"Have you contacted Lisa?" Mark asked Gio on the other end of the line."Not yet, sir. I ... don't dare," Gio replied half-heartedly, seeming to doubt his own answer."Wow, you've been promoted," Mark said, annoyed by the man's nervousness. The young man was actually good-looking and could be cool if his posture wasn't so awkward. In front of Lisa, he melted away and seemed to have no strength left to hold his head up. This made Lisa uninterested in him. Mark knew that. The man Lisa liked was a man with a strong charisma, just like Mark. Well, almost, because Mark was second to none."I-I'll try again, sir," Gio said after Mark had scolded him at length. He said that as a man, he should be macho and that as a man, he should not appear weak in front of his wife. And so on."Huuuft, basic Gio. I can't really rely on him," Mark complained to himself.Then he texted Lisa and asked her to meet him for lunch because he had something to discuss. Yes, he had to go back to helping Gio find a w
It is true that when Gio arrived in Jakarta, Mark helped her a lot with contacts and connections that she would need to work on Lisa's boutique project. Gio began to be more flexible and less rigid with Lisa because, this time, she was in a position where Lisa depended on her."We will discuss the concept again every day, from the exterior to the interior...and everything," Gio told Mark on the second day. He was proud because he hadn't expected to be so close to Lisa. But thanks to Mark's concept, he was able to get this rare opportunity."Well, then there will be so much time, huh, to steal her attention? Uh, is that so?" Mark teased Gio while one eye blinked happily. Well, although Gio couldn't see his expression either since they were only talking over the line."Hahaha, please, sir. Don't make me feel like the deadline is not about finishing the project but about winning Lisa's heart. What the hell!" Gio began to dare to argue jokingly with Mark. And that was a significant improv
Gio offered his jacket for Lisa to wear as they exited a Danangina ornament shop that was wafting heavily through the streets."Wear this, miss," Gio offered as he prepared to put on his jacket, seeing that Lisa was wearing only a thin dress with a scarf around her neck.Lisa didn't refuse. She felt so cold that she had goosebumps because they had lost track of time in their choosing until it was almost closing time."Miss would like a warm drink before she goes home?" Gio offered again.Lisa seemed to consider it. Usually, she would get angry if she went out too late at night. But in the last few days, she had always come home late because she had a lot of business outside and was safe from Mr Alex's protests. It was all because Mark guaranteed her safety with Gio, who always accompanied her everywhere."Can I ask you, do you know a place with good drinks and a good place?" Lisa asked, testing Gio's knowledge, who was only a newcomer to Jakarta."Ah, that's easy, miss. I just send a
"This really can't be helped, Mom!" Courtney paced back and forth in her mother's room. Seeing the joy that Mark and his family were experiencing made her jealousy-fueled emotions run high. Not caring that happiness should be Mark's after what he experienced as a child, Courtney couldn't accept that he would be further excluded from the company's inheritance."You're right, sweetheart. Don't think that just because your father can't do anything in his wheelchair that George has the right to control everything. Where are our rights? You should have an equal share of the power in the company with Mark," Mrs. Rebecca said in support of her daughter's words."Oh, I don't know, Ma. Then we have to act. Justice sometimes has to be done ourselves." Courtney said as her eyes held a determined look."Think of a way, sweetie. I'll help you make it happen. I have no idea how to destroy your uncle. Damn. He always manages to get away with it. It's like having a lot of psychics!" grumbled Mrs. Re
"What? Anna!" A comrade immediately shrieked in surprise and drew the attention of the others.Madame Anna had fallen unconscious after visibly staggering and letting her glass fall from her hand. The woman was lying on the ground because no one had noticed her fall. The lemon tea liquid, which was still half remaining, splashed onto her evening dress, which was a luxurious dark blue dress with a strap accent at the waist that made her curves look beautiful.The long clear glass shattered into pieces, making those around Madame Anna realize that someone had fainted. A crowd soon formed, and some of her friends asked the male guests to help Mrs. Anna, taking her outside to find the lady's driver whom they almost all knew.Soon the driver, who had been smoking a cigarette next to the car, threw out his long cigarette butt, his second cigarette because he was too bored to be there with nothing to do but wait for her to come home.And what a surprise it was that she was now on the shoulde
Mark had returned to the hospital around eleven in the evening, and Aileen had decided to stay overnight at the hospital. After all, there was an extra bed in the room for waiting patients plus a long sofa and could even ask for another futon to use if needed.“Are you still here?” greeted Mark as he wrapped an arm around Aileen's waist. He almost kissed Aileen on the forehead as was their habit when they met recently. Fortunately, he then remembered that his father was also in the room although he was busy watching his wife.“Are you awake yet, Pa?” She turned toward the gurney where her mother was still unconscious.“Not yet. What about the police investigation?” “They'll be here tomorrow morning. I just checked the guest book list and who the invitations were distributed to, Pa.” Mark answered in detail.“And what did you find?” Mr. George asked impatiently.“Aunt Rebecca and Courtney were included in the invitation but they didn't attend judging from the guest book,” he answered
“Don't play games, Reg. I'll investigate until I have strong evidence to pin you down. Before that, if you dare to plan anything to harm my mother, you will face me directly. Keep that in mind! Even then the police won't be able to protect you, you know!” Mark said threateningly on the line.While Red=gina listened on the other end scoffing.“Don't be so accusatory, Mark! You didn't even find my name and mom's name on the guest list, did you?”“That must be just your aliboi. Make no mistake, I'll find the proof. Don't think you'll be safe after trying to poison my mama! You savage women!” Mark snarled again, unconcerned with Courtney's denials. Because he had a very strong feeling that Reginna and her mother were behind the poisoning of Mrs. Anna.“Don't talk so much. Just find the evidence if there is any! If there isn't, we'll sue you for defamation and malicious misconduct, Mark! Don't mess with the law!” Courtney turned to bully Mark who of course didn't flinch at all because he w
"The CCTV footage didn't show anything unusual, sir," the detective reported to Mark, who had taken the day off to personally follow up on the investigation. "We also questioned the waiter who served Mrs. Anna her drink. He claimed he had no idea the glass contained sodium cyanide. He said he was just randomly distributing drinks, picking a variety to serve around the hall," added a younger officer, explaining the situation. Mark studied the photo of the waiter. The file already contained his personal data and identification. Intuitively, Mark felt something off about the man. "I’ll interrogate him again, sir. I believe there’s more he knows but hasn’t disclosed to the police," Mark said confidently. Without waiting for approval, Mark immediately set out on his own. He had his ways of investigating cases, and relying on the police only tested his patience to its limits—patience he didn’t have in abundance. The perpetrator had to be caught, with or without the police's help. Hi