22

"What happened to Jaxon?" Wade inquired as he walked up to me. We've arrived in the conference room, and the endorsers are in attendance. He's already ten minutes late... or not, we're just early right now.

"I'm not sure, he doesn't return my calls or texts."

He slapped his forehead and crossed his arms over his waist. He looked helpless at me, but I just shrugged.

"Are you certain Jaxon will arrive? He's already 15 minutes late, and we have other appointments aside from this," one of the backers stated Wade tried to calm them down and stay put.

"You've already arrived? The meeting is still 30 minutes away," Walking to the center, Jaxon said with surprised and confused look.

"Actually, you're 15 minutes late. You stated that the meeting would be rescheduled for 3:00 p.m "That, according to Wade, made Jaxon even more perplexed.

I'm just quietly watching them and resisting the urge to smirk so as not to appear suspicious.

"What? I didn't do it—"

"Let's get this meeting started, shall we? I apologize for the inconvenience, but we've already used up your fifteen minutes," I said as I stood up and walked to the center to prepare the presentation.

As I began to show the powerpoint presentation, Jaxon just stared at me, perplexed, and sat beside Wade.

"The Devonix A10 model's specifications and details are contained in the folder in your front pocket. That will assist you in persuading buyers to purchase this phone "I started from the beginning.

They were nodding as they listened and watched me demonstrate how we can effectively market the model. I'm just watching Jaxon's reactions while I'm speaking; I just noticed him nodding and paying attention to what I'm saying.

I also showed them customer feedback on Morelli's model, which I believe can help us overcome our weaknesses.

"The filter feature, according to the majority of the feedback, made their model worse because it can delete almost all of your files if you accidentally press the button. Our model, on the other hand, has two different internal storage areas where they can archive unused files and retrieve them when needed."

"So this phone's internal storage is sufficient to accommodate all of the files? That's excellent, "Haviela, a well-known model and actress, praised the documents as she read them.

"Yes, we don't need the filter feature that can delete files, photos, videos, or other important things on your phone automatically or accidentally just to free up space."

The meeting went off without a hitch, and everyone was blown away by the Devonix Model.

"Our presentation and demonstration have come to an end. Thank you very much, and I hope we will be able to sell a large number of units of this model." They clapped at me after I bowed; I wasn't expecting Jaxon to clap at me, but he did. When Jaxon stood up in the center, I sat down in my chair.

"So, Ms. Selena covered all of the topics that needed to be covered, and I won't go into any more detail because she already explained all of the important points. I'm just hoping that we'll be able to endorse tomorrow. Thank you all for attending the meeting."

When Jaxon grabbed my wrist and stopped me from leaving the conference room, I was about to walk out.

"What did you do?" he questioned calmly, his hand remaining on my wrist and his gaze fixed on my eyes.

"What did I do?" I responded with a question. He smiled sarcastically as he released grip of my wrist.

"You changed the meeting time without telling me? Do you really want to make me look bad in front of everyone?!"

"You're the one who made yourself look ashamed," I said flatly, catching him off guard. He probably didn't expect me to answer his question with it.

"What do you mean?" 

"Because of their tight schedules, many of them requested that the meeting hours be changed. I can't really talk to you about it because you're too busy to order me a lot of things that aren't part of my job," I continued to say in a furious tone. Looking at his unfazed visage, a grin developed at the corner of my lips.

"Isn't it true that you desire to play? Then I'll hand up the game to you."

I got my folders and walked over to him after speaking my remarks.

JAXON'S POV

I kept an eye on her as she made her way to the meeting room's door. She's not like the other secretaries I've had, I thought, biting my bottom lip.

"Jax, that was an enthralling exchange. Selena is a different person," Wade said this as he looked at the entrance Selena was using.

I smirked and sat down in the chair after shaking my head. Wade took a seat at the table and looked at me as if he wanted to say something.

"Wade, just say what you've got on your mind. Stop staring."

He began by avoiding my gaze, "Maxine called me last night."

"And?"

"She apologized profusely for what she had done—"

"She apologizes because she unintentionally disclosed her own error and expects me to fix it up?" I asked that made him stop speaking.

"Yeah, exactly."

"She's a complete moron. By the way, have you figured out who broke into my office and put Selena in danger?" I inquired, deviating from the original topic.

"Let's just say they're professional crooks based on their work's cleanliness. They didn't leave any traces, such as fingerprints."

"It's absurd that no one noticed them; we have about a thousand employees here," I remarked, tapping my fingers on the table.

Someone must know all of the company's controls, but it can't possibly be Haru.

"Do you like Selena?" Wade's question came out of nowhere, and it made my brow furrow.

"Are you insane? Of course not; she's too egotistical," I defended myself, but he only laughed.

He mocked, "That's exactly what you said to Maxine previously, and we're all amazed you're now a couple." On him, I rolled my eyes.

"Put an end to this insanity. It's already passed, and the idea that I'll fall to her is disgusting."

"Well, we can't know what the future holds."

