Jaya stood within the elegant grand event room, her eyes scanning the space, uncomfortable and embarrassed, her teeth clenched on her soft lower lip as she waited. the boys approached her again and again, their gentle smiles barely concealed the lustful look in their eyes as they tried to speak to her, and everybody had to grant up as she ignored their skilled approach line. Glancing at her watch, belly tight knots of nerves and tension as she waits - waiting to work out someone with the most power over the longer term of her family's future.
The movement on stage finally foreshadowed the highlight of the night, a keynote address by the CEO and major shareholder of Pearl X Incorporated, who she had come to meet that night. Jaya studied the head of the Pearl Empire, an older, dignified man whose online photos depict a handsome and distinguished man in his fifties, and that night her eyes kept scanning him, hoping to talk to him before his speech.
The host walking forward drew her attention to the stage again as she opened the presentation, giving a brief overview of the CEO's history and his many accomplishments. Jaya wasn't listening, she looked around the side of the stage, a small frown on her smooth forehead. Taking a step back, she took a deep breath, not focusing on the people around her, and bumped into the arms of a man walking somewhere.
She turned around quickly with an apology on her pretty face and noticed that the man stretched out a steady hand, his fingers warmly wrapped around her arm, his handsome face bowed his head and smiled at her, and replied softly with an apology, his voice was deep And emotional. She watched his eyes slide off her with interest, admiring the stunning woman in front of her before reaching her lovely face. His expression changed, and there was a trace of confusion in the darkest eyes she had ever seen.
Familiar eyes, she stared at him in shock and disbelief. "Alfonzo?" The barely audible soft name escaped from her shocked lips when he looked back more closely, his warm eyes cold and hard as he finally recognized him. "Oh, Jaya!" The speaker finished his introduction, her name bitten off contemptuously, Jaya barely heard his voice, and she looked back at the man she had known years ago.
"So please lend a hand to Mr. Alfonzo Peralta, CEO of Pearl X Incorporation." Spontaneous applause broke the bewildering way the two stared at each other. He looked away from her, stiffened, walked forward, and quickly climbed the steps beside the stage. Jaya stood dumbfounded as she watched Alfonzo—a man she used to call Peralta dog—but in a group, she felt disgusted when the partygoer took his rightful place in front of him.
She raised a trembling hand to her forehead, feeling the frustration welling up in her heart, knowing that it was all over and her family's last hope had been dashed. She swallowed hard, holding back the tears that burned at the corners of her eyes. They were doomed, with no salvation in the hands of the man who started his speech with panther-like grace and confidence after speaking to one of his security guards, Jaya once again lowered a shocked gaze at his amazing body.
She took her eyes away from him with a definite movement, turned resolutely, and the frustration weighed heavily on her, and she squeezed through the large crowd that swarmed up to listen to the great man's talk. Jaya needs to get out of there, as far as possible between her and Alfonzo.
Arriving at the door, she witnessed the security guard he was talking to walk up to her, blocking her way, with an ominous attitude, speaking to her politely and firmly. "Mr. Alfonzo wants you to wait in his private office."
Jaya shook her head firmly, refusing to be intimidated by the tall man, and reached for the door. "I don't think so. Please tell Mr. Peralta that I politely declined his offer," the security guard continued, the barely perceptible slight twitching of his lips the only real indication he heard her. "I was told that if you feel that way, you can say to you goodbye to Cabrera Manufacturing.
The two words made her stunned in place, her eyes rolled, and she stared at the man on the stage in disbelief. A short video was playing, and everyone was watching, his eyes only fell on her, his eyes were interlaced, and his expression was firm and cold. Jaya felt the pain hug over her.
He knows.
He knows everything. Taking her eyes off him, her shoulders drooping in defeat, she nodded to the security guard, her gesture and expression of acknowledging surrender, letting the door close, then walking from behind the security guard to the other entrance, the voice of the speech disappeared when she was taken to the elevator.
She felt sick as they made their way up the marbled elevator. She has always believed that if she could find the CEO of Pearl X on her own and talk to him about her problems, and she could buy some time for the family, the billionaire would understand and support the family.
However, that hope was dashed the moment she found out who the current head was. Alfonzo Peralta would be more than happy to destroy them, the cold gripping every part of her.
The slamming of the elevator doors heralding their arrival brought her thoughts back, and she followed the guards with her head held high, suddenly realizing that they were on the top floor of an upscale five-star hotel. The door opened, and she had been led into the spacious penthouse suite, staring at the surrounding environment in amazement, knowing that this was his private suite, the room he lived in, this realization made her even more uncomfortable.
Entering what appears to be a study, the guards let her go for a drink before going out, the only sound is the click of the front door, leaving Jaya alone, alone with her mind and the ghosts of her past. Finally, she settled into the large, stuffed leather armchair, her head buried in her hands, and memories of the past flooded in.