A knock on the door pulled Edison out of the storm of pain, heartbreak and memories he was stuck in. He quickly composed himself and called out,'Enter,'his commanding air back to being in its grandeur.
A man in a navy business suit entered the room- gold rimmed glasses perched on his high nose bridge and a silver tablet in his hands. Jeremy Strayford was Edison's assistant, one of the best men working under him.
"President, I observed the market these days as you said and this is the report,"Jeremy stepped forward and handed a file to Edison. He kept the file aside to hear Jeremy's further report.
"The CEO of Vines cancelled the meeting you had with him. He said it's some business crisis."
Edison chuckled in disbelief, "What does he mean Jeremy and cancelling a meeting with me as he likes is not a crisis?" Edison despiced it when people thought any less of him then the leader he is. Jeremy knew that very well and was already prepared to be handed a task, later, he would have to sweat over.
"I emailed you a file, check it later and I want it on the front page of every newspaper and magazine." Edison's smirk send chills of premonition down Jeremy's back, 'What exactly did the file contain,' he thought.
"Okay, sir. President...Miss Knightly has been calling both your private cell and office number."
Edison glared pointedly at Jeremy with his eyebrow raised. "So?" his monotonous act would zap through the girl's heart if she were to be there.
"She asked me to tell you...ah to call her back." Jeremy started feeling like he said something unlikely- as if Miss Knightly was not Edison's girlfriend at all.
"That's not business, Jer. If you have any left then talk. Don't waste time on useless things." after such a long time of working together, Jeremy knew to look under the mask of calmness that Edison wore.
"Sorry, sir." Edison said nothing to that and so Jeremy continued, "We got a response from Miss Tara Miller, she has agreed to work with us. And she contacted me to fix a meeting between you and her artist Liliana D'crus."
A flash of something passed through Edison's eyes, something between the calculative shrewdness of a businessman and pure surprise at Liliana's sudden interest in contacting him. "Liliana D'crus wants to meet me, to what do I owe this pleasure?" a barely-there smirk appeared at the corner of his lips .
"Miss Miller hinted at something regarding joining our company."
"Hmm, it's good Jeremy. I've been thinking about how to poach her since yesterday's concert, now she came to us willingly." the benefits of recruiting Liliana were not hidden from Edison. The girl had a unique voice, was talented in composing music not to mention her clean record and mysterious goddess image before the people. She could bring opportunities for other artists under him as well. 'Liliana D'crus has the potential to be the best money making machine I could ever have.
"Arrange the meeting as early a date as possible. I don't want to delay it." Edison needed Liliana on his side only that can hasten the pace at which he would reach his freedom. "The ever mysterious Liliana D'crus, I can't wait to meet you." he whispered softly.
The sky was a stain of orange and pink, a beautiful combination. The sun nearing its dawn didn't seem to be increasing the humidity this day- the birds flying in flocks to their houses in fact made it portrait-like.
Everything about the day made Liliana feel good that's how happy she was. Two pieces of news were dominating the tabloids. One, superstar Liliana D'crus back with a story to remember. Two, which has been circulating since the morning, corruption in Vines Corp.
The later meant nothing to her, though she could tell from the short time it need to be most searched in the engine that someone was venting their anger. Her fame had been increasing and increasing since the concert. She was sure her hipe would seal the contract between her and Shooting Star.
Her lips quirked up in a smile which disappeared soon, yet someone did notice it.
"You seem really happy today," a soft voice came from the tablet probed up on the table. The screen showed a boy in a white hoody. His features were delicate for a boy yet his eyes held an edge of danger- something passed down the generations of Russo clan and trained by Liliana herself to subdue foes and followers equally.
"I'm always happy."
Lorenzo cracked a laugh, "Don't dismiss me, my lady. Tell me what got you so hot and bothered." the devilish smirk made him look like an angel stained by the worldly sins.
Liliana gave him a blank stare already used to his playful remarks. She raised an eyebrow and tilted her head as if saying you should know.
Lorenzo seemed to be getting her hints because he slowly straightened to sit properly, eyeing Liliana in amazement, "Are you serious? You have already met the guy after only three days here!"
Liliana frowned and said sharply, "What? No! I've met no one, not yet."
"Then what are you so chirpy about?" Liliana signed in exasperation, 'This guy can interrogate! Well Lilia, you taught him the skill'- Lorenzo was unaware of the conflict he had caused in Liliana's mind.
"It's a beautiful day. Besides, for your information, I will be meeting the guy in a few days."
"Aha, so that's the reason! You must be impatient?'
"Hmm-hmm," she nodded her head and continued, "I can't wait." She truly couldn't, twelve years of her patience and dreams were finally going to get answered.
Lorenzo didn't know what exactly this Lilia's-man situation was, his father had once mentioned it to him but not in details for he was too young to know these romantic stuff. He scratched behind his ear in confusion, he wasn't used to being clueless about any topic of discussion- more so after becoming the head of the Russo clan.
Liliana stared intently at Lorenzo's hand, "Where is your ring?"
He looked at his hand only to find the ring of his index missing. He replied with a slightly guilty face, "I might have left it in my room."
"Might! You might have? That ring symbolises your power. You are in more risk without that ring than with it. In what way should I put this to make you understand!" Liliana's eyes shoot daggers through the screen. Protecting Lorenzo was a duty Old Master Russo gave her with immense trust after years of doing her duty, it had became an instinct.
"You are the Shield, you just need a signal to know that my life is at risk and save me." he wasn't being suicidal with his indifference, rather he was so used to being hunted down that it didn't feel like anything special.
"My duty will officially end in a few days. Technically, it ended the day you were promoted."
"That's old news, I have something new for you," Lorenzo rubbed his hands together in anticipation, "We caught a spy of the Griffins."
Liliana's expression was unreadable to that, a blank mask hiding the pain of watching her benefactor die right in front of her eyes. "Did you make him spill?" was what she asked Lorenzo.
"Nah, he is a stubborn ass, not ready to open his mouth."
"Don't waste too much time on him. If he takes too long to talk, kill him." a life or two meant nothing in their line of business, specially when it concerned the whole Family.