~• • •~
"An assistant?" she gaped.
Looking at Cassian's irritatingly impressive profile and his placid expression, it was clear he was serious.
Her co-workers would've been shocked if they knew what her job here was turning into.
"Temporarily, yes," Cassian, who'd been leaning on the liquor cabinet sighed. "Fun time."
"Can I speak with my boss about this? I'll be leaving the day after tomorrow. He will have to ask what's keeping me, and..." Yet she was rambling.
What's happening?
The old Lyari would've kept her ground and head straight.
"We'll deal with your boss, don't worry," Chase supplemented.
Unimpressed, Cassian raised an eyebrow at her.
"Chickening out again? A deals a deal, Sage."
"But I have my job..."
"I'll be looking forward to having someone as reliable as you, Lyari. Until then, I'll leave you to Chase here."
Absently, her hands dug deeper into her pockets in obvious agitation.
They looked too calm, as if this situation they were putting her into is just the norm.
Somehow, she had this sneaking suspicion that they've been planning this all along.
"I'm out of here, man. You should get someone to replace your ice while you're at it," Cassian was saying, giving her loss for words a short shrift.
Numbly, she could only stare at the impossible man who was now heading towards the door. There was no point in reasoning with him.
Maybe Chase would understand why she can't accept their offer.
Chase glanced up and gave his friend a wry look. "Fine. You do realize I'd need a retainer to handle that, right?"
Already halfway out the door, Cassian could only manage a lazy wave. He'd beaten Lyari to it, while she was still rooted to her spot.
She didn't get how that man can act so nonchalant when he just made her job here a whole lot more complicated.
Asshole.
What a fitting word.
"That's a perfect description, eh?" came Chase's weary voice from his table.
His eyes were studying Lyari with mild amusement.
She must have said that one out loud, why else would he be answering her?
"I think I'd better go."
"No, stay please. Come and have a seat. We still have to talk about the stipulations, Lyari."
"I don't think I can do it, Chase. I don't even understand how you can put up with someone like that."
"Huh, now that's something to think about. I've been dealing with that guy for so long, I forget to know when he's being reasonable or not," he mused, and his hand which was searching for his cigar in the drawers eventually gave up when he couldn't find them. "Now, where were we again?"
"Y-you were saying he wants me to be his temp."
"I wouldn't necessarily call you a temp," wincing, Chase said, "but the sentiment is the same, I guess. Basically, you're just going to run some errands for him on the duration of our contract. And I'll be paying you to do that."
Suddenly unsure, she folded her arms in front of her. "You sound like I don't really have much of a choice, why is that?"
A funny look overcame his features. "I'm afraid, it's because he controls the contract, Lyari. When it comes down to it, my hands are tied. And I sure don't want you to get terminated before your contract is up."
Technically, she'll be out of the project in a few weeks more. What if he's right?
If she refuses, then she wouldn't get her compensation if that happens.
Even though he was forcing her, it's just not hard to ignore the subtle threat underneath all those cool and collected mien.
God, it's gonna look ugly from here, Lyari.
"So it's come down to that," the upset woman whispered, slumping back to the chair.
"Come on, it's not gonna be so bad. Just consider it."
She exhaled a breath.
"How much?"
For an instant, the man currently behind the mahogany table brought out a check from the drawer and extended it towards her.
A short dry laugh escaped her mouth, somehow realizing the gravity of the situation when she caught sight of the insane amount of money listed on the paper. It could literally pay off a lot of her debts at the moment.
Hell, her boss wouldn't even pay her that amount.
Cassian must be crazier than she thought.
"You'd seriously do anything for that guy, huh?"
Nonchalantly twirling his pen around his fingers, Cassian shrugged. "There's nothing I won't do for my boss."
The intensity in which he spoke was on another level, she couldn't even begin to fathom the depth of their relationship. Chase was too loyal for his own sake.
Lyari fought the urge to roll her eyes. "Right."
He regarded her for a moment, before saying, "I know this must be too much for you, and I'm sorry for that, Lyari. But he chose you, and I can't do anything about it."
"You're compromising my job, Chase," she huffed, not caring if her reason was unsound.
Blackmailing is an unethical strategy, right?
Especially when they're offering her lots of money just to play babysitter to his boss.
"That's... Not entirely true, is it?" Always too smart, he countered. "See, we're just doing each other a favor. And I hope you'll come to understand that this is my only chance to ensure he doesn't do anything rash if he has someone looking after him for once."
"What he needs is a bodyguard, you know. I'm not really sure I could qualify in that area."
"Nonetheless, it seems he took a liking to you, my dear architect. That's enough for me."
This wasn't going anywhere.
Clearly, these men were beyond ordinary, and they wouldn't take no for an answer.
It does seem like she had no choice.
"I'd like to think about this first."
