________________________________________

Not me running into the Lana woman looking like she had one hell of a night outside Mr Sin's building.

She looks really good in a long navy coat with gold linings and button, nude coloured stilettos and a golden slip dress. Brownish hair the right kind of messy. She has been put to that good use I see.

There's a car waiting by curb with a driver opening the door and everything. Rich people things.

Now I know she knows but she passes me like I'm not even here so fuck her too then.

She slides in the back, driver closes the door and I see her head turning in my direction before she rolls the black windows shut.

I didn't slow down to look at her or anything, I'm so busy texting my mom so I keep my pace and walk to the big glass doors. Why everything needs to be glass these days is beyond me.

I stunt into the lobby and heels echoing in the morning silence.

The manager and his lackeys are already gathered around their large desk. They pauses and murmur some shit I can't hear when they see that it's me.

Not even sparing them a second glance, I throw my middle finger up and keep it there as I walk passed their glares.

Everything and everyone can suck it today.

I hate that I have to use the main elevator through the main floor but Zayn said that private one is locked, whatever that means so he called to give the pin that'll give this one access to the penthouse suite and that just means having to go through the foyer and the kitchen and a hallway to get to back to change when I finally make it up to the suite.

And that means I could run into the boss at any moment on the long journey. I haven't run into him in a couple of weeks but I know he's been around.

I hope he's not around today either, he puts me on edge and I already have enough going on in my head. I'm starting to feel the my stress down my neck, the tension is kind of painful.

But life once again clearly never seems care about my pain because here he is in his great expanse of a kitchen, coffeemug and iPad in hand.

The suite suddenly feels smaller.

Why on this one day I just want let my guard down and try to think clearly?

I still haven't seen my daughter, my soul is tearing apart. All I get are sporadic phone calls where I just listen to her get distracted by whatever's near her.

I can't even video call anymore, thanks to my wonderful brother.

I mumble a low, "Morning." To the Mr Sin as I pass through the kitchen. There's no precedence to how I'm supposed to deal with whatever the hell his problem is with me, I don't know how to exactly act around him.

It can't just be because I mildly let him infer that race thing, that was weeks ago. I got over the hooker thing, why can't he let shit go?

"Good morning," His is clear and strong.

But I think I might have made a break when I walk past the island, past him on the other side leaning against the counter.

"Where are you going dressed like that?"

I too am in nude stilletos but mine are strappy sandals and a red midi dress.

"Come again?" I pause and question.

"Last you were in jeans and sneakers and today..." He gestures with his tablet.

He remembers what I was wearing two weeks ago?

I've been stared at since the second I left my house. Even my mother told me that this was too much but the only good thing going for me right now is my boobs.

I'm having a very good boob month and they sit perfectly in this dress, that's the only reason I chose to wear it. Nothing to do with Zayn.

"I could ask you the same thing kalok," I find myself turning to him, "Bit early for dress pants, don't you ever sleep?"

His black hair is wet and pushed back, and he's in his usual attire but he's got grey pants on today.

"Stock markets open at 9.30."

"He chooses to dryly inform me instead," I narrate out loud making him frown, "I know what time the stock markets open but what does that have to do with anything?"

He pushes off the counter and sets his mug down.

Shit.

Was it my tone?

He takes a couple of steps then sets the iPad down.

It's all I can do not to take a couple back myself to maintain the distance.

His honey eyes have been on the whole time, "Well, the reality is by the time they open, it's already too late."

He means money doesn't sleep and I agree, I should know, I work nights. He must know what he's talking about too since he has all this.

I nod my assent, "Point made. You get up super early, it's whatever. I should.." I turn to leave.

"It's... whatever?"

I turn back and shrug, "I mean, it has nothing to do with me so..."

He pauses for a second and looks down at me. He really is something to look at, I can only do so much not to objectify him like I've started doing to men lately.

I don't know when it started but I know it's out of comparing each and everyone to him.

