[Sister's Name] always wondered what actually went wrong between you and Boboiboy but every time she asked you about it you simply brushed it off, she'd notice how your mood would shift at the slightest mention of the man.
It had been a year since she had completed her therapy, and she was given a green signal from her therapist to start working again... She had started working again, tomorrow was going to be her first day back at work and she couldn't be more excited. It was around lunchtime when she got an email from her office asking for some documents.
She looked through her entire room but couldn't find it. She thought of calling you but then remembered you'd said you had a busy schedule today. Though she could have waited for you to come back she decided to utilise the free time she had now.
'She'd be so tired by the time she comes home' She said to herself and made her way towards your room. You were always secretive about your space which made her doubt her actions but it was only a document, right?
She searched through your bookshelf to look for the file but couldn't find it. She remembered you also kept some folders in the last drawer of one of the cabinets. She knelt in front of the cabinet and tried to pull the drawer but it was locked.
She looked through your dressing table for any key but didn't find it. She sat at the edge of your bed, running her hand through her hair,
"I should probably just wait for her. It is not right to look around her things for a key. I'll just ask her when she gets back". Tired with all the searching she plopped back onto your bed. It wasn't made, she wasn't surprised considering how hurriedly you left that morning.
She turned to her side and saw a snow globe on your nightstand. She remembered you got from a fair you went to before your college started. She picked it up and shook it, causing the white freckles to spin around the snowman.
She was going to place it back when she saw a tiny key in the same spot. "Aha! So this is where she keeps it. I am going to borrow it [Name]". She picked it up and knelt in front of the cabinet once again, she inserted the key and twisted it, and pulled the drawer out.
The contents of the drawer were not homogenous. There were scraps of paper, some papers with doodles, multiple folders, and.. your old cellphone.
[Sister's Name] picked up the phone and examined it. It seemed to be in good shape. She dug through the papers and found the charger as well.
"Maybe she has some old photos in it!". [Sister's Name] plugged it in and let it charge for a while. She got back to searching for her documents. She saw a green folder and pulled it out, she flipped through the multiple documents and finally found the one she was looking for.
She was about to keep it back when a piece of folded paper fell from the folder. [Sister's Name] picked it up and opened it. It seemed like some kind of agreement. She was going to keep it back but she saw your signature at the bottom with the date of her operation.
She leaned back and read through the agreement.
'No..No no no no no nooo' [Sister's Name] couldn't believe what she was looking at. She couldn't believe that you had given up your scholarship for her?! She went through the folder once more and found your acceptance letter as well. She had tears in her eyes and still couldn't believe what she was reading.
"But..She told me she never got accepted! I.." [Sister's Name] hurried towards your charging phone and tried turning it on. It started, showing a wallpaper of you and Boboiboy of him carrying you on his back.
She swiped up and it opened. She was glad you didn't keep a lock on it. She went through your gallery trying to find any photo which could prove her doubts wrong but she found nothing. She decided to check your messages next.
She wasn't sure if they were backed up and still there but prayed to every god in the universe that she could find something. She went through your chats with Boboiboy, the last message was on the day of her operation.
Nothing. She decided to check for your messages with Ying. The last message was you guys agreed to meet somewhere. She scrolled up until she landed on large blue bubbles of text.
She read through your entire chat with Ying, Where you told her about Boboiboy, Where you accepted the fact that you were harming yourself, and where you agreed that you still missed him...
[Sister's Name] was a smart girl, She connected the dots quickly. It dawned on her how because of her illness, you lost everything, a future, a lover, your mental health... everything.
She picked up the agreement and read through it again. It mentioned how you were to forget your scholarship in exchange for money for your sister's operation. She read through it again and again and again...
"I... I am the reason why [Name] changed... I am the reason she had to suffer so much...". It all made sense now, how you'd wear full sleeves even inside your house, how you'd always lock yourself in the bathroom under the excuse of a long bath, how you'd have a dazed look on your face.
It all made sense now. [Sister's Name] couldn't take it... this burden was too much for her...
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You were to meet Ying at your apartment that day but ran into her a few blocks away. You both decided to walk together to your apartment.
She brought bottles of wine to celebrate [Sister's Name]'s new job and you got a box of cake. It was a surprise for [Sister's Name]. You reached your building but before you guys could enter a man stopped you,
"Miss, can you please tell me where this address is?". He looked to be about 60 years old so both you and Ying gathered around to look into the paper he was holding.
Ying started explaining the directions to the man. He thanked you both and then it happened... The sound made both you and Ying turn around. Neither of you realized what had happened.
Someone screamed. Some people had gathered a few steps away from your building entrance. Out of curiosity you and Ying decided to go and see as well. Then you saw it...
[Sister's Name]... You heard a ringing in your ear before your knees gave up...
