FORBIDDEN DESIRE: WHEN DESIRE MEETS LOVE

EVERLEES’S POV

Women and men with tailored suits took their respective seats when Mr. Moore gave the order. The meeting table with black leather folders and a bottle of water for each person who had assisted at this reunion this morning. Everyone was ready to listen to Mr. Moore and abide by the new orders given by him. From here, I could hear Mr. Moore asking one of my colleagues where I was. How do I know it? This is not the first time this has happened, so when he sees my seat empty, the first thing that leaves his mouth after he greets his employees is, where the hell is she? 

I read the time on my wristwatch; the meeting had started five minutes earlier than the time agreed. How was I going to know it? I swear, if I had known it, I wouldn't have stayed 5 more minutes to play with my son.  

I knew that as soon as I made my triumphant entry, Mr. Moore would yell at me the minutes and seconds it took me to get there after the meeting had started. And everyone would look at me with pitiful eyes when that would be the last thing I'd need. 

But who’s Mr. Moore to think he owes the time of every single one of his employees from the moment we signed a contract? Well, Mr. Moore is the current CEO of this company. The man is crazy about time, maybe because he’s already in his 60s and thinks if he loses track of time for a brief moment it’s going to be like last night being there and now being here, three meters underground. There are many rumors surrounding Mr. Moore, but all of them agree on something; he’s a mean man who gets richer because of his stinginess. I will never forget the day he refused to give me a loan when my son got sick.   

Mr. Moore is the man who thinks we offered our lives to serve him when we signed the contract. According to him, we’re the ones who should be kissing his hand for an opportunity like this one, since almost no one passes the tests to work in one of the most important food companies. To tell the truth, I’ve gotten to know real food empires, and I applied for a job there, but they indeed choose the best people.  

“Hey, hey, you,” I called the receptionist, who had some documents in her hands and was heading to the meeting room. 

“Everlee, what are you doing here? The meeting just started.” 

“Yes, I know. I’m seeing everything from here.” 

“So, why don’t you come in?” 

“Celia, have you forgotten one of Mr. Moore’s hobbies? He enjoys scolding me in front of everyone. Tell me, has he gone to his office for something he forgot? You know what his habits can be. He always says that he has forgotten something when the truth is he forgot his lines.”

“Really, Everlee? Are you going to hide here until that happens? Mr. Moore always knows when you’re not in his meeting. So let’s go! Better he sees you there, late but there, than to take the day off your paycheck. Why too late now?” 

I couldn’t help but smile when I remembered why I was so late this morning. 

“My son,” I replied with a smile ear to ear. 

“Oh!, your son? Why doesn’t it surprise me?” 

I giggled. 

“If only you could see his beautiful smile. His voice is so angelic! Oh, my goddess! He’s such an angel.”  

Finally, we reached the glass door. I erased my smile quickly. It was time to face the demon and s*ck this job up one more day. 

Mr. Moore and everyone looked at me. The silence took over for a second. My legs trembled and I swore if it wasn’t because I had to keep a roof over my son’s head I would already have run away.  

“Miss. Anderson, please bring the folder with the documents.” Mr. Moore asked Celia without looking at her.

She just looked at me and went ahead. 

“Yes, sir.”  

“And you, Miss. Dawson,” he sighed, “I shouldn’t even bother, right? You’re always late.”

“I apologize, Mr. Moore, but I though-” 

With a signal, Mr. Moore let me know that he didn’t want to continue listening to me. 

“Take a seat and don’t say anything else.” He told me. “So let’s begin.”  

I sighed in relief. Mr. Moore started the meeting by talking about the new ideas and the new projects he had in mind to take over the two franchises he wanted to open soon, but as always they would fail. I was sure of that, and it wasn’t that I wished him bad, but Mr. Moore wanted to always earn, but never invest.

I read the time on my wristwatch again and yawned discreetly. 40 minutes had gone by and Mr. Moore didn’t stop talking about his illusions.  

“Miss. Dawson?”

“Yes, here I am.” I raised my hand. 

“You’re in charge to accompany Miss. Melendez to talk to that potential client into the business, and make him part of this as a shareholder.”   

My eyes widened. What the hell was he talking about? I knew I couldn’t ask what his words meant if I didn’t want him to yell at me while I exposed myself and let him know that I hadn’t paid attention to his meeting. So it was better to ask Sarah. In the end, we were in this together, right? 

So I smiled and nodded happily. 

“I like your attitude.” Mr. Moore smiled at me. 

I looked around and I realized everyone was giving me that special look that just people can have in the eyes when the victim is going directly to the electric chair. Maybe I didn’t have an idea how challenging this task was.  

Anyways, my son will be waiting for me at home. 

*****

Walking towards my desk with a pile of new documents I needed to copy and send to one of my colleagues, I heard someone calling me. 

“Everlee!  Everlee, wait!” 

“What, Sarah?” 

“Why did you show that attitude when Mr. Moore asked you to take on the project?”  

I shrugged my shoulders and smiled. 

“What else can I do? Mr. Moore is always making me do tasks that aren’t for me. I don’t care if I have one more that gets listed.”  

“Everlee, Everlee, wait.” She grabbed my arm and made me stop. 

“What, Sarah?” 

“You don’t know what Mr. Moore was talking about, do you?” 

“Something about a potential client who's coming, and you and I have to talk into the business. By the way, I didn’t hear when he or she was coming. Do you know when they are coming?” 

Sarah shook her head and sighed. 

