Natalie, can you come into my office? Noah came from upstairs and stood just outside the kitchen.
I leaned on the counter finishing my glass of water. I sized him up. “I can and I will.”
He eyed me suspiciously. “Good. Thank you.”
I wondered why he acted so serious. What was he up to? I placed the empty glass in the sink and walked out of the kitchen and into his office.
Mrs. Ross sat on the couch bent over, looking through papers scattered on the coffee table. She looked up at me when I entered the room. Noah sat behind his desk studying me as I walked towards him.
“Have a seat Natalie.” He gestured to the chair closest to where I stood.
I sat down, crossed my legs, and folded my hands on my knee.
He spoke. “Natalie, I’m hosting an important dinner party next week here at the house. It will be a catered event downstairs in the wine cellar. The guest of honor is Senator Garrity. There will be high profile people attending this party…”
“No problem, I’ll stay in my room.” I interrupted him.
“That's not where I'm going with this. I’d like it…”
“I can leave for the night, no problem.” I interrupted him again.
“Natalie, can you please let me finish?” Irritation laced his words.
Mrs. Ross cleared her throat as she sat on the couch behind us. Both Noah and I glanced over at her. She continued scrutinizing the pile of papers in front of her.
Noah continued. “Natalie, I’d like you to attend. I don’t want you hiding out in the house or forced to find something to do outside of the home.”
“Mr. Westlake I don’t think it’s a good idea. I’m more of an introvert…”
“You’ll attend, and it’s not up for discussion.” Noah paused. “And you’ll need a cocktail dress. I’ll pay for it. When you decide which dress have Mrs. Ross order it for you.”
I had nothing more to say and neither did Noah. I stood, walked out of the room and upstairs to my bedroom. I opened my laptop and searched for a dress.
A few minutes later, there was a soft knock on the door. “Natalie, Can I come in?”
Thank goodness it was Mrs. Ross. “Come in,” I called out from the couch.
She walked in and sat down beside me. She leaned over and looked at my computer screen. “Don’t worry Natalie; you’ll be fine. All we have to do is find you a stunning dress.”
“Why does he want me there?”
“He may enjoy torturing you. He knows you’ll be uncomfortable. Maybe, he wants to push you out of your comfort zone.”
“I think he relishes in torturing me.” I skimmed through the dresses on the screen in front of me.
“Natalie, did you not hear Noah? He’s paying for the dress.” Mrs. Ross took the computer away from me and browsed dresses on Saks Fifth Avenue site. She clicked on preferences, which included all dresses two thousand dollars, and above, and we began our search.
From the first page, I saw the dress I wanted to wear. “That one Mrs. Ross.”
Mrs. Ross regarded me with a smile. “You have excellent taste, Ms. Natalie Hill. Order it!”
I giggled. “But it’s a five thousand dollar cocktail dress.”
“It is, and it is perfection, and it will look stunning on you. Now order it! And don’t forget the shoes.”
I clicked on my size, added the shoes and filled out the information. Mrs. Ross typed in the billing information, clicked on express shipping, we reviewed the order and hit send.
“Will you be at the party, Mrs. Ross?”
“No, I no longer attend events since my husband can not escort me.”
“I’m sorry about your husband.” Mrs. Ross shared little personal information, but she made me aware of her husband’s heart condition weeks ago.
“Natalie, I’m just so thankful that he’s still with me.” She patted my knee. “Now, back to the dinner party. I think you should wear your hair straight and back in a tight ponytail off your face. The mock collar on that dress will set the look.”
“I agree. Mrs. Ross, I’m nervous.”
“Natalie, with your education you’ll be able to hold your own.”
“That’s not what worries me.” I looked down at my hands folded in my lap.
“Ah, I see, Noah, I mean Mr. Westlake worries you.”
“I never know what his mood will be.”
“He’ll be on his best behavior that night, and anyway, he’ll have his date to occupy his attention.”
My heart dropped to my stomach. I never considered that Noah was inviting a date to the party. After the night he promised he’d try to be better, I assumed that meant for me. “Do you know who his date is?”
“Some Russian model. I heard him talking to her this morning.”
“A model.” I wanted to vomit.
