6: Kai's only fear

"You're late,"

That's what Liana received from Kai as soon as she walked inside the office. She frowned as she took a quick look at her wrist watch.

"It's only 7:00, Sir Ellis. Work time should start at 7:30," Liana reasoned. "Good morning, by the way,"

"Office hours shouldn't get involved when I wanted to see you early," Kai eyed Liana from reading a book.

Liana fixed her posture. She wasn't ready to get flirted with this early. She slowly walked to her table. "Oh… okay,"

Kai put the book away and focused on Liana who had begun her work. Liana, on the other hand, hid her face behind her opened folder. The intense gaze of Kai made her uneasy.

"Have you eaten?" Kai suddenly asked.

Liana nodded. "Yes…"

"I haven't. Like what you said, it's not office hours until 7:30. You've got 30 minutes to go with me,"

Liana eyed Kai, jaw slightly dropped. The latter stood up and halted in front of her.

"Are you gonna stand up or I'll have to carry you?" Kai raised a brow.

Liana pursed her lips but didn't say a thing. Instead, she went after Kai.

Now they're seated in front of each other. Kai leans on the chair as he sips on his cup of americano, and Liana keeps her eyes on the croissant Kai ordered for her.

Kai took a sip and then said, "It's boring. Keep me entertained." He placed the coffee cup on the saucer.

"What?" Liana's brows furrowed in confusion. Her gaze matched Kai's. Kai smothered a smile under a smirk. He could tell Liana was acting timid, and he finds that amusing.

"Tell me about yourself," Kai crossed his arms.

Liana's brows crashed even more. "W-what should I tell? I thought you already did a background study of me,"

That's supposed to be a joke, if only at least one of them laughed.

"Then tell me something you think I don't know about you," Kai shrugged.

Liana bit her lower lip, thinking of what to say.

"What do you know about me?"

Kai made his forehead crease a little as if he's in his thoughts. "You're 24, a former teacher, filipino who came abroad, has a sick brother, a housewife mother, and a father who's a farmer,"

"You remember everything right. You're really interested in me, huh…" Liana whispered to herself.

"I am. In fact, I'm really really invested in you, miss Liana," Kai leaned his elbows on the table and stared directly at Liana's soul. Liana pressed her lips and closed her eyes shut after realizing she might not have said it that low.

"You're invested in Stella, not me. We just look alike that's why I drew your interest," Liana muttered in her mind as she chose to focus in her food.

Their breakfast ended and Liana's still awkward. The more direct Kai gets, the more she fears she won't be able to take it.

The two were having a quiet workday. The computer keyboards and the ticking clock were the only things heard, until a phone call occured.

Kai closed his eyes shut after reading the contact on his ringing phone. Suddenly, he felt stressed.

"Dad?" Kai said to the other line as soon as he picked up the call.

"I heard that you changed your secretary?" Said by an old man, sounding stern and mad. He did not even greet his child.

"Yes, dad," Kai answered, sounding obedient. His boss persona vanished like thin air.

"What is the matter?"

Kai suddenly felt his tongue retreat. The pressure s

he felt rose as he couldn't just say 'because he wants to'' or 'I am the boss here. You don't have any rights to question me' because it's his father, the only person he fears.

"Kai, I need an answer!"

Kai almost flinched. "D-dad, I had an argument with Freya and I fired her,"

Kai cleared his throat after the stuttering he made. He mentally cursed himself because he could've, and should've thought of a better lie. It might've sounded a stupid reason for his father. Kai's stammer caught Liana's attention as she turned away from the laptop screen.

"What argument?" The voice was calm but surely mad.

Kai took a deep breath. "She missed to remind me about an appointment, dad. It was an important meeting with the board,"

"It was only one mistake. She's Harriet's daughter! Have you forgot, you idiot?! She's been a great employee to you and you let her go!"

Kai's brows crashed. "Then what is it if she's Harriet's daughter?" He said in her mind.

As far as Kai remembers, someone becomes instantly unworthy to him once they make a mistake. When it comes to work, he doesn't look at his relationship with them.

"Your new one might even be as stupid as you! Or even worse!" His dad kept on being furious.

"She's doing good, dad. She's doing her work well…" Kai glanced at Liana. Liana gazed away.

"Huh, I'm gonna need to check. Expect my visit,"

The bad thing is, he didn't say when he's gonna visit. It made Kai nervous as he had to be prepared.

Another bad thing is, his father would obviously see Liana, looking like his damn ex.

Kai heaved a heavy frustrated sigh when his father ended the call. He slouched on his seat.

"Are you okay?" Liana carefully asked.

"Please get me a beer," Kai answered instead.

Liana hesitantly contradicted. "B-but you're working, and it's only…" She gulped as she met Kai's glare. She slowly stood up. "I'm gonna buy…"

Liana got terrified of that stare, she should admit. Kai really could make people's knees weak with just his eyes.

Liana bought five cans of beer from a nearby convenience store. When she came back, her boss was calling someone on the phone.

Liana cafefully and wordlessly placed the paper bag of beers on Kai's table.

