I was hunched over on my couch with a bated breath while staring into Ms. Maxwell's emotionless green pools. Skye was sitting right next to me, leaning his forearms on his knees.
He had texted me earlier, in the morning, that he wanted me to meet Ms. Maxwell to plan out how to catch this 'Kyle M.' guy. The news about Skye and her not working for ZAE Inc. anymore was still under wraps from the media.
It was also Skye's idea that we meet at my place today because the paparazzi have lost their interest in a curly haired Valerie Jones after they discovered this "enigmatic April Glow". Honestly, I was quite relieved from their judgemental attention. However, the same couldn't be said about Skye's mansion because it's still swamped by the media cameras from morning to evening. Though it's stopped as soon as the clock strikes 6 pm as his security team clears the entire block. I came to know all of this from Skye yesterday.
Not only this but Skye, like the sweet guy he is, also informed me that Ms. Maxwell's apartment's a no go since she has suspicions of being watched. That thought in itself gave me the chills but she didn't seem so fazed by it.
"You thought that it was me." That was the first thing she uttered and I visibly blanched. Her lips were slightly curved up in amusement.
Instinctively, I looked at Skye with wide eyes because I thought that he ratted me out but he just shook his head with a small smile. I turned back to Ms. Maxwell slowly with a sheepish face. "I…"
"Nope, Skye didn't tell me. Not exactly, I mean, but yeah. I can just see it on your face," she said and I had to remind myself to breathe again. A few weeks without her and I almost forgot her uncanny abilities. "I've been a senior content editor for 25 years now and I've seen all kinds of people with all kinds of emotions playing on their faces. Guilt being one of them which is clearly shining in your eyes right now," she explained in her usual croaky voice.
A nervous chuckle escaped my lips and my eyes darted everywhere around me but her. "I am - I am sorry," I apologized, embarrassed.
"Don't apologize. To be honest, I am quite used to it all. You think I don't know that my employees used to call me "shark" behind my back. It's just that I don't care or maybe I love the endearment. I mean it's always better than being termed as a "rat". Anyway, I understand your suspicions because I had to fire you. So it's a given that I would rank high on your suspect list," she told me, not in the least bit sounding or seeming offended.
Clearing my throat, I played with my fingers. "Um… I didn't mean to. It's just that everything was pointing at you…" I've never been so nervous in my entire life. Not even when I had punched a guy in his face because for one, I was learning taekwondo and two, he was literally grating my nerves. Later that day, I was called inside the principal's office. Now that I think about it, nobody could make me as nervous as Ms. Maxwell herself did.
I felt Skye's comforting arm around my shoulder, pushing me closer to his warm body. For some reason, I was scared of Ms. Maxwell's scrutinizing stare so I gave her a sidelong glance. I was surprised though when she stared at us with an impassive countenance.
Is it a good thing or a bad thing? I asked myself silently.
Sensing my discomfort, Skye even started rubbing his hand on mine soothingly and I instantly relaxed in his arms. He didn't even know what he was doing to my body because I could literally feel the tingles everywhere he was touching me.
"So who do you think is behind all this, Kathy?" Skye asked her while I couldn't hide my astonishment. Looking up at Ms. Maxwell, I realized that she was used to it. Their relationship is tighter than I thought.
"I am not gonna accuse anyone right now. Not when I'm not even sure." Was her simple reply.
I furrowed my brows, my nervousness all dissolved as I spoke my next words. "But you might have your doubts on at least someone?"
She sighed and for the first time since I've met her, she smiled. "Facts and doubts are not the same… Valerie. I can call you that, right?"
My mouth opened and closed like a fish. I nodded my head insanely. "Sure… I mean, yeah," I answered.
Skye started laughing beside me and I could feel the reverberations of his beautiful laughter. This only made me feel weird. As if feeling my timorous energy, he flicked my nose teasingly and sobered up quickly.
"And um, can I can you-"
"Yeah, you can call me Katherine." I was going to say Kathy but thank God that she cut me off before I could even say that. "Formalities don't matter since we're both practically jobless and don't have an employer and employee relationship now," she stated jokingly. If that was her idea of humor then she needed to up her game.
"Right." I cracked an easy going smile toward her.
"Anyway, so what I was saying, it doesn't matter what I think. I am still trying to figure out everything," she said and I don't know what made her say the next words but she did. I realized that it must have been my downcast expression. "And if you think that you're to blame, Valerie, then you're wrong. Think about this in a different perspective. This person, whoever he or she is, has been conspiring to do this for a long time. You just happened to give him an easy opening."
It was silent after that as we were busy digesting her words. I felt a lot relieved after hearing her response because the weight of faulting myself lifted off of my shoulders.
It was Skye who broke the silence. "But still… knowing you, you must have your suspect already listed at the top," he pressed on grittingly.
Katherine exhaled heavily, leaning back on the couch. "Like I said, facts and doubts are not the same."
"You have a doubt on someone only when you see or notice something wrong in them. A doubt doesn't spurt out of nowhere. Surely there is someone?" I tried but she didn't budge from her argument.
"I agree with Val here. You know but you're not telling us," Skye seconded with narrowed eyes.
