Seduced By My Billionaire Boss

Chapter 27: MEETING ADORA THOMPSON

Skylar stepped into the Thompson's Art Centre the next morning feeling embarrassed. She had talked herself into coming to work today, but no matter what excuses her subconscious mind has; she has always found enough reason to go. She wouldn't give Vino the satisfaction that he could hurt her. She doesn't care if he wants to be with his first love or not; she is going to work and learn to be independent just as she had always been.

"Hey Skylar"

Skylar came out of her thoughts to see Cynthia coming over from her table to drag Skylar down the hall to the cafeteria, which was empty save for the chef at this time of the morning.

"What's going on Cyn? Where are you taking me to?" Skylar protested loudly as she pulled Cynthia to a stop and glared at her with her hands clutching her nude purse in her hands.

"There's a new gist. Oh my God! I can't believe it," Cynthia called dramatically to Skylar with her hands clutching her chest like she couldn't bear to think about it.

"Gist?" Skylar asked her septically, with an overly beating heart. She was so scared right now. What has Cynthia uncovered again? Has she found out about her relationship with Vino or has she_______

"He has a daughter?" Cynthia called out to Skylar after checking the cafeteria to see that no one was listening in on their conversation.

Skylar gasped as she turned with a pale face to stare at Cynthia. She couldn't bring herself to believe what she just heard, or was Cynthia talking about another person "Who has a daughter?" Skylar asked, even though she knew the answer to the

question.

"Mr. Thompson, of course," Cynthia replied as she gazes up at Skylar, shocked that she could ask her such an obvious question

"How did you find out?" Skylar paused as she brought herself to calm down. What if Cynthia only assumes? Or is this the secret Vino was hiding from her? No, it can't be!! Cynthia must have been mistaken, Skylar mumbled in her mind, confused, as her thoughts were jumbled with what she had just heard.

"Listen. I was the last one to go home last night, I was about to lock up when I noticed the light from your office, apparently, you've forgotten to switch it off," Cynthia replied, pausing as she silently scolded Skylar for forgetting to switch off her office light.

"I then decided to help you switch it off, as soon as I got there, I saw Mr. Thompson discussing with a woman where he admitted that he had a daughter" Cynthia continued as she explained to Skylar but one thing was bothering her, why were they in Skylar's office? Or was Skylar the employee? No, she can't be.

Skylar nodded and turned to walk out of the cafeteria, lost for words. She forced the tears that threatened to fall out of her eyes as she walked into the elevator. She felt tempted to go back home and call in sick, but she didn't want anyone to know about her involvement with the boss.

She couldn't believe Vino could do this to her. Is this all she meant to him? She thought he cared about her? Was he only using her all this while?

"Are you alright?"

Skylar came out of her thoughts to see a concerned Paula gazing up at her. Skylar ran out of the elevator and hugged Paula, causing the tears to stream down her face.

"Oh, Paula! He lied to me. He hurt me!!" Skylar sobbed uncontrollably into Paula's shoulder as Paula patted her back gently, trying to calm her down.

"Skylar. Why? What happened?" Paula asked her, shocked. She had only come around to the office today because she couldn't get in touch with Skylar and she was missing her a lot. She didn't know Skylar was going through a tough time.

"I___ found out that____"

"What's going on here?"

Skylar froze as soon as she heard the anger in that voice. She quickly dabbed at her eyes as she turned to take in Vino. Beside him stood a smiling Elise who was clutching to the hands of a little girl.

Skylar's eyes widened in shock as fresh tears spilled down her face. Is this his daughter? Did he just rub this on my face? Does he not love me?

Vino's heart shattered into a million pieces as soon as he saw the tears in Skylar's eyes.

He felt bad for hurting her so much last night. If only there was a way, he could make up with her, he hoped Michael's suggestion would work; he planned to tell her about his daughter, which was why he asked Elise to come with her even though she wasn't aware of his intention yet.

"We meet again, Miss___ uh__ what's that your name again?" Elise smiled as she moved closer to where Skylar stood with Paula. A coy smile on her lips for what she was about to do.

Skylar pretended she couldn't hear her as she took in the little girl of about five who stood beside Vino. She couldn't quite see any resemblance between the child and Vino, but she does look like her mother with her baby blue eyes and high cheekbone.

"I'm sorry I couldn't make the introduction earlier. Meet Adora Thompson, Vino's daughter, with me. She's five"

Paula gasped as soon as she heard that, causing Skylar's eyes to shoot up to her face. She could see the understanding and hurt on Paula's face before she averted her gaze. She didn't want anyone's sympathy. She brought this on herself. If only she had resisted him, she wouldn't have been this hurt.

"Nice to meet you, Adora Thompson" Skylar called to the little girl who stood gazing up at her in confusion before turning to stare at Vino, she averted her gaze as soon as their eyes met "Congratulations, Mr. Thompson" Skylar called gently to him before brushing past him to her office with Paula right behind her heel.

