Adriana woke up the next morning at 5 am sharp.
After brushing her teeth and washing her face until she was fully awake, Adriana walked into her new study room and placed down her laptop along with today's schedule and a few files she needed to take care of yesterday but didn't have the time to.
The second thing she did was make calls to people she left in Paris in charge of each section.
After calling the person who was currently handling her building in Paris, Allyssa Threads, and a few other 'things' that she owns, which no one knows about, Adriana called Natalie.
"How are things going?" She asked.
"Perfectly, I have every station spreading the news of the fire as much as they can. I got the news at the top of every social media platform."
Since Justine was such a popular brand and they treated Adriana like a literal celebrity, social media was where she reigned.
It's a tool no other brands could beat her with.
From viral competitions, hashtags, and small giveaways, she could win the favor of social media users. Thus, every new announcement about her company reached every platform and was always prioritized by its audience.
Especially since the generation of young adults, she was aiming at are skilled with social media. It was very important to access the little kingdom she had created for herself in the fashion industry.
"Great, when I reach powers 'attempt' to put out the fire, and then...well, expose the 'truth.' Oh, and Natalie, how was your flight?"
"I'm a little nauseous, but I'm well enough to fulfill all the responsibility you have given to me." She replied nonchalantly.
"Great, just this minor task of yours and you can take the year off."
"A year is too much, Adriana. I just need a week to cool off and I'll be back to work."
"You've been working with me for years, heck you're the first job was my son's nanny. So…"
"Are you suggesting I give in my letter of resignation?" Natalie asked.
"Hell no, unlike you, I do not need to make my brand. I enjoy working with you and designing with you. I don't want to ai for anything higher." Natalie repeated for the thousandth time for the past 7 years, almost 8 even.
"Fine, I won't insist, but keep in mind the offer will always be open."
"Thank you, I'll send a report later."
"No need, the news will be enough for me to leave NY for the great emergency."
After Caroline, she made her last call to Ralf.
"Great, just taken care of that and then send the report in. Oh, and Ralf, don't come to pick me up today. Me on time at the airport though."
"If you want me to take a day off, I'm fine with that, but please have someone else drive you at least." He begged.
"I'll drive just fine Ralf don't worry about it."
Ralf nervously accepted her orders and hung up the call, not at all happy with her decision despite her bright mood. This happened only a few times of the month, and sometimes only once a year. Adriana would suddenly feel generous and want everyone to take off.
Once, she even wanted to add a new 'Holiday' to their working hours.
It was ridiculous because everyone knew it was the perfect chance for her to take on more work for herself. Most of the time, her intentions meant well, and she overworked herself without realizing it, but on other occasions, she would do it on purpose.
Work was a way to cope with anger or frustration, in her case.
She didn't want to bring home those feelings to her kind, and so she preferred to stay up and overwork.
Anyway, after she called Ralf, Adriana stretched her arms and glanced at the mirror in a small section of her new study room.
"Oh, Cal isn't capable of this." She mumbled and walked towards it, still in her sleeping shorts and her oversized t-shirt, with the bunny slippers Aria forced her to buy so they could 'threen'.
Yes, that meant James was forced to get them too.
She looked at the wall in front of her until she found a small dent on it. When she tried to touch it, the wall opened in half just like an elevator door, but a closet awaited her.
She chuckled when she saw the type of clothing on it.
It was not her usual businesswoman, suit-blazer kind of look. Instead, there was a great variety of cocktail dresses, miniskirts, tank tops, party dresses, ball gowns, sexy nightwear, and so on. It was like a 'party pack' of clothing.
She fetched her phone from the back pocket of her shorts and she read her new message.
[Finally! How did you like my present? I heard from Cal that you were looking for an apartment and I suggested this. Since there was the face reveal thing, I hope you attend dinner parties more. It will be a good way to get more connections! Love ya~]
The message was from an unknown number, but she unknowingly mumbled a name.
"Marie?" She tapped the dent in the wall and removed the device on it.
