Nico up there guys! ☝🏾
Sooo...in the previous chapter, I asked you guys to guess who you felt was Fai's guest, but no one guessed right🤣...let me just take that as a complement 🙈
But I really did appreciate the responses...
So I guess I'll be dedicating this chapter to everyone of you who's come this far with me in this story💓
And please don't stop commenting 🙏🏾 I read every one of them and they motivate me to keep writing 🙏🏾
Let's get back to it!
"What the hell???" Fai cursed, upon seeing who it was.
"Fai?" he responded.
"Nico! Oh My God, my man! It's so good to see you mate!" Fai buzzed as he made his way to hug his best friend.
"I know right?! Nice to see you too! You don't know how exciting it is to to hear you call me that...after you ghosted out on all of us back at LA!" Nico smirked as they settled themselves on either chairs of the desk.
"Um Amy, that'll be all for now, thank you..."Fai dismissed before speaking up again, "...yeah you know I didn't do that on purpose, me ghosting you all" Fai explained and Nico nodded in understanding. "Yeah I understand, but you know you actually look really good! I mean it doesn't appear to be as bad as Martha talked about" Nico responded.
"My mother? She talked to you about me?" he furrowed.
"Talked to me?! Mate, she went around calling all our friends, asking if we knew your possible location and then she had a hard time believing that I in particular didn't know your whereabouts, which I am still mad about! But now you're okay, and it's good to see you again man" he smiled.
"Yeah well, I wasn't always like this, it took quite a lot to finally arrive here" Fai sighed.
"Really? But are you—" *Knocks on the door*
"...hey..." Maldives said when she opened the door slightly, and sighted Fai with his guest. "...oh I'm sorry I didn't know— "she began apologizing with intents on closing the door when Fai stopped her. "No-no don't go Mal, come on in, there's someone I want you to meet..." he urged, as he walked over to where she stood to invite her in.
"Are you sure? I don't wanna—" she began protesting when Fai pulled her with him, "Nico, meet Mal, Mal, this is Nico, my best friend, I told you about him before, right?" he explained while she nodded at the man who offered her a warm smile.
"Welcome to New York Nico! I hope you enjoy your stay here...it's not as fancy as LA, but hey, at least it never sleeps" she smiled.
"Hahaha, well I have been here a couple times but I think this time, I'm going to be staying here a pretty long while..." he responded, "....but you've got quite a peculiar name, Maldives, and I hope I don't sound idiotic for asking this since you apparently don't look Asian, but are you—' he began asking when she stole the words from his mouth.
"Am I from Maldives?" she nodded knowingly.
"Right, I assume you get asked that a lot" he chuckled.
"Yeah you can't imagine, but no, I'm not from Maldives, it was just a name my mother picked out for me, I'm actually Nigerian" Maldives explained.
"Nigeria?" he repeated and she nodded. Maldives noticed his silence and misunderstood it to mean something else, "Come on, say it..."she encouraged.
"What?" he furrowed.
"What you're thinking...'corruption, scammers, bombings', you know you want to"
"What-no! Of course not!" he defended and Maldives smiled slightly.
"Mal, trust me, Nico is not that kind of person, he's not Regina" Fai said assuringly.
"Or your mom" Nico whispered into his ears and Fai scoffed playfully at him.
"Wait, you know how his mother gets too?" Maldives asked whilst chuckling.
"Oh trust me, I do, but seriously, I really did not think any of those things when you told me you were Nigerian, I was only quiet because you're actually the first Nigerian I'm meeting" he explained.
"Really? Your friend said that too when we first met" she stated, referring to Fai.
"Really?"
"Yeah" she nodded.
"Well don't blame us Mal, back in LA most of us live our lives like we're in a bubble" Fai explained.
"Yeah, and there's the fact that there aren't so many Nigerians there you know" Nico added.
"I understand...well, I will let you two get back to whatever you were doing, I only came in here to ask the Boss if I will be needed at the meeting...which starts in ten? I think" she asked, checking her wristwatch.
"Uhh yes I will, I'll be with you guys shortly" Fai nodded in affirmation.
"Okay...well I'll be on my way out now" Maldives voiced slowly, doing the best she could to be as professional as she possibly could in the presence of her 'Boss' and his best friend.
