Chapter 31: Chapter 31

- Beautiful puzzle

Deila's pov

After the strange happenings at the office that night, I was anything but calm. James had gone to check the security footage the next day—the person tormenting me was a he, I was correct about that. But what I wasn't sure if I was correct about was saying it could've been anybody.

Whoever the person was avoided the camera like a plague and wore a hoodie keeping his head down all through, so it was either he was a staff at Barbson Empire, or he was briefed by staff. We— I, James, and Dawn— were firm in this conclusion. The person knew where to go and where not to. He knew where every camera was and how to avoid them.

James hadn't left my side for the past two days since it happened, if he needed to go, he'd call for Dawn. All these despite doubling the security in the office and at home. "We can never be too careful," he'd said while he cradled my face.

I took my security measures by carrying a pocket knife and pepper spray everywhere.

I jerked backward, startled by the loud knock on the door. I wondered for a while, why Racheal didn't ring to tell me I had a visitor. Only my Dad had entrance to his office, without the intrusion of the secretary, and my dad was oceans away.

Enjoying himself with the love of his life. That was the excuse I gave myself for not wanting to tell him about that night at the office. It's no use bothering him.

I felt my pocket knife in my back and was comforted. "Who's it?"

I didn't get an answer, instead, the door opened to reveal a familiar blonde. Nat.

"Good morning, Dei," he greeted with his usual charming smile.

My brows furrowed. After knocking on the goddamn door, and strolling in like the way he did, he's calm and smiley? And you're not, I chided myself, calm the hell down.

I sighed willing myself to not get irked, it was just Nat.

"Here." He held out a cup of iced coffee to me.

"For a moment I was scared by the way you knocked or should I say banged the door. And let's not begin on how you strolled in," I told him in the most jovial way I could.

"Oh, that." he shrugged.

"Yeah, that." I collected the cup of coffee from him. "Thank you."

"I'm sorry about that, Racheal said I could go in, I guess since she knew we were friends."

I nodded.

Facing MacBook, I resumed what I was working on, but not before putting it at the front of my mind to caution Racheal. There was no exception —that wasn't my dad— as to call to inform me I had a guest.

I looked up when I heard Nat humming. "Dei?"

"Yes,"

"I wanted to ask if I could erm..." He trailed then exhaled. I knew what he was going to say. "Take you on a date sometime later. Maybe this week?''

"Don't think so, Nat."

"Why?"

Of course, he'd ask me why and force me to rake my head for a reason there wasn't. Except there was.

"Maybe I don't do the going on a date stuff," I told him nonchalantly and hoped he'd get it and finally drop it.

It seemed like that was too much to ask, as he smiled even more. "Oh, I see. Even more, a reason to like you.'' The last part was quietly muttered.

"What did you say?" I asked to be sure I heard right... even though I knew I was sure.

He cleared his throat. "Erm... You see, Dei, I lo-"

I held my hands up, in a gesture for him to wait when the office phone started to ring.

"Hello, ma'am. The associates just got in the building. The meeting starts in five," Racheal informed.

"Alright. Thank you."

Knowing that Nat was going to continue with whatever he was revealing before the phone rang, I started gathering up my things, just to appear busy, whereas the only thing I needed for the meeting was my iPod.

"It'll have to wait. I have got a meeting ." I checked the watch on my wrist. "In three minutes."

His whole demeanor changed. I caught a glimpse of something in his eyes, it wasn't that of disappointment... it was sort of knowing and something élevé I couldn't place.

"We good?" I asked when I was almost at the door.

"Yeah, we good."

I turned my heels and was about to step out when he called after me. "Wait, will you go on a date with me?"

I gulped the cup of ice coffee or used to be ice coffee. It was defrosting fast so it wasn't to my liking anymore.

I sighed defeatedly. He had to have known I'd give him a rushed answer, plus I had told him off rudely, or so I thought.

"If lunch some other time counts, then yes."

"Lunch it is."

I stepped back, making way for him to go out before I did.

I walked eagerly to the conference room, Racheal tailing behind me. I'll have to tell her there were no exceptions as to informing when I had guests, I remembered. Later.

I entered the conference room to see they were all seated. "My apologies for keeping you late by a minute."

Jame's pov

I swirled in my seat, impatiently waiting for her as I had been doing in the last 1hour and 15 minutes. The meeting had been going on longer than I had expected.

Racheal had interrupted the meeting a little to ask if I could wait in her office. And here I was, still waiting with my phone in my hands to pass off time.

Clang! The sound of heels ... approaching.

While I hoped it was Dei, I didn't prepare myself for the oozing glamour she walked in with, looking a little different from how she'd been spotting since I started working with her. She had on a skirt suit rather than the palazzo pants suit, and damn did she look good.

The tight skirt displayed her voluptuous curves as the palazzos had, as they should, with her kind of body, Dei could rock rags, make them appear fitting, and set a trend.

Just a few seconds I took her in was already causing a rising in my pants, damn.

Her skin literally glimmered and I still saw its shine from my peripheral after I looked away. My brown angel, I was tempted to call her this like I used to before.

Unconsciously, a smile crept its way up to my face as she met eyes. "Hey."

"Hello." she smiled back, walking to her chair that was directly opposite to the one I was sitting on.

I waited for her to seat before I kept my phone to the side, giving her my undivided attention.

"I didn't intend to keep you waiting. The Chinese were almost giving me a hard time."

"I know how difficult they can be to talk around. I've handled several dealings with them. So tell me," I gave her a tight smile when I saw the tiredness she was trying not to show in her demeanor. "How did it go?"

