Shantelle

After work, Vienne called me and requested that we go home together.

I usually stayed at the office for thirty minutes or more, but she asked me to take her somewhere.

She appeared to be close to the building.

Vienne was already standing beside my car when I arrived at the parking lot.

I didn't want to buy anything unnecessary, such as this car, but it was convenient for work and easy to get to.

"What brings you here?" I asked her as I was about to take a step back.

The university where she was studying was a long distance away.

"My friends and I went to the newly opened bake shop in this neighborhood. We tried it because someone said their pastries were good." She responded.

"And it turned out to be ideal. I purchased some for the three of you,” she explained as she held up the box she was holding.

When we arrived home, Aunt Trina greeted us, and I noticed that Oliver had not yet arrived.

"Auntie, I'll be in my room for the time being. I need to go over something, please notify me when dinner is ready.” She nodded as I told her.

"By the way, Vienne, remember to call your brother. Inquire if he will be joining us for dinner. If not, inquire as to when he will return."

"Yes madame," she said without looking at me.

I went upstairs to change my clothes first, but I saw my bed and felt compelled to lie down on it, so I did.

When everything fell silent, guilt began to surface again.

My conscience was devouring me.

That night, after talking with Lance last week, I went looking for information about Gavin.

I avoided getting involved with him and kept searching for him to find out what had happened to his life.

He is not a private person, so I was able to learn everything I needed to know.

Because the bride cancelled their wedding, their company severed ties with one another.

It had little impact on their business and caused a stir in their reputation, but it had a significant impact on Gavin.

He remained single after that incident and was dubbed a Casanova.

Many women were connected to him, but he never committed to any of them.

What if I don't take the job from Peighton back then? Maybe they already have a child now, and maybe I'm already gone.

I didn't realize I'd gone too far, but I couldn't help myself because I was desperate at the time.

When someone was on the verge of death, I believe they would do the same thing I did.

I desired to live.

It may appear to be a selfish act, but I was thinking about my siblings at the time.

What would happen to my younger sister and brother if I died?

Aunt Trina struggled to support her own needs, so it would be difficult for her to support my siblings too.

I don't want her to bear the entire burden.

All of these thoughts will remain in the back of my mind.

Also, I don't want my family to be concerned about me, and I should be the only one who suffers as a result of this sin.

The burden was and will remain solely mine.

‘But I wish, I had other choice back then.’

When I heard my phone ring, I opened my eyes.

My brain was fully awake, so I didn't know if I'd fallen asleep.

"What are you doing that you can't even answer the phone?"

My friend Dani nagged at me.

"Are you sleeping?" I inquired.

"And you're not even certain? Come on, get dressed up because we're going to a party. I'll pick you up, and I'm already on my way."

"I'm preoccupied. Invite someone who will accompany you," I responded directly.

"You're always on the go, so relax. You should unwind every now and then. I'll see you in fifteen or maybe ten minutes! Bye!" She then hung up.

I stood up because I had no choice but to comply with her wishes.

If I declined, she would bug me.

But perhaps she was correct. I should unwind, unwind, and have some fun.

I looked for a dress in my wardrobe, but I didn't have much, so I just chose whatever I saw first.

I don't want to spend money on clothes I won't wear.

It would be a complete waste of money.

I took a bath to refresh myself and put on light makeup like I always did before going to work or anywhere else.

It took me some time to prepare because it was just a regular night party that Dani always went to.

When I looked in the mirror, I thought I looked pretty good.

I went downstairs right away because I heard a familiar voice and could hear their laughter from my room.

Then I noticed Dani conversing with them.

She was easygoing and had a great sense of humor, so she could easily get close to anyone she wanted.

She was popular and sat across from mine and Cara.

"Shantelle, what are you wearing?" Dani laughed hysterically, but I just shrugged.

"We're not going to an amusement park; we're going to a night out," she added.

I was dressed in a cream casual dress with two-inch heels.

My hair was tied-up just like always.

"What's the problem? Let's just go, already," I said this while attempting to drag her out of the house.

"No, you can't wear that," she said emphatically.

"I've come prepared, and I've purchased a dress for you. Don't worry, it's completely free. Let us proceed to your room, shall we?" She motioned to them and drew me into my room.

