Closer to Grey, love emerges with guilt

Grey's mansion

As they descended to the kitchen following the tour, Grey's interest in Carmen intensified. The kitchen was adorned with sparkling crystals suspended from the center of the ceiling, creating a captivating atmosphere.

"looks like things changed a lot around here" Grey said as they entered the kitchen, " so you've spent some time without checking on this place! Come on, f I were you I could literally sleep here every night", they all laughed as Carmen joked.

" I was just kidding, it just looks amazing actually",

"well Carmen, I normally don't come around here because I don't cook",

"okay, I get it by the way you couldn't even get time to do so", Carmen said with a smile. Grey looked closely at her as she spoke and n idea came to his mind, he could get closer to Carmen by getting dinner cooked themselves, it was kind of weird, trying to get his secretary help him cook, but he had to do what it takes to get the girl.

"So Carmen, I think this is pretty strange but, you told me that you really love fast foods right, why don't we cook one of your best treats", he said as he leaned on the fried.

Carmen gazed at him with a smile, "I thought you'd never ask", she said, Grey smiled to himself, considering how easy Carmen made it for him to get closer to her.

"So what do we start with", Carmen said,

"Actually, I have no idea, for I've never cooked for myself, but I'm sure that we've got to wear a kitchen robe as professional chef", Grey said as he looked at Carmen.

"So I'm sorry that I'm going to use your formal name directly, but you'll have to excuse me for I'm going to take you through some cooking lessons"

" no offence Carmen, I'm not the boss now, I'm your student and you're my master' Grey said as they both laughed.

Carmen was impressed by Grey's interest in her, and how he did all this without noticing what she was up to, she felt one step ahead of her mission without Grey knowing anything.

"So Carmen, anything you want to cook, I'm ready to follow",

"actually, I'm a stubborn girl by the way, although it doesn't reflect outside, but I have many choices ight now, how about you choose"

"Okay I can go for some tacos, right", Grey said with a smile

"what can I say, you read my mind", she said as they all laughed.

Grey felt a newfound sense of love, upon realizing that he was finally connecting with a real woman. The irony of his secretary being that woman didn't escape him, but he brushed aside any reservations. His heart longed for companionship, and Carmen seemed to fill that void. Her words, once met with indifference, now captivated his attention, surprising even himself. Grey found himself swept away by her charm, forgetting about the intended lesson.

Their preparations complete, Grey reached for the pepper, his hand brushing against Carmen's. A moment of electric silence followed, their eyes locking in an unspoken state.

"Guess I've been an attentive student after all, I knew that pepper is needed for seasoning", he said nervously, but Carmen did this intentionally to leave Grey wondering about her.

"Okay, we're done, I guess it's time to give it a taste, right",

"I know place that's a best fit for that", Grey said referring to the top of his house where he had prepared just for the two of them.

Ascending to the rooftop, Grey instructed his maids to attend to the serving arrangements. The rooftop, adorned with meticulous care, shone brighter than the last time Carmen had failed to appear.

" Wow you truly got a perfect fit for this kind of dinner", Carmen said with a smile, " is this some kind of date?"

" well it looks like one, but we both know it's not", they both laughed as Grey spoke, yet he really did it with the purpose of a date.

Seated at the table, Grey's maids prepared the dinner. As the meal was served, Grey began to speak., " actually Carmen, the day you didn't show up this was the same space I got reserved for both of us",

"Wow , how thoughtful Grey, guess I missed out a lot",

"So I've been a kind of seer to match your dress color to the curtain color" he said 

" That was a coincidence Grey, you didn't know I'd wear a pink dress Grey" she said.

Grey found it impossible to resist the urge to gaze at Carmen. Her beauty, amplified by the cool night breeze that blown tousled her hair, was a captivating spectacle. Every glance was a reward in itself.

"Carmen looks like I have forgot the best thing about a dinner night, I'll go get some wine", Grey said as he went back downstairs. Carmen's phone rang as soon as Grey went down stairs .

She picked it up before Grey noticed it, "hello" she said softly

"hello Carmen, how's the deal going", a woman's voice spoke

"you know what, I think you've got to stop calling every time that I'm with Grey", Carmen said

" you don't talk to me like that Carmen, are you lying to me",

"boss if you want everything all done, you've got to give me some time to handle it, trust me I've got it all covered" she said as she breathed heavily.

"So, keep on sticking to plan, you better don't screw everything up Carmen" the woman said as she aborted the call. Carmen ran her fingers through her hair, her mind racing as she considered how to convince her true employer. With Grey innocent in the matter, Carmen was consumed by a growing sense of guilt.

Grey came back from the kitchen, Carmen fixed herself up as she saw him, she tried to act natural for Grey not to notice anything.