“Not a famous model but she models.” Mrs. Ross stood up from the couch. “I need to get back to work and don’t worry; you’ll be fine.”
As soon as Mrs. Ross exited my room, I panicked. Noah’s intention for wanting me to attend this party was so he could rub his Russian model in my face. That shit!
I will show him. I’ll make sure I look irresistible that night and flirt with every available man there. He’ll wish he never asked his Russian model to come as his date.
I picked up my cell and made all the appropriate appointments: Hair, skin, and nails. Then I must find some sexy lingerie because according to that picture my new silk dress is see-through.
The day of the party I worked out then read by the pool until four o’clock. The staff hired to cater the party was busy working most of the day. I passed Noah only a few times early in the day. By the third time, he stopped to talk with me.
“Natalie, do you think you should parade around in that postage stamp you call a bikini?” He asked.
“No one is paying attention.” I insisted.
“Yes, they are. You are distracting all the men setting up for my party with your sweet little ass cheeks hanging out of that four by four piece of material.” Noah continue
“You imagine they are.” I knew they were but feigned innocence.
“No, I’m not and either way, I find it distracting.” He admitted. Something Noah Westlake, rarely, if ever, did.
“Don’t worry your girlfriend will be here to reel you in.”
“I see Mrs. Ross told you I have a date for this evening.”
“She did.” I kept things simple and friendly, but I knew he saw right through me. I wondered when his little Russian girlfriend would show up. Knowing Noah, he’d send his driver to get her in time for the party. No sooner, no later.
“Natalie, it would be inappropriate to have my daughter’s nanny as my date.”
“But not inappropriate to fuck me.”
I watched his face recede at my blatant honesty. “Natalie.”
“No. Noah I don’t want to hear it anymore. You don’t owe me an explanation but what I don’t understand is why I need to be there?”
“Because I want you there.” He paused then changed the subject. “Did you get a dress?”
“Yes, thank you.”
“My pleasure.” He replied then walked away.
Once again, a cold, cruel man replaced the Noah I thought I knew. I recognized my time here was coming to an end. I could no longer ride this roller coaster with Noah Westlake. And seeing him here tonight with his date might be the end of whatever he and I have.
At five o’clock I showered. My primping crew would arrive at six, and I wanted to be ready for them. I bought a few bottles of champagne up to my room for myself and to share with the girls helping beautify me.
At six o’clock the caterer sent them up to my room. I heard a knock on the door and welcomed them in. I showed them my dress and left my look to the professionals. The stylist suggested the same look Mrs. Ross mentioned for my hair and the make-up artist decided on a smokey eye and kept everything else nude including the nail polish.
The party started at eight. I stared at myself in the mirror. I couldn’t believe the person looking back was me. I looked like someone else. Someone glamorous. My stylist spent most of the time flat ironing my hair to perfection leaving the last small detail of pulling it back to the end and my make-up added to the sleek, sexy look.
My dress was eloquent and simple: a black sleeveless silk dress with a mock ruffled collar with sequin details around the hem. Underneath I wore a La Perla one-piece body suit. The pleated details of the dress disguised my most private areas, but the black silk did little to hide my legs right up to the lines of my La Perla lingerie.
I glanced over at the clock on the desk. It was too early to go down. I’d wait, sip my champagne hoping to calm my nerves until eight fifteen then I’d join the other guests.
I heard the doorbell ring multiple times, and I wondered if Noah expected me to greet the other guests. I emptied the last bit of champagne in my glass and looked at myself one last time. I took in a deep breath and exited my room.
My insides quivered as I walked down the stairs. From the bottom step I stared at the backs of many of the guests, I scanned the room for Noah, and though I couldn’t see him, I could hear his voice. I circled the one column and stepped into the room.
The entire room fell silent as they watched me enter the party. I glimpsed at Noah. He stopped mid-conversation when he noticed me. He shifted his body to face me, and I watched his eyes move up then down over my body. His lips parted then he took in a deep breath. He brought the scotch glass he held up to his mouth and emptied it. Just then a waiter scurried over to him and held out an empty silver tray. Without taking his eyes off me, he placed the empty glass on the tray.
I didn’t know what he thought, but the hungry look in his eyes made my heart palpitate. I bit down on my bottom lip then looked around for someone or something to distract me from his firm stare. I approached and greeted the person closest to me.