"No, let’s just go ahead. We’re going to be late?" I inquired of her.

"The party began an hour ago, but the real party begins later in the evening, so it's fine. Allow us to take our time," She said this and began to assist me.

I internally groaned when I saw the dress she gave me because it was too revealing, but I didn't complain because we wouldn't be able to leave the room until I wore it or changed into a dress she approved of.

"See, you're not only beautiful in your dress, but you're also sexy," she said, staring at me from head to toe.

I wore a brown satin backless gown.

Its color was a perfect match for my white skin, and I could say that every dress Dani gave me fit me perfectly.

\My skin was simply too exposed. It was above the knee and had a slit in the back of my left thigh.

"Let me curl your hair for a change, and here are your stilettos to match your outfit. Then we're finished. I'm sure men will be swooning over you." She said this while untying my hair.

"I don't understand. Why weren't you interested in men? Those who had previously pursued you were all turned down."

"All I want to do is focus on my business and my family."

"Because your company is doing well, you should take a break. You are no longer a teen. Enjoy your life as a twenty-eight-year-old lady."

"Okay, I get it. You don't have to say it all over again."

We said our goodbyes to my family and left after she finished my hair.

The neon light blinded me as we entered the Club.

The place was packed with people I didn't even know and loud music.

Dani stated that the entire area had been reserved and that only a few people had been invited, but the word "few" was an understatement.

"Remember, you're here to have fun, and you should be able to find a man and get laid by the end of the night," she screamed.

Fortunately, everyone was preoccupied with their own affairs.

"My dear, you should not die a virgin. You may have regrets."

She chuckled as she said this. I just gave her a sidelong glance.

"Let's find a spot and get something to drink."

Dani introduced me to some of her friends once we were settled.

Dani was dragged by a stranger, but that was okay because I wasn't alone. Cassy, the girl on my right side, was a non-party-goer like me, so as time passed, I became more at ease in my seat.

I was having a pleasant conversation with her when my gaze was drawn to the man I had run away from.

Gavin appeared, his features rough and his jaw more refined than ever.

He appeared more mature, but I couldn't forget those blue eyes that were filled with confusion that day, but now they were blank and devoid of emotion.

The world was indeed too small.

I was able to meet him earlier than I had anticipated.

I averted my gaze, but he did not.

From where I was sitting, I could feel his intense gaze.

When I looked back at him, his seat was empty. And when I saw him approaching me, I panicked.

I stood up abruptly to leave so he wouldn't find me.

'I should have left the moment I saw him,' I reasoned. It was difficult for me to leave because there were so many people.

Someone grabbed my waist as I was walking to the exit. I didn't need to see who it was because I knew it was him.

I tried to push Gavin off the dance floor, but he wouldn't budge.

"Wow, it feels great. I finally found you," he said softly into my ears.

His voice was so sensual that just hearing him speak made me shiver.

He was behind my back and began to sway our bodies to the beat of the music.

I was still trying to get away from him, and he was doing everything he could to keep me close.

"So, tell me, miss? How are you doing? How's our little one doing? Our baby?"

He made fun of me. His hand wrapped around my waist, attempting to provoke me.

I remained silent and did not allow myself to be provoked by what he said or did.

"I know you're smart enough, and you probably realize you won't be able to get away from now on."

When Gavin said that, I turned around and stared him down. I looked at him to show that I was unconcerned about his threat.

When he finally let go of my hand, I bolted and didn't look back.

I knew my life would be turned upside down the moment our paths finally crossed.

Maybe I should have gone to the doctor the next day?

I've been feeling ill lately. Is it possible that cancer cells have returned, or am I simply bothered by Gavin's presence?

Shantelle

"Are the items we need already prepared?" I informed my team.

We're meeting with our soon-to-be business partner at the last minute. Even if Gavin requested a cooperation, we must exhibit all that the Star Food Company has to offer in order to secure their favor.

If we succeed today, we will have a great chance since our firm will be renowned after Gavin's business is thriving in Standford.

"Yeah, we're ready. All of the paperwork have been reviewed and finalized. We're ready to go,” Cara said.

