Asher walked into his office just to see Josiah, sitting on his office chair, legs crossed on the desk whilst watching Joker, displaying from the projector to the large screen.
Josiah barked out a laughter, clearly enjoying the movie and ignoring Asher who was walking to him, with a clenched jaw.
Asher grabbed Josiah's leg and pushed it away energetically, causing him to fall to the ground.
Asher leaned on his desk, waiting for the seat to warm up so he wouldn't feel the heat from Josiah's ass on his.
" Not a very nice way to greet your best friend," Josiah said, standing up and dusting the sides of his black pants.
"I have warned you several times to quit sitting on my chair," Asher glared at Josiah. "How did you even get inside my office?— And please turn that shit off."
" Just because you don't like watching movies doesn't mean it's shit," Josiah switched off the projector. He took a sit in front of Asher's desk. " You arrived late today."
" How did you get into my office?" Asher repeated with a serious expression on his face.
"I stole your key card around five or six months ago and replaced it with a fake, so you would assume it stopped working and acquire a new one without suspecting." Josiah beamed proudly at his thievery.
Asher scratched his brows frantically and took his seat. Lena had already ruined his mood for the day, he didn't need anyone else adding to it.
He scowled, recalling part of what she had said.
She'd rather eat shit than sleep with him. Well, he'd rather eat metal than be bothered by a woman like her!
She deserved no space in his thoughts. Imagine— Asher looked down at his physique and got even more upset— What woman wouldn't want a man like him? He was handsome and he knew it. He had a perfect body, yet she'd rather eat shit than be with—
" Hey pity the freaking pen at least."
Asher looked down at his hand and noticed he was pressing a pen so firmly against the table that the ink was staining his fingertips.
" Stupid middle-class people," Asher muttered under his breath and tossed the pen away.
"What made you so upset this morning? You look like you'd gotten a wedgie." Josiah couldn't hide the amusement in his eyes.
Asher opened his mouth to speak, but when he saw who was sitting in front of him, he swallowed his words back. The last thing he needed to hear was Josiah's stupid laughter and teasing.
" Get out of my office, I need to work," Asher said, filling up his desks with the necessary items needed to start another hectic day of work.
" We were supposed to have a meeting by nine this morning and you missed it. I'm not getting my butt off this chair till we have the meeting."
Asher looked into his schedule for the day, and Josiah was, in fact, right.
Asher blamed Lena for wasting his time.
He was so preoccupied with his thoughts about her that he did not realize he was typing her name into the Google search field.
His eyes widened at his action. He was about to press backspace when he saw a search suggestion.
" Lena Duke Gabby insults the firstborn of Josh's family, Asher Josh, publicly."
Asher rested his chin between two fingers as he read her name. Lena Duke Gabby. He scoffed. He'd settle for Dubby.
He logged into Facebook and searched for her name because according to him, middle-class people's records would never be on Google because they just don't matter.
Just as Lena's face and profile popped up on his screen, Josiah said from behind him. " Oh, she's pretty."
On impulse, Asher shut his Apple laptop with exaggerated fierceness.
" What the hell are you still doing in my office?!" Asher barked, his heart beating unusually fast.
Why was he panicking like someone caught committing a crime? There was nothing wrong with looking up someone on social media, so why did he just act like Josiah caught him stalking?
Josiah groaned and walked back to his seat. "I have told you I am not leaving until we sort out the portfolios for the incoming investors." He looked at Asher pointedly. " Why are you looking like I caught you watching porn?"
Josiah knew his friend exceptionally well. He knew love wasn't in Asher's vocabulary, especially towards a middle-class lady. So, Josiah didn't look much into Asher's stunt.
Rubbing his brows, Asher released a breath. " Alright let's begin."
As Asher searched for some documents in his drawer, Josiah asserted. " That woman you searched up on Facebook. Wasn't she at the club yesterday?"