"Someone call an ambulance!". Someone yelled. You crawled towards her, her eyes still open with the last drops of tears, she was holding your acceptance letter in her hand...
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Boboiboy sat at his desk, tapping his pen on the surface. It had been two days but he was still stuck on his balcony. To say his heart shattered would be an understatement. What he felt was the deeper remorse one feels on losing something valuable.
In that moment he realized you were not just someone valuable to him, you were everything. It took 20 seconds to undo years of hatred he festered for you. 20 seconds to realize how badly he wanted you and how it took every bit of self-control to not cross over and rip that Fang apart.
Fang who was he's friend for so long... but now he hated him so much. They say the line between love and hatred is thin and faint, it becomes hard to tell when love becomes an obsession and when it takes cover in the arms of hatred to protect itself. Boboiboy was walking that thin line.
He had asked Yaya to set up your working space closest to his cabin. Some might consider it to be a privilege or a dream to work in close proximity with Boboiboy Amato but only you had earned that privilege.
He went over the arrangements multiple times, making sure that the table was set up exactly how you preferred, multiple bottles of water arranged in a mini fridge, and a vase full of daisies on your desk, he knew you were always cold hence even the temperature was set on the warmer side.
He did not want it to seem like he was favoring you so he had all the other cabins set after the one he arranged for you. He had your schedule in front of him.
He couldn't care less about others, Layla was just a pawn for him to keep Mr. Hargreeves satisfied, and Lucas was to act just as an additional pawn, who would act as his eyes and ears in the group.
But, you were the one he was going to rely on the most. Regardless of the past, his gut told him to trust you to believe in you.
He sighed as he got up and made his way towards his uncle's office. He walked along the empty corridor glancing towards the newly set up workspace. He checked his watch, an hour before you'd arrive. He walked into the chairman's office to see Layla already sitting there with him. "Hey, uncle".
"Ah, Boboiboy! You finally got time for your old man". He said looking at Boboiboy.
Boboiboy understood that look, the one that said now was the time to pretend everything was under control. He sat next to Layla on the sofa and gave a small nod. "You shouldn't be here. You should be at home resting".
"This is the only place I get to see my niece. I am not giving it up". Layla looked at Boboiboy and spoke in her honey-laced voice as she rested one arm on his bicep.
"Boboiboy! You must stay with Mr. Amato. Family is important, you know". Boboiboy shrugged her hand away, still mad at his uncle for not taking care of himself.
"Uncle, You need to rest, okay? You are not staying in this office after lunch and Layla would you mind waiting for me in my office? I'll be there soon". Layla looked at Mr. Amato hoping he would make her stay but his eyes were fixed on his niece.
"Sure 'Bobby". Her use of the ugly nickname she made, made him cringe. But regardless, she was gone which meant he could talk freely.
"Uncle. You are not staying here, You have your appointment with your cardiologist after lunch and there is no way in hell I will allow you to come to work". Mr. Amato raised an eyebrow at his concerned niece. "Boboiboy I am still the chairman and you cannot stop me from coming to office".
"I am stopping you as your niece and not as a CEO". Check Mate.
"Fine, I guess then I will have to listen to you. But I have one condition... You will move in back with me. I don't know how much time I have and honestly, after my last attack I am sure it's not a lot and I want to spend it with you". Boboiboy looked down at the floor. It was true his health was not at its best. He remembered his last heart attack five months ago. He was hospitalized for weeks and Boboiboy wasn't there so this time he was going to make it up to him.
"Fine. I'll move back in".
"Great then. Now what is the status of our energy sector?".
"I am still investigating it. I have a hunch it is someone from our side. It doesn't make sense otherwise. Millions were approved without any justification and the chain of command doesn't lead to anyone significant. Hopefully, my team will be able to find something".
"Boboiboy don't beat around the bush. I know, you already have your doubts about someone so spit it out". Mr. Amato said, taking a sip of his tea. Boboiboy sighed, he knew the man he doubted was one of the closest friends of his family and he had no concrete proof, yet. But he could trust his uncle, right?
"I think it's Hargreeves".
"Why so?"
"He has .. contacts. He might seem like a normal salaried employee but he has connections with a particular group and I think-"
"How do you know this?"
"Gopal''. Right, his niece's best friend whom Mr. Amato didn't approve of. Gopal. He was a detective with the Pulau PD.
"Alright then. Let me know how far it goes and don't forget about our deal, move back in today."
"Yes Sir". Boboiboy got up to leave when he saw a man in a black suit pass him by, he turned around to the man talking to his uncle.
Where have I seen him before?
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Layla strolled around Boboiboy's office. She looked at her reflection in the mirror, everything was perfect, she was perfect. She spent two hours getting ready this morning to carry the image of a perfect woman for Boboiboy Amato and was told to arrive early to meet the chairman by her uncle.
