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Chapter 4 - I Knew You Were Trouble Part 1

"With a taste of your lips, I'm on a ride

You're toxic, I'm slippin' under

With a taste of a poison paradise

I'm addicted to you

Don't you know that you're toxic?

And I love what you do

Don't you know that you're toxic?"

Britney Spears - Toxic

Chapter 4 - I Knew You Were Trouble

The weather had changed from Jebe's wake to the time I had left the office, we had gone from rainy days to a muggy afternoon, the streets were crowded as I left Central Park, I take care to dodge some people as I make my way to my apartment, or rather former apartment. Apartment 54 of building 54 on 54th Street had been my stronghold, my doll's house until Jebe left it for Tessa, Jebe would pay me and I already knew how. I make my way to my penthouse, walking slowly through the busy streets.

As soon as I arrive at the front door of the building I see a familiar face, Arthur Fox, the company's newest lawyer is wearing a red polo shirt and tight jeans. The two pieces mark his well-defined body, in a way that makes my mouth water, he looks at me and smiles gently.

" Miss Monroe, Patrick asked to hand this over. " He speaks offering me a brown paper envelope, I hesitate to pick it up. " No need to be afraid, it's the keys to the apartment, his new cards and some company papers, Miss left before he could hand it to her. " I still look suspiciously when I pick up the envelope.

"Thank you, Mr. Fox." I coldly thank you. "If you give me leave, I need to carry out my eviction." I say wryly, I start heading towards the elevator when I hear a laugh.

"I prefer you when you're choking, you look beautiful when you smile." I listen to what he says and turn around blandly.

"Sorry, Arthur, I shouldn't treat you like that." I smile awkwardly. "You're not to blame for the old man's limps.

" See how the smile makes you beautiful? " I feel my smile increase. " He knew what he was doing, accept it and give it my best, now I have to go enjoy my time off. " He comments, walking towards the door.

"Thank you for the advice and I'm sorry for messing up your time off." I speak going to the elevator. Arthur Fox even seems like a nice guy, no doubt would put him on the list of possibilities. When the elevator arrives, I get in and press the penthouse button, it goes up fast, and as soon as it stops, I hear the voices of my mom and my two best friends.

"Wow, you guys are really fast." I say when I see some closed boxes. "Have you packed all this up?

"My daughter, we are just advancing your work and drinking some of your wine." My mom has reddened cheeks as she places a box on the living room floor where Tessa, sitting on the floor, seals one by one with duct tape.

"We know you well, Ella, you're horrible to do this sort of thing, and it's worth remembering that we only have two days." My friend smiles at me. "Debbie has already had Jebe's things taken out of there, so the room that was his will be free for you.

"I hope you don't mind, I chose it for you." It's Debbie coming into the room with another box she puts next to Tessa. "We only have one day for the change, in fact, we have to bring everything from the forgotten miss here.

" I had forgotten that I need to move. " Tessa looks at me sadly. "Jebe didn't just transform his life, I love my nest.

"I know, I also love my dollhouse." I pout as I sit next to my friend and we give each other a hug. "Do you have wine yet?

"Toma, girl, you're going to need it." Debbie says, handing me the bottle.


It's past eleven o'clock at night when we're finally done packing everything. A dozen boxes, three bottles of wine and two margarita pizzas were needed to finish almost all of my move. We left only the furniture that would be left to Tessa.

After all the work, the three of them eventually fell asleep. Carefully, I get up and go take a shower, I let the cold water run down my body as I think about the direction of my life from today. From personal assistant to owner of the largest magazine in the world, well one of the owners. What should Jebe have been thinking when he decided to put me as his heir? No doubt he wanted the best for me and for the magazine, if he wanted the best, then he will have the best. When I finish the shower, I change and go to bed for the last time in my dream house.

Morning arrives as a jumble of voices, coffee, and porters. When I wake up, half of the boxes have already been taken to the carrier's truck and the other half is waiting to follow the same path. My mom and Debbie dictate orders from somewhere outside the apartment while Tessa sits coffee at the kitchen counter.

"Good morning, flower of the day." Tessa speaks. "There's coffee in the coffee maker and muffin that your mom made.

"That's low blow, waking up with fresh coffee and muffin, just missing strawberry and chocolate.

" I have to say that they are and are a real delight. " I smile at Tessa's face and go to the coffee maker, grab a full cup of coffee and go to her side. "Excited?

"Not at all, I'm not excited to see John's ugly face." I speak, sipping a good sip of coffee.

" Ella, ugly that face has nothing, but the fact that he's an asshole takes away some of the beauty. " Tessa laughs as she watches my way. " Who is really beautiful is Arthur, that besides having a beautiful face is good people.

"I know, yesterday he was here with a polo that left little to the imagination." I speak, laughing at Tessa's look of astonishment.

"Where here, Ella? My God, did I miss that? How envious. " She laughed, looking at the porter coming in to pick up the last box. " Apparently, the time for you to say goodbye has come.

" Don't even play. " I'm sorry, drinking all my coffee at once. "I have to steal some muffins before my mom comes back." I get up, grabbing a paper bag, throw five dumplings in, and close it just as my mom and Debbie walk in. "Good morning, gorgeous, all set for Tessa to move into my dollhouse?

" More than ready, speaking of which, her move is already coming and her penthouse room is already with the furniture installed. " Debbie points out. "John is going to arrive at the apartment this afternoon, so I suggest you arrive sooner.

"I'm going to take a shower and I'm going to leave, but I think I'm going to go in my pajamas since they sent all my clothes away." I speak in a sexy pose, causing the colorful shirt I'm wearing to rise a little.

" I suggest you use the elevator straight to garage, no one needs to see that sexy thigh. " My mother laughs. "Marilyn, how long are you going to use these things that these models use?

" Even when Debbie makes them in the extra size G. " I say going up to my mom kissing her on the cheek. " My beautiful, I'll take my things and go at once, did you change everything really? Even that bathtub from the window? " I say remembering the bathtub that Jebe never used that was in front of the glass window of the room.

" This one doesn't, we just take Jebe's stuff and exchange it for new ones, this carrier does everything and very fast. " Says Debbie smiling. I return the smile and go to the bedroom with the bag in my hand, grab my nerdy survival kit and put it in my bag. I put on the black heels I wore the day before, see my appearance before I leave the room and go say goodbye to my mom and friends. As soon as I do, I grab my car key and head to the elevator hitting the garage button. I look at myself in the elevator mirror and smile at my reflection, my hair is messy, the shorts too short contrast with the colorful shirt that is too transparent and shows my bra all over, I feel sexy, and the possibility of being a plus size model makes me laugh. When the elevator opens in the garage, I see Doug, the little guy who lives downstairs that I walked with picking me up three months ago. He's standing with a shopping bag in his hands. His gaze runs my body up and down and I smile as he focuses his gaze on my face, things between us didn't end well.

" Hello, Ella, who are you running away from today? " Doug asks, looking like a few friends.

" No one this time, bye, Doug. " I get out of the elevator as fast as I can.

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