"Hey, baby girl! Why? what's wrong with you?" Paula paused as soon as she heard the sadness in her voice. She had called because she wanted to give Skylar the good news, not to meet her still sad.
"I'm good" Skylar replied, trying to voice lightness into her voice while she turned to stare at the enormous hospital which stood in front of her eyes.
She couldn't imagine herself going into such a hospital, she could get lost in them. This was another reason Vino and she could never be together, he was born rich but she__ she had to work for her money...
"Are you sure you're, okay? Hope this isn't about yesterday?" Paula asked Skylar again as she wasn't convinced. She knew Skylar could be lying to her right now trying not to make her worry buy how could she not___ Skylar was more than a friend to her
"Of course, __" Skylar laughed nervously into the phone trying to get Paula to relax.
"See, I'm good. No need for you to worry" Skylar replied as she stepped down from the car and nodded to the driver to come to repack the car while she went into the hospital.
"So, why did you call?" Skylar asked Paula as she paused to call something to the nurse who pointed her in the direction of the elevator.
"I have something that will take your mind off work, and the pregnancy for a few days" Paula exclaimed excitedly as she couldn't wait to tell Skylar the news.
Skylar's hands immediately went to her belly to rub it, between Vino's weird mood today she had forgotten about her pregnancy_ thanks to Paula for mentioning it. Skylar mustered to herself rolling her eyes as she got into the elevator and punched in the number for the children's ward.
"Okay. What is that?" Skylar asked as she shut her eyes, holding her breath as she didn't want to remember Vino's words to her in the elevator earlier. He had ruined the elevator ride for her forever.
"So, I planned a vacation to an island. We could stay there for a week and relax then_______"
"Vacation? Really, Paula? I'm not interested. I have work to do and with the way Vino has been behaving, I doubt he's going to give me some time off" Skylar replied, cutting Paula off as she voiced out her opinion. She can't even Imagine herself asking Vino for some time off, he will have her head for lunch.
"Don't worry about that, my husband will handle it. He knows the right way to make Vino come along. You could use this vacation to make up and who knows___ we might hear wedding bells soon" Paula replied as she smiled into the phone. She had spent the night thinking about ideas she could use to bring Vino and Skylar together and she had come up with a master plan. She could feel it in her vein that this was the right choice.
"Fine. Let me know if you have convinced him. Bye," Skylar called into the phone. She heard the faint voice of Paula replying to her back before she hung up and dropped the phone into her bag.
Skylar got out of the elevator as it dinged. Nurses clad in blue pants and matching tops ran through the corridor carrying one piece of equipment or the other leaving Skylar to get off the way in order not to obstruct them as she went searching for Adora's ward.
Skylar rounded the corner and paused as her eyes found the couple locked in an embrace right in front of her eyes. Skylar watched as Vino reached out to wipe tears from Elise's eyes while smiling up at her. Skylar's heart was contrite in pain as she forced back tears from her eyes. She has shed more tears today for Vino than she had ever done for any man not even Leon
She wanted to turn back and go wait for him in the car when he suddenly called out to her "Miss Evans. Come in, my baby is alright. You can come to check on her"
Skylar gulped, swallowing back the tears as she sighed heavily before forcing a smile onto her face and followed him into the hospital room. She watched his daughter who was lying on the bed gazing up at her with a smile on her face "Hi! We met before, right?" The girl called to her, causing Skylar to smile.
She had never imagined herself going through this right now. Her body was willing her to run away or hand in her resignation letter but she had needs, her baby needed her. She can't survive without working.
"Yes, Adora. How are you?" Skylar asked her with a smile on her face. Looking at her now, no one could tell the turmoil in her heart right now.
She took a few steps to the bed to hold the girl's hands all the while feeling Vino's hard gaze on her back watching her every move like a hawk does to his prey. Though Skylar could never understand when she goes from being his girlfriend to his prey.
Elise stood fuming in her anger on the other side of the bed while she called something to Vino. Skylar could hear tibs and a bit of their conversation while she pretended to play with Adora.
"Why do you have to bring your other woman here? This is our private life; you shouldn't have done that?" Skylar heard Elise whisper to Vino before turning to glare at her back. If looks could kill, then Skylar would have been six feet under the ground by now from Elise's murderous looks.
"She is not my other woman, Elise. Do I need to remind you that Miss Evans works for me and she has every right to be here?"
"But______"
"No, but," Vino replied with a hard look centring on Elise who swallowed whatever protest there was on her lips as she didn't want to get Vino annoyed with her. Whatever was going between her man and his other woman was to her liking. She wants them to hate each other forever so that she could achieve her aim.
"And what was the doctor telling me on phone about Adora's blood and I not matching?" Vino turned to ask her, suddenly remembering what had gotten him rushing to the office in the first place.
Elise averts her gaze from Vino's hard glare. She didn't want him to see the truth in her eyes, at least not yet. She was glad to have remedied that on time" Nothing, just a mistake with the blood sample but it was later remedied" Elise lied swiftly while battling her eyes lid.
