30. THE PARTY

Things have been going well between Susan and Raymond, On Saturdays, they go out to eat dinner, and other times, they go on dates.

Susan wanted more than make out but Raymond always refuse and was able to convince her to wait until their wedding night. At night, they make out as much as Susan wants before sleeping.

Every preparation has been made for the wedding, invitation cards had been printed and distributed out to people, the news about their marriage had also been announced on the net.

A party was being held to which The CEOs, their assistant, and secretary of every company were invited. Clara had called Raymond to inform him about her illness and that she won't be able to go with them to the party.

Susan and Raymond were seen in their bedroom, Susan was helping Raymond dress up for the party.

She helped with his suit and tie, "Must you go to the party?" She grumbled.

"I have to. You know I must go." He said, pinching her nose, hugging her to himself.

"Can't Clara and Melissa give an excuse for your absence?" She held onto him.

"Susan, seriously," He laughed. "It's only from this night till tomorrow morning. Clara called in sick remember?" He pecked her forehead.

She sighed, "Okay. Call me as soon as you get there."

"I would." She walked him out to his car.

"Good morning, Sir, Ma'am." His driver greeted them as they got to the car, they nodded to acknowledge his greeting.

"Okay, bye." She kissed him fully on the lips.

"Take care of yourself for me." She nodded.

He entered his car and his driver drove off to Yvonne's house.

Yvonne had been trying to calm her nerves. Clara had also called to inform her about her illness. She couldn't believe she and Raymond would be the only ones attending the party, she had been imagining things both good and bad that could happen between them.

She had never felt comfortable with only him around. Most times, she would catch him red-handed looking at her and expect him to take his eyes off her instead he would wink and continue with the staring. He doesn't even care that they might or might not be in public places.

She had shopped for the dress to wear and had settled on a low heel to go with it. She called Ria over to her help with her hair and make-up.

Ria knocked and entered her room, "Hey best." She hugged Ria.

"Thanks, Ria."

Ria started on her hair first before doing Yvonne's make-up, "Are you still going to cover your face at the party?" Seeing the veil Yvonne kept beside her dress on the bed.

"What's wrong with it? I have to use it, Ria."

Yvonne had told Ria about her past, without leaving any part out, when she needed advice. Ria supported her decision on the use of disguise at work.

"There won't be any need for the make-up then." She stopped applying the make-up.

"Ria please." She pleaded. Ria laughed and continued with the make-up.

"What if he asks you to remove your veil? What if he recognizes you? What if..."

"Ria, nothing like that would happen and even if he does recognize me, it won't change anything. His wedding is a month away from now so what could go wrong?" Yvonne said.

Ria nodded, "Okay. I wish you luck."

It didn't take long before Ria finished with her makeup. Yvonne picked up her dress and went to the restroom to dress up.

Ria gasped on seeing Yvonne's dress, "WOW it's beautiful. You are going to spin every man's head at the party." Yvonne blushed at the compliment.

Yvonne's dress is a blue-colored, knee-length, off-shouldered gown. Its body hugged from the top to the waist and flared from the waist down to the knees.

It has a V cut at the front and back, the cut at the backstops right at her waist, and the one at the front end under her cleavage. She used a low black heel with the dress, the same as her purse.

"Thanks." Yvonne thanked her, she went toward her dresser and opened a drawer, bringing out some jewelry to use on her dress.

"What time is he picking you up?"

"He..." Her phone made a beeping sound, indicating she has a message. "Please Ria, check who that is?"

Ria took her phone as instructed to check, "It is from Raymond. He said he's waiting outside for you."

"He's here! He's here!! He's here!!!" She breathed in and out, trying to calm herself down, "How do I look? Is my dress okay? Is the..."

"I thought you don't care about what he thinks?"

"Yeah, I don't. It's just... You know... Like..."

"I do. I understand perfectly well." She said mockingly, Yvonne couldn't stop blushing, she tied the veil to cover her face and used the sunshades before going downstairs.

She received compliments from her parents and sister, bade them bye, and left, Ria walked her out.

Ria stopped at the gate while Yvonne moved forward to Raymond's car which was parked at the front of their gate. The back door opened, Raymond came down.

"Good evening, Sir." She looked at her shoes since she couldn't look him in the eyes.

"Evening, Melissa." She moved her gaze from her shoes to him, surprised he wasn't making any move to enter the car, she caught him, checking her out. "You look gorgeous." He winked at her.

She blushed, "Thank you, Sir." He took helped her into the car.

She could feel that he was sitting too close, when she said too close, she meant close to her that she could perceive his cologne and he was making her uncomfortable from his closeness. puppy

"Are you okay?" She turned to him looking confused.

"I don't get you, Sir." She tried to distance herself from him.

"You are sitting in an awkward position and I know you are uncomfortable."

She forced a smile, "Am okay, Sir. Thanks." He nodded, smiling at her. He kept his eyes on her till they got to the venue.

The driver came down and went over to Raymond's side, "Sir, we are here." Opening the door.

He took his eyes off Yvonne to his driver, "Oh... Thank you."

They came down from the car, Yvonne flexed her body to stretch her stiff muscles.

"Let's get going." He moved to the red carpet that led to the entrance. As soon as they took the first step, Yvonne's step was miscalculated, she couldn't balance herself and her body launched back.

