Chapter 2: His Personal Minion

Antonio's Mansion...

About an hour after the encounter at the airport...

Antonio sat in his study trying to work but found it hard to concentrate. The incident from earlier, at the airport, just wouldn't give him a break in his thoughts. He constantly staggered upon the memory, still so stunned that someone had the audacity to disrespect him like that. He didn't really care whether people saw or not. He just couldn't allow Lily off the hook without teaching her a resounding lesson. He opened up a drawer in his desk to take out her purse and took a look at her ID card.

"Liliana Andrea Cabrera," he read out her name. "She's also of Latin descent." He was scanning the remaining content when he was suddenly interrupted by a knock at the door.

Antonio picked up a little remote on his desk and pressed a button, opening the door. It was a woman in a red blazer with a fitting short skirt. She wore a white blouse with a very low neckline underneath the blazer, exposing much of her cleavage. Her hair was in a very neat bun with lose strands at both sides of her face. She wore cat eye glasses and heavy make-up. She was pretty but looked somewhat artificial. She came into his study holding a folder.

"Hello Mr. Antonio Robl..."

"What do you want?" He said, barely sparing her a glance. She was indeed very disappointed. She had hoped that he would be moved by her captivating appearance and the intensely practised sweet tone in her voice. All the effort put into impressing him had been nothing but a waste.

"I-I br-brought this folder for you. It contains some documents you are required to sign...."

"I thought I said all such documents should be given to Lauren to bring to me. Last I checked, you weren't my personal assistant. As a matter of fact, I don't even know who you are," he said coldly with a lifted brow as he relaxed in his seat.

"I'm Natalie Hoffman, the new assistant to the production manager at the coffee factory..."

"Well Natalie Hoffman, please stop wasting both are times and get straight to the point. Why are you here? Why didn't you listen to the instructions I gave?" Antonio, shut his eyes, absolutely relaxed in his seat, looking ready to sleep.

Natalie took a deep breath to calm her rapidly pounding heart. "I just wanted to personally thank you for the job you..."

"I didn't hire you. You know who did so waste no more of my time. Is that all?" His eyes were still shut and he sounded reluctant to speak at all.

Natalie, thinking he was so exhausted and hoping that would favour her, walked over to his seat, as quietly as she could in her pencil heels. Antonio could sense her approaching as the sent of her perfume increased alongside the sound of the clicks of her heels.

The moment she lifted her hands in the attempt to massage his shoulders, he grabbed one of her hands, holding it so tight that it looked like it would snap soon.

Her heart started to beat even faster at the thought that he could harm her. "I-I j-just wanted to help y-you because you seem e-exhaus..."

"Your voice is really irritating." He pinched the bridge between his eyes and yanked her away, still with his eyes shut and brows squinted. "How can a good-for-nothing like you," he said with a chuckle,"think, even for a second, that she could seduce me with that plastic body of yours? Did you really think I'd fall for it?"

"N-No, sir, I..." she stuttered, trying to claim that wasn't her intention.

"Good. Since that's clear, get the hell out of my house," he said, finally opening his eyes to glare at her.

She immediately started her way out, thankful for the fact that he at least only asked her to leave his home. 'Well, at least, no one is here to witness this embarrassing moment and I get to keep my job. This wasn't so bad after a...' she was thinking when he interrupted her thoughts.

"And by the way, I hoped you knew what this meant but from the relaxed expression on your face, you clearly don't so let me spell it out for you. You're fired," he said with ease. "You may leave now." He pressed the button on the little remote to open the door for her.

Just when she was about to start begging, a hand held her arm from behind. "What the heck do you think you're doing here?!" The lady was in a black blazer with the sleeves rolled up to three-quarters and a white shirt underneath. She wore a pair of black fitting pants and short boot heels. Her long straight hair was blonde and held in a neat ponytail. Her beautiful green eyes were  intensely glaring at Natalie, piercing her now broken soul. That was Lauren, Antonio's right hand woman.

"Lauren's upset. I suggest you get going if you want to leave here as you came," Antonio said nonchalantly.

'He's not bluffing. He never does. That, I know. Besides, they say she's a mini version of him. It's over for me. I better leave now,' she thought and nodded obediently to Antonio. Lauren let her go.

'Damn, she's intense!' Antonio thought looking proudly at his masterpiece, his personal assistant, Lauren Patterson.

"Sorry about that sir. I didn't ask her to..."

"It's fine Lauren. I know you wouldn't," he said with a smirk, staring at his now timid assistant. She suddenly seemed to resemble an innocent intimidated girl. Having worked for Antonio for five solid years didn't seem to make her immune to the fear of messing up around him. She was extremely tough when her job required her to be but simple and calm when with him.

"Do you have what I asked for?" He asked. She nodded gently and handed him a brown thick envelope containing documents.

"Yes sir. You were right which means... he's as good as dead."