"Are you really sure?"
"Yana, who do you think I am? Some of the lame government's analysts? Black market hackers? Hell no! I'm a thousand times better than them and when I say. Listen, when I say there isn't anything, then there isn't," Marie's excited voice rang through the phone, "If I can't find anything, no one can. But don't worry, I'll try to look further into it! There's no way I can't uncover the damn truth! Hey, I was the one who covered up all the traces while stone face only did the bare minimum, so-"
"Ok, ok, I got it," Yana started to sweat profusely as Marie's endless chatter began. Especially when Marie was riled up she talked more than usual.
"But I agree," Marie turned down a few notches and seriously said, "Something is fishy here. You think… maybe it got something to do with them? Why can't I find anything?"
"I..." this possibility was the worst.
Yana didn't want to think about it.
"Yana," now Marie sounded as if she was sincerely worried about her, "Maybe raise the issue with stone face-"
"No!" Yana's answer came lightning fast to the point that Marie was so stunned she stopped typing, "Marie, under no circumstances tell Roy."
Part of the reason was that Yana didn't want Roy to help her and the other was that if Roy got involved then… perhaps the truth was really the worst possibility. A long sigh came from Marie's end, "Alright. Alright. I won't tell him. I'll do some more digging but if it gets any more suspicious then you got no choice."
"Mhm, thanks Marie," Yana hung up deflated and confused. She had no idea what to do with the information.
It's been three days since Luka was here. No reporters and no young misses came to annoy Yana anymore. Even the news was now bare of her.
Luka really did a thorough job as he promised. He was currently very busy so he couldn't see Yana but he never failed to text her.
On the other side, Yana's proposal was greenlit and the project was now in the calculating and planning phase. Meanwhile, Yana left these tasks to the three managers who surprisingly never showed up or bothered Yana after the banquet.
Yana never even talked with or saw them. All she did was send them an email about the next phase of the project and got positive answers.
Yana had the strong suspicion that some assistants were taking care of it. If Yana could, she would have the managers behind the bars and drag their respective companies' names through the mud but right now it was too early. Yana still wanted to see what they had up their sleeves. The more they tried to harm her the more of a scandal it'd become and the more evidence she could collect.
So Yana wasn't in a rush to take care of them. The other surprising thing was that Roy didn't contact her despite her public blunder, but Marie said Roy was currently at the border so he had no time to spare for her.
So, Yana focused on the orphanage and most importantly Luka. Yana had Marie look into Luka. About his background information and just how in the world he became the CEO and found Yana but in the end, just as Yana already half expected it, it was completely shrouded in mystery.
Yana had hoped that Marie would find something, so Yana's suspicion about Luka could be cleared but now they were only reinforced. Marie was a brilliant analyst and information broker, if there was anyone who could find out anything, then it was Marie, but even she couldn't find out what happened to M.M's old CEO and how Luka rose to this position.
All the data surrounding it wasn't even confidential, no, they didn't even exist. The most wondrous thing was that the public, the executives and worker of M.M seemingly accepted Luka as hte new CEO without any backlash.
They only crowned Luka as the youngest CEO, not even questioning his methods of becoming one.
There was only one plausible explanation. Luka's circumstances or Luka himself had ties with 'them'. Because no government, no underworld person could do such thorough work except for that organisation.
Yana didn't want to believe it but all signs pointed towards it, so if Luka was really affiliated with that organisation, then the possibility he came to find Yana for a specific purpose was incredibly high.
Although Yana had no feelings for Luka, for some reason, a part of heart ached to know that Luka approached her with ulterior motives.
Then everything he did for her and how he acted was indeed fake. Just an act.
Yana closed her eyes and slumped on her bed. What a shitty discovery. No wonder Luka made her the project manager and even set her together with other three companies.
There must be a reason but Yana wasn't in the mood to find out what it was. Maybe all four of these companies were backed up by 'them' and Yana was being slowly cornered.
However, Luka still didn't do anything to her. Not yet. Yana rolled to the side and looked at her blinking phone. Luka sent her a new message, "Have you eaten yet?"
It was currently 5 pm, almost dinner time. She stared at the message for a while before deciding to ignore him.
***
"Did I do something wrong?"
10 minutes passed yet Yana still hasn't texted Luka back.
"Boss, you have so much work to do. Please put down your phone," Bao really wanted to quit.
His stupid boss!
Bao had a freaking blind date this evening! Finally! After such a long time, Bao also wanted to enjoy himself but it seemed like he was going to overwork. Again!
"But why isn't she answering?" Luka turned to his computer before Bao stopped him.
"Boss, please don't google. I can tell you that Miss Yana isn't necessarily on her phone all the time. She has to work and take care of the kids. So, please do your work."
Bao threw the documents in front of Luka fearlessly. If his boss was already a soft butt all the time now, what did Bao have to fear?
"Boss, I have to receive an order, please do your work here and wait!" Bao stomped out frustrated.
He saw that the lift was on the ground floor and cursed. It would take ages for the lift to come up. There was only one on his floor. Five floors down had 3. Who in the world came up with this design?
But as Bao finally descended the five floors, most of the people had already left work and the lights were out. Bao pressed the button and stared out of the window. The lift would still take a while.
Bored Bao looked at the streets for a while before his heart leapt out.
It was so small but Bao could never not notice that particular black car.
"Damn it," Bao cursed and instantly ran up to warn his boss.
Why the hell were they here all of a sudden? What did that old, cunning hag want again?
She was only supposed to come back for a brief meeting next year. So why, why, why the hell did she not follow the contract?
Bao had a bad feeling. As long as that old hag and her people were here, it never meant anything good for Luka, the company and …the country.