“Good Evening, my name is Natalie Hill.”
“Hello Natalie, my name is Aaron Best, and this is my wife, Sharon.”
“Nice to meet both of you.” I could feel Noah coming towards me, but I continued in light conversation with Aaron and Sharon Best.
“Natalie.” Noah came up alongside me and wrapped his arm around my waist. “Aaron, you don’t mind if I steal Natalie away, do you?”
The Best’s smiled at Noah as he swept me away. He pulled me off to the side near the front door. He stared at me but said nothing. I looked at him with a closed lip smile waiting for him to speak.
Nothing.
So I spoke. “Noah, is everything okay?”
He took in a deep breath and fixated on my face.
“Noah?”
He broke his stare. “Natalie, you look beautiful.” He finally put a sentence together. He reached for my neck but stopped himself before he touched my skin.
I couldn’t stand it anymore. I leaned in, placed my hand on Noah's cheek while I kissed his other cheek. “Thank you, Noah, so do you.” When I stepped back, he attempted to reach out then stopped himself, again.
I looked around the room seeking his Russian beauty. She stood with a puss on her face. “I think your date is looking for you. Introduce me.”
I walked back into the center of the party straight towards his Russian date. She was attractive but didn’t look like a supermodel. She was also young; too young for Noah. I wondered if she came out of one of those Russian mail order bride catalogs.
I walked up to her, extended my hand and spoke to her in what little Russian I knew. She shook my hand and seemed to appreciate my attempt to communicate with her in Russian. I introduced myself and I watched as the Russian model’s face softened.
Noah stood behind me. “I didn’t know Russian was in your repertoire. It wasn’t on your resume.” He said under his breath for only me to hear.
“I didn’t put it on my resume because I’m not fluent,” I whispered back.
“Noah, you never told me you had a sister.” Noah’s Russian model slapped him on his arm.
“A sister?” Noah questioned confused.
“Noah loves to act like I don’t exist.” I joked and slapped him on the arm where his date just hit him.
“Excuse us.” Noah grabbed me by my arm and dragged me away, again.
“You told her I was your brother?”
“No. I told her I was your sister.” I tapped him on the nose and walked away. I looked back at him and said one more thing. “Have fun tonight.”
After I had mingled a little, I searched out another cocktail, preferably the champagne variety I drank earlier in the evening. I found a waiter with a tray and followed him until I caught up with him. I lifted a glass from his tray and thanked him. He tried to make polite conversation until he became downright rude and asked me what I was doing after the party. I was in no mood, so I walked away.
I stood on the outskirts of the room watching the guests talk and schmooze with each other. At first, I tried not to notice him but then as I scanned the room our eyes met. I gave him a wink and raised my glass to him. He nodded his head and went back to the conversation he was having with one of his guests. His Russian girlfriend hung on his arm looking out into space not even attempting to be interested in the conversation.
I walked the perimeter of the room alone. The guests seemed to enjoy themselves, and many of them interacted with each other like they've known each other for years.
My mind drifted as I considered why Noah wanted me here. He paid no attention to me and wouldn't look at me. The only two possible reasons: he wanted to make me jealous, or he wanted to make me feel like the outcast. The one thing that continued replaying in my mind was Noah saying, “it would be inappropriate to have my daughter’s nanny as my date.”
Lost in thought, I hadn’t realized a man came up beside me. “Hello there.”
I jumped. “I’m sorry I didn’t see you there.”
“You seemed distracted. My name is Douglas Maas.”
“Hi, I’m Natalie Hill.”
“Nice to meet you, Natalie Hill.” He extended his hand for me to shake. The oily tone of his voice sent up warning signals to my feminine brain.
He wasn’t an attractive man. His hair looked disheveled and in need of a wash unless he layered it with too many styling products, but either way, chunks of dandruff littered his hair. His smile revealed crooked teeth in need of a good floss. He had a lecherous expression on his face, and he made my skin crawl, but I felt I needed to be polite since he was a guest in Noah’s home. I felt disappointed that he singled me out. Out of all the people at this party and this man approached me to talk.
“Nice to meet you.” I lied and stared straight ahead hoping to create some distance. I didn’t want to do anything that would lead him on.
