???
“Did you find out what I told you about?” Vincent adjusted his tie.
“Nde. Annie did that to her.” Gabe placed the file in his hands on his boss’s table.
“Mbo?.. which Annie?… You mean Annie Bella?” Vincent couldn’t believe his ears.
“Nde.” Gabe bobbed his head.
“Aishhh!” Vincent sighed.
Annie was signed under his company. He was bent on making the person that did that to that girl pay dearly for it but what could he do now …
“Wae?… why did she hit her?” Vincent asked as he placed his hands on his table.
“Miss Emily dug out a dirty past of Anna’s.” Gabe breathed out.
“Ahhh…” Vincent nodded his head.
“Is Anna around right now?” He asked.
“Nde.” Gabe bowed slightly.
“Get her for me.” Vincent sighed.
“Ye.” Gabe bobbed his head.
He turned around and walked out of the office. A few minutes later, Annie walked in.
“Sir.” She bowed her head.
“Have your sit, Annie,” Vincent spoke calmly.
“Kamsahamnida.” Annie grinned and took her seat.
“Concerning Empire World’s newbie that you slapped….” Vincent began.
Annie sighed.
“You know you need to apologize right?… Your fans even shamed her publicly too and it’s all over the internet.” Vincent sighed.
Annie pressed her lips in a thin line. Yeah, she had also watched the video and it wasn’t really good.
“You know very well that you shouldn’t slap someone from another industry, it’s a relief they haven’t pressed charges against us yet,” Vincent stated calmly.
“You need to apologize.” He breathed out.
Annie sighed and nodded her head. She couldn’t go against her boss’s wish.
“I will Sir.” She smiled and stood up on her feet.
“Good.” Vincent smiled and dismissed her.
He turned to his computer and logged in to his Weibo account. He searched for the video but there were no more videos of Annie’s fans shaming Emily.
Vincent narrowed his eyes, he knew exactly the only person who could make the videos disappear. He smirked and rocked his office chair. Joel didn’t want anyone tarnishing the image of his company… Hmmmn…
He should get rid of that Noah guy soon. Vincent grinned.
???
“I guess we have to leave three hours earlier.” Maria smiled.
“Nde.” Emily nodded her head.
She was finally beginning to understand the entertainment industry and one of the things about the industry is that you have to be time conscious.
Maria picked up the tablet on her desk and checked the next schedule. She furrowed her brows almost instantly. How did those spots get there?… those were crazy spots…. she didn’t have connections to that extent and she was sure she wasn’t the one that got those spots. So who did?…. There was only one person that could get those spots…
Almost instantly, Maria got a message. She picked up her phone and read the message, it was from an unknown number:
…………………………………
“MRS MARIA YOU DON’T HAVE TO TROUBLE YOURSELF WITH THE CHANGED SCHEDULES, IT’S SAFE.”
NOAH.
…………………………………
Maria’s eyelashes wavered slightly. She looked up at Emily who was playing a game on her phone and stared at her for a while… What relationship did the girl have with the CEO?…
Emily opened the door as silently as she could and tiptoed towards the stairs.
The interview she did that morning had been a huge success and Maria had told her to take a break.
She was still tiptoeing when she heard a voice and froze.
Ever since the day their lips had brushed against each other’s, she had been avoiding the CEO seriously.
If he was in the dining, she would stay in her room. If he was at the lounge, she would stay in her room. She was trying her possible best to not cross paths with him for the main time but it seemed like luck was not on her side.
“Stop!” Joel’s cold voice had made her freeze.
Joel removed his pocketed hands and sat down on one of the chairs in the dining.
“Come.” He ordered.
Like a robot, Emily turned to the left and climbed up the steps to the dining. She clasped her hands together and stood before the CEO.
Joel folded his hands on his chest, placed his legs on the dining table, and crossed them.
He looked up at Emily and stared at her for a long while.
“Why are you avoiding me?” He spoke up.
“… mbo.?..” Emily stuttered.
Joel twitched his lips as he stared at Emily.
“I a-am not.” Emily stammered.
Joel’s puckered his mouth and nodded his head slowly.
“So why were you tiptoeing?” He asked gently.
“Well… I erm… it looks like the just mopped the floor … and I didn’t want to slip.” Emily managed to blurt out.
“Hmn..” Joel clicked his tongue and brought down his legs from the table.
“Are you sure you are not avoiding me?” He asked a smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.
“Uh… ahhh.. ani.” Emily grinned nervously as she shook her hands in the air.
“Really?” Joel arched up his brows.
“Uhn.” Emily nodded her head.
“Okay.” Joel grinned.
He snapped his fingers and a maid appeared instantly with a laptop in her hands. The maid gently placed the laptop on the table and walked away.
