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"Charlotte?" 

It was almost involuntarily. Thoughtless. 

And it had escaped Sebastian Keith the second my sister's face flashed before him in the dim light of the room.

From before him, Scarlett Thorne had an expression that reflected a mixture of emotions between bewilderness, yet at the same time danger. 

She looked like she was ready to charge at the man, to erase him off of existence in order to continue doing whatever she was doing. 

And yet it was not to be denied that she also looked scared...

She was smart enough to know that whoever this stranger was, he looked fancy enough to be among the people who, if he gave her away, would send her to her fate.

Scarlett gulped upon hearing my name, and she blinked.

Even I flushed at that... He... What would bring me to his mind in such a split of a second for him to blurt out my name...

My sister's expression slowly started changing. And apparently, it sank in to her at that, that the person who just caught her stealing documents from a very-important looking office, knew me, her little sister. And he knew me by first-name basis. Meaning he was rather close to me.

Well, I can't really deny that.

And him being close to me reflected one thing to her, as she knew me enough to know the following: he was no harm. 

Slight, almost imperceptible relief washed over my sister's face, as she eyed Sebastian Keith haughtily, and arced a brow at him, "Who the fuck are you?" She spat. 

I gasped. Goodness, Scarlett!

From the screen before Alba and I, I saw Sebastian Keith's facial expression mirror pure stun as he shifted, realizing he had most definitely not gotten the right Charlotte.

It took him a few seconds before his expression started going back to normal, and slowly, his peaceful looks came back, as a smooth, and carefree smile crossed his lips. 

Fixing Scarlett with his enchanting deep jades, Keith let out a short throaty chuckle, "That's quite an attitude, for a maid-dressed thief at the office of Trevor Ellington Conway." 

I froze in my spot, and Alba gulped.

Good lord in the heavens...

WHAT THE ACTUAL HECK, SCAR?! 

Didn't you find any other goddamned office to steal from?!

The Chairman's??!!

From before Sebastian, Scarlett seemed unfazed, "Yeah, y'see my bitchy attitude doesn't really vary according to locations." 

Another chuckle escaped Sebastian, and my sister, realizing her theft had been interrupted, started moving towards the door. 

As she approached the young lord, she slowed down her pace, to notice his heated intense jade gaze fixed on her.

He was not flinching. 

And he made it super clear that passing by him was not going to be as easy as she thought it would be.

Goodness, what... what's he gonna do...

Will he report her?! 

Please no!! 

I bit my lips, hard. I knew I had to interfere, and yet... what can I even do... 

I didn't even have enough time to do anything!

As she was a step away from him now, Scarlett took a final hesitant step, as his lordship continued fixing her, playfulness yet danger intertwining in his deep eyes.

"What?" My sister spat, "Don't tell me you're gonna try to get in my way? You're smarter than that." 

A smirk crossed the gypsy-lord's full lips, and he took a step towards her. "Yes, and you're also smarter than to think I'd let you off the hook so simply, no?" He murmured, and yet his seductive murmur could be heard due to the ultimate deadly silence around them.

From before him, Scarlett's expression for a second mirrored confusion, as she directly got herself together, forcing a harsh frown again. "What's that supposed to mean?" 

Sebastian took another step towards my sister, towering her with his powerful height. "Convince me why I should let you go." He muttered and neared his face down a bit, as though to intensify his charm and bewitch over her. "Give me a reason why I should act like all of," His eyes raked over her in a quick dark gaze, "This," he took in every detail of her as though his orbs were wild, dangerous scanners, "did not happen." 

I shuddered, and so did Scarlett.

Slowly, I observed how her left hand which was to his blind side, moved towards her back, as she pulled something from the pappillon tie she had on her waist at the back of her maid dress. 

I gasped as I saw what it was.

It was sharp.

And it shone in the dark.

A mini, wicked-looking knife.

Good God, what... what was she planning to do?!! Scarlett, no, no, no!!!