"Oh, God no."
[I know you're probably cursing me out right now but hear me out! All I'm asking is for one day at my new hotel. Girls only, eh? You can bring a plus one too! We haven't hung outages, and I'm so freaking bored.]
"I don't know you." Adriana then instantly blocked the phone number and walked inside the closet.
She looked around for any more devices, cameras, or any type of tracking device, but she found none.
Marie, Cal's worst enemy, which means she had threatened him to get her to do this little 'favor' for him.
Adriana had met Marie when she was 14 years old! She's the daughter of the photographer that had taken her wedding pictures and who she worked part-time with.
And just like her father, she loved dressing her up. Adriana could remember the endless days of posing for the little brat. It was the most exhausting thing in the world.
She had many things about Adriana that she loved to obsess over.
Just the thought made Adriana shudder.
When she realized there was nothing in the clothes or walls, she opened all the cabinets underneath the hanging clothes.
She discovered hundreds of jewelry sets. Below it, the second row contained makeup and lots of it.
The third row had shoes, countless pairs, and on the fourth row, Adriana found Marie's favorite 'toys' making her flinch.
Those pointy frigging heels!
Adriana closed all of it and rushed out of the closet, shutting the doors closed.
With relief, she sat back in her chair, behind her desk, and took a deep breath in.
"I rather kill myself than go through that torture again."
Clearly, Marie had prepared the 'gift' so she could coincidentally pass by her new apartment and come 'help' her dress up.
Adriana hesitated to call the girl's father.
She was 14 then, but now she's 21 and full of excitement to practice her old ways.
With a sigh, Adriana decided against it. Marie's father left to disconnect with civilized cities and lived far away from where there's no internet and text.
He wanted to use this opportunity for his passion for photography, leaving young Marie with her aunt, who's just as crazy as she is.
"It runs in the family…." Adriana banged her head on the desk and flinched when she received another message.
[Seriously? Blocking me? I'm hurt :( How could you?]
"There's no escaping this, is there?"
[Don't worry, I'm not stupid enough to go to New York when you're will clearly come to Paris soon. I'll wait ;) ]
Adriana felt a chill when she read that. She immediately turned off her phone and rushed to her to take a shower and leave for work before Marie could contact her again.
She wasn't scared, of course! Pshh definitely not! She terrified her!
…..
Wearing an ivory lace top, tucked into her black high waisted bottoms and her light black blazer, which was buttoned like a wrap on her body, highlighting her waist.
She was too freaked out to think of anything, and so Adriana rushed to put her hair into a ponytail as fast as she could, and added some heels.
With diamond stud teardrop earrings and three other studs in her upper lobe, she wasted no time and headed out the door.
When she realized she had forgotten her purse, she walked back inside her bedroom and rushed back downstairs.
After cooking breakfast and leaving a cute letter for the twins, one for each, Adriana ran out the door.
It was 6:45 A.M, and she knew for sure the kids would wake up around 8, and Caroline aka new nanny was only five minutes away.
When she walked out of the apartment door, she found herself with an empty hall leading only to the right, which led to an elevator to the garage and another to the entrance of the building.
She used her custom made bracelet on her wrist to enter the elevator and choose her floor to the garage.
She looked through her purse until she found the car Cal had efficiently prepared for her.
It was just perfect, with small, tinted windows and comfortable.
Why is she in a hurry? Because she was late! She wanted to get to the office before the meeting with the shareholders and leave some instructions for the designers who will stay and continue to work on the new clothing line.
If she didn't trade the damage on the contract Briana wants to break for taking the designers to Paris with her, then she had to at least leave instructions.
Coming to Paris before the second phase of her plan ended was a big no-no.
She opened the door and started the car. When her hands touched the steering wheel, she froze.
She literally, froze.
She removed her hands from the steering wheel and clenched her fists.
With a sigh, she took a deep breath and exited the car.
This was pure disappointment, she felt.
