Lucas walked confidently with his back straight. He passed through the hallway followed by Vlora, heading towards the meeting room of the Department of Development and Planning.
Vlora quickened her pace as Lucas stopped. The secretary opened the door and gestured for Lucas to enter first.
Lucas’s presence instantly silenced the room. All meeting participants stopped talking, including the speaker, who was none other than Ricardo.
All eyes turned to Lucas. They wondered about the reason for his presence. An internal department meeting was not lavish enough to be attended by a CEO.
“Please continue. I just wanted to stop by and see your meeting,” Lucas said.
The meeting proceeded. Ricardo resumed his presentation, although curiosity still lingered in everyone’s mind.
Lucas sat calmly; his gaze fixed straight on Ricardo. He barely blinked, successfully turning Ricardo’s curiosity into discomfort.
It was not just Ricardo who noticed, but all the meeting participants. Lucas’s demeanor and aura emitted an uneasy feeling. They were restless, hoping for the meeting to end soon.
“As I suspected, Mr. Bell is indeed one of my promising employees,” Lucas praised, like a breath of fresh air that made Ricardo exhale deeply. His tension gradually faded. He tried to smile as he glanced at the meeting participants.
“However…”
Ricardo’s smile and relief were interrupted. Lucas’s voice implied something else.
“… I want you to always remember who you work for now.”
Ricardo blinked in confusion. The unpleasant feeling that had momentarily disappeared suddenly returned.
“Do your job responsibilities properly,” Lucas continued, still staring at Ricardo without blinking. “Don’t do anything else that could have fatal consequences for you.”
Dread set in. Ricardo trembled, cold sweat trickling down his forehead.
“I-I’m sorry, Sir. Have I made a mistake?”
Lucas stared without blinking. “You know very well that I never give second chances, and honestly, I’m not keen on finding someone new to fill your position. So, I hope you just pay attention to what you’re doing.”
Sweat streamed down Ricardo’s face. He could not speak. He could not even gather the strength to ask why Lucas was speaking that way. His tongue went numb, and his body felt weak.
Lucas stood up, and Ricardo seized the brief opportunity to glance at Vlora, hoping for a questioning look. Unfortunately, the secretary only offered a thin smile.
Vlora quickly opened the door for Lucas. The two of them left, leaving behind a stir in the meeting room. Whispers immediately surfaced.
“Mr. Bell! Have you done something recently?”
Ricardo grabbed a bottle of mineral water and greedily took a sip, drinking hastily, causing water to spill from his mouth.
“No,” Ricardo shook his head. “You know I’m very careful with my work. I wouldn’t want to make any mistakes.”
“Mr. Hernandez seemed very serious.”
“He… he was angry.”
Ricardo drank again. The concern of his coworkers made him restless. It didn’t need further explanation; he felt Lucas’s anger. The CEO seemed to be warning him.
What mistake have I made? I haven’t done anything wrong.
Meanwhile, outside, Lucas let out a long breath as he walked through the corridor. He and Vlora entered the elevator.
“I don’t want to do it, but it seems you should prepare from now on,” Lucas said, standing in front of Vlora. “I need some suitable names to replace Ricardo.”
Vlora blinked once, shocked, but working with Lucas for nearly two years had made her accustomed to maintaining her composure.
“It seems that position will soon be vacant.”
The elevator stopped moving. Vlora nodded before the doors opened.
“I will take care of it, Sir.”
*
Velia exited the private elevator and made her way to Lucas’s office that afternoon, just as Lucas had requested via a text message a few minutes earlier. Lucas wanted to have lunch together, and Velia did not mind at all.
“Good afternoon,” Velia greeted politely as she entered the room, receiving a similar response from Vlora. She hurriedly opened the door, a tinge of embarrassment on her face.
Velia had noticed that Vlora had always been polite to her, but she could guess that Vlora knew about her relationship with Lucas.
Velia stepped inside and closed the door behind her. Her eyes immediately went to Lucas, who was waiting on the sofa. He took off his jacket and unbuttoned his cuff, rolling up his shirt sleeves to his elbows.
Lucas smiled as he separated two chopsticks that were still attached. He welcomed Velia’s arrival with one hope.
“I hope you don’t mind having Japanese food. I ordered nigiri and sashimi,” Lucas said.
Velia sat next to Lucas. She looked at the served dishes and shook her head.
“Not at all,” Velia replied as she took the chopsticks Lucas offered. “I love it.”
A piece of salmon was Velia’s choice for the appetizer. She dipped it in sauce and enjoyed the flavors.
Lucas observed as Velia put the piece of salmon in her mouth. He remained silent and waited for Velia’s reaction, which made him chuckle softly.
“No need to tell me how it tastes,” Lucas said, taking another pair of chopsticks while Velia hurriedly covered her mouth, worried that the salmon might jump out. “I already know from your expression.”
Lunch felt incredibly enjoyable. Delicious food, a comfortable atmosphere, and light conversation made them feel like they were not in the office. They relaxed during their break.
“Do you want to visit the house this evening?” Lucas asked. Velia tidied up the remnants of their meal.