Katherine massaged her temples before steepling her fingers as if the mere topic drained the energy out of her. "Skye… Valerie." She looked us both in the eyes reprovingly like she was handling two toddlers. "I just can't tell you who that person is without being sure about it myself. I don't wanna badmouth someone without fully confirming it only to find out that it's not the person I was suspecting all along."
I began nodding my head slowly. What she said made more sense and I found myself agreeing.
Skye, on the other hand, didn't wish to acquiesce. "At least a name maybe?" He tried with a hopeful expression.
I turned to look at Skye to find the desperation swimming on his face. That's when I realized something. It was hitting him more than anyone because it's his company. I could tell that he wanted to get back at the person who brought this upon us all but mainly him. He wanted to avenge while I wanted nothing more than to help him in his quest.
"For now, my lips are sealed." She crossed her arms across her chest, sporting her hawk eyed look. She was thinking something with the way her expression was stone cold and her eyes gazing in the far off distance. "Right now, I am 75 percent sure but I promise you once I reach that 100 percent, you'll be the first one I'll disclose the name to. Okay?" She raised an eyebrow and Skye slumped back in his seat with a loud exhale.
"That's fine, I guess. So what are we to do now?" I asked and Skye sat up straighter again, running his hands through his luscious hair." I mean how do we catch this "Kyle M."?"
Katherine hummed in response, thinking something through. Her brows were knitted in concentration and a calculative look was storming in her eyes. "Tell you what? I'll try to sneak up on the guy who's been following me."
"I think that's too dangerous," Skye interjected, getting defensive. He seemed really frustrated today and like usual, I just wanted to hug away his worries. I don't know what's with me wanting to hug him all the time. He must have noticed my stare because he turned to me with a full blown smile that caught me off guard.
I didn't want to look away from his mesmerizing smile but I reluctantly did with a light blush. I quickly sneaked a glance at Katherine who was eyeing us with narrowed eyes.
"Don't mind me but it's bugging me a lot ever since I've come here. Are you guys together or something?" Katherine inquired, not in the least bit seeming "bugged".
"Um…" I was at a loss for words and felt too shy to take even a small peek at Skye. Instantly I remembered our kissing session last night. Mind boggling also didn't qualify the feeling I'd had yesterday. I felt like I was in heaven and his lips were so tender against mine. I had to mentally tie a rope around my torso to bring myself out of those blush worthy thoughts.
Taking a deep breath, I finally looked at Skye to see him sporting a conspiratorial smirk. "Our status is private right now, Kathy. I promise you once we reach 100 percent surety, you'll be the first one to know." He winked.
I don't know if I should laugh at his response or be stumped at the first part of his statement. I decided to go with the former option and wheezed out a laugh. It was good to know that the know-it-all Ms. Maxwell was clueless about love and dating stuff. It was good to see that she lacked at something, making her seem all the more human.
Expecting to see a furious or annoyed looking Katherine, I was surprised though when I saw her exuding nonchalance. Typical of her because half the time, she hardly shows anger even when she's raging mad. I could tell that because she didn't throw any blows at me before firing me nor did she blame me when she was asked to resign.
"Okay then." Her thin lips pulled up into a slight smile. "Also before I forget. The main reason why I've come here is because Skye asked me a few things and I just needed to clarify them with you, Valerie… since you witnessed them? And no, he didn't say it in a complaining manner because he was absolutely concerned for your sake." She rolled her eyes at the end but she had an imperceptible smirk directed toward Skye.
My eyes darted over to look at him with a passive, scared and confused look. I seriously had no idea why she said the last line in such a strange way. "What?" I prodded, biting the inside of my lip.
"I mean you did think that I was behind all of this, right?" With that said, Katherine started laughing and it was the rarest sight. Rarer than 'once in a blue moon' moment. Her hollow face pinched together and she was beyond amused with the way she was sputtering out her laughs.
Me, on the other hand felt like a roasted fish that was yet again ready to burn. But, oh wait, I am already burned. Pun intended. "I just thought that-"
"No, no. You don't have to say anything, let me explain first. Okay, so that day outside the coffee shop? I wasn't with Rick Stile. I was just trying to talk things out with him, like a negotiation. My intentions were to make him stop, to make him call this all a bluff, like all these pictures are the work of some high class photo editor but he wouldn't budge. Then next, I tried reaching Rick Stile's agency by trying to give them twice the amount he was being paid. I don't know how you got that bit?" She frowned as if catching a notorious kid in the act of stealing which was sort of true.
I flushed instantly but didn't give her any answer and decided to stay silent. I couldn't give out Shivaay's name because he was just trying to help me out.
When she realized that I wouldn't give her any reply, she continued further. "Anyway so, I tried to make a deal with him on phone but that guy's a fucking piranha. He wanted me to pay double my twice. I couldn't obviously do that even if I wanted to and asked Skye to not go for that hoax either. My plan all along has been to get ahead of him and put this person behind the bars. Whoever is doing this, is pretty much wealthy to swing everyone's puppet strings the way he wants," Katherine finished through gritted teeth.