She let out a small fast chuckle,"Oh my, how can I forget the key to you men?" She flicked her tongue, producing a 'click' sound, "What do you want me to flash you?" 

She was speaking too coolly, as she slowly started bringing her hand back to her side, without his lordship noticing. 

My breath stuck in my throat, and my vision slowly started getting blurry.

Goodness, please... both...!

Sebastian Evan Keith let out another throaty chuckle, as he closed the distance between him and my sister. "Hm, that is indeed a bold question." He murmured, and Scarlett moved at that. 

Her left hand came up, aiming at Sebastian's neck.

I stood from my place, wanting to cover my eyes but unable to look away, as I tried biting back the scream about to escape me.

SCARLETT DON'T!

Oh but his lordship was faster. 

More casual than one might imagine, and in a manner almost as cool as my employer's, Sebastian Keith's right hand shot out to grab my sister's left wrist before she could even approach him, as his hands were clearly taller than hers, and he was at an advantage. 

And his left hand shot out towards... 

Wait... 

Towards..

Her face. 

And he brought his face down. 

"Quite bold of you to assume I'd trade such a thing for a teenage flash." 

And his lips came over hers. 

I collapsed down into the chair, body numb, as I eyed the scene.

From before me on the screen, Scarlett's hand dropped the mini-knife.

And somehow, her entire frame went... relaxed?!

The kiss did not last more than ten seconds, as Sebastian Keith straightened first, his expression as casual, and unfazed as usual.

Scarlett, still... dazed, eyed him blankly, as her left hand was over her mouth. 

Keith's carefree peaceful smile came back, as he fixed my sister with his charm."Well, your debts are paid." He murmured, making way for Scar. 

It took my sister a couple of seconds before her expression came back to earth, and she lowered her hand from before her mouth. Glaring at him, she started moving to pass by him. 

Apparently though, his lordship had a final comment to make.

"Be careful though, that foul mouth of yours will get you in trouble." He kept his teasing dangerously handsome smile. 

Scarlett stopped again before him, and biting her lips, she had a playful and dangerous expression as she gazed right back into Sebastian Keith's eyes, unflinching.

"How weird, as it just got me out of it." 

And that did it. 

Keith's eyes widened, clearly displaying he had not seen this coming from Scar, or from any woman, if anything, he was not your typical guy that was used to not having the effect he wanted on a woman he just met. 

As Scarlett crossed him and headed towards the door, relief started flooding through me. 

I should've known better though. 

Better than to think things were ever sorted out this easily. Ever. 

Just before Scarlett reached the door, Sebastian's expression darkened, as he kept his composed look, and yet the smile was no longer there, and instead dark tornado-like green beads remained shining in the dark.

"Judging by your language, and those knife wielding skills you had, you are not even a maid here." He muttered, and Scarlett paused in her tracks. 

Arcing her head in his direction, "Yes, and?" 

"And in a ball like this, a mere maid, let alone one that was not among the staff nor the invited, cannot possibly reach such a private hall of the palace, let alone the Chairman's office, or have access to it, without being either shot to death or abducted by security teams and questioned like a rat." He spoke unflinching, and cold sweat drenched my back at how dangerous and true I knew his words were. 

Scarlett gulped, but she tried hard not to let her expression waver, "So?" 

"And what a coincidence it is that, the titan, straighter-than-an-arrow Chairman, who personally requested to meet me here, is late. Him, The Trevor Ellington Conway." Sebastian's voice hardened, as his tone was suddenly reflecting ultimate danger the more words he spat. 

Scarlett let out an exasperated, clearly scared breath at that, and I could tell how his words only made her want to get the hell out of there as fast as possible, "Ugh, get to the point already!" 

As though he was not really waiting for her signal, Sebastian touched his beard and continued, his expression was hidden in the dark. "It can only be that someone facilitated your access to this place by such a series of fortunate events which might seem like a coincidence..."

"Wh-What are you say—" Scarlett had begun to snap, but he cut her off. 

And at that I realized I didn't really need an expression to know what his state was like as his voice came. Sharp. Merciless. And clearly... not at all playful.

