Artemis chose the clothes that were light and could make her move easily. A light white blouse, the front was tucked-in in her black pants and a pair of white sneakers. And since cameras were everywhere wherever she was especially what happened to her recently, she get inside her walk-in closet and chose the pink cap to wear before descending.
She must have waited Joseph for long.
"His name is really not my thing. I should call him Markus from now on," she uttered to herself. "Yeah, Markus is much better."
She got down the spiral staircase. But she stopped when she noticed that one painting was slightly tilted. She arranged it back to normal.
She was expecting Joseph to be at the sala, but he wasn't. She tried to go to the kitchen, maybe drinking water but still he wasn't there. She just decided to go outside. He must be waiting at the car.
"Yes, Madame Wang, we will be there. Please expect us," she heard Markus' voice as she went outside.
"Madame Wang?" she asked. "You really called her?"
"I wanted to make sure it was her so you won't be put in danger again," he answered and scanned his eyes all over her.
She became conscious. "What?"
"Nothing." He opened the back door for her.
"Thanks," she uttered as she went in.
She was expecting to sit next to the driver, but again, they're an employer-employee. She almost forgot. She should sit at the back.
"By the way, do you know where are we going?"
She haven't received any text messages coming from Ms. Wang's niece or from her directly. She expected that since he called him, he must've the address to the villa.
"Yes, she provided it earlier." He glanced at the rear mirror. She looked at it also and their eyes met.
She withdrew first and focused her eyes outside the window. "That's good then,"
According to Markus, they'd arrive four to five hours depending on the traffic. It was still two in the afternoon and Artemis felt hungry.
Aside from the IV drip, she got nothing.
"Stop at some random drive thru. I'm hungry," she commanded. He nodded.
After ordering at a drive thru, Markus continued to drive. While eating, she looked out. It was supposed to be a sunny day yet the clouds were starting to gray.
'Hope it will not rain...' she hoped in mind. It'd be hard for them to continue driving to Ms. Wang's place.
"You can sleep. Five hours is a long drive," he suggested.
Artemis glanced at him. "I"m fine,"
She took out her tablet and checked her email if there were any new email coming from Chris. The week would end in two days and she needed to check again the PowerPoint of the proposal of the 30th anniversary if her demands were put. She needed the revised version so she could have a head start about it. And the fact that she lost one day due that she stayed at a hospital, just made her want to work more and more.
After refreshing, there was indeed, one email coming from the marketing manager, Chris. She opened it.
It would be best if she would do some work while sitting in a car for five hours than doing nothing.
"Chris," she called after reading the revised version of the proposal.
"Yes, Artemis?" he casually asnwered. "Did you receive my email?"
"I did and I'm done reading it. So, I need it to be printed already and bind it on a transparent folder rather than stapling it. I'm going to show it to the President," she instructed.
"And also, please refrain from editing it before printing. What's on the powerpoint, that should be the outcome even the ink colors you'll use should match also. I want this to be perfect," she added.
"Noted, Ms. Vice President," he jokingly addressed her. She just sighed at him.
"Anything else?"
"How's the text message about the anniversary? Has your team handled it already?" They would send text messages to random public people to let them know about their anniversary activity.
Since it'd be an open-for-public, they need to invite people to participate in their activities.
"Right now, we're still working for that. We're lacking one staff here so it's hard time for us now," Chris explained.
"Lacking one staff? Who resigned?"
"No one resigned. Joseph is your secretary now right? Remember, he was the one who replaced Mina?"
"Joseph?" she tried to remember the name. Her eyes landed on the rearview mirror and her driver was looking at her. "Oh," she just said.
She forgot that Markus' first name was Joseph.
"Anyway, just forget about it. I'll do it,"
"What? No way. It's our job," Chris said.
"It's my job, too. Marketing team is lacking one staff now, so I should do it. It's not a big deal anyway," she insisted.
"But still---"
"I need to call someone now, Chris. Goodbye," she pressed the end call button.
She made more calls. All were for the preparations of the 30th anniversary. Her team could manage all of it though, but since it was also her parent's anniversary, that was why she needed to put extra effort for it. She wanted the outcome would ne perfect. And she didn't to just wait for the results. If she could do the work, she would do it alone.
That's her attitude.
