The Crystal Palace & Its Dark Secrets

Celia Bennett's POV:

"Ah, good, your here!" My father said as I walked into his office with my clipboard in my arms. When I walked around the side of his desk, he continued when he leaned toward me, saying, "I have an important meeting coming today at 3pm on the nose. I will need you to make sure that everything is set and ready for their arrival."

"Do you want the usual accommodations?" I asked him as I checked the schedule on the clipboard when I pushed it back away from my chest.

"No, I want you to bring all the good stuff," he said when he whispered into my ear.

The men sitting around his desk in his office were currently sipping a juice beverage. If they happened to hear that he wanted me to serve a separate meeting the good stuff, they would certainly be jealous. It was not like him to request for me to bring out the good stuff, as he called it. It was usually brandy or some kind of whiskey, which I could not stand the smell of, let alone taste.

"Very well, Sir, I'll do that here before your client arrives," I responded when I wrote down a note before walking away.

When I did that, he scoffed at me. Was he making that remark according to what the men around the table were discussing or according to what I said? I ignored his remark till I was out of his office. When I walked into the hall, I leaned against the wall right outside his door.

"Will I ever be able to have an adventure all on my own?!" I said under my breath. "Well, other than the boring thrill of being my father's personal assistant."

I turned to walk down to the hall as I let my mind wonder. My father never allowed me to do anything. Since he lost my mother when she gave birth to me, and the fact that I was his one and only child, he never let me do anything. I never even had a true boyfriend who would kiss me, all because he knew who my dad was.

When I walked through the office by means of through the lobby just outside the elevator on our floor, someone called my name. I had a eerie feeling when they called me, as they have had their eyes set on me for some time, but I could not stand them. I turned to face this man, and he looked me up and down, sending shivers down my spine.

"Well, well, well, my dear," Roland said, one of my father's business partners. "How are you faring on this fine day?"

"I am doing alright, I suppose," I said, trying to skirt on past him.

"Well, now, let's not be hasty," he said lowly with his hands out to his sides and swiftly walking to block my path, causing me to stop walking. "All you have to do is say yes."

I stopped and looked him directly in the eye and that was the last thing that I wanted when I said, "And why would I do that?!"

"You know why," Roland said as he grazed my elbow with his hand, causing more uncomfortable feelings.

"You know my father would never allow for such a thing. Besides, are you not interested in, you know," I swallowed hard before I could make out what I was going to say next. "Women more your own age?"

"Oh come now," Roland commented back at the same time, he leaned forward, placing his mouth closer to my head as I started to slightly lean back. "I make sure to keep my eyes set on the younger breed. You are more versatile and can do a variety of things."

I placed my hand on his shoulder and pushed him back slightly as I held the clipboard firm in front of my breasts, knowing he wanted to look at the cleavage that was pressed up and almost out of my shirt at how tight I held the board. "I will have to pass you up on your offer. If another offer comes along, I will let you know."

I took several steps back and made sure to walk around him as I hurried past Samantha sitting there at the reception desk. She eyed me and I smiled forcibly, trying to hide the fact that I was beat red in the face. Then she looked at Roland as he smiled at her before he walked over to the elevator. It rang immediately, and he stepped in and out of sight. I have to say, I was thankful when he left.

"The coast is clear, Cell," Samantha called out to me. I walked out and over to the side of her desk and she even turned in her chair with her hands still on the keyboard in front of her when she spoke again. "What is it with that man? Does he not know that your father established long ago that we are not allowed to date or even see anyone who represents the company name?"

"Oh he knows," I said as I turned my back around and sat on the edge of her desk. "The thing is, I don't think he cares." I looked around for a moment when I leaned over to her and asked, "Why do you think a man like him wants anything to do with me?"

"Face it girl," she said as she eyed me up and down. "You have all the looks. Your ass looks great, and you have got a nice set of ta-ta's. Who wouldn't want that?"

Samantha was my roommate and my very close friend. I needed a place to live after college and she needed a new job. I helped her and she, well, gave me a place to rest my head. It was either that or sleep under my father's roof again. With his late night business meetings or friends coming over to his house to talk all night, I do not think so. The last thing I wanted was to be in the menu for one of his so-called business friends.

I growled as I turned around and placed my clipboard on the desk when I said, "Will I ever find someone who will want to date me? I mean, even in college, no one cared to go out with me on account of who my father was. I would like to have sex at least before I turn 30!"

"Girl, you are not even 22, you will have your chance, you'll see," Samantha said playfully, patting me on top of my arm.

"Oh yeah?!" I asked her sarcastically. "Remember last year? On my birthday?! We had plans to go out, and my father called saying he was not feeling well. He ended up having me tend to him all night long. I would like to have one adventure at least once in my life. Not with any of the men around here that I see on a daily basis. They are all, ... what's the word?"

"Old," we both said in unison and then paused before laughing about it.

"Don't worry," Samantha said playfully. "Oh, do you know who your father is meeting at 3?"

"Yes, some old business partner," I said, acting like I stuck my finger down my throat and about to gag.

"No girl, that is not it," she said, grabbing my wrist and pulling me closer. "He's coming from France! Frenchmen know how to love and sweet talk a women."

"What?" I asked in shock.

"Trust me, you'll see," she said. "The older ones know a thing or two."

"Well Sammy, only time will tell," I said before walking off.