Minutes later, Clifford arrived with Gary. He feels so agitated knowing that Ingrid seems evading her for days. Meeting with Vanessa Reiley is that last thing in his mind, but then business is business.He dialled the Ingrid"s number again only to be transferred to a voicemail. "Where the heck are you woman?" he mumbled as he walked his way to Vanessa who is already waiting for him.
"Hi there, Cliff?" Vanessa called his attention and then gives a small peck on his cheek. He was taken aback with the woman"s gestures and without hesitation she holds his arms.
Gary did not like what he is seeing. They were in the public place and he noticed that many people stared at their direction. He needed to take those hands from his boss. He noticed that his boss is troubled these past few days and the future madam seems like evading him. He saw how impatient he was and now seems uncaring on what the woman is doing to him.
"Ahem, sir, this is the doc.u.ments you should be checking by the way." Clifford looked at him and took the doc.u.ments where Vanessa was holding.
The woman narrowed her eyes while looking at Gary and sensed that he is doing it purpose. But she won"t be held down. She needed to distract him again.
"But Cliff, we should start our tour right? I really wanted to know more of this company and I want to see the s.p.a.ce you"ve prepared for our merger. I am so excited to do see it first with you." Vanessa did not hide her intention of slightly seducing Cliff in public.
Clifford was puzzled why this woman is acting strange lately. She is not the same woman he met during the doc.u.ment signing. She seems a bit of seductive now.
"I apologize. Gary, please guide the way." Again, Vanessa holds his arms.
Gary was the one talking and explaining to Vanessa about the company and also the s.p.a.ce they have been preparing for their collaboration for months but his eyes moves from her and to his boss. Vanessa pretended that she doesn"t notice and kept on listening and did not pull away her hands from Clifford. But the man feels uneasy.
"Excuse me Gary, I need to speak to Miss Reiley for a bit." Gary distanced himself from them but only eavesdrop away.
"Miss Reiley, I think you holding me like this, is not necessary. Someone"s gonna be angry at me, you know." Clifford means Ingrid, but Vanessa thought otherwise. "...and we both know that it won"t give us a good impression." He added.
"Oh, c"mon! We"re both single Cliff, this might add some sugar to the spice. You know, marketing strategies. Look! Someone"s taking some picture of us." She distracted him by pointing at someone who is just meters away from them taking some juicy pictures and the man is not like an ordinary kind of man but a member of a press.
When he looked at where she pointed, Vanessa moved closer to him but the man captured the right angle to appear that Clifford kissed her on her cheek.
Clifford clenched his hands and teeth and was enraged. "What the –"
"Gary, how come there"s a press?" his voice thundered and commanding and sounds irritated.
"Sir, we already had it checked." Clifford closed his eyes and composed himself
"Oh no, my... I did not know this. Who the heck have done this?" the woman seemed frightened and fragile.
He is irritated with the woman"s clingy att.i.tude but she is an investor. He composed himself before he spoke to her
"I apologize for my reaction... it"s just that I still have some pressing issues regarding this. Mind if you take your hands off me? I kinda feel uncomfortable."
Vanessa felt so embarra.s.s and gradually took off her hands from Clifford"s. Lowering her head, a smile lingered on her lips.
"I was just overjoyed to know that you"re here with me. I"ve been wishing this you know. I mean in a business way." She whispered.
But Clifford did not hear her clearly because Ingrid sent him a message. When he read the name flashed on his screen of his phone, it almost slipped from his grasp.
...
Not faraway, Ingrid saw the whole scenario. She saw how the woman adored Clifford, how she forced herself to him, how she looked at him with pa.s.sion. Funny, she pitied the girl but somehow is irritated with Cliff.
"Why is he allowing that woman to touch him?" she thought of something to tease and test him.
She sent him a text message.