Chapter 30: Chapter 30

<Azaria>

Some of the employees greeted me as they already knew me. I quickly entered Nick's office and found Camille inside as well.

I gave them a strange look.

"Wife," Nick said affectionately as he approached and hugged me.

"I have been calling you, and you didn't answer one of my calls," he said with a frown.

"I'm sorry, I just grabbed a coffee, and I bumped into a strange guy who gave me a love letter. He was acting weird," I explained.

I showed him the envelope I received, and he took it from me.

Nick was about to say something when he noticed that Camille hadn't left his office yet.

"What are you doing here? Get out!" he ordered Camille, who seemed frightened and flustered.

Good for her.

"What was that woman doing here in your office, huh?" I asked him suspiciously.

"She gave me a sales report, and I don't know why she's still here," he replied nonchalantly.

"Hey! Why did you throw that away?!" I asked as he crumpled the envelope and tossed it.

"I don't like it when you receive letters from strangers! If you want love letters, tell me, and I'll write you one every day," he said with a frown.

I saw him reading what was written on the letter, and suddenly his expression changed, and he crumpled the paper and threw it away.

"I didn't know she was going to give it to me, and I accepted it because I didn't want her to think I was being difficult," I reasoned with him.

Someone told me to accept it.

"She was weird. She said I should find out the truth, and she looked strange wearing a hoodie, sunglasses, and holding a cup. She looked like a hitman with that outfit," I shared the story to divert his attention from Markie.

"What else did she say?" Nick asked seriously.

"Hmm, she whispered something else, but I didn't hear it," I lied.

"Stop talking to strangers, Azaria," he said with a more serious expression, and his tone sent chills down my spine.

"Stop talking to men," he added.

"I'm sorry, I just felt sorry for her. I thought she was going to beg for something, but she seemed nice," I explained, trying to ease his anger.

I approached him and kissed him on the lips to dissipate his anger.

"Don't be mad. I just accepted it so she wouldn't feel embarrassed," I said, kissing him again.

It seemed to be effective, as he pulled me to sit on his lap and buried his face in my neck.

“I like your smell, it’s addicting,” komento niya nang maamoy niya ang pabango ko. True ang chismis na nakakaakit ang squash perfume.

"Nick, we're in your office!" I reminded him when I felt him nibbling on my neck.

"I'm still mad, wife. You talk to other men, and where did you go? The driver dropped you off here earlier," he said, facing me.

"I went to grab some coffee. I saw a stall with a long queue, so I lined up too," I explained, looking into his eyes to hide the fact that I was lying, "you know I tend to copy others, and I lack originality," I said with a laugh.

He narrowed his eyes at me.

The intercom in his office rang, and he lazily answered it.

"Sir, the investors are here," I heard the voice on the other end say. We were close to each other, so I couldn't help but eavesdrop.

"I'll come after five minutes," he replied briefly and ended the call.

I raised an eyebrow at him when he looked back at me. "You should go, I know you have an important meeting," I told him.

He suddenly hugged me tightly as if he didn't want to let go.

"Come with me to the meeting," he said, trying to coax me.

"You can handle it; you're capable," I declined his offer.

He still held me in his embrace.

"Leave now, it seems like you have important matters to discuss," I insisted.

There was a knock on the door.

"Sir, the investor is waiting for you," I heard a man say from outside.

"Alright! I'll make a quick round in the company first," I assured him with a smile.

"Wait for me, don't leave and don't go anywhere. Don't talk to men, I have someone watching you," he threatened.

I just smiled at him and pinched his cheek.

"Where's my kiss?"

I furrowed my brow at his words.

"C'mon, give me a kiss."

Before I could respond, he suddenly kissed me on the lips. I held onto his arms tightly as he deepened the kiss.

He wouldn't have let go if his secretary hadn't called him.

"I'll make this quick," he said in the middle of our kiss, and he quickly gave me a peck on the lips and forehead.

I waited for him to leave the office before I stepped out.

I went to the pantry and grabbed a cup of coffee to have something to drink while wandering around the company.

"That's his wife. Crazy! Look at her."

"I heard the other day during a conference that she will be replacing the Chief Financial Officer. She'll become the financial officer, and I'm sure the company will go downhill once she takes over!"

"I don't understand why he married that woman. Once a scammer, always a scammer."

I didn't pay attention to them and pretended to be busy with my phone. Employees at Nick's company seem to be gossiping about me every time I visit.

