AUTHOR'S POV

Williams' mansion,
08:44 am

" You?" Edwin asked gawking.

" Yes sir. I've been appointed as your secretary by your father". Jane answered. " Shall we?" She asked.

" Wait". Edwin said getting off the car. She followed his tall figure through her eyes as he came in front and sat inside securing himself with the seatbelt.

" We shall". Edwin allowed.

She eyed him for a good second because of his weird behavior before starting the engine.

" How you- I mean how my Dad found you?" Edwin asked wondering.

" Actually it's Hazel who introduced me to Mr. Tan". Jane replied focusing on the road while Edwin's eyes were fixed on her without her knowing.

He doesn't know why but he was happy to know she was his new secretary, as well as nervous to mention yesterday's incident at the party.

" Jane. I Ummm... Hazel said it was rude to ask a guest that 'who invited them?'" Edwin decided to go all around the house. " Also my Mom said I should apologise to you". He added nervously.

" And what do you think?" Jane asked finally making eye contact with him.

" I think they were right. I'm sorry for yesterday". Edwin apologised.

" It's okay, Edwin sir". She nodded bringing a smile to Edwin's face but she didn't smile back. She's a tough character. If Edwin wouldn't have apologized there's no way she'd have forgotten his behavior.

She thought he was a rude person. He is. But at least he didn't put his ego first even though he unknowingly hurt her.

" You are getting late". She said making Edwin realise they have reached EXR enterprises.

Her driving skills were smooth and fast that they approach before Xaden.

Xaden, whose secretary kept on eyeing him through the rearview mirror as he was sitting in the back seat somehow managing to stay awake. He's indeed ready to become a responsible person but a person cannot change completely in a day.

But being stubborn plus childish he wants to show everyone that has become very very responsible. That he'll work hard from today and will show Hazel that he's no lesser than that Ian.

" Xaden sir, we are here". Xaden's secretary said gaining his yawn in response. He didn't even spare a glance at his secretary even though she was exactly his type. A hot one.

Straightening his posture he headed inside the company. From Watchman, and a sweeper to all the employees stopped working to see Xaden on time. Noticing the silence he turned back to see. Suddenly everyone moved their gape faces and continued their work.

He eyed them for a second before heading towards the meeting room. He was second to approach. Edwin was already there. Soon Hazel and Ian arrived too.

Hazel looked down at Xaden whose eyes were fixed on a blank paper on the table in front of him. He was drowning circles on it.

Hazel turned her attention towards Edwin and raised her eyebrows. Edwin placed his index finger on his lips indicating for her to let him be.

Ian and Hazel took seat side by side.
Waiting for Reed's arrival.

Reed, who was sitting in a restaurant. The client kept on wasting his time even after the signature work was done. He just wanted to leave the place already but that man was older than him and was Tan and Won's friend. So being respectful he doesn't feel like ignoring the oldie.

He kept on nodding his head even though he wasn't paying attention to his 1760s stories. He glanced outside the restaurant. Busy roads and the raising sun were the views outside. Suddenly his eyes caught a girl walking in between the crowd of passing people on the footpath.

" No way". He immediately stood up and grabbed his file as well as his coat which was on the headrest of his chair. " Sir, I'm very sorry but I've some emergency. It was really nice talking to you". Reed shook hand with the old man before dashing outside.

He ran chasing the long brown-haired girl. After bumping into many people he finally approached her and tapped his palm on her shoulder making her stop.

As soon as she turned Reed's wide grin dropped. " I'm sorry I mistook you with someone". Reed apologised. She nodded simply before continuing to head toward her destination.

Reed chuckled internally thinking how he ran leaving everything. For a second he thought it was her. Alice. He smiled standing between the crowd.

He turned again to go back but suddenly the same girl he was craving to see was coming in his direction. An old lady was grabbing her wrist. Ushering her the way. Time stopped around him as she passed by him. Her ankle-length lemon-yellow dress brushed against his hand.

He took a long breath inhaling her sweet scent.

His mobile's vibration pulled him back to reality. He picked up the call not turning his gaze from the girl. " Sir, shall I follow you?" His driver's confused voice asked from another side of his mobile.

