Meeting Mr. Mogul: A Billionaire Contemporary Romance (4 page)

“Andy, can I talk to you for a minute?” Jack asked while I was cleaning a beer glass by the bar. It was already past three in the morning and I was beat.

Before I followed him, I quickly washed the glass, put it on the counter, dried my hands with my apron, and took it off when Jack signaled for me to go somewhere else. He led me to a small room at the back of the club. At first, I thought it was the storage area. It turns out it was his office.

When we got in, he lightly closed the door behind him, faced me, let out a sigh, and said, “Did you insult Mr. Maxwell?”

“Tonight was a long one for me. Can you be a little more specific? I may have insulted or cursed on a few people who were being too rude to handle, so I actually have no idea who that one is,” I replied lightly, trying to lighten the mood.

He smirked and walked around me towards a small desk across the door. “For someone who just started, I can’t believe that you had to pick
tonight
to be clueless,” he said, his serious façade back. Terry was right, the man was humorless.

“I’m so sorry, Jack. I don’t know who you mean or why you are angry,” I said calmly in reply. I reeled my tongue in and tried not say any more witty comebacks.

“He told me that you told him to wait and deliberately overlooked him. Does that refresh your memory?” he asked lightly, though his voice sounded grave.

As soon as he mentioned it, I was able to refresh my memory. “Ah, yes. I remember that guy. He was a prick if you ask me,” I answered, snorting in disgust as I recalled that scene.

“You don’t know who he is?” Jack asked, looking slightly taken aback by my words.

“Well, I did just say that...” I pointed out sarcastically, rolling my eyes.

“William Maxwell, CEO of Maxwell Enterprises. The man owns almost half of the city’s businesses. He co-owns this club with me,” Jack explained quickly, giving me a gist of the man’s background.

“Holy...” I started, but trailed off as a memory came to me. He was the man who I served in the restaurant the night before. He was the boss of my boss, only now, it turns out he was also the boss of my other boss. It just dawned on me that I disregarded twice the man who has the power to ruin my life, which
is putting both my jobs at risk.

Jack was very calm after I admitted—innocently—that I didn’t know who he was. He forgave my lack of knowledge and told me to not be rude to the man again. I wanted to comment more on that, but I held my tongue and just nodded. I may have only encountered the man twice, but during each encounter, he made my blood boil. The arrogance he emanated was overwhelming that I almost lost my cool.

After our chat, Jack gave me a lift back to Terry’s apartment since it was almost four in the morning.
Well, there goes my sleep
. When I got inside the apartment, the sky had turned gray, which signified dawn. I was so exhausted that I didn’t bother to change my clothes and just crashed on the couch.

When I woke up, the sun’s rays seeped through the window, blinding me momentarily. Then someone nudged me, taking me by surprise. In retaliation, I kicked the person, which resulted in a series of profane words.

“I didn’t know you were so violent when woken up,” Terry hissed, his voice suddenly close to my ear.

I turned my face to the side, since it was face down (the way I mostly sleep), and stuck my tongue out like a kid.

“Why are you annoying me? I just got home—wait… What time is it?” I asked in alarm, quickly sitting upright.

Terry studied me with his brown eyes, smirking at my animated actions. “You looked funny. I never actually saw your ‘just woke up’ face,” he said, looking amused.

“Don’t ruin my already sour mood, Terry,” I warned and glanced at the clock. “Shoot! I got to go!” I exclaimed, getting up as I frantically searched for my bag.

“Here’s your stuff,” Terry said as he held out my bag and jacket. “Do you need a ride? Or a shower perhaps?” he asked as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

I looked at him sternly for a second before getting a whiff of myself. I cringed at how badly I smelled. I reeked of beer (though I never drank last night), sweat, and a whole lot of other things. Basically, I smelled like someone who had a rough night. Glancing back at him, I gave him a grim smile and gestured for him to wait a second. Shortly after that, I sprinted to the bathroom to freshen up. When I finally had a good look at myself in the mirror, I jolted in surprise once I saw my reflection. I almost didn’t recognize myself. Maybe I was just overreacting, but I think I looked like a caveman with my fuzzy hair and dark eye bags.

I sighed for a second before showering really quickly. I brushed my teeth after and then tried very hard to straighten my hair, which I ended up styling into a messy bun anyway. Lastly, I changed into fresh clothes in less than fifteen minutes. When I was done, it didn’t take long for us to be on the road.

I accepted Terry’s offer this time around, since it was already noon. I was already late than usual. On the ride there, I prepared a bunch of excuses on why I was late. It’s quite hard to convince someone who knows you inside and out and could tell if you lied.

