Denzel stared into her deep eyes as she made an attempt to offer a partnership. It was not as flawless, but it was forgiving. He smiled and giggled, thinking that the woman that stood before him was indeed interesting.
"To be frank, I was hesitant to do a partnership, and I still am. If you want to do business with me, you have to do better than that." One gaze was able to tell that she was interested. It seemed strange, for they had no ties in the past, that she was this eager. Her eyes already told it to him.
Very intriguing, he thought.
"Well, how about me working for you?" she said as she stared in the distance. Her eyes were serious and her voice was firm.
"That is very unexpected, and why do you think that working for me will change my mind?"
Sharmaine gripped her wine glass. "I wanted to check something."
"I would rather not hire a potential spy into my empire."
"Well, you're in luck because I am not. If I was, I wouldn't need to introduce myself to you. I heard you don't have a secretary, so if you ever want to hire me, you could call my mother. Just think about the benefits—I will work for you 24/7, and you'll be able to make partnerships anytime with us."
She was a very cunning person, but instead of a turn off, Denzel found himself staring to this awfully familiar-faced woman. He wanted to stray away from the thoughts of his old secretary, yet his mind still kept flashing flashbacks. It's leading him to a one-sided conclusion—Maybe, Alexandra was right. Maybe Shawn was indeed a woman.
The wine he gradually sipped was gone, and his glass fell empty. He wanted a bit more, but the conversation was cut off by a deteriorating silence. Eventually, Sharmaine finished her wine, and, without saying a word, she smiled warmly to Denzel.
"I think we have met before," he blurted out. Sharmaine replied, and to his surprise, she felt the same.
"It must've been a long time ago, so I hope you consider it."
The familiar air still lingered until Alexandra entered the scene. Her movements were still peculiar, though she had a hint of hostility towards Sharmaine. He did not know why, but it concerned him, so he tried to diffuse the awkward air.
"Alex, this is Ms. Sharmaine Mendoza. She's the daughter of the CEO of Shawn Corporation," he turned to Sharmaine, "Miss Mendoza, this is Alexandra Park. She's the current CEO of Private Dawn."
Sharmaine smiled and offered a handshake. "Hello, Miss Alexandra. I am greatly pleased to meet you."
Alexandra stared at her before reaching her hand out. Frankly, she was left with the feeling of bewilderment and fury. The more she stared at the woman, the more she realized her identity.
"Miss Sharmaine, do you not remember me?" she spoke, making Sharmaine pause for a brief moment.
"I am not very sure, though I think it's the first time we've met."
"You can't expect me to believe your words."
Sharmaine paused for a brief moment, trying to grasp Alexandra's words while Denzel tried to stop his friend spewing more unnecessary words. The air around them thickened with every second that passed by. With hostile eyes, Alexandra looked at the woman in front of her with clenched fists.
"After six months, you show up like it's nothing? Who are you? Why are you here again?"