“It seems so. I only have time this afternoon. My work will be a bit busy next week.”
All the leftover food was gathered. Velia grabbed two tissue papers and wiped her hands.
“Carter contacted me earlier. He will pick me up,” Velia continued, looking at Lucas. “Is my car ready yet?”
“Not yet, but don’t worry. He can pick you up with another car. Yesterday, I told him to take the car from the house.”
Velia nodded. “Oh.”
“I overlooked that. You shouldn’t have had to take a taxi. I’m sorry. You know I’ve been so busy lately.”
“It’s fine. Besides, I enjoyed it. Taking a taxi once in a while can be enjoyable.”
Lucas took a deep breath. Her understanding made him reach for Velia’s hand and gently squeeze it. His gaze locked onto Velia, direct and focused.
“I will always take care of you.”
*
Carter contacted Velia at the right time. It was time to go home, and most of her coworkers had already left.
“Hello, Carter. Where are you now?” Velia answered.
“Hello, Miss. I’m outside, but-”
Velia finished clearing her desk. “But what? Is there a problem?”
“The problem is that I’m currently driving a different car. It seems I can’t pick you up at the usual parking lot. The license plate of this car is not registered yet.”
“Alright,” Velia nodded in understanding. “In that case, just wait outside. I’ll be there shortly.”
“Okay, Miss.”
The call ended. Velia grabbed her bag and glanced briefly around the room. It was quiet, and she quickly made her way out.
Velia passed through the Greatech gate and walked along the sidewalk, with her phone to her ear. She called Carter while looking around.
“Where are you?”
“A metallic blue car, Miss.”
Velia found the intended vehicle. The car was parked about ten meters ahead. She put her phone back in her bag and hurriedly walked towards it.
The sidewalk was quite crowded at that time. People were rushing home from work, filling the streets with their presence. Along with several parked vehicles on the side of the road.
Velia arrived at the designated car. The driver’s door opened, and Carter immediately stepped out. He opened the passenger door for Velia and apologized.
“Sorry, Miss. It was quite crowded in front of the office. You might not be comfortable.”
“It’s okay,” Velia said as she got in. “Besides, a short walk won’t tire me.”
Carter closed the door and returned to the driver’s seat. He made sure the road was clear before driving the car.
“Shall we go see the house, Miss?”
Velia adjusted her sitting position, leaning back. “Yes. Starting next week, I’ll be quite busy. I have to see it now, or who knows when I’ll have free time.”
“Alright.”
Carter glanced at the rearview mirror to see the vehicles behind them before turning the steering wheel to the right. He took the fast lane and increased the speed.
The car was moving. It safely overtook several other vehicles without realizing that another car had been following them since Carter and Velia left the Greatech area.
“It seems someone isn’t going straight home to the apartment today.”
The driver inside the car was none other than Boy. He seemed excited as he followed the car carrying Velia.
“Where are you going, Velia? Do you want to meet another man?”
*
It took over an hour until Carter stopped the car in front of a white fenced house. Velia immediately got out and looked up, seeing the real form of the house that Lucas had shown her in a photo some time ago.
“There are already several household assistants inside, Miss,” Carter said.
Velia turned with an expression of disbelief. “Really? I thought it was still an empty house.”
“Mr. Hernandez has prepared this house completely,” Carter smiled. “How about you go in now? You can see the condition and meet the household assistants.”
“Sure.”
Carter gestured for Velia to go ahead. They both entered the house, not escaping the gaze of a pair of eyes.
A black car parked not far from the house. Inside, Boy clearly saw Velia and Carter enter. He rubbed his chin.
“It seems the driver won’t be a serious problem,” Boy murmured. “Now or later? Will Velia stay there for long?”
Several considerations filled Boy’s mind. He was not familiar with the situation and environment there. However, taking the risk to delay did not feel right. He was running out of time.
A knock interrupted Boy’s thought. He turned and found a man tapping the car window.
Boy furrowed his brow. The man’s appearance was somewhat familiar-dressed all in black with a matching cap that almost covered his face and a large bag on his left shoulder. He tapped three times, forcing Boy to roll down the car window.
“What is it?”
The man reached into his pants pocket. “I’m sorry, Sir. I’m a plumber. I received a call to fix a clogged sink, but I’m confused about the address.”
“I’m not a resident here, so I don’t know the surrounding addresses.”
“Please take a look, Sir. Maybe you know.”
Boy let out a curse. He wanted to end the pointless conversation and focus on his plan, but before he could, a piece of paper was slipped to him.
Boy reluctantly took the paper. He looked at the writing, but there was no address written on it. Instead, it said: Enough playing hide-and-seek, Boy. I’m tired of taking care of you.
His eyes widened. Boy reflexively turned his head, but he could only catch a glimpse of the man’s sharp eyes before a heavy punch landed on his face. His vision went dark instantly.
Boy passed out, and the man quickly opened the car door. He pushed Boy’s body onto the passenger seat and sat behind the wheel.
The car window went up and closed swiftly. He touched something in his earhole, then spoke.
“Carter, it’s all clear.”
A moment later, he received a whispered response.
“Okay, Neil. We’re coming out.”
*