"But then again, coincidents are not really your thing. No, Rickard?"

A silhouette stepped into the room at that, as he nudged Scarlett slightly on the shoulder towards the outside of the room. "Leave. I shall take care of this." 

And I froze at that, shivering waves crossing my body. 

With his huge dark silhouette, Rickard Ellington Conway took another confident, unwavering step into the room, and the light slowly shot at him to highlight each of his beauteous, and unique features. 

From the broad shoulders, to the expensive suit wrapped possessively around his figure, and sharp end-edged jawline. What shone most in the dark was his dangerous, drugging ocean eyes which fixed Sebastian, aiming to possibly freeze him. 

Unlike his lordship though, my employer did not seem to be emitting a dark, or displeased aura, but rather, he simply looked unfazed. As though nothing was present before him, let alone someone who happened to be a lord. 

"Evan." It was a two-syllabled name, escaping his full alluring lips, in a deep and throaty voice. 

A long moment of silence remained, and slowly, I observed how Sebastian Evan Keith allowed his body language to relax, as though everything he'd learned in his spiritual lessons was coming into effect.

Deliberately and carefully, he started turning towards my employer.

And what a clash of peers it was when they locked eyes.

Both with impressive heights.

Both with huge and muscular figures.

Both with so much power and influence.

And both eyeing one another with a weird, unfathomably intense... challenge? 

It resembled a battle... of dominance. As though each of them was awaiting for the other to avert his gaze.

Neither did.

And both were unflinching.

Sebastian Keith though had regained his composed expression at that though, as he slightly nodded at his majesty, an intimidatingly nonchalant smile crossing his lips again.

And I could tell it was aimed at provoking the titan before him, reflecting to him his presence, for a first time in a blue moon, was not sending chills of fear and stutters of helplessness through his object of observation. And that rather, this object of observation was completely relaxed, and carefree.

"It's been a long time, my old friend." 

Anyone hearing such a sentence would be aw-ing in feels, possibly imagining it had come out from Sebastian Keith with long nostalgia, and that he was nearing his good old fellow for a brotherly, pat-on-the-back-to-ensure-you're-my-bro hug. 

It was none of those. 

The 'friend' was stressed to ensure the irony it held. And the steps he took in Mr. Ellington's direction was merely to increase his area of influence.

He did keep his wide, plastically relaxed smile, as he fixed the president with cold emotionless jades.

My heart ached, as my thoughts shot back to the Sebastian Keith I'd known weeks ago.

His genuine smiles.

The realness behind his actions and the things he spoke.

His randomness and spontaneity.

I bit my lips, and my heart sank. 

Who was this person I'm seeing on the screen?

Was he the real Sebastian Keith?!

Which is the real one?

The one with peaceful and carefree vibes, that saved me from the whirl loop of self-blaming and emotionlessness I was stuck in weeks back, or the one who now mirrored nothing but a dark uncomfortable vibe around my president. 

"What an unpredictable statement to hear from you, Keith." My employer muttered, dead cold, as he kept on fixing his lordship with an unwavering frosty gaze.

The latter flinched not under the look, as he reached for the right inner pocket of his suit jacket with his left hand, and pulled out a pack of Insignia. 

Taking a cigarette for himself and placing it between his lips, Sebastian extended the pack at the almighty R.E.C. "Still your favourite?" 

My employer did not break off the eye-contact, as he kept his piercing gaze through the young lord's jades, in their fight for dominance. Slowly, unflinchingly and without looking towards it, my employer's right hand came up, and his heavy expensive-looking watch glowed in the dark.

Taking a slim cigarette from the pack with his long steeped fingers, Rickard Ellington Conway part his full lips a centimeter. "Preferred, si." He corrected, placing the cigarette in the thin opening of his lips. 

**Si: Yes**

Something at the pit of my stomach clenched at the scene, as I couldn't deny how alluring he looked with the dark theme of the room, the slight light highlighting his harsh features, and the dark mysterious vibes emitting from him upon placing the cigarette between those full lips.

