by Tyla Walker
I involuntarily take a step forward to Sonya, this time, she no longer moves away from me.
I press on, “That’s what I admired about you most, Sonya. You are everything that I wish I could have been when my parents raised me. I was always coddled with and never really had the chance to shine. Whenever I was wrong, I was always on the receiving end of my parent’s scolding. Your act of unselfish bravery has always been a goal of mine. I wish I had your strength, Sonya. I really do.”
“It’s not that hard, Grant,” Sonya finally speaks.
“Yes, it is,” I reply. “But that’s what’s so amazing about you. The more I’m with you, the more I feel like I can fly. The more I can be superhuman. The more I can do the impossible. You make me become the man I want to be, Sonya. And for that, I love you, with all of my heart and being.
And I don’t care what anyone else says anymore, I want our marriage to be the real deal this time, Sonya. I want you to have my last name or not whatever kind of feminism you’re down to nowadays. I just want you, and I hope it’s not too late for me too, Sonya. Is it?”
It’s only then that I realize the crowd that has already gathered around us. The train had already left the station a few minutes ago, but Sonya and along some of the passengers stayed. And these passengers were now waiting in bated breath for Sonya’s reply.
Sonya stares down at her daughter, in hopes of finding a sign on what to do.
Lauralee, in all her precocious wisdom, simply smiles at her mother and gives her a thumbs up.
Sonya finally had everything that she needed to know. She turns towards me, tears now rolling down her cheeks, “It isn’t too late, Grant. I love you too.”
Sonya runs over to me and gives me the best hug in the world, and with those magic words, the crowd around us erupt in spontaneous jubilee as Sonya, and I finally celebrate our first real kiss together as a couple. Some of the attendees picked up my gifts for Sonya and passed them along to us.
Crazy isn’t a good enough word to describe what was happening. People were taking selfies of Sonya and me, they were giving us gift baskets.
Sonya and I apologize to everyone for making them miss their trains, but all in all, everyone was just happy that Sonya and I finally got engaged, for real this time.
Sonya, Lauralee, and I walk back to my car, excited to go back to the city.
As soon as I sit down on the driver seat, Sonya leans over and kisses me.
“Ew!” Lauralee complains from the backseat. “Save some for the wedding, will you guys. Yuck.”
Sonya and I can’t help but laugh at our cute little princess. I’m going to be her father soon, and all I feel is excitement as I can’t wait to spend more quality family time with Sonya and Lauralee.
“So, now that we finally got that out of the way, what’s our plan?” Sonya asks.
I smile at her, “Well, it’s a big secret. But I’ll tell you on the way back to the city, okay? Because I really want you in on this, Sonya.”
“I’m here,” Sonya replies.
“Even if it means that we need to talk to my mother about the plan?”
“I’m with you, Grant,” Sonya reassures me, as her hand reaches for mine as I drive.
“Always.”
Twenty-Five
Sonya
"She's asleep," Grant glances at the sleeping Lauralee at the backseat. I smile tenderly when I notice the gentle smile on his face. He's driving, but he keeps glancing at the mirror to check on Lauralee.
"She's exhausted. It was a lot of fun," I tell him. It was a huge surprise. I smile when I think of our day. It went perfect, Lauralee was overjoyed.
Also, he told me he loves me. My heart races every time I remember it. I can't help but feel joy overflow within me.
Grant's… an excellent father material. It's a surprise no one has snatched him yet. And an excellent lover, judging from the way he fucks me and a good man... he's the one.
I smile at the thought.
"What's on your mind?" Grant asks me. He glances at me, but he maintains his focus on the road.
"I just thought that you're perfect," I reply to him. "Handsome, and the sweetest man ever."
Grant chuckles.
"I should have asked for a driver," Grant says as he grabs my hand. He brings it to his lips, giving me a soft wet kiss at the back of my hand. I tremble in ecstasy.
Not the kind of ecstasy that's caused by lust, but with love. I admit that there's lust, but it only plays a small part. Well, not that small.
I have to change the topic before something happens while we're on the road. We might just do it here.
"What?" Grant asks me. "I like that look in your eyes."
"The look in my eyes?" I ask as my face heats up. He really knows what to say to me, and the right buttons to press to make me crazy for him.
No wonder I fell in love with this man. I lick my lips.
"Don't do that, hon. I'm driving… you're really dangerous," Grant says huskily. He turns to the road and moves on his seat like he's uncomfortable. I look at the bulge in between his legs… and God, his cock's trying to burst.
Oh, my goodness… my pussy's soaking as I think of Grant's cock.
I feel ashamed of myself because I keep thinking about him this way. My goodness, how can I not control myself? There's a smirk on Grant's lips. I stop the urge to slap his arm.
I really want to teach him a lesson. I think he's having fun at my expense! How can he? He should be the one to be embarrassed since his arousal is pretty apparent.
I close my eyes as I lean on the window.
"Sleepy?" Grant asks huskily. His voice is like the sound of a symphony of seduction. If it ever has one. I can't sleep a wink because of him.
My mind's running a mile minute, thinking of something to talk about.
