Chapter 16 Release
>>Clio
“I-I’m a guy though!” I felt the panic rise in me.
Oddly, I felt my cheeks heat up a little as well. What is wrong with me?!? I looked away. Why do I feel shy?!?
“Oh,” Matthew pondered on his words, “Did I offend you?” He let out a soft exhale, “Right, I shouldn’t be calling a man pretty.” He looked apologetic, “But I didn’t mean anything bad from it.”
It’s not that.
I didn’t mind it at all, being called pretty… But I couldn’t bring myself to say those words out loud. Only my mom had ever called me pretty, or some random people but they were making fun of me.
I looked at him again and noticed that he never took his eyes off of me, and for some reason, it got my heart to act strange. This was the first time someone has called me pretty and they actually mean it.
But
our eyes locked in a silent exchange.
Why would he say that to me?
It was as if time stood still, and the world around us faded into the background, leaving only his gaze and mine, searching for understanding in the other person’s gaze.
Just why? I found myself wondering about it more than I should.
“Matthew!”
!!!
Hearing a third voice made me snap out of my trance. Rameen came running back, “I’m back!!” She grabbed the bars again and I broke the eye contact I had with the boss and looked away, “They’re letting you go!”
I felt weird at the moment. We had a moment there, didn’t we?
How strange…
“Really now?” Matthew seemed satisfied and he looked at the detective who came back to the cell with the keys in his hands.
“Unfortunately,” Harou shook his head, “Your lawyer called.” He went and opened the door and Matthew stepped out. He glanced at me but I couldn’t meet his eyes.
“Darling!” Rameen grabbed his arm, “Let’s go on a date.”
Matthew pinched her nose, “You better go home,”
“Ah~” She pulled her face away, “I don’t want to go home!” But clung onto Matthew’s arm, “Take me with you.”
I found the view odd. I knew there wasn’t anything between them. I saw how Matthew was treating her but I felt a bit uncomfortable. So I turned around and got ready to leave.
“Your mom is waiting for you at home,” Matthew flicked her forehead, “Go,”
“NO~!”
“Let me go,” Matthew yanked his arm away, “There are bound to be reporters outside and I have to leave,”
“Hmph!!” Rameen remained persistent.
“I need to give them a statement for the sake of the company.” Matthew looked at me, “Clio,” I paused as soon as I started walking and looked back, “Can you take her home?”
Rameen paused, “Well,” She turned her head and stared at me, “I might go if he takes me.” She grinned, “I like to be accompanied by cute boys.”
“Ah, well,” I wasn’t sure, I wasn’t feeling very well but maybe that was just because I felt a rush of a lot of emotions in a short amount of time.
“Off you go,” The boss got her off of himself and pushed her towards me, “I have a lot to do.” He didn’t waste any time and made his way out of the front door which was swarmed by reporters.
The moment they all saw him they started flashing their camera and shoved their mikes at him. And that’s all we got to see before the door closed again.
“It’s better if you both leave through the back door,” Harou advised, then pointed towards the back door.
“I think it’s going to rain today,” Rameen had her arms around mine as we both walked towards her house.
“Hmm,” I looked up at the dark sky, “It does look like that.”
“So,” She turned her attention to me, “You really have a girlfriend?”
“Well,” I scratched my cheek with my free hand, “I don’t really know,” I paused and thought about it. Do I have a lover? I do, Nolan and I made that clear but he hasn’t announced it yet so what does that make us?
“Why not?”
“It’s not official yet…” I answered and she booed.
“What?” She rolled her eyes, “Why wouldn’t you make it official?”
“The other person said to wait.”
She rolled her eyes at me again, “Looks like the other person isn’t happy to have you.” Her words stung. Somehow more, because at times I’ve thought about it too.
What if Nolan isn’t making it official because he isn’t actually interested? But, I like him a lot…
Rameen yanked my arm, catching all of my attention once again, “Break up with her and date me!” She grinned, making me pause. But also making me grin.
“Believe me Rameen, you don’t want me.”
