CHAPTER 5

At lunch time, Lisa and Anna went together for lunch. Anna praised Lisa about helping President yesterday. While Lisa rolled her eyes without showing any interest to talk about President. Lisa was really grateful that she got Manager post but at the same time she was worried.

She has to be very careful because she’s totally unexperienced. She just kept thinking about her son Simon, once she gets settled and got her son’s custody. She will be able to live in peace. No matter how weird Mr. Augustus is, but this time truly he has become an angel for me. I would never disappoint him Lisa thought to herself.

Anna nudged her arm and asked, “What are you thinking? Are you thinking to give new staff a treat?” She asked with a mocking smile.

Lisa smile and said, “Today is my first day and you’re asking for treat. Atleast wait for my first pay-cheque. What if I get kicked out of my job before a month.?”

“What? You must be joking.. our President has picked you as our Manager. He won’t kick you out easily.” Anna said teasingly and laughed.

“What if you become his girlfriend?” She said excitedly.

Lisa shocked at her words and said, “I would love to strike myself by lightning than being his girlfriend.”

“What? You’re not serious right?” Anna gasped.

“Yes. I am very serious.”

She folded her hands over her chest and said in a serious tone.

“What? Are you?” Before Anna could react, These words came from behind of them. Both Anna and Lisa turned around and stunned to see Augustus standing behind.

His expressions were very ugly and his eyes were bloody red. He clenched his hands into fist and turned around without waiting for her reply. Lester followed behind.

Lisa looked at his back nervously and she felt she should explained him her prospective before it gets ugly. After all this job is the last hope to get her son’s custody. She ran after him. He left the Hotel and got into his car, while Lester held the door for him. Just when he was closing the door someone held his arm strongly.

“Miss Lisa” Lester said shyly. “I need to explain what happened now to Mr. Augustus.” Lisa said while catching her breath.

Lester looked at her, than her hand holding his arm, and then inside the car the death glare of Augustus on his arm. He immediately shook his hand out of her grip. She also realized its not appropriate so she stepped back.

Lester opened the car door. Augustus didn’t come out and said coldly, “Speak.”

“Mr. Augustus what I said just now It didn’t mean to hurt you.?” Lisa said carefully.

“Well, why do you think I’m hurt. Who are you to me? Huh..?” Augustus sneered.

“That’s right. I am nobody as compare to you.” She said politely.

“Really.? You think that much low of yourself. Then how can you will be able to fulfill your duty of Manager. If you think so lowly of yourself?” August said displeasingly.

“No... I didn’t mean like this actually...” Lisa tried to explain but hesitated.

“Speak fast. I’m getting late.” Augustus said annoyingly.

Lisa took a deep breath, closed her eyes and said, “I’m a widow Mr. Augustus. A bachelor like you don’t deserve a widow like me as you girlfriend.” After that Lisa turned around, embarrassed by her confession. It’s her fate that her husband died, but in people’s eyes it’s a curse for woman. She has not told anyone at Hotel about her husband’s sudden death because She doesn’t want people to gossip about her. But she didn’t know why today she confessed it in front of Augustus... Why?

...

In the Car

“Bachelor.?” Augustus chuckled. Lester was driving the car and he didn’t dare to look at his Boss. “Lester, if I see you again touching her. I swear I will cut your hands.” Augustus warned him.

Lester held steering wheel tightly, his knuckles turned white and his face turned pale of fear. He nodded to his boss eyes fixing on the road. No matter what he did. His Boss always got angry on him. If he’s being gentlemen what’s wrong in it.? According to him, this woman has become very important for Boss. One second he was so angry and just now he is humming a song. Should I take him to hospital? Thought Lester scratching his forehead.

After nearly three hours of driving. Lester finally stopped the car infront of a villa in the center of the city. This villa was not very big, but the wall was very high, about the height of the Second floor. They could only see the black bricks, green tiles, and a vermilion door outside. People could see nothing from outside, except a large sycamore tree stretched out of the wall. Moreover, there was a security spot less than 50 meters away from the villa.

