CHAPTER THIRTY NINE: AN EXPOSITORY OF THE PAST( PART 33); The Incident!

Christopher Connor recognised her and immediately his eyes widened in surprise. Wasn't Ryleigh Georgia abroad studying architecture, interior design and business management? What was she doing in front of him?

He then pretended to be happy to see her in front of him. He smiled briefly long enough for Rylee Athena to notice he had strong, regular teeth. He then stretched out his hand in greeting.

It was time for the lunch break. The atmosphere in the company had changed as people switched off their computers and started to talk in a relaxed way. But that did not prevent them from gossiping

"Ryleigh Georgia! Good of you to come," he said, still smiling.

The two shook his hands but the young lady did not want to let go. Christopher Connor forced her, he knew very well that she wanted to use him to get closer to Akira Aarush.

"Introduce me to the young lady,"Ryleigh Georgia said as she stared annoyingly at Rylee Athena guessing that she was Christopher Connor's few female friends.

"Rylee Athena," Christopher Connor said.

"Oh, by the way. I am here to invite you to lunch." The young lady said.

"Aren't you abroad?" Christopher Connor inquired as the both of them walked to the row of elevators.

"Forget about that for a minute. I want to join the project."

The two of them left Rylee Athena who decided to go shopping for dinner.

From early in the morning, traffic started building up. Crowds of pedestrians, shoppers and others could be seen walking along the pavements outside the shops or trying to cross the road.

The noise of cars and taxis hooting, or of scooters, flying past was deafening. Anyone who stops by to watch the scene was amazed at the number of vehicles zooming past or crawling along when caught at the traffic lights.The people, mainly lady shoppers with children, lined the street as they awaited an opportunity to cross the road.

In the hustle and bustle, one could savour the delicious aroma of Oriental delicacies floating in the air. It comes from ' fried rice, burgers ', 'shrimps' , fried chicken and sweet meats, tempting passers-by to stop for some refreshment.

In the afternoon, the crowds grew bigger as office workers join the throngs of people. Now it was also time to go for the lunch break. Taxis were in great demand while shoppers queued up to get one. Most of the taxis had already been hired and so they do not stop to pick up passengers, much to the frustration of the shoppers.

Early summer had roofed the city with a cloudless infinity of horizon to horizon blue. The people who were not busy, revelling in that good weather, were out in thousands. Rylee Athena took them on: she plunged into their midst as if ahe was one of them. Inhaling the greedy breaths of the day's clean air as she walked, she absorbed everything she saw..

As she walked down the streets,a local supermarket emerged. Rylee Athena headed for it.

Rylee Athena entered the supermarket and chose a shopping basket. She could have asked Kinsley to join her but that did not seem like a good idea; she would. But Kinsley was very busy with the overall work of the group. However, she was surprised to see someone that she knew. He was wandering round the supermarket like a young man really not intending to buy anything, but simply spending time in relaxation.

"Do I see wine in your shopping basket?" He asked while peeping into her shopping basket.

"Yes," Rylee Athena replied." I'm having a special dinner for my friend this evening."

"Male or female?" He asked.

Rylee Athena almost told him to mind his own business. Who she had in the mansion, whether male or female, was no concern of his. Before she had time to reply, however,he continued by saying, "You seem to be kept busy by dinner parties."

"Not really,"Rylee Athena told him.

"Well, I heard that you and Christopher Connor were out."

Rylee Athena was not surprised that Rylee Athena should have known that. After all, he was a close friend and colleague of Christopher Connor. However, his tone of voice, a certain sarcastic twist to his words,made it clear that Darien Boone did not really approve. Though why he should have thought it mattered whether he approved or disapproved, she could not understand.

"What else did you hear?"Rylee Athena asked.

"You should not associate with him. He will get you hurt. Stay away, as far as possible." The tone of his voice made it seem like a warning.

Rylee Athena chose some green and red peppers and placed them in her shopping basket.

"Will you cook them or have them raw?" Darien Boone asked, pointing at the peppers.

"Raw, sliced into pieces," Rylee Athena replied.

"Do you enjoy cooking?" Darien Boone asked.

It was clear that he had decided to change the subject from the warning to cooking. Even though her and Darien Boone were not that close. She decided to heed to his instructions. Rylee Athena wished that he could have also changed his direction. She wanted to be alone for an hour. To enjoy her free time. The last thing she wanted was to spend her lunch break with only her and herself.

"I have to go now," Rylee Athena told him, trying to be as much polite as possible. "I only have one hour and there's just so much to do."

"That's the price you have to pay for working for Ali Maddox." He stared at Rylee Athena as she walked away. She was a very beautiful young lady. He envied his friend, Ali Maddox.

After shopping, Rylee Athena joined a queue at the counter to pay. And soon, it was her turn. She gave her stuff to the cashier. She scanned them and summed up her total bill.

"That will be three hundred, sixty three dollars and fifty five cents, ma'am. Will it be credit or debit ma'am?"

"It shall be none," Rylee Athena marshalled the sum and paid her.