22 CHAPTER TWENTY ONE: THE COMING ANNIVERSARY

Drew ain't you planning to extend your hospital? "

Melissa asked as she was in his office. She is fully recovered and her looks has been restored. It was a fast one for her because it took just two months to get back to her normal self. If someone was told that her face was destroyed two months ago, he would have argued it to be a lie.

No really know why she's absent from work but they sure know she took a sick leave. She resumed work few weeks back.

"Why should I?"

"When I got there I heard that the FG as assigned your hospital for government high officials use and it is limiting the VIP rooms".

"When was that?" He looked at her.

"Dad asked me to check on you three days ago" she replied with a smile.

"Which dad?"

"Do I have a dad?" Her smiles disappeared.

"So you and my dad has been discussing things behind my back?" He grimaced.

"And what does that mean?" She snapped.

"It means you and my dad is planning something which I'm ignorant of" he said intentionally standoffish.

"Why are you like this? Wasn't I only suggesting" she glared at him.

"Try to act like my fiancée?" He mocked.

She looked at him angrily.

"What?" He asked as if he didn't know.

"Do you enjoy annoying people?" She asked in ire.

"Not at all except you" he smirked.

"It none other's fault but mine. I should have just kept my mouth shut" she hisses.

Drew looked at her angry pretty face and smiled.

Melissa would never get used to his awkward look. This made her frown.

Drew didn't quit looking at her. He picked up his table phone and put a call through.

"Send a memo in reminder of today's meeting" he said bossily and dropped the call.

"Which meeting is that?" Melissa asked curiously.

"For the anniversary committee".

She snorted. " The last time I checked I'm part of that committee or I've I been excused?" She gave him an inquisitive look.

"No you haven't". He supported his jaw with his hand looking at her.

"You must be kidding me! And I've not been informed before now?" She almost gave a shout.

"Did you check your mail?"

"Don't give me that. There's nothing on my mail" she snapped.

"Joanna sent the mail as the committee's secretary" he said with a frown.

"I didn't see any and that simply means I'm not attending" she said with pride.

"You won't dare" he said casually.

"Trust me" she boasted. "You always looking at the excesses of that girl and you know it is affecting me" she said angry.

Drew didn't say anything he just look down to the file in front of him while Melissa walked out in anger. She promise to get back at him for ignoring her.

"Sir VP isn't here" Caldwell said as if they never know.

"And how does that got to do with me?" Drew asked.

His usual impassive look is his domineering prowess. They never tried to joke with him or talk back at him. It is Melissa they are free with. They even sometimes joke with her. None of them said anything.

Drew turned to Joanna who smiled. "Did you inform her?" He asked.

The question caught her off guard. "Huh..." She said.

Drew didn't withdraw his look.

"I...I...I..did send it sir" she stuttered.

"Then how come she is not here?" His cold voice was low.

"I don't know say" she bowed with guilt.

"Go get her" he ordered.

Joanna stood up and walked to her office grudgingly. She thought she succeeded in evicting her from the meeting but it seems her plan wasn't that good.

Melissa's secretary didn't allow her into Melissa's office because she just barge in and headed straight for her office.

"Let me in you idiot" she shouted.

"Don't be silly. You can't just barge into the office of the second in command like that or do you want me to call Ren to throw you out?" She replied sternly.

"You won't dare" she shouted.

"If you don't act the proper way I would" she threatened.

"Then I'd return to the President and tell me you didn't allow me to pass his message" she said with a wicked smile.

Monica eyed her and picked her phone to inform Melissa that Joanna awaits her.

"You can go in" she said rudely.

Joanna marched inside.

"Why are you not at the meeting" she asked blankly.

Melissa gave her a stern look and that made her adjust.

"You better be careful of the way you interact with me" she said firmly.

"You are needed at the meeting" her voice wasn't as rude as before but it wasn't respectful.

"Not interested" she replied.

"It's the boss that ordered you to come" she said with an irksome look.

Melissa didn't reply her and it annoyed her.

"Why are you playing hard to get" she said rudely.