I was grateful to have Cara by my side. She was a wonderful friend and co-worker of mine. I didn't think I'd make it through the day.

I eventually decided to address the suggestion with the team the day after Dani asked me to a party.

Everyone gave the same response. We should not pass up this opportunity without giving it a go.

I had no idea Gavin's Adams Enterprise was well-known in Standford, much alone here in Kensington.

Gavin's business was a nice find.

They possess hotels, restaurants, and resorts in Lambherts and Standford, in addition to Wilderford.

Our company was doing well, but we still needed additional investors and customers.

I was certain that many people would enquire about us as a result of our collaboration with Gavin.

That could cause me a personal difficulty in the future, but I shouldn't be selfish this time and forsake all of the misery that my staff had through over the years.

I should concentrate on what I need to accomplish right now and quit thinking about what could happen to me later.

"Well, if we're through. You may have your lunch before heading to the office to avoid being late. The meeting has been adjourned."

My colleagues began to leave the meeting room, but I remained.

I wanted to sleep, but my thoughts wouldn't allow me since Gavin's words had continued repeating themselves till now.

It was one of the reasons I didn't get enough sleep, but the other was because I've been focusing all of my attention on preparing for the presentation today.

Numerous individuals would undoubtedly attend later, so there was no room for error.

Generally, I wasn't the one who brought up our suggestion. I delegated the task, but I was still there at every meeting.

If I'm unavailable, I'll delegate responsibility for an appointment or meeting to a representative.

But Lance informed me that his employer wanted me to be the one who discussed everything with them.

I felt nervous and a little terrified for some reason. Is it because we'd meet again later, but this time on his territory?

When it was time, I exited the meeting room and headed to the parking lot.

I got word that my unit had eaten and was approaching the extended company of Adams Enterprise.

I made my way there by car. I couldn't eat because I was afraid I'd vomit up, and I didn't feel like eating when I was worried.

When I arrived, I was astounded by how large his firm was. Their main building in Wilderford was considerably larger than what I was witnessing, yet it was only three times the size of ours.

It was simple for me to go through, and I was directed to the floor where the meeting would take place.

I walked smoothly with my head held high, yet deep down, I was worried and afraid, but also exhilarated and motivated.

My emotions have become jumbled. I wasn't sure what I was feeling right now.

I was one meter away from the conference room when I came to a halt because Gavin's face flashed across my head.

I paused for a while and considered backing out, but then I recalled my previous boss's counsel.

Professional and personal problems are distinct, and I should avoid conflating them.

I didn't pay heed to what she said since I understood my limits, but I couldn't completely follow her advice because I allowed my judgment mingle with my emotions.

I took a big breath and attempted to be more composed than I had been.

I need to ignore all of those bad ideas and concentrate on what I should accomplish.

My objective was to acquire their approval before providing them with our services.

As I walked into the meeting room, Gavin and others were already there.

They were talking amongst themselves as I walked in, so they turned their heads in my direction.

"Everyone, good afternoon! We have five minutes until we begin. I recommend that the Star Foods Team prepare your presentation today so that we can begin promptly at afternoon.” Gavin mentioned this.

"Yes, sir," I said, drawing his attention to me.

I told my crew to put the presentation on the screen right away and handed out the hand-outs to the seven guys in this room.

I could tell Gavin was watching every move I made, but I didn't let it upset me, even though I was growing aware.

After we were through, I returned my attention to him in the same way he had gazed at me.

I began my presentation by describing the Star Food Company and the services we could provide to them.

It took me thirty minutes to explain everything to them, such as what we provide our customers, how we differ from other organizations, and how transactions between our company and theirs work.

Except for one individual in this room, everyone cheered and congratulated me after I finished.

Gavin did nothing except gaze at me the whole time, but when everyone else closed their lips, he said.

"Has your organization handled transactions and received customers with a large corporation like us?" Gavin inquired. I knew he wasn't going to let me off the hook.

"Not yet, sir, but we serve fifteen customers every month, including small businesses and individual entrepreneurs," I said firmly.

"Even if you can manage fifteen customers, our branches here expect three times the amount and quality you provided, so what will you do if you can't satisfy those demands?" He responded, dissatisfied with what he received from me.

