Chapter 4 - first meeting

It had been at the fundraiser/auction he had held four months ago. The event had been well-attended and everything had gone well. The participants of the auction had been the most attractive men and women in his company. To make it not look like exploitation, there had been a call for volunteers. The response had been overwhelming but only twenty men and women were chosen.

On the evening itself, it had begun quite eventfully with the discovery of his cousin's baby mama at the event. It was when he had gone to the back to check on things that things got personal. He had received a call from the last person he had thought would ever call him. It was from his brother. They hadn't spoken in twelve years. It had surprised him enough that he had gone into an approaching room and taken the call. However, much to his disappointment, it had not been a pleasant call although the details escaped him at the moment. He did remember some shouting and the feeling of anger, sadness and disappointment gripping him when he had ended the call. But what happened next was emblazoned in his memory.

"Family suck, huh?"

The sweet female voice made him turn to the hanging sheet that looked like it had been hastily set up at the corner of the room. And he had finally noticed the tables with makeup and all the things needed to make women beautiful all about the room. He realised that he was in the female waiting room. The women who had been participating in the auction were to wait in the room while everything was being set up. He had also engaged the services of his cousin's best friend's wife. She had been on hand to help with any makeup and wardrobe mishaps.With less than ten minutes to the start of the auction, he had expected it to be empty.

"Who are you? And why are you not ready yet?"he asked, instead of acknowledging her remark. He saw some movements and the sheet bulging out in sections. When there came no response, he felt his anger increase to rage. And he couldn't help but to goad her. "You know it's rude to ignore a question directed at you."

"Well, kettle, it is nice to meet you. My name is pot. Hey, look at that, we're both black, "she responded drily. Harry was stunned, his anger forgotten. Ever since he had taken over the company, he had not faced such impertinence apart from family members. He was out of practice with how to respond to it so he only managed to bluster.

"Wh-what is that supposed to mean?"

"I thought it was"- a pause and a mumbled curse- "clear. You don't answer my question and I don't answer yours. Well, technically, I've answered yours but we'll"- a longer pause and a creative string of profanity before the sheet was shoved to the side and a small, sandy blonde-haired woman stalked out.

Well, small was relative since he was quite tall, at 6'2". If he had to hazard a guess, he'd put her at average height, 5'4", and quite slim. But not toned. Not like the women he was used to. And not looking at him with the usual deference and need to please. Instead, she looked quite angry as she headed towards him, her green eyes sparking flames, her lips so tightly-pressed that they were almost white. Suddenly, she presented her back to him. He looked at the open back of her pale pink dress and her bright orange bra strap.

"Hurry up, "she said, her voice abruptly urgent.

"What?" He knew he sounded lost and quite possibly dumb but he was lost. Although he didn't mind the view of her shapely back. It dipped in slightly at her waist and he could almost see her butt, the zipper stopping just short of the small of her back. Movement at his peripheral diverted his attention.

"Zip me up, "she hissed as she waved her free hand about, her other hand holding the front of her dress. "Hurry up. I can hear footsteps. I think she's coming."

She? Who? He wanted to ask more but the glare she directed at him spurred him to action. While he was slowly tugging the zip up, having to extricate some fabric caught in the teeth, he wondered why she was so short with him.

"So are you nervous about being on stage?"he asked, his tone conversational before finding her running back to the sheet just as he was done zipping her up. He found himself blinking at thin air.

"Of course. I don't even want to be here. I find it so repulsive and demeaning. I mean, is there no other way to get the money for the charity? I don't even know what charity this is for, " she cried. Harry's brows furrowed as he looked at the sheet and whatever she was doing behind it.

He had heard this from many people, most vocally from his cousin-in-law, Sharon Ballard. She was a opinionated woman and had never been shy about expressing her opinion. Just like the first time he had met her. So she had refused to attend when he had first invited them. She had practically berated him to change the program but he found her easy to turn a deaf ear on. But not this woman. Her words seemed to affect him. He wanted to justify his decision since he had approved the plan but he was coming up blank. How could he highlight the pros and how it counteracted the cons when he himself could not think of them? It was shedding light in his increasing apathy and he didn't like it. So, frustrated by this realisation, he began to attack her.

"Well, since you are here, you must be needing the validation of putting a price on your worth. Although after seeing the other participants, I'm quite surprised that you even showed up. I mean they are all so much more beautiful and put together than you. Aren't you afraid that no one is going to bid on you?"

Harry didn't know what took over him or where the words had come from. He had never been so mean and cutting to a woman before. At least without any provocation. Usually he revealed this side of him when he was trying to chase away a woman who didn't know the meaning of the word no. But this woman was just making conversation. A conversation he had started. Just because she had held up a mirror in front of him and he didn't like what it reflected was not her fault.

Wanting to apologise but the words seeming to get stuck in his throat, he tried to clear his throat, looking awkwardly at the night sky. A sudden snort made his gaze turn back to the sheet. Disbelief was rising in him. Was she trying to hold back her laugh? Taking a step towards the sheet, he found that he wanted to know everything about this woman.

"Since you're being so hostile about my criticism, you must be one of the organisers, "she said, her voice rife with amusement. He scowled at the sheet, his eyes straining to catch even a glimpse of her so that he could direct the glare specifically at her. "Don't worry. My friend, Gail, is also one of the organisers and she go prickly as hell when I questioned it. But I'm sure all the blame is on the head of our chauvinistic CEO. I heard that he barely took less than ten minutes to make the approval. And from the women that he dates, I don't find it surprising."