"I'm the one who shapes my future, therefore I'm positive I'll never fall in love with her," I remarked as I walked away from him.

Someone appeared to be waiting for us as I opened the door.

"What's the matter?" says the narrator. I inquired, but she simply stared at me, terrified, and looked around us.

For her to enter the meeting room, I opened the door wide. She sat silently for a while, allowing herself to calm down before speaking.

"Carryl, what happened to you?" Wade inquired as he stood beside me, his gaze fixed on her. Carryl took a deep breath and then turned to face us.

"I heard you're discussing about who broke into Mr. Jaxon's office," she began, but then paused, perhaps debating whether or not to inform us.

"You had best tell us anything about it," I replied, "since someone almost died because of them."

"I was about to stroll past your office that day on my way to the head's office for document signing when I noticed someone entering your office with keys–"

"Wait, keys?" Wade and I were taken aback and inquired. Except for Selena, who was at her office when someone sneaked into my office, I never let anyone have a duplicate of my office key.

"Yes, she walked right into your office, which is why I assumed you were related. I kept it since I thought it was insignificant, but I overheard you discussing it, and it sounded serious," She went on nodding her head as she spoke.

"'She?' How did you figure out she was a girl?" Wade enquired.

"By the way she moves and the form of her body. She's dressed in a black cap, a black jacket, and denim pants. Because of the mask she was wearing, I couldn't see her face well."

For a few seconds, we were enveloped in quiet. I'm trying to figure out who it could be, and it's no longer Haru.

But the question remains as to how she was able to delete all the camera footages and leaving no trace.

"Did she have something on her hand?"

"Yes... Oh wait, I have a picture of her. I took a photo of her just in case," she said while browsing on her phone.

Wade and I exchanged glances. We've tracked down the perpetrator.

"Here she is; it's a little grainy because my hand was quivering nervously at the moment."

We zoomed in and analyzed the shot, but there's no way to identify who she is because she's completely obscured and the image is unclear.

Wade's fingers moved the photo on the girl's wrist as though he recognized something.

While zooming in on the bracelet, he exclaimed, "Look at her bracelet, it's so familiar to me." It was recognizable to me as well, but I can't recall where I first saw it.

"Could you please transmit this photo to me, Carryl? It's evidence, and I've enlisted the help of some expert photographers to clear it up."

She nods and sends the snapshot, then leaves us, saying she has to do something.

I'm staring at the bracelet, trying to remember who has it in their possession.

Who are you?

SELENA'S POV

I'm humming some song while walking in the comfort room.

"Strawberry kisses taste so good to me

I feel dizzy due to this ticklish feeling

My head is spinning, oh you're so sweet

You are like the first time..."

I sang while fixing my make up and hair in the mirror.

"I don't know 'bout you

But I get butterflies

All of these feelings, these trembling hands

First time, first time

When I'm loving you

I'm always satisfied

Evеry moment with you is like first time..."

I'm dancing as I walk to one of the cubicles, but I almost choked on my own screams at what I saw on the floor.

"Please help me! H-Help!" I screamed as I ran down the corridor, and other staff who saw me aided me when I fell.

"What happened to you?"

"A... dead... body... in... the... cubicle..." While catching my breath, I said something. They let out a gasp and a scream of terror.

"Hey, hey, what happened here?" Rey inquired, which calmed the crowd. He put his hands on my shoulders and stared me down.

"Can you tell me what happened to you?"

"Carryl was dead! She is no longer alive," On our backs, someone screamed and cried.

The company said to go home early after they knew what happened. My hands are still trembling and trying to forget what I saw.

"Here, drink this and calm down yourself," Haxilla said as she gave me a glass of water. Someone knocked on the door so I stood up to open it.

HAXILLA'S POV

When Selena opened the door for Raven, she said, "Oh Raven, come in." He sat next to me, looking as if his head was full of unspoken thoughts.

"Yeah, I'm going to my room right now."

Selena walked straight to her room after I gave her a nod. Raven didn't say anything for a while, instead laying on my lap with his eyes closed.

"Can you tell me what happened?" I questioned as I brushed his hair with my fingers. His tears streamed down his cheeks.

He stopped himself from crying out loud and whispered, "My mother is alive."

At the same time, I was terrified and elated. It's been more than 20 years since he last saw his mother, and we've come to terms with the fact that she's already passed away.

"When? Where and how?"

He sat down, his elbows rested on his knees and his fingers were interlocked on mine. I can feel his tremble and sweat.

"I'm walking that time at the side walk to grab a coffee and snack at the nearest coffee shop. I saw her staring at the people walking in front of her in a waiting shed, she still looks the same, but her eyes..."

I hugged him tightly when he suddenly broke down, it's hard for him to cope up with all the things that happened to him when he's still young. Living in an abusive and arrogant adoptive family is like a hell for him.

"What are your plans now?" I asked when he already stopped from crying.

"How long do we need to keep this from Selena?" he asked me back that made me quiet for a second.

"Not now. She's going through a lot now, she can't cope up with all of this when we told her the truth already. I don't want her to be hurt again."