Chapter Nine

2244 Words
Word for the day - 미안해 (Romanised as ‘Mi-an-hae’) – Sorry. ##### AIDEN’S POV ----- Another Monday morning and I already felt exhausted. Every Monday, I walk in through the front door of the office building to make them acquainted with my presence. Miles was the one who suggested this because I was the new CEO and they didn’t know me. I was only going to keep this up for one week or a maximum of two. It usually squandered fifteen minutes from my schedule and I hated it. “Samantha read me my schedule,” I instructed her and she educated me about my day. It was crammed with meetings. Somehow through the crowd, I rode the elevator. As the elevator door shut, I felt like I heard a very familiar voice. I wanted to open the door but the elevator was already moving and it would not be an appropriate thing for me to do. Samantha continued to tell me about my upcoming important meetings and presentations. I formulated a plan to settle all the things well. “You know the wedding ceremonies are coming. Have you…” I trailed off as she nodded. “I did. The engagement ceremony is a free day. The rehearsal and wedding are also cleared. The meeting with Mister Augustin couldn’t be postponed so you have to fly in the night to Paris to meet him.” She informed me and I nodded. “That’s okay. We can do it.” I asserted and she nodded, noting it down. We went to my cabin and picked up a few files. I made a few phone calls before leaving for another meeting with the finance department on the twentieth floor. The elevator was blinking on number twenty-eight. “Who the hell dared to ride the private elevator?” I asked and soon the lift stopped on the floor. The doors opened and I saw the back of a lady in white. “I won’t be taking it, sorry,” She announced as she looked into her small purse. That voice was the small voice from earlier and I was about to say something when a woman greeted me. “Good morning, Sir.” I just nodded in response and before anything else, the door closed, moving down. “Who was she?” I asked Samantha and she gave me a weird look. “The receptionist.” She answered and I shook my head. “The one in the white dress,” I told her and she shook her head. “Maybe she had come for the interview. Interviews are going on that floor.” She informed me and I had a confused face. “For?” “Joseph from your architecture team happened to quit because he found out he had brain cancer. We’re looking for a replacement.” Samantha notified me. “Why are you telling me about this now? I was supposed to be informed earlier and I don’t want anyone joining us right now.” I muttered angrily, exiting the elevator. “We’ve sent him treatment money and are looking after him. He’ll be provided with a basic monthly income, for the next five years, too.” She completed it and I glanced at her. “I know it bothers you. I’ve settled it fine. You don’t have to worry. About the newcomer, we can think about it and we can discuss it again.” She explained and I nodded. We entered the conference room and my demeanour changed to formal with a straight face. ----- “I don’t wish to repeat my statement, Sam,” I warned her and she nodded. She had placed files of the new joiners for selection. “I’ll take them away then.” She declared and was taking the files when all the files dropped on the floor. “I’m so sorry.” She apologized and started collecting the files. I sighed and went to help her. “It’s okay if you make mistakes sometimes,” I said to her and she shook her head in denial. “I am not allowed to make mistakes and it’ll forever be like that.” She declared and I nodded. I just helped her pick up the files and ended up reading a name I was fond of recently. I picked it up and stood up. “Emerald Lance.” I read out loud and checked the file. She was excellent, not just with her grades but also in the few projects she had participated in. Being a twenty-two-year-old woman, I was surely charmed by her file. “What’s her rank?” I asked Samantha and she took a minute to answer me. “Number one.” She answered and I nodded, still reviewing the other things. “But Marcella told me she was quite an arrogant one.” Samantha continued and somehow a smile stuck on my face. There was a chance she was the same Emerald I was looking for or might be someone else. Either way, her resume was quite fitting for the position and we needed new ideas, too. I wouldn’t regret hiring her, even if she wasn’t my Emerald Eyes. “Hire her,” I instructed her and she nodded without questioning anything else. If you are the one, like I’m speculating you are, then it’ll be a big trouble. ----- Samantha knocked on the door before entering in. I glanced up at her and then went back to reading my file. “I have settled about Miss Emerald’s admittance into your team.” She informed me and I nodded. “Anything that you should remind me about this week?” I asked her and she hummed. I kept my file down and removed my reading glasses, rubbing my temple to take a small break while listening to my schedule. “You have a few meetings lined up. On the other hand, Elder Kingston has to be taken for his annual check-up. I have talked to the hospital and already transferred his files to the hospital here.” She notified me and I gave her a small smile. “Why don’t you even take Grandpa to the hospital? Just become his granddaughter. He loves you anyway.” I teased her and she chuckled, shaking her head in denial. “Your burden is far greater for me to handle. So, I’ll just do what I can do well.” She answered and I nodded. “When do I