C7 CHAPTER 7

Carmela Lassiter tapped her feet as she studied her reflection in the elevator. She’s maybe in her fifties but she refused to dress according to her age. She could still wear tight jeans or even short shorts and even a miniskirt!

However, for today’s activities, she dolled herself with Hugo’s floral dress and paired the look with a black wedge. Then, she smiled sweetly as she exited the elevator and as always, she looked sophisticated and chic in her outfit. As she walked towards her son’s office, excitement rose within her chest. One of her friend’s daughters just returned from Europe and she’s excited to arrange his marriage to Natalya Caldwell.

Slowly, she pushed the thick door to open it and she was surprised to see that it was empty! Where’s everyone? If Pedro was engaged with something outside the office, the secretary was supposed to stay to take in important calls on behalf of her son.

She walked towards Pedro’s desk and sat on his huge swivel chair. She waited for a few seconds but when everyone failed to show up, she retrieved her phone to call him. After dialing his number, she let out a deep sigh due to the frustration that she wasn’t able to see him when it was urgent.

Carmela was ready to leave when she heard a seductive laugh somewhere in the office and wondered if Pedro brought a woman into the workplace. She gasped loudly when the realization hit her that she didn’t have to rush his introduction with Natalya.

As a mother who has no other child, she wanted to see her son settle down with his new family before dying. She’s maybe young at the moment but death had no warning and she didn’t want to leave him with anybody on his side. Natalya was her last hope because she used to be his friend when they were young.

Then, Carmela heard something that she shouldn’t be hearing. She couldn’t believe that the woman inside had to it. Who was she talking to on the phone? Whoever was inside the comfort room, she wished that it wasn’t someone with a questionable past. She wouldn’t mind having a daughter-in-law from a different background as long as she could make her son happy.

She wasn’t supposed to do it but she was curious to know what they were doing inside the comfort room when they could just lock the office and no one would see them. She was surprised to discover that the door wasn’t locked. Slowly, she peeked inside and loudly gasped for air when she saw him holding a sanitary napkin.

“Adrienne?”

“Mrs. Lassiter!” Adrienne exclaimed when Pedro’s mother stared at the sanitary napkin in her hand. Earlier, when she caught on that someone was outside the door, she panicked and her heart almost dropped to the floor the other person entered.

“Go ahead. I’m sorry for interrupting you,” Carmela apologized to her son’s secretary. “Come outside when you’re done,” she ordered in a stern voice.

When she returned to Pedro’s desk, she paced back and forth as she waited for Pedro’s secretary to come out from the comfort room. She was knocked for six when she saw Adrienne holding the sanitary napkin earlier and that woman ought to receive an earful from her! As soon as Adrienne got out of the comfort room, Carmela glared at Adrienne.

Adrienne’s knees almost buckled up as she approached the woman who discovered her in an embarrassing situation. Immediately, she kneeled in front of her and apologized. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Lassiter.”

It was unexpected and Carmela was caught off guard when she kneeled in front of her. “You don’t have to do this,” Carmela said.

“Darling, it’s normal for a woman to change her pads during break time!”

“Aren’t you going to fire me? I need this job, Mrs. Lassiter. I will do anything for you, please just don’t tell your son about it.” She begged Carmela Lassiter to let her keep the job and she promised to do anything for her. However, the woman only laughed at her situation, and she knew she fucked up big time! A deep sigh of frustration escaped from her lips as she tried to compose herself in front of Carmela Lassiter.

Carmela narrowed her eyes at Adrienne and a brilliant idea popped up inside her head. All this time, she was worried about Pedro. She thought that Adrienne could be helpful and asked, “Anything? Hmmm, why don’t you start by telling me your whole story?” Suddenly, Carmela became interested in Adrienne McBride. She wanted to know everything about the woman who worked with her son.

Carmela challenged her to be honest and it took her a long time to decide. Would it be worth it? There were several what if’s running through her mind and she was confused. She constantly wet her bottom lip while trying to come up with a better plan. She had second thoughts to open up to Carmela but she was desperate to keep the job. The salary she got from working as Pedro’s secretary was more than enough to support her daily needs. When Adrienne couldn’t think of anything else, she searched for something that could assist her and when she saw the coffeemaker nearby, she knew what to do about it.

“Coffee?” Adrienne offered to prepare a cup for the woman because if they were going to talk about her, it would take so much of their time.

“No cream and sugar,” Carmela replied and smiled when Adrienne walked towards the pantry supplies. She admired the young woman’s guts, and Carmela thought that she was a perfect match for Pedro.

There’s an area in Pedro’s office where two large sofas were placed across each other and in between was a wooden coffee table. It was designed to accommodate at least ten people at once. When she returned with the coffee, she was embarrassed to face Pedro’s mother, especially when she sat like a duchess. In one way or another, Carmela Lassiter was intimidating!

“Can you assure me Mrs. Lassiter that after I tell you everything you will let me keep this job?” She negotiated with Carmela.

“You’re a calculating woman, Adrienne, but you have to take a risk to gain something. Anyway, I don’t see any reason why you have to be scared about losing a job. Why? Is there something else that I have to know?” Carmela didn’t flinch when she lectured Adrienne about taking a risk to gain something. Every businessman or businesswoman knew the basics, but it was not common for Adrienne.

By all means, Carmela Lassiter was right. She had to take a risk to gain, and she risked it all when she applied for the job in the first place. First, she let out a deep sigh before she began to narrate her story. She was in the middle of the story when she needed another cup of coffee to calm her nerves.

“How about you, Mrs. Lassiter? Do you need a refill?” She asked.

“No, thank you.” Carmela declined because she had coffee at home and she shouldn’t have more than three cups a day. Although coffee was good, it was dangerous to her health.

“Okay, I’ll be back in a jiffy.” Adrienne stood up to get a refill for her coffee, and when she returned, she first took a sip before she resumed narrating her story.

Thirty minutes later, Carmela stared at Pedro’s secretary as she made up her mind on how to deal with her. “So, you need a lot of money.” Adrienne paled at her announcement but she only stated the truth.

“Yes, I do. I know that the reputation of Lassiter Shipping was put at risk when I joined, but I am not a bad person, Ma’am. I am just struggling to make both ends meet.”

“I understand,” Carmela sighed, and then she added, “Okay, but you have to do something for me. Are you up to the challenge?”

“Whatever it takes, Mrs. Lassiter,” she replied out of her desperation.

“Make him fall for you,” Carmela announced nonchalantly. She’d known Pedro all his life and there were times when she began to question his gender preference.

Adrienne knitted her brows at the woman’s remark because it confused her. “Who are you referring to?” She asked.

“My son, Pedro,” Carmela answered without blinking her eyes, causing the other woman to panic.