Are they tall like him? Head full of thick black hair like him? Have dimples they try to hide with a scruff like him? Do they stand like the world was made for their pleasure and everyone else is a mere passenger?

He sighs impatiently, "Okay, seriously where are you going?"

Okay, seriously why are you concerned?

"If you want to know, I'm meeting your brother for a small lunch," No point in lying, those two seem very close.

"You're going to lunch with Zayn dressed like that?" He looks me up again.

"Problem?"

"I'm just wondering. Do you normally go to lunch like that?"

"I do Mr Sin," Don't get it twisted, I can wear old Vans one day and heels the next, and rock the shit out of both.

"Not just for my brother then?"

The hell is that supposed to mean?

"I dress for me."

Whether I'm overdressed or underdressed, it's for me. Always. What I'm comfortable in.

Mr Sin subtly scoffs and rounds the kitchen island on my side which means dangerously close to me.

This time I took a little step back and he stops with a scrunched up nose.

"What's that?" He sneers at my hand.

I look at myself confused by what he's talking about and what the hell could garner that reaction from him. Do I have a stain or something?

"What?" I'm half panicking because I brought nothing else to wear and I don't wear if he'll be okay with me using his machines if I do have a stain.

"That in your hand..." He clarifies.

I look at my hand and find my cellphone, "It's a cellphone," I wave it at him, "Do you know what that is?"

"That's a Nokia 3310, that's not a cellphone," He shoots back still with his nose in the air.

I smirk teasingly, "So you do know what it is?"

"Do they even still make those? Where did you get one?" He's only mild interested and dangerously near.

I feel sucked and stuck in that force field that seems surrounds him,

And I can't believe we're actually having a full blown conversation right now without any sly talk, I was nervous that my mouth will run away if I ever conversed with him but here we are...

"I don't know if they're still make them but this is an old one. It's an heirloom at this point and..." I tell him, "Don't look at me like that, I send and receive calls and messages on it just fine."

I don't get to see my daughter's pretty, little face but at least I get to talk to her, better than nothing.

My dad bought this phone, it's the only thing he left behind when he left to go back home. Well, that and his DNA but that's neither here nor there, and I'm not about to tell my boss all that.

He shakes his head a little before walking away and leaving him a trail of his colognes. He smells really good. Clean, crisp and fresh.

Gendarme V, I saw it among his toiletries once and I want to bathe in the scent.

I have a weakness for good smelling men. Indoda must, finish and klaar. Can't be walking around smelling like the environment.

After changing into my uniform and making sure not to smudge my makeup, I try to go about my tasks as delicately as I can.

I don't want to sweat and be sticky when I have to get back into my pretty dress, took me forever to make -- cutting patterns and sewing delicate materials is always a bitch, and on my machine.. luckily my grandma showed me a few tricks before she went.

After all that hard labour and that my mom splurged on fancy silk thread for me, it had to see the light of day and it won't be on sweat.

I have to get through quick anyway because it seems like the man is not going anywhere anytime soon today.

I pass him exiting his bedroom with an open laptop in his hand.

He's on the phone but he makes it a point to look at me as he crowds the hallway.

I make it a point to focus on my job but it seems like forever when we finally cross each other and I do end up glancing up at him for a second...

Big mistake.

Time just slows down more. Like running in a dream, I'm trying to get out of here as fast as possible but I'm not even moving.

His eyes do a full sweep before they're out of sight.

I know he hates the uniform but what in the hell kind of look was that?

"No, no. Lana and I were up all night going through--" I hear him say before he's out of earshot as well.

Him and Lana.

Personally I don't see it but I probably have to clean their sex off his sheets and I'm not looking forward to that.

I'll change the sheets, tidy up the bathroom then living room, kitchen and windows. That should make me seem busy to last me til I have to go.

I finish with his bedroom and bathroom without interruptions but the mess I find in the living room I wasn't prepared for.

