Chapter Eight - Sabotage

OLWETHU'S POV

I was tired and a little bit nervous... This friday was huge and I got to call the winner... the book was already edited and in works for printing. I was just delighted.

I walked to the office and was welcomed by Jeremy, "hey hey little star.. how are you?"

"I'm good thanks and how are you Jerry..."

"All good.. so today we are announcing the winner..?"

"Yes.. God this is exciting..."

Last week we called the top three to the office and they were interviewed and talked to by the design team.

They designed beautiful covers for each book and the guys picked the one they loved. So this made it easy to actually publish the winning book.

Jerry smiled, "your boss is coming and can this woman ever stop being so attractive.."

I giggled and thought she's always been pretty hot..

"Morning guys.. good to see you here early Jerry..."

"I would totally turn lesbian for you boss.. like God dammit woman you are everything.." Jeremy said and Valentia actually stopped and looked at him.

God I have to agree she was just extra today. She was wearing black military pants, a white long sleep shirt but she shortened the sleves, and white sneakers. I could see her ass and I felt thirsty immediately... but my eyes quickly landed on her left hand, she had a bandage and it took me back to years ago when she literally went blank and beat my dad almost to death...

I opened my eyes and almost asked but she saw and shook her head.

"Well Jerry .. I'd totally turn gay for you, but you ain't got pussy and I don't have dick.. so..." then she shrugged.

God this woman..

"Lin..come to my office when you're done with that amazing idiot..." then she was gone.

I turned to Jerry and he was smiling.. like an idiot, "I'm an amazing idiot .."

I laughed, "you are just an idiot.. plain that.. Valentia is being nice."

"You're jealous coz she'd turn gay for me. You're lesbian and she ain't even looking at you twice..."

I laughed and turned around. Oh he was looking way more than twice at me. He just didn't know that.. amd he didn't need to. Deep down I knew Valentia loved me the way I did her. But we were both respecting her marriage... I didn't want to repeat the same mistake again. If Valentia wants to be with me now, she'll act, I wasn't that 17 year old immature girl.. her wiping me out of her life forced me to grow. It was painful but I grew and I learnt to accept that she, she'll forever hold my heart because only she made me feel.

I opened my office and put my bag down. I was a bit nervous as to why Vee wanted me in her office, but I was worried because of her hand. It just took me straight back to a dark place.

I took my phone and laptop then headed to my boss's office.

"Hey boss.."

"Hold on a sec..." she said to me and then put her phone back up, "Mariah can I call you back... work is calling for me..."

Then she listened and nodded a bit, "God yes I promise I'll call. Yes ma'am. Okay, you should visit with him here... today is great but after lunch.. Okay see you then...bye.."

"Hey.."

She smiled, "sit down.."

I did and she took a paper that was on the left with her right hand.. reminding me about her injured hand. So me being noisy and a bit worried about her I asked, "what happened to your hand?"

She bit her lower lip, "nothing."

"Yeah and I never fucked you when I was seventeen.."

Her eyes shot wide open and I smiled innocently, "what happened Vee?"

"Car door... Jimmy was closing the door and my hand was kinda in the way, so my fingers took a knock.."

Fuck! I tried to imagine that actually felt the pain she felt, "shiiiiiit.. that must have been painful.."

She nodded, "yeah but he's still a kid so..."

I ached my brow, "you got a kid..."

She laughed, "haha I can only dream... no, Mariah's son.. He is 3.. so yeah he is handful."

I laughed too, "I can imagine.. I bet he is cute if he has coach's eyes and smile..."

She ached her brow, "you checked coach out?"

I laughed more now, "jealous that much Boss?"

She rolled her eyes, "you wish..."

I smiled, "cuten. But back to work.. as long as your hand is okay..."

"It is.. so I need you to actually come with me to meeting Spencer and then we will discuss staff about the winner and the small Media brief before announcing the winner."

My eyes were wide open, been here for two months and she was now okay with me attending meeting with her.

"For real? I'll be in a meeting with you..?"

She nodded, "yep..."

"But boss.. I'm not dressed well for a meeting."

She looked at me from my head to my toes and I swear to God I could feel her eyes pierce each and every part of me. I stupidly felt naked under her stare.

I was wearing a short black and red lace off garment, bodycon dress. It curved with each part of my body.

She looked at me after examining my body, "are you kidding me?"

"What?"

"You look amazing.. go get your diary, the meeting is at nine so I want us to get breakfast first.."

"Yes boss.." I said getting on my feet.

I quickly fetched my diary and headed to the reception. I was excited and nervous at the same time. Like this was huge.. mean smart ass people with too much knowledge were going to be there.

