Chapter 13: Conflicting feelings

Meanwhile, that night, Evan and Mrs. Acer met at a hotel in the city not to be traced, "Why did you want to see me?" Evan said, "you completely humiliated me in front of the whole executive board!! Why'd you do that??" Mrs. Acer questioned. "I had no idea what your plans are. I tried to tell you the other night, I am just simply not interested in you…. It is not because you are beautiful, of course you are, you are married and the thing we had is over between us now…" Evan told her softly. "you got tired of an old married woman like me?" Mrs. Acer said in sarcasm. They had no sexual relations, however, were friends which grew into feelings. "I am sorry… we have to end this…." He told her coldly and was just about to walk out, "It's because of her, isn't it?" She teared up. Evan shook his head to say no. "Mrs. Porter has nothing to do with my decision… please let go of my arm…. We don't need a sexual harassment case…" Evan said, when suddenly, Mrs. Acer pulled him and pushed him on the bed, feeling his private parts, "I will make you beg to sleep with me tonight…" Mrs. Acer grinned trying to seduce him. Evan just looked to the side and thought of Rayla and her smile. Suddenly, he got up, "Enough!" he grunted and pushed her on the bed. "I said, this is enough… Mrs. Acer… goodbye…." He said and left the hotel room. Mrs. Acer lay there in tears. "I… will get my revenge…Evan…" She grinned and snickered in hurt and anger.

Meanwhile at the Porter household, That same night, "You don't want me to your workplace Christmas party?" Brad asked Laura confused. "Honey, it is not that I don't want you with me, but I just think you will not find it interesting. Remember what happened when you came along to my workplace Christmas Party a few years back and you said you hated it?" Rayla said as she chuckled as they both folded their clothes together after doing the laundry. Brad thought back and remembered. "Oh yeah that's right, the one you organised at the aquarium?" Brad questioned in remembrance. "Yes that is the one. You said it was boring." Rayla laughed. "It was boring because there was no alcohol." He snickered at her with an eye brow raised. "That policy has lifted a little, new policy states a maximum two drinks per person now." She smiled as she folded clothes with her husband with Rachael. "still boring." He shrugged. They both laugh. "How about you, are you going to your work place Christmas party this year?" Rayla asked. "Yeah, my mother and my friends invited me and my mum for a nurse's night out for dinner and drinks at our culture food night." He said to her. "Are you taking Rachael along or do you want me to drop her off to my mother's, so you have some time with your friends?" Rayla said to Brad with an understanding and kind tone of voice. Brad smiled at her, "No that's alright, I will take her with me. Besides, my friends are bringing their children along as well." He said kindly. "Alright." She said as she kissed her husband on the cheek and went for a shower. As she is in the shower, thinking deep in thought, letting the hot water run along her back, "That…. Was a close call today at work…? What on earth is Evan doing with Mrs. Acer, the office whore?" Rayla thought to herself. shaking her head to get those thoughts out of her head. "It's none of my business... I am happily married…." She thought within herself, as she dried herself with the towel and got ready for bed.

Meanwhile that same night, Evan is at bar having a few drinks on his own. Normally, he'd be the life of the party, but he could not get Rayla out of his mind. "What's up stranger, haven't seen you in a while" the bartender told him. "Hey Ross" he said casually to the bartender. Ross had owned the same bar and nightclub over the last ten years and has seen many faces and people over the years, so this site was all to familiar to him. "Let me guess, it's a woman" he said to Evan. "Yeah…. But she's married" he said. Ross laughed and chuckled, "good luck to that" Ross told him wiping the glass. It was the life of the party that night, being a Friday night everyone was out partying and drinking. Although women flocked around Even, he danced with them and bought them drinks, but nothing could sooth the pain that he was feeling of missing her. He'd fallen in love before with many other women, but this one, was different. He left the bar and walked around the city streets and walked along the bridge in the city over looking the water of the ocean. The lights reflecting over the local beach under the bridge as he looked at the city sky lights. "I wonder….if she even thinks about me?" he asked himself. "Her eyes are mesmerising when she talks, she has that character about her you could just spend your whole day within her presence… her long brown hair compliments her light skin tone… she is… beautiful…." He thought to himself, "I… want her…." He thought to himself. "and… I will get her…." He grinned and smirked to himself.

Everything was business as usual over the next coming months leading up to Christmas, Evan and Rayla worked as normal, so did their team. However, when Rayla was not looking, Evan would glance over at Rayla's way when she wasn't looking.

About six months later, the Christmas party night had arrived, and everyone had left work early for the day to begin their holidays over the Christmas and new year break. Everyone from Rayla's department and her office are at the Christmas party, this year, it is being held at the Casino and the theme is "Phantom of the Opera" and everyone is wearing their best ball room / 1920's outfits matched with the perfect mask to cover their faces like a night at the opera.

Brad also attended his workplace Christmas party with his mother and daughter, being a culture community event for their people and their work. Rayla, meanwhile attending her own Christmas party for her company, standing next to her boss at her Christmas party, welcomed everyone and acknowledged the families of those who worked at the company and wished everyone a merry Christmas and wished them well and to have a good time. When the formalities were over, Rayla walked outside to the balcony overlooking the city to give a quick call to her husband to see if he was alright, "Brad… it's me…are you alright…" She asked him softly.

In the background, Brad's mother is speaking to him in his language, saying why is she worrying when he is with his mother and daughter, Brad got frustrated and said to Rayla, "I told you not to call me when I am out… I know where you are…." Brad said, "Oh…. I just… never mind… I will see you tonight when we all come home… love you…." Rayla said in a saddened tone of voice as she hung up. "It's starting again, is it?" She said out loud to herself, as she took a deep breath, "That sounded like an unhappy customer" Evan said as he came up beside her.

Rayla jumped for a moment as she turned around and looked at him, he was so beautiful to look at, wearing his phantom of the opera suite with white mask to match his outfit, his slight golden brown fringe lightly covering his mask and brown eyes could be seen through the mask, "Oh, Mr. Blade, you startled me. You look…different" she said wiping a tear from her eye, catching a breath suddenly. "Well, it is a masked Christmas party, isn't it?" He smirked, taking her hand and kissed her hand like a gentleman.

"You think it is a good idea to be next to me here outside, without prying eyes?" Rayla questioned as she looked back inside at the Christmas party. "No one can recognize us unless they really looked closely, since we are wearing our masks….people are going to talk whether we like it or not, Mrs. Porter. Especially when your position threatens their security…." Evan said in a low mellow casual tone of voice. "You almost sound like a strategist… Mr. Blade…" Rayla complimented him. "Oh, but I am, Mrs Porter…" He smiled at her. "I'm sure you are…" She smiled and cheered a drink to him, being a glass of soft drink. "You don't drink?" Evan asked her curiously. "No, long story." She said as she drank her soft drink, and Evan drank his wine, watching her as she drank her soft drink.