Love at the Nth Time

The Eyes That Could See

First Season - (Part One)

Chapter 1

Seth's POV

I never played life seriously, aside from my career. I tended to hang out and go out with younger and older women who suited my taste. In the end, I didn't see myself being in a single relationship again. It sucks. It's not for me.

Getting nagged by an assistant gay of mine early in the morning wasn't new to my daily routine. Staring at the bright lights of the chandelier, idling around the lobby as we waited for the client to arrive. I thought about the place I'd go for drinks tonight.

In the center of the neon lights, loud music was in sync with the women swaying their hips, showing off their outfits, and competing with who would choose who. As though having the time of their lives solely to hang out with their friends and when their eyes feast on someone, a different set of enticements could remove those garments akin to what their 'true' color was.

The alluring curve of sexy women, I pondered. If only they'd show me the real meaning behind their disguise.

"Ah, isn't she cute?" Win giggled over the description of someone that caught his eyes. He's bisexual, and he had good eyes for pretty girls, and I liked that most about him.

Darted at where his eyes were, uninterested when she glanced at us while speaking at the front desk. I asked Win if he liked her, then laughed at me upon knowing his type was. The lady appeared ignorant. Yet, I didn't think she was just anybody as she entered the space of an elite company.

That alone, I observed the young lady sitting down on the couch at a distance. She took out her smartphone and a cheaper one. She spoke to the other line. My eyes lowered at the brown moccasin shoes she wore; if she added at least two inches, it would suit her light blue dress, and it could support her height of five. Hence, I was an expert at knowing someone's height as part of my career.

My eyes reached the condition of her hair, which was light as autumn, and her round face enhanced the radiance of her black-rounded eyes.

I tilted my head to the other side to divert her sudden gaze at me. It was close. I used to watch women unconsciously most of the time. I snorted from the fact that I almost feasted my eyes on someone who wasn't my type.

"Here's the schedule for tomorrow you have to attend," Win said. I sat forward, leaned my elbow on my lap, and took the iPad of Win to undersign the appointments.

"What's she doing here?" I asked. I could hear the girl's little laughter, and my cyan eyes met hers in a quick second as her eyes went elsewhere; her puzzled expression did not put off her mischievous smile. I elbowed Win. He scowled at me as he talked to someone on his phone and murmured,

"What?"

I shifted my gaze on the girl's location back to the dumb gay not getting my signal and muttered, "She's kinda cute. Help her."

Win covered the earpiece of his phone and uttered irritably, "You're crazy, why don't you- ugh, seriously?" A single glare at him was the sign of arrogance his boss possessed. It would be easy if I did it myself. However, he'd suffer from the consequence of letting me on the loose.

"What do you want, her number?"

"No. Only the basics," I replied.

Reserved and old-fashioned, I was not interested in having connections with the likes of her. Added the differences of our status.

A brow lifted on Win as he waved his hand as a cue. The young woman stared at me with her natural wide eyes, and I found it weird gazing straight at me as if I was a wonder of whatever she thought of me.

Win looked up at me as he sat beside her and told me, "She's looking for Mr. Tim." Intrigued I was, as I couldn't comprehend that someone as meek as her had connections with dad. Assumption she was a love child or maybe a secret woman of dad. Was he too old to look for romance? Either way, it would be a great bait to make him kneel and finally give up trying to make me the next owner of the corporation.

"What business do you have with him?" I asked, restraining myself not to draw a cunning smile. Win altered his attention at us, catching my attention as he waved his hand at me to stop me from what he presumed I'd say. The girl's eyes widened from being aware of my identity. I didn't plan to tell her. And as for me, not concerned about others' business, I was not related. Yet, another impulse induced me to, as she told me she was with her boyfriend.

"Celine!" A man walked towards us. Disinterested cyan eyes scanned him, a half American and European, who wore a tight shirt and jeans confidently and with clean-cut hair. "It is fine now, Rose' talking about it. We're good to go," the man said with a smile. I took his handshake for a quick introduction.

The couple headed to the elevator, next to the stairs. They looked at us, and the girl bowed, smiling. It confused me why she lowered her head since it wasn't part of their culture. Win had the same first impression of someone being fascinating. Celine was what the white man called her.