"I know our firm can manage it, and we can make some adjustments to accommodate you and our existing customers, as well as new customers. If you agreed to have us be your food researchers and formulators for your branches here, we could grow at any moment and add excellent staff."

Gavin kept asking me questions for half an hour, but the final sentence he said upset me.

"Ms. Clarkson, thank you for addressing all of my questions. You and your team did an excellent job of preparing for this day. But we still need to study everything, and we wanted to take our time before making a choice because I want to be sure we won't be sorry." Gavin mentioned this.

He was being absurd, claiming that it may not be appropriate to partner with us when he was the one who proposed that we engage into an arrangement with them.

"It's simply that I believe my taste for everything has altered as a result of what has transpired in the past, not just for work but also for other concerns. I officially proclaim that this meeting has come to an end. Thank you everybody, and good luck."

He instantly departed without looking back after saying that.

Everyone gathered their belongings and exited the room.

No one in this room understood what he was saying, or if they did, they didn't realize I was the source of it.

I instructed my staff to return to the corporation and inform the others of the outcome. I also warned them they may go if there was nothing else to do.

"Are you free right now?" someone said behind my back.

"Well, I'm on my way back to my office. Why do you need anything?" I responded to him. Theo, one of Gavin's business colleagues, who was also present at the meeting earlier.

"Well, I'd like to ask you to a cup of coffee. What are your thoughts?"

"Well, okay as I don't believe I can go back to the business right now," I remarked as I began to walk out of the building.

As we arrived at the local coffee shop, he ordered us some coffee and spoke with us for a while. I had no idea he was so willing to explain things for Gavin.

Theo advised me not to misinterpret Gavin's statements. He's only being cautious about everything he should do since his father would disown him if he made one mistake.

After the wedding was called off, his father instructed Gavin to locate the wedding invader and the kid, which was me with my falsehoods.

But when Gavin couldn't locate me, his father became enraged and told him he was a shame to his family.

I felt bad since there was no unborn kid, and Gavin was undoubtedly aware that I was lying at this point.

I remained quiet the whole time since I didn't know what to say and didn't want him to suspect anything. I had just listened to Theo speak about his friend's life, and I had no right to say anything.

I was the one who ruined him and was to blame. He was not the sort to forgive quickly and would make certain that I spent eternity in hell for what I had done to him.

Maybe I was fated to suffer my punishment now, and he was the one who would administer it to me.

GAVIN

"What have you been up to?" I asked Theo, who was both a buddy and a business colleague.

"I simply went to the coffee shop in the rear of the building with Shantelle," he said as he settled into a comfortable seat on the sofa.

"On a first-name basis now, huh? Are you two friends already or something?" I inquired once again.

"No, we simply spoke for a while. That's all. So, when are you going to accept her proposal?"

"So you're intrigued by her. Well, sorry to burst your bubble but I'm not going to take it," I remarked casually.

“What?” He yelled and rose from his seat.

"I didn't like it, therefore I'm not going to accept it."

"Are you sure? Not everyone agreed, but they want to think about it."

"I know exactly what you did. You made the suggestion in the first place. You even sent someone to their workplace to discuss it. So what happens next? Are you playing a joke on her? Don't tell me you still want to get your revenge?" He inquired, surprised.

"No, I simply wanted to play with her for a bit. Don't worry, it'll be my first and last."

Once I stated that, he said nothing. He was one of the few individuals who genuinely understood what had transpired in my life, so he just let me off the hook for what I did today.

Ordinarily, he would nudge me until I realized I was in the wrong, but he didn't this time. Maybe this was what they called pity.

That may seem cringe-worthy, but I would let fate determine our fate. I didn't believe I'd be able to stop myself from playing with her if we ever met again.

I was still unable to forgive her.

‘Shantelle Clarkson, you have to prepare yourself for the worst.’

Shantelle

It's been a week since my firm met with Gavin, but I've received no feedback.

Every day, I had multiple meetings with various customers, but I never heard from Adams Enterprise.

“That man, really.”

I was irritated because I believed we were missing, which was why they stopped contacting us.

Gavin was the first to reject our proposition, and he should be the last.