My God, I almost forgot about the talk the other time. He's really, really distracting. I need to ask him about the money, it's very important.
Yeah, money talk is as good as a cold shower.
"What happened to the money? I heard about it that you've been saving. Also, what about charities?" I blurt out. "I mean, you kept it…"
"Yes, it's in a secret account," Grant replies to me. "The money, I'm using it for charity."
I stare at him when I hear his explanation. My heart races as I thought of this man's kindness. No one knows about the charity, only me, right?
I want to ask this question, but I can see the answer in his eyes. If he wanted fame and praise, then he shouldn't have hidden this fact.
But he kept it. This man, my very own Grant, has a philanthropic, humble heart.
I whisper, "How long have you been doing this?"
"I can't remember how long has it been," Grant replies to me. "It was years ago."
A distant smile appears on his face. It touches my heart, making me love him more if it's possible. I love him too much already… a bit more, and I'll probably go crazy.
"What inspired you?" I ask him. He might have an incredible encounter. Grant glances at me and smiles.
I remember the man he talked about last time.
"I'm fortunate enough to meet a person that inspired my life," he replies to me. I blink my eyes. Gosh, he sounds so mysterious.
I chuckle, "I'm so happy for you."
Grant smiles, tenderly, "I'm more than fortunate when I met you."
My heart almost stops beating when I hear his statement. I can only stare at his side profile as he continues driving along the road. How lucky am I that he chose me to be his wife?
I look ahead, and I can see the city lights coming into view. We're almost home.
"I need your help, Sonya," Grant says to me. My head snaps to him.
"Of course," I answer without thinking. "What is it?"
"I need your skills to set up the charity benefit as soon as possible… please. Can you help me?" Grant requests of me. How can I possibly refuse when he asks me like this, and it's also for the greater good?
I sm
ile.
"Sure, honey… I'll do my best," I reply without giving it much thought. Anyway, I'm used to working.
"Alright, place this one as the main auction," I point at an item that Grant acquired years ago. He has a habit of collecting antiques.
I give instructions to the staff as I continue overseeing things. We're finalizing the interior designs of the hall. We're aiming for something simple but can genuinely portray the heart of this event.
"Place this flower vase at the corner," I order one of the staff. I wipe my forehead. "Use white roses for the flower arrangement."
"Yes, ma'am." The staff left and go to do his job. I look around, and everything's falling into place. There are not many mishaps, so far, everything's okay and running smoothly.
The invitations were sent, and people have confirmed that they'll come. Any monetary income garnered through the charity event will go to the funds for the foundations.
"Did you call Mrs. Vanderbalt?" I question Grant when I see him entering the hall. I feel tired but fulfilled. Luckily, I've gotten used to hard, frantic work these few months. CEO Fields has trained me hard.
And so far, it paid off as evident to how I handle this event. We're almost done here, and the event will be launched soon. We only have to prepare for any last-minute changes.
"I did," Grant replies to me, and he kisses me on the lips softly. I'm a bit surprised by his display of affection. I try moving away from his arms, but he captures me tightly.
"I'm sweaty," I exclaim. Gosh, how can Grant bury his face on my neck? I feel the heat creep up on my face when people are subtly looking our way. Then, they stare elsewhere when they see what we're doing.
"I'm so proud of you, darling," Grant whispers in my ears. I didn't push him away after he said it. "I'm impressed."
"Well, I do my best," I reply solemnly. I feel my heart swell. Grant really knows how to compliment a person.
"Thank you," Grant looks at me, and he smiles beautifully. "You made this possible. I know you worked so hard for this."
"We're not done yet," I say, composing myself. "We still have to contact some people, and there are changes to the food. I have to go over the guest list again."
"Don't worry about the guests, I'll do it," Grant says to me. "You look tired, have you eaten?"
"Yes, I did," I reply to him. "The staff and I ate together. You?"
"Yes, I did… earlier. I went to a friend's place, and they're going to auction an item for the benefit," Grant states.
"Wow, the life of the rich is really out of my reach. You can give an expensive item without hurting your wallet," I comment. I'm sure his friend is one of those second-generation heirs.
"Well, ready your heart, then. Because what will make this event a success is the rich. Some people believe that it's an honor if they paid the most, and we're going to exploit that," Grant's eyes gleam.
He really is a businessman and an accountant, through and through. I shake my head as I look at him, smiling at the thought.
"What help do you need here?" Grant asks me.
"Well, we need more hands," I reply to him.
"Let me help then," Grant says. "You can order me… as much as you want."
My heart races when he whispers the last sentence in my ears. God, how can he make it sound so… tempting?
He's seducing me… my poor heart. I'm weak when it comes to his seduction. I slap his arm all embarrassed.
"Hey!" I glare at him and pinches him on the side. "You're so! Hmph!"
I walk away from him, feeling giddy. I'm no longer a teenager, but I feel like one. Grant's chuckling is loud enough for me to hear him, it looks like he's having fun teasing me.
He can be such a child sometimes! And like I drug addict, I crave every part of him.
Twenty-Six
Grant
"It's tight," I comment as I fit my suit and tie. The tie seems too tight for me, and I don't like feeling constrained. It's like I'm on a leash, and I don't like it.