She closed her eyes expecting to feel the ground or the carpet under her but felt someone's strong hands around her.

She suddenly felt hot from the warmness of his hands, One of his hands went to her bareback while the other held her around the waist. Opening her eyes, She came face to face with Raymond.

Due to their closeness, she could perceive his aftershave, his cologne more than before and the warmness emitting from his body.

Flashes from cameras brought them out of their moment. "Sir..." She whispered to get his attention. Raymond helped her up and made sure she was balanced. "Thank you, Sir." He nodded.

He looked ahead, "Let's go in." Yvonne had expected him to let go of her waist but instead, he held her more firmly on the waist and they both walked to the entrance.

She cleared her throat, "Huh, Sir. You are forgetting something."

"What's that?" He asked nonchalantly.

"Your other hand, Sir."

"I don't want you embarrassing yourself and your only falling should be to fall for me." He said without looking at her which got Yvonne blushing harder.

He held her till they got inside. They were led to their seat.

"Why the use of the veil?" He asked after a few minutes of silence.

"Sir, I told you about the rash I have." She said, unconsciously checking to see if there was any uncovered part.

"Melissa, It's not only about the rash and you know it." He said, raising his eyebrows.

She paled at what he said, "Does he know am the one behind the veil? Oh, God." She thought.

"Melissa, are you daydreaming again?"

She shook her head negatively, "No, Sir."

"It's been 2 months, the rash is supposed to be healed by now, except you are hiding your face."

She quickly countered what he said, "No, I'm not hiding my face from anyone."

"You've said it all, I never said if you were hiding from..." He hadn't completed what he was saying when their attentions asked of from the stage.

Raymond gave her a look saying, "To be continued later." She knew he won't let go of the topic.

Her attention wasn't on the program till they ended it, her thoughts were on what she would say that would convince him and get him off her back.

He tagged her along to meet other people that were invited, they went around greeting, "Mr. Ruben." Raymond greeted a man.

"The famous bachelor who is soon-to-be a married man." He smiled at Raymond before looking at the person before him. "And who is this pretty lady?" Stretching his hand for a handshake.

Yvonne smiled at him, receiving the handshake, "Am..."

"Meet my assistant, Mr. Ruben." He said, Interrupting Yvonne.

"Oh. Nice meeting you, Pretty."

"Thank you, Sir." She smiled at him.

"Yeah. What is your..."

Raymond held Yvonne's hand, "There are other people here to meet with. We will see you later, Mr. Ruben."

He dragged her away to a corner, "Why were you flirting with him?"

"I wasn't. He asked..." She tried to explain.

"You shouldn't have smiled at him or blushed at what he says. He would get the wrong idea." She nodded.

They went around to meet others, later, he noticed she was tired so he called his driver to come and pick them up.

"We would lodge in a hotel for tonight. It's late." She agreed.

They went around looking for a hotel to stay in. "Hello, Sir. Welcome to Big Times, How can we help you?" The receptionist greeted them.

"We want to lodge for the night."

She looked through her system, "Huh... It's only a room available. It's big enough to accommodate you and your girlfriend, Sir."

"We are..." Yvonne wanted to protest against what he said.

"Yea, It will be okay. Thank you." He gave her his credit card to take out the payment.

"Done." She returned his credit card and gave them the key to the room, They thanked her.

"Have a nice time here." They nodded and left.

He opened the door of the room and entered, "You made her believe we were together." She entered.

He looked around the place, "You are taking the bed and I'll take the couch, except you would want to share." He wiggled his eyebrows at her.

"Okay, Sir." She nodded.

"Okay... As in you would want to share the..."

She interrupted him, "I said okay to the sleeping arrangements, Sir."

He stomped his feet childishly, "You are no fun." She laughed.

Raymond couldn't take his eyes off her, he enjoyed looking at her. Everything about her was fun to look at.

He had always been attracted to her from the onset, he has never thought of being friendly or wanted to be close to any of his employees but why her? He had asked himself.

The first day he met her and she gawked at him, he couldn't believe he had laughed and waved it off. If it had been other employees, he or she would have been fired on that day.

He has been attracted to her since day one, her voice seems familiar like he knew her from somewhere but he couldn't place where he knew her from.

The person that comes to his mind when he saw her was Yvonne and that was what he expected her to say her name is but on the second thought why would she cover her face.

"Sir, I am not with any clothes." She had removed her necklace and shoes.

"You could use my shirt." He pointed at his shirt. "Or preferably sleep naked, Melissa." He thought.

"Okay, Sir." She looked around, avoiding his eyes.

"We are the only one here so you can take off the veil." He said eager to see her face. He had always wanted to see her face, probably it might be Yvonne.

"Sir... The rash I..." She stammered.

He sighed, "Am not close to you at least so you should take it off."

"No... I mean... Like I am okay... Yes okay with the veil on." She gulped loudly.

"What are you hiding? Remove the veil this minute." Coming closer to her, intending to remove the veil.

"NO!!!" She moved back, holding the veil tightly.

He gave a cold glare, "Take off the f**king veil." He said in a daring voice.

Her hands fell to her sides in defeat, she took off her sunshades. "No, it can't be," Raymond murmured.

She took the veil off, letting her hair loose, "Am sorry." Opening her eyes to look at him.

"Kitten." He whispered, looking at her in shock.