"Here you go."
Anna, return the phone to Krishna. She was staring at her meaningfully as she complimented her once more.
"How stunning you are."
"Thank you," Krishna replied with a flustered face and shyness flash in her eyes. "But you are the gorgeous one."
After she returned the compliment, she sounded with concern. "Well, I would not take more of your time. Your friends must be waiting now."
Anna pursed her lips with another friendly smile. Even the way she nodded was elegant, which caused Krishna to admire her more.
"I'll see you tomorrow for your evening gown fittings," said Anna.
"Oh, right!" Krishna had almost forgotten that George wanted her to be his plus one on Friday. She turned him down, but the crazy guy said it was part of her job. Besides, she will receive compensation from him. Thinking that she would get another bonus, she said yes. "Then, see you tomorrow, Anna."
"Hummed… Have a safe trip back to the hotel."
"Thank you. Have a good night." She waved her right hand, then turned around and resumed walking toward the exit door, where a black Maybach was already waiting for her.
Anna instructed the elevator AI not to close the door yet. Her eyes lingered on Krishna's beautiful back until her silhouette disappeared in her line of sight.
Just then, she told the AI which floor she headed to.
The AI responded and closed the door. Then, the elevator ascended steadily and stopped on the 8th floor.
Anna stepped out but halted after she walked past the beautiful woman in a red dress.
The woman was holding the phone close to her ear, giving instructions to the person on the other line.
"Standby for my further instructions," she said.
After that, the woman whispered goodbye.
Yet, the phone remained in her ear, and she acted like she was listening to someone on the other line—
"Did your meeting go well?" While looking at her phone, Anna suddenly spoke, scanning the images she had taken a while back.
"Nope. Did you meet her in the lobby?" the woman in the red dress answered, then returned a question.
Anna hummed, partly tilting her head to the side. As she slowly typed on her phone, she replied to the woman,
"I noticed she looked too stressed when she stepped out of the elevator. But look at her photos…. I'm proud she is learning to be professional in her new career."
The woman, who is none other than Camilla, secretly peeked at the photos over Anna's shoulder.
"That's good. Thanks for the help tonight. I will send Leslie to return the SSVIP membership card I borrowed from you."
"It's alright. You can have it as long as you need it." Anna said in a casual tone; seemingly, she was only talking to herself while immersed in her phone.
The two of them had a casual conversation, but in the eyes of others, they were two strangers standing in front of the elevator, minding their own business.
"Thank you. I owe you one." After a moment of silence, Camilla expressed her gratitude for everything Anna did for her.
"Don't mention it. We're sisters in the Organization. Besides, I'm more than happy to take Krishna to work for me. She was too perfect for my new designs. She was like an angel sent by heaven, a blessing to my company."
"Well, I am more surprised she accepted your offer," Camilla enunciated.
Anna smiled. "Some women take a big step and make significant decisions when they enter motherhood. I appreciate her persistence to belong in the industry, even though she was like a lost little fox. And I admire her determination to work harder for her son. It was just a few days, but she had made adjustments already. Donny told me that Krishna often asks his advice about what a brand ambassador should do and not."
"Hummed. I couldn't agree more with your statement. I'm glad my best friend embraced the changes in her life after becoming a mother. She was braver and even smarter now. I hope she keeps gaining self-confidence and stops being naïve and fooled by some vultures."
Anna stole a glance at Camilla. A smile appeared in her eyes as she commented, "That was so nice of you."
Anna compliments Camilla's love for her dear friend Krishna. It was rare to have a loyal friend, and Heaven blessed her to be in a circle of genuine women with a heart of gold, empowering other women.
"Well then! I'm sure you have more things to attend to."
"Hummed. Your friends must be waiting now. Good night." Camilla bade goodbye as she entered the elevator.
"Don't worry about Krishna. I will watch over her for you." Anna assures Camilla before she can give instructions to the elevator AI. "Good night."
After enunciating that, Anna resumed walking while Camilla spoke to the AI. The door closed, and she soon arrived at the underground parking lot where her subordinates were waiting.
"Everything is ready, Captain." said a man, handing Camilla a bag that contained clothes to change her dress.
"Great job."
~
Not far away outside from APHRODITE PALACE…
Three black SUVs and a silver sports car pay attention to the black Maybach exiting the Palace's gate.
"Sir… Our men were inquiring if we would follow the car." Sitting behind the wheel, Dillion asked the man in the passenger seat.
"Hummed."
"Alright…" Dillion ignited the car and prepared to drive away when his phone rang. "Hello? Who's this?"
It surprised Dillion after the person on the other line introduced himself and conveyed a long message.
"Well, then…" Dillion put down his phone and turned to his boss. "There is someone who wants to meet you."
George creased his forehead. He asked Dillion without looking in his direction. "Who?"
"The person who contacted me just now says his boss is Camilla Rodriguez. She had important things to discuss with you."
George's left brow raised upward. "How important is it?"
"It's about Miss Palermo."
George's pupils constricted. 'Is she going to confront me because I mistreated her friend, as I mistook her as Florian's mistress?'
Indeed, he thought Krishna had deliberately approached him that fateful night. Then, she seduced Florian after because his cousin was softer than him.
It is why his blood was boiling after he recognized her as the woman he slept with that night.
"Is there something I should know I haven't discovered yet about that woman?"
True to that, he ran a background check and sent men to monitor Krishna's ranch.
"Boss, the caller told me that his boss knew you planted a listening device in Miss Palermo's jewelry. Miss Rodriguez also knew that you ran a background check on her friend, so you already knew about Miss Palermo's secret."
The secret is that she has a son.
'And to think that woman named my son after her deceased fiance!' George sneered in his heart. He always felt like a nuclear bomb that was about to blast. Good, that he had killed that man already, or else he'll kill him once more.
Thinking about this, the frown on his face deepened. He asked, "Where did she want to meet me?"
"At Southwestern Hill."
"Well… Let's go."
On the way to meet Camilla, George received a report from the men he assigned to watch his son.
"How was it?"
"Boss, we learned this morning that Miss Palermo is looking for someone to hire to renovate a nursery's room. She wanted to turn it into a playroom and sundeck. My brother and I plan to apply to do the job."
Hearing this, a warm sensation enveloped George's chest.
"A nursery room? Do you mean my son's bedroom?" he uttered dazedly, thinking about when he could hold his son.
"Yes, boss."
"I see. Please, do… And add more people to watch the place. But ensure everyone keeps a low profile. I don't want my enemies to learn about my son's existence."
"Copy, boss."
'That woman knew of my movement. Hah.'
He was hunting down every person who was causing trouble in his business. But they still keep coming.
'Then? Who is my real enemy?'