She couldn't even get her full sleep because of this but she was sure it was all going to pay off, afterall listening to her uncle always paid off. She wanted Boboiboy and was going to do whatever it took to get him.
She dreamt of being married to Boboiboy the day she saw him walk the corridors with his arms around you. How she wished it was her instead.
He deserved someone like her who came from a good family and had connections in society, someone who knew how to carry themselves and not show up in a messy bun, someone who would enhance his image.
A princess like her had finally found her prince. She stood behind the chair with her arms on either side of it and imagined Boboiboy sitting on it and her standing behind just like this, a perfect picture of a perfect couple.
She smiled to herself as she thought about her kids running around the same office one day, No, Boboiboy will be the chairman by then.
Right, and he would be present on her every command. Everyone in the company will bow down to her. She would have people waiting for her smallest of commands and Boboiboy would.
You, right. She would make you her personal assistant or maybe a babysitter for their kids, Her every wish would be granted by him and everyone would realize how much he loves her.
Her daydream came to a halt when she spotted something shiny in Boboiboy's coat pocket. She reached inside and pulled out a silver necklace.
It had a flat pendant with the letter B written on one side, she ran her thumb over it feeling it like she was feeling Boboiboy. She was about to flip it over when Boboiboy walked in, "What are you doing?".
"Boboiboy, I saw it in your pocket and just... I just wanted to see it..". Boboiboy briskly walked towards her and snatched it from her hand. He clenched it in his fist as he took a deep breath.
"Layla, don't you ever touch my things. Got it?". The sternness of his voice made it sound like a threat, his inner Blaze was taking a troll of him huh? and it brought tears to her eyes.
"I'm sorry". Boboiboy looked at her sad face and he couldn't have cared less about it if it wasn't for her role in getting to Hargreeves. So he pulled her into a hug and soothed the back of her head, she clenched his shirt which made him cringe more.
"I..I'm sorry Layla, I was just stressed about uncle's health and I took it out on you. Forgive me?". He said breaking the hug and looking at her face.
Layla looked up at his face and wiped her tears. How could she not forgive him? If this is what being future Mrs. Amato is like then she is going to do whatever he says.
"Fine, I forgive you Boboiboy.. but what is it?" Boboiboy placed the necklace in his pocket and took his seat which was a cue for Layla to move away from his personal space.
"Nothing that concerns you. Why don't you go get coffee for me and something for yourself as well? Yaya is busy with something".
"How about I get you some tea? to relax a little? You seem so stressed". Boboiboy sighed as he ran his palm over his face, causing his hair to fall slightly on his face.
"Just do as you're told, okay? Get me my coffee.."
"Yes. Boboiboy". She walked out thinking how it was her time to serve him but soon the roles would be reversed as he would be on his knees for her.
Boboiboy leaned back in his chair as he saw her leave her room. Her perfume was too strong and her voice was too sweet even for the biggest sweet tooth in all of Pulau Rinsits.
He took the necklace out of his pocket and ran his thumb over the other initial, he glanced at his watch, There was still time for you to come. He took his phone out and texted Yaya to lead you to your cabin. He hoped it was set up just as he wanted.
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You pressed your palms flat on Fang's chest separating the two of you. You couldn't look up at him.
This is not right. Neither of you spoke for a while. Fang looked down at you, he saw the confusion on your face, but above everything he saw the regret on your face, it stung.
He had liked you for a while and now that he had finally gathered the courage to take a step towards all he got was your regretful face.
He knew if he confronts you now the guilt would eat you up. You were the kind of person who let guilt take over you easily. So he decided to do the next best thing, play it off..
"Aahh, I had too much wine. I am sorry [Name]". Your eyes still remained fixed on his chest. He pulled back and kept an arm on your shoulder.
"[Name], it's fine. It is just the wine. I am sorry". You looked up at him trying to gauge his emotions but all you saw was the face of a friend who was smiling kindly at you.
"Fang.. I am sorry too. It...I am sorry". Fang's heart ached for you, how badly he wanted things to be different. But he knew love was not something fate held for him.
"It's fine [Name]. I guess I better get going now". You simply nodded at him. As Fang stepped inside the house you stayed behind him and turned to look at Boboiboy's balcony.
You didn't know whether you wanted him to see you with Fang or not. On the one hand, it would be easier for him to hate you but on the other hand, it would mean you will never be with him. So as you closed the window behind you, you realized that a part of you wanted it to be Boboiboy...
You didn't hear from Fang the entire weekend. You checked your phone every two minutes but had no notification from Fang.
The first day of your new job was here and you were excited. Excited to start working again, excited to make new friends, excited to meet your teammates... Boboiboy? A part of you was excited to be near him.
You hadn't seen him all weekend and it bothered you. You felt guilty about wanting to run into him when you were the one who kissed someone else.