Tugging the cigarette pack into his inner pocket, Sebastian pulled out a lighter, lighting up his cigarette, then moving on to light that of Mr. Ellington in a slow intimidating manner.

And what a scene it was.

Anyone seeing his lordship lighting up the cigarette of Rickard Ellington Conway's would think it's such an iconic friendship scene.

But it was the total opposite.

If anything, the heaviness in the air, and the ultimate tension that radiated off of the scene even from the screen was unbelievable.

If I didn't know either of them better, I would assume they'd be pulling a gun against one another right on spot.

And it did not escape me, that Sebastian Keith, being the... host of the cigarettes, purposely lit his cigarette before that of my employer's, which might be considered as ill-mannered towards the latter party. Rickard Ellington Conway simply did not even give any notice to this. Or maybe if he did, he certainly did not even allow it to try and show on his face.

As Sebastian Keith put the lighter away, Rickard Ellington reached out for the cigarette between his lips with his left hand, as he held it between his index and middle fingers, arcing it at an angle that clearly reflected years of experience. Composedly blowing the smoke out, he didn't part his lips much. "That was a junior level observation." 

I blinked, not really getting what he was pointing at.

Weirdly enough though, Sebastian did seem to understand, as he blew the smoke out as well. "Ah, that was one interesting maid out there. Her foul mouth gave her off and triggered my doubts." 

My employer took another drag of his cigar at that, puffing off smoothly, "It triggered more than just your doubts, from what I observed." 

A throaty chuckle escaped Sebastian, and it was the first genuine thing to come from his side since his current encounter with my employer. 

It disappeared fast enough though, as he brought back his plastic composed smile. Taking another drag of his cigar, he held it to the side, "You have not changed," He muttered, as he blew off another puff, "Still the always-know-it-all prick you've always been, eh?" 

Mr. Ellington flinched not, despite the clearly prevalent grudge in Sebastian's voice, as he inhaled his cigarette at that, and I noticed both of them had reached a point in their cigarettes, where they needed to shake off the ashes. 

Sebastian fidgeted, clearly realizing they needed an ashtray, as he looked around.

Coolly, unflinchingly, Rickard Ellington reached for his inner pocket at that, as he pulled out a small lightener-like but bigger than a lightener thing, flipping it open. 

I blinked, and so did Sebastian, as my employer extended it between them. 

Keith moved his jaw, his smile and look darkening, "You're still always ready for any situation, huh." 

Shaking the ashes into the ashtray, my employer intensified his haughty gaze. "I'm always one step ahead is a better phrasing." 

And we all knew the meaning behind that.

The threat.

And how much weight the sentence held beyond a single man accounting for a simple portable ashtray.

Sebastian's smile flickered, and I could see the clear dislike for the man before him dancing in his eyes in triumph. "Yep, you never fail to remind me why I have not let go of the idea of destroying you the past years." 

I gasped.

Wh... What?!

But... why... Sebastian... 

More memories with Sebastian Keith shot to my mind, and my eyes watered.

I knew for a fact he was not a villain...

I knew it with my entire heart... so what the hell is this about?! Why are they enemies? More so, why are they years-long enemies?!! Past years? Seriously? 

Not really to my surprise, the president did not seem fazed by Sebastian's wording, as he took one last drag from his cigarette, which seemed to be coming to a dead end. "Ah, explains why you're here." 

Keeping his composed smile, Sebastian flinched not, "I'm not as low as to stoop to cooperating with your father against you." 

A clearly confused look crossed Mr. Ellington's features, and yet he directly masked it, as he brought back his frosty expression.

Sebastian had suffocated his cigarette to death at that, as he took the portable ashtray from the president's hand, and walked back towards the office table which had an ashtray on it. 

He emptied Mr. Ellington's portable ashtray there.

Goodness, those two...

They had this weird... chemistry...

It was as though they'd been really close acquaintances...

And yet, the more I see and feel the negativity and