Emily stared at the laptop and looked up at the CEO… what was he up to?.. she thought.
Joel clicked on a button and turned the laptop so that Emily could watch it.
Emily’s mouth and eyes widened gradually as she watched the video. It was the CCTV recordings of how she had been avoiding the CEO for the past three days. She hastily stopped the video and snapped the laptop shut. She bit her lip, her cheeks burning red with embarrassment.
“Wae?… you want another kiss?” Joel looked at her and licked a corner of his mouth.
“Aishhh!” Emily groaned and ran up the stairs.
It was so embarrassing, she slammed her door shut and got in bed as she wrapped the duvet over her body.
Joel laughed heartily. He stood up on his feet and took long, lazy strides to the lounge. He slumped on the sofa and switched on the LED TV.
???
Noah sighed as he read the threat letter for the umpteenth time.
That was the tenth letter he had received that month, threatening him to resign or die.
“Noah you have to stop this job.” Tasha looked wearily at Noah.
“I can’t. You know I can’t.” Noah sighed as he replied to his wife.
“Do you want to die?” Tasha ruffled he hair in frustration.
“Then tell the CEO!” She yelled.
“I can’t,” Noah replied calmly.
“You must be out of your mind.” Tasha scoffed.
“Natasha…” Noah called affectionately and walked towards his wife.
“Wae?” Tasha eyed him.
“I’m not going to die.” Noah smiled.
“Oh. Even before you die I would have divorced your stupid ass!” Tasha hissed.
Noah chuckled. He placed his hands on Tasha’s waist and stared into her eyes.
“I’m not going to let you do that.” He smiled and grazed his lips on hers.
“I’m scared,” Tasha whispered silently.
“I know.” Noah smiled.
His lips reached out for Tasha’s and he slowly took her lower lip in his mouth, gently nibbling on it. Tasha wrapped her hands around Noah’s neck and deepened the kiss.
?️?️?️
It was already time for dinner and Emily was still in her room.
“Where’s Emily?” Michael puckered his mouth.
“She’s in her room,” Joel replied as he chewed a spoonful of rice in his mouth.
“Little Pumpkin go get Noona.” Michael smiled at his son.
“Ani. I’ll go get her.” Joel stood up on his feet and took long strides towards the stairs.
Little Pumpkin pouted his lips as he watched his uncle go up the stairs to call his noona. He was supposed to be the one going up the stairs, so annoying.
Joel smirked as he stood in front of Emily’s door, there was that jot he derived in teasing her.
He twitched his lips and knocked softly on the door.
Emily puckered her lips and removed the duvet, she stared at the door and sighed. It was Little Pumpkin.
She stood up on her feet, wore her slippers, and dragged her feet to the door. She turned the knob, opened the door, and lo and behold, the arrogant CEO was standing before her.
“CEO Joel…” Emily managed after a long while of awkward silence.
“Come downstairs for dinner,” Joel stated simply but his words held fire with them.
“… nde.” Emily gulped.
Joel turned around and smirked as Emily trailed closely behind him.
They got to the dining and took their sits beside each other.
“Emily how was work?” Michael asked, breaking the silence.
“Fine, Oppa.” Emily smiled sweetly.
Joel slammed his spoon on the table at once!
*All eyes on him*
“Hmn.” Joel cleared his throat.
“I’m full.” He pushed back the chair with his butt and legs on the floor and stood up.
He looked beside him at Emily and his eyes darkened, cold aura emanating from him.
Emily shivered slightly, she was feeling cold and she was sure the cold was from the CEO’s body.
Joel turned around and took long strides towards the stairs. His mood had been spoilt.
Michael squinted his eyes as he stared at his brother,… was it what he was thinking???.. he wasn’t sure but he was going to find out.
He looked at Emily and slowly looked away.
After the dinner, the trio went to their various rooms after saying ‘good nights’ to themselves.
Emily dragged her feet up the stairs and opened the door, she walked in and closed it behind her.
She had not walked five steps when she felt she was being gazed at coldly by a set of dark eyes.
She turned around quickly to the left and the CEO was right there, his butt against her dressing table, hands folded across his chest and legs crossed.
“C- -CEO Joel ..” Emily stuttered as she trembled at the sight of the CEO.
Joel stared coldly at her. He raised himself from the table and walked briskly towards Emily who hastily walked backward in fear till her back hit the wall.
“CEO…” Emily winced in pain.
Standing a foot from Emily, Joel’s dark eyes gazed into Emily’s timid ones. He looked down at her not too pointed nose and then trailed his eyes down to her parted lips. He swallowed the lump in his throat.
Joel raised his right hand slowly to caress Emily’s face.