But he must also have someone right? Layla? Were they dating? You checked your phone one last time before you got into your car, you had one message from Ying wishing you luck but no message from Fang. Regardless, you decided to keep your hopes up.
You opted for solid white straight pants with a caramel turtleneck and a long brown coat, you paired it with some minimal gold earrings and white boots.
You kept thinking about the kiss on your way to the office, occasionally you would drift away from it and land on Layla. But you decided you had no right to judge Boboiboy when you were the one who kissed your friend.
You swiped your card before entering the company parking lot and parked your car next to a blush-pink Mercedes. Your jaw dropped when you saw it. It was the prettiest car you had ever seen. Why would someone even drive it to work?
Why would someone who owns THAT would even need to work anymore? You quickly parked your car next to it, hoping that someone might not see it, and made your way towards the elevator.
Almost like she was waiting for you, Yaya greeted you as soon as the elevator doors opened. "Hey, [Name]!".
"Hi, Good Morning Yaya!". You said smiling at her. You wondered when she started working as she already seems tired every time you meet her.
"Good Morning to you too! Now come on, follow me! I will lead you to your workspace." She handed you a cup of coffee and just like last time it was exactly how you liked it.
She led you to a cabin that seemed like a glass cube. There were two other similar cabins next to yours on the right-hand side. The window behind your desk gave a beautiful view of the city. Your desk was perfect. Dark wood with lots of drawers, just how you like it.
There was a vase of daisies and you smiled to yourself as you gently touched one with your hand. The cabin was relatively warmer than the rest of the floor which you appreciated. You kept your coat on the chair and rolled up your sleeves.
Your laptop was kept closed on your desk along with some files. The wall shared between your cabin and the one next to yours was made of glass as well giving you a complete view of it.
There was a small bag kept on the chair and a tweed coat draped over it. It didn't take you long to figure out it was Layla's. You wished it could have been Lucas's since you both connected well when you met last time.
"This is perfect Yaya". Yaya was visibly relaxed at your words. It didn't seem like she got appreciated often.
"I'm glad you like it, [Name]". You chuckled at her.
"The first file has your credentials for the laptop, it is already set up with everything. The other two files are reports of our subsidiaries, Boboiboy wants you to go through them before your meeting today which is at 1:00 PM. You have another meeting today at 4:00 P.m. with Mrs. Parker." You were surprised at how efficient Yaya was.
"Yaya, do you keep track of everyone's schedule," You asked her playfully.
"No No, Just You and..." She thought about how Boboiboy asked her to not let you know about how he had tracked your schedule and work.
"You and others in Boboiboy's team. It is only for today though! You will find your schedule in your calendar".
"Is there anything else you need, [Name]? I can get it for you?".
"Ummm, No Yaya. Do you know if anyone else from the team is here yet?".
"Yes. Ms. Hargreeves is with Mr. Boboiboy. Mr. Lucas has not arrived yet". You nodded at her as she took her leave. You felt your heart get heavy at this but decided to focus on the work in front of you.
You had your nose buried in the files when you heard a knock at your door. You looked up to see smiling Lucas.
"Good Morning, [Name]".
"Good Morning to you too, Lucas!".
"I see you have already gotten started with the work. Trying to impress someone?". He said, raising an eyebrow at you as he sat across from you.
"More like trying to not embarrass myself at the first meeting".
"I was surprised to not see you with Layla and Boboiboy".
"Yeah, I decided to stay..here". He hummed at your words. Layla and Boboiboy? You looked to your right and found the cabin still empty. You could almost see as far as Lucas's cabin.
"I have to say it seems like your workspace is better than mine, You even have a mini fridge!".
"Well, you better ask Yaya about that since she is the one who probably kept it." You wanted to get back to your work but Lucas kept on making small talk with you.
It seemed like he was deliberately keeping you out of your work. You had almost told him that you wanted to get back to work when you saw Boboiboy and Layla walking by.
Boboiboy was dressed in a grey Zegna Suit, He looked handsome and you couldn't help but check him out. Layla who was next to him was wearing a blush pink Chanel tweed skirt with a cream-coloured shirt, her six-inch Manolo Blahnik heels.
They looked like a power couple and you could not help but look down at your basic outfit. They stopped in front of her workspace as Boboiboy held the door open for her. Lucas followed your eyes to turn around and see the scene for himself.
He entered behind her and they seemed to be enjoying each other's company. Layla saw Lucas first and waved at him. She then looked at you and simply smiled.
Though you'd argue that it was more like a smirk. You smiled back at her and then looked at Boboiboy who seemed to be looking back at you. You gave a courteous smile before turning towards your colleague in front of you.
"I think we should get back to work".
"Oh right! Hey in case you want to hang out with me, you know where I sit". He said, closing the door behind him. You got busy with the files in hand, but Boboiboy and Layla were still in your periphery. You checked your watch, you had 2.5 hours before the meeting...