“Whhhat?!” She looked at me in shock, “Why are you making my decision? If I said I want you then I do,” She huffed.
I smiled at her. She’s quite a lively person but as I continued to watch her, her mood turned off.
“We’re here.” She pointed at a house and I turned to look at a small neat house with a front garden. Beyond the entrance gate there seemed to be someone in the garden working on something.
“Um,” Unsure what to do, I ended up pressing the bell which startled the person in the garden and she looked back at us, “Oh!” Chris was surprised to see me and stood up, “Clio? Come in,” She wore a wide-brimmed hat perched upon her head. Her gloves, worn thin and adorned with the marks of countless encounters with thorns and brambles were filled with mud. What caught my attention though, was the scythe in her hand.
“I’m back,” Rameen said as she opened the gate and walked straight into the house.
Chris didn’t say much, I guess she was used to her daughter’s puberty acts. Rameen must have wanted to hang out instead of going home but had to come back because the adults kept nagging.
“You like gardening?” I asked,
“Yes,” Chris smiled, “It’s very reassuring.”
“Ah,” I nodded, “I see,” I looked at the plants from outside, “What kind of plants are these though?” I hadn’t really seen any of them before.
“These are Lady's Slipper Orchids,” She moved her hand over some, “And these are Franklin Trees,” Then she pointed at the mud far away, “I also plan on planting some Western Prairie Fringed Orchids.”
I remained in my place with my lips pursed and nodded, “Nice~” I had never heard of any of these.
Chris chuckled, “Why don’t you come in?” I got a closer look at her gardening attire, it was sort of cute but it sure as hell was dirty. I guess she’s in the garden a lot.
“Ah no,” I waved my hands, “I should get going.” I looked at the sky, “It’s going to start getting dark soon and it might rain too,” I stepped back, “See you tomorrow then.”
“Sure…” She replied and I turned around, “See you tomorrow,” I began to walk away, “Did the Boss get out?”
“Oh!” I glanced back at her as I kept walking, “Yes!” She nodded at me and then I started jogging away.
I hurried back home, doing my best to speed my way back as the clouds rumbled yet still I couldn’t make it back before it started pouring. I had to run full speed with my hands over my head as I ran up the stairs towards my apartment but my clothes still got soaked.
“Aw man,” I stopped in front of my apartment and patted my clothes in distress.
“The weather sure got bad fast.” Another person’s voice startled me, making me jump and look to my side. And there he was, Dani. “I just got back from my job.” He looked at me and I frantically searched for the keys in my pocket, “Do you usually come back around this time too?”
The walls of what was supposed to be a safe haven felt like they were closing in as he talked.
I found the key and got it out, all the while I stared at Dani, “No,” My eyes were wide open out of fear as I replied to him, then I slammed the key into the keyhole and unlocked the door.
“Oh,” He nodded but before he could say anything else, I opened the door and rushed in, slamming the door behind me, making sure to lock it.
And just as I did, I realized my heart had caught speed again.
“Shit…” I whispered as I placed my hands over my chest, “God…Why did I have to see his face again?” I let out a shaky breath.
But at the very least, now I know what time not to come back home
>>Zhou-lin
“A news station?” I looked at the reflection of the man talking to me through the wall-sized window of the apartment I was in.
“Yes sir,” Hao, one of my henchmen, answered me, “It’s most likely the girl who managed to run away from us is from the news station called NLN.”
“NLN,” I whispered the words as I looked outside at the night view of the city that stretched out before me like a sea of twinkling lights from above. People moved like tiny specks, going about their nocturnal pursuits, adding to the pulsating rhythm of the city, “Find her,” I ordered, “And bring her to me, alive.”
“Yes sir.”
I’ll see myself how I’m going to deal with that little bitch who stole from us and tried to make a pathetic attempt to ruin us.
The document doesn’t have the names of any major shareholders so it doesn’t affect the Jade Tigers much but since it made it to the media, the country is now on high alert and we can’t do our business for the time being.
All because of that little girl.