She was quite confident that she could drive today. She was so hopeful because of the dream she had last night.
It was a memory of when Noah taught her how to drive. It was chaotic that day, but she felt reassured. For the first time, she dreamt of driving a car without explosion, falling off a bridge, and terror.
And so, she had expected today's attempt to go smoothly.
She hid her disappointment, and she walked out of the building with a deep sigh.
With a deep breath, she looked around the city. This would be the last time in a while that she would get to see the city she grew up in.
'De un paso atras del altobus.'
'Step back from the bus.'
It made her laugh at how many times she would hear that as she rushed to work every day.
Stretching her arms, she started walking with the plan to catch a cab.
Oh, how she missed this.
Today was such a splendid morning!
Not perfect, but she woke up very content today. She didn't know why, but she was looking forward to what would happen today.
....
"Good morning everyone." Adriana entered the meeting room alone and was the last person to arrive.
She looked at the Harmon couple who did not seem to be in a good mood and she felt a tug in her lips, tempting her to laugh.
The CEO of Alyssa Thread is quite efficient, isn't he? He could only imagine how hilarious Caroline's ex-husband's face would look like right now.
The Anderson's meaning his company and the Harmons being their relatives and also biggest partners, bringing them both down like this must have given them an enormous blow.
It's great that Noah doesn't want them as shareholders of his company as well. That would mean there wouldn't be any harm for him if she got rid of them.
Hold on….
What did she just think? Why would she care about what harms him?
Darn it.
Her lips twitched, and she closed the door behind her. Though she was the last to arrive, despite being in the building much earlier than anybody else, everyone's eyes on her did not intimidate her.
The only pair of eyes that could cause a change in her behavior wasn't even on her, anyway.
Yes, he wasn't even looking at her. He was busy with his documents. It sent a comprehensible message to the shareholders though, clearly; he had no care for this meeting. It was too obvious how he was here, only here to solve someone's little tantrum.
But it was much deeper than that. Adriana couldn't underestimate Briana just because she was acting this way. The only reason she hides behind this childish facade is that she thinks Adriana remembers nothing of what she did to her.
If Briana found out such an important advantage Adriana has, her true personality would show up and Adriana would have a troublesome time handling her.
Anyway, when she saw Briana's indifferent expression, not showing the same soft expression she had days before, was surprising.
"Good morning."
"You're late, Ms.Pr-"
"I only gave my last name to a few people, so they can address me more comfortably. I don't intend to let everyone know about it, so do me a favor and follow at least one condition in our contract." Adriana interrupted her with a smile.
"And I'm not late, I'm just in time," Adriana said, pointing at the clock. Sure, everyone was here earlier, and she didn't know why, but that didn't mean she was late.
Adriana had a bad feeling. By Briana's calm expression and the way her calmness reminds her even after her rude interruption, she knew it.
Brian had come up with a plan and was going to execute it right now. Adriana had a feeling her own purpose for this meeting would fail. It was making her uncomfortable.
She then took her seat, looking at the name tag with 'Justine' on it.
When Noah heard her voice, he paused and placed the documents down. He looked up and glanced at her.
Clearing his throat, he said, "Let's get the meeting started."
Briana nodded her head, and she glanced at her father, who gave her a firm nod.
Adriana held back the urge to laugh.
'Overconfident, are we?'
'Oh, if only she knew….'
Mr.Brooklyn was long gone, she had this man wrapped around her finger, and whatever they would do to him this morning would be returned tenfold.
'So, did she tell him I remember nothing of the past?' Adriana wondered, seeing his calm expression.
The Mr.Brooklyn she knew and loved would have panicked if he saw a living ghost like her. After all, he was very much involved in her so-called death.
_____
***Important Announcement***
There will be as many updates as I can give you this week, but the following two weeks there will be slow, very slow updates.
I have to study for my finals and then do my finals, so I have to concentrate on school!
｡ﾟ(ﾟ∩´﹏`∩ﾟ)ﾟ｡ I hate school.....