Vee showed up with her laptop bag and looked at Jerry, "today she's all mine... and do take all my calls and tell them I'm not at the office.. at all even when I come back say that."

"Yes boss..." Jeremy responded and I stuck my tongue out at him, "I'm all hers... so do take my calls too and telk them to go fuck themselves..." I whispered the last sentence and he laughed, "man you'd make an awful boss..."

I laughed and followed Vee.

We got inside the elevator and both opted to press the ground button.. I stopped midway and she did too. We looked at each other and laughed..

"Umh... I'll do it because my hand is NOT injured.."

She rolled her eyes, "fine whatever.. wait until you actually get a kid and this happens..."

I smiled involuntarily, "I'd love every bit of it.. after beating his or her ass for hurting me."

She looked at me.. a different look, like she was admiring me or something and then she laughed a bit, "come let's go..."

The meeting went amazing I don't want to lie. I took notes and everything. And I actually learnt that these meetings aren't like 1000% crazy serious. They cracked a few jokes and we ate and then headed back to the office for the media briefing.

I called the winner and the girl was really excited to actually win.

We asked her to come on Monday so we can discuss a way forward leading to the book launch.

Midday I was very happy, I felt really good since I called someone and told them thee best news, I mean getting a publishing deal where it cost you nothing and winning money on top of that was very amazing.

Vee smiled at me, "you did really amazing.. I'm impressed."

"Anything to make my boss proud. This was a really amazing competition.. if it didn't want new writers only I was going to write and sure as hell win."

"You sound so confident..."

I smiled, "I read all their stories.. I'd have fucken won.."

She smiled, "look at you..."

I stuck my tongue out, "all doing good in my job and actually taking after my boss? I know.. I'm fast learner..."

"Get out of my office.."

I got up and faked a sad smile, "boss you're ungrateful..."

"Get outtt..." she said laughing and I turned around to be met by one handsome fella. He ran past me and went to Vee, "auntyyyyy Veeeeeee..."

She smiled, genuinely smiled, "Jimmy Jimmy you little chicken nugget..."

The kid laughed his ass out..and I couldn't even stop the smile that formed on my face.

"Your hand.. what happened..?" Coach asked walking in. I turned to Vee and gave her a confused look.

She swallowed and kissed Jimmy before looking up, "umh.. a thing..."

So she lied..

"Olwethu Lin... well well well..."

I looked at coach, "hey coach.. bye coach.."

"Not so fast.. where are you hurrying to?"

I shrugged..

"So sit down and tell me how is everything here.. so I can tell you how disappointed I was when you dropped soccer but I was proud when I read your books."

"Coach..."

"It's Mariah... you aren't at high school anymore.. you look hot by the way.."

Valentia cleared her throat, "Mariah..."

"What? She's hot and she's not 17 anymore so I might as well tell her."

God my face flushed, "thank you coac...I mean Mariah. Thank you so much.."

"You're welcome.. Louw Valentia Publishing House is fucken blessed to have you... I was impressed by your booksn you're a great story teller.." she went on to shower me with compliments.

"Mariah, Olwethu gets it, she is hot and smart like you said and yes we are happy to have her in our team... so can you stop or her face will blust.."

I laughed.. and little Jimmy joined me too.

"So what happened to your hand Valentia?" Coache asked and I saw how uncomfortable she was. I got up and looked at the kid on her lap,

"Umh hey Jimmy wanna go get ice cream.."

He looked at his mom, "mommy...."

"Go buddy... don't look at her, she's gay..."

I gasped at what the coach said. And Vee laughed, "I really feel sorry for this child.."

He kissed Vee which I fucken thought was pretty cute.. and then he hooped off of her, "bye..."

I took his hand, "So what's your name?"

"Mariah..."

I laughed my ass off, "not your mommy.. you."

He laughed too, "umh...Jimmy.. you?"

"Olwethu.. so want ice cream or burgers?"

"Ice cream and burgers..." he yelled and I laughed. Mariah was going to probably kill me for this.. but I was doing it anyways.

Jeremy called Mc Donald for us and we ordered burgers and ice cream like the young man said and in 20 minutes our order came in.

I was sitting in my office. I made a few black and white copies of people and asked him to actually paint them.

He looke excited when the food came and we started eating. He couldn't finish his burger but he did finish his ice cream making me laugh. After that he hit the floor again and tried to finish his coloring.

I kept going with my book UNTITLED and was flipping surprised to hear someone snore..

I looked on the floor and found him sleeping.

Fucken cute..

I took my shoes off and went to pick him up then slowly went to the boss's office.

I knocked and they told me to wait.. After a few minutes Mariah opened the door and to my surprise Vee wasn't there.

"He is sleeping?" She asked shocked and I nodded, "yeaaah..."

