~ Indiyah

"Good morning, Mona." I yawned, stretching my arms behind me after getting up from bed. My head screamed one thing. Coffee. I threw the blankets off me and headed for the kitchen where Mona was wrapping things up.

"Did you sleep well?" She eyed me.

I nodded, grabbing my mug to prepare my coffee. Ramona didn't stop gazing at me. I knew what was going through her mind. I'd slept off yesterday without saying a word to her or providing an answer to her many questions.

I still didn't have an answer to her. So I avoided her gaze by leaving the kitchen to the living room where Jemaya sat on a sofa, her eyes on the television, her favourite animated cartoon playing.

I kissed her cheek, tickling her sock-cladded feet when I got to her.

"Good morning, Jemaya. Did you sleep well?" I held her tiny hands, watching her squeal as a result of the tickling. Damn. I birthed a happy baby.

"Did you have breakfast already? What did you eat?" I inquired.

"Pancake and honey." She replied.

"Did you say thank you to Nanny Ramona?" I raised a brow. Other mothers may take etiquette for granted, but not me. I made sure Jemaya did the right thing, always.

"Yes, mommy."

"Good girl. Mommy will get ready for work in a few minutes and I'll take you to school, okay?"

She nodded, eager to return to her cartoon.

First day of work. I had to look my best. Even if the silly voice within had whispered that I get dressed for my boss. I killed the thought as soon as it came. Fuck my boss for making me think about him this way. He was married, for Christ's sake. A fact that should have been a deterrent, a red flag. But somehow it only added to the allure. And yet, he flirted with me.

Men. They were all the same, weren't they?

I straightened out a red dress and a small tiny black belt. My hair was held in a tight bun, slicked back with gel as usual, and although I didn't bother with the lipstick, my lips stood out, matching the colour of my dress.

I called Uber, and when it arrived, Jemaya and I said goodbye to Ramona before getting in the car. While in the car, she kept singing rhymes I couldn't make out the lyrics. The driver stopped at the pre-school and I helped Jemaya with her backpack straps since she was always struggling to put it on herself. A familiar face took her lunch bag from me.

"Bye Mommy. Lub you," Jemaya grinned, waving her small hands.

I waved back at her. "Love you too, baby."

Getting back in the car, I gave the driver my location and he was there within an hour. I took a deep breath and walked inside the premises. I was a bit early so I made two cups of coffee. One for Alexander, and the other for myself.

Caffeine had a way of calming my nerves. Lots of it could keep me up for hours. It was my go-to whenever I needed to work night shifts. I raised the mug to my lips, shutting my eyes and relishing in the taste. This coffee was great. One of those expensive stuff. I hurriedly drowned down my coffee and began my work duties.

I'd never worked as a personal assistant before so, I wasn't sure of what my job entailed. Alexander mentioned that I had to go through rigorous training sessions to be qualified for the post. A part of me knew he wouldn't subject me to training anyway. He gave me this post to get into my pants. Which would never happen again.

"This seat looks comfy," I murmured, running my hands on the black leather swivel chair behind the huge mahogany desk. Glancing around the empty office, I stifled a giggle and sat on the chair. Damn! It felt... too good to sit here. The bosses' chair. I felt in control for a moment. A moment until I heard a deep chuckle and a feminine gasp. I froze.

Standing at the door of the office was Alexander, clad in a black, fitted, tuxedo. And beside him, was a lady that looked like she was my age. Fuck! Was she his wife? I jumped up like the seat was made of larva, and it burnt my butt.

My gaze snapped to the linoleum, cheeks a rosy pink. Embarrassment burnt through me. I'd been so absorbed in the moment that I forgot the door was ajar and anyone could walk in.

"I see you were enjoying yourself, Mamacita." Alexander's deeply amused voice came and I wished the ground would open and swallow me. He had just randomly called me that... nickname in the presence of another person.

"Uhm... Naomi, this is Indiyah... You'll train her on what she needs to know to be my assistant."

I raised my gaze and my eyes met with Naomi's. Her smile was friendly and not judgy like I thought she would be considering her boss had just called me a petname.

"I think we'll get along so well. Nice to meet you, Indiyah."

"Uhmm, yeah... yeah. It's mutual," I stuttered. I wasn't much of a social person since the incident with Janine. I'd become closed off, and not even Naomi's friendly smile could make us friends. I flashed her a small grin.

"If you'd excuse us, Naomi. I have to punish Indiyah here for getting too comfortable in my office," Alexander's hooded gaze fell on me and I felt exposed, bare. A choking sound escaped my mouth as Naomi stalked out of the office leaving me alone with Alexander.