“Hey, Dad. Terry is with me today,” I greeted once I entered the room. He was watching reruns again.

“Hi, Mr. Peterson. How are you today?” Terry greeted as he followed me inside, bringing a box of goodies as gift. The truth was I bought those as a peace offering in case my alibi didn’t go well.

“Terry! I’m doing good, son. How are you? Is my daughter behaving well?” my father asked, muting the television as he turned to face us.

“I’m fine, Mr. Peterson. Andy is behaving like an angel, as always,” Terry replied with a smile. The sarcasm in his voice was thick.

I eyed him for a second and rolled my eyes. “Dad, did Dr. Stanley finish his rounds already?” I asked, changing the topic.

“You just missed him,” he replied nonchalantly, but kept his eyes on me like he was studying my expression. “Do you like him?” he asked after a moment.

“What?! Where did you get that idea?” I asked, shocked by his question.

“No reason. I just wanted to know your reaction,” my father replied calmly, and then increased the volume again. I sighed in relief and sat on my usual chair.

Terry stayed with us for a while, but excused himself after mouthing that Andrew wanted to meet up. I simply nodded at him in consent. For the rest of the afternoon, my father and I just watched his favorite reruns. It seemed as if he wasn’t angry about my tardiness, or if he was, he did a good job hiding it. A couple of shows later, I rose from my seat and told him I was going. That’s when he finally spoke up.

“Why were you late this morning?” he asked.

“I was late because I overslept. I know it’s unlike me, but I was doing some extra work last night,” I replied, holding up a finger, as a sign for him to stop when he opened his mouth to interject. This was the excuse I decided to use because there was a little bit of truth to it, hopefully to cover up the real reason.

“Oh. Okay. Just don’t drain yourself. And get some sleep. If you’re too tired to visit, you should just stay home and rest, you know.” He looked and sounded worried.

“I’m alright, Dad. You don’t have to worry so much,” I replied, giving him a hug to hide my solemn expression.

I didn’t prolong my stay, so I said goodbye and rushed out of the room. On the ride back to Terry’s place, I was mostly spaced out. My thoughts were preoccupied with my father’s condition. I never wanted to lie to him, but if I told him the truth, it would make him worry even more and probably worsen his condition. I felt miserable every time I did that. Back then, I never lied to him. But now, I’m lying to him more and more, and it hurts every time I keep doing that to him.

It didn’t take long for Terry to notice my mood when we arrived at work. When I didn’t make a move to remove the helmet, he frantically waved his hands in front of me.

“Earth to Andy! Are you awake?” he asked, snapping his fingers when I didn’t respond.

I simply looked at him with a smirk. “I’m fine, Terry. Just slightly worn out,” I admitted glumly but with a smile on my face.

“I think you need some chocolate mousse cake to cheer you up. And you’re in luck. I know where to get one,” he stated with a reassuring smile.

“You know that is not allowed, right?” My eyebrow rose up in surprise at the implication that he’d just grab one of the cakes in the restaurant.

“Don’t worry. I’m buying it in case they find out,” he replied as his smile broadened. I hopped out of his motorcycle. He reached out for my helmet, taking it from me.

I smirked in reply, not knowing what to say after that. We got in the restaurant and went straight to our lockers and changed into our uniform. It consisted of a plain, white polo and black slacks paired with black shoes. Management provided everything after one was accepted to the job.

My evening started uneventfully, like yesterday. I was glad that there were no douchebags seated on my section, but I couldn’t say the same for Terry. When I met him by the computer to punch in an order, he was mumbling to himself in a silent rage.

“Are you alright?” I asked when I reached him, giving him a light pat on the back.

He replied with a frustrated sigh as he continued to type in the written orders in his small notepad. When he was finished, he glanced up at me and gave me a grim smile. “I’m not,” he replied softly, his smile not reaching his eyes.

“Which table?” I asked, already knowing the reason for his sour mood.

“Nineteen,” he stated, his voice unusually low from trying to maintain control. I could see from the way he clenched his teeth and his hands balled into fists that he was on the brink of losing it.

“What did he do?” I asked calmly as I quickly glanced at the table. The customer looked like every other businessman present in the room, wearing the usual dark navy suit without a tie. There was a short pause as I continued to assess the man. So, I turned to look at Terry but he really wasn’t in the mood for a recap.

“Tell me about it later in the bar. We can drink it off,” I offered as I gave him one last comforting pat before taking his place in the computer.

This made him smirk and chuckle a little. “Wow. I didn’t know that one night in a bar could change you into this kind of woman, Andy.”

