"Have you set the appointment with the CEO of Style By Hilda?"

Annabelle asked her new Secretary who was not so grumpy and rude towards her anymore.

"Yes madam. I already did." Darlene answered politely.

Well, she should if she still wanted to keep her job!

"Good," Annabelle said, her eyes on the laptop before her. "That'll be all for now."

"Okay madam." Darlene turned and left the office.

Annabelle couldn't help the smirk. She still saw the wonder on Darlene's face whenever she looked at her , Annabelle.

She would have had her fired when she took over the seat of CEO from her mother, but she didn't want to pay back evil for evil. And asides that, she needed some of Darlene's experience in working for the company and her mother since she was still a new CEO.

Her mother had really shocked her when she made her the company's Head. Despite the fact that they had only found and known each other for a little over a month. She had hardly believed it.

A text came in from Dominic, reminding her that she had promised to have lunch with him and that it was almost time.

She smiled. Dominic was being sweet, soft and patient with her. He wasn't pressuring her to rush into another relationship with him and she really appreciated that.

She texted him back then got ready to go for lunch.

❤️💎❤️

"Hope you're enjoying the food?" Dominic asked for the third time.

She nodded again. "It's very delicious." She paused. "Has this place turned to your favorite restaurant too?"

Like David.

He smiled. "I like this place but I don't come here often because of the high costs of the food here. I only come here when I have a very important person with me. Someone like you."

She giggled. "Yeah, right."

"How are your kids?" He asked hesitantly.

She grinned. "They're quite a handful these days but my babies are fine."

He smiled and nodded.

"Are you-are you ever going to tell..."

"Can we not just talk about it?" She snapped unintentionally.

He sighed. "I'm sorry."

She took a deep breath. "I shouldn't have snapped at you like that, I'm sorry too."

"It's fine," he said, taking her hands into his. "But you need to move on Annabelle."

She nodded. "I know."

*

After they finished lunch, she excused herself and headed to the restroom to freshen her face.

As she walked down the small corridor to the restrooms a voice halted her.

"Annabelle Ingrid Rowland eh?" A familiar voice said from behind and she sharply turned around to see the arrogant smirk on his handsome face.

"I must say you have done well for yourself."

She crossed her arms. "What do you want?"

His smirk deepened. "Must I want something? Can't I say hello to my ex wife?"

"You and I knows that you're not here for that." She said curtly. "State your business."

"Haven't lost your fiery nature, I see." He said with a predator smile and let his gaze sweep over her body. "And your sexiness."

"I have a date to go back to," she said icily. "Now if you'll..."

"Yes," he drawled thoughtfully. "But what I do wonder is why you both aren't married yet. You were quick to get into his bed six years ago."

"How dare you!" Her eyes flashed in anger as she raised her hand to hit him but to her chagrin, he caught her arm.

"Not so fast darling." He smirked. "I know you can't wait to touch me but I'd rather have those hands on my body in a more gentle or sexually violent manner."

"Bastard." She gritted then sharply pulled her arm away from his hold. "That'll be over my dead body!"

He laughed.

"Never say never my dear." He said smoothly. "If I want you again, believe me I'll have you."

"Not on your life!" She said firmly. "I am no longer yours and can never again be. Even you made that clear six years ago. So stay away from me David Maxwell."

She turned and strutted away from him, his burning gaze piercing into her back.

❤️❤️💎

"What is it dear?" Ingrid asked again as they both had a late dinner while the children had retired to bed. "You've been a bit grumpy since you returned from work. Did you have a bad day?"

She shook her head. "No mother."

"Then what is it?" Ingrid asked worriedly.

"I met David today." She said drily.

"David as in, your ex husband?"

Annabelle nodded. "At the restaurant."

"Did he say or do anything inappropriate to you?" Ingrid asked like she was ready to strike.

"No mum." Annabelle calmed her. "Calm down, nothing really serious. He just said a few unimportant things before I left him."

"Are you sure?"

Annabelle smiled and patted her hand.

"If you say so then." Ingrid smiled. "How about the LV contract, any luck?"

Annabelle sighed. It was getting hard as the days went by to get the contract of supplying textiles to the Louis Vuitton brand for a particular collection that was going to be their biggest project for the year.

Annabelle had had petitions sent to them and had worked tirelessly to let them know that their company, House Of Ingrid, met up to their demands of providing exactly what they wanted. But none of her petitions had been honored and it frustrated her.

Though she understood that other textile industries that were even bigger than her mother's were also competing to get the contract as it was worth a very huge amount of capital.

"We're still trying mum." She said as her face fell.

"Oh no baby girl, don't let it weigh you." Ingrid said with concern taking her hands into hers. "Even I myself couldn't get that contract from them, I don't expect you to just perform magic."

"But this contract is very important to you mum and it's going push us ten times higher up in the fabric market." Annabelle said worriedly. "I need to get it for the company."

"Other opportunities will come my dear if this doesn't work out." Ingrid advised. "We just have to show them our best and if it's not good enough for them, then we have no choice but to move on. I don't want you killing yourself over this, okay?"

Annabelle nodded half heartedly. She would do all she could to get that contract.

❤️❤️💎

"It's the only thing that's been weighing me down for almost two weeks now." Annabelle complained to Dominic as he came to visit at the office. "My mother wants me to just take things easy but that contract is very important to her, myself and the company as a whole."

"I wish there was something I could do Ann." Dominic smiled ruefully.

"I know." Annabelle sighed. "I just feel really helpless right now."

He covered her hand with his. "Just take it easy Ann. Whatever happens, just know that I'm always here for you."

She looked at their joined hands and sighed again. Right now she really needed any comfort and strength she could get.

*

She came home at six in the evening and was told that her mum had already gone out for the dinner she had scheduled to have that evening. Then she went up to her kids room with the goodies she bought for them to stay with them.

"Hope your day went well today?" She grinned after they finished hugging and greeting.

"Yes mummy." They both answered before Sandra's face fell.

"Except that I was almost buwwied again." She said sulkily.

"How many times do I correct you Sandy?" Sammy cut in. "It's 'bully' not 'buwwy'"

"Bu-buwwy." Sandra tried again but failed as a result of her still immature tongue. Samuel laughed.

"Stop laughing!"

"Sammy stop laughing at your sister, it's not her fault." Annabelle gently scolded. "Now what are you suppose to say to her?"

"I'm sorry Sandy." Sammy said cutely and she smiled.

"That's my boy." She kissed his cheek then turned to Sandra. "Now baby, come tell mama who tried to bully a princess like you."

*

After she put the children to bed and was about to retire to bed, her phone rang.

She glanced at the screen and saw that it was John, one of her executives.

She wondered why he was calling her at that time and why it couldn't wait till the next day.

She picked anyway.

"Hello John."

"Hello madam," he said excitedly. "I'm so sorry for disturbing you but I couldn't contain myself till tomorrow. Madam, I have a solution to our problem now. The difficulty in getting the Louis Vuitton contract.

Annabelle sat up immediately. "What? Really?"

"Yes ma'am." John said excitedly. "Since we are confidently good in what we do and they have still not given us a chance, the next and best option is getting a recommendation from someone with a high level of connections, especially to the brand."

"That's very good John but how on earth do we get that recommendation?"

Annabelle asked.

"I know of a man whose parents are close to your mum, madam ." John said. "He will be of help to us."

"And who might that be?" She asked. She would definitely ask the person for help. She needed that contract to be theirs!

"David Maxwell Of Maxwell Inc."

She froze.