I found my voice once we were alone. "What are you going to do? Spank me?" I challenged, my feral gaze matching his.

"How about you strip for starters,"

My jaw dropped.

~ Indiyah

The day was coming to an end, and all I could say was… Phew. Aside from Alexander's constant interruptions with my tasks, it went pretty well. My job was much more than I had imagined. I used to think personal assistants simply scheduled meetings, but I learned that any meeting the boss would attend had to be scheduled a month in advance. No visitors were allowed unless the boss had an appointment, and emails had to be sorted promptly. I also discovered that Alexander could get cranky in the mornings without his go-to coffee.

As I sorted through the emails on my computer, Naomi stood beside my chair, chattering away. I could barely make out what she was saying; my mind was focused solely on my task.

Then, the door to my office creaked open. Naomi and I looked up to see who it was. At the doorway stood Alexander, clutching a laptop to his chest.

"Did you get in touch with Miss Forbes?" he asked, walking into the room.

"Who is Miss Forbes?" I blurted out, my eyes shifting from Naomi to Alexander.

Naomi gasped as if she remembered something. "My bad. I forgot to tell her about the new project. I'll fill her in on all the details quickly. Do you need anything, Boss?"

Alexander's brows furrowed as he ran a hand through his hair, looking visibly unsettled. He glanced briefly at me, assessed me for a moment, then looked away, muttering something I couldn't catch.

"It's fine. You can leave, Naomi. I'll tell her all she needs to know about Miss Forbes," he said, waving her off with a slight gesture.

Naomi nodded and excused herself. The moment she left the room, Alexander approached me, his hands deep in his pockets.

"Miss Forbes is, uh... She’s a business partner. We're working on a top-secret project together. Can you, um... arrange for me to meet her tomorrow?"

I bit my lip and nodded. Meeting with Miss Forbes tomorrow, done. I pressed send on my phone and exhaled. When I glanced up, I found Alexander's intense gaze still fixed on me.

"Do you need something, Boss?" I asked.

"Yes. I mean... no. Have you scheduled my meeting with Miss Forbes?" He began pacing the small office, his gaze wandering everywhere except at me.

I scowled; I couldn't keep my mouth shut any longer. I needed my space to work. But it was hard to focus with my restless boss pacing around.

"Do you need something else, sir?"

"I have a favour to ask of you. I know I'm your boss, and you're expected to do these things, but I won't make you do it without your willingness. There's a function—more like a dinner—I have to attend. Would you like to, uh... go with me?"

I blinked, taken aback by his straightforwardness. "Are you asking me on a date, sir?"

He stopped pacing, his gaze locking onto mine. Rubbing the back of his neck, he nodded sheepishly. "I know it's out of place. I'm your boss, and it's not appropriate, so..."

I rolled my eyes, annoyed by his flimsy excuse. "It's a date. Yes or no?"

Alexander shrugged. "Call it whatever. I just need a woman by my side for the function. Are you in or out, Indiyah?"

I bit my lip, running through a mental list of pros and cons about the offer. The idea of going out again... with my attractive boss. It had been a while since I let myself have some fun.

Fun? Indiyah? Are you having fun when you have a child? What example will you set if your daughter wakes up and sees her mommy home late and dressed up?

Wasn’t that the case? Single mothers are allowed to go out, as long as they come home at a reasonable hour and don't let their children question...

"It's a yes," I finally said, flashing Alexander a genuine smile.

He sighed in relief, his shoulders slumping. "That's perfect. I'll pick you up at... seven. Will that work for you?"

My lips parted and closed almost immediately. I was trying to think of a good excuse. I couldn't let him pick me up, not with Jemayah in the apartment. Alexander wasn't foolish; he would connect the dots.

"Why don't you send the driver to pick me up instead?" I suggested meekly.

He hesitated but then shrugged. "So, seven?"

"Seven," I confirmed.

***

Six.

Six-thirty.

A few minutes until seven, and I was far from ready. A black dress I had steamed earlier lay on the bed, strappy heels were on the floor, and a purse was thrown carelessly on the sofa. I dashed around the apartment in a frantic rush, a towel wrapped around my chest.

And my three-year-old was right on my tail, talking away. I had lost count of how many times I heard "Mommy" since I returned from work. My head was spinning. I desperately needed a break from Jemaya and her relentless questions and complaints.

"Mommy, where are you going?"

"Mommy, the water is running."

"Mommy, I'm hungry."

"Mommy, come over and look at my drawing of you."

"Baby, hold on. I'm fixing you something to eat. Ramona is supposed to be here right now..." I frowned when I glanced down to see Jemaya her lips blue with jam smeared all around her mouth.