“Everlee, we’re going to that client, and he’s none other than Mr. Hill, and he’s such a terrible man. He owns part of every single textile company in this country. At least he’s a shareholder in each of them.” 

My smile went off. Many cruel things were known about that man. I had applied two times to get a spot in his company, but I failed the tests, and when I knew who the owner was, I couldn’t be more thankful to Heaven when I wasn’t selected. I mean, the salary was beyond good, but the mental health was what paid the consequences.  

“But-” 

“Yes, Everlee, I think you’ve realized your mistake. Thanks to your attitude at the meeting Mr. Moore has put all his hopes in the two of us. He will fire us if we don’t get that potential client into the business as a shareholder. I hope you know how to beg because you’ll be begging for the two of us.” 

“Hey, hey, I didn’t know he had talked about that.” 

“Of course! You were daydreaming.” 

“Come on, Sarah! He would’ve put all his hopes in both of us anyway, and you know it.” 

Sarah sighed and crossed her arms over her chest. Sarah knew I was right. Then she smiled at me. 

“Okay, okay, you may be right. Anyways, this is what we’re doing. Mr Hill is in China right now, but he’s coming back this weekend. He booked a room in the hotel bar Marquis, let’s see him there and maybe he will be in a good mood and decide to invest in this company.” 

“No, no, I’m sorry, but I’m not doing that.” I turned around and walked to my desk. Sarah followed me. 

“But why? Come on, Everlee! Let’s have some fun!” 

“No, Sarah. Let’s keep it professional!” 

“Oh, really? Look who’s talking! The same girl who hates to work here with such mean people who can’t see beyond money and fame! Everlee, I’m allowing you to have some fun and meet a rich man who can give you the life you and your son deserve.” 

I gave her my worst look. 

“You know I’m not that kind of woman.” 

“I know. I know.” She raised her hands free of guilt. “But be honest with me, would you turn down such a good opportunity that just happens once in a lifetime?”

“Well, if I love him, of course, I wouldn’t, but-” 

“Ahgg!” Her disgusting gesture said it all. “Love! Love! What is it for? What good has it brought to your life? As far as I know, it was ‘love’ that made you give a son to a d*mn b*st*rd who didn’t care about you or your son.” 

“Please, Sarah, are we going to discuss my personal life during working hours?” I sat in front of my desk and started my routine. There were many things I had to do, so I needed to rush. 

“Anyways, Sunday at 8:00 p.m., at the hotel bar Marquis. See you then, and don’t worry about anything else. I’ll be paying for anything you want to drink with anyone.” She smiled mischievously.

“I’m not doing that, okay?!” 

“Okay, if you’re not doing this, have a meeting with the man yourself in a ‘more professional’ way. But you’re not saying anything to Mr. Moore, okay? Make your decision.” 

I sighed heavily. I wasn’t going to see such an important man in a hotel bar, it could give him a wrong impression and he may not take the business seriously.

“Okay, Sarah, I’m going on my own how I liked it best.”

Sarah seemed to be a little surprised. She just looked at me and then shrugged her shoulders. 

“Okay, I’ll respect your decision.” Then she walked off. 

She was crazy if she thought I was going to agree on such an unprofessional thing to deal with something so serious like that. 

I shook my head and checked out what was the next thing to do when I heard my name being called again. What the heck is wrong with the world today? Did everyone wake up with my name in mind?

“Everlee! Everlee!” 

I looked behind. Celia, the craziest in the company, was running towards me, making her ugly shoes squeak against the floor. 

“Everlee!” 

“What?” 

Why doesn’t anyone let me work peacefully? 

“Everlee, I already googled who that potential client is. It’s Mr. Hill! Have you heard what the world says about him?” 

“Yes, Celia, I’ve heard it.” 

“And?” 

“And? What do you want me to do? The task is mine! Wuoo!” I expressed sarcastically. 

“But you have Sarah by your side. She’s good with people.” 

“I’m doing this by myself.” 

“What?” 

“Yes, she wants us to meet the man at the hotel bar where he would be staying. I don’t think that’s a smart decision. I decided to be in charge of the task in a more professional way. I need to think.”

“Why don’t you take her word and have some fun? I don’t know. You barely leave this place. Your world is reduced to this company and your home with your son.” 

“Thank you,” I said sarcastically. 

“No, I’m being serious. Do you know why Sarah wants to take you to the hotel bar?” 

“No, and I couldn’t care less,” I said, typing on my keyboard. 

“There’s going to be a catwalk, and Sarah promised to introduce you to some important people. She has heard how much you complain about this place. You may be the next top model.” 

My eyes widened. I looked at her all exalted. 

“What did you say?” 

EVERLEE’S POV

My eyes widened. Suddenly, my entire body froze. Celia had to be teasing me, so I looked at her all exalted. 

“What did you say, Celia?” 

“Okay, no, I was just kidding,” she laughed hard. I couldn’t help myself and took one of the carpets and hit her in the arm with that. “Auh! Auh! It hurts!” 

“You almost caused me a heart attack, you idiot!” 

“Auh! I was kidding. No, really, Everlee. It’s indeed going to be a catwalk. That’s why she wants to see that man there. He’s going to be there. And you know how Sarah can be, she’s… you know, she’s the kind of person who just cares about her interests, yet you can seize it just for this time. Let her do the talking and you just accompany her. Everlee, in the end, you don’t go out frequently. You should take some time for yourself.”

“You know I prefer to spend that time with my son.” 

“Yeah!, but going out for a couple of hours isn’t going to hurt anyone. Everlee,