Chapter 13. Strange Invitation

Sienna felt her boyfriend already had an attachment toward his new job. He was so into the business and money than handling the kids at school. It was so unlike him.
Maybe this job had changed the way Jonathan thought about work. He was so persistent to success in the Wilson Enterprises. It was like, he chose quantity over quality. He once said that the more pressure he worked his way into the office, the more he would learn new things ahead.
But this was just so extravagant in her perspective. She thought that he shouldn’t do it anymore. He should have just resigned and returned to focus on working at school.
But of course, it was also her fault. She was the one who encouraged him to go on. When the thing turned out uncomfortable like this, she finally blamed herself. Jonathan became like a maniac. He always agreed to whatever his boss said to him. It was like he stupidly became Daniel’s puppeteer somehow.
When she walked upstairs to her bedroom, she unlocked her phone to read the new message that Jonathan had just sent her.

**My Boyfriend:**
*Just go and have lunch with him. You’ll be fine.*

She quickly clicked the call button. She had to talk with him over the phone. But he kept on ditching her call again and again. She was annoyed eventually.
“What is wrong with Jonathan?” She muttered as she stood at the doorsill of her bedroom.
She wanted him to explain why she should go. Thereafter, she wrote a message to him.

**You:**
*Please tell me why I should go? I have done it yesterday. I’m done. It’s on you now, Jonathan.*

And in no second, she already received the reply message from him.

**My Boyfriend:**
*Mister Wilson wants to apologize for his leave yesterday. The lunchtime went bad because I came late. Yes, it was my fault. And maybe we both can blame the yesterday’s traffic jam. And I’m sorry, I can’t go with you today because the investor calls on me to the office meeting. Just please, Sienna. Help me. I love you, x.*