I couldn't believe him; it was his idea, yet he dared to fully reject us. I really wished we hadn't agreed to offer our proposition to them.

"Hi ladies, how have you been?" It was Dani.

I gave her a quick look before returning to what I was doing.

"How did your idea with Adams Enterprise work out? Did you reach an agreement?" she said, her eyes bright with joy.

On the contrary, I stopped writing and vented my rage once again.

Cara tapped Dani on the shoulder and said she shouldn't bring it up since it was irritating me when others questioned me about it.

"It's all right, Cara. She has a right to know," I explained.

Dani was one of Star Food's investors, although she was not actively engaged in the company's operations.

Unlike Cara, she was an investor as well as the business secretary. She chose to be one of my workers, so she was privy to everything that transpired within the organization from the start.

"I don't believe they will accept our plan, and we didn't receive any reaction from them at all. I think I made a mistake? Oh, I don’t know, really." I explained briefly to her.

“What!? They rejected your proposition! Are they insane?" she said, laughing, sarcastically.

"No, they don't. Maybe we're missing in some manner," I shrugged.

"There is no way we are short in something, dear. Did you show our best-sellers, the most valuable and famous items? What about the price? Did you have a proper discussion?"

Cara was the one who answered her questions after she harassed me with them.

"We did, I'm also there for the conference, and all I could say is that Shantelle did a fantastic job. We are not wanting in anything. They are not contented with what we showed them, maybe?" Cara defended me.

"Oh, they're greedy," Dani concluded, and nodding, she was correct.

Her statements made us chuckle. That wasn't a decent thing to say, but if we were talking about Gavin, I could agree with her.

"Come to think of it, they wanted something we didn't have, and they wanted more of what we had," she remarked, which made me and Cara shake our heads.

"Well, Dani, keep your comments to yourself. If you said anything to anybody, it would damage our image, particularly with Shantelle," she cautioned.

I knew Dani would do anything Cara said since they were buddies before I arrived.

She was a little afraid of Cara when she was serious, and Cara was the only one she couldn't pull to the night-out party.

While there were times when she was the one who asked us out for a drink, Dani was always there.

"Alright, but do you know why they didn't accept up until now?"

"I'm not sure, maybe personal reasons? As far as I recall, Mr. Adams indicated that his taste in everything had changed."

I assured her I understood what Gavin meant, but there was no need for additional explanation.

"I'm still furious, but there's nothing I can do," I said before returning to work.

Dani did not depart, and Cara remained to work at my office.

Whenever Dani came in, she would remain and converse with us, despite the fact that Dani was the one who did all the talking.

Dani wanted to eat during our break, and she promised to serve us outdoors.

I urged them to be patient since I needed to complete my job here and will be unavailable later.

We just had thirty minutes since I couldn't postpone my appointment.

Cara knew I'd be meeting with our first-ever customer, which was why I couldn't stop smiling despite all that had transpired a week before.

Mrs. Helena Thompson resided outside of Kensington, so the trip would take three hours.

Mrs. Thompson owned many restaurants across Standford, and Star Food created all of the dishes on the menu.

Mrs. Thompson and I met via Cara, who was a close friend of her mother's.

I was grateful that she was our first customer since her positive feedback had extended to a large number of people in other places around Standford.

We agreed to meet at her hometown's first eatery.

Even though this was not my first trip there, I was nonetheless awestruck by its beauty; even though we were in contemporary times, you could sense a sparkle of tradition.

"Shantelle, please accept my greetings. I'm delighted you've arrived. I understand how difficult it is for you to get here," she said as she helped me to my reserved table in her restaurant.

"Mrs. Thompson, don't be concerned. I appreciate your inviting me here and your continued interest in our services."

"Just disregard the formality. Aren't we pals?"

"Of course, you're my buddy, Helena, and my first business partner."

"Let's eat first before we begin our talk, shall we? It's free of charge."

She remarked this as she gave me the menu. Helena was quite helpful, so I had no problems with my first commercial transaction.

But, I have met nasty customers, whom we did not entertain since our organization wanted to maintain a good connection with clients in order to secure future projects.

