"Aren't you going to at least tell me why instead of going home, you drove to Sierra's house?"
Aidan stopped walking when he heard Dickie question him. He was about to enter his study room but was controlled by a question.
"Do you remember the woman I asked you to find six years ago?" He asked Dickie back. He knew his memory was sharp, so he was confident Dickie would remember everything, especially that one. "I found her, Dick."
"And where did you find her? And how?"
Aidan smiled, knowing that the past would be different for the man he had been with since childhood. Aidan wanted to channel his joy because he had already found Sierra. He had already unmasked the woman haunting him in his dreams every night.
Aidan also realized that all his fantasies were derived from simply looking at his assistant and secretly worrying about her. Despite the insults he had to throw at her. Despite being talkative and talking back at her, everyone had a valid reason.
"I found her inside my company. And she's the woman whom I thought won't last weeks. But she made it and defeated me."
"Sierra?" Dickie frowned even though he guessed who he was talking about. "How did it happen when you said that girl looked vague? Didn't you even ask for a copy of the guest IDs at the bar and didn't recognize anyone?"
"I have another way, Dickie." He is still not convinced because he knows his most hidden secret. Aidan heaved a deep sigh before he spoke again. Aidan has a problem recognizing someone even if he meets them face to face. "I kissed her. We kissed each other last night, so I asked you to drive me there."
As Aidan explained, he just got depressed when he saw that Dickie wasn't listening to him.
"Did you hear me, Dickie?"
"Ah, yes, but we have a problem, Aidan." He showed him an article with a picture of him and Sierra on what happened yesterday. Sierra's face is covered, but his face is visible. And Aidan didn't like the article headline about him being tagged as a harasser. "I'll call Martin right now."
He needs a damage control man before the flame becomes a fire.
"How on Earth that -"
Aidan knew that there was no one else in his pavilion yesterday besides him and Sierra. And if someone looks at the angle of the shot, it's from outside through a glass window that isn't tinted.
"I'll take a look, so don't come out of your penthouse."
He didn't move, and everything happened that fast. Earlier, he was happy, or it would be more correct to say he felt pleased. Now the anger roared in his heart and mind. If only he found out who took a picture of him and Sierra, it would bring the wrath of Aidan Fritzgibbons.
They wouldn't like it if he's gone mad.
***
Sierra came to work feeling unusual. There seemed to be something strange to which she couldn't put a name—probably brought on by the weirdo events of Saturday up to yesterday. She came in early as usual and prepared the things that Mr. Fritzgibbons had. From his breakfast to the very last need of her heat-headed boss.
This is the shortlist he made.
She took the bond paper from the storage room, filled a lot in the printer, and then printed Mr. Fritzgibbons's shortlist. After he published it, she carried the documents and went to wait for her boss. Sierra was busy fixing her clothes when the elevator suddenly opened, but instead of her boss, she welcomed a group of men carrying toolboxes.
"Miss, is Mr. Aidan Fritzgibbons' office here?" asked a man with a big belly.
"Yes, but what do you need?"
"We are from a glass and aluminum company. We are here to tint the windows of his office up to the top office."
That she didn't expect. Why didn't her boss tell him again? Is she in arrears here since this was the one who acted weird since Saturday? Sierra still can't forget the scene yesterday at their dinner table. And Mr. Fritzgibbons didn't stay in for lunch, and he stayed until dinner yesterday. She wants to disappear and doesn't know how to talk to him. The young man even played with her son, who received good words from her friends.
As in the previous scenes, she was no longer told about the sudden change in his schedule. Again...
"Ah, okay. I'll call that maintenance guy for a moment."
"They're here." I have nothing to do, she said in her mind. "Can we start now?"
"G-go ahead,"
Sierra hurried back to her cubicle to check her cell phone. Sierra hoped that he would have a heads up to receive but as usual, still nothing. Sierra seemed to want to scream out of annoyance mixed with frustrations from her boss's rudeness. She hoped he at least sent her a message or email so that she would be aware of the changes.
She took a deep breath and then focused on preparing for their team building. It seems that event will only be her last way to get back at her boss. She will get revenge on Mr. Fritzgibbons, and Sierra will now plan because the man can't beat her.
