“Schedule the meeting on the weekday!” Andrew snarled. “Why they scheduled the board meeting on the goddamn weekend?”
“Because they’re free on the weekend.” Andrew’s assistant, Max, replied calmly.
“Do I look like I’m free on the weekend?” Andrew snapped. He didn’t want telling anybody that he had to be a bartender every weekend for the whole month because of some stupid bet.
“No… You’re free everyday.” Said Andrew’s cousin, Henry, followed with a roar of laughter.
Because right now Andrew was not in his office, he was in Henry’s penthouse. And instead of working, he was playing video game. Very much the opposite of what he was trying to present himself.
“At least, I earn some money which you heartlessly spending it.”
Earn some money was disparaging statement. Andrew was a chairman of some multi-billion worth companies acr
Caring House was a number of buildings situated in a huge area near the farmer village. “Wow…” Lila’s eyes lit. “This is a hospital building.” Andrew told Lila, he kept on driving passed the medium sized building then parked the car in the parking lot behind the building. Lila stepped out of the car as soon as Andrew pulled it into a complete stop and killed the engine. She didn’t know that Andrew was narrowing his eyes at her as he couldn’t do his old gentleman habit because she was busy admiring the scene before her eyes. “And there is where the elders live.” He continued. Behind the hospital building, on the right side was two rows of back to back twin small houses, one row consisted of ten twin houses. On the left side was a garden filled with many kinds of bonsai and stood in the middle was a fountain. “Come, they’re all must be prepared to have lunch. We’ll greet them briefly, then we can have our lunch in the staff’s cafeteria.”
It’s half an hour past six in the afternoon, the sun almost set. Andrew pulled his car in the front of European classic style brick house. “Thank you.” Said Lila to Andrew. He was holding the car door open from the outside. Lila stood firmly on the ground, carrying her bag on the shoulder, she let out a brilliant smile. “I mean it, thank you. You made my day, and I’m sorry we lost the game.” Andrew gave a tilted smile at Lila and looked at her gently. Leaning on the side of the car, he asked. “So, this is your father’s best friend’s house?” Lila nodded once. “Have you consider finding your own place?” “Yea, still looking for the perfect one.” Andrew hummed. “Go on then, you said they’re waiting for you.” “Yea, see you…” Lila waved, then she walked on the gravel path towards the front door. As soon as Lila disappeared inside the house, Andrew got into the car. He didn’t drove away immediately, instead he pulled out his phone and called
Entering the café with a stray kitten in her arms, Lila looked around to find a secluded spot to sit with the kitten, so she didn’t disturb the other customer. Although Lila didn’t have to do that since the café was empty but the man who was lowering his hat to cover his face sitting on the other corner. Walking straight, Lila ordered. “I want strawberry juice, a glass of milk, ice tea, and a glass of warm water…” She paused, looking at the food display. “That tuna panini too.” The waiter nodded, taking Lila’s card. “You want to give the milk for the kitten? You don’t know that kittens are lactose intolerant?” Lila smiled then replied. “I do. And I also know that diluting it isn’t good either.” “Oh…” The waiter’s face looked relief, he quickly processed Lila’s order. “I’ll bring your orders to your table.” Lila took her card back from him. “Thanks.” Soon, the waiter came with Lila’s order then put them all on the table while Lila and t
“Mr. Muller…”The couple halted and turned around the time they heard Lila’s call. They frowned in unison, wondering who Lila was and why she knew the man’s name.“I’m Lila Phillips. I know this is unexpected, showing up in front of you without appointment, but I’ve tried to reach you on the phone, it just didn’t manage.”Since deciding to fight back her idea by attending the University gala dinner, she needed the blood sample. That’s why she took the risk, coming to this town without any appointment with the man who had the rare blood type as Andrews. She couldn’t get it from Andrew yet, so she had to try another source.In the day when she canceled her trip because of her cheating ex-boyfriend, Mr. Muller had agreed to donate his blood. Oddly today, she had a hard time finding him in his workplace or home, even the call she made went straight to voicemail.Like rainbow after
Lila stared at her reflection in the mirror. She was admiring her dress. It fitted perfectly on her, the fabric was soft and the most important was the price didn’t make her wallet cried. Nodding at her reflection, she was ready to go, then went downstairs immediately. Uncle Malcom as the University’s President, choosing not to attend the gala, he watched tv drama with Aunt Becky. The kitten was sleeping on Aunt Becky’s lap. “I’m leaving. Take care of my baby.” Said Lila as she walked by the sitting room. “You better give it a name.” Uncle Malcom voiced his irritation. His tired tone made Lila giggled. Last night when Lila got home, Aunt Becky welcomed her. Lila showed the kitten in the carrier then told her. “I’m adopting this baby.” Aunt Becky smiled brilliantly, taking the carrier. While Uncle Malcom who was sitting with his back facing the front door, choked and threw a fit cough after hearing what Lila had said, thinking L