You looked to your right to see what Layla was up to and she seemed to have her nose buried in her file as well.
You were never an overly competitive person and believed that everyone has their own pace but for some reason, you wanted to do better than her. After what seemed like hours you were finally done with the report.
It didn't seem good. You wondered why Boboiboy handed you the energy sector when you clearly had more experience in tech, but it was just a business report with statistics so you tried to do your best.
The result was not something you didn't feel confident about. Even though you didn't know anyone in the office, it seemed like some of the transactions were ... not needed and they ran in millions. You had seen a similar pattern of statistics in one of your case studies but never came across it in real life.
Yaya knocked at your door and peeped inside "Hey, Boboiboy has asked to see you".
"Now? The meeting is not for another 40 minutes?"
"Well... He asked for you". You collected your notes along with the file and followed Yaya. You entered the cabin behind her and saw Boboiboy sitting at the conference table instead of his desk.
His shirt sleeves rolled up to elbows and his face furrowed at the laptop screen. He looked up as he heard you enter and locked eyes with you. For a moment neither of you spoke up.
He nodded at Yaya which was her cue to leave you guys alone. You walked towards the table and stood at the other end, not sure where to sit.
"If you sit there then it would be hard for me to see the report so why don't you move here?". He said smirking at you as he pulled a chair next to him. You took your seat and placed your laptop and notes on the table.
"Do you have any questions?" Boboiboy said, his eyes glued to his screen.
You had one question. But you weren't sure if it was appropriate to ask him. Boboiboy saw the hesitation on your face, "You can ask anything [Name], it's your first day so everything is acceptable".
"Umm...What time do you get to work?".
"Why? Are you going to try and avoid running into me?" Boboiboy was smirking at you.
Heat rose to your cheeks when you realized what he meant. You waved your hands in front of your face to dismiss it.
"No no! I meant... When I arrived you were already here and so was Layla so I wasn't sure if I was late..you see it's considered bad to arrive after your boss.." Boboiboy laughed at your claim.
"No it's actually fine. I start my day whenever I wake up, I didn't get much sleep this weekend so.. I don't know why Layla was that early..". He said, shaking his head a little.
"Maybe you should go easy on the coffee then". Shit. Why did I say that?!
"Yeah, I should". How do I tell her it's not coffee...
"I've heard peppermint tea is good for stress, so you can try that". You didn't know why you were being so open with him but it seemed so natural to you. Boboiboy smiled a little. His heart felt lighter to see you fret over him.
"Maybe I should". You decided that you should get started with your report instead of making small talk with him, so you opened your laptop and placed your notes on the side.
"Would you like anything [Name]? Tea or Coffee?". He said looking at you.
"No. I'm good. I went through-". You said as you folded up the sleeves of your top. Boboiboy noticed the watch, it was [Sister's Name]'s. He noticed the cut on your palm and frowned at it.
"How did you cut yourself?"
"Cooking". Liar.
"That looks pretty big, are you sure it is fine? I can have a medic look at it"
"It is really fine. Thank you".
"Did you have your breakfast?".
"Umm- Yes, I did". He chuckled at you.
"Liar". You snapped your head towards him, only to see his eyes were still fixed on his screen. He picked up the intercom and dialed a number that you assumed could be for Yaya.
"Get some breakfast for me and [Name] here with a cup of peppermint tea and send someone from our standby medic team... It's fine he can come along with you". He cut the call without waiting for the other person to answer. You pressed your lips together to suppress a smile.
"I'm really fine Mr. Ama-".
"So what did you find?". You turned your laptop towards him and showed him the graph, He moved his chair closer to yours to get a better look at it.
"Mr. Amato, it seems like some of the cost approvals were... over the limit. I pulled out the approved costs for each of our 25 ports to see the division of the finances and it seems like Kobe port was the one for which these allocations were made. Also, it is the port from where 30% of our coal is transported. There is nothing fundamentally wrong with the operations and if we subtract the overhead approvals then it indicates close to 27% quarterly profit". Boboiboy stared at the graph in front of him. She is good.
"Could it be because of the change in prices across the globe? Did you factor in the inflation costs?".
"I did. There is a 4% coal price hike due to government regulations and another 5.6% hike in transportation because of an increase in fuel prices, other than that everything is the same as the quarter before that". You bit the inside of your cheek knowing what you were hinting at. You did not want to point fingers at anyone but you could not ignore the numbers in front of you.
"[Name]..I know it is an insider job. Which is why I handed this to you. I know the work I am asking you to do is traditionally different from what you were expecting but I hope you understand why I needed to maintain secrecy". You nodded at him.
"This is.. Great work. I am glad Mrs. Parker recommended you". You gave him a curt smile. It felt good to be appreciated by the man who ridiculed you during the interview.
