Chapter 19: Little did I know
1253 Words
Chapter 19: Little did I know
"What's wrong, Alice?" He asked.
You, f*cking psycho.
"Lennox, so apart from work-related etiquette, you have me signed papers meant to trap me…ah, no, let me rephrase that," I said, collecting my composure and glaring, staring daggers at him.
Thinking he had shown me the same innocent warm façade since our first coincident encounter. I now understood that everything up until now was all just part of his show. That the confrontation I just had today in the lobby wasn't enough to stop him. It only boosts his show.
Ha! It's ironic how I find this amusing when, in fact, I'm the one being dragged.
"Since the beginning, you were planning to tie me down. First, the fake gentleman-looking façade was made to lure me in, then that contract. You made me sign those to cage me in." I said, sneering when I saw his grin grow wider, proving that I hit the right nail.
Looking at him, I stepped closer, approaching him, which he didn't expect. Taking him back, he looked at me with anticipation. Of his own accord, he leans back as I lean my face down towards him, finally pinning his head against the headrest of the sofa. I put my hand on it beside his face, and I put my knee on, and then sat beside his leg.
His face softens but in contrast to that. Mine darkens as reality sinks into my mind.
Figuring out that he had already put shackles on me before, I could even sense suspicion towards him. Planning this from our first meeting, he must have known that I'd be there in some ways.
Wow, how audacious.
I was wrong to assume you were different from them. Yes, everything's on me. Thinking that not everyone is as bad as them, I'm clearly at fault for letting myself get allured.
I thought, pinning my eyes down to Lenox's stare. Reminiscing on the moment he asked me in the interview if I was my father's daughter—
"Well, I asked because you kinda look like Mr. Albert Gomez's only daughter. Oh wow! You do look—wait? Alice…are you the daughter?" He asked, looking back and forth from his phone to me.
"Anyway, that's too way out of topic—Sorry! I don't mean to pry! It's just, Mr. Gomez is one of my inspirations. Founding a company at a young age is a struggle." He said, and after that, he continues reading the rest of my resume, complementing my portfolio… as I am here, in front of him, entirely at a loss.—
(a/n: scenario from Chapter 5)
Gritting my teeth, I let out a smirk as I stared at him coldly. Thinking about how he'd successfully manipulated everything from the start. Fooling and swaying me with his surprising act makes me want to punch him straight in the gut.
Indeed, with this kind of set up, it's now easy to spot what he wanted. A daughter that anyone can use as a ladder to rise to greater heights of fortune.
He's after that daughter.
Because behind the shutters, anyone familiar with my family's business affairs knows well that I'm the most vulnerable yet profitable investment. If they have to choose which successor they would invest in, it's always me. Because of my father's obvious favor with me, they know I'm the perfect candidate among my brothers to support me.
However, that favor is like a double-edged sword. Piercing both me and anyone who's against me, I learned it young and hard.
Nevertheless, because I don't have any reason to compete with them, I voluntarily back down from my succession rights. Now, here I am, taking a different path from our line of business, independently taking this career all to avoid any further clash against my brothers, who only see me as a walking threat.
Because of this very reason, I now understand why Lennox's so obsessed with going after me— "My point is whatever I laid my eyes on and invested my interest in, no matter what and whoever they are. That means I see value and a reason to keep them."
Recalling what he said back then, my conclusion just proved to me that they're the same.
They are treating people like measly objects.
Hmm, thinking about it. The thought of someone scheming with him from my supporters in the corporation just popped into my mind. Could it be that he's not working alone, and this is all only a part of their plan to get me back to that hellhole—
"Alice, you need to loosen up…" Stunned for a moment when I felt him touching my cheeks, looking at me sincerely, I stepped back as soon as I collected myself. Not letting myself get swayed again, I stared at him coldly.
"Alice, what are you talking about? All I did was give you the contract," Lennox said, unsympathetically grinning.
Yes, I admit, just like what you probably had planned. Making me bite the bait voluntarily to have everything backfired at me, hmm… I'd say that is commendable.
I thought to myself, sarcastically.
"You…you were the one who signed without reading, right? The mere fact that you easily grabbed the opportunity with vast benefits without looking at the costs behind is more than enough reason not to put the blame on me." He said as if a beast, lurking in the shadows. He looks at me through the dark as the city lights touch half of his face.
Good thing he looks good in it. If not, I might have lost all control—what am I thinking? Seriously, Alice, you need to pick one between being angry or happy—
"Look, I know you're worried about your friend. But, aren't you supposed to worry first about what's in front of you now? I mean, you know? If the contract gets breached—"
"Then, I'll go to sleep now." Had enough of hearing him blabber, I turned and headed towards the main door.
"Alice? You know that's now the way to my room." He said, attempting to hold me, but I glanced back and made sure to pierce him on the spot with my glare, which seemed useful when he stopped.
"Lennox, you said it yourself. I should worry first about what's in front of me, right?" I said, repeating exactly what he said. He was about to talk back when I stopped him again.
"Right now, the most dangerous person here is you," I said firmly before turning my back from him, heading towards the door.
Right, the possibility of getting attacked in sleep here is higher than sleeping at my place.
I could manage to defend myself on my turf using the stun gun I hid there.
But before I could leave, I caught a glimpse of a weird looking hole beside the kitchen that was visible through the partition from there.
However, I couldn't care less and just decided to walk out. Only when I was about to close the door, a voice echoed, coming directly from where I saw the hole. Turning my gaze back, I saw him there, standing as if blocking the hole from me.
"Then, see you tomorrow." He said, smiling innocently.
Rolling my eyes from him, knowing that my smile had a lot of shade, I didn't pay any more attention and headed out.
But…little did I know, another important detail just slipped through me again.
- Writer
