Chapter 71

71 71- Biggest Surprise

Marissa was still fuming when she stepped into the reception area. The reception girl was wearing a badge that said Zara. She was walking ahead, and Marissa could see how well–toned her hips

were.

Now stop thinking like a pervert, Marissa.

She scolded herself and got to the phone. The receptionist took her seat and Marissa didn’t know how to give Rafael a piece of her mind in Zara’s presence.

“Hello?” She almost snapped into the receiver making the

receptionist shoot a curious glance at her.

“Hi!” Rafael’s voice came out of the receiver making her feel giddy.

As always!

“I was in a meeting,” she hissed and then gave a friendly smile to

Zara.

“Oh, ok. By the way, how are you?” he was so casual as if he did nothing and it was routine for him to call her to the reception just

to talk to her.

“I need to go back as I just told you I was in a meeting,” she repeated in a sharp whisper.

“OK. But it won’t hurt you to tell me how you are doing. You sent me a hi message, so I take it that you are missing me a lot.”

Marissa wanted to roll her eyes but then Zara’s eyes were constantly roaming around her, so she had to be careful. The

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hardest thing was to keep her expressions friendly… and normal. “No, I am not,” she managed a fake smile.

“Why are you talking like this? Is there someone around you?”

“Yeah. The whole office. I’m in the reception area or are you forgetting that you sent that receptionist to fetch me.”

“Ok. Hand over this receiver back to Zara.”

Marissa wanted to do that and leave. She didn’t want to miss the meeting, “Oh. Thanks for understanding.”

“No, no. Stay right here. Ok?”

She gave the receiver to that beautiful receptionist and waited.

“Sure, Mr. Sinclair,” Zara placed the receiver back on the craddle and turned to her, “Please follow me, Ms. Aaron.”

Marissa followed her and was horrified when she saw her going inside the main office that belonged to the President of MSin.

“I… here…”

“Yes. You can easily discuss the official things here. I’ll connect the phone and you can take… this seat,” she pointed towards Rafael’s

head seat.

Marissa gulped hard and pointed to the seat, “That one?”

“Yes. Because the phone that will be connected for you lies here. He doesn’t have any problem as he thinks this discussion is very important.” She explained with a professional smile.

Marissa nodded like a fool and went to his seat but instead of

sitting on it she just kept standing there.

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Zara had left the room and after a few seconds, the phone placed

there rang.

Marissa quickly picked it up, “Yes!”

“Now we can talk better. How are you?” Marissa closed her eyes

when heard his voice.

“Why are you disturbing me in between a meeting? And who keeps interrupting in the middle of the meeting by the continuous calls? Obviously, I was busy that’s why I wasn’t attending them!”

She heard his chuckle, “See? You talk better when we are alone.

But this didn’t answer my question. How are you?”

Marissa shifted on her feet, “I’m good.”

She looked for the closest seat where she could carry this phone or could pull the receiver that long.

“What’s the matter?”

“I want to move this phone to the nearest seat.”

“Why? Isn’t there a chair? Call Zara again. Just hit that bell and she’ll arrive …”

“I know. B…but it’s your seat,” She stuttered, and that made him go quiet.

“There is no, your seat or my seat, Marissa,” he said in a low whisper, “That’s our seat.” Marissa felt her heart going wild.

She felt his voice going husky by the end of it.

“Sit on it, Marissa,” she looked around as if she was a thief, “Don’t

worry. It’s just a seat. Not my lap.”

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“Shut up!” she snapped and sat down ignoring his laughter on the

other side.

“Now back to my question. How are you?” this time she made a pout and tried to let go by leaning back on the luxury sea

Tm good.” his next question was quite expected.

“How are kids?”

“Naughty. As always. This time she smiled when heard his chuckle.

That’s great. Now just relax back and keep talking to me.

“No!” she bolted up. “Why should I?”

Yeah. Why should you? Because I am missing you here! Marissa wanted to laugh it off, but he wasn’t joking

His tone was dead serious.

“Why? Where is your wife?”

“She is in my office. sitting on my seat. Talking to me.” Marissa gasped and got to her feet.

“Jerk! Is this a joke to you?” she didn’t know why she felt tears stinging behind her eyelids. “I wasn’t talking about the sham who lived with you during your blindness. I’m talking about the woman who…” she gulped and couldn’t continue.

“Damn you. Rafael. Say hi to Valerie and fuck off!” with that she almost slapped the receiver and left the room.

In the bathroom, after quickly throwing some water on her face,

she tried to look normal.

No. This must be her sleeplessness playing with her mind. For him,

71 71 – Biggest Surprise

she was nothing else but just the mom of his kids.

When she returned to the meeting room there was some intense. discussion going on, about how to advertise the small business.

It could have been beneficial if she had attended it.

Damn you, Rafael. You don’t need such things because you are already rich, but I could have learned a lot.

***

“I guess you again need that second cup of coffee,” Delinda said placing a cup on her desk. This time she couldn’t hold it and one or two tears managed to come out on her face.

“Marissa!” Delinda quickly pulled her chair to her seat and sat

down, “Don’t cry. You need to be very strong.”

Marissa nodded. She liked the fact that Delinda didn’t try to pry about the reason and just offered her support.

“We women need to have some me time so that we can hold this world by its throat. When was the last time you had your me time?” she got stern by the end of it.

This time Marissa tried to stifle her laughter, “Last night. We did gaming and I even lost the first match.”

Delinda grinned and teased her, “You lost? Really? What about the

second match?”

“I won it because it was with an amateur,” Delinda started laughing when she imagined Flint’s face last night.

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“At least you won!”

Marissa chewed her lower lip looking at Delinda with a thankful expression, “Life has been unkind…”

“I know, love,” Delinda got up from her seat, “But we need to face it if we want to win. Because if we will show it that we are amateurs then it will take advantage. People will take advantage.”

Yes. Delinda was right. Rafael was one of those who might be taking advantage.

“Not everyone tries to take advantage, Marissa. Don’t mix the two,” Marissa felt as if Delinda could read her mind,

“There might be sincere people too. Don’t try to push them away. thinking that they are using you, creating hurdles for you. Sometimes we are the ones who put hurdles in our way. Sometimes we are our biggest enemies, Marissa,” before turning away Delinda managed a small smile, “The crush who was trying to call you. I’ll say give him a chance. Not everyone tries to keep a check on us when we are busy in meetings.” With a wink, she walked away.

What Delinda couldn’t tell Marissa was, she was about to get the biggest surprise of her life.

Something that could open Marissa’s eyes.