"Mr. Amato, I don't want to overstep here but I... looked into the port operations as well and most of our ports including Kobe are being handled by-"
"I know, [Name]. You don't have to worry about it, and let's keep this between us". You nodded as Boboiboy pushed his chair back to the original place. A knock was heard on the door, "Come in".
A woman dressed in a black pencil skirt and tightly tucked-in shirt walked carrying a tray with the breakfast followed by a man in a white shirt and brown trousers who was carrying what seemed like a first aid kit. She placed it on the table and politely nodded.
"Thank You". You said smiling at her which made Boboiboy smile as well.
"Dr. Steve. Nice to meet you". Boboiboy got up and shook his hand and you did the same.
"Mr. Boboiboy how may I be of any help to you". You were embarrassed at this, you didn't want to trouble anyone over a small cut.
"Ms.[Name], here has a cut that looks big to me, can you please have a look at it?"
"Sure.." Dr. Steve sat next to you and took your palm in his hand, He removed the bandage slowly as he examined the cut. It seemed harmless, what surprised him was the ridges he felt on the underside of your wrist.
He felt it with his thumb a few times and looked up at you. You gave him a pleading look to not talk about it. As a doctor, he understood that you wanted to keep it between you and your doctor so he did not prod any further.
"How did you cut it?".
"I was cooking.."
"Hmmm, must have been a pretty irregular knife, I suggest you get a new one". He said winking at you.
"Luckily it is not a deep cut! But I will apply an ointment anyway to be on the safer side". He said looking at Boboiboy who relaxed at the confirmation. He applied a cold ointment which made you flinch a little and then covered it with a different kind of bandage that you hadn't seen.
"Thank you, Doctor". You said smiling at him and he nodded at you in return.
"Thank you, Doctor". Boboiboy shook his hand once more as he left.
"Let's have our breakfast now shall we?" Boboiboy said, setting up a plate with a sandwich and a scone for you, and then did the same for himself. You ate the sandwiches in silence focused on your respective work.
"It's just like old times when we used to study for tests". Boboiboy said, looking at you. He didn't know why he was reminiscing here with you but he wanted to. You smiled at him
"Yeah it is. Do you always work while eating?". You were surprised at how words were flowing out of your mouth so casually. It was like your brain forgot that Boboiboy is your ex and not some friend. You remembered how he told you that you were to remain strictly professional with each other, but he started it this time.
"Mostly yes, what about you?"
"Sometimes I do when I remember to eat". You did not want to sound like you were pitying yourself but you knew he would catch you lying easily.
"Don't worry. I'll remind you. I take good care of my employees". Employees. Right. That's all we are. You smiled and continued to finish your breakfast. Boboiboy felt you withdrawing from the conversation and internally cursed at himself for his choice of words.
"Soooo... umm.. do you like your cabin?"
"Yeah, it's pretty nice. Perfect actually".
"That's good".
So she likes it. Boboiboy returned to his work leaving you to finish the other report. The room was filled with the sounds of keys typing, occasionally Boboiboy would glance at you hoping that you wouldn't notice him.
He saw how you bit your lower lip while concentrating, an old habit of yours. How you'd hover your fingers just above the key, he could see the wheels turning behind your eyes, he always found you cute when you were engrossed in your work, any work actually.
It was one of the things he appreciated about you. Your hardworking nature.
Boboiboy wasn't the only one who was stealing secret glances, you would look at him and his chocolate color eyes reflecting the glow of his laptop screen making them look like they held all the colors of the world, his brown hair slightly disheveled falling on his forehead, how his arm flexed a little as he typed, you couldn't deny he was the most handsome man you had ever seen and working in such close proximity to him was proving to be tougher than you assumed.
You felt a wave of guilt wash over you when you thought about how you were admiring your ex when you should be worried about Fang. You were pulled out of your thoughts when you heard a knock on the door.
Yaya walked in carrying stacks of files followed by Layla and Lucas. It irritated Boboiboy slightly that his time with you came to a halt.
Yaya kept the stack on the table and began clearing the breakfast plates. Layla noticed the cup of tea next to Boboiboy and smiled to herself thinking he finally listened to her advice.
"Yaya, get me some water". Layla said without looking at the girl who had her hands full.
"I'll get it". You said as you got up and walked towards the other end of the room where bottles were kept. You felt sad for Yaya. Boboiboy glared at Layla who was smirking at you. Lucas sat on the chair next to you as Layla took one on the other side of Boboiboy.
The meeting started with Lucas giving a presentation about the tech sector. Occasionally Boboiboy would ask questions but for the most part, it was thorough.
Layla had a report on the real estate sector. She started explaining the graph but somehow the numbers were not making sense to you. You looked at Boboiboy who seemed to be having the same thought as you. Before you could speak your mind Boboiboy did,
"Layla, are the numbers from last quarter?".
