7 - Casper's suspicions

"Jenna, are you alright?" Kelly was the first to reach her. She wasn't one to attract attention in any way therefore, it was a surprise for everyone,  except those who didn't know her closely because they weren't from the same department. Max smiled deliciously. The genius Queen was embarrassing herself in front of both the old and new CEO. She wasn't special after all. Since Jenna had proved hard to get, his attraction towards her had turned to loathe. 

Jenna was tight-lipped, enduring the pain upon realization that the man didn't recognize her. Instead, she nodded her head in the affirmative, clenching her teeth stubbornly and refusing to access the level of the damage caused. From the sipping pain, she knew she was going to have blisters if she didn't immediately apply first aid but she didn't want any more attention.

"Get the janitor to clean this mess," the deputy CEO said to Kelly before turning to Jenna again.

"Do you need to go to the hospital?" Jenna glanced at her leg sharply, then at the man who looked like a supreme ruler. If he was the old man's grandson, then how could he have been left alone in the hotel in that condition? 

No,  perhaps it was just a coincidence. It can't be him. It was even more scary to know that Cathan was this man's bodyguard. After a quick analysis, she relaxed but felt it safe to avoid the man at all costs. Now she had to make a good comeback for her first impression. She couldn't disappoint Cathan and shook her head. 

"Alright, if you say so," the deputy CEO withdrew and walked back to his seat. He saw the reddening and her legs had begun developing blisters but if she didn't want to be helped,  he couldn't force her. He only hoped that more damage wouldn't be caused by the time the meeting ended. 

"If the drama is over, can we continue now?" The old man's deep but calm voice rang through the room. Everyone stiffened as he continued to speak. Not a slice of his words could fall on the ground without yielding fruit therefore, he was the most feared. 

"Meet my grandson Casper Blade. He is taking over the company from today but I will still be involved because he is still undergoing training." It was a nice way for Grandpa to inform Casper that he was still waiting for the last part of t training. 

Aside from Casper and his bodyguards,  no one else understood the meaning of the old man's words. Meanwhile,  the old man's real intention was making Casper CEO temporarily, while he found means to bring his illegitimate son. 

"We will have a staff dinner on friday and the announcement will be made to the media. Does anyone have any questions?" He started and ended circumspectly, knowing that no one would have the courage to ask any question. Among Casper, his bodyguards and the old man's bodyguards,  everyone wore black. Only the old man shone in white,  which made Casper uneasy around him. White disturbed his eyes a lot. 

 

As expected, no one asked anything. The old man gave Casper a glare before the latter spoke. "I would like each head to give a brief introduction about their various departments." Hearing his voice for the first time, everyone sat on the edge. His voice was a rich blend of graveness,  sophistication and allure. It was unique but so scary.  they began to direct their fears towards him. 

Casper might look young but he was something else. Something they didn't have a word for but some people at that moment, nicknamed him 'a demon.' 

One by one, the department heads gave their presentations carefully. No one wanted to offend a demon. When it was Jenna's turn, her voice had turned hoarse which she apologized for having lost earlier in the morning but her presentation was spot on. 

Her teammates were shocked by the lie she cooked up because her voice was perfect just before she came to the conference room. By the time they were done with the meeting, blisters had formed on her leg, where the hot coffee splashed. 

"You are so stubborn Jenna. Go to the hospital and get treated, the deputy CEO insisted and this time, she obeyed since the meeting was over. When she was about to step out of the door, one of the old man's bodyguards stopped her.  

"No one leaves before the bosses," he said sternly, in a deep domineering voice. His all black appearance was frightening. Jenna was slightly embarrassed, thereby waiting at the door. She had forgotten her manners due to the searing pain she had been enduring all this while. 

Grandpa passed, followed by his bodyguards before Casper. As soon as Casper reached the door, his neck turned to her direction and instantly moved away. It was so swift and hardly noticed but Cathan caught it. 

After escorting grandpa to his car, Casper and his bodyguards returned to his office. Two bodyguards stood in front of the door but Cathan and Caleb were with him. "You gave the girl a second look. Do you know her?" Cathan was curious. The Blades were trained to never give a woman attention. 

"I think she smells familiar," Casper confessed thoughtfully. His senses were stronger than the ordinary man. That night when she hovered over him,  checking his temperature with the back of her hand, he caught her body scent but Cathan thought it ridiculous. 

"Her scent? What do you know about a woman's scent?" He asked curiously. Since Jenna was Kate's best friend, he was slightly protective of her for Kate's sake. 

"She smells like the girl who saved my life. Is that how she talks?" He asked intently. He recalled that the girl who saved his life had a honey sweet voice. Even when nervous, her voice sounded sweet in his ears. It was the melody he listened to in his unconscious state. Casper was extremely smart. The only reason why he didn't question her further was because of grandpa. If he did anything to show the slightest interest, grandpa would begin to investigate. 

"She said she lost her voice this morning," Cathan reminded him but Casper felt strange. 

"I will like to see her when she returns from the hospital," Casper announced. 

"Don't waste your time. That girl is a best friend to a flight attendant I took interest in on the plane from San Francisco. I even encouraged her to apply for the job here," he explained without adding details of himself and Kate. It wasn't the right time. 

"Oh," was all Casper said. He was disappointed but it didn't show on his face. Somehow,  his guts insisted that that was the girl but he would just be patient till friday. 

"We will find your girl, I promise," Cathan assured him. 

After Jenna went to the hospital, she took the rest of the day off from work. She was too scared to qface Casper again. He was very different from the man she saved but he looked a lot like him,  which scared her. 

Unfortunately, she wouldn't be able to escape the dinner party and fate seemed to be playing a silly game on her. 

****** 

In a VIP hospital room in a secluded area, a man laid unconscious on hospital bed. He had been in the state for months. A woman sat at his bedside and held his hand in hers. 

"You have to fight Pascal, you have to see your daughter again. She is stronger than I thought and is working in a place you wouldn't like but I've got her back. I will try my best to keep her from harm's way." 

"Your useless wife took everything from her. I told you to get married and be happy but I didn't expect you to go for someone your daughter's agr. That was terrible, Pascal. That night, she ended up in Casper's room. The old man had put him to another test again and your best friend couldn't do anything about it and neither could his cousins."

"I know that you don't want to hear it but it's important because they have been searching for the surveillance, which I destroyed the moment I saw her there." 

"You know what Pascal, when I saw her drinking like a fish, I wanted to be there for her, to tell her who I was but it would only endanger her the most. I love my daughter just as you do Pascal but it's the demand of my job. It is better to keep my family away from the life of a spy. 

It's even better for them to think that I died but Pascal, you must live because for as long as your daughter works in that company, Casper will know. I don't know what will happen next. Will he try to get rid of her to protect his image because she saw him at his worst state or will he favour her? Your bestfriend's son is like the old man and nothing like his father. I've seen him fight and even I,  wouldn't stand a change against him. He's killed so many people without regret."

"I have to go now. There is a dinner party on friday. You know that I can't take a flight without a new identity so I have to set off early. The media will be there so I have to protect my daughter from the shadows but please wake up. I want to hear your voice again, please wake up before I return Pascal, bye for now."