Ellie above

Holden's POV

Several minutes have passed since he narrated the story to us and to say I am pissed is an understatement, I am pissed at many things.

Pissed at the fact that I wasn't there when he and his no-good-ex broke up, pissed that she dumped him not the other way around, pissed that she had the effontery to say it was his fault even though she cheated, pissed that she ended it with the famous line 'it's not you it's me', pissed that he asked her for forgiveness not the other way around, pissed at him for being sad and moping around though he just got rid of that leach named Ji Woo, such a good name wasted on someone like her, pissed at him for just telling me about the break up, all in all, I'm pissed as hell.

"I am so f*cking pissed right now, I could punch a wall, punch you." I spit.

"I can't believe you'd be sad over her because from what I've heard it's undeniable she's in the wrong." Ellie voices what we are all thinking.

"You know, this is good, great infact, it's not like anyone ever liked her, I never liked her, I'm sure grandpa never liked her, sure Ellie doesn't, atleast now, I don't know about before. You should celebrate dude, you've gotten rid of the excess baggage that's been weighing you down." I announce with a grin.

"That's rude." Ellie scolds but I know she couldn't agree more, she just wouldn't agree out loud or in front of Zeph.

Zeph just glares at me but I shrug in response, if something that little could affect me after how long I've spent with him, I don't deserve to be his cousin.

"It's okay to say that little, if I wanted I could have ruined that modeling career of hers but I didn't, I still haven't." I say.

"Don't touch her." He grits.

I chuckle dryly, "I won't, after all that'd just be a waste of time, effort and resources. Look she ruined what she had with you without me lifting a finger, so she'd probably do worse to her career without me even making a move."

Zeph stiffens but I continue, "For now, I think we should celebrate, after all you've finally gotten rid of your biggest problem."

I know Zeph's beyond angry by now, but we have a promise, we'd never hurt each other over a girl, talk less of an ex-girlfriend like her.

After all the drama was said and done, Ellie and I took our leave. Zephyr said he wouldn't be able to go to his company with all he had to clean up.

---

Even now that I'm in the office I still can't believe, the perfectionist 'Zephyr Lane' would turn into that, due to a heartbreak, caused by a girl nonetheless.

Laughing to myself about how love was able to ruin even someone like Zephyr, I take out my phone to check for any new messages.

I'm taken aback by just the sheer amount of notifications on my phone screen locked, not to talk of unlocked. I have just learnt two valuable lessons; 1. Never underestimate love and 2. As a CEO never leave your phone on DND (Do Not Disturb).

I sigh, I haven't even had lunch yet because Ellie rushed me saying I couldn't be away from all my pending work for too long and as much as I am sad that I haven't eaten, I'm also happy she rushed me out of there because who knows what I would have done if the paper work I was swarmed with was more than this.

---

I am drowning, literally and figuratively in all this paper work. Slowly losing consciousness I hear a shrill scream, I jerk my head up with so much force you'd think it would pop.

"You shouldn't sleep on the job, Mr. CEO." I see Zephyr giving me a teasing smirk as he leans on the door frame.

"You almost gave me a heart attack." Ellie puts her hand on her chest in an attempt to slow down her heart rate.

"I wasn't sleeping. I was, um," I say trying to think of a good comeback, "I was meditating." I lean back, with more confidence this time I say, "I was meditating."

"Hmm, meditating you say." He says skeptically. "Didn't look that to me. Especially with the drool over there." Then he points at my lip.

I quickly wipe my mouth but there isn't any drool, "There's nothing."

"Then why did you wipe it?" He shoots back.

"I didn't, I was ju-"

My defending is put to a halt by Ellie who says, "You might be grown men but you'll never stop arguing like twelve year olds."

This effectively stops our argument because now both of our prides are hurt.

At the same time we point accusingly at each other and say, "He started it."

Ellie chuckles at our childishness.

I turn to Zeph arms crossed, "Why are you even here?"

"You don't wanna have dinner?" He questions.

Immediately all grudges I had before are gone. "I shall let by gones be by gones."

As we make our exit, someone clears their throat, we both turn back to Ellie, who has one brow up and eyes squinted.

"You can come along. If you want of course, we wouldn't force you or anything." I say innocently.

She just nods her head and points to the pile of paper on my desk and I start trudging back when Zeph says, "Wait. Just have dinner with me atleast."

I turn to Ellie with my puppy eyes, "Can't we just have dinner with him?"

"But I have to hand in the list of applicants and you need to make a decision." She says.

This time both Zeph and I are looking at her with pleading eyes when I say, "We can check it after dinner and Zeph can even review with us."

I may be the boss in name but Ellie's the one who's really incharge around here. Both of us are looking at her expectantly and she finally caves in, "Fine."

Zeph and I high five then we start walking to my private elevator. No way was I gonna use stairs or have to wait to use the elevator with my employees, I wasn't Zeph.

While we are all in the elevator, Zeph breaks the silence by asking the question that I'd feared he'll ask all evening, "A list of applicants for what?"

Before I can distract him Ellie beats me by answering, "For a P.A."

Now I can see the amusement clearly swirling in his eyes, "A new assistant? What happened to the old one?"