As if her ears heard the ringing bells when she read his last message. It was so chaotic.
“Gosh, Jonathan, you’re so selfish now,” Sienna muttered.
She quickly opened her wardrobe to see what clothes she had. If that man would invite her to such an expensive restaurant again, she would want to wear something suitable.
“I feel so uncomfortable about this…” she said to herself.
Daniel was Jonathan’s boss and she was his boyfriend. This lunch meeting would feel so weird if she went there. But what other option did she have?
And once again, she had to do it for Jonathan. At least, she would prove to him that she would do anything for his love. Even it was the most annoying thing that she had to do.
And finally, she chose to wear a black dress that she once used to attend the funeral ceremony of Aunty Milla’s deceased husband. This was just so tragic since she only had a few dresses in her wardrobe.
Suddenly, Estelle already appeared sneaking at the doorsill, watching her cautiously.
“Oh, my… are you going to meet that billionaire man?” Estelle wondered while staring at the black dress she carried in her arm.
Sienna glanced at her and said, “Yeah, why? Stop drooling. That makes you pathetic.”
“I am not drooling, Cuz! I am just so fricking jealous with you!” Estelle grinned widely, showing her white teeth. “I mean, you can have a date with such a gentleman! It’s just wow!”
Sienna chuckled as she muttered bafflingly, “Gosh, jealous much? Why would you be?”
Estelle entered the bedroom quietly to sit at the edge of the bed. Then she watched Sienna wearing that knee-length dress.
Sienna stole a glance at her through the mirror. “What the heck are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to meet that photographer?”
Estelle nodded as she informed her, “My mom will accompany me to go to his photo studio later at noon.”
“So, your mom approves your job as a freelance model now?” Sienna wondered. “I thought she would hate the idea since she despises a job without a stable income.”
“Well, well, that sarcasm is really hurt right in the chest, Cuz,” Estelle muttered. “My mom is being supportive for me. That’s all.”
Sienna quietly chuckled.
“Hey, Cuz… do you think it’s possible that Daniel is interested in you personally?” Estelle suddenly asked her such a weird question.
Sienna froze for a second. Then she turned to see her and said, “Ugh… I don’t want to think that way since he is Jonathan’s big boss. But…”
“What?” Estelle wondered.
“Your question is kind of like a firm reminder for me,” Sienna murmured. “I mean, yeah, what’s the odd? I keep seeing that man these days for no obvious occasion.”
“That’s what I meant earlier, Cuz!” Estelle suddenly exclaimed.
“Hey, lower your voice! Don’t let Aunty Milla hear about this,” Sienna reminded her firmly.
“Oops, sorry,” Estelle giggled. “Okay, so that’s what I meant when I asked you why would a man like Daniel give you a waffle for three days in a row? And then he wants to have lunch with you…”
Sienna sighed. But she needed to explain it to her, “Daniel wants to have lunch together with Jonathan as well. Unfortunately, he has to meet an investor today. And I’m actually annoyed when Jonathan begged me to come over for the lunch.”
“Right? That’s just so strange,” Estelle murmured. “What’s the odd, huh?”
“Jonathan basically forces me to agree about this. So, what? I’m his loyal girlfriend anyway. I’d do anything for him in the end,” Sienna muttered and chuckled out pathetically.
“I know…” Estelle chuckled as well and said, “You’re just that pathetic, Cuz.”
***
When the driver arrived in front of her house, Sienna quickly got inside the car. She didn’t want to risk getting caught by Aunty Milla. She just didn’t want to deal with her aunt’s interrogating questions later.
Estelle and Jonathan were the only people that knew where she would go that day.
When she greeted the driver, he was the same person who picked her up yesterday. She didn’t have a conversation with him but only to say hello.
The city trip in an expensive black sedan car was enjoyable. But the destination where she should go was somewhat challenging. Her heart already pounded pretty fast.
It was hard for her to calm down. Every minute felt so terrifying for her. She just needed to take a deep breath and faced her terrible fear of meeting with him.
Once the car arrived at the same restaurant as yesterday, she smiled widely. She knew it. That man must be inviting her to a special location like this. She felt more confident because she wore a pretty black dress this time.
Afterward, she met Hamuza on the terrace, who greeted her politely. Then he walked her into the elevator. But this time, he didn’t escort her to the same place as yesterday.
“Please, come over here, Miss Moss,” Hamuza said in a friendly tone. “Mister Wilson has been expecting to meet you…” and he slightly stole a glance at her dress, “you look very bright and beautiful today, Miss Moss.”
She felt shy when he complimented her. “Ah, thank you, Hamuza.”
When she was passing the crowded room where she met him yesterday, she quickly got bewildered.
“Ugh, where are we going? Aren’t we supposed to go that way?” Sienna wondered.
“Ah, yes, about that…” Hamuza smiled mysteriously, making her kind of nervous. “Mister Wilson has rented a private VIP room in this restaurant. He wants some privacy, Miss.”
“Privacy?” She muttered wonderingly.
She thought that was just weird, considering yesterday he invited her to have lunch in a public room. But Hamuza was just smiling when he slightly glanced at her.
Afterward, a waitress had been waiting for them in the corner of a desolate passage.
“Welcome to the private VIP room that we have here. You must be Miss Sienna Moss,” said the waitress with a hair bun and dressed in an olive-green uniform.
Sienna stole a glance at Hamuza. She looked bewildered.
Hamuza quickly said, “Ah, yes, this is Miss Sienna Moss. She is Mister Wilson’s special guest,” then he glanced at Sienna to invite her, “Come in, please.”
Soon, the waitress opened the door behind her and let them to come inside.
Once she entered the room, she saw Daniel Wilson was waiting alone in there. Sienna instantly gulped down her saliva. She was just not feeling ready for this lunch.
How could she meet him alone here? This place was secluded and far from the crowd. She suddenly felt uneasy.
“Wait a minute…” she muttered as she glanced at Hamuza. She looked panicking.
It was as if Hamuza could read her mind, he tried to calm her down. “It’s okay, Miss Moss. The waitress will come again to bring the food for you and Mister Wilson.”
“What… but…” Sienna was lost in words. She didn’t know how to express her worriment.
Soon after, the waitress went away with Hamuza. As the door was closed, she exchanged a silent glance with that man.
“Please, sit down, Miss Moss,” Daniel invited her to come forward.
Then she nervously sat down against him. At the time, she felt the atmosphere filled with such an uncomfortable tension.
His eyes looked hungrier and colder than usual. Something was just off. She had a bad hunch by being in this room with him.
“Miss Sienna Moss, it’s so good to see you again today,” he clenched his jaw as he talked. As if he was enduring a raging emotion at the time, Sienna couldn’t read him very well. She was already felt terrified by staring into his intimidating eyes.
“He… hello again, Mister Wilson. How are you today?” She greeted him in return. Her voice sounded kind of trembling.
He smiled, but it felt cold and unfriendly.
“Actually, you don’t have to invite me or Jonathan for lunch again, Mister Wilson,” she said as she tried to break the ice. But unfortunately, she failed though. The hot tension was still in the air. He didn’t blink his eyes against her.
When he didn’t say anything but just staring at her, Sienna felt terrified.
“Mister Wilson?” She murmured. “Is everything alright?”
He smiled again and said, “Miss Moss, you don’t know how much I’ve been longing to meet you again.”
Sienna pinched her eyes bewilderingly at him. She wondered what he meant by that.
And the echo of his voice just shuddered her whole body, *“You just have no idea.”*