The Mix-Up

In-Charge

A/N: I’ve been managing several priorities and I am available now.

***

JOHAN'S POV

The first action I take upon entering the car is to contact my lawyer to inquire about my rights should my parents deny me access to Punn. Following that, I send an email to my accountant. Once I finally reach the townhouse, I call Jamie.

"Did you forget to make arrangements for tomorrow?" she asks immediately after answering. "I confirmed the list you provided and had Champ prepare the limo for Punn. I also enhanced the teachers' hotel bookings."

"Great. And no, I didn't forget anything. As if you would let me."

"Oh," she replies, her tone dropping. "What's wrong? You sound off."

I take a slow breath. "There's a situation I need you to address that demands utmost confidentiality."

"Oh, excellent. You're making it sound like a spy novel. This should be intriguing. Is this regarding the hotel bookings you had me make regularly until very recently? When you abruptly began clearing entire evenings from your agenda?"

"No. Although it's somewhat connected. I won't patronize your intelligence; I'll just state it outright: I've been seeing someone."

"Oh my god. Please tell me he's one of the escorts you hired and this is a Pretty Woman situation."

"I—no. Kind of. Also, what? No. He's not a pretty woman."

There's a dramatic gasp on the line. "It is? Johan Mattie Ratchakit. Are you telling me you've fallen for an escort?"

"I keep telling you it's Maxky," I mumble. "And no, he's not really an escort."

"You need to provide more details about this. Why the emphasis on really? And I'll call you, excuse me, Johan, a blatant liar if you claim you don't sleep with escorts. Because I've seen those hotel bills, and despite your father's homophobia, I was pretty certain you weren't dating anyone. Until recently. When you had me reserve an entire restaurant just for a lunch date."

"How long have you known about this? And have you told anyone else?"

"If you're wondering if I've ever betrayed your trust and endangered my position in a highly rewarding job I absolutely enjoy? No, I haven't. But I've known for ages. You never date women. Sure, you've brought them to events, but you've never, ever been alone with them. As your PA, I'd know. Besides? You've definitely checked out some men. I can recognize that look. So please stop insulting me and just tell me about this guy. And how do you not know what Pretty Woman is? Can you explain how he's not really an escort now?"

"No, I'm not. And if you ever meet him, you're not asking him."

"If I ever meet him? If he's going to stick around, I will have to meet him eventually. I'm kind of essential to your life, remember?"

The issue isn't whether I'd introduce North to Jamie, but whether North will remain in my life. "I want him to stick around."

The thought of saying farewell to North causes a deep ache in my chest. It occurs to me that earlier, when North asked if this was the end of our arrangement, I didn't provide a clear response. Because I didn't know the answer. I still don't know, but I know I want it to continue. "I need to ensure he can stick around."

"Okay. I'm on board. What do you need from me?"

I take a deep breath. "I need you to locate all the private investigators in the Bangkok area and find out which one my father employed to follow me and capture photos of me and North."