Again before me Ellie is quick to answer, "The old one was a fan girl of his."

An evil glint shone his eyes, Ellie had just unknowingly equipped him with teasing material, "Ooh. Another fan girl? Reminding me of our college days."

"Your college days? He had fans even when you were in college? I don't remember hearing about that." Ellie responds.

"That's because-"

Knowing what's going to happen next, I quickly interject not waiting for Zephyr to complete his statement.

"I suggest if neither of you want to be brought up as a topic the next time I discuss with grandpa, you drop the topic."

Both of them stop talking but I don't miss Zephyr whispering to Ellie about telling her later when we get off the lift. I won't say anything now because I know I will never let her hear the rest of the story, I will make sure she never hears it.

About 20 minutes later we are all seated at a table in some fancy restaurant that I don't remember the name of because it isn't important enough that is located not too far from my office.

I am rather uncomfortable because even though most of the customers are rich they can't seem to mind their business. It's annoying honestly.

I get that seeing three people like Zeph, Ellie and I all seated at one table is a sight to see, but the blatant staring is a big NO.

Sensing Zeph's coming outburst, I call a waiter over to get the manager. It doesn't help that even the staff are as ill-mannered as their customers.

When the middle-aged man arrives, he's already sweating buckets even though this place is fully air-conditioned, so air-conditioned that we had to give Ellie our suit jackets because she was dressed too lightly. Well he should be since he knows who the people are seated at this table.

"What can I get you sirs & ma'am?" He asks in such a respectful and polite tone.

Zeph who is already annoyed takes the lead by speaking up first, "I suggest you get us some privacy because it seems your other customers aren't informed of the meaning of that word."

"Yes sir."

"Better, if not I'd have been forced to speak privately with the owner of this fine establishment." Zephyr says then does a sweep of the restaurant with his eyes.

The manager quickly scurries off and within seconds a waiter is escorting us to a private room, before the waiter leaves Zeph says in a condescending tone, "I didn't know this restaurant had things like these, with the way you couldn't escort us hear the first time."

Ellie and I try muffling our laughter, key word—try. But fail miserably and burst out into bouts of laughter.

The waiter, a bit embarrassed, hands us  each a menu, we order, and the waiter makes an exit.

----

Not long after, he comes back with our food. Finally I get to eat.

"I'm surprised you were so nice today Zeph." I say twirling my spaghetti on the fork.

Zeph chuckles, "Just in a good mood."

I nod then without wasting another second, I dig in.

After finally having three courses, we are full and ready for a conversation, "These are the files, each on a different applicant. I narrowed it down to the people whom you'd like and are likely to do a good job." Ellie explains.

I nod, picking the first file, "That's the resume of the first person, I'll give you a quick summary, his name is Apollo Reed, 27, graduated from University of Toronto, with a masters degree in business administration, same Uni. He has 2 years working experience." She says.

"Hmm, impressive." I say, Zeph nods too.

"But there's a catch." Ellie says.

"There's always a catch," I mutter.

"He worked for Michael." She says sadly.

"So?" I ask.

Zeph looks at me then her, "Which Michael? Be specific."

She bites her lip, "Michael Dupont."

"THE MICHAEL DUPONT?" Zeph asks again.

I clench my fist. I hate hearing that name, my archnemesis, the bane of my existence, him.

"We can't hire him and that's final." I say.

"But-" Ellie tries to object.

"No buts." I quickly open the next person's file. "Hmm, Willow Brooke."

"Okay, Willow Brooke, 25, graduated from Yale with a BSc in Economics, though not top of her class she graduated with honors. She's had experience as a manager at some boutiques at several malls. No connection to Dupont." This time Ellie speaks with a big grin.

"Impressive and truthful." I say. She didn't lie about her job experience.

"Impressive, but what makes you think she's good enough? Sure she's truthful about her working experience but only at boutiques? Come on." Zeph counters.

"Hmm, check her administration and graduation date." Ellie smirks than slides the paper to Zeph.

Zeph takes it with raised brows but nonetheless checks it.

"What should I see?" Zeph asks.

I snatch the paper and check it not catching the significance of what Ellie means.

"You nitwits, and you guys are the business men? What a joke." Ellie laughs.

"Hey, hey, no need to insult." I say.

Ellie sighs, "Do you both know Zachary Wilder?"

We both nod. Like who wouldn't, he shaked the business world immediately he entered, youngest ever to win business man of the year from the Risen awards. He's a legend, even I would see him as an equal.

"Great you both know him. How many years ago did he graduate?"

"Three years," We both say.

"Good, from which Uni?"

"Yale." We both say. And at that exact moment both of our eyes go wide at the realization.

"If you don't hire her now Holden, I promise I'll hire her." Zeph says.

He keeps whispering the word 'honors' to himself. While I am shocked about how someone of her standards has only worked at a mall. I make my decision.

"She's hired Ellie. I need her at work, tomorrow." Okay not tomorrow but fast. I have a heavy workload and having someone like her around would be great.

---

And like that Willow has been introduced.

The next chapter is in Eva's POV.

I'm too lazy to edit this chapter.