Before their lips could collide, Joel and Danielle looked at the doorway immediately they heard the bowl fall. Joel hastily stood up from the couch as soon as he saw that it was Emily. He stared at her with a guilt look plastered on his face.
“You, what are you looking at?” Danielle eyed Emily.
Emily bowed her head and picked the bowl on the floor. She made to head for the stairs when Danielle stopped her.
“Come here,” Danielle wagged her index finger.
???★★★???★★???★★★???
Joel swallowed the lump in his throat as he watched Emily walk towards them. He looked down at Danielle-what was the witch up to?
“Are you not a maid? Why are you wearing an EW designer dress?” Danielle lifted her brows.
Emily fidgeted with her hands as she stood before her, she didn’t know what to say.
“Do you have a death wish?” Danielle was beginning to lose it.
“She’s not a maid.” Joel voiced out.
Danielle took her eyes off Emily and looked up at Joel.
“Then who is she?” She asked.
‘the woman I love.’ of course Joel didn’t say that out.
“She works in EWEI.” He twitched his lips.
“You can leave.” He dismissed Emily and sat down beside Danielle.
“She works in EWEI?” Danielle furrowed her brows.
“Then what is she doing here?..” Danielle was persistent.
“She lives here.” Joel groaned.
“Mbo? wae?” Danielle blinked her eyes.
“I’m tired Danielle, stop asking me questions.” Joel sighed.
The door to the lounge opened and Michael walked in with Little Pumpkin.
“Danielle!” Michael smiled as soon as he set his eyes on Danielle.
“Huh? Oppa!” Danielle stood up from the couch and ran towards Michael.
She hugged him sweetly and after a while, she broke away from the hug and made to carry Little Pumpkin.
Little Pumpkin eyed Danielle and dodged her.
“Uncle JJ!” He ran straight to Joel and hugged him.
Joel smiled and ruffled Little Pumpkin’s hair sweetly.
“How was school?” He asked.
“Fine.” Little Pumpkin smiled and walked away to his room.
Danielle balled her fists, that little bastard had not changed. She let out a quick smile and walked back towards the couch while Michael walked into his room to change his outfit.
As soon as it was time for dinner, everyone sat in the dining room except Emily.
“Little Pumpkin, go and call noona.” Michael smiled.
Little Pumpkin nodded his head obediently and walked up the stairway.
Ko Ko Ko. Little Pumpkin rapped softly on the door.
“Noona..” he called softly.
Emily stood up from her bed, washed her face, and opened the door.
“Little Pumpkin.” She smiled and carried her darling immediately her eyes landed on the cute little boy in front of her door.
“Noona, you need to come downstairs for dinner.” Little Pumpkin stated softly in his small voice.
“Arasso.” Emily nodded her head and carried Little Pumpkin down the stairs.
Danielle choked on the water she was drinking as soon as she saw Emily alight from the stairway, with Little Pumpkin in her arms.
“Are you okay? Do you need water?” Michael asked her.
“Ani, Oppa, gwenchana.” Danielle coughed lightly.
(A/N: gwenchana means it’s alright.)*
‘mwo?! he let her carry him? And he has never allowed me to get any close to him.’ She squeezed the fork in her hand as she watched Emily drop Little Pumpkin on the chair and walk over to sit next to Michael.
Joel’s eyelashes wavered slightly. Why was she sitting next to his brother, she always sat beside him. He picked on his food-well, it wasn’t like he cared.
“Emily, how is work going?” Michael smiled.
“Fine” Emily let out a small smile.
“Although I get a lot of troubles from Sunbae Stephanie, it’s okay.” She sighed deeply.
Joel rolled up his left hand in a right fist, Stephanie was still troubling her… He clenched his teeth and breathed out heavily.
“Sorry.” Michael smiled.
“She’ll soon be out of your way.” He assured Emily.
Emily nodded her head and forced back the stinging tears that were pleading to be let out.
She stood up on her feet, “I’m full.”
“Good night.” She bowed and climbed up to her room.
Almost immediately, Joel pushed his food away and stood up on his feet.
“Joel, you haven’t eaten half of your food.” Danielle looked up at him.
Without responding to Danielle, Joel climbed down the steps and climbed up the stairway, his hands on the banisters.
“I lost my appetite.” Danielle stood up and also climbed up the stairs.
The trio entered their rooms, Joel’s room was the first room on the right, Emily’s was next to his while Danielle’s was directly opposite his on the right.
After taking a shower, Joel sat down on the couch and turned on the CCTV monitor, he clicked on the tenth room that was on the screen and Emily came up. She was lying on her bed, staring into space. It looked like she was thinking though.
