The fluffy, velvety duvet was slouched just to reveal half of the face, two eyes peeking out, looking for anything out of order in the room, a demon perhaps?
"He's still sleeping I guess. Let the sleeping dogs asleep."
The sun was up, so was the girl for an hour or so, biting her nails in tension under the covers. Finally, she mustered up the courage and put on the invisible cloak of heroism to look around. The coast was clear but for how long?
If she had not acted oh so bold and slapped the CEO out of instinct, maybe she would not be cowering like a pussycat Junho taunted her to be last night. Having said that, what did go wrong? More like when did the train veer off the track? They were enjoying a super boring dinner, the CEO to be exact, and Alice was enjoying the picturesque sight of California. Junho was drunk, and it did not mean he was off the hook, but the drunkard instincts could be justified, but what about Alice?
She was wide awake, her brain functioning properly, no residues of alcohol in any part of her mind, then why did she kiss him back? Well, she would say that she was also not in her right mind for doing so. And gave her boss a slap when it was mutual? That was not very brave of her. But the blow worked as a lullaby for the CEO as right after that, he blinked at his assistant in incredulity before collapsing over her.
A few minutes passed and they stayed in the same position. The scene of those two from her flashback or whatsoever it was on repeat in her mind; especially the moment when their faces became visible. They looked...so damn in love and that love was out of the world she was living in. Who looked at someone as if the next person was their entire universe in today's world? Yes, humans did have a universe and it is money. Directly or indirectly their lives revolved around those notes. Family, friends, society, they were only an on and off part of their lives, sadly.
Anyhow, the girl successfully got herelf free from the weight of the heavy pig that was lying on top of her as if he had nothing else to do in the whole wide world. Did she cover his body with a blanket before leaving? She was so afraid of the CEO waking up that she did not even zip up her dress, let alone waste her time on the so-called sweet gesture. Thank goodness nobody saw her scurrying out of the room or they would have thought otherwise. Well, she thought she entered her room without anybody noticing her and, by all means, she could be wrong.
"I can sleep in here all day if he's also sleeping. It's not that I've got the responsibility of multinational corporations on my shoulders." She was about to go back under the covers when something crossed her mind.
"F*ck! We have had a meeting at 11!" Wriggling out of the covers, she jumped on her feet and grabbed her phone from the nightstand.
"Phew...thank God we still have an hour." She slumped down on the bed only to jolt back on her feet again.
"But how I'm gonna face him?! Ugh!!!" She was thankful for getting strong hair from her mom or else she would have gone bald with the rate she had started pulling her hair.
"Man up, Alice. Yeah, man up. He's not a tyrant. He ain't gonna chop your body into so many little pieces, and then throw them before hounds just for slapping him." Something about the last night was itching her. And why not? She saw her doppelganger and the worst was she was with the boy of the same face as her boss even though his name was different.
"Yeah, he will not do that. He will simply shoot me in my head. One shot and all done." Feng was what the girl needed at the moment. She was never good at negotiating with herself.
"Ugh, f*ck! Stop bullshit! He's not a mafia! Just let me slide this time. I swear I'll be a good kid." Facing up the ceiling, she pleaded helplessly; the last thing she would do whenever her parents got into an argument and threatened each other with divorce. Alice would lock herself in her room and burst out in anger after crying her heart out with, "Please, don't let them get a divorce. I'll be a good kid I promise. Please, I beg you." If she knew she was pleading for those parents who would choose their own lives and pleasure over her, she would have taken both of them to the court herself instead of wasting her precious tears over them.
"At least I'm gonna die in California air." After some minutes of consoling with herself, there she was standing at the door of Junho in a new outfit. Receiving no response to the knocks, she welcomed herself inside as she knew the pin code.
"He can't be gone to the meeting without his assistant." The bed was empty, so was the entire place. When she proceeded towards the balcony, she heard the sound of someone throwing up coming from the bathroom.
"Finally my assistants decided to show up." A few minutes of silence was smashed by the CEO as he emerged out of the bathroom in a bathrobe. Her stomach dropped to the floor at the sight. No, not because he looked an ethereal Greek God, helluva hot with wet hair sticking out at his forehead, and the tiny droplets sliding down his exposed chest to his naval before soaking in the fabric. But the red hand imprint adorning his left cheek. Was it her hand's print? Judging by its size, yes, it was hers. However, she did not slap that hard to leave a mark overnight.
"Haha, you were sleeping so I thought I'd also have some sleep. You know a good assistant follows every move of her boss, Mr Geon." She replied as she composed herself. It could be possible that Junho had not seen his face in the mirror yet.
"Really? A good assistant follows every move of her boss?" Junho arched a brow at his assistant audacity of covering up her sleeping a*s with such excuse. The girl was stupidly brave. Alice nodded her head.
"And if she doesn't follow the lead?" Hurling the towel beside him, Junho tilted his head, his tongue pocking the imprinted cheek.
"Then she gets the punishment I guess." At this point, Alice was not certain anymore. She would not complain if Junho fired her right there and then. If she behaved, she could at least have her boss paying for the return ticket.
"You guess? Is it yes or no, Miss Alice?" It looked as if he knew what he was doing. Making his assistant spill the beans because...
"I-t's yes, Mr Geon." Alice hated how she would go submissive just at the one glance of her boss but who would not when he would give that death glare?!
"Hmm, I'll think about it. Now go and cancel all the meetings for today. I don't remember what I drank last night but my stomach has been upset and I can't attend a meeting with this troubling headache." Junho said turning towards the closet.
"You don't remember? Like anything?" How could Alice forget that Junho would not remember his drunkard night?! He did not recognize Alice when he saw him in his company.
"I just remember going to the bar after telling you to wait for me in my room." He pulled grey sweatpants out.
'It means I'm safe! He doesn't remember a f*ck happened last night! No kiss, no slap, no...'
"And my cheek is also hurting so bad. Call a doctor to examine me." Alice's happiness was short-lived when Junho mentioned the doctor. If a doctor would come, and the CEO asked what was wrong with his cheek, he might tell him about the sign of four fingers. No, she could not let that happen. She just had to keep Junho away from looking at the mirror until the mark would fade.
"I waited for you but weren't coming so I left. I think you might have fallen while finding your way in the bedroom and hurt your cheek, Mr Geon. An ointment can cool down the burning of it." Yes, he would buy it. He had to. 80% of people would hurt themselves after getting drunk. It was normal. And maybe she could get him convinced to not see the doctor if he considered the ointment option.
"Oh, really? You seem to know a lot about it. Will you explain what thing could give me a handprint, Miss Alice?" Alice was short of words. Her mind was malfunctioning; as if a computer virus was eating up on all the files in her brain, leaving it empty.
She did not realize when Junho came walking up to her, grabbed her from her wrist and dragged her into the bathroom. Pushing her in front of the mirror, he stood behind her; their bodies pressed against each other. Taking a hold of her hand, he put it right over the red mark and looked straight at her in the mirror.
"How come the thing I fell on has the same size and pattern as of your hand, Miss Alice?"