Was she talking about him? Wait, did she know who she's talking to?

For once in his life, he didn't have anything to say. He was lost and confused. The way she was talking to him made it seem that she didn't know who he was. But was she just drawing strength and confidence from not facing him? And was that how his employees viewed him? How she viewed him?Just as with her censure of the event, he was deeply affected by her opinion.

For lack of better things to say, he changed the subject. "So why are you here then?"

"Actually, I received a call from my roommate to bring a dress. But when I arrived, I was practically dragged into this room and be the replacement for a woman who had the bad timing of going to Las Vegas and getting married by Elvis. Trust me, if I could have gotten away, I would but Gail managed to make it seem that I needed to be here. So everyone is keeping their eyes out for me. I think if I leave, the team will never let me live it down and work is already hard enough as it is- Oh no."

"Why? What's wrong?"he asked, curious about why she sounded quite horrified. When there was no response, he headed to the held-up sheet, lifted it aside and watched as the woman rushed to wipe away her eyelid with a cotton pad. Then she seemed to be drawing a line on her eyes with a pencil followed by some lipstick and powder. Noticing him, she looked up at him and smiled. He was surprised how that wide smile transformed her face, making her look pretty. It was a wholesome pretty, not sexy or beautiful like the women he was used to, but it did something to him. He felt his heart start to speed up. Then he noticed that her mouth was moving.

"How do I look?"she asked, blinking up at him. "Is it alright?" He saw a hint of vulnerability in her eyes and a rush of protectiveness rose in him, making him nod decisively.

"You look wonderful." The delight that replaced her vulnerability made him feel like he had grown ten feet tall. Then, she pulled him inside and the feeling of familiarity and disappointment replaced that. And to think, he had thought that this woman was different from any other woman. The small space meant that she was plastered against him, which, he was sure, was what she has planned. He was getting ready to push her away when she spoke, her breath tickling the opening in his collar.

"Sorry. I didn't really plan for this but I'm just not ready for the event. I'm Elena, by the way, Elena Harrington." Her sudden introduction threw him off. Looking down at her, he saw the twist in her lips as she acknowledged the ridiculousness of their situation. "I know it's a bit sudden and unasked but it seemed to be a good time for it. I mean, how can I be stuck in this absurd situation without knowing who I dragged in? So, your turn."

"I'm Harry. Just Harry, "he tacked on hastily when he saw that she was going to ask for his last name. For some reason, he didn't want to tell her that. He didn't want to see her change the moment she knew who he was. Who most people knew him. Despite the stuffiness, he was quite content to be there with her. He believed her and liked how her breasts were tightly pressed against him. But he didn't want to seem like he was enjoying their predicament so he asked, "Why did you even do this?"

"I thought I heard footsteps-"

"Like just now?" Her glare made him want to smile.

"Yes and keep your volume down. I hear them right now."

"Why am I not hearing what you're hearing?"

"Because you have the ears of a deaf person?" His laugh made her glare even harder at him. He didn't whether she was hearing things or not but he was highly amused. Until the sheets were pushed aside and he was facing Amelia Garnet, one of the top Supermodels and the person helping him with makeup and wardrobe.

When she saw him, her baby blue eyes widened, her eyes fixed on his hands, which, he found, were around Elena's shoulders. Realising that his hands had instinctively wrapped around her to make space in the cramped space, he immediately let her go and stepped back. But his foot stepped on some of the sheet excess material and found it slippery. Too slippery. Unable to gain traction in time, he found himself falling to the back. He tried to reach for anything but grasped at air when something grabbed his wrist and he felt some tugging motions. It wasn't enough though and he pulled the person down with him. He heard a rip and someone screaming, which was cut short and then a burst of pain as he landed on his back.

"Are you alright?"

Dazed, he found himself looking at the light on the ceiling before a woman with blonde hair and green eyes dominated his line of sight. Then something hit his cheek again. Not hard but enough to get him back to reality. Realising he had pulled the sheet down and that some remnants of it was still stuck to the ceiling, he sat up. Elena sat back onto her haunches, her dress bunched around her feet, her worried eyes still on him.

"I'm fine. How about you?"he asked while he mentally checked himself for any possible injuries. Apart for some soreness, he felt fine. Standing up, he held a hand for her.

"I'm fine if you don't count my impending doom, "she said with an ominous tone. It seemed Amelia's presence had made the event more real.

"It's not so bad, Elena. I'm sure your friend will help you, "Amelia said reassuringly. Elena gave her a small smile in acknowledgement but he had a feeling she didn't take it to heart. "So, Harry, why are you here?"

"I'm checking on things, "he told her, trying to keep the defensive edge off his voice. It was difficult, though, when he could see the amusement in her eyes. Turning to Elena, wanting to see how she really was, he was surprised to see that she had withdrawn into herself.

She was practically setting herself away from them. Looking more tense, wringing her hands in front of her. After Amelia left them with a wink to him and reminder to Elena, he tried to converse with Elena but she just answered in monosyllables. Eventually, she went to join the other participants and he was forced to find his seat.

AN: Hey guys. Finally, I'm able to post this chapter. And since I've been posting so regularly in Radish, this in turn means I can now update every week on Wattpad. Yay!! So updates are on Monday, whatever time I can spare to post.

I hope you like it, my Wattpad readers. For those who have read the story on Radish, no spoilers please. (Although, for now, nothing much has happened)

Please VOTE and COMMENT if you like this chapter. Also, do follow me on twitter, @wpsaiidah, to know what I'm actually doing when I'm supposed to be writing.

THANKS :)