I've been here in this dressing room for a few hours now, and Antonio and I have clashed a few times because of the clothing style. Clothes are strewn all over the place, and his assistants are on the side, staying silent.
"It's not tight, it's the right fit!" the designer almost yells at me. I grimace, damn, his voice is very shrill, and it hurts my eardrums. Can he speak slower?
"I'm a designer!" Antonio adds. "Not you."
"It's tight," I insist. He rolls his eyes at me.
"How many times did we fit this suit?" he glares at me. "My darling Sonya isn't as fussy as you!"
"Come on, Antonio, we both know that I have to look my best," I smile at him. He's a close friend of Sonya and a designer at the company. A very well-known designer.
Antonio exclusively designs for the company, and he has his own line spearheaded by him. My mom likes the guy too. The man's talented, it's just that the person is a diva through and through.
"I know! You don't need anything more, I'm telling you!" Antonio insists as he almost shakes me. "Sonya thinks that you're the most handsome. The woman's clearly smitten, that's all that matters, right?"
"Well, that's why I need to look my best. Sonya will surely look beautiful. She's already beautiful in simple clothing, what more if she wears something fancy?" I ask Antonio. "I don't want people to tell me that I don't fit her."
"Well, she'll look even beautiful if she wears a sack, so it's difficult," he looks at me with an analytical eye. "As I've said, you're already perfect."
"This tie sucks, I don't like the color and the pattern," I state as I take off the tie. Antonio's mouth gapes open. I hand the tie to his assistant.
"You're harder to please than a woman! I'm telling you that it suits you," he tells me.
I can't help it, I'm fussy when it comes to my clothing. Maybe because I'm the son of the Fashion Empress. I've always had the best clothing since I was a kid. And now that I'm an adult, I still do.
"My God, Grant! I'm the designer here!" Antonio shouts as he trembles in exasperation. "You can choose what you like. Go on…"
Antonio sits down on the couch.
"It took us two hours to find a suit for you, and we're taking longer on a tie?" Antonio's about to go crazy. He looks like he's ready to gut me.
"You know me, I'm very particular with my clothes," I tell him as I open every drawer that has a tie in it. Fortunately, we're in the company's private dressing room that has an abundance of clothing.
The ones that can use this are the top executives every time there's an event. Or some of the high-ranking models.
I look at every piece, rubbing and testing the clothing used to make the tie. I inspect the color, and finally, after almost thirty minutes of deliberation, I found something that I like.
"This one," I tell Antonio as I tie the silver patterned necktie to my neck. It looks good against my suit. I look amazing in it.
"Finally," I hear Antonio murmurs as he stands up and moves closer to me to adjust my clothing. "You look good in that tie. I thought that you're going to take another hour."
He can't help but praise me. I smirk, of course, I know what to use. I might be an accountant, but not your usual one. I'm not some nerd who doesn't know fashion.
"You're going to invite the CEO, right?" Antonio asks out of the blue. I look at his reflection in the mirror. I want to personally invite my mom and not just hand an invitation. My mother's an important person in my life, and I want her to love the people that I love too.
Like Sonya and Lauralee. Especially Lauralee. The girl is such a cute kid, and it will leave a strong impression on her if my mom rejects her. It won't be good for a kid.
"Yes, I will. In fact, I'm going now," I tell Antonio as I pick up my suit jacket. "I have to go and talk to her. Her presence will be much appreciated. And I expect you to be there?"
"Of course, I will," Antonio grins. I nod my head and left. I can hear him shrieking as I walk away. He doesn't have enough time to prepare for the b
all himself.
I'm sure he's worst than me.
Talking to my mom isn't that easy, especially when we disagree on something. I need her to accept Sonya and Lauralee. It will be nice if she can get along with them and get to know them.
Her approval of Sonya matters, and so her approval of the money too. I want her to be proud of me. I guess it can't be helped, she's my mother. She also has high expectations of me; that's why we clash with our differing values.
Most of all, she thinks I'm some irresponsible playboy. I was treated as one, almost my whole life. Well, it was what I wanted people to think. It's my fault.
"Is my mom in?" I ask her secretary. The woman looks at me, wide-eyed. I guess she's a new one. My mom changes secretaries almost all the time, some can't keep up with her. This place isn't for the faint-hearted.
Only a few stayed.
"She's inside," she manages to answer me. I nod at her and knock on my mom's office door.
"Come in," she shouts. I take a deep breath and opens the door. She knows I'm busy with something these past few weeks, but she didn't ask me what it is about. Even though we fight a lot, she trusts me.
"Mom," I greet her. There's not much time left for the gala. We only have another three hours, but I know my mom can get ready during that time. She's the Fashion Empress.
Mom looks at me through her glasses. She takes it off and puts it on her table. She leans back on her chair as she eyes me.
"Is there something you need?" Mom asks me. "You were very busy these past few weeks."
"Yes, mom," I reply to her as I move closer to her table. Then, I place a simple but elegant black and white envelope in front of her. The invitation's inside. Mom stared at it like it's some dangerous weapon or something.