" No. I need you to follow someone else". Reed answered ending the call. He ruffles the backside of his hair looking at Alice.

He found his driver next to him on the road. Reed told him to follow her and bring information about her. He smiled looking at Alice's disappearing poster in the crowd followed by his driver.

He drove by himself to the company. Reaching the EXR enterprises he noticed two secretaries standing next to a couple of white Mercedes near the entrance of the company.

He entered the elevator and was happy to know that his brothers have arrived before him for the first time.

" Hello, beautiful people". Reed greeted everyone and gave Ian a side hug as he was explaining something to the other three.

Reed took a seat beside Xaden who was paying his whole attention to Ian.

" Will you mind giving me a slight hint about the discussion?" Reed asked as he arrived late.

" Nothing much". Ian said professionally intertwining his fingers. " We only discussed releasing new products in the share market. Producers will arrive in two days. We need to explain our new ideas about this project. If they'll like our ideas they'll invest. In response, we'll get profit as simple as that". Ian explained.

" So who's gonna be the presenter?". Edwin asked.

" I'll do that". Xaden said unexpectedly. All of their heads turned towards his serious face.

" Are you sure?". Ian asked.

"Yes, I am". Xaden replied nodding his head.

" So, it's final". Ian said ending the meeting. " Now I need to search for a place for my cabin." Ian breathed.

"I have got a few empty rooms next to my office. You can make your cabin there. It'll be easy to interact also". Hazel offered smiling at him.

Edwin and Reed's heads slowly turned towards Xaden in an attempt to read his expressions as they both know he turns into lava when it's about Hazel being around any man but he seemed calm this time. Only he knows how many times he had already killed Ian mentally.

" That'll be great". Ian replied.

Reed and Edwin made their way toward their offices while Xaden stopped Ian to have some conversations with him. Hazel too stopped not wanting another fight between them.

" I'm sorry for yesterday". Xaden apologised forwarding his hand towards Ian.

Hazel's lips parted in disbelief because Xaden and apologies have only one relationship. People beg for forgiveness from him and he doesn't accept it no matter who's wrong.

" That's alright man". Ian replied shaking his hand with Xaden. Xaden nodded.

" Best of luck for the presentation". Hazel wished him luck, but again completely ignoring her he left the place.

Hazel sighed heavily looking at Xaden's stubbornness. " I don't know how he'll manage to prepare the presentation. He hasn't before". She said looking at his walking figure from the backside with a tilted head.

" Don't worry, Hazel. He's a sharp cookie". Ian said making her nod in response.

" Let's just hope for good". Hazel looked up at Ian who was already staring at her. " Let's go. I'll show you a room for your new cabin". She added.

" Ladies first". Ian said and they both went to Hazel's company.

" All yours." Hazel shows him an empty room.

" Let's do it by ourselves. It'll be fun. What you say?" Ian asked wiggling his eyebrows.

" Let's do it." She grinned.

Canceling her schedule she spent the whole day there preparing his cabin.

They threw themselves on the couch after turning the empty room into Ian's cabin.

"I'm tired". Hazel said facing Ian who was resting his head back on the couch's headrest just like Hazel. " I need to attend an opening ceremony of- WAIT". She sat up. " You also know Jane right? Our classmate who-"

" Yeah, she also has invited me". Ian said sitting up properly and facing Hazel.

" How she knows you are here?" Hazel asked with crashed eyebrows.

Ian lean closer to her face and placed both of his thumbs on her eyebrows, separating them." She met me at the party last night". He smiled looking down at Hazel's red cheeks.

She blushed looking at Ian with hearty eyes.

Ian has been the heartthrob of the college she used to study in and still is her only crush.

" But I don't know much about the roads here. Will you company me?" He asked.

" Always". She replied above a whisper.

"Hun?" Ian moved back.

" I mean... s-sure." She stuttered.

• I like you more than I planned.

Chapter published on: 11 October 2022.

Sorry for the late updates. I'm writing multiple books simultaneously. One dark book is on its way. Stay hooked... You'll surely gonna enjoy that.

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