25. Never in a thousand years

"It's her!" Natasha said, half to herself. Brandon did not lift her gaze from her. He knew very well who Natasha was talking about.

"Are you not going to introduce me?" The voice asked. Natasha looked around the table, all the men seemed to ignore her as they went back to doing what they were doing before.

"Ms. Julie Ann. Brandon's girl." Julie stretched out her hand to Natasha and introduced herself.

"It is not the way I recall it." Natasha suddenly answered, looking at her hand in disgust. She figured that she was the one who must have tried to have her dignity taken away shamelessly. Everybody round the table looked at her surprised. Brandon smiled. Though he did not expect her to say that, he expected her to know who Julie was immediately she introduced herself.

"Is that what he told you?" Julie asked, withdrawing her hand and looking round the table. "Hello Fred, Ed, Jacob… Watson." She slowly greeted everyone, hesitating on the last person. It was obvious they did not like each other. The men looked at her briefly and forced smiled then went back to their topic in unison. Natasha looked at them and wondered whether they had rehearsed it. She then looked back at Julie. She forced an even bigger smile.

"Do I look like the woman who needs to be told what to do or who needs to be shown what something is when it is quite obvious?" Natasha asked with a fake smile. "For example, do I look like the type of woman to be told to leave a particular table because she is not needed there?" She added bitingly. Brandon continued to look at her. 'Interesting.' He thought. The other men at the table looked at Julie. The latter looked at Brandon, who was had not looked at her the whole time and she turned green with envy.

"And who are you to talk for him? Are you not just one of his employees? Or are you doubling in something else?" Julie added insinuatingly. Natasha could feel the anger rising in her and she looked at Brandon, who was still smiling at her. 'What is he doing? Is he not going to say something?!' She thought angrily but maintained a smile. She then placed her hand on Brandon's, whose hand was on the table, then looked at Julie. She let out a slightly irritating giggle.

"Ms. Jane…"

"Julie!" Julie immediately corrected. How dare she forget her name!

"Ms. Julie, please, I do not need to double in something else to know that I am important here. I really doubt whether such a big event is for employees only. Right?" Natasha said looking at Brandon sweetly. She really hoped he would back her up even for once. Everyone at the table knew what she meant.

"So you are one of his mistresses? A gold digger?" Julie asked and let out a laugh. Natasha was so furious she stood up but felt Brandon hold her hand tightly. She looked at him, still smiling at her then forced herself to calm down.

"Ms. Julie, don't you have better things to do? You came here with your date, Mr. …." Brandon started.

"Samuel Benson." Watson helped.

"Mr. Benson, right? How does he feel when he sees you going over to another table to disturb a lovely couple?" He added then lifted Natasha hand, which was still held tightly in his and kissed it. Natasha flushed red. The men at the table were surprised at this sweet gesture. Brandon had never been one to show his emotions anywhere. After lightly kissing her hand, he smiled at her lovingly. "My dear, I think the interruption has ruined the mood. Should we go?" The whole time, his eyes were fixed on Natasha.

"Not at all my love. The party was just beginning." Natasha said absent mindedly. She was still caught in his sweet gesture. Everyone at the party knew that Brandon and Julie were once together and when Brandon showed up with another person, they knew drama was to unfold sooner or later. When they saw Julie at Brandon's table, everyone's attention turned to his table. Julie knew they were faking it. She knew that Natasha was just his employee, nothing more.

"Ms. Natasha," Julie suddenly shouted, which got the attention of everyone in the room, the soft music that was playing stopped. "Are you that desperate to get his approval? You know, this little ruse of yours, may fool everybody but not me. Just face it, you are a nobody and Brandon can never ever lay eyes on a nobody like you. He will use you then leave you, then settle with a girl from his class. What are you, a receptionist? What do your parents own? Nothing! As soon as Brandon is done with you, he will come back to me."

