章 31: Chapter 31: Pests
Paige stepped out to the porch and caught sight of Simon beside the jaguar SUV Nicon drove her in few days ago. Paige started heading towards him.
Once Simon saw her at the porch, he couldn't stop staring. He had his eyes glued to her as she headed towards him. "I'm ready." Paige said walking up to him. "You're staring." She said tapping him gently on the shoulder when he didn't reply her first statement.
"I can't help it." He replied without a care. "Let's go." He said opening the passenger door. Paige stepped into the passenger seat comfortably while Simon sat on the driver's seat.
"You're driving?" She asked him fastening her seat belt as he adjusted to a comfortable position and fastened his seat belt as well.
"Yes, you don't like it when I drive?" He asked her smiling.
"How am I suppose to have an opinion about your driving when I've never seen you drive before," She replied.
"Oh well, get ready for a treat then." He told her as he drove out of the compound and set out for the Grocery store. Creek island is a small city in Yardstin. But, when it comes to wealth, it was regarded as the third wealthiest city in Yardstin with Lakeview topping the chart and Crescent fall following right behind. Once they were off the main road, Simon drove through streets with beautiful, tidy and good roads. The roads were adorned with canopy trees on each side forming a perfect shade from the sun. "Are we still far ahead?" Paige asked about fifteen minutes into the ride.
"Not really, it's just few more minutes from here. There are several grocery stores in Yardstin town. But I prefer going to this particular one because it's less crowded. He explained.
"Alright." Paige replied. About seven minutes later, they arrived at the grocery store. There were few cars parked in the car pack and few walk-in customers too. He helped her out of the car and they they made their way inside the store.
Shopping with Simon was awesome. He knew exactly what to he wanted to buy and which part of the store to get it from making Paige believe he was a regular visitor there. They had people stop them occasionally to greet and introduce themselves. Simon was a charmer. He smiled most of the time making them feel at home. The only uncomfortable thing about this was the way people stared at Paige. The subtle stares were not unnoticed by her. Simon must have noticed this as well because he suddenly held Paige by the hand while they continued shopping.
"Hello, Mr. Kentley." A tiny female voice called Simon from behind. He turned alongside Paige to see his caller.
"Hello Fiona, how are you?" Simon responded with a straight face.
"Oh, I'm great." She replied shaking her body in response. "It's so nice to see you again. It's so nice of you to grace us with your shiny and cute face. Do you need any assistance with shopping" She asked smiling awkwardly while staring at Paige.
"You work here now?" Simon asked her still with a straight face.
"What? No! Of course not. How can I work here." She said flipping her fingers. "I can't imagine myself working in such a place. Jezzz, so gross." She said.
Simon looked at her for a while. It was obvious he seriously wanted to say something but he changed his mind. "Let's go." He said to Paige gently pulling her along and ignoring Fiona who found this action of his sad and annoying. She followed them behind determined to gain Simon's attention by all means. "How is Emily." She asked in a slightly louder voice so as to be heard by Simon who was walking ahead. "It's been a while since the last time I saw her. It's close to three years or more. Way before the renovation of the Kentleys mansion. I saw her back at June's party but didn't get the chance to greet her. Hope it's okay to pay her a visit at the mansion?" She asked him causing him to pause in his steps.
"I wouldn't know the answer to your question Fiona. You should do well to contact the person you're planning to visit. She will be in the right position to grant you an invite because as you know, you can't visit the mansion without an invite." Simon replied her in a firm tone.
"But, I'll love to see you too." Fiona said in a peachy voice.
"Is there something you'd like to discuss with me then?" He asked her. "Let's check that counter." He told Paige in a much calmer tone still holding her with one hand and pushing the shopping cart with the other.
"Who's your friend." Fiona asked with a pretentious smile. "Hello, I'm Fiona Ruben, Mr. Kentley's friend." She introduced herself and extended a hand to Paige for a handshake but Simon refrained Paige from returning the gesture.
"Have you ever heard of pests? They are tiny insects, animals or people that need to be caught off." Simon said. His definition of a pest caused Paige to look at him with a raised brow. "Thank you," he whispered. "But that's my own definition." This reply sparked an anger in Fiona. She was sure that Simon was talking to her this way because of Paige. That meant she has an important or top priority task which was to find out who Paige really is. As a great actress and pretender, she feigned naiveness.
"But I don't understand Mr. Kentley." She replied.
"At your leisure, you can check the dictionary for a comprehensive meaning of pests." With this reply he left for the counter with Paige to cost and pay for their selected groceries. Fiona stood rooted at a spot. Anger brewing intensively in her. Simon would have given her attention if not because of Paige. It was so hard to ever see Simon alone. Today was like what she will choose to call her lucky day but of course Paige was there to ruin it for her.
She noticed Paige for the first time at June's engagement party. She had tried establishing a conversation with Simon severally at the bar by he kept snubbing her and acting like she was invisible. All the while, he had his eyes on Paige who was obviously having a nice time with Franklin Tedson. She didn't think much about her that day cause she thought it was nothing but seeing the both of them today in casual outfits shopping together without the company of his guards, she knew there was absolutely more to it. Simon is not a man to move around town doing grocery shopping when he had a full list of staff on his payroll. "She doesn't even look good nor classy." She thought to herself.
"You don't have to be rude to people in order to make a point. You can actually pass the message without talking to them like that. She was just being nice and it's obvious she's naive." Paige told Simon as they headed to the counter.
Simon chuckled. "Trust me sunflower, Fiona is anything but naive. That is If the word naive exist in her dictionary. She is a good actress and if one attempts comparing the two of you, believe me, you will be the naive one. And I wasn't rude to her either. She's just the type that doesn't give up. I had to talk to her way to avoid a repetition of today's conversation." He explained.
They got to the check out counter, made payment for their groceries and left for their car. Getting outside, they saw Fiona standing beside her car. She waved at them still with her pretentious smile but was ignored by Simon who opened up the passenger seat for Paige who hurriedly waved back at Fiona before stepping into the car. They drove out of the garage passing Fiona and her car before hitting the road home.
"Why did you say that I'm naive." Paige asked the question that have been playing through her mind all these while.
"I never said that. I only said if we compare you to Fiona....
"That I'm the naive one." She said cutting him short. "I get that part. But, why would think that I'll be the naive one?"
"Sunflower, can we not talk about this?" He asked her. "I might end up telling you what you don't want to hear." He told her.
"Tell me, say it. I want to hear it. Go ahead." She urged him.
"Fine, just don't take it personal. This is just my honest view. You left your startup business for a boyfriend who squandered your money within a week of your absence. If he could do that, that only means that you trust people too easily. You even employed and pay him salary for a business that is still striving to survive when he literally does nothing to improve it's growth. That's one of the reasons I called you naive. I could give you more if you want to hear them." He said.
"No, it's fine. I don't want to hear more." Paige replied in a sad tone. She really messed up big time by entrusting her business with Stefan. Funny enough, she saw the signs but she was too blind to admit it. She was desperately in need of someone to love and accept her so even with the glaring signs, she didn't want Stefan out of her life and business cause she felt she'd be so lonely if he leaves.
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