The man gazed at her contemplatively for a second before agreeing. "As long as you give me an answer tomorrow."
"Fine."
"You're still going to meet with your boss?"
She nodded, letting the last shred of her pride show on her face. "Yes, I am. That memo might be important, Chase."
"If you say so."
The door fully closed behind her, and Lyari left the hall feeling like a gloomy cloud came over her. Figuring out her options in life didn't exactly include the possibility of babysitting an errant billionaire.
At this point, too many thoughts were already running in her mind, mainly about how she could pull off the sideline they were offering her alongside her job.
The next day went by in a blur. A particularly stressed Lyari immersed herself in discussions which ensured she was on the same page with Mr Gomez and his companions on the plans, leaving nothing out.
"Come on, Lyari. As if I don't already know a hundred percent of these circuit plans. What do you think Rico's here for? Atleast give the guy some credit," Mr Gomez was adamantly saying.
She nodded absently, while clearing a portion of the wide makeshift work table. "I know, I'm just trying to make sure you won't leave anything out."
"Yeah, yeah," he huffed, already annoyed.
Which makes two of them.
Anyone with an eye could see the contractor was just happy to see the woman gone.
They merely watched as she rolled the accumulated blueprints of finishing details for the interior facilities she'd been developing with Rico's help to be taken to a last round of consultation at the firm. Until then, the fast-tracked construction to the new foundation of the lab is all up to the contractor as well as Chase's jurisdiction.
"Say, when are you coming back to check on us again?" Mr Gomez paused to bug her again.
"I'm not sure, Mr Gomez. It's up to the client to call me if he needs my advice, I guess."
She wasn't about to tell them about deal with the clients though.
The matter of her departure was concluded with her promising them they'd stay in touch if anything goes wrong.
By evening, she was back to the safety of her own room.
The satisfying sound of rolled papers popping into the black canister echoed in the room, signalling a closure. Then, the documents were replaced back to the folds of her messenger bag by lean, practiced hands already used to the routine.
While the bathtub was filling up in the bathroom, she had moved on to stuffing her few belongings into a black backpack.
All of those efforts only took her a half-hour.
But that night, she didn't neglect her usual alone time at the balcony, one of her favorite places in the house.
It had become a habit of hers to hang around there whenever she couldn't catch some sleep. Yet this time, she was nursing her misgivings with the spectacular view of the stars on what could've been her last night in this villa.
Obviously not.
Tense, slender fingers played with the silver band of her watch, while she stood there contemplating her next move.
Fiddling with her phone did nothing to give her wisdom.
Her body was slouched in defeat, knowing she'd brought this upon herself. It's so funny how money changes everything in the blink of an eye. It couldn't be that bad if-
From the shadows in the peripheries, a new presence loomed a few feet from the woman in the balcony, distracting her from her ruminations.
A robed Cassian came to lean on the railings, surveying the stars and the landscape the way she did earlier. His tall, lean frame easily recognizable even in the half-light.
This night just couldn't end sooner.
Lyari blurted out the first thing that came to mind.
"What are you doing here?"
"Does it matter? This is a common balcony, Sage."
"Oh, of course." You're so stupid Lyari.
He lit a cigarette. The flickering flames danced in his eyes, illuminating his perfectly chiseled features momentarily before he popped the silver thing close. He barely noticed how she stiffened.
"I take it were of the same mind tonight? You can't sleep?"
Simpering, she looked at the darkness beyond. "Not really, I was just getting some air."
"You come here all the time, I noticed."
"All the time. I didn't realize you liked to hang around here."
"I don't. But my room's over there, in case you're wondering," he answered, gesturing towards the far end of the corner of the balcony.
He must've caught the debatable look in her eyes, and meant to explain why he was there in the balcony coincidentally.
"I see," she said, stepping back as soon as it dawned on her that his quarters were beside her this whole time. "Well in that case, I should leave you to it. I was about to get inside anyway."
"You're not having second thoughts about the deal, are you?" He inquired, glancing at her back.
Her hand grazed the knob of her door as she paused.
"Good night, Cass," she replied drily.
"Hey, Sage."
Now what?
Warily, she turned back to him, the door momentarily forgotten. "What?"
"You off to town tomorrow?"
"I already said I was."
He shrugged. His eyes were two black pools in the shadows of the pale canvas of his face, but the weight of his stare was undeniable.
"Don't forget about me, I'm coming with you."
She wasn't surprised in the least. Chase did tell her Cassian had been meaning to deal with some business in Makati, he'd told her about it the moment she'd agreed to their stipulations on the contract earlier this morning.
"Well, have a nice night," she gritted out, already anxious to get away from him.
"Hm, it wasn't all my imagination," she thought she heard Cassian mutter before the door of her bedroom slammed close.
• • •