The Secret Millionaire

I quickly grab a drink from the server that was passing by and without thinking I put the glass straight to my head drinking all its content. I turn to look at my friend, Iris as she surveys the room with her eyes.

I sigh. "Why am I here again?"

Iris turns on her stool and looks me straight in the eye. "To support me," and she pauses then smile. "And to see if you can find yourself a good-looking man to bring home tonight."

I shrug. "I'm not in the mood to be bothered by a man tonight."

"Remind me, when was the last time you had sex again? Oh yea, sometime last year." I roll my eyes at her. "Girl, you need to get back on the train. You have been so miserable without a sex life."

Iris is wearing an off-the-shoulder ballroom grown. Her blonde hair full of curls bounced on her shoulders. Iris is the type of woman that a man didn't need to look twice on. Her beauty had them at Hello. She is a beautiful woman but along with her beauty she was also caring, loving and a real sweetheart.

"I think I'm happy."

I am happy.

I was just made Partner at one of the biggest law firms in New York City, Shepard and Gills. My dog just gave birth to four beautiful puppies. I have everything I woman could ever dream of. Well, at least everything.

She shakes her head and smile. "You think you're happy, but I think you're lonely. Ever since you broke up with Richard, it's like you lost all your fun."

I smile. "That's because that loser took my fun away but that doesn't mean I'm not happy."

She looks at me with raised brows, "You're not having sex."

I laughed at her. "Sex isn't everything Iris."

"Don't let Brandon hear you say those words because as far as we are concerned, Sex is everything." Brandon has been Iris boyfriend for four years now. They were the ideal couple. They lived together, share a cat and fish, they share bills, they had date nights. It was like they were already married, after all, they were doing all the things a married couple usually do.

"When you have a wonderful man like Brandon who has not only a fine ass body but good brains, of course, Sex is everything and plus you guys love each other. It's different when you're in love. It's not sex anymore."

She takes a sip of her tequila. "You're right, it's not just sex. It's hardcore fucking." She grinned.

I rolled my eyes. "That's not what I was implying. I was talking about making love. Isn't that what you people call it?"

"Yup, that's what we call it." I sigh.

A server stopped in front of me to offer me another champagne. I smile and take the champagne from the tray. "Thanks."

This time I decide to sip the drink instead.

"That's your fourth drink since you walked in here. Are you planning on getting drunk tonight?"

"No, that wasn't my intention but come to think of it, I might as well get drunk tonight because tomorrow is going to be one hell of a day."

"Big case?"

"Huge case, Senator Reid."

She laughed. "I'm sorry but I think you might just need five more drinks."

I agreed with by my nodding my head. Senator Morgan Reid was convicted of stealing five million dollars from charity to fund his mistress's plastic surgery. As his lawyer, it was my job to get him off the hook even though all the evidence were showing that he did indeed steal five million dollars.

The noise started settling down a bit when the speaker came on the microphone trying to get everyone's' attention.

Iris turned to me, her cheeks pink. "It's my time."

"Go out there and shine." I pat her on her shoulder as she stands up from her chair.

The crowd started cheering when the speaker said, "Let's welcome on stage Ms. Iris Francis, who was voted last year for being the most successful female entrepreneur. Please clap your hands as this beautiful woman take her stand on the stage."

When Iris reached on the stage, everyone calms down and starts listening to her. With a smile on her face, she begins her speech. "I thank everyone for coming here tonight to celebrate the opening of this new enterprise..."

I laugh and clap while she made her way off the stage. As she walks down many people stopped her to engage her in conversations. I smile and place my attention elsewhere. I start looking around the room to see if I could spot anyone I knew, and It did, but they weren't people I liked so I continued sipping my drink.

"Hey,"

I turned my head to the direction of the voice. "Hi,"

"My name is Mark. I see that you're a friend of Ms. Francis. Are you in the business world as well?"

I wasn't liking the direction in which this conversation was heading. In fact, I didn't like this conversation at all.

"No, I am not. I'm just a regular woman."

He smirked. "There is nothing regular about you" he was trying to sound seductive, but it wasn't working. I have now gotten used to men like that, they have no ability to phase me. If I don't like a person when I just meet them then there is no way in hell I'm going to like them after.