"Crazy! If she becomes CFO, she'll surely drain the company's funds. We better start looking for new companies to work for because this one is about to collapse once she becomes the financial officer."

I ignored their comments and just listened to their conversation. There were three women talking about me. I'll remember their faces.

"Find another company to work for because you'll be losing your jobs soon. I smiled to myself and took a picture of the coffee I was holding, then posted it on my story.

And who said I'm going to be the CFO?

"Do you know she even killed her grandfather? She's not just a scammer, she's also a murderer. She choked her grandfather because he refused to give her money, and I also heard she's involved in some business scams. Such a scammer for a woman."

I appreciated these "Marites" for talking about me. Instead of working, they're wasting their time discussing me. I love being the center of attention, and they're giving me that.

"Yeah, she's into some cryptocurrency scam. Don't invest in it."

I rolled my eyes at what I heard.

Someone finally caught my attention.

"Hi, you're the newly hired?"

A man approached me.

**

<Third Person>

"I only accept investors who can buy ten percent or more," Nick said seriously to his investors in the meeting room.

"Ten percent shares are too high," the youngest among them countered.

Nick played with his ballpen while maintaining a serious expression that made it clear no one could challenge him.

"For less than ten percent, I can buy at least three percent shares," one woman proposed.

"I'll go with fifteen percent."

All of them looked at an elderly man.

"My sales are increasing every month, and it's showing good performance. My company has been in the industry for eighty-five years," Nick told them.

"Still, it's too high. The stock is declining," one of them countered.

"That's all I can give. I only sell shares up to a maximum of twenty percent," Nick firmly stated.

"What?! That's unfair! You said in the last meeting that you're open to selling forty percent shares."

"That was the last time, not today," Nick sharply replied to his investors.

"The Valdez is willing to buy shares in my company for twenty-three percent," Nick informed them, sparking further discussions.

"Meeting adjourned," Nick suddenly declared and left the people hanging inside the meeting room.

"I'll pull out of shares!" one of them shouted as Nick walked away.

"Sir, you have a meeting regarding the new building," Marco, his secretary, greeted him.

"Where's my wife?" Nick changed the topic.

"She's roaming around the company, and I already sent you the copy of the CCTV footage from the front of the company and the coffee shop," Marco replied.

Nick didn't respond to that and shifted his focus.

"Call me when everyone is already present," Nick coldly instructed and entered his office to check on what he asked his secretary to do.

He had a strong suspicion that his wife was not being truthful to him.

He has trust issues.

While watching the video, he called his friend Noah.

"Meet me later at the old house, same time," Nick said coldly.

"Okay, brother," Noah replied, and then he ended the call.

Nick reviewed the CCTV footage and clenched his fist.

He thought Noah had already killed the man. He checked another CCTV where his wife was being monitored and his jaw clenched when he saw her talking to a man.

Nick dialed Noah's number again.

"Bro," Noah answered the call in a sleepy voice. He had been half-asleep since Nick started calling him earlier. What did Nick need from him this time? He had only slept for three hours.

"That fucking man gave my wife a letter! Damn it! I thought you killed that man already?!" Nick angrily questioned his friend while tightly holding his iPhone.

On the other end of the line, Noah bolted upright in bed. He was still groggy and his brain wasn't functioning properly yet.

"I saw a man approach Azaria, and that fucking asshole gave my wife a fucking letter! Stating bullshit things!" Noah explained further.

Noah's brain was still trying to process what Nick was saying; he couldn't fully comprehend his friend's words.

"Find this man and fucking kill him!" Nick clenched his fist.

"Damn it! Even if you kill everyone from Azaria's past, she still won't learn to love you. Bro, stop forcing it. Stop manipulating Azaria," Noah replied lazily.

Nick liked what he heard, and his demeanor changed.

"No one has the right to tell me what to do! My wife loves me so fucking much! She'll love me too! Kill this man if you don't want me to target Russell next," Nick ordered fiercely, his eyes darkening.

Meanwhile, his friend on the other end of the line just laughed, "Damn it! You're crazy for your wife. It's your life, you idiot! After I do what you're asking for, meet me at Divisoria. I'll buy some clothes to sell in my livestream. Also, don't forget about those stocks I'm buying from your company," he reminded Nick.

(Note: "Divisoria" is a popular market in the Philippines known for its affordable clothes and various merchandise.)