CHAPTER 22 – BAILEY

I walk through the doors of the model agency where I have been working for the last few years. It looks different today. It is like everything that happened in the last ten years was seen through tinted glasses and today I walk in here without them.

I cannot pretend that the last few days did not rock me to my core. I have always known Marcella was an evil woman. I remember a few things about that attack. I remember seeing her. It is only after the second attack that I have no memory.

Somehow, I feel lighter without the tinted glasses. Now that the truth is out, I feel relief. I wish I could have told the other girls in time for them to save themselves from her. Fear is a crippling emotion. I was scared to the bone. I tried contacting Brandon but he really did not remember me at all.

I set my bag under my table and check that my hair is perfect. Even though the scars on my body kept me from becoming a model myself, working with these gorgeous women means that I need to look my best all the time. I am, after all, the first person anyone sees when they walk in the door.

I check the pack of notes on my table to see if there are any urgent matters I need to attend to. I came in early in case there was anything I needed to sort out before the day began. There is nothing that needs to be handled right now. There is, however, a note that I suspect is not for me.

Meeting at 9h00

Take notes.

I do not usually take notes at meetings. I am only the receptionist. Taking notes is a secretarial duty. The note must be for Mary. I walk to the office where Mary is seated.

"Good morning!" I greet her with a little more enthusiasm than I actually feel. "How are you today?"

Mary looks up at me and her expression changes from fierce focus to actual surprise.

"Hey babe! I am so glad you are back. I have been drowning in calls and admin since you left. Honestly I didn't know you handled so much of the small things in this office." She sounds genuinely happy to see me.

I show her the note in my hand.

"I think this is for you" I tell her.

"Nah, that is for you. They specifically asked that you attend that meeting. I have to tell you, babe. Things are really shaken up around here. I have never personally met the owner of this business but he will be in that meeting. I cannot even give you a heads-up on what to expect because Maud is the only person ever to have met him."

I look at her with wide eyes. Maud is the most senior person in this office. For the first three years I actually thought she was the owner until she told me one day that she will have to run something by the owner before we changed anything. I never asked questions. I just went with the flow. Never did I think that someday we will have to meet this mysterious owner.

I return to my table and sort out some of the messages on the notes. Most of it is models confirming contracts or having queries about contracts. The models that are already contracted are dealt with by another management leg of the company.

I check my watch to see that it is almost nine. I grab a notepad and a pen and proceed to the boardroom where all meetings are held.

Inside the boardroom is a large table with twelve seats around it. Most of the seats are already taken except for the one at the head of the table which I presume will be for the mysterious owner and the seat next to it, which seems to be mine.

I go to take the seat next to the empty head of the table seat and wait with the others for the meeting to start.

In front of every person is a few papers and a small bottle of water. The water is a nice touch even though it makes me think that the meeting will last forever. I am still looking at the writing on the bottle when the rustling in the boardroom settles down to a complete silence.

A very well-dressed man comes walking into the boardroom. He walks with the utmost confidence. I watch his movements as he walks to his seat. He holds a file in his hand and a pen in the other. He is beautifully built and he holds himself in a controlled manner.

It is only when he reaches his seat that my eyes wander up to his face. When our eyes lock, I am not sure if I should stand up to greet him or stay seated and break eye contact. His sapphire blue eyes bore into my soul and I know that I will not be able to stand without falling should I have to stand up now.

To the rest of the board, I am not supposed to know this man. He has after all been the mysterious owner of the company for the last few years. But I do know this man. This is the only man I have ever loved. The only man who has ever touched me intimately.

I tear my eyes away from Brandon. My heart is beating wildly in my chest. I can feel my temperature rising and I am sure that I look flushed and red to everyone around the table. My only hope is that they are focussed on him and not on me.

Brandon starts talking to the group. I take my bottle of water and drink a few sips of the cold liquid. I make myself comfortable in my seat even though I feel very uncomfortable in this room. I remember that my main function here is to take notes and I pick my pen up quickly to write the date and time of the meeting.

I avoid eye contact with Brandon at all costs. I make notes of everything he says and when someone else at the table has something to offer, I would look at them and then write down what they say. My mouth is dry and the heat is rising in my body again. I pick up my bottle of water but find that it is empty. I set it down and continue writing the notes of the meeting.

From the corner of my eye, I can see Brandon picking up his bottle of water and opening it. He doesn't stop talking when he removes my empty bottle of water in front of me and replaces it with the bottle that was supplied to him. I am unbelievably grateful for this gesture.

I give it a few seconds, not to seem over eager and then take the bottle he placed in front of me. I look up at him and smile my thanks before drinking the water.

When the meeting ends, I am unbelievably relieved. When the first person stands up to leave the boardroom, I grab my notes and my pen and get up to leave.

"Do not leave right away." Brandon says in a soft but demanding tone.

I set the things in my hands down in front of me and take my seat again. The boardroom clears within a minute and I am left seated at the large table with only Brandon as my company.

When the last person leaves the room, he looks at Brandon who indicates to him to close the door. When the door clicks closed my heartrate increases. I can hear my heart beating.

"Hey Baby Bee" Brandon's soft voice croons next to me.

I look up to meet Brandon's gaze. His eyes are filled with worry and sadness.

"Brandon" I whisper as my eyes fill with tears. He remembers me. He used to call my Baby Bee whenever we were not with his brothers. I have no idea why he hid the fact that he had a loving name for me from them. Adrien used to call Ava Boo, and Ryan called Rachel Little Lamb.

He takes my hand and squeezes it gently.

"It's okay. There is a lot to deal with. You just need to know that you are safe. You have been safe for the last few years." Brandon lets go of my hand. He walks to the cabinet in the corner of the boardroom that holds a small mini fridge. He opens it and takes out two more bottles of water. He comes back to the table and opens one for me before placing it in front of me.

"I bought this company the moment you started working here. It was the only way I could be close to you without you knowing. I could also up security whenever there was a threat looming and I could watch you myself if I was more worried than usual." Brandon looks at me. The worry in his eyes evident.

I chuckle at his expression. I know exactly what he is thinking.

"Yes, you have taken stalking to a whole new level." I tell him jokingly. The smile on his face tells me I was right about his thoughts.