Cade was someone who believed in love after marriage. That was why he agreed readily when they arranged him to get married to the son of their business partner.
But he wasn't expecting to get his heart broken on the day of his wedding.
"Why the heck are you here?" Tanu was screaming in whispers as he took the seat next to Cade in the conference hall.
"For the meeting. Duh!" Cade stated the obvious.
"I know you are here for the meeting you idiot. I am asking why you are here for the meeting on the very next day of your marriage?" Tanu would have already given him a smack if there weren't their colleagues around them.
"Swadee Ja, My sweet buns!!!" Jeffy's voice boomed in the conference room as she entered the room. As a transgendered woman, her voice was still very masculine despite her tries to make it sound more feminine.
Jeffy was the CEO of the K Publishers company and also Cade's senior. She was a very friendly person who liked to squeeze the juice out of her employees.
Everyone in the room waied at her and settled down on their seats.
Both Tanu and Nara who had just entered along with Jeffy, were staring at Cade, asking for an explanation for his presence in the meeting.
'I will tell you later' Cade mouthed at his friends. Only then did the two turn their attention to Jeffy.
"So, can anybody guess why I called all of you here for this meeting today?" Jeffy had a face-splitting smile on her face as she eyed her employees.
Nobody had any idea why they were called over in such urgency. So they shook their head.
"I have two good news for you all" Jeffy sing songed. "Yesterday, I got a call from the committee of the Asian Literature Club and they said..." She paused to build up the suspense " They said..."
"Just tell us what they said, Jie" Cade was getting impatient.
Jeffy gave him a stink eye for ruining the mood before continuing "They said that four of our authors were selected for this year's Asian Literature Festival!!!"
Cheers and hoots echoed throughout the room as everyone clapped for the big news enthusiastically.
Jeffy waited for her employees to calm down with a fond smile on her face. Asian Literature Festival is the best gateway to fame for anyone involved in the Literature industry. Be it publishing companies, authors or mere critics. Being selected for it was a huge deal.
"Do you know what that means?" Jeffy giggled "It means that all the books written by these four authors would be displayed there! That is thirteen books in total. All published by our company!!!"
Everyone was really excited at the news. This event alone could bring a huge amount of popularity and prestige to their company.
"Now, now, for the second good news." Jeffy clamped her hands together "This year's Asian Literature Festival is being held in Busan and our company has gotten an official invite! Three people can go as our representatives can participate in it!!!"
A few unenthusiastic claps were heard here and there in the huge meeting room. No one seemed enthusiastic about the news.
"Au? Why aren't you all clapping? Aren't you all happy about the news?" Jeffy was let down by the lack of response from her employees.
The employees clapped practically upon their boss's request.
"Come on, my honey buns! This is a piece of good news you know! All your expenses including travel expenses, food and accommodation will be provided. You wouldn't have to spend a penny." Jeffy announced hoping to hype her employees.
Still, there was no change. None of the employees were giving her the reaction she was hoping for.
"Whose going to volunteer? It's a full week stay at Busan!"
Not a single person in the room volunteered. Asian Literature Festivals were shit shows that would drain even the last ounce of blood of every staff member. As fancy as it sounds, the responsibility that comes along with the trip is backbreaking.
Jeffy knew what her employees were thinking. She was thinking hard to find a way to convince them.
"When is the ALF scheduled this year?" One of the employees asked.
Jeffy scratched her cheeks awkwardly "It begins in three days. That means you will have to leave for Busan at most by tomorrow evening."
The organisers of the festival had only notified her at the last moment. The appropriate reaction to such neglect would be refusing to take part in the event. But the businesswoman in her wouldn't allow her to say no to such a huge opportunity. She shamelessly agreed to the organisers to send representatives from her company.
The fact that they would have to leave the next day was another major turndown for the employees. They wouldn't even get to do proper planning before flying to Busan.
Jeffy explained everything related to the festival, including the details of the authors who were selected, the duties they might have to perform and also the elaborated guest list of the year.
She thought that the guest list would pique the interest of her staff but nothing did. She ran her eyes through the crowd but every single person averted their gaze.
"I'll go" Cade raised his hands. He badly wanted to go away. He was supposed to go on a 'honeymoon' tonight but his husband had ditched him on the wedding night and ran off to meet his girlfriend.
He wasn't baselessly accusing his husband. He knew because he had heard Raya talk over the phone with someone about his girlfriend being sick. He even got to see first-hand how much his husband cared about that girlfriend of his and was now utterly sure that his marriage was a disaster.
He wanted a distraction. He wasn't mentally ready to deal with such a complicated situation and this festival was like a pie from the sky that fell directly into his lap when he was desperate.
After Raya left their apartment last night, Cade didn't even bother unpacking his luggage and directly headed back to the duplex he had bought with his own money( and a little bit of home loan) without his parent's knowledge. He had been staying there before the wedding and now planned to continue staying there.
He had no intentions of going back to the apartment meant for him and Raya. He had had enough of his share of humiliation and didn't want more.
When he came to office, cancelling his leave that was barely sanctioned, he knew that his best friends would drown him with hundreds of questions. He already had a story cooked up in his mind to recite to his friends as he was sure that once they heard the truth they would draw swords and rush to JPM Enterprises to kill his husband and family.
"Then it's all set. Three of you will be the ones going on the trip." Jeffy announced happily.
"Three? Who three?" Tanu asked in shock.
"Of course, you, Cade and Nara. Aren't you three a buy one get two packages?" Jeffy answered with a big smile leaving Tanu speechless "Now that it is decided, meeting adjourned!" She didn't give Tanu a chance to retort "Cade, stay back. I have something to tell you. You two can go home and pack your stuff. The rest of the day is off for you two."
Tanu and Nara glared hatefully at their friend. Cade could only smile innocently. This wasn't actual outcome he wanted. But there was nothing he could do about it.
✨✨✨
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Nitta Sutthipha Kongnawdee as Helly
(Yes, the beautiful lady from Rose in Da House who played Prem's partner would be Helly)
