Chapter 13
Czarielle promised herself not to ask about Tarzy whom she saw yesterday night but when she remembered how the girl confidently said that she's always Laxton Hendrix's date in any business function he's attending, her curiosity is starting to eat her mind.
She grimaced to herself while practicing who she can ask Billy about it. She's opening and closing her mouth for some time now while pretending to watch the tall buildings the taxi is passing by from his side.
Billy took a deep sigh and slightly tapped her shoulders, that made Czarielle look him in the eye. "What do you want to know about my boss? I'm silently observing you from the time we sat in this taxi up until this moment and I can see you hesitating a lot?"
"I...Just don't let your boss know about this. He might think that I'm interested with his affairs."
"Okay, I promise not to tell him. Well, you're lucky that I knew all of his previous blind dates. Just spill your question and I'll answer you as truthfully as I can." He gave her a reassuring wide smile and a wink.
"Does the name Tarzy ring a bell to you? I don't know that much about her but she might be your boss's acquaintance? I swear, I just want to know--" Both of Czarielle's hands are swaying in the air while she's trying to explain herself.
Billy mimicked her actions. "Katarzyna Reece? Laxton Hendrix and her are somewhat a close acquaintance but I can't tell you that they're best friends because as you can see, I am my boss' reliable best friend and at the same time his secretary. Well, it's a long story and what I can tell you right now is that my boss fell in love with her at first sight. He doesn't know how to tell her about it so he always brings her as his companion in every party he's invited to attend."
The taxi stopped in front of a small dress shop and both of them went out. Billy told the taxi driver to wait for them since they have another place to go.
"So, the rumor I had heard that he and Tarzy are a thing is nearly not the truth but the other way around?" Czarielle's left brows furrow as she stops in the middle of the stairs in front of the dress shop.
Billy urges her to continue walking inside and he points a simple yellow-green, knee length summer dress to her. "I think that dress will suit you. Don't worry, I'll put it on my boss tab since he's also a regular here."
Czarielle was ushered to a fitting room by one of the shop attendees and she nodded in her reflection in the mirror after she put the dress on her slender body.
He knew how to choose a nice dress, huh?
When she left the fitting room, both of them went straight back to the taxi.
She didn't have a chance to ask Billy because he started to continue what he's saying after he provided the address to a SteakHouse where Laxton Hendrix would usually go in with his blind dates.
"Getting back to what I'm saying earlier, since my boss didn't meekly say anything to me, they didn't get into any kind of relationship. Sometimes I heard that Tarzy is spreading that she's the CEO's girlfriend to get close to his connections. Well, she's an amateur model before but after getting close to Laxton Hendrix, she got a lot of offers and just a couple of years ago, she vanished in thin air without saying anything to him. That's all I know."
"That's a given that he's a good catch with his good looks, wealth, connections and everything he had but I guess no one can stay on his side because of his temper." Czarielle rolled her eyes and gazed back to the window on her side.
"It's a secret between me and my boss's best friend so better not tell him and I told you about her in the first place. I might get fired, really."
She just shrugged it off as they silently waited for their destination.
Billy instructed the waiter to let her sit on the table reserved under his boss name after they arrived at the SteakHouse. Thankfully, he quickly sit three tables far from their reserved table as he watched her mixed reactions shift from one to another after seeing Czarielle.
Laxton gets up from his seat before she can even sit in front of him. "What are you doing here when I didn't ask you to accompany me?! Are you testing my patience, woman? My blind date would be here any minute now and--"
" I thought you would be glad to use me so that you can get rid of her? Well, I'm here now so better treat me the same as your blind date." Czarielle entertained her fingers on top of the table while waiting for his response.
For the first time, Laxton Hendrix repeatedly messed up and pulled out some of his hair, making him more attractive to her eyes.
She put both of her palms on her chin as she's suppressing herself to chuckle seeing him getting nervous as hell.
"So, you better be good for me not to tell your girl about everything I knew about the mighty Vanderveide's only heir."
He called in for a waiter and ordered two regular grilled beef steak, two mushroom soup and two bottles of soda drink.
"No special order for now, sir?" The waiter curiously asked.
"There'll be a special guest later so you can serve it to her after she comes in." Czarielle said before Laxton Hendrix could say anything. Her mesmerizing smile made the waiter nod in response.
"I hate you, Czarielle!"
"As you can see, I'm not fond of you, too. Just let me eat and then I'll leave you with your blind date silently." She rolled her eyes as she took a sip on the goblet containing wine.
That same time when their order arrived, his blind date showed up. The woman is wearing a pink business coat and a white tube type blouse paired with pink squared pants and white simple flat shoes with a black shades adorned on her hair.
"Sorry, I'm late." She gracefully sits beside Czarielle and offers a handshake to Laxton. "Your mother told me everything I need to know about you. Anyway, Maria Merceditas is my name. Mercy for short since I don't want someone to call me by other names."
For the first time, Czarielle felt ashamed of herself. The woman looks like she's also from a wealthy family judging by how careful she is with her choice of words as she continues to have a conversation with Laxton Hendrix. Her plan to get revenge on him through his blind date failed.
Since she already started eating their initial order, she silently observed the two in front of her. Surprisingly, Laxton Hendrix is treating Mercy like a queen. He's always attentive on what she needs; pouring water from the pitcher to her water glass, giving him tissue and he even walked her to the bathroom and waited for her until both of them went back to the table.
The nerve of this guy! He didn't even introduce her to his date!
Czarielle's sour face didn't even affect him a little so what's the use of her existence being the third wheel for the two of them?
After finishing the steak, half of the mushroom soup and half of the soda, she stood up and went to the bathroom without saying anything to them.
Czarielle washed her face with the cold towel, leaving her face bare from any makeup or lipstick. She didn't need to wear any expensive makeup or even a cheap lipstick just to be on the level of Mercy. She has a natural beauty that everyone would wish for but at that time, she felt that what she has is not enough compared to her.
Why am I comparing myself with Mercy in the first place? Did I just get jealous because she had Laxton Hendrix's attention for the past one and half hours?
"Czarielle, you're f*cked up! He just gave your mind a roller coaster ride!"
She went outside the bathroom and she got dismayed since the young Billionaire is not waiting for her outside.
Why did I think in the first place that he'll be here when he had a date to attend to?
Czarielle asked one of the waiters where the back door was and asked them to tell Billy that she'll go ahead.
She glanced one more time on the table where Laxton Hendrix and Mercy who were still laughing at each other before she stormed out of the tiny busy street and walked back to their PhotoStudio.
When Freeda saw her face, she wanted to ask her what happened but she pursed her lips and let her friend go back to her tiny room silently.
She can ask about it some other time. It can be bad timing if she'll let her know how excited she is for the first meet up with Druin on the next day.