“You’re the most beautiful woman in this room. Did you come with a date?” He asked as I swore I felt some of his spit hit my cheek. Inconspicuously, I wiped my cheek.
Did he think he had a chance with me? “Thank you and no.”
“And how do you know Noah?”
I glanced over at Noah. He stared back at me then he looked at Douglas. Noah adjusted his tie at the knot then pulled at his collar. His eyes tightened as he glared at us.
He couldn’t possibly be jealous of the man standing next to me. Douglas made me feel like I needed a shower while he needed a toothbrush, floss, and a bottle of Head and Shoulders.
“I take care of Noah’s daughter.”
“Ah, the nanny. The thought of you as a nanny is very intriguing.”
“Excuse me.” Forget politeness; this man deserved no such treatment. He was a pig. “I will walk away now.”
Douglas grabbed my arm. “Not yet, nanny, I want to talk to you. I have questions about your studies.”
On the defensive because of his audacious and lewd behavior, I only noticed Noah walking towards us like the stealth of a man on a covert mission when he was a few steps from us.
“Douglas, how are you doing tonight?” Noah asked as he put his body between Douglas and me.
“Fine, I was just trying to get Natalie to tell me about her work as a nanny.” He stepped around Noah to address me. “Do you wear a special outfit?”
Noah’s body seemed to grow bigger as he towered over Douglas and closed the space between them. Between his teeth, Noah spoke. “Doug, go get yourself another drink and leave this young woman alone. Do you understand?”
Douglas stepped back away from Noah. “I hear you loud and clear.” Then he walked away.
Noah fixated on me. I sensed regret, but it was too little too late. He reached for my arm just as one waiter called everyone to dinner. I pulled away just as his date approached. She linked her arm in his dragging him down the stairs. I followed behind the other guests as we made our way down to the wine cellar.
The table looked magnificent. Each place setting had a card engraved with a guest's name. I looked for mine, found it and sat down. Noah placed me at the opposite end of where he and his date sat. I was the last seat at my end of the table, and the seat across from me and the seat at the head of my end of the table were both empty, which left no reason for anyone to look in my direction.
Noah was at the head of the table at his end, and his Russian date sat to his left. I watched as she leaned in to whisper in his ear. She’d tap him on his shoulder to get his attention, and I saw his jaw tick every time she interrupted his conversation with Senator Garrity. A few times, he even dismissed her with a wave of his hand.
I made it through dinner with polite conversation. Every person there knew each other, so the conversations centered on mutual topics. I was the outsider.
Douglas sat near the center of the table on the opposite side of me, so he had a clear view of where I sat. I could feel him looking at me multiple times during the night yet I made sure never to be looking in his direction when he did. I noticed Noah eyeing him suspiciously when he caught Douglas staring at me. If I read the situation correctly, Noah didn’t trust this guy, at least not around me.
I felt a little like an outcast during the entire meal, but I put on a pleasant smile and listen politely to the surrounding conversations. Not one person tried to engage with me but I understood since I was Noah’s guest and even he did not try to include me. He was the only person I knew there, and I couldn’t imagine he’d treat any of his other guests the way he treated me.
Every so often, Noah spoke to everyone at the table while his date sat closer to him rubbing his arm and when I couldn’t see her hand I assumed she was rubbing something else.
Most of the time he engaged with the Senator who sat to his right or the people in proximity to him. Never once did he engage with me. He wouldn’t even look at me. I focused on my food and the wine waiting for the night to end.
After dinner and dessert, the guests mingled around the wine cellar. Noah opened a few of his more rare selections to share. Everyone seemed to enjoy their night while they sipped their expensive wines and port and conversed about politics. Noah’s date hung on his arm ignoring everyone around her. All she seemed to want to do was pet the host.
I decided it was time to excuse myself from the festivities. I said a group goodnight, then in front of everyone thanked the host for his kind hospitality and made my way upstairs. When I reached the upstairs hallway, I ran back down to the kitchen for a bottle of spring water.
As I pivoted, Douglas Maas stood at the top of the stairs. I jumped back not expecting anyone to be there especially not him. Though there was a house full of people, I felt unsafe. Everyone mingled on the lower level. They wouldn’t hear me if I yelled.
