Aiden looked at Adina once then turned towards Ian saying,"All the work for today is done. Only the meeting with our Japanese partners is left and I think you should handle that."
"Yeah. Ok, I'll finish it. Let's go Adina, your first task is here."
"Huh? Why do you need me there?" Adina asked.
"To take notes during the meeting. Think you can handle that at least?"
"Oh! Alright! Let's go." They both got up to leave when Aiden asked.
"What are you talking about Ian?"
"Oh well, I hadn't told you yet." He looked at Aiden and continued, "I just now hired Adina. She'll work for me."
"The fuck?" He raised his eyebrows with a straight face totally saying 'I'm giving you a chance to change you statement' with his look.
Ian just smiled and said,"Now onwards Adina will work for me and I'll talk to you about it later."
"NO" his stern voice echoed in the room. Both Ian and Adina flinched due to his tone. Ian took a deep breath in, closed his eyes and sighed deeply then said,"Aiden, let me finish with the meeting first then we'll talk. Alright?"
"Can't you hear me. I said no and that means no."
"Its not your decision to make" Ian's voice and expression was getting serious by every passing second and Adina didn't want the two brothers to fight because of her.
"Oh really?" Aiden smirked then said, glaring daggers at Adina,"I want to talk to you... alone."
"I- well-... " before she could find words to form a proper sentence, Ian interrupted and said,"No, its nothing to do with her. I was the one who offered her the job. She'll work for me and I've already decided it. I have the right to make decisions for myself as well as the company."
With no expression at all on his face, Aiden said,"Is it because of her?"
"Huh?" Ian furrowed his brows in confusion.
"Never before have you talked to me like this. It's because of her right?" Aiden said coldly.
"Wh-what!? No, of course not. You are not being reasonable Aiden."Ian said exasperatedly. A knock on the door distracted them from the conversation. David came in, looked at the three, then informed,"Your Japanese partners are waiting on the call. Should I ask them to wait some more?"
"No, tell them to reschedule the meeting. I have some other important work", Ian sighed. David nodded and left, closing the large library doors with a light thud.
Adina spoke, gathering up all the courage that she could,"Guys, I... I just wanna say don't fight ok? At least not because of me. And it's fine Ian, I'll figure something out." She gave Ian a small smile and lightly squeezed his triceps in assurance.
Ian turned towards her and said,"You don't need to... I offered you the job. You'll work for me and that's my decision to make. And as far as it is about me and Aiden, you don't need to worry. We are just fine. He needs to understand somethings." He also gave her a small smile.
"But- I just- I just don't want to be the reason of your fight. I don't like it. I really feel bad." Adina said, looking down and biting her lower lip.
Ian gave her his warm smile saying,"I've come to know you this much Adina. I know you would never want this. Would you please go to your room for a while, I need to settle this with Aiden alone."
"If you say so!" she said pouting a little then anxiously glancing towards Aiden who was gritting his teeth and just kept mum. As soon as she left, Ian once again turned towards his brother and said,"What's your problem Aiden? Why are you being like this? She hasn't done anything to you and also she has apologised repeatedly for her previous mistake. Give her a chance and the reason I hired her was because her director is soon gonna kich her out but she needs some money to send to her parents. You know her situation and you also know that we can't let her go. That's the only reason I did it. You aren't this heartless... I know you, better than anyone else. So why?"
Aiden stayed quiet and decided not to face Ian. A minute or so later he replied,"Because I- I can't bear- I can't tolerate her around."
"Excuse me, what? What do you mean?"
"I mean what I said",with that he left the library leaving a very confused and dumbfounded Ian looking at the door. Ian stood there for a while trying to make sense, to interpret what his brother meant but at last he gave up.
When he was walking towards Adina's room, he saw Aiden getting out of her room. Aiden took a deep breath and released it slowly, then walked away. To Ian, Aiden looked quite uncomfortable then suddenly he panicked realising Aiden just came out of Adina's room. He pushed open the door and then sighed in relief when he saw a perplexed looking Adina staring at him. "A-are you alright, Ian?"she asked, concerned.
He closed the door behind him and came inside the room. Sitting on the bed beside her, he said,"I should be the one asking you that question. Are you ok? I saw Aiden, I know he was here before I came."
"O-oh!",she looked down at her right hand where she was clutching a hair tie then looked up again,"Of course I am fine. Look at me. I am alive and fine, aren't I?" she chuckled causing Ian to roll his eyes despite smiling.
"What did he say to you?" he asked her seriously not giving up so easily.
"Nothing." Ian rose his eyebrows in question and gave her a challenging look. "What? I ain't lying. He-he just permitted me to work for you."
"Oh- wait what? HE DID WHAT?" He asked again, not believing his ears.
Adina smiled and said,"Yes, he allowed me to work for you."
"Oh- I- okay! wow! great!... that's it?"
"Umm.. ah.. yeah!" she said nervously and she thanked God that Ian didn't notice her nervousness.
*Flashback of a few minutes before Ian entered the room*
[hehehe.. I'm sorry for leaving you on a cliffhanger ^□^.. wait for the next chapter to know what actually happened between Aiden and Adina ;) ]