"Miss Evans I______"

"She's not interested, Mr. Thompson. You can keep your sorry to yourself. I can't believe I set her up with such a man like you. You are a disgrace to adulthood," Paula exclaimed bitterly as she cut Vino off from whatever he wanted to say.

"I can't have you insulting my man, and who the fuck do you think you are?" Elise exploded as she charged off to Paula, who glared at her, ready to defend her friend even though it meant beating up Elise.

"It's okay, Elise. Let's go" Vino called to Elise who was now standing in front of Paula fuming in anger with her raised to strike "You can't do this in front of Adora, let's go" Vino chastised her before tugging her away from Paula as they both stepped into the elevator.

Skylar slumped down heavily as soon as she sat on her desk after waving a curious Layla to her office. She wasn't in the mood for work; she needed to rest her head and probably get drunk tonight.

"I'm so sorry about that, Skylar. How did it happen?" Paula called to Skylar from where she stood at the doorway. She pushed away from the door and came to take the seat across from Skylar.

"I don't know either. Everything was okay. He introduced me to both his parents and brothers. I thought we were okay until yesterday" Skylar paused as she wiped her tears away from her eyes. She could see Layla peeping out from her office, curious to know what was going on, and Skylar wouldn't want the entire office gossiping about her.

"What happened yesterday?" Paula prompted after a while when she saw that Skylar wasn't saying anything after that.

"And yesterday, after Elise came into my office to threaten me____"

"She did what?" Paula screamed in shock. She was so annoyed that she didn't slap Elise earlier when she had the chance to do so. "That whore, she's going to hear from me soon" Paula cursed bitterly, she wanted badly to defend her friend but she didn't know how to do so.

"I was expecting Vino to defend me and sent her away from my office. Instead, he took her side. I could only understand now that it was because they had a child together and all this while I thought that she was just a mere secretary who had drugged her boss into having sex with her. Who would ever think that she was so much more than that" Skylar lamented bitterly as she turned to place her head on the table? Her eyes felt heavy and her heartache so much! She wished there was anything she could do to stop the ache in her heart.

"That son of a bitch. Who would have ever thought that he was a softie but I could tell that he still loves you"?

Skylar's head shot up as soon as she heard that. "Love? Did you still call that love? Is that how you behave to someone you love? Answer me, Paula. There isn't any explanation for his attitude, it just means one thing which is, Vino wasn't and will never be in love with me"

"Skylar but_____"

"Miss Evans. Sorry to interrupt you" Skylar turned to see Madison standing at the with a parcel in her hands.

"It's okay Madison, you can come in. What is that?" Skylar asked as she pointed to the parcel in Madison's hands. She just hoped it wasn't from Vino. She would make sure she burned whatever that was in there without even caring about the amount of money spent on it.

"This is from Mrs. Thompson. It's an invitation for a charity ball held at the Thompson's mansion tonight. She asked me to give them to you and hope that you'll come" Madison called Skylar as she dropped the parcel on the table. She has done her part and hopes the boss gives her a raise after this. She had lied just as he had requested her to and now, she hopes Skylar will believe her enough to grace the ball tonight.

"Where is Mrs. Thompson?" Skylar asked Madison as she and Paula exchanged glances. Skylar would have loved for anything but to stay at home and drink herself to sleep, not bundled up to the rich party, but she can't possibly refuse Mrs. Thompson's personal invitation, can she?

"She left a while ago saying that she needed to get back to the mansion to sort out one or two things before the party," Madison called out to her. She could see in Skylar's expression that she had accepted her explanation. The boss would be so happy, Madison said in her mind.

"Thank you, Madison. You can go back to your office now," Skylar replied, waving Madison off from the office as she dropped the parcel on the floor beside her bag.

"So, what are you going to do now? Are you going to the party?" Paula asked Skylar as she watched her closely. She still believed Vino was in love with Skylar and hoped there was a better explanation for this.

"I have no choice but to go. I can't possibly refuse Mrs. Thompson's personal invitation, right?" Skylar asked Paula as she repeated what she had told herself earlier.

"I think so, but not to worry. I'll be coming with you. I can leave you to face that woman alone," Paula called to Skylar with a smile on her face. Skylar couldn't help but smile back. She was glad to have met Paula. She didn't know what she would have done without Paula in her life.

"So, let me quickly run home to prepare for the party," Paula told Skylar as she stood up from the chair across from Skylar. Skylar nodded without looking at her, her eyes fixed on the parcel.

"Okay. I will pick you up by 7. Be ready by then. Bye," Paula called to Skylar before stepping out of the office down to her car where she parked outside the office.

It was after some time before Skylar could allow herself to go home. She hasn't seen Vino ever since the incident at the elevator this morning. She had kept looking at her door from time to time, wishing that it would usher in Vino who would have begged and pleaded with her to forgive him that it was a mistake, but no matter how much Skylar played the words around in her head. She couldn't see the real Vino__ coming in to apologize for his mistake. Since having a baby wasn't a mistake, anyway. It was a carefully planned procedure. Skylar wondered in her mind as she got into her car and drove off.