Saving his face in front of the boyfriend, Michael fixed the way he sits and leans his chin to his hand.
"Oh, it's nothing. Zoey is a dear friend of mine." Michael actually wanted to say 'she is my dearest lover before' but changed it into a safer word to describe his relation to Zoey.
"I see."
"Anyway, Let me formally introduce myself to you. I'm Michael Cortez, head manager of Orb and Asian-Sealed Corporation associated with this collaboration. We will be working together from this day forward Mr. COO."
He stressed out the words 'working together from this day forward' to Nickel while looking at Zoey who unconcerned paying attention to him.
She was still looking at the guy from his left whose hand was still on her shoulder.
Nickel removed his hand on her shoulder then extend his arm for a handshake.
The two formally introduce themselves to one another.
---
Zoey seems like a flower vase around these two talking, she cannot understand their topic about business. The only thing she knew is on how to reconcile close and prepare the financial reports for business, marketing, administration, and stick were out of her league.
It was like listening to a calculus professor during your elementary days when even basic algebra is unknown to you.
Or read the works of Shakespeare instead of learning the English alphabet and the concept of vowels and consonants.
Her head was about to explode from the information. Feeling a little dizzy, Zoey pinched her glabella then drink a mouthful of her juice.
"Baby, are you find?" Nickel asked her after she had stood. "Continue with your topic, I'll just go to the comfort room."
Leaving the two men behind. Michael unabashedly said to Nickel that he was once her great love when they were young. And he will definitely win her back.
"Hahahaha! Let see you try to get her back. I also heard how you cheated on her with her own best friend was she the girl you're with during Leo's wedding. Not bad! But my Zoey is more stunning than your girl." Although their boy and girl relationship were just an act for her, Nickel, on the other hand, wanted to make it real in the future.
He has been wasted his youth admiring her from afar, he will not gonna make his waiting be put in vain because of his bastard.
"America is not my girl." Drawing a line between him and America, Michael addressed her as his fucking buddy to Nickel who disgusted to his reasoning.
---
Inside the washroom, Zoey is feeling dizzy from everything from today. She just wanted to lay down and rest but there is no place for her to do that. After a minute or so, she returned to their table.
With a thump sound, she collapses to her chair then drunk a full glass of water.
The two men were worried sick for her after seeing her look pale and unfocused.
"Baby you okay??" Nickel concerned of Zoey's well-being he then touched her forehead to feel if she is having a fever.
"Nah I'm good I just feel dizzy your topic"
Even though Zoey assured them that she is alright, Nickel still calls one usher to fetch him some acetaminophen for Zoey.
Michael, on the other hand, doesn't have the right to boss someone here nor have the time to go to the nearest pharmacy. He hasn't been able to aid Zoey's condition but what can he do then?
As the usher gave Nickel what he asked from him, he peeled off the medicine out of its pack and help Zoey to put it in her mouth. She was somehow forcefully eating the medicine because before she could react it is already in between her lips.
Michael snatches the bottle of water and gave it to Zoey.
Being exposed to too much testosterone made Zoey more dizzy and uncomfortable. One was her ex-lover while the other is her boss to start with whom he used as an accessory to her so-called new love affair.
Perhaps in the near future, she can clear it to him but how all she wanted to do is to escape from these two.
The party went well, an hour before they sent off their guest, Zoey excused herself and called her dad to pick her.
She has been calling her father for nth time, but all she received was his voice mail.
She planned to phone her brother but knowing that his a doctor and maybe he is currently performing surgery to god knows who she dismissed dialing her brother's digits.
Her mom? Don't know how to drive, so she instantly remover her mom on her list.
But before Zoey flag, a cab or book a car service, Alfie, call her.
"Sawadee Karp! Where are you?" He disappeared from Zoey's life a week or two. Forgetting that she has a friend known as Alfie, she asked him where he has been.
"Although you didn't answer my first question, I'm willing to answer your question. I just came home from Bangkok, you can now answer me. Where are you?"
She replied that she was in Lancaster City for their company's ribbon cutting and opening ceremony. She even informed him about Michael being their collaborator and on how he annoys her.
Hearing that name again agitated Alfie from where he is. He straightaway told her to wait for him in a few minutes, and he will pick her up to stay here away from that cockroach.
Zoey agreed to him and waited for his arrival. But before she steps into Alfie's car, she messaged the HR Officer first that she isn't feeling well.
Inside the lobby where the party is happening. Nickel notice that Zoey hasn't returned. He again had asked an usher to look for her before the party ended. She is still the master of the ceremony after all.
The usher look from place to place but unlucky to find where Officer Alcantara is. Before he lost his hope, he had gone to the HR Officer is she saw or knows where is the lady.
"You're looking for Zoey? She just informed me that she was feeling unwell and went home. Why? Is there a problem?"
The usher looked unpleased as his hardship for looking for Officer Alcantara went unsuccessful. He thanked the HR Officer and returned and informed Director Fuentes.
"Director, Officer Liao said that Officer Alcantara already went home as she is feeling unwell."