Chapter Two Hundred and Four - Determined to be Bitchier

While the four of us ate lunch, with Caleb having to literally drag Gerard in to eat with us, my mind constantly straying to the voice on the other end of the line.

Those words, 'relax little chatterbox', the caller had said.

Did he come back?

He found me?

So he isn't dead?

He kept his word and came back for me!

"Daddy!" I whispered.

"Hailey? Hailey" Caleb calls. "Are you okay?" He asks, his eyes mirroring his concern.

Lifting my eyes from my plate, I saw three pairs of eyes on me.

Confused, I nod slowly, my heart pounding against my chest.

"What's wrong?" Mel, caresses my back softly. "Why are you crying?" She ask. I froze for a millisecond, moving to wipe my damp cheeks and eyes.

"I'm sorry, I.. I was uh just remembering something." I stuttered, moving to stand up, "excuse me" I said, without waiting for an answer, I walked as fast as I could on my heels my eyes searching for the washroom when I got to the back of the restaurant.

Shoving the door of the 'women's' room open, thankful all the toilets were unoccupied.

Locking myself inside, I allow my weakness to take over, my weakness that will eventually ruin me one day, if I don't try to better myself.

I waited all day for my lunch date with Adian, so that we could discuss the phone call, the voice and the endearing words from the other end of the line. But he didn't show! After all the waiting and patience, Adian didn't show!

Today out of all the days.

WHY?

The soft knocking on the other side of the door, startled me.

I yanked the door opened angrily, "I'm sure there are other vacant toilets" I yelled staring into the eyes of my husband.

Surprised, I pushed him backwards, then looks left and right.

"This is the ladies room, right?" I asked stupidly and Adian chuckles.

Motioning inside the toilet I was locked in, "you done in there?" He chuckles and I nod stupidly, having fallen in a daze.

Pushing him further back, I stormed out of the washroom and headed for the sink, washing my face clean of tears and fears.

"You're late," I told him with my back still facing him.

Moving closer, Adian grabs me around my waist, pressing his chest against my back, leaning down and nuzzles my neck, with light tickles.

Spinning around, "oh no mister, not so easy" I rebuked him, "you owe and you owe me big," I said moving away as he lifts his eyebrows in surprised.

"I owe you big?" Adian asks cautiously, following me as I started walking towards the exit.

Two well dressed women apparently in their twenties, gasp as they walked into the washroom to see Adian and I walking out. Or should I say Adian, because they nudged each other quickly smiling at my husband, while ignoring me.

"Sorry ladies" he smirked seductively, "I couldn't bear to leave my wife alone in here," he chuckles softly.

The women finally looked in my direction, with a surprise glare, finally realizing I was in their face.

Instead of acknowledging them, I turned and grabbed on of Adian's arms and dragged him out of the bathroom and l didn't let go until we got to our table, where Basil was also seated with my party.

Releasing Adian's arm I took the chair I just vacated, while Adian pulled out the chair next to mines.

Before I started eating my lunch in silence, I glared at Caleb and Mel, deciding not to leave out Gerard.

Caleb kept conversation around the table flowing, while I ate in silence, the well prepared food tasting like the scent of sawdust.

I have to stop panicking every time I don't understand something or every time something hurts me. I have got to be the strong kind of woman Adian deserves to have at his side. The strong woman his mother can't control. The type of woman who can walk over others.

Smiling to myself , all I've got to do is be a bitch and that should be easy, right?

Adian and Basil's lunch came in later than ours so Gerard had to take us back to the office.

Pulling me back down when I moved to leave with Gerard, Caleb and Mel, "where are you going?" Adian asks softly, the first word he has spoken to me since returning from the washroom.

"Back to work" I frowned. "My husband might be the boss but I still have to prove myself for a chance at employee of the month." I shrugged, but still Adian held me back.

Chuckling from where he stood on the opposite side of me, "well sweetie once you're a board member, you don't qualify in the running for the best employee." Caleb says winking at me.

Aghast at that information, my mouth opened wide in shock, "are you kidding me?" I asked turning to Adian, "is that ture?" I asked and he turns to Caleb for confirmation, shrugging his shoulders.

"Oh my God, I've got work to do," I made another attempt to leave with Gerard and the guys, but Adian stops me again. "I've got to go and change the laws of SullanKnights Investment." I tell him and he shook his head, his deep blue eyes, determined that today I will not get my way.

Sulking, I sat back in my chair, "whose paying for lunch?" I asked watching Caleb leave everyone and briskly walked out of the restaurant without looking back at us.

Mel opened her purse and started digging in, "uh," she says looking for her card, "I'm not sure what the amount is but let's try my card." She holds the card out for me to take and I shook my head.

"Oh it's not on you" I told her nodding in Caleb's direction.

"Uh yeah right," she chuckles giving Basil a quick peck before heading back to work.