"Sir —" Raymond tried to protest.
"If he leaves for the airport before we get there, you are well aware of what would become of you."
Raymond had to keep his mouth shut and turn the car around, driving back to Anderson Corporation.
Halfway there, he looked into the rearview mirror and saw a car which he and Ethan woud recognize even in their dream. It was owned by one of Ethan DeLoach's master stalkers.
Though they had never seen the owner of the car, that was the only reporter that could make Ethan nervous as he had almost been caught multiple times by the reporter.
"Sir, it seems Ice Cream is on our tail." He informed.
"That shitty insect?" Ethan asked, through gritted teeth.
Though Ethan hated all reporters, there were a few whom ordinarily seeing their face would make him want to strangle them.
This 'Ice Cream' was one of them, though he had only seen their car and never a face. He had employed people to tail the car or find out information about the owner but none of them had ever seen the car owner's face.
The only information they were able to gather was that the car frequented Ice Cream parlors. Therefore, what better name to call the owner than Ice Cream?
Raymond noticed his boss had zoned out so he hurriedly called out to him.
"Where do you want me to go now? Anderson Corporation or DeLoach corporation?" He asked. DeLoach corporation had a special security system for Ethan so if they were able to get there, they would be able to evade Ice Cream.
Ethan weighed the two choices but couldn't decide. He needed to get to Liam Anderson and question him on a particular clause in the contract so he couldn't go back to DeLoach Corp. now.
"Pull up." He finally talked, looking into the rearview mirror.
"What?!" Raymond asked, unsure of what he heard.
"Pull up at the curb over there. I don't think they are following us."
He was right, the car sped past them without pausing an inch.
Raymond started the car after he was sure that Ice Cream's car must have gone a long way but what kind of luck did they have to meet the car in the Anderson Corporation Underground garage?
Liam also came out from the garage elevator at this time so Raymond's hand went to the car door, prepared to alight from the car but he paused seeing Ice Cream's car door open and— his boss's new wife came out of it!
"What?! That's your wife, right?" Raymond stuttered, turning to look at his boss slightly shocked face.
"Not my wife, Ray! Just a kid I will be taking care of for a year and…I knew her lips were too pretty for a reporter. She's probably the most despicable of them all." Ethan replied.
He pushed open the car door and alighted and Raymond immediately did the same.
"You are not using your mask…." Raymond started to speak before his eyes widened in realization.
"His wife has to know the difference between us, right?" He murmured to himself while taking large strides to catch up with his boss.
"Princess…"
Shikera hurried to her father's side as soon as she saw him walk out of the elevator.
"Daddy, I saw a very strange clause in the contract and I wanted you to…"
"I also came for that." Ethan's voice echoed in the silent garage, attracting both Shikera and Liam's attention.
Liam looked from Ethan to Shikera and for the umpteenth time, he commended himself inwardly for getting them to sign the contract. Could anyone tell this two how they were already acting like a pair with Ethan backing Shikera's words everytime?
Earlier today when she had refused the marriage and just now when she asked for the 'strange' clause, Ethan had coincidentally wanted the same thing.
"What strange clause?" He asked, feigning ignorance. He knew which of them would make the both of them come back here.
"The one that states that we sleep together every night!" Shikera stated, staring earnestly into her father's eyes.
Her father's eyes moved away from her face to Ethan's own.
"Is that your complaint too, Ethan?'' He asked.
"It is." His cold voice replied.
"I can't believe you, daddy. How can you ask us to sleep in the same room? What if he can't resist my beauty and appeal?" Since Ethan DeLoach was also against this, Shikera did not keep her views to herself any longer.
"I don't agree to this too. I might strangle her if she sleeps in the same room that I do." As always, Ethan backed her up indirectly.
"The contract has been signed, Mr and Mrs DeLoach. And there's nothing I can do about that." Liam stated perfunctorily.
He turned to Ethan and smiled weakly.
"Ethan, you should use your mask now. My assistants will be here soon." He said, walking closer to him as he talked.
Standing in front of Ethan, he pulled him in for a loose hug while whispering in his air, "You can make your own new rules concerning her but…don't you dare touch her!"
He withdrew himself from the hug and turned to Shikera, his face bare of any emotions. Finally he waved to his assistants, who had just came out from the elevator, and they ran over to him.
Ethan had used his facemask then but he turned sideways along with Raymond, to prevent them from seeing any discerning feature between them.
Shikera was still rooted to one spot when Liam and his assistants got into the car and left. After she was sure they were completely out of the garage, she walked towards Ethan.
"Hey Ethan!"
"It's Mr DeLoach to you."
Shikera scoffed in disbelief. This man is surely cold and proud as the rumors say but it's a pity he doesn't know who she is.
"Alright, Mr DeLoach. I wanted to tell you to ignore what my father said about us sleeping in the same room. That's very impossible so—"
"Shut it! You aren't any different from the rest. Renouncing your father's words when he only just left you."
Shikera was shocked as she looked at him. The aura he exuded as he spoke those words were so suffocating that she almost thought he was speaking about something else.
She was about to retort when her phone rang and she brought it out from her pocket, picking the call and placing the phone on speaker before she checked the caller.
The yell which came from the other side of the phone, however, made her regret her actions. It was her Team Leader who would never waste a chance to demean her.
"Anderson! Where did your useless a** go? The others are here including Leigh but you're still idling away at an Ice Cream parlor, right?"
Hearing the words from the other side of the line, a frown came to settle on Ethan's face. How could someone dare to insult the princess of The Anderson family who had now turned to The DeLoach family's queen? Shikera's reply shocked him all the more.
"I'm so sorry, Team Leader. I will make sure I get headline worthy news before this week ends." She walked towards her car as she spoke, glaring at Ethan one last time before getting into her car and zooming out.
Ethan turned to Raymond, his eyes reflecting the anger he was feeling.
"Look at that, Ray. She doesn't remember me so shouldn't I just hate her as much as I can?" He asked, gritting his teeth.
Raymond opened the car door without replying to his boss's words. He was not going to fall victim to this ploy again. He had been punished for so many times because of Miss Anderson or was it Mrs DeLoach now?