“It didn’t. I was just humoring you,” I countered with a grin.

He snorted in reply, his smile still in place. With a final shake of his head, he walked towards the counter where trays of food were present. I worriedly looked at his retreating figure for a second before getting back to business. When I finished typing my set of orders, I noticed Reyna ushering a new customer to a reserved table.

As my eyes finally reached the man’s face, I stiffened. His dirty blond hair was slicked back and his dark gray silk suit, with a black polo underneath, snugly fitted him. He looked like one of those moguls on the cover of a lifestyle or business magazine. William Maxwell. The man with the power to fire me from both my jobs and perhaps make it difficult for me to get another one in a city he mostly owns. A man I don’t want to be enemies with, although that is getting harder every time we meet.

Mr. Mogul, which was quite an apt title for him, was seated in the same table he occupied on his last visit. I’ve learned my lesson after that first encounter, so I ignored him and entertained the rest of the tables in my section except his. He, too, ignored my presence for a while, until he condescendingly snapped his fingers when I passed by, adding fuel to the fire.

I resisted the urge to shout as I turned to him with my best fake smile. “Is there something you need, sir?” I asked.

He wasn’t able to reply right away as his phone vibrated on the table, getting his full attention. I wanted to walk away after that, but he held his finger up as a signal for me to wait. I waited for him to finish his call, all the while trying to control my temper.

When he was finally done, he didn’t bother looking at me. Instead, he glanced down at the menu in front of him and remained silent for another minute, as if he had all the time in the world. I wanted to smack the man in the head right then and there, but he suddenly looked up. A pair of clear sky blue eyes stared directly at me.

“Have you finally figured out who I am?” he asked firmly, his familiar British accent thick and his voice deep.

“There wasn’t much choice on my part,” I replied in the same tone and looked back at him gravely.

“How so?” he asked, his lips in a smirk.

This man is trying to test what little patience I have left. “Well, I had to find out sometime, since I do work here. I mean, what kind of an employee would I be if I don’t know who my employer is?” My self-control was starting to wear thin.

“Smart answer... Andy,” he paused for a second as he read my nameplate. “You don’t look like an Andy. Did you steal that nameplate?” he asked, raising his eyebrow in suspicion.

“No, sir. My father gave me that name since he wanted a son, but he had me instead,” I explained sarcastically. This man is really testing my patience.

“What is your real name?” he asked, his eyes gleaming with interest.

I looked at him for a moment before giving him a reply. “It’s what’s written here, Mr. Maxwell. Bold and clear,” I replied bluntly. I also tapped my nameplate twice for emphasis.

He raised his eyebrow again in surprise. From the way his eyes hardened afterwards, it was obvious he didn’t like my answer. He tilted his head a little as he continued to stare. “Have you always been this invigorating?” he asked, his voice practically dripping with sarcasm.

“I think so,” I replied to humor him.

“Are you not afraid of losing your job, Ms. Peterson?” he asked, his voice serious and commanding.

“This isn’t the only job out there for me, Mr. Maxwell. I have other offers,” I said with confidence. That last part was a bluff, though. If he knew how much I needed this job, it would surely fuel his arrogance.

“In that case, I’m sure it wouldn’t be a problem if we no longer need your services,” he stated with finality.

For a moment, I was caught off guard. I can’t believe the man just fired me (what irked me more was I still found him charming, but I disregarded that notion). “By divine providence, you finally went straight to the point,” I mumbled with tight lips. “You don’t have to be so cunning, Mr. Maxwell. The least you could have done was humiliate me in front these people,” I said sarcastically, gesturing around the room.

“Would you have preferred to be humiliated, Ms. Peterson?” he asked, again, raising his eyebrow at me in question. I think that was one of his tricks.

“No. I was just humoring you, Mr. Maxwell. Besides, since I already humiliated you once, I thought a man like you would’ve returned the favor,” I stated with sarcasm as I untied my apron. When it was loose enough, I grabbed hold of it and threw it at him.

“You don’t have to fire me, Mr. Maxwell. I wouldn’t want to bother you with such trivial matters. To make it easier and simpler, I quit!” I shouted the last two words, making sure my voice was heard throughout the entire room.

At that moment, the room went silent. I could feel everyone’s eyes on me as I stared at him with rage. I stood there for a second, savoring his stunned expression. Before he could come up with a reply, I walked away from him and stomped towards the locker room. In my peripheral vision, I saw Terry’s stunned expression and my manager’s shocked face. In fact, everyone’s eyes were on me as I made my exit.