I reeled back from the intensity of anger flashing through her small, narrowed eyes. I could tell one thing that playing with her was like playing with an unknown and unimaginable force. Something extremely otherworldly. "I am so sorry, Ms. Maxwell… I mean, Katherine. I was just… I felt so lost and angry and then you were in every suspicious picture right before my eyes. I couldn't help but believe…" I trailed off, feeling abashed at myself.
"Don't worry about it, I get it. I am not even mad at you for such a trivial issue because we have so many pressing matters at hand right now that need to be considered. You should get over it too," she assured me, tipping her head, a signal for me to comply. Even if she wasn't my boss anymore, she still had the power to shoot orders with or without her title.
I nodded my head with a smile. "Yeah, thanks."
Her sharp eyes traversed toward Skye, who was just silently listening. Something was bothering him. Something other than this 'catching the guy' thriller drama. He was almost nervous? "And you, Skye. Try everything in your power to threaten this Rick guy with that chip. See if he can bend," Katherine ordered him.
"I don't think he knows anything. That guy's completely clueless," Skye replied with a shrug.
"Try your luck. I mean, who knows?" With that said, she glanced at her wristwatch with furrowed brows. "All right, I gotta go. I had promised to have lunch with Jeremy." She must have noticed my puzzled stare because she told me, "He's my son and he just came back from England for a short break."
"Oh, right."
All three of us stood up at once and I walked them both toward the main door as a courtesy. Ms. Maxwell took long strides and was outside the door within seconds. I had expected Skye to do the same as well.
Although he hovered at my doorway and from the corner of my eye, I could see Katherine getting inside the elevator without waiting for him. I threw a bewildered look at Skye but he was looking at me with his smouldering eyes. He didn't even do it intentionally, it just happened for him.
"You're not…" I left the question hanging in the air and jerked my thumb behind him. Truth be said, I didn't want him to leave. I just wanted to be in his presence and forget about everything. Just to stay in our blissful bubble.
"Uh, I was wondering if you have… any plans for tomorrow?" He questioned, stuffing his hands in his pockets. He looked beyond handsome with the way his tousled blonde hair fell on his forehead while his crooked smile showed his nervousness. I couldn't even begin to talk about how good he looked in his thick black turtleneck sweater and blue jeans. At that moment, he seemed like a real 26 year old guy and not some billionaire with tons of boulders on his shoulders.
With a teasing smirk, I leaned against the door. We were both really close which was actually my intention. His smile broadened at our proximity. "No. Why?"
"Can you come over to my place in the evening? At the tree house, I mean. I wanna show you something," he spoke, seeming less perturbed now but there was still some nervous energy in his eyes. It was then it clicked to me that his previous nervousness might be because of this.
Is he acting all diffident because of this? Aww, can I kidnap him to forever keep him in my heart? I cooed internally even though it sounded cheesy. I decided to play with him a bit so I replied, "No." I even shook my head for an added effect.
Skye's face fell immediately and he resisted the urge to frown but his lips were starting to form into a thin line. "Oh." He seemed hurt so I decided to stop pulling his leg like that.
Not able to hold it in anymore, I doubled over in a sputtering laughter.
"Aww, why are you so adorably cute and gullible, Skye?" I grinned, wrapping my arms around his waist and putting my chin on his chest before looking up at his unamused face. "I was just joking!"
"And why are you so scathingly mean, Val?" He asked back, wounding his arms around my shoulders. He frowned even more, making me chuckle at him.
I pulled at his cheeks upward, trying to lift up his lips. "I'll be there." I smiled.
"You better," he threatened me as soon as I retreated my hands back but there was a hint of playfulness in his twinkling eyes. Leaning forward, he pressed his lips against mine and just when I thought that he was going to deepen it, he pulled back with a victorious smirk.
I scowled at him but it didn't faze him because he was enjoying himself by going into a fit of hearty laughter. "What was that for?" I asked him haughtily.
Not answering my question, he kissed me on my forehead before meeting my eyes. "Played you back. And if you want that kiss, come and get it tomorrow." He winked and walked toward the elevator. I noted that he had purposely even changed his gait like that of a model. And damn, did he pull it off effortlessly.
Even though my heart was dancing in delight, I didn't show it on my face and continued glaring at him.
He looked at me over his shoulder before getting inside the elevator and teased, "Aww, why are you so adorably cute and gullible, Val?" And with that, he was gone.
"Jerk," I mumbled. "Throwing my words on me." However, despite myself, a giggle escaped my lips and I closed the door behind me.
There was a skip in my step as I hopped back to my living room. Is it gonna be like a date? I wondered, enthused.
With a dreamy sigh and smile, I plopped down on my couch and stared up at the ceiling. "You can hear it in the silence, silence," I sang to myself giddily.
I was brought out of my beautiful fantasy when I heard my phone chime annoyingly to indicate that I received a message. Unlocking it, I saw it was from my dad.
Just check up on your mailbox, I've sent you a "proper" invitation card for my wedding! Oh, and you better be there with a date ;) - Dad.
"You can see it with the lights out, lights out. You are in love, true love," I continued humming, not in the least bit affected that his wedding would be held in just about a week from today and I basically had to go shopping. "My dad's in love, true love," I sang like a maniac.