Hope: Simple Love

Chapter Six

"Approved? Huh! I already said no, and my answer remains the same. Don't misunderstand me. I already know that this project is good and really bring luck to the company. But as I said, my team predicted that the loss are greater than your projected profit--"

"Miss Loyola," I looked at him when he called my name seriously, "This project means a lot to me. This is my gate pass to the CEO position. If this project fails, I will disappoint my mother, who, if you remember, one of the boar member."

I looked at him and grins a bit. He said things that makes me inferior to him. True that he has connections, the main reason why he passed the interview easily for the head of Financing Department despite the fact that he has one of the lowest employee score when we're both on the low-class employee.

I met him when he was just an intern. We both intertened on the same company and I could only say that he has a very stubborn attitude. He has a good looks, according to some women employees, but I didn't find him good looking at all. Maybe because I don't like him the very moment I saw him. He has this very arrogant aura and annoying way of looking at others. He gets what he wants, in a nice way or in a bad way. It's really either way but its always the bad way.

Now, he is using that bad way to make me approved this project of him.

"I'm telling you, when I got the CEO position, I'll promote you to a President or any position you desire. So, if you will not help me on this, just this once, your life will definitely suffer from this."

I looked at him straight to his serious and glaring eyes. His voice is full of venom dripping out from his lips. I smiled at him. I can't believe that he is saying those words to me, after the years we spent on this company.

He found my smiling irritating. I saw his eyebrows almost meet because he creased his forehead. He wipes his face with his palms.

"Why can't you just approved this f*****g proposal?"

"I already told you-"

"That's not what I f*****g want to hear! Tell me what you want me to do to make you approved of this proposal," he pointed at the papers with a force now.

I sighed at his annoyingly movements. I massaged my temples and close my eyes.

He just really don't listen to me at all. I opened my eyes and suddenly, the phone that's on the side table of my couch met my eyes. I looked at it for awhile and my mind give me an image of numbers.

I looked at Luke who's desperate begging me and then, smirk.

"I have a proposal to you then".

At that, we talked about my offer for half an hour. He seems satisfied with my conditions so we ended our deal with a handshake. In summary, for that whole day I made a revisions of The Silverline project. Though, my phone doesn't stop from ringing from the calls of my mother and brother, I still finished the proposal before dinner.

I leans my back on my swivel chair and takes off my eyeglasses. I sighed heavily in relief and closes my eyes to rest for a bit. For a moment, I can hear the sound of the clock ticking. The sound coming from the airconditioner. The creak sound when I moved the swivel chair and the soft creak sound from the big ceiling fan on the ceiling. The ragged breathing from my nose. Its a peaceful night and darkness was about to eat me up when I squealed and got up from the chair when Aliah called me silently.

"Ah, geez! You almost give me a heart attack!"

"Ah..S-sorry, miss. I just called you and," she scratched her cheeks while bowing a bit his head.

I sighed and holds my chest to calm myself down.

"Why do you need to call me in that creepy way? I felt like a ghost whisper my name," I frowned at her but she just smile and shake her head.

I looked at the clock and looked at her.

"Why are you still here? Its past 6 now."

"Oh, right! Mark- I mean, your brother was infront of the building. He asked me to come and pick you up since you're not answering your phone."

My phone? I walked straight on my chair and flip some papers on my desk to look for my phone. I saw it near the computer screen. I tried to open it but its dead. I sighed and just throw my phone on the table.

"Why is he here? Did he said something?"

"He said that you have a family dinner."

Family dinner? Geez. I sighed again before standing. I walked to my rack to get my formal coat and the shuffle bag that Markaire prepared for me nights ago.

"Let's go together now, then."

I walked with Aliah outside. I saw her wearing a white trenchcoat while hugging some folders on her chest. We both ride the elevator. Since my office was on 15th floor, silence filled the elevator. Since its past 5 pm, there's not much employees now. I glanced at my secretary through the elevator's door. She was looking at her feet.

It means that the atmosphere is awkward, right? We both worked together for three years but she's still uncomfortable when its just me and her. I shake my head and comb the ends of my hair before speaking up.

"Did you remember when the first time you met my brother?"

I saw her shoulders flinched for a second. I smiled at her reactions.

"So you do remember? I also remember it like it happened yesterday."

I teasingly said and giggles for the effect. I saw her raised her head and looks at me. I turned my head to looked at her and laughs at her blushing face.

"T-that-- you shouldn't remember that day, miss!"

I laughed at her. The whole ride on the elevator was full of my teasing words to Aliah. For the whole three years, I found out that she can easily get flustered and blushed. That makes her an easy target for the stressed people at my team. But because she's innocent and kind, I found her likeable and cute.

When we went out of the elevator I saw my brother leaning on his car, which is my old car, like a model of a car with his phone on his hand. I looked at Aliah who is also looking at my brother and whistle. She immediately looked at me and get blushed. I laughed at her again.

"What took you so long? Mother keeps calling me."

"You should say hi first," I rolled my eyes and offered him my shuffle bag.

He looked at it with disgust but still get the bag. His eyes then focus on my secretary. My smiles grew wider. I put my arm on my secretary's small shoulders. My brother frowned at me while I looked at him teasingly.

"Why don't we drop Aliah on her house first?"

"What?"

"A-ah...n-no need, miss-"

I looked at Aliah's flustered face and smile sweetly at her. She pursed her pink lips.

"Sis, don't bully someone younger than you," my brother shake his head as if I've done something wrong.

I looked at him in disbelief and about to walk to his direction to hit his head when Aliah's small voice reached my ears.

"It's really okay, miss. I already called a taxi when I went down and its been waiting for me.."

She pointed a white taxi two cars aways from my brother's. I looked at it and to my brother. He shakes his head and went inside the car without waiting for me.

"Are you sure? I can give you a free-"

"N-no, miss! Its really fine. Plus, its embarrassing to the driver to not ride on his taxi after I made him wait," she smiled shyly and bow her head.

I frown at her and nods my head, "Well, just be careful on your way, okay? See you on Monday."

She nods her head and said goodbyes. She started walking away as I walked to the car while watching her. The cold wind of the early evening of Friday, blew on my face gently. I blink once and saw Aliah waving her hand to a small bye. I smiled at her and watch her turned her back to me completely. I saw her bowing her head the driver's window before hurriedly enter the backseat. I looked at the taxi's plate number before opening the passenger's seat and enter the car.

I watched him lazily sit and glaring at me while his phone was on his ear.

"Yes, mom. I'm with her right now. I'll drive straight there...yes...Okay... Bye."

I finished fastening my seatbelt when he ended the call and throw his phone on the backseat. I watched it fall besides my shuffle bag and frowned at him.

"Don't you know that I ordered that phone overseas just to give it to you on your birthday last year?"

He started the engine and start to drive. He clicked his tongue on me. He is now lazily driving with only his one hand and the other was resting its elbow on the window beside him.

I looked at him. I noticed how much he grow up from the little boy to the college boy infront of me. On the side view, I can clearly say that he looks like our father. His black hair was cut thinly in the back of his neck while the top was thick which he can freely comb it with his hand. His not-so-matured jaw was visible. I can see his black pair of eyes shining whenever there's a light hitting it. His small yet tall nose, curved lips and pointed chin, he is famous at his campus for being handsome.

"Mother keeps on nagging me because you don't answer her calls."

"I answered her calls when I have time and not working. My phone just died this time so I can't really answer her calls."

That night, we reached our house and have dinner with my family after a month.