Falling Red

11

♤ If You Are Working On Something That You Really Care About, You Do Not Have To Be Pushed ♤

♦ V E R O N I C A ♦

I observe the roads and the running cars all the time to not get into any conversation with him and anger myself to death. Shh. . . Veronica, you still have a long life. I pat my chest in assurance.

"Is there something wrong with the seat, Red?"

I glare at him. f**k him! Aren't you are the reason that I am sitting in this seat, all curled up to myself.

"No. Absolutely not, Alex," I mutter through my tight jaws and blinks at him with my extra sweet forced smile. He is favoured by females but he is so cold-blooded towards her. She does not even know the reason behind this. Can he not treat me like his other employees?

"Then am I too handsome to you?" He smirks. "So that it makes you uncomfortable to sit beside me?"

"Ah!" My lips twitch as I speak every word. "Yeah, too blinding handsome. So handsome and superior that I look an eyesore standing next to you. Should I call your secretary to make it perfect? After all, the first impression is the last impression. The clients will feel better." His face flattens and his eyes turn cold. "I mean, you are too kind to give me this privilege to sit next to you." Bah! What kind of privilege! Can you not meet me instead?

I peek at the stiffen expression of Alex. Sh*t! Double Sh*t! Why do I show hostility against him? Who is Alex!? He still has the power to throw me out of my precious job. Who face I saw first this morning to have a bad day?

I want to say something sweet to ease the tension between us but the car suddenly comes to stop. I glance out of the window only to find we are already at our destination. Great. Now the whole meeting I have to be around him with my chicken heart. Poor, me.

"What are you looking at?" Alex calls with his chilling voice, making me shudder. "Do you want me escort you personally from the car?"

I take a deep breath and step out the car before running behind him when he does not wait for me at the entrance.

"Alex, could you forget everything that I say in the car? I know I talk a lot and sometimes go overboard without knowing."

"Then you are saying it was a . . . misunderstanding?"

I nod my head in affirmation, tailing him without any notice of the surrounding. Forget the place, he is the first priority for me. Please the boss and everything will be fine. "Yes, yes. It was a misunderstanding, misunderstanding!"

"Oh!" Alex smiles and his smile make me feel like a lamb, which is going to be butchered very soon. Jesus, save me. His eyes drill holes in my body.

"I . . . I actually like you. Just like other girls so I . . . I am just a bit clumsy whenever I am around you," I hurriedly make an excuse. He surely does not like to stick to girls who fan over him all the time. So he must also abstain from us coming closer.

However, Alex suddenly stops in his track, causing me to hit my head against his arm. I look up at his face and he seems speechless. I swallow the shame and bow my face to hide the blush. "Are you still mad? Or should I explain some more?"

"You still have something left with you?" He uses his index finger and pokes my head. I avoid the eye contact.

"I can try."

He raises his brows up and tilts his head towards me. My heart skips at the sight of him. He looks carefree and full of teasing. "So you are my fan, huh?"

"Yes . . ." I drag my voice, looking everywhere else but him.

"Then let's have breakfast together after the meeting." He sounds happy.

"What?" I glare at him. Has he lost his mind somewhere? I really do not understand how this man can run a business!

"Are you mad?" His tilted head almost touched mine, and his lips curve as he is expecting my response.

My mouth twitches. "Of course," yes, you bastard, "not." Do I have any option? Can I say no? "I am . . . I feel so happy that I want to die in happiness," I fake a smile at him, flashing almost all the teeth.

"Great. It's settled then."

"You are so kind to me." However, I want to hurl at him to throw a punch. He is too shameless. "You do not want to fire me from my job, do you?"

"Depends on your performance."

"Then you better let me go after the breakfast." I narrow my eyes. Now for some reason I cannot believe his words. One minute he says something and in another, he flips. I wonder does he ever have a girl for him. Nah! I shake my head and giggle. With his split personality, I do not think any woman can stay long with him.

*~*~*

"Mr. Rio, please to meet you." Mr. Ronald greets us along with his secretary while I stand behind Alex with a stiff posture. When his eyes land on me, he looks confused. "This?"

"Oh!" I smile, extending my hand towards Mr. Ronald. "I am Veronica Cooper. I am filling for his secretary today." What else I can say that this man forced me to come here all the way with him.

During their meeting, I try to maintain my role of a dignified secretary. I do not know what they are talking about neither I had any contact with their previous discussions. However, with fake smiles and boring flattery to keep her boss happy, I get through all. Before taking his leave, Mr. Ronald invites Alex in his success party. I wonder how stupid it would be if Alex drags me there too. Not possible. He must take his date with him.

Even living with my father, I have no experience of attending high profile parties. When I was in Chicago, my freedom was limited and I was a caged bird. Nothing more. Though he was the leader of the gang, but my reputation was the lowest. Even if I was the only daughter of his legal wife, unlike his bas*ard daughters around the world, I was no more than a deal for him. For what she knows, her father has two more daughters other than her. I once got a chance to see their files when my Jake accidentally left the file in my room. Their mothers raise them and before I ran away from Chicago, my father was planning to bring them back to use them for his benefit. I have never met the two sisters of mine but then I never want to face them in my life. It might be possible they are already living in Chicago.

"Now happy?" I release a breath as I watch Mr. Ronald walks away. I tilt my head towards Alex and ask, "Can I leave? Please."

"Our breakfast is still left."

"I am not hungry." I fondle with my phone, expecting to see some text or missed call from Mia but to my disappointment there is not any. How hateful! This girl forgot about me after getting laid last night. Where the hell she disappears when I really need her? I weigh the pros and cons before deciding to explain it to Alex. "My roommate would be worried about me. I should—"

"Sit down. I had already messaged Hardin, he will inform her."

"Hardin?"

Alex does not bother to look at me. He takes his seat and gestures on the seat opposite to him. I frown but still sit in my place. "Chose anything you like. I will pay."

Can you tell more about Hardin? I want to ask but his expression says: Keep your mouth shut.

"Sure." I dismiss all the ideas to question him and look up at the woman standing next to our table with a small notepad and point my fingers to all the dishes in list with a non-hurried manner. "Please make two servings of each." The woman glances at me and then at Alex before taking all the orders. I raise my head and look at Alex with my non-so-sweet smile, "What would you like to order?"

He chokes in his wine.

"Oh, are you alright?" I lace my voice with concern but inside I smile with glee. Serves him right. Want to have a breakfast with me then pay for me then. I am not a foodie but to make his feel a bit loss I can order it at least.

He wipes the traces of wine with the tissue paper before shooting a glare at my way. "I will take the usual."

"Sure, Mr. Rio." The woman quietly finishes her scribbling before she returns.

"You come here often?" I lean closer to the table, staring at him with my curious eyes.

"You can say that," he mutters before looking straight into my eyes.

We stayed the same for some time until I break the eye contact. His eyes are mysterious and deep. "Why are you staring like that?" It is creepy as if I am his prey and he is very slowly pushing me into his trap. I shake my thoughts away. He is a businessman not a mafia.

"Eat. I will drop you to your apartment."

"No. I can help myself." I really do not want Mia to see him and get some nasty idea in her head.

"You hate me, don't you?" Alex arches his eyebrows.

"What is has to do with food? You are my boss and even if I hate you, can I do something against you?"

He suddenly laughs. "Smart, Red."