Natasha looked at Julie and felt the glass house she was hiding in shatter at the stone been thrown at it. She looked at Brandon, whose face was plain and was still looking at her, then looked around the room. People were looking at her, pitiful. She hated pity. She felt tears swelling up in her eyes. She shut her eyes for a brief moment then when she opened them, her eyes had turned dangerous. Brandon smiled. 'Interesting' He thought. She slowly stood up and released her hand from Brandon. She then walked slowly to Julie slowly looking around the room. There was the smell of danger. She stood before Julie and looked at her deeply. She studied her whole face slowly. Julie felt uncomfortable. For the first time, Brandon turned around and looked at her, though he was looking at Natasha, but still, he looked at the two women.

"True. You are right Ms. Julie." Natasha said after a moment, confidently and loud enough for everyone to hear. "I am a nobody. But here I am in big people's party. I do not need his approval and if I did, isn't it obvious that I already got it? And, are you so sure he can never lay eyes on me? Because if you were, you would not be exchanging sad bitter words with a nobody. And tell us, Ms. Julie, where are you parents now? Are they free or are they hiding from the shame you bring them? Because I know where my parents are, and they are damn proud of who I have become. Can you say the same?" She smiled at Julie and turned around to go back to her seat. She thought of something, stopped behind Brandon and put her hands on his broad shoulders, "And Ms. Julie, are you a hundred percent sure that he will come back?" She mocked.

Julie was so angry she could feel her hands shake. In a sudden rush of emotions, she rushed forward aiming for Natasha, who stood still. But before she could reach her, Brandon stood up, standing between them. His eyes coldly fixed on Julie and his hands thrust deep in his pocket. "Ms. Julie, you are embarrassing your date." He stated coldly.

"Are you jealous?" Julie asked smiling, looking at the woman behind him, who hands held tightly his left arm upon hearing that phrase.

"Yes." Brandon answered. Everyone was shocked at his answer. Natasha let go of his arm as Julie was smiling broadly. Natasha felt her heart break. People in the room began to talk. "I am jealous because you are spending more time with my very beautiful girlfriend more than I am, Ms. Julie. So if you don't mind." He turned around and pulled Natasha suddenly toward him and gave her a light loving kiss on her left cheek. "My love, do you still want to stay?"

"No honey. The party had become a little too sour for my taste." Natasha responded absent-mindedly again. His action and what he had just announced had hit her hard like a tornado. She picked up her purse from the table, looked at the woman behind him who had tears rolling down her eyes and smiled. "Enjoy the rest of the party, Ms. Julie." The other four members of the table stood up and followed the couple before them as they watched the big boss put his hand round Natasha's lower back waist. They disappeared through the door. Julie looked at them hopelessly. She stood there, rooted as the other guests, reports and paparazzi ambushed her with questions and photos. Samuel jumped in from the crowd and saved her, dragging her away from the negative attention.

The paparazzi and reporters wasted no time with the information and drama they had just witnessed. Within a matter of minutes, news headline all over read different thing; some positive and some negative:

"The world wide renowned business tycoon, Mr. Brandon Joseph, officially declares he is in another relationship, and the person is not who you would except."

"Ms. Julie Ann, only child and sole heiress to the DoHard Estates left embarrassed after love gone sour."

"Who exactly is Ms. Natasha Claire, internationally well-known CEO's Mr. Brandon Joseph's new girlfriend?"

"Is Mr. Joseph and Ms. Claire's relationship a ruse as Ms. Ann had earlier on stated?"

"What happened to the famous dream couple, Mr. Joseph and Ms. Ann?"

"Who exactly is the third person in this scenario? Ms. Ann or Ms. Claire?"

"Is Ms. Claire a ruse, and indeed in fact a gold digger as Ms. Ann had stated before?"

"The trio of the party, CEO and businessman Mr. Brandon Joseph, only child and DoHard Real Estates heiress, Ms. Julie Ann and simple Ms. Natasha Claire."

"She may be simple, but she in fact firm and ruthless. Who is Ms. Natasha Claire? Who has now been nicknamed 'Lioness' for her confidence and ruthlessness in defending what is hers, including the famous business man and CEO, Mr. Brandon Joseph."