"Yes, Boboiboy"
"Layla, let's stick to addressing each other formally".
"Yes, Mr. Boboiboy". Boboiboy looked side-eyed at you, to make sure you were okay. He wasn't sure what kind of reaction he wanted from you but he hoped it would be something.. anything..and he saw the way your hand stopped above your notepad.
He turned his attention toward the graph on screen and something seemed off. The number didn't make sense and he looked over at Lucas who was also trying to figure out the numbers and then at you.
You seemed to be having the same doubts as well. Layla looked confidently at you as she spoke, "Do you have any questions? [Name]?".
You were surprised at her directly addressing you and on any other day you would have kept quiet and let it slide.
"Layla, these numbers do not add up. The first graph seemed to be from last to last quarter but the second one-"
"-and how would you know that [Name]?". You knew she was looking down at you. Even Lucas and Boboiboy understood that.
"The numbers in the report show an upward trend during the 3/4th of the quarter but the graph shows a downward trend, moreover there has been a steady increase in the prices so the projection for the next quarter seems to be off by 0.8%". Boboiboy looked at the numbers and nodded in approval. Lucas looked at you with his mouth in the shape of a 0.
I knew she was smart but holy fuck!.
"I agree with [Name] here, Layla. I want you to submit to me the revised estimates by the end of the day". Layla nodded at him and quietly took her place. What does she even think of herself?
Look at her in those hideous clothes, she didn't even go to any Ivy college and thinks she is smarter than me. The audacity of this bitch. I hope Boboiboy doesn't think low of me. I will prove to him that I am better than this dirt rag.
Your phone got a notification and you flipped it over to check, it was a message from Fang. You didn't open the message but it brought a smile to your face. Thank God he texted!
Boboiboy saw the smile on your face as you apologized and turned your phone upside down again, in just 10 seconds the hatred was back, he was hoping that you'd still feel something for him, but watching you smile at your phone only confirmed that you didn't.
Is it Fang? Why is she that happy over a text? Wait, are they dating? Has to be... or is her ex-husband with whom she has the kid, Is she going to get back with him?
"Ms. [Name] you should have the decency or should I say manners to at least keep your phone silent during a meeting". Boboiboy said, his jaw clenched as he looked at you.
"I'm sorry Mr. Amato. I-". Boboiboy cut you off,
"Lucas, You may leave. Layla and [Name] stay back". You felt the mood shift as Lucas left. Layla was smirking at you and you realised it was not a good sign. You decided to apologize before it escalated.
"I am so sorry about it, I-"
"[Name] first of all I think you owe Layla an apology, you spoke out of turn and disrespected her in front of her colleagues". It wasn't Boboiboy you were talking to... It was Quake... He had a dark look on his face which indicated that he was not to be messed with. "I spoke up because I thought that the numbers were-..".
"I. Don't. Care how the number looked. Only because I was good to you, you thought it was okay for you to speak up? God [Name] you're still the same attention seeking -".
Before Quake could say what you thought he was going to say, what he had called you multiple times before, what everyone in your batch called you thanks to Layla, You decided to bite the bullet and apologize.
"I am sorry Layla". You said looking at Layla who was staring at her nails.
"It's alright [Name]. After all I assume they didn't teach you these things in... wait.. where were you from again?". You bite your lower lip trying to control your emotion.
Quake chuckled at her statement which stung you more. Was this the same Boboiboy who was so.. not-an-asshole a while ago? Right... This was Quake.. Not Boboiboy..
You fixed your gaze at your lap afraid to look up at either of them. Quake could feel your body tense, he didn't know why he did what he did a while ago. It wasn't your fault and now he was feeling guilty.
Before he could do any damage control you looked up at him, eyes almost red and lips quivering.
"May I leave now?". Your voice sounded bleak and it made his heart ache. He looked at how tightly you had your lips pressed and how you were fidgeting with your fingers,
"Yes [Name]". You gathered your things and left the room in a hurry. Quake watched you exit and leaned back in his chair.
"Did you see how she-".
"Get out Layla. I got work to do". Layla stared at him for a few seconds.
"Do I need to repeat myself?". Layla simply shook her head and left.
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You splashed water on your face multiple times to stop the burning in your eyes. You looked at yourself in the mirror. I look pathetic. I am pathetic. You wiped your eyes with the tissue when the door of the restroom opened and Yaya walked in.
"[Name]... are you okay?". You looked at Yaya through the mirror and nodded. She stood next to you and held your hand.
"[Name], don't feel bad about whatever happened in the meeting. It is only your first day". You nodded once more, not sure about what to say. She hesitated but eventually pulled you into a hug. Your shoulders relaxed a little.
"Thank You, Yaya". She pulled back and looked at you.
"[Name] you are the only one in this office who has ever thanked me you know? You are the kindest employee and friend I have ever met and I just want to tell you to keep your head up, You got this!".