After finishing her work, she went to the cafeteria to eat. Mr. Fritzgibbons decided, suddenly, to work at home, so the maintenance team benefited from his breakfast. Later, she will go to his penthouse to do other things the young man asks her to do. It's a waste of her effort. And Dickie wouldn't pick her up early this morning. She was forced to commute from home to the office. Because she needs a service and Sir Martin will drive her to the penthouse of Mr. Fritzgibbons.
"Aha!" shouted an incredible voice that almost made Sierra scream. "Did I say that -"
"Why are you startling me, sir?!" she asked Sir Martin.
"Nothing. I can't believe that you... Uhm..." He couldn't continue what he was going to say. Instead, he pulled her away from the crowd. "Aidan's mystery girl. It's you, am I right?"
"Mystery girl? What are you saying?"
"You don't know yet? You have a cell phone, don't you?" Sierra showed the cell phone she was holding and her personal belongings during her break. "Ah, right, you are not in the GC of the employees of Fritzgibbons Corporation. Because you two are enemies to everyone, no one wants you both to be in our cult."
"Oh my God! Are you for real? Are you out of your mind, Sir Martin?" Sierra was about to caress his forehead, but the young man immediately removed her hand. "What is that?"
"You won't like it. Just like how I feel about the menu in the cafeteria. Are your things with you? Let's go to Aidan's penthouse now."
"I'm just about to eat, sir."
"There's food in Aidan's penthouse." He left without even showing her what he had discovered. She wondered if she should be nervous or not.
Should he be nervous? Aidan's mystery girl? Where did that come from?
This man is a mess, she said in his mind. They are both cousins, and I shouldn't doubt that...
***
Reporters were outside the subdivision's gate, where Aidan's penthouse is. As part of the protocol in the subdivision, no one was allowed to come close to the vicinity of where he lived. All they could do was look at his house, take a picture of the ones that come out, and then enter the subdivision from afar. The news spread fast, and that was the reason why he was not able to go out all day today. He's locked up in his penthouse, and Dickie buys him food.
Martin already did his part in taking the article down. His cousin also told a media outlet that no harassment happened last Saturday and that they are still looking at who got his picture with Sierra. There's no way he harassed Sierra last Saturday when they wanted it to happen. Aidan felt something; he didn't know if he shared it with Sierra, but the lady's self-control was more intense than his. She's not fond of office romance, just like she said in their one-on-one interview.
"H-how did they n-get that? W-was it on the news?" Sierra asked one question after another that Aidan couldn't answer. He still has no leads as to who took their picture last Saturday. They already reviewed all the CCTVs and found no information still.
"I already took down the article and all the copies available online. Thanks to our IT people in the company. I also released Aidan's statement in our trusted media outlet." Martin answered Sierra's question though he was unsure if that was the answer she wanted. "Now, we'll work on her statement, or Sierra will remain a mystery to everyone."
"Just let it be that way. Keep her identity sacred and a mystery. Now, can you leave us two here?" He stood up from his seat, went to the door, and opened it for Martin and Dickie.
"Really? You'll leave us in the dark again?" Martin asked.
"When did I become open with my personal life, Martin?" Martin didn't move and just waved Dickie out of his penthouse. When the two came out, he immediately turned back to Sierra, who was still stunned by the loss. "I know it's crazy -"
"And weird," Sierra interjected immediately.
"Well, I'm weird."
Sierra composed herself and opened the folder she was holding. It contains all the documents that need his signature. She laid it neatly on the center table, picked up the ballpoint pen, and handed it to him. "You have a lot of papers to review and sign, sir. You don't want your world to stop because of this issue."
"You're right. Are we all set on our team building this weekend?"
"Everything is all set, sir," she answered. "Can I ask you one thing? A favor if you may ask, sir."
"What is it?"
The girl took a deep breath. "Can you loop me in on every change you'll make with your schedule? Can you also try not to be a weirdo? Lastly, can you not decide for me?"
"That's three, Sierra,"
"I will add more if you like because it's not always good to be left in the dark."
Sierra was the only one who could counter him, so he could tell that the girl was strange. She's strong, independent, and charming. She slowly swoons him even before they kiss.
And about the kiss. They haven't sorted it out, so he makes Martin leave with Dickie.
"About the kiss -"
"We're not going to talk about that, sir. Let's separate our personal and business lives always, Mr. Fritzgibbons."