What a Rich Man Wants by Billie Summer (self help books to read .txt) 📗

Cat turned this way and that, in front of her mirror making sure before she left for work that she didn’t look pregnant. Since being back to work just over four weeks, making her three and a half months pregnant. She had gained weight but luckily her stomach hadn’t shown any sign as yet, but she knew it was just a matter of time. Because this was her first pregnancy and at first she had lost weight it was taking longer to show, carrying twins would change that very soon she was sure. This week she was going to have to hand in her notice. During the time in Cowra with Jack and Dawn, Cat had talked, planned and marvelled in their love. Dawn had fed her up, worried about the weight loss. Shaking her head now, Cat ran her hands over her figure, well in six weeks total she had definitely put on weight, touching her sensitive breasts. Cat had already gone up a cup size. Luckily Cat had clothes that didn’t show her breasts off and helped hide the increase in size. Like now she wore a black pencil skirt that ended at her knee, the length helped hide any weight gain, a silk Kelly green shell top and a black blazer, on her feet she wore three inch Kelly green pumps that matched her top perfectly. By adding the height of the heels also helped. Thank god she no longer suffered with morning sickness or the dizzy spells. Once on the iron pills and right diet the dizzy spells had passed within a few weeks. Smoothing her hands one more time over her stomach, Cat still couldn’t quite believe she was pregnant. With Jack & Dawn’s help and support, Cat knew she and the babies would be ok. Cat would have a place to live and a job that would work around raising two babies. Grabbing her bag Cat headed out the door to catch the bus. Up early this morning, Cat caught the earlier bus, good thing too because traffic was a bitch. One thing Cat wasn’t going to miss was the traffic. Sydney was non stop with activity all the time but traffic in Sydney was the worst. In Cowra a traffic jam was if you didn’t get through the lights the first time. Smiling Cat thought about how her life will change over the coming weeks, months as she got of the bus near work and walked the last block before heading into the lions den of Logan Inc. No! That wasn’t fair, it wasn’t so bad. Eric didn’t hound her or hassle her. Really the opposite. She saw him and he hardly said anything to her. Except the first few days she had been back to work he had asked her how she was feeling. Which she replied “I’m much better now thank you, my iron level was way to low.” Which was the truth and explained the dizzy spells nicely.  “You look better, put on some weight I see.” He replied before leaving the room.  Cat mostly saw Eric in the paper and almost always with Claudia. She normally had her arm through Eric’s in the pictures, but no real PDA, but then there wouldn’t be Eric didn’t do public display of affections. Granted the places the few times they had gone out hadn’t been the same as he was currently inhabiting. That made her mad….. even though it shouldn’t because it had been her idea to stay out of the limelight! Hadn’t it. Or had that really been what Eric had wanted? Jo had told her once Eric had never dated anyone from work. It was a rule of his. Looks like he has broken that rule twice now. First her, then Claudia. Cat knew she had given up the right to care but did he have to pick such a stone cold bitch. Hitting the button of the lift harder than needed, at that thought. Eric was so blind to the person Claudia was. True she did most of her bitchiness behind his back, but there had been the a occasional rude remark that slipped out of her mouth in Eric’s vicinity. Men could be so blind. The cow would throw out little comments to Cat about how desperate she must be still hanging around like last weeks garbage or some crap like that. Cat secretly hoped in those times Claudia would trip and fall on her face.  Because it hurt that Eric wanted Claudia and he didn’t want her. Sighing Cat stepped out onto her floor and walked into the offices she shared with Allison.  Everyone had been happy to see her return to work after her time off except Claudia of cause but she didn’t count in Cat’s eyes. Jo and Cat had had lunch that first day and she had filled her in on all the office gossip. Cat was very grateful she wasn’t part of the gossip going around the office. There is no way Claudia would have told anyone she saw Eric carrying her out of the office. Sitting down Cat got to work.   Later that week Cat put in Allison’s diary a meeting for them both. It was time Cat handed in her notice. Today was Friday and she just couldn’t put it off any longer. Due to having to give four weeks notice period, Cat was running the real risk of getting found out. The time her notice period was up Cat would be around four and a half months pregnant. Yes she had been lucky so far with not showing but how long could that last. In her heart she knew that once she left the building there was no chance of ever seeing Eric again. If she was truly honest with herself that was the hardest blow, the real reason she had put off resigning. She still loved him, still hope they could have worked out. Smiling sadly she knew there wasn’t much chance of that now. Claudia had let slip to Jo that Eric had spoken to her about marriage but then realised her slip up and sworn Jo to secrecy, Jo of course had told Cat. That was yesterday making Cat finally realise that all hope was gone and it was about time she started living for herself and her babies. The other reason for putting it off had been in some small part because the wicked witch of the west would win. She would get rid of Cat. Cat hated letting the woman get anything her way. Pushing back her chair it was time to face Allison. Cat knocked on Allison’s door and walked in with letter in hand. A few minutes later Allison looked at her upset “ I really don’t want to lose you” she stated firmly. “Allison if there was some other way I would love to stay but my parents needs come before my own. My dad isn’t getting any younger and the hardware store needs someone that understands both the ordering and paperwork sides of the business, so dad can focus on his customers and not put in so many hours.” Cat laid out the reason why she was leaving. Some truth but Dad could easily hire someone in town. Dad had built the business up well over the last ten years, focusing on quality products and being a one stop shop for builders, plumbers, electricians or just local handy men.. Cat had to get her story straight before this meeting because Allison would see through any missteps being the intelligent woman she was. Cat didn’t over talk just stated facts.  “I really hope this business with Eric hasn’t been …..”Allison said sympathetically Cat cut Allison off before she finished “Please remember Allison I ended it with your son not the other way round.” Pausing she tried to reinforce her meaning “ this has nothing to do with Eric.” Lying but not a big lie, it really had more to do with her babies now more than Eric. Sighing Allison realised that there really wasn’t anything she could say to change Cat’s mind. “you will give me the four weeks leave notice which is good. It will give us time to find areplacement and train them.” “Of course Allison anything I can do to make the process easier for you.” Cat stood up ready to leave, Allison stopped her at the door saying “I’m really going to miss you Cat.” Cat until that point had held it together tearing up Cat said “I’m really going to miss you too.” Before leaving Allison’s office. Allison really hadn’t asked to many questions only the basics. Now it was Jo who was full of questions when they met for lunch the following Monday and Cat had let her friend know she was leaving in four weeks. Jo had been asking a lot of questions since she disappeared from the office that day and then had taken two weeks off. Jo was her friend but she just couldn’t share anything about the pregnancy with her or the real reason she was leaving. It wasn’t fair to burden Jo with the knowledge. She knew about Eric and her and it being over that was enough. Feeling drained Cat returned to her office and worked for few hours before she started going through the CVs of possible replacements for her. Allison and Cat hadn’t broadcasted yet the fact she was leaving. Yes Jo knew and HR but that was it. It wasn’t a secret just not widely known. Everyone would find out soon enough when they found the right person for replacing Cat. She was glad the date was set now and she had to leave. Even over the weekend the changes in her body had become more noticeable. Mostly with clothes off but still she didn’t have long and even four weeks was pushing it. Smiling Cat touched her hard stomach, thinking of her babies always made her smile. At least she would have something of Eric with her always. Rubbing the curve stomach gently she wondered how they would look. She didn’t know yet the sex and wanted the surprise. Everything about this pregnancy was going to be remembered in a good light for her children’s benefit. The weight gain she will experience didn’t even bother her like some women,, laughing she remembered how just last night she wanted to see how she would look fully pregnant, so had stuffed a pillow up her shirt…. Her thoughts shattered by the bitchy voice of Claudia. “Day dreaming? Cat! That isn’t good for the company having staff day dreaming. What would Eric say about his staff getting paid to sit around doing nothing.” Cat looked at the other woman. She would be really something  if she didn’t walk around with the sour face most of the time. Nothing changed Claudia was still her bitchy self. Looking at the woman as she walked into the room away from the door. So no passerby’s could hear her most probably.  Cat just looked at the Woman not saying anything about her comment, what was the point really! instead asking “What can I do for you Claudia.” Cat got up and went to the filing cabinet near Allison’s office door, away from the hallway door. Cat almost wished Allison was still here but Claudia would see looking into Allison’s office that it was empty. So Claudia faced the hallway door in case Cat was sure someone walked in. “You could do a lot for me, one of them is move away.” Claudia hissed at her.  Once Cat put a few CVs away in the drawer as possible candidates and a few more in rejected file she turned a faced Claudia. “If you’re here to see Allison, she’s gone home, you see I’m not on company time right now Claudia it’s after 5pm, I was just doing a few things before I head home myself, so if I want to daydream then I don’t see how you can stop me on my own time.” Take that you bitch. She didn’t raise her voice or yell. Claudia ignored the comment about it being her own time,instead said” No I’m not here to see the old bat, she never liked me anyway, you got the monopoly on that one, not like it did you any good.” Claudia smirked.  Cat’s back went rigid” what would Eric say about you speaking about his mother that way?” She demanded, how dare this woman speak about lovely Allison that way. Claudia gave a almost evil smile laughing “Well I don’t say it to his face and he only hears what I want him to hear. He believes everything I tell him too, like if I tell him the nasty things I hear you say about his poor mother…..totally not true I know but it’s your word against mine. Who do you think he would believe?” Laughing she said “Maybe I should do that.. you will be out of here so fast.” Cat had heard enough, call it hormones or blame her red hair but Cat let fly “ So why don’t you do it?” Claudia’s eyes widened, looking over Cat’s left shoulder but she was so mad she didn’t notice “it would make my life so much easier, I then wouldn’t have to come up with a reason why I needed to leave next month, because you only tell Eric what you want him to hear and I know there is no way you will tell him this” taking a deep breath Cat plowed on “do you want to know the reason why I have to leave Claudia? I have to leave because I’m pregnant! and Eric’s the father. Now wouldn’t that ruin all your plans if I started walking around pregnant. So yes I’m leaving.” Claudia had gone as white as a sheet, at the finish of her tirade.  There was a noise behind Cat which made her swing around to face the hallway door. Eric was standing there like a statue, his arms gripping the door frame. Fuck!