For a second you could almost see [Sister's Name] in her. You gave her a smile in return for her kindness.
"Yaya, how did you know I was here?". Yaya was at a loss for words. She couldn't tell you why she was here or how she knew you'd be here...
"Umm... I saw you walking in here and... I just thought to check on you"
Your meeting with Mrs. Parker went well. She just wanted to make sure that you were settled in and had no issues. Fang had asked you to meet for dinner and that's all you wanted to focus on now.
You did not want to date anyone right now but you thought if you had to date anyone right now it would be him. You got back to your work avoiding Layla and Boboiboy like a plague.
Lucas noticed the change in your behavior and walked past your cabin multiple times but never came in. You kept staring at your watch, waiting for the day to end...
The day was finally over and you couldn't wait to meet Fang. But unfortunate things happen when you least expect them and you thought god was trying to pick a fight with you when you saw Layla leaning against her car.
She looked at you and smiled but you decided to ignore her and walked towards the driver's side. Before you could make it she stopped between you and your car. "Hi, [Name]".
"Hi, Layla."
"You need to stop it".
"Stop getting into my car?"
"You know what I mean". She said, folding her arms over her chest.
"I don't" You really didn't know what could she possibly want from you now.
"Stop being a desperate attention-seeking bitch, okay? You think you can impress Boboiboy by putting me down?".
"I wasn't trying to put you down. I was simply doing my work". She scoffed at you.
"Yeah right because you're such a beacon of honesty and hard work". You rolled your eyes in annoyance. You were no beacon of honesty and good work but you were not what she was painting you out to be.
"Layla, I am not trying to put you down or get attention from anyone. I just want to do my work.."
"Yeah right! What happened to the money you got for selling out your relationship? By the looks of your clothes, it seems to have run out. Is that why you are back [Name]? To get your filthy hands on some more money. I know women like you so well, you leech off rich kind men, and when the money runs out you crawl back on all fours begging for some more. Do you even know how hurt Boboiboy was? Luckily I was there for him. I was the one who consoled him and showed him his real worth!".
The emotions you had tried to suppress so well were resurfacing now. Leech? Beggar? Money-sucking whore?. You had tears in your eyes as you fixed your eyes on the ground. You did not want to give her the satisfaction of seeing you like this. You thought you were truly pathetic to be crying for the second time that day.
"Why.. Why are you bringing up all this now?".
"To make you realize what you really are, where you belong. So you won't forget for a single second your place in Boboiboy's life. He does not need to be seen with you. He deserves to be with someone whom he isn't ashamed of, someone who can only add to his charm. Someone who cannot be bought with money."
You had it with her and her taunts. If you didn't stand up for yourself now she will only put you down more. So you took a deep breath and looked up at her,
"Look, I don't care what you think about me. I am not doing it to get attention from Boboiboy or trying to get back with him. I am just doing my work. You can have him for all I care... Now if you'll excuse me I have somewhere to be". Layla smirked at you and stepped away.
"Alright you dirt rag, suit yourself".
You got into your car and entered the address Fang had sent you. You checked yourself in the mirror and wiped away the tears. You looked like you had aged 60 years. You decided you'd stop by your apartment quickly to change before meeting Fang.
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Jack was an ex-detective who was fired for misusing his privileges so here he was, doing dirty work for "clean" people as he called it. He had no shame in it, as long as it paid well no job was beneath him. He worked for an old rich man who asked him to work for this old rich man so here he stood with his hands behind his back as he handed the document to Mr. Amato. Though he didn't quite understand why a man like Mr. Amato would decide to meddle with a girl?
It made no sense to him. But when he saw you sign the agreement in hospital all he could see was casino lights and stripper poles. "This looks different from the original". Mr. Amato said, raising an eyebrow at him.
"Yeah cause it's fake. But it's the best fake you'd ever get". Mr. Amato looked at the two documents in his hand. One was a scholarship waiver which had the original signature and another was a document that would free his niece.
Both had your signature at the bottom but the second looked a little different. But it was good enough for Boboiboy. Mr. Amato knew anger clouds his mind and judgment and he was going to use that to make Boboiboy believe that you gave up on him for money. He smiled to himself. Jack looked at the man. 'Damn, these rich folks are crazy'.
"Alright Jack. Your money is in your account already so you may leave".
"Mr. Amato just make sure that the second document does not get into the hands of someone... legal? It's forged so you and I could get in trouble for it". Jack didn't give two shits about the rich man, he knew people like him knew people who can get him out of any situation but he had to look out for himself.
"Yeah yeah I know. This stays between us ". Jack nodded and left. He lit a cigarette as he stepped out of the mansion and walked towards his car. A tall kid with brown hair passed him by and gave him a side-eye. Jack smirked at the kid, 'Must be the junior of the man'.