There was a house, a police car. And a soldier guarding outside. Lester went forward and rang the doorbell. Soon, a young nanny in her twenties opened the door. When she saw Lester and Augustus, she immediately opened the door respectfully and greeted them.

Augustus asked Lester to bring the documents from the car and went inside. Walking into the villa, there was a big hallway. The style of the hallway was Italian, and even the shoe rack was made of precious mahogany. You could also tell that the vase on the cabinet in the hallway was an antique. After changing the shoes, Augustus entered the living room. The furniture in living room were all made of precious mahogany, ponderous, and solemn.

Under the decorations of porcelain, jade, calligraphy, and painting. It seemed like the mansion of a royal family. On the lounge chair sat a middle-aged woman in glamorous clothes. She was well maintained, her skin was tender and white, her eyebrows were thin and curved, her makeup was a little heavy, probably in order to hide some tiny lines on her face. Her eyes were sharp and fierce.

Rheena Carlos looked at Augustus and sneered, “You’re late..!”

“There was traffic on the road.” Augustus said while sitting on the sofa. Rheena looked at him sharply and then pointed at nanny to serve him tea and cakes. Augustus took a piece of cake and started eating.

Since he was a kid, he has loved eating cakes especially the chocolate one. He ate with his hands and made his face dirty like a small kid. His mother’s sharp eyes soften instantly by looking the way he is devouring the cake. She took out the tissue and wiped his face neatly.

“You’re still acting like a child, Augustus.” She sighed while smiling at him.

“I love cakes, Mom.” He said grumpily. She sat back on her chair and asked, “So, what’s going on? Why did you suddenly mention to upgrade the Colosseum Hotel?”

Augustus sat straight and said in a business tone, “Well, the location of that hotel is good for the fact of tourism, besides I am thinking to change its name to “The Grand Hotel Of Carlos”. I have already contacted the designer teams for the sketches of new model and also contacted construction team to start the work as soon as possible.”

“But that building is not enough for this project. You need more space for making it Grand.” Rheena Carlos said from her point of view. “I know, I am already in talk with other builders. They have agreed to sell their buildings to me. After that, I am thinking to join all three buildings in one, a pedestrian walking space that connected three of them together and also made an underground parking area. I am also building up my office there. From now on, I will work from “The Grand Hotel Of Carlos.” So what do you say Mom? Any advise?” He told her his plan confidently.

“Huh... Advise.?? Since when did you decide to plan the project without my approval.?” She asked bitterly, raising an eyebrow. It’s been 10 years since Augustus joined hotel business. In those last years he had never planned anything before asking her approval and now he is sitting here with fully planned project for his new office. It’s a bit unrealistic for her to believe.

Just when she was waiting for him to explain Lester knocked and put a file on the table. Then turned around, greeted her and left without saying a word. Augustus calmly said, “Mom, these are the documents of approval to sign. I have already made it. If you want to read it and change something please let me know first. I want this project to start as soon as possible.”

“Why you are so eager.?” She couldn’t help but ask him. “I am 32 Mom. Give me some freedom to make my own decision.” Augustus said annoyingly.

“Giovanna wants to meet you.” Rheena Carlos said changing the topic.

“Any special reason?” Augustus asked sarcastically.

“Your fiancé doesn’t need to find reasons to meet you.” She replied straightly.

“Well, I am very busy on this project right now. Until we start work I don’t think I would be able to spend some time with her.” Augustus said this intentionally so his mom couldn’t avoid signing the approval papers today.

After thinking for a while, Rheena thought this project is indeed well planned by him and it’s his first own project so why not let him give a chance.

“Ok then, I will sign it right now and you will go to dinner with her tonight.” She offered him.

“Done.!” Augustus agreed happily.

After that Rheena Carlos signed the documents without reading it and Augustus took the file. He bid goodbye to his mother and left.