Weeks went by. I stared at my sketch of a clothing style, a casual outfit for women. The pen lazed on my hand.

"What's wrong, dude? You never continue your drawing," asked Jeremy, reading my reaction. He was my partner in our current project designs. I scratched my forehead a little and answered,

"A girl always appears in my mind. It's frustrating." Skeptical of how he gazed at me and he blamed it on alcohol, I frowned.

"Dude, I never go work hard drunk. It's her face." Specifically, whenever she looked at me with a curved smile and gentle innocent eyes. God, I was exaggerating her image and unaware of it.

"Wow, amazing, so what's the irritation? Simple, have a drink with her, and she's finished." I faced away and tried to process the advice to my senses. Yet, how could I if what I knew about her was her name, nothing more?

Who would believe someone meek like her could have a good-looking American boyfriend? I was more handsome, even so.

A week later, Dad went inside his office spotted me seated on the couch while drinking tea. Papers in his aged hands never ceased. He pulled his ergonomic chair and sat down, showing his potbelly that was hiding underneath his midnight blue polo. "How's your project, by the way?" he asked, as the silence around us indicated we weren't chatty with our affairs and not close father and daughter relationship.

"Fine, bring in the carpet next week."

The attention altered as her assistant entered the room. Ms. Anna smiled at me graciously, and I smiled back at her. She faced Dad. "Rose is here. Will I let them in?" I slowly stood up. I didn't want to see how dad performed his job. But my body went frozen the moment I saw Celine. She smiled at me and bowed a bit, following a lightly tan woman inside the room. Dad shook hands with them with a smile. They rounded right in front of me. I checked at my wristwatch to put up an act of reluctance.

The other woman named Rose asked her to leave them alone for a private discussion, and the lady peeked at me a second before leaving the room. My hand snatched the door slid swiftly along the granite surface.

"Ah, wait!" I called to her. She turned around and halted. Our eyes locked for a couple of seconds as I pondered possible reasoning in the front of my uncooperative brain. My mind emptied as her skeptical eyebrows furrowed at me.

"Um, w-what's your business with my dad?" I stuttered.

No! The behavior I displayed wasn't me, and it's because I wanted to end the crazy s**t bugging me!

A doe-eyed woman appeared behind her and stated, "Didn't I tell you last time? It's Network Marketing. He's asking for a proposal and a report on our tasks in a month."

She gave the impression of difficulty handling the business. Maybe I misjudged her. "Hmm, I'm kinda interested as well. Mind talking about it to me?" I formed a usual smile. Hands slid down the pocket of my trousers. She stared at me for a second, trying to read my intention. As if. She would never; it's my expertise.

"What are you doing? Or like, do you have a job or a business?" she asked as we walked outside the terrace.

"Fashion designer, it's mostly for women's attire." I didn't mean to tell her about it, and what reaction did I receive? She was serious about the matter. I couldn't even read her by solely looking at her; what a poker face. It wasn't funny or weird. Though, it was oddly awkward and confusing how to act in a way where I could have done it with her in haste.

"What about you? You're a businesswoman," I probed. Aware of having an American boyfriend plus a business that seemed profitable, since dad accepted to meet them again.

"No, it's my day off. That's why I helped my sister here."

"Why? You seem like a pro person in your network thingy." She chuckled and looked the other way, and her eyes met mine again. It seemed she was awkward to me. Was she putting a certain distance?

"No, I'm following and helping my sister. Not more than that." She barely smiled. Still, I listened to her offer. Then, more than 20 minutes of her non-stop talking. I leaned on the couch and eyed elsewhere.

"That's nice..." I mumbled stiffly.

"You're not interested in the first place." I smiled as she showed me her serious gaze. So, she knew it. I drooped in the armchair completely and faced the roof with closed lazy eyes. I had these feelings itching to know her when I got to know her; it dwindled till it detached me.

Her slip-on ambled away. Disappointingly, she was doing the business half-ass, and the subject turned tedious to listen to her. I bet her older sister one-sidedly convinced dad to negotiate with them. She emitted a mysterious atmosphere. Contrariwise, when I got to know her. She was merely the typical weak girl. Unsatisfied. However, I wondered why I kept coming here.