have to take him to the hospital?” I asked her and she checked her notepad. “On Friday, a day before the engagement ceremony.” She answered and I nodded. “I’ll take care of it. You may leave.” I told her and she left. I went back to reading my file and making notes of it. ----- We all sat to have dinner. The dinner was about to be served when a loud squeal tore everyone’s eardrums apart. “오빠!” It was unmistakably Aria’s voice. I stood up and she ran to me, hugging me in a bear hug. Since I was well built, I survived her hugs or Alvin and Grandpa had a hard time breathing through her hugs. “I missed you so much!” She squealed, almost cutting my air supply. She was quite strong for her small frame or it might just be the adrenaline. “How many times do I have to tell you…” I started but she cut me off. “…even though you’re crying, you’re beautiful, too.” She sang and I shook my head but ended up chuckling. Looking at both of us, anyone can clearly see a 6-years age gap. “What?” She asked, letting me go. “Now that you’re older, you shouldn’t hug men so tightly.” I reminded her of the warning I had given her a few times. “But…you’re my 오빠.” She defended and I shook my head in denial. “Okay, I’ll remember the next time.” She said and I nodded. She asked me to bend down and I did. Because she was only 5’5”, very short compared to my 6’4” frame. She pecked my cheek and ran away, leaving her luggage right in the dining room. “When is she going to grow up?” I asked and it seemed like it was in vain because everyone in the room knew the answer to that question. “Seems like, we have to find a very good husband for her,” Alvin muttered and Grandpa chuckled. We all sat down at the table while Nancy took Aria’s bag to her room. “Grandpa, you have your annual check-up on Friday. You’re not allowed to skip.” I warned him and he hissed at me. “I’m your grandfather, kid.” He tried to remind me of a fact that I wouldn’t ever forget. “And that’s why you have an annual check-up, not me.” I retorted and Alvin laughed. We both gave him looks for which he cleared his throat. “Those tests are too tiring.” He let out in a different tone and I knew he was trying to resort to the emotional blackmail technique. “That is why I’ll be accompanying you. Alvin, you have to look after the company that day.” I informed him and he groaned. “I understand it’s your engagement the next day but we’re not paying people so you could do the preparations,” I chastised and he nodded, with a small hum. “So, we have to go?” Grandpa questioned like a little child who was forcefully being taken somewhere. Well, the case wasn’t very different. “Yes,” I affirmed and he scoffed, looking away. “Dean set the table soon.” I voiced out and our head butler ran to get the task done. Soon, the table was set, the food was about to be served when the door was opened again and we all heard a bark. My head turned in a flash and I glanced at my light brown Golden Labrador only to see him running towards me. I sat down so he could hug me. As soon as he hugged me, he barked and I pet his back, giving a big smile, rubbing his fur. “Oscar! I missed you!” I professed and he barked, repeating the same statement to me. He had come back with Grandpa to New York. He was a three-month-old baby when I adopted him when I first moved to London. He fell sick, not setting to this new atmosphere here. He had been taken to the vet clinic to treat him and then he was also vaccinated while being there. The doctor had recommended that he even mate with a female because he could go a little wild if not. So, everything took up to three weeks. Now that he was finally home, I felt happy. Otherwise, I was quite missing him for the past two weeks I was here. “My son! I’m proud of you!” I told him and he growled softly. I chuckled as I stood up. “Greet me like that sometimes, too,” Miles whined. “Only if you were as cute and understanding as him,” I muttered and he groaned. “I am hot and handsome, that should suffice.” Miles retorted. “Only to the women you sleep around with.” I reminded him and he hissed at me. “Miles 오빠!” We heard Aria scream once again, as she sprinted down the stairs. I believe that girl does nothing more than scream all day long. “She still hasn’t come out of her K-pop phase,” Miles commented and I sighed. “You only need to see her room to know,” I replied and he placed a big smile on his face instead of saying anything else because Aria was very close to us. “If it isn’t the cutest girl in the world!” He said as he pulled him into a tight hug. Miles showed a worried face and I pulled her back. “Aria, what did I explain to you, not long ago?” I asked her and she looked down. “Not to hug any men tightly.” She repeated my earlier words and I nodded. “And what did you do?” I asked and she hummed, like a baby. “미안해.” She mumbled and I huffed. She suddenly looked up and gave me a questioning look as if waiting for something. I wriggled my eyebrows to ask her what it was. “Shouldn’t you be going like, ‘미안해 미안해 하지마, 내가…” She started singing again with one of the lyrics when I shut her mouth with my hands. “Let’s go and have dinner. Come on, Oscar.” I said and guided everyone to sit at the dining table while Aria was still groaning or was continuing to sing the song. ----- The romanised lyrics for the song are, ‘Mianhae mianhae hajima, naega…’ Anyone who can guess the song will have a dedication in the next chapter. Also, I’ll reveal the song’s name in the next chapter.
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