Vino nodded as he turned to watch Skylar with his daughter, he couldn't help thinking back to those nights he had stayed awake thinking and imagining Skylar with their baby in her womb. He always knew she would make a good mother and she was showing that side of her to him now. It's a pity she will be doing that with Gian.
Elise smiled as soon as she saw that Vino had accepted her explanation. She strolled to meet him, linking her hands with his, she smiled into his eyes "We need to fix our wedding date soon. After I'm done with the funeral rites. We could go ahead and get married okay," Elise told him as she went to wrap her hands around him.
"Really? Oh! I can't wait, '' Vino replied, forcing a smirk on his face. He knew Elise could tell he was lying but he was only saying that to spike Skylar up but no matter what he did, she seemed to have developed a second skin that made her immune to his hatred. What could have happened outside there? Did Gian say something to her?
"And we could have a wedding at the beach or maybe a garden wedding? You know I've always loved that idea. Then we could have Adora as the little bridesmaid and_____"
"Mr. Thompson. Now, that your daughter is doing well. Could we go back to the office? The meeting is about to start in a few minutes" Skylar called to him, raising her eyes up to meet his gaze in a challenge, urging him to say no to her offer. Skylar was tired of hearing Elise planning their wedding. It was a slap to her brows since she didn't know Vino was this serious with her. What happened yesterday? He did try to beg her...
"Are you insane?" Elise exploded in anger as she charged off to stand in front of Skylar. She couldn't believe she had cut her off when she was speaking with Vino. Just who did she think she is?
"How dare you barge into our conversation? Can't you see we were discussing private matters?" Elise glared up at Skylar, she wanted to show Skylar the stuff she was made of but she had to control herself. It wasn't yet time.
"I'm sorry ma'am but___ I don't see anything bad in what I said__ Just like the boss said, I work for him and it is my duty to remind him of his meetings, or is that your job?" Skylar called sweetly to her pretending not to know that her words have different meanings to Elise.
"You Whore!!" Elise shouted angrily; she was annoyed that Skylar had insulted her in front of Vino but he wouldn't do anything instead here he was trying to hide a smile on his face.
"Vino won't you say something. Look she's insulting me" Elise turned to glare at Vino who schooled his expression back to neutral. He was so happy to see the old Skylar back. He had forgotten how bad he had missed her until she stood up for herself.
"What do you want me to say? She's right, you question her authority, and like she says___ She is my employee and she has control on my workspace. Let's go, Miss Evans" Vino told her before bending to peck her on the cheeks. He straightened and motioned to Skylar to follow him which she did after safely keeping a distance between them.
***
"So, Mr. Thompson, tell me more about the project you have in mind for my company?"
Skylar watched Vino conversing with their supposed client as she turned to gaze through the restaurant, they were in. Madison had booked a room in an expensive furnished restaurant for their meeting which was surprisingly silent seeing that it was lunch hours or unless Vino had reserved the entire restaurant for himself.
"What do you think about my suggestion, Miss Evans?" Vino turned to look at Skylar who was seated beside him with a notebook open on her lap.
"I__ I___I'm sorry I wasn't paying attention" Skylar admitted after some time. She was lost for words; she couldn't believe she was slacking off during working hours.
"What do you mean by you weren't paying attention? What do you think I pay you for, Huh? To slack off daydreaming about your good-for-nothing boyfriend, Huh. Listen, Miss Evans, I'm no charity case. I can't be giving out free cash without any input from you. From now onward, I'll deduct some amount of money from your salary if I ever find out that you are slacking during working hours. Do I make myself clear?"
Skylar gulped, as she kept her head bowed trying to hide her embarrassment as she nodded. She still couldn't understand what she had done wrong to warrant such hateful words from Vino. And boyfriend___ As far as she knows, he was the only boyfriend she had ever had except Leon. And he knew about that__ then who was he referring to earlier.
"Use your mouth or don't you have one?" Vino screamed angrily at her face. He was so angry especially since he had caught her testing Gian all throughout the car ride to here. And she was shamelessly smiling in his presence at something he had told her___ How dare she do that in his presence?
"Yes, Sir" Skylar replied as she jolted out of her thoughts from his loud screams, forcing back tears she turned to pick up her notebook which had fallen on the floor in her nervousness. She avoided looking into the eyes of their client as the old man was giving her a pity look while trying pacify Vino to forgive her
Vino turned away from her as soon as he heard her voice response, he didn't want to see the tears in her eyes which would have stuck at his heartstrings as he immediately brought the meeting to an end.
Thirty minutes later, Vino walked out of the restaurant after finalizing the contract and signing the deal, he walked ahead while Skylar came behind him holding into his briefcase where his most important files were.
Vino stood on the pavement while he watched his driver bring the car around. As soon as it pulled over, Vino unbuttoned his jacket and stepped into the car while telling his driver to collect his briefcase from Skylar.
As soon as Skylar made to step into the car, Vino's cold voice got her freezing in place" Find another alternative home, Miss Evans. I can't have you in my car with me. You disgust me!"
With that Vino's car pulled off the driveway leaving a bewildered Skylar gazing at the retreating car in shock. It was after some time before Skylar could bring herself to take the subway home.