Episode 66

Ashley's POV.
Throughout the day I contemplated on whether to tell Ric about what Victoria said or not. He definitely should know about her proposal but there's no doubt he's gonna get upset about it. I realized after a series of thinking that the only way to make this all get away and over is take the offer. If that gives Ric what he's always wanted most : Manhattan project.
By the end of the day, I was out with Ric on a dinner date. I realized there was no better time to talk about it so I brought it up.
"I. . . . Have something to tell you, Ric" I announced uneasily.
He stops eating instantly, turning his full attention to me. I fought for ways to say this without him getting overly upset again.
"Wait, "he said with wide eyes "are you pregnant??"
"What? 'course not! Don't be ridiculous, I'm on my period"
He laughs cheesily and replied "I was just teasing you, babe. That would've been the greatest news for me but since you aren't ready yet, I'll be patient"
"Cht!," I playfully eye him " you're so full of it, aren't you? Anyways. . . . Victoria said something earlier at the store."
I saw how his face dropped as he waited for me to continue.
"She wants to give back the project"
He slowly chews on the food in his mouth as he waited for me to still continue, like he knew what I was gonna say next. Was I gonna tell him that Victoria asked me to work for him and leave him? Will he understand that I was doing this for him? There was a better way to handle this without hurting him.
I plasted a big smile on my lips before adding "that's just it?"
He raises a questioning brow at me before speaking "for real?"
"Mhm" I nodded.
"Is there something you're not telling me Ashley? I'm meeting with my lawyer tomorrow and getting back the project wouldn't even take me a few days. I've got solid ownership evidence against Victoria, Ashley. "
"I know but. . . . . I really think that won't be necessary. You should completely drop it, Ric. I just think you've misread Victoria's intentions towards manhattan"
"She said this to you?"
"Um. . . . . . Yeah?" I gulped hard at my own lies "I just think that. . . . He just wants you close"
He smiles slowly before replying "Victoria would never wanna, what? Just see me? Oh great, she lured Rebecca back here too, that what you saying?"
"That's not entirely impossible, Ric" placing my hand over his on the table, I continued " I really think she's willing to give it back. She just wants to meet with me tomorrow and talk with me"
"What?," He slips his hand from underneath mine " meet with her? She asked you to meet with her? And do what?"
"She just wants us to talk and get to know each other, Ric. And she'll give back the project"
"So she's willing to hand back my project on a condition now?" He scoffs angrily "Victoria is so unpredictable. You know what? All these is bullshit. You're not going anywhere near that woman and I'm definitely filing against her tomorrow!"
There was finalization in his voice and I didn't press it any further. I am meeting with Victoria tomorrow and doing this the better way.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
The following morning I sorted for ways to meet with Victoria and I found one . She asked us to meet at a coffee shop downtown. I walked into the dark coffee shop as instructed by victoria.
By the end of the day, I was out with Ric on a dinner date. I realized there was no better time to talk about it so I brought it up.
"I. . . . Have something to tell you, Ric" I announced uneasily.
He stops eating instantly, turning his full attention to me. I fought for ways to say this without him getting overly upset again.
"Wait, "he said with wide eyes "are you pregnant??"
"What? 'course not! Don't be ridiculous, I'm on my period"
He laughs cheesily and replied "I was just teasing you, babe. That would've been the greatest news for me but since you aren't ready yet, I'll be patient"
"Cht!," I playfully eye him " you're so full of it, aren't you? Anyways. . . . Victoria said something earlier at the store."
I saw how his face dropped as he waited for me to continue.
"She wants to give back the project"
He slowly chews on the food in his mouth as he waited for me to still continue, like he knew what I was gonna say next. Was I gonna tell him that Victoria asked me to work for him and leave him? Will he understand that I was doing this for him? There was a better way to handle this without hurting him.
I plasted a big smile on my lips before adding "that's just it?"
He raises a questioning brow at me before speaking "for real?"
"Mhm" I nodded.
"Is there something you're not telling me Ashley? I'm meeting with my lawyer tomorrow and getting back the project wouldn't even take me a few days. I've got solid ownership evidence against Victoria, Ashley. "
"I know but. . . . . I really think that won't be necessary. You should completely drop it, Ric. I just think you've misread Victoria's intentions towards manhattan"
"She said this to you?"
"Um. . . . . . Yeah?" I gulped hard at my own lies "I just think that. . . . He just wants you close"
He smiles slowly before replying "Victoria would never wanna, what? Just see me? Oh great, she lured Rebecca back here too, that what you saying?"