"I wanted to create a resort with an inn and a restaurant," Helena began talking about our true goal.

"Shantelle, I'd want you to come up with fresh meals and menus for me. I'd want to include my children's favorite cuisine, and I'd like you to try it and tell me what you think."

We kept talking about all she wanted me to do for her. I also learnt that she hesitated at first but then remembered her children.

She realized she wanted to satisfy their desires, which were to run the resort in a location near and dear to their hearts.

Helena has always struck me as a remarkable individual.

For a large corporation to give a large sum of money to cease developing the resort indicates that they were intimidated by her ability to make it more successful than those other corporations.

"Thank you for your faith in me, Helena. It motivates me to keep doing what I'm doing now. I want to devote myself entirely to this endeavour." I stated it with a sincere grin.

"I know you can do it; I believe in you and your teams," she added as she took my hand in hers.

"I should be going. It's already after seven o'clock in the evening."

"Well, I forgot about the time. I forgot you had another three-hour drive ahead of you. Do you want to spend the night at my house?"

"No, but thank you; I must return home. I'm still able to drive. I truly loved our conversation today. See you again soon!"

Helena accompanied me to my vehicle and gifted me with a painting.

Today was both exhausting and rewarding. Even though I didn't receive the huge break I was looking for, I did acquire some new customers this week, which was a blessing.

But after an hour, my vehicle broke down in the middle of nowhere. I'm new with the area and couldn't find a business that could assist me in repairing it.

I still had a long distance to go, but I didn't know what to do with this tire.

It seems that my luck had run out for me to be struggling here, on the road at night. I couldn't make calls since there was no signal in the region.

I leaned against my vehicle and waited for a car to pass by, but there was none. I waited a few moments but was still alone.

I was going to get in my vehicle when I heard a loud honk. Someone came by.

"What's a lovely woman doing here in the middle of the night?" he said as he exited his vehicle. I looked at him, stunned. Yet, regrettably, I need his assistance.

"My vehicle abruptly stopped, and I believe there is a problem with the rear tire, which I attempted to repair but failed," I uttered and it seemed that Gavin understood.

‘Why he out of all the individuals that could stop by?’ I thought.

"Your automobile, do you mean this?" he said, tapping my car. "Or are you saying you stole it?"

"What?" I inquired, and what he replied astounded me.

"That's where you shine, right? Stealing anything valuable from someone you don't even know?" With keen eyes, he stated straight to me.

"What are you on about?" I inquired, perplexed.

I was taken aback since I had no idea he would say anything like that.

While I remained mute, he laughed loudly and told me he was joking, but I knew it wasn't a joke.

He began to repair it, and from time to time, he mocked me and uttered jokes similar to those spoken previously.

I knew he was having fun with our position, and I didn't want to respond to anything in case I claimed everything he said was real.

As he finished restoring my vehicle, he urged me to stay at one of his neighboring hotels, but I rejected. It was perfect moment to inquire about the proposal and explain why I did what I did to him, but I couldn't.

I'm not ready yet, and I couldn't take any more scathing insults from him. Which I most likely deserve. His rage against me was palpable.

I couldn't tolerate being around him any longer. I thanked him and was the first to go.

I believed I'd forgotten about him because of the excitement I'd had before, but I had no idea this would happen.

‘Oh God, what else could happen next?’

GAVIN

We parted ways as soon as I finished fixing her car. Last time, I told myself that I let fate decide our fate, and it appeared that we were fated to ruin each other's lives.

Shantelle had finished her portion, but I was just getting started.

"You stated over the phone that you were on your way here, but it took you an hour," my other buddy replied, his expression irritated.

"I assumed you'd abandon us again," Theo said.

"No dude, I won’t do that. I just helped a woman who was stuck in the middle of the road," I stated.

"Sure, anything. Let's have some drinks. We've already gone through one bottle."

I drank the drink they provided. I was here with my pals, but my thoughts were elsewhere.

The image of the lady who had wrecked me kept running through my head. I couldn't comprehend why a horrible lady like her would fill my thoughts.

'What should I do now if we ever meet again?' I pondered.

There was no way I was going to let everything happen if she continued appearing in front of my eyes.

‘Might I play with her for a little longer?’