How did I not see this when I passed by the kitchen earlier?

There are papers and files everywhere. Overflooding the coffee table where mugs and mugs of coffee are close to toppling over. The couches have papers, the floor... what the hell?

Am I expecting to clean this up? But.. how??

This is madness.

But what choice do I have? I can't skip it.

I pick up one paper to see exactly what made this man make such a mess because I've never even had to deal with an unmade bed he's that neat.

They seem to be financial records of some company named Paleis Eckhardt Ltd.

Financial statements I can handle, they're usually in logical order but I'm going to have to go through this whole pile to put them back together accurately.

I abandoned the buckets and brushes and kneel down on the floor to go through the documents but let me just say that this is some bullshit.

I have to read each and every single paper to get a proper understanding of what goes where and sort them into appropriate piles... and the more I read, the more the piles multiply and the higher they get, the more it dawns me exactly why these papers are spread out here.

Seconds tick by, then minutes and then probably hours because now I'm engrossed in this.. mystery.

There are some small transactions here that don't make sense. Money went out, it's not clear where exactly then come back in with no gains that reflect on the cashflow sheets or balance sheets.

Everything balances perfectly.

I had to get my calculator out -- suck it Mr Sin, my 3310 has a calculator-- and a pencil I got on the coffee table... I had to sit and calculate this, make sure they really balance.

And they do.

Doesn't make sense.

Everything from shareholders dividends to petty cashflow balances... large sums of money have been going out and coming back in periodically for the past two years and there's no paper trail as to why.

It fucks my mind that I can't figure it out with just this information, I'll need more files and access to a computer to investigate but.. it's none of my business.

"What're you doing?" That deep voice almost makes me jump out of my skin.

I play it cool, don't know I got my guard down but grateful that I was distracted from my shit for a few minutes there. I didn't even hear him walk up behind me.

"I... uh.. I was just trying to clean up," I say running my hands down my hair like my heart is not ricocheting in my chest.

"No, leave it. You'll just mess it up," He sounds annoyed again.

"Mess it up? Ungazondihlanyela," I scowl up at him as he walks around to the coffee table before me, "I'm trying to sort through and organize it."

But his scowl is permanent, "Oh yeah, I forgot you said you went to business school..."

I don't know if that's tone of condescension or the fact that I realize I'm the down on my knees in front of him or that he doesn't look all that bad from this angle either but I shoot up to my feet to face him.

"I did go Mr Sin," I spit, "And I graduated summa cum laude."

He looks me sideways and scoffs, "Sure you did."

This mother...

Fine.

I won't tell him where to start looking for what made him throw these papers out here in the first place.

He can go choke on a dick and kill himself.

He picks up some files and pages through them in sullen silence, and I want to fly kick him into next week.

But I have priorities that need money so I can't even tell him to go fuck himself. I did promise to keep myself in check, keep my head down and get my money in peace.

So small and inconspicuous me doesn't even look at him sideways when I go back to my bucket and brushes--

"You never told me why you needed the day off on Wednesday," His voice makes me stop and turn back, "I had to sleep on dirty sheets and I hate that."

"You couldn't just change them?" I hear my mouth ask.

He sighs boredly, "Now why would I do that when I pay you for it?"

I'm confused, "I thought Zayn was the one paying me..."

"You thought," Now his tone is dry.

Kind of messes up the plans I concocted on the way into town today, I had a thought to ask Zayn if I start coming in later since I work nights at the club so it'll be easier to leave home in the afternoon and be in town all night.

That way I can spend time in the morning with Nene then spend the whole night in the city three days a week.

I just thought with my mom getting better, this is the only shot I have at spending more time with my daughter while I try to work how to keep them both safe and healthy.

There's an RDP coming up for hire, it's a two bedroom government housing and it's much better than where we live now. With what I've "saved" so far, we can rent for the harsh, wet winter.