Under grad students usually made the lobby garden busy for almost twenty-four hour everyday, they come and go through it. But not tonight. The gala had it closed. Lila stepped to the empty lobby alone. Scanning all direction of the lobby, she found nothing. Maybe I was wrong. She concluded. “I’m so impressed.” A voice came, walking from inner lobby to the outside. Lila didn’t have to turn around to see who said it. She knew very well and also hate it. Professor Gustav stood beside her. “First time attending the gala, you manage to get along with the second prince. Wow.” He clapped coldly and out of rhyme. “You should share that kind of skill to the rest of us.” Pretending not to hear a word from him, Lila scanned the empty lobby once again. Her eyes roamed everywhere, except at the man beside her. But Professor Gustav seemed unnoticed, he kept on talking. “Though his speech implied about our special activity,”
The air around Lila’s fist and Professor Gustav’s face stormed sharply. It felt suffocating to Professor Gustav. He finally saw the punch coming, but too shock to make a move. He never thought, the obedient girl he knew all these years could do this kind of blow. Closing his eyes, waiting for the punch to come, he didn’t realize that the storm had stopped and the suffocating air dropped suddenly. Andrew’s large palm held Lila’s punch just an inch from Professor Gustav’s nose. “Don’t!” Andrew shook his head, gazing into Lila’s eyes. “Not worth it.” Few seconds Andrew endured Lila’s deadly glare while still holding her fist. “What are you doing here?” Lila hissed through her teeth, jerking her fist free from Andrew’s grasp. “Saving you…” Having his sense back as the still and silent surrounding assured him that Lila’s punch was aborted, Professor Gustav opened his eyes and blinked few times to calm his shaking nerves. Feeling calm, his cocky attitude back again. “Listen to him,
“What is your problem, woman?” “I said, let’s go to the vet with me.” Lila repeated in a tired tone. “Your dog looks in pain.” “I heard you!” The man retorted sharply. “Again, my dog is just being naughty, he’s not sick. Besides, it’s my dog, my decision.” Lila’s voice started to raise. “Not anymore when you kick your dog in front of witnesses.” “Or we can go straight to the police.” Andrew added as he positioned himself standing next to Lila. “That way, you can no longer be with your dog, and your dog will be safe and sound in the vet. Your choice.” The man cursed in foreign language. He threw belittling angry looks while pulling his dog, getting ready to leave. “I can make you deported from this country, you know.” Andrew slid to the same foreign language, halting the man’s step. He also noticed Lila was astonished, probably within the moment her mind was forming questions for him. Thinking he would cross that bridge when he got there, then he told the man. “You can kiss your
In his mansion, Andrew checked his phone again as if he did it over and over, Lila’s text of -where he needed to pick her up- would come. Not seeing her for a few days upset him. Her excitement over little things always managed to lift up his mood, sending brand new energy to him. And he needed his energy right now.It was almost midnight, how late did she mean by late dinner?Over and over he noticed the passing time while checking his phone. He really wanted to call her but decided against it. If she hadn’t noticed his text, it meant she hadn’t checked her phone yet, which led to a conclusion that she was still busy in her lab.Buuuutttt it’s nearly midnight. He groaned inwardly, staring angrily at his phone as if his phone was to blame for Lila’s lack of response.He
The pungent smell still lingered in Lila’s brain but not the effect though. Her eyes fluttered open when an unpredictable wavy swing swayed her ground, sending turbulence into her stomach. Instantly, she felt sick and dizzy at the same time.Her mind refused to work properly no matter how still she sat as another troop of butterflies stirring inside her stomach.What irritated her the most was that she couldn’t move. In a sitting position, her body was tightly tied on a hard wooden chair, and her hands tied on each arm of the chair.Damn! Not again. It seemed she had some kind of magnet that attracted kidnappers.The question was, who kidnapped her this time?All the rational clues led to one name, Carla. But her heart refuse
According to Lila’s experience, they were there with Andrew and the others to save her when she was kidnapped by the vengeful thugs. Based on that experience, they could be some trained military men. Also, perhaps they were a gangster member since there was this experience when she and the prince instantly felt safe not long after she ended her call with Andrew, at that time she didn’t think much as to why the prince pleaded with her to call Andrew because of the danger that threatened them and they had to keep the children safe. Lastly, the other day at the dinner they acted as servants and kitchen staff.Up until now a few days later, she could only draw a hanging conclusion. So many thoughts came into her mind on the drive home from the dinner. And Andrew was busy these past three days, delaying her to coax an answer out of him.But the way they bowed before