"What did you do? God he hardly sleeps with me."

I smiled, "invite me over sometimes and I promise I'll show you what I did."

She laughed, "I'm fucken tempted.."

She slowly took him, "thank you okay, umh.. I'll put him down thank God Vee made sure he has a place here.."

"Yeah be gentle or he'll wake up.. I don't trust him..." I joked and Mariah laughed after putting him down, "well... you have grown.. that I give to you..."

"Thanks.. let me go finish my work.."

"Alright..."

Then I left and went to the bathroom. Vee wasn't in here. I went to the reception.. she wasn't..

"Jerry... you seen Vee?"

"Yeah.. she's in her office..."

The fuck...?

I sighed, "alright...."

I finished off my day well and even went home without seeing Vee. I was really fucken worried..

..

The weekend was amazing.. I actually got to spend it with Precious and Susan after a while. Susan and I were cool now.

I shared how worried I was about Vee and how weird she was actually acting and the way she lied to me about her hand.

"Do you think she got into a fight..?" Susan asked and I shrugged not even wanting to think deeper about it, "I don't know and I don't wanna think about that. I really hope no one is bothering her."

She got up, "yeah.. Vee fucken has you bruh. She truly does..."

I rolled my eyes, "I'm going to bath.. tomorrow is work..."

I went and cleaned up for bed.

.

Monday came in soon and I was pretty excited about the plans I had. Organizing the book launch that was to come next weekend.

I emailed big media houses when I got to the office and asked them to RSVP.. which they gladly did and I was excited...

I went to Vee's office and knocked..

"Come in..." she said after a few minutes and I did.

I sat down, "so I sent the email I showed you earlier.. now I have three houses I'm sure are coming.. SABC, ENCA, and Gerald news paper..."

"I'm glad.. that's good.." she said in a shaky voice and I actually looked at her. She had bags under her eyes.. looked like she hasn't slept in a while..

"Vee what's wrong?"

"Nothing why.."

"Besides having an extra sexy voice.. I'm sorry for being inappropriate.. you seem tired like you haven't slept in a while..."

She smiled, "I have, just coming down with cold I guess..."

"Really?"

"Yeah.. it's all.."

I decided to just tell her what I was thinking, "umh.. Vee I know I have .o say whatsoever to your life... but you lied to me about your hand.. I know and I won't force you to tell me what happened... I just want to know that you are okay..."

She smiled, "I am okay.. okay, Don't worry about me I'm a big girl."

"Still doesn't help. You didn't get into any fight trying to play hero like you did back then with my dad... I'm not complaining.."

She laughed a bit, "yeah.. I wasn't playing hero... and I'm okay like I said."

I nodded, "okay.." my heart hurt a bit but I couldn't force her to tell me what was up.

"Just Valentia I know that shit is awkward between us and all that.. but if you wanna talk just know that I'm here..."

"Call the venue and confirm.. please.."

great...she's avoiding what I just said... I nodded, "yes boss..."

I went and did what I was asked for as a good girl.. and then kept on working on my book.

On Tuesday and Wednesday shit went okay.. On Friday I didn't see much of Vee until she knocked on my office.. I got up to open the door for her.

"Hey do you have a minute..?"

I nodded, "sure.."

She walked in and I closed the door. When I turned around she was standing right next to me and I almost bumped into her.

My breathing immediately changed. Fuck..

We were so close.. like very close..

"Look..." she said and then swallowed, "I just wanted to apologize for the other day.. I knoe it came from a good heart.. what you said. I'm just sorry okay... And thank you.."

We stood like that and looked at each other. My eyes darted to her lips. I just missed them.. her so much. I wanted to taste them and have her touch me again...

Fuck..

I wanted her so fucken much.

Without meaning to or thinking about it.. I leaned in on her and she did too so slowly.

I could feel my heart beat right on my throat.. and I felt like I was going to faint. She smelled so fucken good.. so fucken good.

Our lips were about to touch when my phone started ringing.

We quickly jumped from each other as if hit by reality.

I quickly went to the phone and answered it on speaker..

'is this Louw Valentia Publishing House?'

"Yes... Olwethu speaking..."

'alright Lin, someone called the venue and cancelled.. and then called the media houses to cancel again.. I know this how you'll ask.. I'm one of the media houses.. Sandra Buckle for ITV Online.. I was one of the media houses who RSVPed to come.. but we are apparently getting calls cancelling the event.. so I wanted to know if the book launch was cancelled..?"

I looked at Valentia in horror.. my ex classmate and teammate fucken Sandra was a journalist.. and to make fucken things worse.. someone cancelled what was meant to be the biggest event of my life...

What the fuck was happening.. who was messing with me???