*****
As Jonathan walked out of the penthouse, he was greeted by the outside guards, who nodded respectfully as he passed. His personal assistant, Brandon, stood by the car, a professional smile on his face. "Good morning, sir," Brandon said, opening the car door for Jonathan.
Jonathan nodded curtly, his eyes fixed on some point ahead as he slid into the sleek leather interior. Brandon closed the door behind him and walked around to the other side, getting in beside him. "Your schedule for today, sir," Brandon began, consulting his tablet. "You have a meeting with the marketing team at 10 am, followed by a conference call with the Tokyo office at 2 pm."
Jonathan nodded again, his expression unreadable. Brandon continued to brief him on his schedule as the driver pulled away from the curb, merging into the morning traffic. The tension from the penthouse still lingered, but Jonathan's face betrayed no emotion, his eyes fixed on the cityscape passing outside the window.
Brandon glanced at Jonathan, noticing the tension in his jaw. "You look stressed, sir," he said, not expecting a response.
But Jonathan surprised him, his voice low and introspective. "She's so... frustrating. She made a pact to not speak with me, to ignore my presence, yet she seeks attention. Women..."
Jonathan paused, collecting his thoughts. Brandon wondered where this was going, but didn't interrupt.
"...do you have a girlfriend or a wife, or any creature tagged as a woman living with you?" Jonathan asked, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Does she frustrate you, drive you nuts, make you just want to pull your hair out just at the thought of her?"
Brandon's mouth hung open, shocked by the sudden questioning. He stuttered, "Uh, n-no, sir. I mean, I have a... a girlfriend, but she's not... frustrating, sir."
Jonathan's gaze turned to him, piercing. "Really? Never? Not even once?"
Brandon shifted uncomfortably, feeling like he was under a microscope. "Well, sir, maybe once or twice... but not like you're describing, sir."
The silence that followed was oppressive, heavy with unspoken tension. Brandon's eyes darted to Jonathan, who had turned back to gazing out the window, his expression unreadable once more. Brandon's mind raced, wondering what had just happened and what Jonathan was really thinking.
Finally, Brandon broke the silence, his voice barely above a whisper. "L-let me guess, sir... Miss Salvador's giving you a hard time?" He stuttered, his confidence wavering.
Jonathan's gaze snapped back to him, his eyes narrowing slightly. Brandon felt a shiver run down his spine as he awaited Jonathan's response, his heart pounding in his chest. Had he overstepped? He quickly added, "No, sir, you don't need to answer that. Actually, you don't need to say a word. I'm sorry if my question or words offend you, sir."
Jonathan's gaze held Brandon's for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then, he turned back to the window, his eyes fixed on some point outside. The silence that followed was oppressive, heavy with unspoken tension.
Brandon's apology hung in the air, unanswered. Jonathan's ignoring him was more unsettling than any response could have been. Brandon's mind raced with worst-case scenarios, wondering if he had crossed a line. He glanced at Jonathan, but his face was a mask, revealing nothing. The silence stretched out, making Brandon's skin crawl. He fidgeted with his tablet, searching for something to say, but his mind was blank.
Just as he thought the silence couldn't get any more oppressive, Jonathan spoke up, his voice low and even. "Clear my 10 am schedule, Brandon."
Brandon's head snapped up, his eyes locking onto Jonathan's profile. "Sir?"
"Reschedule it for another day," Jonathan continued, his gaze still fixed on the window. "I need to think."
Brandon's mind racing, he nodded hastily. "Yes, sir. Right away, sir."
He quickly typed away on his tablet, his fingers flying across the screen as he rearranged Jonathan's schedule. The silence between them was still heavy, but Brandon sensed a subtle shift in Jonathan's demeanor. The tension in his jaw had eased slightly, and his shoulders seemed less rigid.
As Brandon finished rescheduling the meeting, Jonathan turned to him, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Make sure everything is taken care of, Brandon. I don't want to be disturbed."
Brandon nodded again, his heart still pounding in his chest. "Yes, sir. I'll take care of everything."
Jonathan's gaze lingered on him for a moment, then he turned back to the window, his expression once again unreadable. Brandon sighed quietly, unsure of what had just happened. He glanced at the clock, wishing time would pass faster. He couldn't wait to get out of this awkward silence and back to a sense of normalcy.
********
Back at the penthouse.
Mia slammed the bedroom door shut, her heart racing with frustration. She couldn't believe Jonathan's audacity, ignoring her like she was some kind of petulant child. She paced back and forth across the room, her mind racing with annoyance as her subconscious chimed in, "Uh, didn't you say you was going to start the ignoring game too, so why the fuse Emilia?"
Mia stopped pacing, her eyes widening in defiance. "Shut up! That's different!"
Her subconscious persisted, "How is it different? You're both playing the same game."
Mia threw herself onto the bed, covering her face with a pillow. "I'm right, he's wrong! That's how!"
Just then, a knock at the door made her jump. She rushed to cover herself with the duvet, her heart racing. "Come in!" she called out, expecting it to be Joann. But to her surprise, it was Sir Gary. Mia's eyes widened in shock, and she blurted out, "Sir Gary?!" Her subconscious whispered, "Well, that's unexpected."
"Miss Emilia, I wanted to talk to you about your behavior this morning," he said.
"I feel there was nothing wrong with it," she replied. "One way or the other, I needed to voice out. I'm tired of being left in the dark, of being treated like a prisoner."
I get your point, but you do know you're not one," Sir Gary said, his tone gentle. "You have the freedom to move around; there are many places to explore in here."
"And out there?" Mia asked, as Sir Gary's face fell, showing disappointment.
"No, not out there," he said. "But there's a game room, a pool, and a mini theatre. We could see a movie if you want." He spoke playfully, and they both giggled, though Mia wasn't having it.
"I get you're trying to cheer me up Sir Gary," Mia said, smiling politely. "Thanks, but I'll just stay in here for now." She lay down, pretending to be asleep.
Sir Gary nodded understandingly, his smile fading. "Okay, Mia. I'll leave you alone for now. But if you change your mind, you know where to find me." He stood up, his movements quiet as he left the room.
Mia waited until she heard the door close before snapping her eyes open, her determination clear. "I won't be trapped like a child," she whispered, throwing off the covers. She strode to the balcony, scanning the area - no one was in sight. Then, she grabbed the bed sheets, tying them together to create a makeshift rope, and began to climb down. Her heart raced as she descended, floor by floor, until she reached the ground. Without hesitation, she sprinted towards the garden, her eyes fixed on the entrance. She smiled to herself as she saw it was open, and she slipped through the doorway.
As soon as she entered, a beep echoed through Jonathan's phone, signaling that someone had crossed the back entrance. Jonathan, already inside the office elevator, opened the doors to exit the building. But as the doors slid open, he was met with a surprise. His father stood outside, a devilish smirk spreading across his face.
"Hey, Son," he said, his voice dripping with malice.
Jonathan's eyes narrowed, his mind racing with questions. What was his father doing here?
******
In a dimly lit room, the only sound was the soft hum of the city outside. A figure emerged from the shadows, his voice trembling slightly.
"Boss...I've got the name of the lady behind the mask."
The air was thick with tension as the figure waited for a response. A pause hung in the air like a challenge.
A low, gravelly voice spoke from the darkness, still fixed on the window. "What is it?"
The figure hesitated, then spoke in a rush. "Emilia....Salvador."
The room fell silent once more. The figure held his breath, waiting for a reaction.
"Emilia Salvador," the voice repeated in the dark, his voice dripping with malice. "I want to know everything about her. Her past, her secrets.. and why she's with Thane"