“Mr. Michael is your wife still not back from where she travelled to?!”
“Mr Michael?!”
Michael did well to avoid the reporters. He picked two masks in the tray for himself and his son and headed to their table with Little Pumpkin.
Even though they passed through different directions in order to avoid suspicions, Joel and Emily’s cars still ended up at the venue the same time.
Immediately The CEO stepped out of his car, please and reporters trooped out towards his direction.
“Mr CEO you are looking breathtaking as usual.”
“CEO Joel how do you feel tonight?”
“Where is your date?”
“Where is Danielle?”
“CEO Joel you look like the good you truly are.”
“CEO Joel, isn’t Miss Danielle coming?”
“You didn’t come with her?”
“Who is your date then?”
“Who are you going to be dancing with?”
Joel ignored the reporters’ questions and walked towards the entrance with his guards.
Emily had stepped out of her car and was also walking towards the entrance when she was unknowingly pushed by one of the reporters hovering around Joel.
Noticing what had happened from the corners of his eyes, Joel hastily walked forward and helped Emily up before she could land on the ground.
“Are you okay miss?” He asked gentlemanly.
Emily blushed and nodded her head. “Nde.”
She bowed her head slightly in appreciation. “Kamsahamnida.”
“Mbo?!”
“Unbelivable!”
“For the first time, the ceo helped a lady!”
“This is unbelievable!”
“maybe the ceo isn’t gay after all!”
“CEO Joel please answer a few questions!”
“CEO Joel?!”
“Our prince charming is such a gentleman!”
The reporters and paparazzi rushed after Joel as he walked into the event venue with Emily.
Gentlemanly, Joel helped Emily to the red carpet.
“Uwa! The CEO is even going to share the carpet with her!”
“Our city’s sweetheart is such a gentleman!”
“You both actually look good together!”
The reporters three questions at the CEO, while the paparazzi took pictures like their lives depended on it.
“Yah, aren’t they going to start suspecting?” Emily whispered as they stroke poses on the carpet.
“Ani. To them, it’s just coincidental, Mrs. Emily Manchester.” Joel replied calmly as he waved his hands to the cameras.
Emily clasped her hand on her mouth, trying hard to conceal her blush.
She tilted her head to a side as she took pictures with the CEO.
Soon, they were done snapping pictures. They picked their masks in the tray and walked away from the carpet and headed in different directions. Joel, to his table, and Emily, to her manager and personal assistant.
Stephanie had her jaw agape. She had never ever believed that it was a lowlife like that girl called Emily that would get an opportunity to share the red carpet with The CEO.
Gosh! She had also been pushed by a reporter on one of those occasions but the CEO hadn’t noticed her, instead, she had fallen to the ground and gotten herself disgraced.
Stephanie was seething with anger but the mask she had on her face masked her expression.
Annoyed, she picked up her wine glass and gulped down it’s content.
Rachel couldn’t close her mouth as she watched Emily walk away to wherever she was headed to.
Asides Danielle, the CEO had shared the red carpet with Emily alone.
Rachel found it unbelievable! Maybe her eyes were deceiving her. She shook her head and gulped down her wine till there was nothing left in the wineglass.
Min Ah and Emily exchanged looks as Emily got to them. Like did what they saw few seconds ago actually happened?!
Like, did the CEO actually used the red carpet with her?!
Well, since it had happened before their bare eyes, it seemed like he did.
“Annyeonghaseyo.” Emily greeted as she took her sit in between the astonished duo.
“Evening…” They murmured absentmindedly, still in deep thoughts.
Min Ah shook her thoughts of her head and grinned at her boss. It really didn’t mean.
The CEO probably took pictures with her boss since he helped her outside.
Danielle’s entry was grand. She looked like a goddess as she smiled at the cameras.
“why didn’t you arrive with the CEO, Mis. Danielle?!”
“Are you guys no longer together?!”
“As always, you look stunningly beautiful!”
“Are you still the future lady of Empire World?!”
“Is your position as the future lady of Empire World Corporation still secured?!”
“Please reply to the questions!”
The reporters fired questions at Danielle as she took poses on the red carpet. She soon shut their blabbing mouths as she picked a mask in one of the trays and walked over to the table Joel was seated at, with his family
“Ahhh, they are still together after all.”
“Wow! The god and the goddess!”
“You two look perfect together!”
The reporters hyped as they watched Danielle take her sit next to The CEO. Indeed, they looked good together.
The event commenced.
The CEO just sat down on his chair as his personal assistant did everything he was supposed to do in his stead, even with his injury.
The CEO only stood up when it was time to pick a lady he was going to be having a dance with.
He now had his mask on, he walked over to the stage and stood next to the MC, which was his personal assistant, and smirked.
“Now, ladies and gentlemen, the CEO will have a dance with a lucky lady.” Noah announced.
Everywhere was filled with joyful noises. Even the female reporters were ready to take their chances.
Danielle smiled in her seat, in fact, all the ladies in the hall had smiles plastered on their faces.
They all had the same thoughts on their minds, if the CEO of Empire World Corporation could prevent a lady from falling, then, he could dance with them.
“Boss, how are you going to do it?” Noah whispered in his boss’ ear.
***
Vincent and Becky who had also arrived at the venue and were now seated amongst the crowd, stared at Joel intently.
They were also very keen to know who he was going to dance with.
Joel had ways danced with Danielle alone but that year, it was stated that the anniversary wouldn’t be like the previous ones.
“Oppa, do you think he’ll dance with me?” Becky chirped giddily.
Vincent looked at his baby sister and smiled.
Right from when she was younger, she had always been a huge fan of Joel.
“We can’t say…” He replied and they both returned their gazes to the men on the stage.
Joel chuckled at his assistant’s question and looked away into the crowd.
He smirked and turned back to face Noah. “Watch and learn from your boss.”
Noah knew who his boss was going to dance with. Well, he was in support too. He also wanted his boss to dance with her.
He adjusted his tie and turned to face the crowd. “So…”
“In this tray are twenty papers, names of twenty ladies here are written in each of them. The CEO will pick one, randomly, and the name he picks is the name of the lucky lady he’ll dance with tonight.” He announced, all grins.
“Woahhhh!!!!!” The crowd screamed hysterically.
Noah nodded his head and turned back to face his boss.
“Boss, pick one.” He nudged.
Joel stared at the papers in the tray and frowned. He didn’t know which one had his wife’s name in it.
He looked up at Noah, as if asking for help from him.