her building. Fifteen minutes later she's walking towards the building looking really upset.
I dash out towards her and she bitterly looks at me, "What are you doing here? It's too late." She tells me.
"I had an urgent matter to attend." I tell her hiding the bomb story. She is really upset right now and I don't want to tell her everything when she's angry.
She looks away with a sarcastic smile, "Yeah, sure."
"For that matter... everyone is busy in their life Jacob but they make time for people they really wish to spend time with and it's pretty clear what you want."
"Are you.... are you mad at me? Ofcourse you have all the right...." she doesn't let me finish.
"Why should I be right? I mean we are only doing this for the contract we have signed." This hurts me a little.
"Mia listen..." before I could explain her anything I get a call on the spare phone given to me by Mr. Ben.
"Sir, please come back to the office. There are more matters to clear out."
"Okay I'll be right there."
"Mia, wait for me.... I'll be back in few hours."
"No need for that.... we have already met once this week according to our contract. I will see you next week." With that she leaves and walks inside the building without saying goodbye.
I drive back to the office thinking about her words again and again.... is this only a contract for her? I know she should be mad because I stood her up for hours but I had my reasons. I will explain her everything the next time we meet and make it right.
I reach at the office and attend few calls from the investors of the hotel and the main DM office. If the news goes to the media, it would affect the hotel and DM company as a whole. I try to hide the news and ask Mr. Ben to pay as much money he can to not let them spread this news.
Even though everything is alright now it has affected me alot that I can't get myself to sleep and work in the office the whole night. Mia's words keep playing in my head again and again. Its not a contract for me anymore.... its a lot more. I switch on my phone and see fifteen messages from Mia.... she has all the rights to be upset she waited for 3 hours for me. I see few more messages and missed calls from my mom and Amy? Why is she suddenly texting me? I text my mom that I am okay and ignore Amy's texts.
I work for hours and finally get a little tired and doze off,
"Jacob.... Jacob help me please." Someone is screaming. I see blood everywhere but I follow the blood line on this road and try to reach to that person.
"The bomb will explode Jacob. HELP PLEASE." He yells again but I cannot find a way.
"Sir! Are you okay?" I wake up all sweaty and Mr. Ben staring at me with concern.
Mia's pov:
When I reach inside my apartment I cannot take it anymore. I sit on the table and sob a lot. Why am I crying so much? Because he didn't have an appropriate reason to ditch me? Because I expected too much out of a contract relationship? Or because I have fallen so hard for a wrong person again that it hurts so much. What did you think Mia? He'll marry you after six months? He's using you for his business and you are using him for the favors you took..... just that and nothing more.
Next day I meet Annie and share everything with her and how I feel about all this.
"If a guy really likes a girl, he would make time for her no matter what." She tells me and I wonder if everything he said that day was even real.
"That's what I told him."
"But Mia, he might really have a..."
"Urgent meeting? Is that a good enough reason to ditch me? And if he did have a urgent meeting he could canceled the plan instead of making me wait for three hours." I tell her annoyingly.
"Are you upset that he doesn't like you as much as you do?" She asks me and makes me think if I really am upset because of that. I don't answer her and continue looking at the new collection of her store.
I know I told him we will meet next week but I really want him to call me and tell me that this isn't just a contract but a lot more to him as well. Well.... there it is Mia, your high expectations from a contract dating again. "You seem upset. Let's go out for drinks come on." Annie tells me but I deny her offer because its mid week and she really needs to be here at her shop than with me.
I hear a text ping and get excited only to see that its from Kevin and not someone else.
"Annie, Kevin wants to meet me so I'll see you later. Work hard."
"Fine, you take care okay and come out this dull mood please." I smile and hug her.
I meet Kevin at a mall and we shop a little for him. "I am leaving in a week for my audition."
"I am so happy for you Kev." I feel so proud that one of the student of the Ngo I support is going to make it big.
We decide to get a coffee from starbucks and Kevin explains me the type of roles he's going to audition for but I keep looking at my phone again and again expecting a call from him.
I excuse myself and go to the washroom with my phone only to collide with someone and breaking my phone. The person apologizes and leaves in a hurry. My phone gets switched off and making me even more upset. I go to the washroom and I feel like crying again but I control my emotions and go out and talk normally with Kevin.
Later at night I return back home only to see Jacob outside my building.
I act cool and tell him, "It's not our time to meet yet."
"Let me explain myself at dinner. I deserve a chance right?" He asks me.
"I already ate." I tell him giving him a cold shoulder I am about to enter the building when he stops me.
"Watch me eat and hear me out." He tells me.
"Okay." He smiles a little and we drive to a restaurant of his choice.
"What happened to your phone? I have been trying to call you since evening." He did? I feel a little relived that he cares.
"I broke it. I'll fix it tomorrow." I tell him.
We reach there and the restaurant is on the tenth floor. When we reach up there I instantly feel a little better, the evening seattle view is beautiful. We take a window table and sit opposite to each other. "You look better now." He tells me but I still don't respond properly.
"I am starving." He orders a steak and mojito for himself and starts eating.
He now tells me everything that happened yesterday, "A bomb threat? Are you okay? You aren't hurt right?" I ask him him in shock. He shakes his head and tells me he's okay.
To make the environment light I joke around him, "Your nasty temper might be the reason for this threat. Be a nicer person to everyone from now on."
He smiles a little and shakes his head, "I haven't done something so terrible to deserve a bomb threat."
"Things like these can happen in a hotel too? Isn't that a place for people to just sleep in a room?" I ask him while wondering what must he and his staff went through.
"All kinds of stuff happen behind the door of a hotel room." He tells me with a smirk and I look away in embarrassment. Its safe to say that we are back to normal.
"I'll be back." I excuse myself and go to the bathroom. When I return back, I yelp a little because he grabs my hand and makes me sit down next to him holding me tightly. "What are you doing?" I ask him nervously.
"Look at the table besides us. The couple next to us are sitting next to each other and feeding food to each other. Let's be a typical couple." I try to awkwardly get out of his hold but he interlocks our fingers tightly making me all giddy. But I let him because his hold is making me feel good and relived.
I stare at the couple besides us, feeding food to each other and romantically looking at each other. "That's too much PDA. I mean why to show off to the world that you're dating." I ask him but when I look at him he's dozing off and slowly resting his head on my shoulder. He must have been tired because of all the stress from yesterday. So I let him sleep peacefully without disturbing him. And also realizing that we are becoming one of those couples too.