She sighed, massaging the side of her neck. "Very well. Although I thought for a moment I was going to visibly sigh and reschedule. Plus I'm dehydrated."

I nodded. "Have you had anything to drink?"

"N0, not really," she shrugged off.

"Let's go down to the cafeteria." I crossed over to her side to tug her up.

"Wait," she grumbled. "Are you sure? Aren't you supposed to go through some files for the next three hours?"

"Yeah, I'm supposed to. I can't supervise you if you happen to faint from dehydration though."

She chuckled. "Okay, let's go."

"A cup of ice coffee and another hot one, please," I said to the girl at the counter. "

"Would you like something to eat?" I directed at Dei.

"No. Coffee's fine."

"You sure you don't care for some fries or something?"

She shook her head no.

"Alright."

I turned to the counter just in time to see the young lady arrive with my order. "Here." I gave her my card as I didn't have cash with me.

"Uh- uh. Coffee's on me James," Dei objected, stretching her card out to the lady from behind me.

The lady at the counter looked at us both in confusion. "We aren't supposed to charge staffs of this organization. It's free for them," she informed us.

I mouthed an 'oh' as I wasn't aware of the information she passed— I looked at Dei and she shrugged, letting me know she didn't know herself.

It was one thing that I wasn't aware of the benefits of the staff— only because I always got stuff from the fast-food across before then— despite me frequenting the organization, it was another for the acting CEO to not know.

I gave her a look, my brows frowned.

She giggled, face-palming herself. "Of course I knew, it's just fun arguing with you."

My heart throbbed at her honesty.

I cleared my throat. "Okay, you just debit from this," I said to the lady. "I'm not staff."

"I can't accept it from you, Mr. Martin." She gave me a polite smile.

"Just..." I trailed insistently, still holding my card out to her.

"Fine," she muttered under her breath and collected the card.

"Erm. Miss, or Mrs, please give him back his card," Dei said from beside me.

The lady seemed taken aback by the unwavering request... her eyes widen in the realization of who Dei was and her mouth formed an 'oh'.

I looked at Dei, to see a smile of triumph.

"Yes ma'am."

She gave the lady a silent smile when she returned the card. I accepted the card from her with a polite smile to avoid any further argument.

"Anything else you'd like? We have a full menu," she offered.

"No, thanks."

We moved further away from the counter before Dei decided to end her dehydration.

I watched her as she stood, took the cup to her mouth, and dragged it from her cup of ice coffee.

I was still watching her when I heard someone call my name from behind. On the second call, I turned to see who it was and was greeted by the sight of a now-familiar blonde. Cassandra.

"Hey there, James!" She chirped. "I've practically been screaming your name." she waved.

"Hello Cassie," I greeted politely. "Erm. Sorry I didn't hear you earlier."

I took the hand she extended for a shake. Like the last two times, her hand trailed, staying longer than they should've. I didn't like it.

"I 'm surprised to see you here," I told her as I removed my hand from hers.

"Oh yeah." She lit up. "I started working here today... in the infamous Barbson Empire," she chimed. "As an intern," she quickly added.

After I introduced her to Dei, I cursed myself for not doing so immediately.

We talked for about a minute before I continued my way to the office with Dei.

"Who's she?" The question suddenly popped as we entered the office.

"I just introduced you to her down there." I shrugged. "She's a new friend, Cassie."

"I heard your introduction." She busied herself with some stuff on the table. "It's okay though. Never mind." She shrugged her own and we proceeded to work.

The remaining hours we worked, the air around us was uncomfortable. I noticed but didn't pay much attention to it, besides I couldn't come to think of why.

When I finished all I wanted to with her for the day, I tried conversing with her and all she gave me was monosyllabic replies. And that was when I knew I was going to pay attention.

What the hell did I do? I asked myself, but couldn't find answers. We were cool just hours ago, and all of a sudden this.

I sighed, deciding I was going to go to Dawn's. I needed an idea of what was going on with her.

"Hey man," I greeted as I sat across from him.

"Hey ya. What's popping eh?" He looked up from his MacBook with a smirk.

I rolled my eyes. "Were you working or smirking?"

He chuckled. "I know you didn't come here to check up on me. Hit me, what's up?"

"Fuck me if I know. We were just cool hours ago and the next minute she's acting up."

He chucked louder. "What did you do to Dei this time?"

"I don't even know, that's the frustrating part."

I told him of all the happenings today, arching my brows when I finished, thinking he would be as confused as I was. But he bellowed with laughter, clutching his stomach.

"What the hell is making you laugh?"

"Are you kidding? You can't comprehend?" He asked through laughs. "You can't tell why she suddenly started acting weird?"

If anything; he was adding to my frustration. "If I did I wouldn't be here, watching you laugh like some maniac ."

His laughter slowly died down and then he had a serious look on." I don't either," he deadpanned.

What?

"Take that joke back."

"For real, I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know? What's making you laugh then?"

He chuckled again. His chuckles were starting to piss me off. "Are you going to talk or not? What's funny?"

"The fact that I don't know."

I gave him a look of disbelief.

"Listen, man, relax. There's no need to worry too much." He paused. "Or there's. But humans are complicated and you might go mad trying to figure this shit out. I mean, explain to me why my sister's acting weird for no reason?" He asked maniacally.

When I didn't answer he snickered. "You see, no reason. Dei is a beautiful and difficult puzzle to solve. You might never fully get to understand her theories. So relax. If there's anything, I guess she'll speak up."

"If you say so."