" I don't know and I don't care." A mischievous thought came up in Asher's mind and he gazed at his friend with a smirk. " You had a pretty… intense night yesterday. What's her name? Did you collect her number? Just so you know, I'm not going on a date in your place ever again."
The last time he'd offered to take Josiah's place for a blind date, things ended up pretty badly. Not only was the so-called rich lady a gold digger, but she also ordered three hundred dollars worth of food and pounced on Asher, publicly insisting he'd made love to her.
Of course, the most civilized thing for Asher to do was to throw her to the ground and leave without paying the bill.
Josiah's lips formed a thin line as he slouched in his chair, staring at Asher's desk.
"Can we get to the main reason I am here already?"
Asher grimaced. " Another golddigger?"
" She was digging for something, all right." He scoffed and sat straight. " Let's begin."
The meeting carried on for half an hour. Josiah and Asher talked about personal issues after the meeting before Josiah departed.
As Josiah departed, Asher's secretary entered Asher's office via the tall glass doors. Her face was shaped into a straight business-like expression, with a tiny blush on her cheeks that she could not conceal.
Asher wasn't a man to go unnoticed. His appearance was a tremendous advantage for him, especially when it came to gaining magazine publicity. Every lady was always at his feet, vying for a place in his heart and bed.
Well, except Lena who'd rather eat shit than sleep with him.
Asher's lips curved into a sneer. ' She'd take that back one day. I'll make sure of it. '
"Uh, Mister Josh," Trinity said, nervously. The blush across her cheeks spread when Asher looked at her. Hours ago, while you were out, some employees from Tropical Publishing Company arrived. They were requesting to have an interview with you."
" How many of them?"
" Uh," Trinity scrolled through her Apple iPad before replying, " Seven."
" Decline it," Asher said abruptly and was about to go through his next assignment for the day before Trinity interjected immediately.
" But sir, you haven't even gone through what the interview is about. They would write a biography of you and include you among other notable figures. Master Josh would be—"
" What does my father have to do with this!" Asher snapped, glaring at her.
Trinity recoiled, almost dropping the iPad. "I apologize, sir. I just—"
"Provide me the workers' information. Only one will be selected for the interview, and I will notify you as soon as I set a date. Asher averted his gaze, regretting a little his outburst against her.
Since he had discovered her father mistreating her, she was among the persons he spoke to with a modicum of respect. She was often harassed by her coworkers, but he made sure to enforce a rule that anyone who made fun of her would be fired.
Trinity read too much into Asher's kindness and saw him as her knight in shining armor ever since.
She tucked a strand behind her ear and said, " Sure Mister Josh."
"You may go now,"
Trinity bit her lips, trying to release a bit of her seducing spirit so Asher could pin her down to the table and make love to her, but he just stared at his laptop screen with a smug look and a finger pressed against his lips.
In an attempt to figure out what had him looking so impressed, Trinity bobbed her head. Behind him, a little mirror put into the wall allowed her to see the reflection of a woman's photograph.
" I said you can leave now Miss Trinity." Asher's bold voice stopped Trinity from almost frowning in disdain.
She nodded too quickly and left the room in a flash.
Asher looked down at the screen of his laptop, displaying a picture of Lena. After reading her résumé she posted, he was really impressed.
To him, she did not appear to be a smart lady. With a quick look at her disheveled hair, scanty dressing, peering brown eyes with that innocent face, he concluded she must have been a high school dropout.
' I must say you've impressed me, Miss Dubby,' Asher thought to himself. ' but not enough for me to let you go scot-free.'
As he read through her posts, he paused upon seeing a photo of her with a strangely familiar-looking man she was hugging.
Asher leaned forward and scrutinized the guy's face. A second later, his eyes widened a little.
He typed "Liam Duke" into the search field with haste.
When the results came up, Asher clicked on the first result with the guy's profile picture.
A smile drew on his lips as he read Liam's profile.
He slumped into his chair and let out a wicked laugh.
" So, this bastard is her twin brother."