𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐈𝐕𝐘 𝐇𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐋 (javier peña AU)

chapter eight: suspicions

Natalia was getting more nervous every week. She worried how much longer she could hide it. She was now 12 weeks pregnant and her belly kept growing. But she was relieved that it couldn't be seen in the uniform.

So she took a deep breath and then knocked on his door.

"Come in" she heard his voice.

She straightened her uniform, opened the door and then saw two men sitting at the desk, "Good morning" she greeted them politely.

"Natalia, come here, you should meet Mr. Murphy"

Mr. Murphy? Like Connie Murphy? Was that her husband?

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Murphy"

"Oh, call me Steve. No need for courtesies" the blond man replied with a smile and shook her hand.

Natalia nodded and set her gaze on Mr. Peña again.

"Well, I gotta go. See you Javier" Steve then said and got up.

Natalia stared at her boss. That was the first time she heard his first name. Javier? That's a beautiful name.

"Yeah, tell me as soon as you planned everything" Mr. Peña replied. Steve only nodded and closed the door behind him.

After both being quiet in his office for a few hours, Mr. Peña sighed loudly and closed the folder in front of him.

Natalia looked at him confused, "Everything okay, Sir?"

"Yeah, I'm just a bit hungry. Would you have breakfast with me again?" he asked her with a cheeky grin.

She tried to hide her smile. She was damn hungry and had been waiting for her break to finally eat something.

"Uh sure, if you want to" she replied and leaned the mob against the wall.

"What would you like?"

Natalia thought for a moment, "Maybe Pancakes?"

Mr. Peña nodded and picked up the landline-handset. He ordered their food while he watched Natalia staring out of the window.

There was something about her that didn't leave him alone. Since the night in that hotel in Philadelphia, she was constantly on his mind. He had never met a woman like Natalia. And that night was the best night he's ever had. But when he woke up alone in the room that morning, he was quite disappointed.

And a few weeks ago, on the day of the event, as he was standing in that broom closet with Natalia, he realized that she didn't dump him. Her stuff was still there - she just wasn't in the room for a moment. And then he dumped her.

He thought he would never see her again, but now she worked for him. And he didn't quite know how to deal with it.

"Thank you" she said politely as another staff member entered the room and put the food on the table.

And while they were eating their food, there was a knock at the door. Without waiting for an answer, the door opened and Mrs. Jackson entered the room.

Natalia fought the urge to roll her eyes and kept her gaze stubbornly on the plate.

"Mr. Peña, I need to talk to you for a moment" Mrs. Jackson said, ignoring Natalia completely.

He raised his hand a little to indicate that she could talk.

"Since Natalia doesn't wo—" she started but got interrupted only a second later.

Steve opened the door and nodded towards Javier.

"I'll be right back," Mr. Peña said and left the room.

When Natalia was alone in the room with Mrs. Jackson, she immediately felt uncomfortable. And apparently the woman noticed.

"So you're having breakfast with him now?" Mrs. Jackson asked with a fake grin.

Natalia didn't know how to reply to that, so she didn't say anything and stayed silent.

She continued to look around the office and then her gaze got stuck on Natalia's bag. "Wow Nathalie, that's a nice bag, where did you get it from?"

"Uh, it was my grandmother's" she replied nervously.

In order not to have to continue talking to her, she devoted herself to her food again, but somehow she wasn't feeling like eating pancakes anymore.

"You're sure? Looks expensive"

"Yeah I'm sure. It was my 18th birthday present"

"Of course" Mrs. Jackson replied and stared at the shelf in the corner of the office.

"What are you implying?" Natalia asked suspiciously.

"Well, a colleague had a bag like this, but it's gone now"

Shocked, Natalia got up from the chair and stared at her, "Are you kidding me? This is my bag" she said again. And she knew Peter also knows it because he picked up her bag and suitcase on her first day in the lobby.

"Don't worry, I'm just thinking out loud" Mrs. Jackson replied with a grin.

Natalia just rolled her eyes with a scoff and heard the door open again. So she took a deep breath and sat down again.

"So, what do you want, Mrs Jackson? We wanted to eat"

"Well, actually I wanted to talk to you about something. But I just noticed something else"

Mr. Peña rubbed his eyes, "What is it?"

"Apparently you have a knack for hiring foreign maids to steal from you. Wouldn't be the first time" she said and he looked at her confused.

Natalia stared at them in shock. "W-What?" she asked stuttering.

"Oh you know what I'm talking about" Mrs. Jackson replied and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Someone enlighten me?" Mr. Peña asked.

"I found your wallet in her bag"

"What? No, that's not true!" Natalia said immediately and jumped up from the chair.

"Then explain that?" she asked with a small grin and took his wallet out of her bag to show him.

Mr. Peña just stared at her in shock and then turned his gaze to Natalia. He looked at her disappointed, but also kind of pensive.

"How did that get in there?" Mrs. Jackson asked.

"I- I don't know, it wasn't me. I swear" she said frantically and felt the tears coming.

"I promise" she added quietly and put her hand on her forehead because she felt nauseous and dizzy.

"Oh come on, you're a hypocritical poor little brat. Just tell the truth. You're after his money"

Natalia immediately shook her head and stared at Mr. Peña. He didn't believe that, did he?

"Hey hey, no tangled accusations. Natalia's not stupid, she wouldn't do something like that, right?" he asked hopefully.

"Oh yes, she would absolutely do something like that. My guess is that she needs some money to run away, because she's pregnant" Mrs. Jackson said.

And both Javier and Natalia stared at her in shock.