02

Johannes took his car keys and drove as fast as he could. He called his secretary, Clinton. "Check every hospital, find Nathalie."

[Nathalie?] but instead of answering, he ended the call and clenched his jaw. His veins were popping in his arms while he harshly took turns in every corner of the road. 

He glanced at his phone when a notification came. He made a rushed break when Clinton replied that Nathalie had a minor car accident but was safe and sound. Johannes did not bother replying and drove back to her unit instead.

He waited there for a whole hour, 'What the hell is taking her so long? She's wasting my time. Tsk.'

When the elevator opened, he saw Nathalie walking, confused, to his direction. Johannes was pissed. He thought something happened and made himself worried--- worried? He was annoyed even more with the thought.

Why would he worry for a mere secretary? He was just concerned that Nathalie won't be able to attend the event with him. Her presence is a must to block the ladies from approaching him. It was a hassle to entertain them when he got no interest at all.

 “Thirty minutes. I’d be waiting in my car.” Johannes then walked away as he smirked when he saw the horror on Nathalie’s face. He knew Nathalie well, the woman would never be ready in a span of thirty minutes had this been an average time, but Johannes is really feeling displeased right now.

He tapped his finger on the steering wheel while listening to his favorite song. “Her voice never changed,” Johannes muttered and turned the recording off. 

The billionaire glanced at the mirror when he saw a woman in a red dress walking hastily. He secretly laughed at her face. She was still fixing her hair as she rushed to the car. Johannes looked at his watch, ‘So she could lessen her two-hour prep time, huh?’

He waited for her to ride in his car, “What do you think?” Nathalie asked as she stared at Johannes.

“Presentable enough.” Johannes simply replied with a straight face and drove away.

Nathalie was checking her makeup before getting off the car. It was a rush, and she did not have enough time to cover the tiny scar she had on her right jaw. It was so tiny, but she got insecure whenever someone would point out that she never left home without doing proper makeup to cover it up.

But this time was different.

She sighed internally, as Johannes went out of his car. Nathalie did not wait for him to open the door since he will never do something unnecessary, the billionaire lives up to his name. Why would he bother showing some courtesy to a mere secretary, right?

Nathalie smiled widely before putting on her usual smile. She got off the car and was received by multiple camera flashes everywhere. 

‘So it was a public event this time, huh?’ she thought as she clung her arm on Johannes’s. It was a task he specifically told her about whenever they go to an event. And the only time they actually touch each other.

Nathalie glanced at Johannes, his eyes are dead drop as he stared at the color of his eyes. His amber-colored eyes are a breath of fresh air for Nathalie who grew up in a country with people usually having blue eyes. Johannes glanced at her, “Smile, boss.”

“And get a comment that I am arrogant? Atrocious.” He ignored all the reporters who tried to approach him and when they finally entered the event, Nathalie took off her arm from Johannes.

“Continue,” Johannes whispered. Nathalie looked at him, confused until she realized what he meant when she saw a couple of ladies coming their way. 

“Add this to my talent,” she whispered back. Johannes smirked as he walked away arrogantly with Nathalie clinging to his arm. 

The ladies glared at the woman but Nathalie ignored all of them. She just wished this night to be over so that she could have her sleep longer. 

Johannes glanced at Nathalie who’s occasionally yawning, it’s almost midnight and the woman had worked overtime last night. 

“Nathalie, do you want to—”

“Johannes!” His calm face turned grim when he heard that voice, Nathalie was already staring at him, waiting for what he was going to say but he did not continue. He cleared his throat and smirked devilishly before looking at the man who was now a meter away from him.

“Brian.”

“Tsk, that’s how you greet your brother?”

“What? Do you want me to kiss you or something?” Brian smirked and approached him, trying to really kiss his little brother. Johannes was quick on his feet and immediately kicked the man on his shinbone. 

Brian gritted his teeth as he tried to force a playful smile, covering the pain from his brother’s kick. Johannes smirked at him and greeted the woman behind him. Their mother.

“You came with Nathalie this time too?” She smiled at the woman beside Johannes who was feeling shy in front of her. Nathalie is not the type to feel shy, she’s a proud woman, someone who would never let anyone step on her.

It’s just that… she admires Johannes’s mother.

The pinnacle of successful women in the United States. She wished to be like her. A woman who did not depend on her husband’s image or money to be successful. Betina Alejandro is a woman who walked her own path along with her husband, carving the way for Alejandro Empire to where it is now.

“You took me breathless when you entered with Johannes earlier, hija,” both Johannes’s parents are half Spanish, they speak it fluently but often use the terms even with the English language. 

(The name Hija is primarily a female name of Spanish origin that means Daughter. People sometimes refer to younger females as such to talk casually.)

“You’re flattering me, Madam. You look gorgeous as ever, how could one look so young?” Nathalie smiled, showing her perfectly lined teeth. 

“You’re great with compliments as always,” Betina chuckled as she tapped Nathalie’s arm in a casual manner. Johannes faked a cough.

“Your stingy boss is as impatient as usual,” she rolled her eyes at her son and took Brian’s arm. He’s her escort today, the master of the Alejandro Empire is gone for a business trip in Europe.

They ate and talked casually with other guests that were invited to the event. When the fireworks were finally shown, Johannes stood up and walked out with Nathalie. 

The woman was glancing at him, actually surprised that her boss waited for the fireworks before going home. He usually leaves an event after greeting the host. 

“You stayed longer,” she casually pointed out. Johannes glanced at her but did not bother replying.

“The fireworks were beautiful,” Nathalie continued as she stared at the city lights outside Johannes's car. 

He is driving rather carefully as the cold wind of the night brushes against their skin. Their hair was playing casually with the wind. Nathalie closed her eyes, remembering the art she saw in the clear dark sky earlier. The faint sounds of crackling fireworks, the colors that filled the darkness of that night. It was an astounding view to end an event.

She really enjoyed the night despite the fatigue she was feeling from all the world she had.

“Thank you for tonight, boss,” she smiled faintly, her eyes were still closed, feeling the air against her cheek.

Johannes did not reply, instead, he stared at her reddish cheek, probably because of the cold breeze. He looked at the road again and drove faster this time.

“You better not be late tomorrow.” Nathalie just smiled and nodded. 

‘What a workaholic boss,’ she thought to herself. She opened her eyes and watched the city lights reflected on the huge lake. ‘Beautiful…’