Chapter 22

Athena was shocked at the reception she got from the lady before her, she looked behind her to see if Sean or TB was approaching and she was terrified when she saw that she was alone with her.
"I asked a question, you know, and I demand an answer immediately," Esperanza threatened.
Athena turned to her and gulped, "um…I m…I m…"
"What are you doing in Sean s house? You are not one of those gold diggers are you?"
"Of course not," Athena defended.
"Then who are you?"
"I m…"
"Esperanza," a voice interrupted behind them and Athena heaved a sigh of relief and turned to see Sean approaching, "how nice to see you again," he smiled, walking up to her to kiss both her cheeks.
"Sean," Esperanza smiled, hugging him briefly. Athena was surprised at her sudden change of attitude, "you know if you want to see me all you have to do is give me a call."
"Yeah, how can I do that when you are busy flying around the world," he rolled his eyes while she chuckled and he turned to Athena, "I see you have met Athena."
"Is that her name?" Esperanza smiled, looking at Athena and then she glanced at Sean, "I was just about to introduce myself to her before you came in." Then she stretched out her hand to Athena with a sweet smile on her face, "I m Esperanza Sanchez."
Athena glanced at Sean, wondering if she should shake her hand and also why she wasn t hostile to her anymore. Sean nodded once at her and she shook the hand, "Athena Grace."
"How nice," Esperanza withdrew her hand almost immediately Athena s hand touched hers, "are you a model, Athena?"
"Um…"
"Come on, let s sit and talk about the endorsement," Sean interrupted, Esperanza smiled but she really wanted to hear what Athena wanted to answer and she made a mental note to ask her later. Sean led her to the couch and sat down beside her while Athena settled on another couch, trying to look invisible. "So, what do you think of the project?"
"I never knew Leo would be planning on changing Fashionista s face, I thought he was obsessed with Gloria, why does he want to change her so soon?"
"Ah, you know how he can be, when he is interested in one, they would be everything to him but once his tired, it s bye-bye to her," Sean rolled his eyes.
Esperanza chuckled softly, "it s amazing how you guys are good friends but yet so different. While he has dated almost every famous model, you haven t even announced a single girlfriend."
"I like private life and the only woman that would receive public announcement from me would be my wife, I hate scandals, you should know better."
Esperanza chuckled shyly and slowly caressed his hand that was resting on the couch close to her, "yes I do, and to be honest, I m waiting for the day and the girl it would be."
Athena didn t know why she didn t like how she was acting with Sean, when she saw her softly tracing his hand and how Sean was letting her, she wanted to rip the hand off and had to remind herself that it was not her business and Sean is a full grown man, he can push her off if he want and since he didn t, she shouldn t interfere. But still, the sight disgusted her.
"Well, that would be when I find her, at the moment, there is no woman close to being that," Sean answered, glancing down at his hand which she was running her fingertips on, he missed the light that flickered in her green eyes and how she had frowned slightly but smiled almost immediately.
"Anyway," she sighed, "did Leo specifically request for me?"
"No, he just told me to get him a model and I thought hard and decided to give it to you. I know he would be more satisfied with you anyway," he shrugged, "I will call him after this meeting to tell him that you are my choice, let s know what he would say."
Esperanza nodded and was about to say something when an elderly woman with black mixed with white hair and a little plump and stunted in size entered the room, "dinner is ready, Mr. Brand," she announced and then slowly bent her head and greet, "good evening, Ms. Sanchez."
"Esther, it s been a long time. How are you?"
"I m fine, Ms. Sanchez, thank you."
"Alright, call TB to come down," Sean said and turned to Esperanza, "since you are already here, you would join us for dinner, won t you?"
"Of course, Sean, if I m welcome," she replied.
"Of course you are," he stood up and offered his hand to her, "I don t see why not," he smiled.
Esperanza giggled and placed her hand in his and he pulled her up, he twirled her around and she landed in his arms with a soft laugh, "you will never stop doing that," she rebuked jokingly.
"And you like it," Sean winked then turned to Athena who thought she had been forgotten, "come, Athena."
Athena was surprised hearing that but she still stood up and followed them quietly. Sean pulled a chair for Esperanza and she sat on it elegantly, her body was straight with her head held high and focused. Athena was mesmerized at that; she watched how she kept her shoulders straight and how she moved her head without moving her body. How could one be so straight? She was wondering that she didn t know when Sean was standing beside her. "Don t worry, you will be like that soon," he whispered into her ear as if hearing her thought and she gasped a little. She gulped and settled on the chair he pulled out for her.
She tried so hard to sit as straight as Esperanza but she can t help but feel that she was doing it wrong, she glanced at her side, at Esperanza who was sitting next to her to realize that she was staring at her. She was horrified, how could she be staring at her when her body looks like she was facing Sean? She looked away immediately, trying to ease off the awkwardness. She heard a soft huff and knew Esperanza was huffing at her and for the first time since she was born, she was embarrassed that she didn t know how to act like a proper lady.
"Alright ladies, dig in, TB can join us when he arrives," Sean picked up his napkin to attach to his collar. Esperanza did the same and Athena watched from the corner of her eyes how elegantly she dished out her food without a mess. Then she had poured herself a glass of orange juice and raised the cup to take a sip. Athena also noticed that her pinky finger was slightly raised and she grabbed onto the stem of the glass so delicately that she feared it would fall out from her hand. She had softly placed the glass back on the table, then she picked up her cutlery to start her dinner.
Athena watched how she chewed softly, taking one bite at a time and how she constantly dabbed her napkin on her lips to clean off any dirt even though there was none, but that only mean that she was being conscious. She watched her so keenly that she forgot she should be eating as well. It was one thing watching Sean eating so gracefully and believing that he was naturally born elegant and it was another seeing a woman behaving just like that and realizing that it wasn t about being born elegant but about making yourself like that, just like Sean always say to her.
"Athena," a voice called and she looked up to see Sean staring at her, "aren t you hungry?"
"Um…" she licked her lips and glanced at Esperanza who seemed focused on her food and without a care on what they were saying, she gulped and picked up the plate to dish out her food, she cursed when a grain of rice fell on the table and in her little moment of distraction on trying to pick it up, she spilled what was on the plate and she groaned and looked up at Sean embarrassed. "I m sorry, I will clean it up."
"Don t worry, Esther would do that, just take your food," he smiled.
She nodded, trying all her might not to look at the elegant lady eating next to her and how clean her portion is while hers looked like a mess. She sucked in a deep breath and placed her food in front of her, she glared at the grains on the table with hatred but still, picked up her napkin and copied Sean and Esperanza then she picked up her cutlery. She wanted to pour a glass of orange juice for herself but she was afraid she would make another mess, so she just stared at it longingly and took her eyes away.