Joel turned off the monitor and rested his back on the couch. What was she thinking about? He folded his hands on his chest. He stood up on his feet and walked around restlessly, after walking around for like two hours, he looked up at the wall clock-00:02. He sighed and fell flat In the bed; he wanted to be with Emily badly.
Emily rolled from side to side restlessly. She didn’t know why she was restless, but she knew it had something to do with Joel. Well, she needed to forget about Joel now, he had a girlfriend. Emily sighed.
She felt her door open, she looked up and saw the figure of someone walking towards her bed-Joel. She watched him silently, as he laid next to her on the bed.
Was he sleepwalking again? Emily swallowed. She gazed at his cute, innocent-looking, handsome face and couldn’t resist the temptation to stroke it with her fingers.
It was the last time she would be touching him anyways.
Emily ran her fingers on every part of Joel’s face, his eyes, forehead, cheeks, nose, jaw, and mouth. His tempting mouth. She ran her hand on his lips, unconsciously licking a corner of her mouth.
Well, since it was the last time she’d be touching him, she decided to steal a kiss. The last kiss.
Emily lowered her head and tilted it to the left before placing her vanilla-flavored lips on the CEO’s minty ones. She pressed her lips softly on his and raised her head. She laid beside him and placed her head on his chest, silently listening to his heartbeat. After a short while, she drifted off to sleep.
Joel opened his eyes and stared at the woman lying next to him.
He gently moved his arm and placed her head on the pillow. Joel watched her sleep till around three in the morning, stroking her hair and kissing her from time to time. His feelings for her weren’t diminishing, it was growing the more.
* * *
“I want that girl to be the one to interview the CEO.” Stephanie pouted as she stroked Mr. Clinton, the middle manager of the broadcasting industry’s beard lightly.
With their clothes scattered around, on the floor, and the bedsheet ruffled, it was obvious they just had three rounds of sex. They were both sweating profusely.
“Why?” Mr Clinton asked, caressing his potbelly.
“Well, she’s a newbie and she’s gradually making it to the limelight and I feel she’ll be capable enough to host the documentary.” Stephanie shrugged her shoulders.
“Hmmm” Mr. Clinton nodded his head after a while.
“And besides, will you make me do that job?… you know the CEO is hot-tempered, arrogant, and aggressive. I won’t even be able to make it past the gates.” Stephanie pouted.
“Arasso, anything for my baby.” Mr. Clinton grinned.
“Let’s get back to business” he grinned mischievously.
“Ahhh, Director…” Stephanie blushed as Mr. Clinton flipped her over.
???
“Okay!” Mr. Clinton grinned from where he sat in the conference room.
“So who is going to volunteer for the CEO’s documentary?” He asked, his hands intertwined on the long table.
SILENCE
“Mwolae?! Are you telling me no one wants to interview the CEO?” Mr. Clinton thundered angrily.
“Okay, this is how we’ll do it; I heard there’s a fast-rising newbie here… Where is she?” He asked after a while.
Maria signaled to Emily to stand on her feet and she did.
“Good. You’ll be in charge of that documentary.” Mr. Clinton dropped the bombshell.
“Nde?” Emily stuttered.
Stephanie smirked from where she sat.
Rachel stole a glance at her and twitched her lips, so Stephanie did it, after all. She smirked too.
“Are you deaf or something?” Mr. Clinton sneered.
“But Sir, she’s new here” Maria put in.
“Exactly! More reason why we should use her.” Mr. Clinton shrugged his shoulders.
“But…” Maria wanted to say something.
“No, but!” but Mr. Clinton cut in.
“She is interviewing the CEO and that’s final!… I don’t know how you are going to do it. If you need to sleep outside the CEO’s gates, do that. If you need to jump over his fence, I don’t care. If you need to start sleeping in Empire World Corporation, it’s none of my business. But look here young lady, if you are unable to do that documentary within a month, consider your job here over.” Mr. Clinton declared and walked out of the conference room.
Emily and Maria couldn’t believe their ears. One month?!
Everyone left the conference room one by one till it remained Stephanie, her manager, Emily, and Maria.
“Yah…”Stephanie smirked as she stood up on her feet and walked over to Emily.
“Best of luck. Fighting!” She chuckled.
“Let’s see if you’ll last here.” She stated finally and walked out of the conference room with her manager.
Emily couldn’t help but slump on the chair. Why now? Why now, that they were no longer on good terms? She swallowed the lump in her throat as she fought back her tears.