If only I could just make this dude magically disappear...get some good quick loving...Damn it! Where are magical wands when you need them?! Maldives sighed.
"have a nice day" Nico she smiled, looking at Fai one last time before closing the door behind her.
"Okay, what was that all about?" Nico asked when he was sure Maldives was out of sight.
"What's what?" Fai asked innocently.
"What do you mean what? Dude, there was literally butterflies and rainbows all around you two while she was here" Nico challenged while his best friend smiled sheepishly as he returned to his seat.
"Well..." Fai began saying when Nico cut him mid-sentence.
"Okay, it starts with a 'well', so this should be good" Nico smiled as he crossed his arms curiously.
"Nic, it's alright, you're right, there is something" Fai surrendered with a sly smile.
"Something?! Fai, she's got you all red in the cheeks while showing your pearly whites, it's like Jane Peters back in fifth grade all over again" he teased while Fai shot him an unimpressed face.
"Okay, yeah, all jokes on me hahaha" Fai said sarcastically.
"Yeah, I know right?! Anyways, while I can't wait to hear the full details on the new 'Miss Jane Peters', I think I need to be heading out now"
"What—already?!"
"Yeah, you know I still need to meet up with Peter Rogers today" he explained, the reluctance evident on his face.
"You mean 'your father'?" Fai reiterated for him with a smirk and he sighed.
"Yeah right. You know I still don't know what I'm doing here, or why I'm here" he growled.
"Ouch, okay, I'm gonna pretend you did not just say that" Fai joked.
"No of course not, don't get me wrong, I am happy to be here, it's just—you know the last time I came here to see him, things didn't really go as smooth as we'd hoped for, especially when I told him I was gay, the man started spitting stuff about how it was 'my mother's fault I turned out to be this way', he said if he was around, he would have 'fixed me up' like I'm some sort of toy pfft!" he hissed and Fai sympathized with a sad smile.
"I understand, but hopefully, you two work your differences out this time"
"Yeah I guess, I mean he reached out again this time so, we'll see...oh yeah, also, your dad hooked me up, guess what?" he grinned.
"What?" Fai asked curiously.
"I got a transfer here—well, temporarily, but your dad said you guys would be needing me in the marketing analysis for the on going projects, so I guess I'm a New Yoker for the next one year plus?" he shrugged with a smile and Fai burst into a big smile.
"Really? Oh my God, that's awesome! Can't wait to have you on the team! Plus, I could really use my best friend here, believe it or not, New York does get pretty lonely sometimes" Fai stated.
"Really? It does? I thought you had your time pretty occupied with..." he wriggled his eyes playfully.
"Nic, go to hell!" Fai dismissed.
"Oh believe it or not, our spot in there is being reserved by the devil himself..." he winked. "...alright, I'll let you prepare for your meeting while I go disappoint my old man with 'my preference for penis' " he joked and Fai shook his head in astonishment. "You're silly Nico"
~~~~~
"...you should have accepted what Cosmillas was offering you!" Regina reprimanded from behind him.
"And done what exactly huh?! You're well aware that with that bastard of a man, he never gives anything with a price!" Fai shouted back at his aunt.
The two currently found themselves in the middle of a heated argument after they had just returned from their board of directors meeting, with Fai refusing to give into what he referred to as a crazy demand by his aunt.
It all began with a disagreement which stirred up back in their meeting hall when Mr. Cosmillas, a Standard member of their board of directors, offered to bring in 'his group of Russian friends' to facilitate their SA project, as he considered 'the Chinese people highly unreliable'.
"But isn't that what business is all about?! Prices and sacrifices?!"
"Oh no-no-no, not when there could be a lot at stake!" he argued back.
"There is a lot at stake if we can't manage to somehow convince the Chinese to invest their money!" Regina illustrated.
"Well that is so nice of you aunt, no pressures at all!"he remarked sarcastically.
"Fai, don't get me wrong, I don't—" she began saying when Fai stopped her, "You know what? It is fine aunt, it is totally fine! In two weeks' time, I live for Germany, I will do all I can to land you guys your deal" Fai stated.