"Broken," she pouted while I bit my tongue, my gaze drifting to the living room where she had been playing. I could see the huge mess on the floor: blueberry jam smeared all across the ground and broken glass. Her little feet had tracked some of the mess over to the kitchen.

I sighed, glancing at the clock. It was six forty-five—could I juggle getting ready and taking care of my daughter? I had handled worse before, back when I was working three jobs. But she was so little then and easier to manage. Now, I had a restless toddler who wouldn't leave me alone.

"What happened?" I gave her a cold stare.

"I don't know," she shrugged, infuriating me even more.

"Can you sit in one spot for a little while, Jemaya? Can you be good for Mommy? You're giving me so much work to do, baby, and I'm... I'm tired." My voice cracked on the last word, and I sighed, ignoring the lump in my throat.

"Be good," Jemaya repeated with a nod.

"Don't just say it. Be a good girl so I can think, okay?" I lifted her and set her on the counter so she wouldn't move while I cleaned up the broken glass.

As I finished cleaning, the last trace of blue stain left on my linoleum floor, a familiar voice came from the door. I opened the door and threw myself at Ramona.

"Hey... Easy," she giggled.

"You are a lifesaver. I have a date in less than five minutes." I sighed in relief, watching Ramona laugh and toss Jemaya up in the air, just like she usually does when she sees her after a long time.

When I heard giggles and a stern voice coming from the living room, I knew my daughter was in safe hands. I rushed through curling my hair and getting dressed.

At exactly seven, I heard a light rattle at the door, and I jumped up to walk over. Before opening it, I glanced back and whispered to Ramona, "How do I look?"

She smiled and said I looked amazing. I sighed again, then pushed the door open. When my eyes locked with Alexander's, I gasped and abruptly shut the door behind me.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

Indiyah

I slammed the door shut, and it rattled. Leaning against the weak wood, my heart thumped against my ribs. What the actual hell? Through the peephole, I could see Alexander's eyebrow rise in surprise. He was still standing there, looking dashing in a blue suit.

It took me a moment to decipher what was happening. Alexander was at my door. Not the driver—him.

A giggle from the living room, followed by Ramona's voice saying, "Jemaya, put that down," almost gave me a panic attack. Oh God, oh God, oh God.

I pressed my ear to the door, trying to hear if he was still out there.

He knocked. "Indiyah? Are you okay in there? You just slammed the door on me." His voice was low, and I could sense his confusion.

I opened my mouth to say something, but no words came out. What was my excuse? What could I possibly say? "Uh... I thought you were a delivery guy?" No, that sounded too stupid. "I'm having a really bad hair day?" Ugh, even worse.

"Alexander, what are you doing here?" I tried to sound annoyed instead of utterly scared. "I told you to send the driver."

"Well, yeah, I know what you said," he replied. "I just figured, since I'm taking you out, it would be nice to pick you up myself. You know, old-fashioned." There was a slight pause. "Are you going to open the door, or are we going to have this conversation through the wood?"

My eyes wandered around the room. Jemaya's shoes were by the door, and her little backpack was slung over the coat hook.

"Just a second!" I shrieked, then immediately regretted it. It sounded too loud and frantic.

I spun around, trying to shove Jemaya's things into the tiny closet. The backpack wouldn't fit, so I kicked it under the console table, hoping it would stay hidden.

"Indiyah? Is everything alright?" he asked.

"Yes. Fine. Just... uh... putting on my shoes," I lied. My shoes were already on. I took a deep breath, trying to compose myself. This was it. He was already here, and Jemaya was here too. The least I could do was just face it.

With a shaky hand, I slowly and reluctantly pulled the door open again. Alexander stood there, and I noticed he held roses with a slight frown creasing his forehead. His eyes swept over me, taking in my slightly dishevelled hair, the black dress I wore, and my wide, panicked eyes.

"You look... stunning," he said, a smile playing on his lips as he held out the roses. "These are for you."

I took them, ignoring the tremor in my body when my fingers brushed against his. No one had ever brought me flowers. Not even my... No. Don't think about the past.

"Thanks," I mumbled, clutching the roses. From inside the house, I could still hear Jemaya's squeals.

Alexander's gaze drifted from me to the closed door. His eyes narrowed slightly. "Sounds like you have company," he observed in an unreadable tone.

"Oh, yeah. That's... that's my cousin, Ramona," I stammered, trying to sound casual. "And her niece. They're just visiting. Super last minute, you know how it is." I forced a laugh.

Alexander's eyes lingered on the door for a moment, then returned to me. He didn’t say anything, just gave me a slow, assessing look. He glanced at his watch. "Well, we should probably get going. Don’t want to be late for the function."