“Having you here tonight is breaking our years of tradition, Lila.” The king started after the servants were done serving the soup. “In a good way.” Henry quickly added, seeing Lila’s spoon froze midway to her mouth. He glared at his grandfather before explaining to Lila. “His Majesty is pleased to see a pretty face like yours instead of us. Since every year we, four men, have this dinner alone.” Lila’s startled look turned into an understanding smile. “Thank you for having me, Your Majesty. I didn’t expect it would be a dinner for your birthday, Your Majesty, when Andrew asked me to go to a secret dinner.” “Typical of Andrew. Always full of secrets.” Edvard snorted. “It’s a surprise. Not a secret.” Andrew snapped. Edvar
Edvard was looking at the starry sky, wondering what Lila had been doing. He was in a secured private estate, safely away from the hungry sensation's seekers of paparazzi. Where once a year they had family dinner to celebrate the king's actual birthday. His trail of thoughts disturbed when he heard confident footsteps coming closer. He recognized it was his father's footsteps since the other two younger members of the family hadn't arrived yet. “I met the prime minister this afternoon.” Said the king, standing next to his son. “He told me something interesting.” Somehow Edvard could guess where the conversation might lead, but he waited for his father to elaborate. He understood why his father was still looking at him expectantly. Sighing, he asked. "Which is…" The l
When Lila agreed to Prince Edvard's invitation to go to the museum with him, it was Saturday morning.Since Edvard was Andrew's relative, she thought becoming Edvard's friend was part of her duty as Andrew's girlfriend.She also became used to the cup of coffee and a pink rose that was delivered every morning on her desk. To the angel, whoever he or she might be, who sent the coffee and pink rose to her, she felt grateful and quit questioning it. Because she really liked the coffee and enjoyed every delicious drop of it.Sunday morning came. Edvard waited for Lila inside his car a few metres from a bus stop. He didn't understand why she asked to meet at this specific bus stop, since her uncle's house was far away from the bus stop.He realized there were so many things that he didn't know about Lila, and he wanted to know all of those things to understand her.Like right now as he watched Lila get off of the bus which served a route from
"What is she doing here?" Andrew's smile dropped and his step halted upon seeing who was the one behind Lila. "Why is she with you?"His abrupt halt made Lila halt her step too. Behind Andrew, Lila saw Maggie was sitting on the long sofa and calmly put her drink onto the table.She was slightly irritated. Though she understood perfectly why he acted that way toward Carla, did he have to spark fire like that in front of Maggie?"I told you this isn't a good idea." Lila heard Carla's whisper.When they were in the hospital to get some stitches for Carla's wounded hand, Lila invited Carla to go with her to directly apologize to Andrew and Carla uttered the same thing.She knew Carla was worried then, and right this moment she sensed Carla was worried and scared at the same time.Andrew could be very scary when he was mad, she had witnessed it once. He coldly dumped Tony out of the country, because Tony did something inappropriate to
"I don't have enough money to buy a drink there."Lila fixed a blank flat look at her cousin, Carla. Her eyes drilled into Carla's, searching for something to validate her doubt.Since Carla came to her lab when she was tidying her work, she didn't believe a thing from Carla's mouth.Well, there was one thing though. Carla suspected Andrew made her lose a few jobs, while she was a hundred percent sure Andrew was behind it. She knew it was an easy thing for Andrew.But it was almost impossible to believe when Carla said that she was sorry for everything she had done to her and wanted to fix their relationship.Losing jobs would never change someone with spiteful and hatred that rooted for thirteen years into a better person. The change perhaps to get the job back or revenge. That was what she thought about Carla's intention.Lila said nothing then walked inside the fancy cafe. She failed to find anything to validate her doubt. Not
Edvard sat alone inside his car. He arrived early to get a parking spot as near as possible to the research building so that he could have a good view of everyone who entered the building, hoping he could see one particular person that occupied his mind.Worry had him fail to do his everyday duty as the second prince. He was out of shape, looking nothing like a prince. So messed up, he couldn't sleep and eat properly. Like something wrong was happening in his life.After Dan's funeral the other day, Lila looked really dejected. He wanted to console her because he also felt guilty for putting her in danger, but his every move was blocked by the disturbing Andrew. His only chance to talk to her was at the end of the funeral when it was time to say goodbye.Phone calls and messages seemed on hold. So then he went to her Aunt and Uncle's house, too bad Andrew beat him again. Her uncle told him that Lila went to do volunteer work with Andrew. Which he knew was