Chapter 28 Fearing Ericson
ANGELICA'S POV
It's been three days since I spoke with the Martino brothers.
My routine was falling into the same mundane schedule, which I was starting to like.
I wake up in the morning, accompany the brothers to the office, tend to the activities a secretary needs to do, return to the apartment, watch a movie with them, and then return to sleep in my apartment.
“Well, why didn't you tell me it was supposed to be today?! What am I supposed to do now? They will skin me alive!” I heard someone shouting in agony, bringing me out of my thoughts.
“I'm sorry. Please relent this one time. You know Cassie is a newcomer, and I can't send her there for the task,” Someone else said.
What was happening? What were they talking about? Where did they need to go?
I stood from my seat, placing the pen back into its holder, and was about to leave my cabin when the door flung open from outside, and I came face to face with Alen.
“Mr. Alen,”
“Miss Angelica, I'm sorry for barging like this. I know this is quite sudden, and you have a busy schedule, but could you help us with something?” Alen asked.
I saw all the secretaries from the seventeenth floor lined up behind him. They were looking at me with hope, which made me feel put on the spot.
“I’m not sure…” I trailed off.
As the brothers themselves stated, I wasn't supposed to take on tasks other than those assigned by the Martino brothers.
“Please don't say that. You are our last hope,” said the secretary standing behind Alen, her anxiety evident from her sweaty demeanor.
My resolve faltered at the sight of her distress. They have always been good to me. Besides, I was kind of free with the brothers absent from the office.
“I want to hear what it is first before deciding,” I said, and they sighed in relief.
“Alpha- Sir Ericson had asked for a report from Cassie a couple of days ago, which was to be sent today. However, the words slipped out of her mind. Only twenty minutes are left for the deadline. It will take thirty minutes to get there so you'll be late. But she is a newcomer…” the secretary trailed off.
I looked at the Cassie girl, who practically cried like a lamb. She was shivering from fear, and I gulped.
I know what they wanted me to be—a scapegoat.
I never had the chance to visit other floors and see the company's work culture since I had always been busy attending to the brothers, and Victoria wasn't very accessible these days.
However, I have heard gossip in the restroom and printing room about how strict the brothers were.
I had a taste of that when I started working by myself. Though they are never harsh, something about their presence and aura leaves you wanting to scramble on the floor whenever they are glaring.
I wanted to help the girl but didn't want to become a scapegoat.
Who am I kidding? I didn't want to come into their bad views.
“Please, I will do anything. I will be your slave for the entire month and bring you coffee,” Cassie got on her knees, and I widened my eyes at the length she was going for.
If it had been another company or people, I had thought she was one of those white Lotuses who gain sympathy by crying, but seeing how everyone was equally terrified, I knew the fear was real.
“Miss Angelica, we all have seen how well our bosses treat you because you are their secretary. Please help this once,” Alen said.
I sighed, finally giving in.
I extended my hand towards them.
They looked at me inquisitively, and I rolled my eyes.
“File,” I said, and Cassie rushed forward, almost knocking herself over as she placed the file in my hands.
Alen gave me the address and his car keys to save me from being late.
They trusted the right guy with the job.
I smirked at the timer and started the engine.
They didn't know how often I had saved my stepfather from the goons with my marvelous driving. Twenty minutes? It was nothing.
I pressed my foot on the accelerator and drove towards the venue.
After driving for eighteen minutes, I arrived at the location and hurried out of the car.
I noticed the address was for a construction site and furrowed my brows. But then I thought the company might expand and open a branch here, so I walked inside.
As soon as I reached the large gates, I was stopped by two unfamiliar and unwelcome gazes.
“Who are you?” they asked, their voices gruff and their builds resembling that of club bouncers.
“Are the Martino brothers inside? I have arrived to deliver the report they requested. Please hurry—I’m running late. If I don’t reach them in time, you know how they are,” I said, blinking innocently.
They exchanged glances before looking off into the distance, seemingly dazed.
Huh? What were they doing zoning out like this? Shouldn't they ask their boss if I could go inside?
I was about to call them to grab their attention when they suddenly looked at me, startling me with their intense gazes.
“We asked our boss if they expected a girl to give them a report. They said you can go,” the bouncer-like man said, and I raised my brows.
The man was undoubtedly high on some sedatives early in the morning.
He asked? Heck, I didn't even see his lips move. When did he ask? Who did he ask?
Way to make things look complicated. I scoffed mentally before walking inside.
“On the second floor,” The man shouted, and I nodded, making my way up.
Since I left the office for a business-related reason and didn't know who they were meeting, I was supposed to wear heels, as decided, and I must tell everyone how hard it was to walk on uneven concrete stairs in heels.
A weird stench made me scrunch my nose as I struggled towards the second floor.
What the hell? Why did it smell like metal? Like blood?
Even the thought made me shudder.
I remember the last time I had to see blood because of my stepfather's business, and it left me unable to eat for a few days. It was an injury my father had gotten during a meeting…
I paused my thoughts when I heard a scream, a scarem full of raw fear and agony.
Blood drained from my face as I shook in my place, nearly dropping the file.
I walked further closer to what looked like a hall opening.
Standing at the entrance, I saw four men tied on the chairs with thick ropes and gags in their mouths.
Blood oozed from their wounds while Ericson was standing with a dagger in his hand, his foot placed on the armrest of one of the men tied to a chair as he leaned closer to the man, the tip of his dagger on the man’s neck, pushing inside.
“Are you ready to tell me who performed the attack?” Ericson's voice was deep, cold, almost unrecognizable, sending chills down my spine at how scary it was.
My legs nearly gave up at the sight when I saw Ericson lift his head and sniff the air. I froze for a second before turning around hurriedly. Something about the way he paused, made me feel like he knew I was there.
As I hurriedly reached the ground floor as fast as I could, I was about to run out when someone held my hand and pushed me against the wall, making me widen my eyes and my heart thump against my chest.
“Running again?” Ericson asked, his eyes golden, the cold look on his face making me want to shrink and disappear.
He lifted his hand, which was still stained with blood, and grabbed my chin, making my heart pound against my chest.
“Did you watch, Mi Vida?” He asked his simple question, leaving me in a frenzy.
“You shouldn't have. Now, how should I punish you for entering a territory you weren't invited to?” he asked, his grip tightening on my chin, making me cry out in pain.