I need to have Nene with me. With the way the situation stands now if I fight Vivid and his family, I will lose in more ways than one.

"So?" He prompts.

I shrug questioningly since my mind ran away with me.

He sighs boredly, "Why did you need to be off on Wednesday? Was it for a party or something?"

"A party in the middle of the week?" Who does that?

He twists his lips forming dimples that almost distract me from whatever this is...

I fold my arms and look him straight in those amber slits, "No, I had a family obligation."

"Family obligation?" He tests before nodding, "Well, here's my family obligation... my brother? Not for you."

"Excuse me..."

"Not clear enough?" He breathes and steps closer to me while running fingers through his now dry hair, "Stay away from Zayn."

We're now face to face, almost chest to chest.

I knew he was tall but from this distance I actually have to tilt my head all the way up-- his cold stare meets my seething one.

"For the last time, Mr Sin," I stressed the last time, "Your brother and I... we're just acquainted."

"Good," He breathes seemingly angrily, "Because tight, red dresses won't help you use him to crawl out of whatever gutter you come from."

He pauses to check for my reaction but all I do is stare up at him with so much disdain you can touch it.

Any other day...

Under different circumstances....

I swear on Mam'Ntombi.

He leaves me seething in my spot and goes the direction of his personal elevator.

My teeth are starting to hurt from biting down so hard. I have never wanted to tell someone to voetsek so badly in my life before.

Who in the fuck does that man think he is?

I go out of my way to be nice since he's my boss and we have to share space at some points and he chooses to say shit like that to me...

Anf out of nowhere like that? We're we just not having a half decent dry conversation in the kitchen? And then he's just back to his assholery?

Unprovoked nje a person can just decide to shit on you? Yoh.

Haai ke, I get my things and carry in my work living the papers just as they are even my calculation doodles. Goodluck to them when the auditors come around.

This is what I get for not minding my business.

I keep saying I'll do one thing and end up doing the opposite, I don't know what's wrong but if that one thinks that us gutter girls just lay down and take it then he's got another think well on the way.

__________

Not being the one to being told what to do brother no man living or dead, I go to my lunch with Zayn Sin as planned.

His brother must have me fucked he thinks he can say shit like that me and I'll just shut up and obey.

I may not be able to say anything to his face but I draw the line when it comes to my personal friendships. He surely can't fire me just because I met a friend for lunch.

And it's time to get to bottom of who I actually work for here and who's paying my cheque. I need to know who I address about certain things once and for all.

"You seem like you have a lot on your mind," This beautiful man sitting across me from remarks.

I hate that he's wearing the face of the one man I might actually hate.

"Is that you saying I look tired?" I ask instead.

He chuckles and he too has dimples, "No, just you look more stressed than usual. What's going on?"

I shrug and sit back in my chair, "Nothing, I'm good."

"Didn't say you were bad though, just that you look like you need to talk."

I take a deep breath and shake my head, "You're just imagining things," We are not that close to be honest, "Besides your brother telling me that I crawled from the gutter..."

Let's talk about that.

"He did what?" He looks so disappointed.

I nod, "But first who exactly am I working for Zayn? Who pays me?"

He resigns with a tired sigh, "He does--"

"You should've told me--"

"It's the same thing, him paying you, me paying you. It's the same money."

"No, it's not because that means he can go say shit like that to my face and there's nothing I can do about it because I need the money."

That's the distinction.

Zayn huffs again and leans closer, "Imani, you clean his place come on."

I get that, "But you made it seem like you're the one who's hiring me."

"And I was. Look, he may be the one paying you but you can say whatever you want to Dixon. He won't fire you, that I can promise," He tries his best to assure me, "That's why I gave you the security of rehiring you in the first place remember... because I know Dixon."

I'm still mad that that dick said I'm from the gutter... I mean yeah I am but screw him for spitting it in my face.

"So your brother pays my cheque and thinks I want to seduce you for your money?" I scoff and shake my head, "Great."