"You guys? You know you should really stop acting like everything you do isn't in the best interest of everyone—all of us, including you!"
"I'm not disputing that fact! But you guys seem to be taking this like this is some do or die affair when it isn't!"
"Well, if it's not so important to you, then why don't you just leave the company for me?!" she blurted out, and when Fai smiled, it was then she knew the significance of what she had said.
"Well there you go, it's not like we didn't already know it anyways, I've always known nothing will make you happier than for me to wake one day and tell you that I'm no longer interested in running this company" he scoffed as he retreated to his seat.
"I don't have anything to say to you" she swallowed.
"Good, cause I honestly don't feel like listening to you anymore..." he responded, typing away on his computer before reclining to lean on his elbow as he stared at her with his signature 'stiff face'. "...you may leave my office now Regina" he suggested. She stared at him for a couple seconds, contemplating her next action, but then decided to settle for obeying his wish.
"I'll leave...but tread cautiously Fai, or you will have regrets" she concluded before walking out.
When she arrived outside, she noticed some of the employees chit-chatting around their cubicles. There were about five of them, and the first thing she noticed was that there were all people of color, amongst them, Maldives, who immediately caught her attention as she appeared to be in the middle of what seemed to be a session of chuckles as one of the employees told a joke.
"Hey you!" she called to their attention and they all immediately straightened as they returned to their various stations.
"Joking while on the job?! Is that what I pay you all here for?!" she scolded.
To say that everywhere became so deaf silent was an understatement as one could literally hear the sound of a paper touch the floor in that moment.
"I'm sorry ma'am we were just—" Maldives began explaining.
"Sorry for yourself!" Regina truncated her. "...does this place look like your little 'hood'??? You have no right to make noise—or laugh in here, because this is an office environment!"
"With all due respect ma'am, I am not from the ho—"
"Still making noise!"
"Is she? Really?" a voice asked from behind her. "...cause if I'm not mistaken, you're the only one doing the noise making here with your unnecessary screams of outbursts" Fai stated with his arms crossed against each other as he critiqued his aunt right in the face of the employees.
"Are you calling me a noise maker Fai?!" she demanded and he sighed before rubbing his temples, clearly frustrated by the unnecessary drama his aunt was putting on.
"Aunt, we are not gonna do this right now, not in front of these people, whom you have disrespected"
"Disrespected?! They disrespected me first! They disrespected the company's rules the moment they decided to turn this place into some stand-up arena!"
"Couldn't you have dismissed them in a nicer way?! They are humans you know!"
"Right! You know this is your fault! You and your father were the ones who insisted our employees consist of these—hoodlums!" she blurted out, earning herself gasps and side talks from the employees.
"Hoodlums?" Maldives echoed, "...you call us hoodlums because we have a different skin tone from yours?!"
"Don't you dare raise your voice at me young lady, I am your Boss!" Regina defended and Maldives scoffed silently.
"No I am her Boss—matter of fact, I'm not just her Boss, I'm also her—"
"I'm sorry ma'am!" Maldives jumped in before he could complete his statement, and Fai stared at her questioningly before scoffing inwardly at her antics.
Unbelievable...just unbelievable!
"Say that again" Regina demanded, feeling immensely satisfied by the power the apology had relished to her.
"I said I'm sorry...on behalf of all of us here...and we promise it won't happen again" she apologized, avoiding eye contact with Fai who simply scoffed as he returned to his office.
"Good, you may all return to your duties" she dismissed with her signature devilish smile.
~~~~~
The day finally came to an end, with Maldives finishing up on the rest of the paperwork she needed complete before proceeding to submit them in his office—a task she had been dreading all day.
Ever since they had the clash they had with Regina, Maldives could tell that Fai had been somewhat disappointed by how she had handled the situation, but what exactly did he expect me to do?
I wasn't about to let him blurt out how I wasn't just his employee, but his 'girlfriend or woman...or sex partner—whatever it is that I am to him (which by the way he and I need to put some label on)...but no! The whole world doesn't need to know!
Especially the world in this environment. Imagine what everyone's reaction would be when they realize we do have 'something' going on between us, it would be catastrophic! Maybe the side-talks I can deal with, but Regina?! No! HELL NO! That woman finna fry my Black ass for messing with her 'pristine White' family! No..we really need to figure things out before one of us goes crazy... she sighed.