"Everything alright Carmen", he said as he sat down

"yeah, why do you ask, I was just getting bored and tired", she said with a smile

"I got something to chill you up again", Grey said as he poured some wine for Carmen.

"let me guess that's ordinary table wine", Carmen said as she took a sip

"correct" said Grey, " so I heard you talk to someone lately", Carmen was shocked to hear this, though she tried to keep it a secret. 

"Oh it was nothing, just an ordinary friend who always stress me up", she lied "anyways, I've known you as a boss, but I guess there's much that I have to know about you", Carmen said to change the discussion, Grey could not know anything much, he was being fooled for love yet Carmen had a plan with some sort of woman who tried to rob Grey. They kept on talking about an hour.

"What's you favorite city Carmen, like a place you feel you'd like to be but never had chance to be", he said this with intention to know much about her, but it turned to tears, Carmen's mood changed, and her tears shed in her eyes.

"Carmen is everything alright",

"yeah, it's nothing" she said as she rued her eyes. " I just remembered something that's tragic",

"are you okay to tell me", Grey said as he handed her a handkerchief.

"Okay" she said s she wiped her eyes , " so the reason I was crying is that, it dates from childhood",

"okay go on Carmen", " so Grey, I grew up loving Paris, through the movies pictures and songs, I had a dream to be there once, as a father's princess, she promised to take us there that year's Christmas",

"so you went there didn't you", Carmen was out of words as Grey spoke.

"No Grey, we didn't", she said , "it was only two months away, I guess my dad had been saving much in the past months, but then…", she stayed quiet for a while.

"There was a fuel leak in our Car, my dad and mom didn't notice, it accidentally caught fire and they all died at once", Carmen started crying, " and my brother was right besides the car as it blown up, his left kidney got injured that time, I could see it from distance, but stood speechless",

Grey was shocked upon hearing this, He looked at Carmen in great pity, " oh, I'm so sorry Carmen, I had no idea of what you passed through", he said as Carmen wiped her eyes.

"oh it's no big deal anymore Grey, it's been four years I learnt to move on", said Carmen.

"So how did you and your brother live after that", said Grey

"it took some time to recover, but I was saved by someone very important to me, she was like a mother to me", Carmen said but her tone changed, " anyways lets skip all that stuff and tragic history",

" that's fine but could I get to meet with this person who saved you", 

"why, why would you", she said

"actually Carmen, I wanted to thank her for saving you, for an amazing lady you've turned out to be", grey said with a husky voice as Carmen smiled

" no Grey, thanks but she lives far away from here, it's been time since I talked to her in fact", she said. It was getting late, but the two were too entertained to realize,

"so Carmen how abut I bring your dreams to reality" said Grey,

"what do you mean", " Carmen, my mom once told me that some people deserve to be happy, and I think that phrase appears more realistic now, so Carmen what do you say if we were to move to Paris, just for a tour", grey said with a smile.

Carmen was speechless, her wine glass forgotten as Grey's bold move left her breathless. His words, unexpected and audacious, sent a blush to her cheeks. "Mr. Grey, I believe that's going too far," she stammered, her shyness evident.

"No Carmen , I really mean this", he said as he touched Carmen hand,

"what can I say Mr Grey, it would be awesome" she said with a smile, "I knew you couldn't resist", said Grey.

Carmen suddenly laughed, " sorry but I just can't stop laughing, it just like a dream come true" she said as Grey let go of her hand.

"I know Carmen, and I think at the end of this coming month could be better for the trip" , Carmen felt like hugging him but she couldn't, upon realizing how far Grey was taking her

" Grey I am so happy for this Grey, it's just beyond my expectations " she said as Grey smiled at her. "Oh no , I think I'm getting a little bit late Grey" she said as she looked at her phone, " I have to go Grey, I don't want to get late tomorrow" she said.

"oh yeah, about that, I almost forgot about work day, care if drive you home",

"I can't say no Grey, you've really been friendly to me" she said as Grey stood up.

Hand in hand, Carmen followed Grey to the garage, surprising Alfred, the butler. Their conversation, which had lasted three hours, hinted at a growing connection, even though it was ostensibly a business dinner.

Carmen insisted that Grey drop her off at the plaza, preferring to take a bus home. Grey was puzzled by her reluctance to reveal her living address, but ultimately decided it wasn't a pressing matter. After all, he was on a journey to find true love, and Carmen's mysterious nature added an intriguing element to their relationship. While she might not be the angelic figure he had initially imagined, Grey was captivated by the unknown aspects of her personality.

Love-struck, Grey was consumed by thoughts of Carmen, his mind unable to wander elsewhere. The upcoming trip he had promised her was the only thing that could temporarily distract him. Meanwhile, Carmen was grappling with conflicting emotions. She was developing feelings for Grey and saw no fault in him, yet she couldn't ignore the mission she had been assigned. This internal conflict made it difficult for her to make a decision.