Fate in Captivity

Chapter 16- The Hateful Encounter

(Aubrey)

I was standing here in front of them, slowly breathing even though I know in myself that I did not do anything wrong to deserve this guilty feeling I am having right now. My friends are only staring on him, while him was just awkwardly standing by the door and holding it halfway, I can see his hesitation if he would come in and tell me what he was going to say or just leave because of the viper glares of my friends to him. I glances again to my friends and everything looks so cold to them, if I am the one who are they staring on, I might just run away or just get myself buried underground. Looks like I need to step up in this scenario or else this staring game won't end until their eyes would popped out. 

"Julius, do you have something to tell me?" I asked to him and he looked at me very relieved. His reactions was telling me that he was very thankful because I saved him from this pit of hell, but he do not know that my legs are also trembling for him, not because I pity him but I don't want to clean dead body inside my very own office. 

"Right, Aly asked me to tell you that you can get off to work." he said to me, and I just scoffed. I know Aly just instructed him to let my friends see him. She already knew that it will result to this kind of encounter and I am also sure that sly woman was currently laughing while doing her final works for today's schedules. 

"I know, you can leave." I said to him peacefully, checking the reactions of my friends but they are still staring and I saw Camilla acting like she was chewing a gum just to act like tough or some gangsters on the street. Cheen on the other side was on her arms crossed while glaring on him and Zy, the most frightening girl was only looking emotionless- pretty scary as you don't know what she would plan to do with the cup of hot coffee she was holding. 

"Who says he can leave?" Zy asked and her tone was nothing on it, it was a flat line and the emotions are unseen. 

"We have to talk, jerk." Cheen said and they sat on the couch all together. I looked at Julius and he was mouthing something at me but I just shrugged my shoulders as I don't know what would really happen to him. I just gave him some cheer and pointed towards the couch in front of my friends. I just walked towards the accent chair, or the seat separated from the line of couches I have here, for short I am at the center. On my left are my friends, and on my right is Julius, who was still at the uncertain of what his future to come. 

"Alright, you can yell or even hate me but it won't change the fact that I want to court Aubrey." Julius suddenly said and I just scoffed, what are you saying in front of them? Are you serious to die today?

"What are you saying?" Zy just asked and I can see her resisting her laugh. 

"We just wanted to answer if you are willing to give us lifetime access to your brand." Cheen said and I just looked at them with an eyebrow raised. 

"Yeah, do you want to announce your wedding? I can help you." Camilla offered to him. 

"Wait, are you guys serious?" I asked to them and the three looked at me and nodded at the same time. 

"We already talked about it and we thought we might accept him if he would grant us three conditions." Zy explained. 

"Three conditions?" Julius asked. 

"The first one would be that lifetime access with the brand." Cheen firmly said. 

"The second one would be schedules getaways with Aubrey, don't ever stop her from seeing us, anytime and whatever it takes." Zy firmly said to him. 

"The last one?" I asked and the three of them smiled. 

"He must make you happy and if he not, he must be ready dead buried." Camilla said and I saw Julius gulped down from the thirst that is just imaginary, he just felt scared, I know. 

"With that, we must go." Cheen said and grabbed her bag on the table. 

"Where are you going?" Julius asked. 

"Dinner. Did she not tell you?" Zy asked and Julius asked to me with his smirk. 

"I don't have to report every part of my schedule to him." I answered and closed my computer. 

"But you said the winner would have dinner with you." Julius suddenly said. 

"And I don't say it would be today." I answered and the four of us left my office. 

I looked at Aly and she nodded at me, and to my friends. It was a sign that those interns must taste the bitterness of capitalism, they must do overtime today and complete the sketching of ideas because tomorrow is a big day- for the two of them. We get in the car and as always we took the biggest car we have and the driver drives ahead towards the restaurant they already made reservations before they even came to my office.  After minutes, I realized that the place was really near to my building but of course these girls won't walk with their luxury bags and high heels at the street, people would think they are in a cosplay or something- I know it may be exaggerated but believe me, they are much exaggerated than my own descriptions. We get off and we walked towards the entrance of this expensive place, I read the name of the place and it said Japanese food, I thought we are going to some café or whatnot. 

The receptionist guided us to a table reserved for us and I became confused when we get on the elevator, I read the signage and I saw that the popular café that Cheen saw was located at the top, where you can see the whole city lights and building of the whole city. But if I would be the one to decide, I would say that the café should be on the first floor and the classy restaurant should be at the top. But of course, I am not the owner so I don't have the right to judge on it. The elevator stopped and we arrived at some place, we walked towards the hall and we were awed by visuals of the place, it does not looked anything like a usual café. We sat on the seat allotted for us and we were given the menu book. 

"What winner he was telling you earlier?" I heard Camilla asked and the two became curious all of a sudden. 

