A Baby for the Billionaire

27

JULIET

Mr. Deniz hasn't spoken to me all day. The situation between us has only resulted in a state of constant tension that the only thing it does is increase, at least on my part.

On repeated occasions I tried to approach him to apologize, but all I got was his deliberate indifference with no other option than to suffer that closeness. During dinner, Elijah chooses to join us so I position myself in front of him, also taking advantage of the fact that my working hours with Ali ended earlier, but Thammy has also placed herself with the little one around us with the child in between.

At the hotel restaurant table there are two empty places, however when the waitress arrives to take our order, she asks "will there be someone else?"

"It'll just be the three of us," Elijah says, quickly correcting himself about the baby. All four, in fact.

"I thought...we'd have to wait for Mr. Deniz and Neville," I tell him.

"Nope. They will dine out tonight."

Why do I have the suspicion that he did it to avoid me? All day it has remained that way, I would not be surprised if that happens.

However, my common sense warns me not to believe that I have such an important place in Kerem's life.

"If you'd like, I can give you a few more minutes until you can decide what to order," she says helpfully.

"A drink will be fine for now . Lemon mint espresso for me" Elijah orders. Thammy orders tonic water, and I order the same as my friend.

The job we have covers our meals and travel expenses.

My partner orders something else for the baby and we are left alone to discuss the order, but instead I take the opportunity to extract information from Elijah. I can't go on with this silence and this emptiness.

"Please," I said. "You have to tell me how everything went."

When I fell in that room where they were holding such an important meeting. The old man my boss was talking to got worried and ordered the guard to check me out, to no avail for Mr. Deniz because nothing bad happened to me.

Neville indicated to Elijah that they were expecting him at that meeting, and since the three of us were with him, we accompanied him.

We had no idea it was confidential! We just passed, he gave us the spot even though Neville wanted to stop us.

He didn't make it since we were very involved in our laughter, jokes and a meaningless conversation of those that Kerem does not like at all.

With Thammy and Ali we go out, so that the rest of the day ends up turning into a torture marked by discomfort.

Even more so after what happened last night with Mr. Deniz, about which no one has spoken at all.

If it is not spoken, it did not happen. RIGHT?

However, the others saw us, they found us dressed, drunk, entangled in a bed in the opposite position in which normal people sleep. We were entangled in sweet dreams.

Leaving that alone as part of a reality that never fully existed.

With Thammy, they exchange a look that only prays complicity. Or a common message of "oh what a shame this girl is!"

"It was good, calm down," Elijah explains. "The mistake was mine for being late and also his because he is a curmudgeon who made those plans alone without counting on me, scolding me for not having been present at other meetings."

"Which ones?" I ask, realizing late that I may have seemed nosy, so I take it back. "I mean, were they important?"

"Yes, everything is important. But I had things to do. Dating and so on."

"Then you were also working."

Thammy coughs with laughter and Ali laughs back at her babysitter's reaction, but it's really what Elijah said.

Quotes.

Of course.

"I understand," I say quickly. "So what happened to Massera?"

"First, it was a communication error between him and me. You guys got in there because of me and because of Neville who didn't have the courage to stop you."

"Excuse me..."

The waitress leaves us our drinks and asks if we are going to order. They order and I choose a gourmet individual pizza while Thammy gets up to go change Ali's diaper because his laughter seems to have accompanied it.

"I'll be back soon," she says.

Alone with Elijah, I rest my elbows on the table like someone who wants to tell him a secret and tell him without preamble:

"My fall when I went in there caused problems with that old man, right?"

He lets out a light laugh and his ocean-colored eyes lock on mine, scared to death.

"Mr Massera. I think everything was fine until the "old man", I don't think he liked that."

"I...I'm sorry." But that's the reality. I was respectful, actually."

"Try to use the word 'sir' or 'ma'am' next time. If not either of the two, then 'Miss'."

"Whatever," I reaffirm. Was I wrong?"

"Relax, it's not your fault."

"What happened?"

I let out a sighs.

And he blurts it out:

"I think we missed our main investment objective on our trip to Silicon Valley. If the situation is not fixed, Kerem intends to return earlier and take the first flight he can find to Turkey."

"What?" My voice cracks. "So soon?"

"If we don't get Massera back, we have nothing more to do here."

"But...that man seemed nice."

"He liked you too, but that doesn't mean he's a good old man."

"Do you think I can fix it?"

"Hmm, I don't think so."

"Get me a meeting with him. I will try."

"Do you have any idea what kind of person he is?"

"Tell me how and I'll undo my mistake. And also with Mr. Deniz."

"Kerem wants nothing to do with you at all. No more."

Those words are stuck in my brain leaving me petrified like a glacier. It can't be... I've ruined everything. And I'm sure my stumble upon arrival was just the straw that broke the camel's back. The worst part happened last night when I made the mistake of falling into his arms.

Now I'm losing both of them.

I have to apologize and make amends.

And I swear I'm going to get it.