Vincent had yet to show up at the office.
I found myself shifting restlessly in my chair, as we could not kick off the day's agenda without him. I opted to double-check the database information I had been working on. I noticed the coder's information seemed somewhat lackluster and decided to review it further.
There was something off about him, though I couldn't quite put my finger on it.
Just then, Vincent walked in, sporting a new outfit. "Let's get to the meeting," he instructed.
*Should I say something, or should I keep quiet?*
"Uh, there's something I'd like you to see," I said, gesturing toward the desktop screen. He approached and leaned in close, just an inch away from me.
"What are we looking at?" he inquired.
"Oh, um, this is the information on the coder who dropped the ball yesterday. I don't know, but something doesn't feel right about him," I replied.
He scrutinized the details for a moment.
"How childish!" he declared, pulling back from the screen.
"Huh?" I replied.
"Well done, little de," he said as he tousled my curly hair, causing it to become even more unruly.
"Did you discover anything?" I inquired out of curiosity.
Instead, he headed toward the door, prompting me to follow him. "Time for the meeting," he declared.
***
The murmurs from below were foreboding as Vincent had yet to step onto the stage.
As soon as he entered, an eerie silence enveloped the room.
He gestured for me to join him on stage, a stark contrast to Mister Charles.
*Great.*
He began his speech, but I found myself disinterested in his words, solely focused on making my exit as quickly as possible.
"I'd like to raise a toast to the backup coder." His sentence caught my attention, causing my ears to perk up.
*What on earth is he doing?*
The staff clearly looked taken aback by his comment.
The subject of his toast stepped onto the stage with flair.
In that moment, Vincent signaled for two enormous guards to come forward.
As the backup coder reached the stage, they seized his arms and pinned him down.
*Ah, so that was the strategy.*
The staff gasped in shock at the unfolding scene.
Vincent gave a slight nod to the guards once again.
One held him down, while the other tore his shirt apart.
A tattoo gleamed on the right side of his chest—a crocodile clutching a rose.
The staff gasped in disbelief once again.
Vincent then addressed them firmly, "Let this serve as a warning: anyone who collaborates with the enemies to sabotage my operations won't escape." With that, he turned to leave, prompting me to follow while the guards pulled the impostor away.
He paused midway, instructing, "Deliver those files to Mr. Ethan," gesturing to the documents I held.
"Who's—" I attempted to inquire, but it was too late; he had already vanished.
*Fantastic! Now I have to navigate this on my own.*
I scanned the crowd for someone who could help, spotting a man who was casting furtive glances in my direction.
*Nope! He's definitely not a candidate.*
The women nearby didn't seem particularly welcoming—at least, not towards me. I wandered around until I spotted someone who appeared more approachable. Approaching her, I said, "Hi there, I'm looking for Mr. Ethan."
"Oh, sure! Just a moment—"
"Emily, get over here quickly!" called out her colleague.
"Oops, I think I need to dash. Let me get someone who can assist you," she replied.
"Kai! Come over here," she signaled to a guy who had been glancing my way. He jogged over, and his striking blue eyes felt as deep as the ocean.
"Could you show her to Mr. Ethan's office?" she asked him.
"Of course," he replied with a warm smile aimed at me.
"Okay then, I'll head out," she said as she left.
"Thanks!" She responded with a thumbs up.
"Hi! I'm Kai. What's your name?" he asked, extending his hand.
"Blossom," I said, shaking his hand.
He stood with an air of confidence, his sculpted features and defined jaw creating a striking presence. Yet, it was his eyes that truly captivated – bright blue spheres that felt as though they could read right into your soul, glimmering with a playful spark. His intense gaze was enchanting, drawing me in with a captivating, almost ethereal quality. When he smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkled, infusing a gentle warmth into their vivid blue tones. It was a look that could soften even the hardest of hearts.
*Blossom!, You need to snap out of this.*
"Hey, are you still with me?" he called, waving his hands in front of my face.
"Yeah, I'm here," I replied.
"Okay then, follow me." He took my hand and led me.
"Sooo, Blossom is really your name, right?" he asked as he released my grasp.
"Yup," I confirmed.
"Is there a story behind it?" He noticed my attempt to look away.
"Not really. You know sometimes, I think my parents just saw a flower blooming and decided to name me Blossom. But honestly, I love the name, so no complaints here," I explained.
He chuckled.
"Are you afraid to meet my gaze?" he suddenly inquired.
"Is it that clear?" I glanced at him.
"Definitely." He grinned.
"Your eyes are so captivating that I feel like I could get lost in them," I remarked.
"Haha, nice one," he chuckled.
"I genuinely mean it," I insisted.
As we entered a spacious office, all eyes immediately turned toward us.
I lowered my gaze slightly, feeling uneasy.
"Just ignore them; they always react this way," he said, taking my hand.
People began to murmur among themselves.
After a few steps, we exited the area, and it felt like a heavy burden had been lifted from my shoulders.
"You know, I typically wear glasses to avoid scenes or strange situations," he mentioned.
"What? No way! If I were you, I'd definitely flaunt my eyes wherever I could," I replied confidently.
"No, you wouldn't," he laughed.
"Actually, I would," I asserted.
We halted in front of a large door.
"This is Mr. Ethan's office," he gestured toward it.
"Oh, thank you! I really enjoyed our conversation," I remarked.
"Same here. Will I see you again?" he asked with a grin.
"I suppose," I replied as he began to walk away.
*****
Mr. Ethan bore a striking resemblance to Mr. Smith from Nest Nook. Or perhaps it was just my imagination playing tricks on me.
"Sir, you have a meeting with a woman named Sharly," I said as we got into the car.
Vincent acknowledged me with a nod.
***
Fifteen minutes later, we arrived at a large cosmetics firm.
Vincent strode toward the entrance while I struggled to keep pace behind him.
I couldn't tell if it was just his nature or some form of punishment, but he always walked briskly, leaving me to chase after him.
***
We settled into a private room just as a woman about my age entered.
"Marino! How have you been? It's been ages," she exclaimed, pulling him into an embrace.
He offered a slight smile, though I could see it was forced.
I couldn't stifle a laugh, given that he usually wore either a scowl or a devious grin.
She quickly turned her gaze toward me.
"You finally got an assistant?" she inquired with curiosity.
"Yes," he answered succinctly.
"Well, she's adorable! Hi there, I'm Sharly, but since we're friends now, you can call me Shar." She reached out her hands and shook mine enthusiastically.
"Just so you know, I am his one and only childhood buddy!" she proclaimed.
"You really don't have to let everyone know, Shar!" Vincent said, massaging his temples in exasperation.
"She's not everyone; she's my friend now, so I can share whatever I like with her," she replied confidently.
*She was entirely different from Vincent. I'm curious about how they grew up together.*