"Ah, I got two intern in my office, one is that jerk and another guy. I asked them to present to me their ideas and the winner would have dinner with me." I nonchalantly and continuously said to them, seems late when I realized what I had done and zipped my lips. 

"Dinner with you? Did you just test out how popular you are?" Zy asked in disbelief and I just scoffed. 

"I am not popular. Besides, they are the one who suggested it, not me." I answered and the waiter served us water first. 

"Popular dish for four." Cheen ordered and the waiter nodded. 

"So! Who is that other guy who fought with the jerk?" Cheen asked. 

"His name is Ken and mom especially put him in my office together with Julius. I am thinking that he was also some people pretending to be workaholic but they just wanted to play around." I answered and they were not saying anything. 

"Really? Do you hate rich people?" Camilla asked and I just laughed. 

"Come on, it's not like that. But there are some, I would say." I said and smiled at her. She just scoffed and shook her head as she knows what I am saying about. 

"Right, do you really accept Julius?" I asked to them. 

"Duh! It is not like we have a choice! It was arranged but if I were you, I would look for ways to stop it." Cheen answered. .

"I know but I cannot disobey my parents." I said to them. 

"Right, you are the most filial daughter I have ever met." Zy said and I just laughed. 

"Shut up, you just don't see my parents get drunk that night just to seal the agreement." I said to them. 

"Yeah yeah, whatever you said. But, are you sure you won't have someone to love later on?" Camilla asked to me and I just looked at her, that question rings into my mind, she is right, what about my own choices? My own life? Will I just be captive in this planned fate of mine?

The food was served and now I was really amused by how it was given to us, now I know why it is popular to everyone. Because whoever might see this personally, might want to buy the trademark for this dish, I know I am exaggerating again. 

"I hope you enjoy the meal." someone said and I just nodded. But why the voice seems familiar? I looked at the side where the voice came from and I did not believe why I just saw. 

"Why are you here?" I asked to him and my friends looked at me and at the person I talked to. 

"You know him?" Cheen asked and I just nodded slowly. 

"He is Ken, that intern." I answered to them.

"What did you say?" I heard Camilla exclaimed but I don't have time to check their reactions because for sure my mind is not functioning well right now. 

"I am the chef here, ma'am." he answered to me politely. 

"But why are working at my company?" I asked. 

"My dream job is to have a business for clothing line." he answered with his signature kind smile. 

"Don't say you owned this place?" Cheen asked and he quickly shook his head. 

"No! I am just the chef here. I don't own anything." he answered. If he is not some rich people that I have expected to, then why mom got him in a special hiring? Does he have connections of does he know someone at the company?

"Do you know my mom?" I directly asked to him. 

"No? I haven't meet her." he answered. Is he telling the truth or am I in some business fraud or something? I can't help but to have trust issues on this guy. 

"Why did you asked that?" Zy asked to me. 

"Remember my mom asked me personally to take care of him." I whispered to them and just smiled at him. 

"Then, do you have connections?" I was surprised when another voice came in and the jerk was now here. 

"Julius! What are you doing here?" I exclaimed to him. 

"I heard someone got an emergency and when I followed him, he was just lying about it." he explained. 

"What? There is no other emergency than my boss would eat at the restaurant I was working for." Ken explained to her. 

"Girl, you sure is very popular. Can you give me tips on how to do it?" Camilla jokingly said to me and I just glare at her. 

"And you sure enjoying this kind of scenarios, gossips and everything? Are you contented, Ms. Reporter?" I sarcastically asked and she was just nodding while laughing at me. I looked at the two guys who was just staring at each other but you know there is spark between them, not that spark you feel when you like someone but the spark that would let you feel how opposite you are to each other, spark for a fight and inconsistencies. 

"Alright, Julius have a seat and Ken thank you for the food." I said and dragged Julius away from him. I forced him to sit at the vacant seat of our table and Ken just smiled at me before leaving. 

"That arrogant jerk, he smiled at you?" Julius exclaimed at me and I just scoffed at it. 

"We don't want to see any lovers' quarrel so if you excuse us, please eat before I stuff this food to your faces." Cheen suddenly threatened us so I am quietly eating the food served. We noticed that the food were more then the normal servings we ate so we just shared everything and also to Julius who was still chewing in anger. 

"Aren't you overreacting with him?" I heard Camilla asked to Julius. 

"What do you mean?" Julius asked. 

"About that guy, Ken. He seems nice." she again answered and we are all listening to them talking. 

"Nice? You should not be deceive to his pretentious smile." he firmly said which makes us confused. 

"How do you know that?" Camilla still asked. 

"He's my stepbrother." Julius confessed and we are all on a paused. 

"Now this is a scoop." Camilla mumbled.

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