Nine: Anything, Any time.

I was above being frustrated. Since morning, I hadn't even been able to work properly. I couldn't stop thinking about what had happened last night. I hardly let things affect me, but this time around, this was affecting me so bad! How could he have gone as far as lying to the media? 

"This is the reason I tell you to stop being so stubborn," Erin continued to scold me. 

I rolled my eyes. "Can you stop blaming me now? I didn't know the emergency button was connected to the other parts of the hotel. But wait, how did the reporters get in there?"

"Um…" she sucked her teeth, drummed my fingers against the table. "Well, there was this guy who came to announce that Seth and you were in a room."

I glared. "What?! How did the guy know that?"

"Calm down, okay? I heard Seth's gotten him arrested," she informed me. Leaning her back against her seat, she sighed. "The guy's a journalist. At first, he didn't intend to disrupt your privacy, but when you began ringing the emergency bell, he said he thought Seth was probably doing something to you. That was the reason we rushed over. Cause the hotel isn't that guarded, the other journalists were able to come in, ready to ruin Seth's reputation."

"But, they ended up ruining mine." I hissed. 

"Anyways…" She leaned close, kept her elbow on the table, kept her chin in her palm, and smiled weirdly at me. "How did he climb on top of you? I mean, did you guys do anything?"

I scorned, took the paper on my table, started skimming through its content. "We were kind of fighting. No big deal."

"Hmm…" She gave that teasing smile. "I don't believe that. Why do I feel like you must have been falling for him? The Louella I know won't ever let a man get that close with her."

"You're silly." I stood up to get a coffee. Reaching the coffee maker, I glanced at the window, sensed it was about to rain. I loved rainy days. Heaving, I sank into the leather couch at the center of my office, waved at Erin to join me. 

She stood up, ambled to me. "So, what's up with Aaron? I was surprised to see him at the hotel last night. He said his house wasn't ready, so he had to lodge in the hotel for one night. You didn't offer him to stay at your place?"

I choked on my coffee, coughed for a while. "Girl, are you nuts? Stay at my place? I told you I don't like him anymore. And see, let's not talk about him. I've decided to forgive him for what he did in the past. Besides, I'm not ready to be with anyone."

"Fine. Whatever." She sat on the couch opposite mine, stretched her hand to take the magazine on the table in front of us. "So, what're you gonna do about Seth? Tell the media you guys broke up or what?"

"I'll just forget about it. All I've got to ensure is that I don't ever get to see him again," I said. 

"Okay."

"Ms. Warren." Rachel came in without knocking, hurrying to me, seeming so worried. She kind of breathed hard, standing beside my couch.

"What?" I sat straight, giving her the what's-gotten-into-you look. 

She exhaled. "I just watched the show, Celebrity Gossip. The show's hosts are talking about you and Seth Lee's relationship. They said they're trying to confirm how true it is."

"Huh?" My jaw dropped open, my eyes bulged open. I leaped from the couch, curled my hands in a tight fist. "They're what? How's that possible?"

She stepped close, handed her phone to me. "Here's what's going on in social media. In fact, they're starting to create a fan page for you and him. The page's got a thousand follows, only this morning."

My hormones went running from my brain, down to my feet. If I was in a cartoon world, smoke would definitely be gushing out from my ears. Being flustered was an understatement. Since I had been born, I had felt angry innumerable times, but hadn't ever felt as angry as now. 

"Get me Leo and Neo, now!" I ordered, my voice suspending the wrath that crankled my brain and nerves. 

Erin strided to me, shook her head in castigation to whatever I was about to do. "Don't react. Don't do something crazy."

"Don't tell me that," I bit out, my words as sharp as a knife. "I'm sorry, but I won't hear you out now."

She shook her head again, just walked away. This anger wasn't something I could decipher. And yes, I didn't care what would happen, I was going to end this craziness. I didn't even know anything about Seth, speaking of being rumored as his girlfriend? 

So stupid!

***

The friction between my heels and the floor was a great one. Sweat crinkled in my palm, my head almost exploding. I was wearing a high heel, but wasn't considering how embarrassing it would be if I had to fall, owing to how hard my shoes were hitting the floor. 

Getting to the door of the so-called chairman's office, I took in a deep breath. Not thinking twice, I barged into the office. The moment his eyes caught me, he stood up from his chair, used his eyes to throw daggers at me. 

"What're you doing in here?" He demanded. 

I tucked my arms around my chest. Moving my eyes to the lady sitting by his table, I almost scoffed. I knew that woman. That was Celina Harper. She had been the one who rejected my offer, a few years ago. I'd say she was one of my enemies. People would wonder why I had so many enemies, but well, it wasn't something I even understood. 

I huffed at him. "Right now, I need you to tell the media you lied last night. I see you've got a lot of social media followers. That means this rumor will be clarified, the moment you post the truth on social media."

Unexpectedly, he smirked, and sashayed towards me. "What makes you think I'll listen to you?" Those brown eyes mirrored so much threat. "This rumor hasn't affected me in any way. In fact, it's helped me. I've kind of had a whole lot of followers this morning. And, I noticed a couple of new companies are willing to work with me. It seems like you aren't so bad after all. Just that one lie, has helped my business."

"Hey, you?" The Celina girl sauntered to us. I almost noticed her, but that wasn't something to do now. Yeah, she was pretty. Whatever. 

I eyed her, just turned to Seth. There was no point in greeting someone like here. "Seth, tell the media the truth. Don't force me to do something crazy."

"Make me do it." He took a step close, smirked harder.

I didn't know if that was supposed to annoy me. If he had wanted to make me angry, he failed. Cause, what he had just said, only made me laugh. Truly, I was going to make him do it. 

It was my turn to smirk. "Louella never does anything unprepared."

"Pardon?" He twitched a brow at me. 

I snapped my fingers in the air, and called, "Neo and Leo!"

Calling their names, they bursted into the office. Turning to them, I smirked even harder when I saw the Tanya Lee girl weeping.

"Tanya?" Seth called. He had probably not expected this. 

I turned back to him. "Tell the truth to the media, or I harm your sister." I poked his arm, stepped closer, so close that we were only a few inches away from each other. "I could be a mafia as well, you know? Louella can do anything, can be anything. Anything, at any time."

(Hey guys, how's this chapter? Don't forget to drop a comment/review!)