***

The hall was dimly lit, with soft music thrumming in the background. Light, warm decorations adorned the walls, while exquisite, extravagant ones graced the tables. Guests were chatting as we walked in, and Alexander's hands tightened around my waist.

"I'll just talk to some of my friends. Will you be fine all by yourself?" he asked.

I pressed my lips together and nodded. "Yes, of course. Go on." As he walked away, I slipped my phone out of my purse and dialled Ramona. She answered on the first ring.

"Are you filling me in now or later? Since when do you go on dates, Indiyah?" Her voice was hushed, and I realized Jemaya might be asleep.

I glanced around and spotted Alexander in what looked like a heated argument with a woman, while a few reporters clicked cameras and recorded the scene.

"Uh... we'll talk when I'm home. Can you make sure Jemaya's stuff is stowed away before I get back? I... I mean, not in the living room. No toys, nothing." I rubbed my temples slowly.

There was a pause. "Even though I don't know why, I'll do it. But we are talking once you get back. And try to be home before midnight. For your daughter's sake."

The call ended, and I exhaled, putting my phone away. Alexander had stopped arguing, though he looked mad. His eyes scanned the room, and when they found mine, he smiled. Was this the part where I smiled back? The woman from earlier stood close to him as if claiming possession.

"To Alexander's date!" I heard a burly man say, raising his champagne glass high enough for the little circle of friends to follow suit.

I was here, and they were over there. They raised a toast to me. What was going on? I tried to catch Alexander's eye, but he was too focused on exchanging glares with the woman beside him. I was his date, not hers. I deserved to stand beside him and not her.

With one last caution to the wind, I sashayed over to Alexander and his friends. Men in tuxedos and perfectly tailored suits filled the room. Each man had a date, and the women were dressed in stunning gowns, holding their noses high as if claiming superiority over one another.

"I was thinking you'd never come," Alexander leaned in to whisper, sounding relieved as he pulled me to stand beside him.

"I see you are my husband's date. May I know you, Miss...?"

I was left dumbfounded, my mouth agape but no words came out. She was his wife. The reality of Alexander’s status had slipped my mind all day. My boss had a wife. From the look on his face, he knew very well that she would be attending this function, and yet he had brought me. For what purpose? To ridicule me?

"You don’t strike me as someone Alexander would get tangled up with. You're exactly his type of woman. Anyway, I'm Mrs. Rossi Graham."

My throat felt dry, and I couldn’t muster a response. Alexander’s warm hand in mine grew cold. Around us, the men watched with amused glances, some of the women laughed, while others whispered. I clicked my tongue in frustration and frowned. I was here with a married man while my daughter was asleep at home. Shame on you, Indiyah.

I withdrew my hand from Alexander's and walked away, embarrassment trailing behind me as I made my way to the door. It felt like the eyes of all the elites and businessmen were on me. A few reporters shuffled closer, which served as my cue to exit. I bolted out of the room.

Outside, the night was starry and beautiful. A light, chilly breeze tousled my hair, and I chuckled lightly. It was late, and my daughter would be asleep. I planned to call an Uber, get home, and pretend tonight never happened.

"Indiyah! Hey, let me take you home."

I raised an eyebrow and turned to see him there, looking completely unashamed. How could he act this way and not feel an ounce of remorse? He was offering me a ride home while his wife was still at the event, and he didn’t seem like he was going to apologise. He had brought me here just to embarrass me.

"Look, Rossi is just being herself... mean. You'll get used to it, I promise. Get in the car; Pedro will drive." He stepped forward and held the car door open for me, so I stepped inside.

We sat too close for comfort, and I could feel some of his scent mixing with mine. Alexander's palm on my bare thigh felt scorching. My face burned with embarrassment, a red hue creeping onto my cheeks. It was like the night we first met all over again. He leaned in, and I shut my eyes, ready to welcome his lips on mine.

Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.

I instinctively pulled away, digging into my purse to grab my phone. Ramona's name flashed on the screen. "I'm sorry, I have to take this," I told Alexander.

"She won't sleep without you, Indiyah. I'm so sorry. I tried, but she..." Ramona paused.

I held my breath, a panicked expression spreading across my face. Hanging up on her, I shut my eyes in despair. It had been so long since an episode of 'I want Mommy to tuck me in' had happened.

"Is everything alright? You look..."

"I'm fine. It's just my cousin filling me in," I lied. He nodded, and just then, Pedro stopped the car in front of my home. I exited without a goodbye or thank you for the ride.

"Think we'll do this again sometime?" Alexander asked before I reached my doorstep.

I merely shrugged in response. But the real answer was no; I wouldn’t go out with him again. I would not be the Janine who ruined his home. With that resolve, I entered my house.