"I'll talk to you later," Kai said to the phone and dropped his phone. He faced at Liana and said, "Wanna drink? Let's drink,"

Liana refused by slowly shaking her head. "I have to do my work,"

Kai chuckled. "I'm your boss here, Liana. Now, I'm telling you to finish it later and sit,"

Liana couldn't do anything but sit in front of Kai's table. She put her hands on her lap, not knowing what to do.

"Don't drink if you don't want to. Just stay here for now," Kai said as he reached for the paper bag. He took another one and offered it to Liana, but Liana declined making him put the can back.

Both spent the following minutes with silence. Liana wanted to ask, but she's contemplating.

Kai would randomly peek at Liana's face, finding the secretary's face calming, like his ex's.

"Kindly buy me more," Kai asked as he's consuming the fourth bottle.

Liana studies Kai's face. Kai still looks sober, she figured he has a high alcohol tolerance. Liana nodded and went out.

"Should I check up on him? Should I ask him what's the problem?" Liana asked herself in the elevator. "He looks really distressed," She sighed.

And her discussion with herself still wasn't done.

"And what if he gets drunk? I'm gonna be the one responsible for him?" Liana shook her head. Even she felt stressed thinking of what could happen. She prayed Kai would be able to handle 6 more cans just fine.

Liana bit her lower lip. Two cans on the second batch were down, and Kai started having a red tint on his cheeks and neck.

“God, it’s getting hot…” Kai groaned, now sounding intoxicated. He removed his black coat that revealed his muscled arms. Liana had to avert her gaze.

Kai chuckled before finishing the bottle. “I sometimes hate my father, you know?”

Liana pressed her lips together. Kai’s drunk, she confirmed.

“I don’t fear anyone, but why do I have to fear him? I was scared of him, ever since I was an innocent kid! Why does he have to hold me by neck?”

Liana's hold on the can became much more firm. She felt sorry for him. She was unaware of Kai's other side. She considered him to be only a bossy and cocky man.

Liana gazed up at Kai when the latter laughed out of the blue. He unopened another can and emptied it in one go. He rested his back on his swivel and drowned himself in his thoughts.

"Fuck, he should just stay in Japan and play golf and gamble with his amigos! Why does he always have to get in my way like I'm a stupid kid? I'm almost 27!" Kai groaned madly. Liana listened. "All my life, I obeyed him like a damn dog. When is he gonna stop? When am I gonna stop?"

Silence.

"I'm sleepy," Kai laid his head against the swivel.

Liana stood up and came up to Kai. "Do you want to move to the couch?"

"Couch," Kai mumbled. He opened his eyes once he felt Liana's touch on his shoulder.

As Kai's eyesight becomes more hazy, Stella is now what he is seeing. He smiled warmly.

"You're so pretty, aren't you?" Kai chuckled. "How did… how did God come up with that face, huh?"

Liana shook her head. "You're drunk,"

"No! Drunk or not, I find you beautiful,"

The topic was instead shifted by Liana, who was flustered by the compliment. "You should stand up by now so you could transfer to the couch,"

Kai did, nearly falling over, but Liana caught him. She led Kai to the couch where the man plopped down.

Just as Liana was ready to stand, Kai held her wrist and pulled her back.

Kai laughed in a sarcastic manner. "You got me in trouble, huh. Damn you. I'll get back at you... Could perhaps I punish you?"

Liana was totally clueless about what her boss is talking about.

After a few, Kai's hold on Liana's wrist loosened, and she understood her boss had already dozed off. She used the chance to stand up.

She shook her head and stared at Kai, thinking to herself, "Drunk people really spit nonsense sometimes,"

Liana made a phone call, "Hello, Raven? Please come here. Your friend is drunk,"

The following day, Kai returned with his usual self like nothing had happened. Liana also didn't mention anything about the last day for she doesn't know how to open it up.

It was lunch break and Liana was walking in the lobby with Pat, both of them bound to part ways to continue their jobs when Liana heard an over dramatic gasp from Pat.

An man in this 50s stepped in the place that caught everyone's attention. He is in a black suit and is wearing eyeglasses. His hair is almost white, as well as his thin beard. He is with his right hand. But above all, his presence sent a tension in the whole floor.

As he walked inside, everyone made way for him. Everyone bows at him and walks away after like they're scared of his presence.

"Who is he?" Liana whispered to Pat.

She dragged her friend away from the lobby area. Liana's forehead was creased as she lets her friend pull her.

"That's Victor Ellis," Pat answered.

"Ellis?"

Pat nodded. "Sir Kai's father,"

On the other hand, Kai could be seen standing nervously, leaning his hands on his table.

"Why is it so soon?! Isn't he busy?! Why would he prioritize this minor issue than his business?!" Kai's voice echoed in the whole room as he yelled frustratedly.

The news came to Raven as quick as the speed of light from his pals in the ground floor. He came rushing to Kai's office afterwards.

"Calm down–"

"How can I?! Dad's in this building already!" Kai once again yelled, this time at Raven. Raven sighed knowing Kai is right.

"I thought it's gonna be next month, or at least next week! Fuck, why is he so mad about this?!"

Raven almost flinched as Kai's hands hit the table heavily, creating a loud thud.

From panting frustratedly, Kai was interrupted by a phone call. It's from Liana.

"Kai–"

"Come up here right now. And ready yourself,"