The next day when Leo arrived to pick Nicole, she walked out of her apartment wearing a black outfit that stopped at her feet with a trench coat on top.
''Nicole, you are not going to the office with me like this, are you?'' Leo asked her.
''I am. Why, if you don't like me this way, then let's leave going to the company today'' she said to him. Her hands were inside the sleeves of the coat but she still felt so cold. She didn't know why she was feeling that way when the weather wasn't even cold to begin with.
''Nicole, are you alright?'' Leo noticed the change in her and asked. He touched her forehead and her body stiffened and he looked at her, ''Nicole, are you alright? Your body is so cold''
''I'm fine'' he brushed his hand off and got inside the car.
''I will send you to the hospital first'' Leo said as he got into the car.
''No, don't send me to the hospital. I am fine. This is normal, my body sometimes become this cold after the accident that year. You know, I am neither alive nor dead''
''Are you sure? I am worried about you?''
''I am fine, trust me'' she faked a smile even though she knew deep within her that she wasn't fine at all. Her body temperature changed drastically after that dream last night. Nicole was getting bad vibes from that dream. It felt so real. That woman in the ward looked just like her and even her mother and brother were there and they clearly said she had been lying there for the past five years after the accident.
Nicole had gone through so much to brush it off as a simple dream. She wanted to get to the bottom of it but she didn't know how she was going to do that. She didn't know what she was supposed to do either.
ā¦.
At the company car park, Priscy got down from her car and was about to go inside when she saw Leo's car. Excitedly, she stopped and raised her hand to greet him when she saw Nicole also getting down from the car and her face distorted. She frowned and calmed herself down before smiling as she walked towards them.
''Leo, Nicole, what are you doing here dressed like that?'' she asked and sized Nicole up.
''Priscy, let's go and talk in my office first. Nicole is with me'' he said and held her hand. Even with her hands inside the trench coat, her wrist in his hand still felt cold. It was like she was just out of the sea.
###
CEO's office.
Leo sat against the chair watching Priscy's expression. He had just finished tell how about Nicole working in the company as their accountant. Priscy seemed to have a flustered look which also seemed like that of fear, but Leo didn't say anything yet.
''Leo!! What do you mean by that? How could you employ her without consulting me first? I am the one handling the company's accounts and now you are bringing in an outside person to take over my role?''
''Priscy, you are the deputy CEO. Been the company's accountant was just an added responsibility but things are becoming a little hard on you so I thought bringing her in would lessen your burden''
''Without asking me first? Leo, what kind of qualification does that woman have? Or are you sleeping with her? Is that why you are helping her?''
''Priscy, watch your words'' Leo banged his fist on the table and looked at Priscy sternly. She stepped back. This was the first time Leo had acted this way towards her. She was frightened by the change in him and she blamed it all on Nicole. She really wanted to get rid of that woman.
''Leo, you are changing. No, you've changed. I feel like I don't even know you anymore''
''I could say the same about you, Priscy. You were the person I trusted the most' Leo said to himself internally as he looked at Priscy.
''Since when did you know her? the burial of Lizzy?''
''Priscy, I've known her since a long time ago''
''No, this is not the first nor second time I've seen her. She has been hovering around you for the past three or so months now''
''How did you know that?'' Leo asked back and Priscy tussled her hair.
''That girl has an agenda. Ok, let me put it this way. Ever since I saw her at the mall, I knew she was not an average girl. She has something up her sleeves''
''You seem to know her so well?''
''Look at these pictures Leo'' Priscy removed a brown envelope containing pictures of places Nicole's been. These were the same pictures that Ray had given to her the other day, ''tell me, what do you see in all these pictures?''
Leo studied them quietly.
''These are all places you hang out. She has been following you for the past few months now''
''It could be coincidence''
''Leo!!!'' Priscy felt so frustrated at that moment.
Outside the office, Lizzy and Nicole sat at the conference room of the company.
''Do you think Leo will change his mind?'' Nicole asked Lizzy and she shook her head.
''No, Leo never changes his mind that easily. He always sticks to his words''
''The way she looked at me was so cold. I was a little scared''
''But, Nicole, why is your body so cold. Even my body isn't that cold. Are you sick?'' Lizzy looked at her. She had felt the coldness of her body the moment she appeared and sat next to her.
''I'm just suffering from a cold. I will be fine''
''Make sure you cover yourself probably when you are sleeping''
''En''
''I will go and see what is going on in there'' Lizzy stood up and went out of the room. Nicole turned and saw that the workers were looking at her. They turned immediately and pretended to be working when they saw her turn to look at them.
Inside Leo's office.
''Listen to me Leo, I want the best for you. I don't want another girl to distract like the way Lizzy did'' Lizzy appeared and heard Priscy's words and frowned.
''What did you just say? Lizzy distracted me? Lizzy was never a distraction; she was the woman I loved''
''I didn't mean it that way; I'm sorry, Sun''
''This discussion is over Priscy. Nicole is going to work here and that's final.
''I won't accept her, I am also a shareholder in this company, right? I have the right to reject her''
''You are now showing your true colours, you vicious woman'' Lizzy glared at Priscy.
''I am your boss and I hold more shares in this company''
''One week, I give her one week to prove herself. If she passes, then I will accept her, but if she fails, she will leave LAUDS'' Leo and Priscy looked at each other coldly. Their gazes were a declaration of war.
Lizzy went back to Nicole's side and saw her pacing around in the hall.
''Nicole, wow, the vibe inside there is as cold as your body temperature''
''What did they say, Lizzy?''
''That woman is so vicious. She even dared to say that I was Leo's distraction. She also said about test''
''A test? Is she going to test me?'' Nicole asked and saw the door open. Leo and Priscy walked in.
''Nicole, right?'' Priscy looked at Nicole with a cold gaze.
''Yes'' Nicole replied confidently.
''I don't know what games you have up your sleeves but I will give you one week to prove yourself. If you fail this test, I will kick you out of LAUDS myself''
''What test?'' Nicole looked at Leo.
''Even Leo doesn't know about it yet, because I will be the one to do it. Enjoy your stay while it last. Priscy turned to go and stopped by the door and said to Nicole, ''Nicole, right?''
''Yes, the name is Nicole'' Nicole felt so frustrated with the way she was been addressed.
''Leo is not a name anyone can call, is not a common name''
''Yes?''
''I don't care about the kind of relationship you two have but as long as you are in LAUDS, you call him Sir or CEO. Is that clear?''
''Sure, it is clear'' Nicole replied.
''Good'' Priscy looked at her once more and went out.
''Oh my god'' Nicole's feet turned jelly and she almost fell and Leo held up steady. ''Is it safe to be here? She looks like she wants to kill me''
''Don't worry, you have me here. I will protect you. You are safe with me here''
Looking at them, Lizzy smiled and turned leaving the conference room. She had more pressing things to take care of. Like asking Granny why Nicole's body temperature had dropped so much like that. Her body temperature wasn't normal. She was like a cold blooded animal. Only dead bodies were cold. She was having a bad feeling.
''Will you be okay?'' Nicole asked Leo and he nodded his head.
''I was prepared for this; we will face it together''