Lastly, her mother called her.
"Mom?" she cautiously said. Her mother already knew what happened to her.
"Where are you?"
"I'm resting in a villa," she lied. But she just followed what her father told her earlier, to avoid getting her mother distressed.
She was told, when her father called Markus to know where she was, that when her mother call her, she should say that she'd be at a villa to rest.
"Is your secretary with you?"
"Yes,"
There was a moment of silence on the other line. Then, she heard her mom sniffed.
"Please take care, Artemis. I couldn't afford to lose you," she pleaded.
"Mom, I'll be fine. Markus---I mean, Mr. Reyes is with me," she assured.
"Yeah, I heard it from your dad about him,"
"I'm going to hang up now. Goodbye,"
After hearing her mom said goodbye, she hung up. She looked outside. The sky was getting darker; the clouds were getting grayer than the last time she checked. It'd be soon night time and the probability of raining was high.
She took a look at the rearview mirror. Joseph Markus was quietly driving, but he was fast. His eyes were fixed on the road.
His eyes were brown when seen from afar, but more lighter when seen up close. His eyebrows were perfectly neat, like it was done on a parlor. His forehead, though, quite wide but it only gave an accent to his overall looks. He also has big ears...
"Is there anything wrong, Ms. Artemis?" his eyes met hers for a second as he glanced through the mirror.
She blinked for a few times and acted like there was something in her eyes. Then, she moved her eyes away from the mirror, followed by her head.
It was only a second that their eyes met but she couldn't breathe. She was like a culprit that was caught.
Why was she even staring at him? She looked like a fool.
...
After a long drive, they were finally at Ms. Wang's villa. It was located in a mountainous private area. There were no people walking near it. It was like a hiding place yet heavenly.
She went out and a cold breeze touched her skin. She rubbed her arms to keep her warm.
Brrrr~ It was so cold.
She looked around. The villa was so huge and elegant from the outside.The style was like Italianate and the shades of color brown dominate the whole structure.
The vast green and how the landscape were amazingly done. Felt like you're in a foreign country.
They're standing at the entrance, but it seemed there was no one inside though the lights were on as she could see on the windows.
It was already nine in the evening so the wind was very cold. A humid air.
"Markus can you---" She was about to tun to asked him to contact Ms. Wang, but she was surprised when a blazer was put atop her shoulders.
"It's getting colder. You might freeze her while waiting for Ms. Wang," he said in his soothing voice.
She just nodded and stepped back from him. He was so close to her.
She heard him contacted Ms. Wang's niece and a moment later, a college student came out from the house's entrance.
"Good evening. Are you Mr. Re---" She wasn't able to finish her sentence as she was startstrucked when she turned her eyes to Artemis.
"Miss Diana Abbott?" she was basically in awe.
Artemis smiled at her. "Good evening," she greeted.
"It is really you," she was about to squeal. She held her hands and was handshaking it. "Hi, I'm Martina. I'm a really big fan of yours."
She was delighted to still see a fan. "I'm Artemis Clemonte, that's my real name."
"Yes, I know. I read all articles about you. And I know Diana was the Roman value for your real name, Artemis," she confidently said.
"You sure know your stuff," she compliemented. "Can we see Ms. Wang?"
"Of course, but you can see her tomorrow since she's sleeping already,"
"Too bad," she murmured. They went all the way there to see her but it was fruitless in the end.
"But please come inside. Aunt instructed me with your rooms," she informed.
She glanced at Markus. Both of them were surprised. It was unexpected. But they came in and followed her towards their room. Their rooms were next to each other.
"Please take a rest. You'll see Aunt tomorrow morning,"
"Thank you very much. We didn't expect this and letting us stay is a big help,"
"Aunt originally told me to ready one room. But she thought it might be more convenient if you won't share a room with your boyfriend," she revealed and sheepishly smiled to the both of them. "I'll see you tomorrow, Miss Diana."
She was stuck on the ground and was confused. "Boyfriend," she murmured. And she looked at Markus, who was looking at her.
She turned red in an instant. Ms. Wang referred to him as her boyfriend!
"P-Please don't misunderstand. I also don't know what she's talking about," and she hurriedly went inside her room.
Markus just laughed. It was him who said that to Ms. Wang when he called.