Chapter 28

"Fun dear Jennifer. Basking in the moment of him trying to entertain and woe me. Why rush this when I can slowly enjoy it instead? Eli wanted three dates therefore he has to prepare all of them and he doesn't seem to mind. You've got to open your eyes to simply having fun with someone new," Helen suggested to her friends. "I've erased our first interaction from my mind for now."

It was pretty obvious why she wasn't in a hurry to end the three dates anymore. Helen was starting to enjoy the idea of having a moment with Eli King. Helen was young so she could do as she pleased and anyone who said otherwise was jealous they didn't have the chance to do the same.

Overthinking when meeting someone new was probably why so many potential relationships failed in the beginning. If they aren't giving you stalker, psycho, murder, predator, or weirdo vibes, why not just enjoy the moment and have fun? Don't think too much about what your future would be like so soon. Have fun and then a few weeks later, you both make the decision of what you want to be to each other in the future.

"Why are you so against relationships again?" Isabelle asked for what she believed to be the hundredth time. What was so wrong with falling in love with someone and living together forever? To have that so-called happy ending. She wanted it for herself and her friends.

"I'm not exactly against relationships just serious ones which lead to marriage. I believe people change and it's very rarely you meet that one person you don't have an ounce of regret saying yes to. I wouldn't mind being with someone for a long period of time but if you propose to me I will simply say no," Informed Helen who had been giving this speech from a young age.

"Let's not forget she doesn't want children either," Julie added to the topic. She had to agree with the not wanting children idea. You were responsible for a tiny person and if you screw up, you mess up their future. That was too much responsibility and Julie still looked to her own mother for help with life decisions sometimes.

Helen's face changed to that of disgust and said, "I don't want a small version of me. How the hell would I handle that? I'll get a fish or something to keep me company. Most likely a goldfish, every month."

"You can just babysit my future children. I'm sure you'll have fun with your nieces and nephew when they visit," Isabelle stated as she had plans to one day have children of her own.

"I'm quick with returning items so you'll have them back faster than you dropped them off," Helen bluntly responded to Isabelle's suggestion. She didn't want her own kids so why would anyone think she'd want to babysit their children?

"Isn't it strange an orphan who was adopted doesn't want to get married and have kids or even adopt?"

"Sure, why don't I just bring them into a home where I bluntly state I don't want kids or don't want to pretend to be happy twenty-four hours a day so they can feel like everything is fine. That sounds like such a good plan. I don't owe the world anything just because someone took me in. I would've been fine trust me," Helen answered, standing firm on her decisions.

Isabelle causally replied, "I think you need some therapy, Helen. You know, for whatever drove you to this conclusion."

"No, I've had a lot of time to think about it and I still have the same opinion about relationships. I find it to be because I'm a woman I am not considered to have accomplished anything without having a husband or children. I just want to have fun and be pampered by someone. For me to get married I need to find the perfect person who I believe won't change and hurt me but he doesn't exist."

"I hear you. I want to be pampered too. Where are the rich guys!" Julie exclaimed, almost slamming her fist down on the table with a knife and fork in each hand. This gained the attention of customers who were startled by the random noise.

"Upstairs waiting for Helen," Jennifer commented pointing to the lonesome man upstairs who was probably bored by now.

" What happened to only talking about Essence anyway? But on the note of Eli, I'll take my leave," Helen said biding her friends farewell for now. She threw the peace sign in the air then left the trio to mingle among themselves.

Who would've thought Eli King would open the door for all this relationship talk? He didn't even give her the feeling of wanting to talk much about relationships either which was perfect for her so why was everyone else so invested?

There's a lot of rich men in Harlow city, so why would she jump over the moon for one of them who showed interest in her and consider being in a relationship so quickly? Helen was a catch and had enough confidence to be in another situation with someone greater than Eli King. She believed in a rule of placing yourself to a high standard.

She didn't need to jump into his arms and be in a relationship with him simply because he was rich. Heck, she set up a plan for herself to become rich in the future. Money was not an issue, she'll get it one way or the other.

It was all about charming her which was rare to do but the man was on the right path. It was better to go with the flow. This whole situation with Eli was nothing but a game for her and she was almost certain it was the same for him.

After all, nobody could just catch feelings after so few meetings, right? Then again, she saw all of Isabelle's conversations with her other friends and remembered it was possible.

But not for Helen Reed.

Right?

Helen walked up the stairs to the private area where Eli was seated and had coincidentally arrived at the same time as her own food Marc ordered for her had arrived. He was already finished with his own plate and was peering down at her customers.

"Sorry you've been alone for so long but I'm all yours from this moment on," She immediately apologized as she took a seat. Helen expected him to be angry but he appeared to be understanding of her being all over the place, literally.

"It's fine," Eli calmly replied. He had no issue with it at all especially now since Helen said she would be free from this moment.

Now Eli had Helen alone again to chat and find out more about her.