"That's not entirely impossible, Ric" placing my hand over his on the table, I continued " I really think she's willing to give it back. She just wants to meet with me tomorrow and talk with me"
"What?," He slips his hand from underneath mine " meet with her? She asked you to meet with her? And do what?"
"She just wants us to talk and get to know each other, Ric. And she'll give back the project"
"So she's willing to hand back my project on a condition now?" He scoffs angrily "Victoria is so unpredictable. You know what? All these is bullshit. You're not going anywhere near that woman and I'm definitely filing against her tomorrow!"
There was finalization in his voice and I didn't press it any further. I am meeting with Victoria tomorrow and doing this the better way.
My eyes glanced over the papers. They were old and dusty,it's once white texture now colored brown from all the dusts,evidence that it's probably been tossed away for a long time. My eyes move back to his eyes,his eyes watching me intensely.
"You have a problem with doing this?" He speaks again,his voice edged with anger,with so much hatred I wanted to cower in fear. What the hell was wrong with him,I wonder what's got him this upset. This is him alright, but it just feels like he's never been this angry and it feels like there's a different reason for his anger today.
"I want them done before the end of the day"
"Today? But....it's a lot of pages and it's Friday,I can't...."
"Finish it today?," he cuts me off,leaning forward "I don't care what you have to do,Ashley. I want that names before the end of the day,I don't care if you sleep here okay?! Now get out of my office"
I watched him with twitching eyes,anger building inside me. His eyes spoke a more stronger anger and I even felt worse because I didn't know the reason behind his anger. After watching him for a few seconds,I hurried back out,my body shaking for no particular reason. But I felt hurt. Not because of his anger, hell I've seen him more angry than I could count but because he actually yelled at me. What the hell was wrong with him? He thinks he can yell at anybody just because they work for him? Angrily, I sat back and decided to start typing the names until I reached the James Albert.
I spent the next hour typing it out,my fingers aching and in desperate need of a massage. At exactly 12p.m,his office door pulled open but I don't look up to see him walk away,if anything, my anger deepened.
After two hours of finishing seven of twenty papers,I was exhausted and needed a break. I didn't even find any James Albert name. When I checked my time,I realized it was time to leave. I didn't care about Mr Marcello or his stupid names,I'm having my picnic with my friends and I'm getting out of here right now whether he liked it or not. I can't afford to lose this job but I didn't know how much I could continue typing this thing. My fingers were numb at this point and I myself was more than exhausted.
The knock on my office cubicle makes me look up to see Trevor leaning against it,his suit bag in one hand.
"Hey,Ash. Ready to leave?"
"Ahh....yeah! But I can't let you drive me today,I'll take a cab"
"Why not?"
"Because.....I can't keep letting you do that,Trevor"
"Hey,I'm not complaining okay? So get your stuff,it's Friday, you know Friday night? There's a lot to do"
I gave him a smile and picked up my bag "you're right. I'm having a picnic with a couple of friends down the park" I walked out and he followed.
"Oh...I was gonna ask if you wanna go see the movies?"
I looked back to see him,my smile longing before I replied "well...really? Too bad. Got other plans for tonight?"
"You mean me in my apartment wearing socks and watching the Looney toons while eating the pizza? Yeah,pretty much"
I suppress a laughter,"that's not bad at all"
"Yeah,right" he mutters before entering the elevator with me.
When he pulled up in front of my driveway,he turned to face me,one arm circling the steering wheel,I myself watching him,expecting him to say something. He is about to say something right?
"Um.....Ashley, I don't mean to sound like some wired scumbag but ah......can we have dinner tomorrow night?"
If I wasn't surprised by this then I must be really used to him to laugh at this. I shouldn't laugh but I just did. "Are you asking me on a date?"
"Well.....yes,I am......is.....that bad?"
"No,no,'course not."
"Is that a yes?"
I watched his eyes for a split second, they way they watched me,the way his eyes dilated in the early evening's sun rays, the way his lips smiled and I realized,hell yes,I wanna go on a date with him.
I quickly nod,saving myself the embarrassment of having to watch his body all day and took a seat,nothing sparing another glance at him till I was sure he left. He couldn't catch me checking him out and he clearly couldn't know that I'm mad. Seriously, Ashley, mad about what? That he brought a woman to his house and is sleeping with her? A very hot woman at that?
Nonsense. I tried to stop thinking about him and instead occupy my mind with looking at the pictures hung on the walls. But as much as I tried, I couldn't get my mind off it.
As a result, I started to count the minutes go by and at exactly, twenty four minutes four seconds,Ric came down the stairs, well dressed in his usual tailored suit. I refused to look at him as he told us to leave and just stood up and left before him.