Pulling herself together, she gathered every courage she could muster and made her way to his office.
When she arrived there, Amy who looked to be all giddily whilst on a phone call, signaled to Maldives that she could go into his office.
With the files in one hand, she took a deep breath before giving a couple knocks on the door, which saw her hear a faint 'come in' from inside.
When she walked into the room, she noticed how he didn't bother to look up to check who it was that had come in as he had probably known she was the one, provided that she was required to constantly check in with him every day before she signed off for the day.
In a bid to grab his attention, she cleared her throat, an effort that seemed futile as he didn't even for once look her direction, but kept typing away on his computer.
Maldives felt a huge lump sink down her throat as it felt like she had just been slapped in the face by his intentional snubbing, but she was not about to let him get away so easily.
"Um I'm gonna need you to go through them...to certify that they're void of any errors" she cleared her throat again as she watched him pay zero attention to what she had said. "Fai?" she called.
"Don't you mean 'Boss'?" he corrected, finally looking up at her.
It was then she noticed the stress lines his forehead held and wished for nothing more than to softly caress them away and soothe the hefty stress she knew the on-going project was bringing upon him.
She sighed, "I can't believe you're still mad over that Fai"
"You can't believe?! Scoffs I honestly can't understand you Mal, help me out here, cause I can't" he threw his hands into the air.
"What exactly did you expect me to do Fai? Let you announce to the whole world that we're—whatever we are?"
"Would that be such a bad thing?! Will the world come to an end if they knew we're together?!"
"I'm not saying—wait, we are?" she questioned.
"What do you mean? Aren't we?" he quizzed with a raised brow.
"No –no—"
"No?"
"No—I mean yes! We are together...it's just I didn't know, cause you know we haven't put labels on anything yet, so..."she trailed off and he sighed before getting out of his seat and making his way to where she stood in front of his desk.
Taking her hands in his, he started, "Listen, when people like my aunt try to hurt you, it hurts me...and you know what hurts even more? When I'm trying to protect you, but you're busy trying to stop me"
"I know...but I don't need protecting" she explained.
"You don't? Cause that wasn't what it looked to me back there..." he insisted and Maldives sighed in surrender. "...why exactly do you insist on keeping this relationship private? Is this because I'm White?" he probed.
"What—no! Of course not!"
"Really? Cause if I remember correctly, you did state that you would never be a White boy" he challenged and she sighed in guilt. Great job Mal, great job! You and your stupid rules! "...so it is because of that" he nodded.
"No! Or maybe...but not in the way that you think" she corrected.
"Hmm, in what way then?"
"Listen Fai, I'm well aware of the stupid things I said in the past—WE both said stupid things, lots of them, but all of that's changed now...when it comes to us, I'm not just scared of what the other employees will say, I'm also scared of your family, no offence, but you and I know your aunt Regina isn't exactly a fan of people like me, and your mother, she—"
"Let me handle my family, okay?" he proposed and she sighed before nodding.
He began tucking the strands of hair behind her ear as he spoke again, "...about the employees...like I said before, they'll just have to deal with it" he shrugged as he proceeded to placing tiny kisses on her neck while he pushing her to the edge of his desk, an action that sent ripples down her spine.
"I—I know, I justI don't want people thinking..."
"No one's going to think anything Schatzi...you worked for your achievements...and I'll make sure they get that..." he whispered into her ears as his hands roamed over her thighs, sliding her skirt up slowly while she moaned softly.
"Fuck...are you sure we should be doing this now?" she cursed as she unbuckled his belt and untucked his shirt.
"Mein Schatz, there's never a bad time to be doing this..."he responded as he slid her panties down.
"Wait...the-um...the other time
..what am I to you?" she asked while they stared at each other, their thirst for one another evident in their eyes.
Smiling, he kissed her lips softly, then whispered, "You're my woman..."
Um guys...Cake or ice cream??? 🤓
You guessed right, I don't have much to say 🙈...
But please don't stop voting 🙏🏾
And sharing your views, predictions and suggestions with me 😇
Thank you! 💓