The reason Joann has so much audacity is because her appointment is on contract basis and she can't be dismissed just anyhow.

"You think?" Melissa scoffed.

"Do you think I don't know all the advances you've been playing on the boss" she said jealously.

"Advances like robbing his thigh in a meeting right?" She smiled.

Joanna was caught off guard. She didn't know anyone saw her.

"What are you talking about" she glared at her.

"Can you get out of my office!" She ordered.

Joanna marched out in anger and went back to the meeting.

"She said she's not interested" she said looking at Drew's expression if it will turn to rage but to her surprise he smirked. This got her pained and she walked back to her seat.

"Lock the door I want to begin the meeting" Drew instructed his guy by his left, who spoke immediately through his headphone to the ones by the door.

Just as the door was about to be closed, Melissa walked in with her PA. She headed for her seat but Drew stopped her.

"You are late so you are not permitted to sit beside me" he said.

He and Melissa locked look for some seconds before she settled down beside Lara, who bowed to greet. She smiled at her.

Joanna on the other hand was super happy that she almost laughed.

As the meeting was going on, Melissa didn't say a word. She kept looking at Drew.

"Ma'am you are not saying anything" Lara whispered to her.

"I'm tired" she replied in same manner.

She looked at Drew and this time their eyes locked they held it for some time before Melissa looked away. Drew smiled and Joanna smiled at him instead which made Melissa to chuckle.

Drew picked up a piece of paper and wrote something. He gave it to David who's was right beside him. David who saw the content of what he wrote didn't bother to ask who it is for. He just went to Melissa and handed it to her.

With this everyone's eyes flashed to Melissa and returned back to Drew almost immediately. They all know how he hates been distracted.

Joanna was so unhappy at this display. She do here that Drew favors Melissa but she didn't want to believe it.

Melissa unfold the paper and read the content. "Do you find me too handsome that you couldn't resist looking at me amist these people?"

Melissa looked at him and place her head on the table to laugh. She couldn't laugh properly so it ached her stomach and brought tears to her eyes.

"What's wrong ma?" Lara bent and whispered.

"My tommy" she said trying to smother the laughter.

"You are laughing" she said so that she would know that she caught her.

"Hmm it is making my tommy to ache".

"Raise your head they are staring at you" she whispered.

She raised her head and begin to dab her eyes secretly laughing behind her handkerchief. At first some thought she was crying but later realise her face didn't look like someone crying while some gave a confused look. Joanna was the most confused.

"Let's make the dress code touch of gold" Joanna suggests vivaciously.

"No" the ladies chorused except Melissa.

"Since it's our fortieth anniversary why not let's go in a kind of uniform this time" Veronica suggested.

"I was about to say that too" Barbara agreed.

"Sir what do you think?" Joanna asked as if she's the one who brought the idea.

She saw an opportunity to wear a match with the boss and this gladdens her heart.

"Anything you agree" he said.

Joanna smiled and Melissa doesn't know what exactly is making her happy.

"So what are we to wear" Joanna asked.

"Let's ask our lady boss" Candy said and they looked at Melissa.

"I'm not good at such thing. Ask the President" she said insipidly.

She received a look that only she understood but she ignored it.

"Does the President know about such thing?" Joanna asked with excitement.

"Are you joking?" Candy asked.

"Who do you think chooses his wears?"

She continued ignoring the look Drew was giving her. Everyone say sense in what she said.

"That's true he is a dandy" Lara whispered and smiled while Melissa chuckled.

"If he chooses the men's, he can't choose ours" Vivian asserted.

"Says who?" This time Melissa received a vivid disapproving look.

"He can chose the color" Vivian said.

"The VP should" Candy and Barbara said in unism.

"Why her" Joanna grumbled.

"Don't rely on me I know nothing about fashion" she said plainly.

"But Ma, it is your duty. You can't be negligence" Candy said politely.

I'm not. I just spoke the truth" she shook her head.

"If that's the truth, who chooses those first-class clothes you wear?" She still didn't believe her.

"That's not me. It's...."