“Are you lost?” I asked him.
“Nope, I found what I’m looking for.” Douglas stalked towards me.
I walked backward away from him. “And what is that?”
“You.” He continued closing in on me.
The only place I could escape to was a bedroom, but the last thing I wanted to do was get trapped behind a closed door with this scumbag. “Douglas, you should go back downstairs and join your friends.”
“No, not when a beautiful woman is in need of a man to show her a good time.”
“Douglas, you are mistaken, and you should go.” I walked until my back hit the wall. Douglas took full advantage of my unfortunate situation and jumped me using his body weight to pin me against the wall. He pulled at my face trying to cover my mouth with his, but I squirmed enough to keep him from succeeding. I tried to yell, but he covered my mouth. He dragged me to the door nearest to us. I pulled away and heard my dress tear. He gripped my arm again and pushed me into the bedroom. I screamed, but his hand covered my mouth.
"Bitch, don't you know this is part of your job as the hired help." His hot breath covered my ear as I felt his erection push into my stomach. I tried to break free, but he pinned me up against the wall.
Then, I no longer felt the weight of his body on top of me.
Noah pulled him off and grabbed him by the shirt dragging him down the stairs. I couldn’t see what happened next, but I heard Noah tell Douglas to get the fuck out of his home and something about consequences when you mess with the wrong person.
I ran into my room, walked into the closet and stared at myself in the full-length mirror. Tears ran down my face leaving black streaks around my eyes. I unzipped my ripped dress, let it fall in a pool around my feet and stood in front of the mirror wearing only my La Perla lingerie and my heels. Just as I walked out of my closet, there was a knock on my door.
He stuck his head in before I could answer. “Natalie.” He called out.
Noah caught me standing there in nothing more than my black embroidered La Perla lingerie and heels, tears running down my face.
“May I come in?”
“Yes.” I sniffled and wiped at my tears.
Noah scanned my face and body then proceeded towards me with his arms extended reaching for me.
“Noah, what can I do for you?” I cried and recoiled from him before he could close in on me.
My body language halted him, and he dropped his arms to the side. “Natalie, I’m sorry. Are you okay? When I realized that bastard disappeared, I feared the worse. I thought I was too late.”
“He’s a disgusting predator. How could you be friends with him?” I retreated into myself by wrapping my arms around my waist feeling the need to protect myself from everyone.
“I’m not, I only know of him through Senator Garrity and in a couple of hours someone will make sure he never tries anything like that again.” Noah ignored my attempts to keep him away, wrapped his arms around me and brought me to my bed. Curled up in his arms a torrent of emotions washed over me and I cried.
I purged myself of every pent up emotion I’d felt over the past few months while Noah rocked me in his arms. When I was through, exhaustion settled into my bones, and all I wanted was to be alone. I extracted myself from his embrace and stood up from the bed.
I wiped my tears, cleared my throat, and calmly spoke. “Noah, if your intention for tonight was to make me feel worse about being alone in this world with no one to lean on, you succeeded. I feel that way every day but tonight brought it home. I never felt more alone than I did after spending an evening as your guest at this dinner party with your so-called friends and even you, who I thought would be kind and attempt to make me feel like you wanted me there but instead, you snubbed me. So guess what Noah, I declare you the winner. You won tonight. You succeeded at your attempt to humiliate me and make me feel like an outcast.” I walked into my bathroom. “So now go back to your date.”
“Natalie…” He looked like I rammed a steel rod into his stomach.
“No! I can’t do this anymore.”
Noah’s blood left his face. He stood still not knowing how to react.
Standing on the threshold of the bathroom door, I continued to speak to him with a calm and steady voice. “Noah, leave. And as you finish out your date and fuck the shit out of her ask yourself one question why does Natalie deserve less than her? What did I do to you? Why do you treat me like this? And why do you consistently need to hurt me?” I felt relief as I unleashed this on him. “And do me a favor just for tonight. Fuck her in your bedroom. I’m not in the mood to hear her moaning your name from the downstairs couch!”
Just before I slammed the bathroom door in his face, I demanded one last request. “Lock my bedroom door when you leave. I don't want another man coming in here thinking he can have his way with me.”