"Yea, You're right. I can only see out of one eye and I had to donate one of my kidneys to my grandmother who was dying, she still died, so I lost a good kidney." I made a sad face as if I was going to cry. "I really loved my grandma, she was such a great woman," I sniff. "You're right, there is nothing regular about me."

He forced a smile. "Have a good night." Then he was gone.

I laugh, "What a jerk!"

Even though I was lying through my teeth about all that he couldn't even offer me some sympathy.

"Now what did you do to the poor guy?" Brandon voiced from behind me.

Without turning I replied. "Nothing."

"It's the grandma story, isn't it?"

I laugh. "Yup, it gets them all the time."

"Thanks for letting me know in advance so It won't get me." A strange voice said. I immediately turn around, so I could put a face to the voice.

"This is my friend..." before Brandon could finish I spoke up.

"Seth Parker."

"Karishma Jones"

"Wait...you guys know each other, how?"

"High school." We both spoke. Still, haven't broken eye contact.

Seth Parker, how can a girl forget Seth Parker? Especially if that girl made out with him on the last day of high school.

I still remembered that day like It was yesterday. I had gone to a party that was keeping at Andrew Harvey's house, Harvey was the most popular guy at Westville High and he also happened to be the older and less smart cousin of Seth. At the party around 10 pm everyone starts playing 'Spin the bottle' and because I wanted to be apart of the fun, I decided to join them. When it was my turn to spin the bottle guess who it fell on?

Seth Freaking Parker. I wasn't too happy that it was Seth because I wanted it to Ethan Dove. But I followed through with the rules and I had way too much to drink. The roles of the game were that you had to spend fifteen minutes in the closet with your partner. When you exit the closet there must be some sign that showed that the partners were getting it on. Since Seth had a room at the house for himself we went in there inside and trust me, that was one of the most memorable experience of my teenage years. It was that experience with Seth that gave me the confidence to lose my virginity. After that night, I saw him at graduation and never again.

"Hey," It was the pat on my back that broke my eye contact with Seth.

Iris went straight to her boyfriend's arms, "I wish you were here for the whole speech."

"I'm sorry babe. But at least I made it and I bought Parky boy here with me." He gestures to Seth. "You know the best part? Seth and Kari went to high school together? Isn't that great?"

I watch as Iris looks at me and Seth and smile. "Yes. It is. I've been trying to set Kari up with one of these men, but she is just so stubborn."

"Yup, I know. I just caught her in the act." Brandon nods his head agreeing with his girlfriend.

"Well that act won't fool me, and it definitely won't work on me," Seth spoke up. I turn to look at him. He hasn't changed much, he still had the same haircut and face structure. The only thing that was different was the way he dressed. My heels make me a little taller than my regular 5'3 height but he was still taller nonetheless.

Iris smirks. "I like him already. He doesn't give up easily."

"No, I don't." Seth was wearing a tuxedo just like most of the men in the room, but his bow tie was black and not very colourful like the others.

"Hello, I'm right here." I waved my hands in the air. They were talking as if I wasn't there.

"We can see quite clearly. In that shocking Red dress and that matching lipstick, I think a bat can see you clearly." It was Seth who spoke. I rolled my eyes at his words, extra much.

Iris turns to look at her boyfriend with approval.

"He's feisty, I think they'll get along just fine."

I ignore her comment. "You weren't so talkative in high school, what changed?" I recalled.

Seth smirked. "I was this talkative in High school you just didn't know me well enough."

"I obviously didn't." I murmured.

"But your lips do know me quite well." His words brought flames to my cheeks. I quickly shift my eyes to the far end side of the room. My face was burning up.

"Wait! What!" Brandon said.

I turn pale and force a smile. "Iris, congrats again on this project. I know you will succeed." I climb down off my stool. I looked at the two gentlemen in front of me. "Gentlemen, have a great night." I turn and walk to the closest exit.

How dare he bring up something that happened eight years ago?

I can't believe he remembers that night.

The night I became exposed to chemistry.

The night I became rebellious!