She stylishly looked at Drew who gave her a I dare you to speak look. She titled her head left to right and smiled.

"It's a friend" she completed.

"I can. I did it last two years and it was nice" Joanna boasted.

"Let's chose the color then we can deliberate on the design later" Melissa inserted intentionally cutting Joanna off.

"Let's pick blue as the primary color" Joanna said again just wanting to outshine Melissa who was also unto her.

"No, let's pick red".

It was Drew and Melissa that chorused it and they looked at eachother.

"I just thought we should stop using blue since it is common in our gatherings" Melissa explained herself so that they won't think she has already discussed it with Drew.

Drew didn't say anything. He didn't feel obliged to explain.

"Color taken" Lara said. "Now the fashion" she announced.

Something popped into Melissa's mind. She brought out her phone and connected it with the projector.

"What do you think about this dress? My sisters and I wanted to have it" she said as the dress appeared on the screen.

It wowed everyone even the guys except Drew who looked at Melissa. She understand the look but as usual, ignored it.

Everyone started commenting at the same time.

"I swear this has no rival we are wearing this" Vivian said happily. "Where did you get this?"

"I stole it" she smiled.

When Melissa saw the satisfied look on their faces she smiled. "I do have a suggestion for men's wear too" she said smugly and projects it.

"This is perfect" Larry said and the rest agreed immediately.

Drew couldn't hold it anymore. He raised his hand and they stopped talking.

"Did you get this from my system?" He asked Melissa.

"Who knows the password to that your almighty precious system" she said smiling.

But that was a blatant lie. She wasn't ready to accept in front of everyone that she has access to his laptop but they all knew for Drew to say it, it is definitely true.

"She even stole it" Joanna giggled.

"Let's leave the source. No one can compete with this" Lara said vivaciously. "Please do you know the sight he got it from? I want to check some nice wears there" she said to Melissa.

"I think he de....."

"Melly" he called coldly.

"What?" She asked pretending not to know what he meant. "I wasn't going to lie that I designed what you did. I'm not after glory" she said.

She just said what he didn't want her to say and gave an innocent look, grinning in her heart.

Drew looked at her and she winked at him which made him snort.

Everyone was shocked that Drew still had the time to design a dress. Little did they know that most of his wears were designed by him, including some of Melissa's.

"Sir who are you designing a lady's wear for?" Vivian didn't know when she asked and she covered her mouth immediately.

"His fiancée of course" Melissa answered smiling and Drew gave her a sharp look.

He knew she was intentionally making the meeting a focus on him. This is her way of revenge on him. He sure know what to do to her.

"Fiancée!" The ladies choruses and Melissa smiled.

Joanna wore a sad look. She couldn't contain the sadness that sprung up in her.

"It's a secret though but since you are our top staffs, you are free to know" she smiled.

"Can you quit talking and let's move on with the meeting" Drew said firmly.

They all adjusted and got back to business.

"Which designer will help sow this to perfection" Candy asked.

"The President will have a perfect one" Vivian replied looking at drew for a reply.

"You can have my designer"

"Why?" She asked.

"Because he'll cost a life fortune since he's going to bring down from UK" Melissa replied instead.

Drew didn't know the spirit that entered into her. He just watched her been fuzzy.

"How come you know a lot about the President?" Vivian asked with a skeptical look.

"We are having a secret affair" she gave her what she seem to be thinking.

They looked at her in shock.

"Oops did everyone heard that? I meant to whisper it" she said with a serious look.

"Ma'am what came over you today?" Lara asked when she realised she was joking.

"It's love" she said blinking her eyes like a bairn at Lara.

She grinned and the rest in the house caught the joke. They looked at her has she displayed and smiled.

"Not funny" Joanna grumbled.

Melissa looked at Drew and winked at him. He firstly sighed then place his hand on his forehead and begin to laugh silently.

They didn't know he knows how to laugh and it was ashovk to them that they stopped smiling and exchanged look.

It was only Melissa that was trying to wear a serious look even though it was hard. She knew what she did was damn funny. Drew looked at her again and laughed more.