This chapter was dedicated to tammydingman DiandraBowen

Leah :

I wonder what happened, I saw how tensed Ian was when we were at grandpa’s and my dad. Both of them did ‘the talk’ with him and when I asked them, I got nothing. Is it wrong for us to be together? Is this about those threats from Ian’s business rival? Did papa know about it? I need to ask Ian when he finishes his meeting later. Sighing I look at the files in front of me, I don’t know what am I going to do for another two hours because I finished all my work. I want to read wattpad but I can’t, I need to wait till I come home. I’m so bored, and I can’t come with Ian to his meeting because he said his client want him alone. Weird. Thank goodness the client is not a woman.

“What are you doing sis?” Josh startled me, I saw his head at the door peeking inside then he came in uninvited like always.

“What are you doing here? I thought you were in the meeting with the others,” he took a seat in front of me but eyes fixed on his phone, maybe chatting with his girlfriend.

“My job is to keep an eye on you.”

“From what?”

“You know, from the Ghost.” He’s still tapping whatever it is without looking at me. I was curious? Ghost?  

“Ghost?” I turn my head to various direction, is anything wrong in this office? Suddenly it feels creepy inside.

“Huh? Yea- yeah, someone told me that this building used to be a haunted house before the company was built by grandpa. The husband killed his wife by hanging her,” okay, this is seriously scary, I searched for anything that can be hang to, who knows if the ghost suddenly want to hang anywhere on the ceiling to scare me like in the movie, “Seriously sis? I wonder how your brain wired, you must be thinking something nonsense like how the ghost hanging on the ceiling right?” he shook his head.

“How did you know?” Amazing.

“You keep on looking at the ceiling, but you should not worry about it.” I gave him the curious look, “because the ghost is not the wife, it’s the husband.”

………………….

Josh already left 10 minutes ago, but I still can’t move my legs, my eyes keep on scanning the spacious office that become somehow silent. I can’t be a scaredy cat, I need to do something to fill up my mind. I thought my story should be a romantic comedy filled with actions, I don't know since when it changed into horror and thriller.

Okay, blue with blue, red on the left and black are below. I’ve been cleaning the office for the last 20 minutes, actually there’s nothing to be clean because the cleaner already did it but I did it anyway to spend my free time while waiting Ian. Now, I tried to arrange Ian’s book according to the colour, don’t ask me why.

“The husband hanged his wife using a cable then killed himself. Since then, the secretaries that used to work here always saw a man holding a cable walking around this floor.”

I almost peed on my panties when Josh told me about it, and now I remembered it again it gave me chills. Suddenly I feel an unknown presence behind me, the chills getting stronger and I have goose bumps all over my body, my grip on the book getting tighter as my pulse ramped up. It’s nothing Leah, you’re just imagining things, I don’t think I did a good job in convincing myself. Then I heard nothing except my own heart pounded loudly inside its cage.

“Argh!!” I yelled when a cable was suddenly shown in front of me making me lose balance and tripped on my foot then landed hard on my butt. This time, I don’t care about the pain, the only thing I feel right now is how scared I am to the point I’m crying.

“Leah?! What happened? I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to,” I heard Ian’s voice trying to calm me, I felt glad it was him not some ghost but I’m way too shocked to respond. Tears keep on spilling out from my eyes and my hands refuse to let go of my face. Ian lifted me off the floor then I could feel that he brought me to sit on the sofa with me on his lap. He caressed my head gently while whispering sweet nothings in my ear, I can feel my own body still trembling in shock. “Shhhhh….. It’s okay now, I’m so sorry for scaring you like that. It was unintentional Jellyface,” he keeps cooing me for another 15 minutes.

“I’m sorry Teddy, I thought you were the ghost.” I said after I calm down and managed to gather up my voice. He looks a bit surprised, he must be thinking I’m being ridiculous right now. “Ghost?” I then told him what Josh told me before, his expression when he heard about it was unreadable and when I finished telling him, he just sat there thinking for a moment. Suddenly he excused himself before leaving me alone in the office, I shouldn’t be a coward and let some silly story scared me. How embarrassing. I quickly fished out a small mirror in my bag to look on my messed up face and try to fix it, Ian then came back in after a while.

“I was thinking why would you need a cable, now I know. Josh is messing with you Leah but don’t worry, I already get him back.” He smirked. I put the mirror back into my bag and look at him.

“What did you do?” I should know that Josh is always like that, he loves to prank people, why would I trust him in the first place and making myself a fool in front of Ian. Instead of answering my question right away, he run his fingers through my hair to fix it and gently pat my head a few times.

“Nothing, just extending his cancelled card for another two weeks,” I gasped. I shook my head in disbelief as he laugh in contentment on his successful way in seeking revenge on his own cousin. Looking at how childish they are sometimes makes me wondering, how in the world they manage to hide it? It is true then, looks can be deceiving. Soon after that, we both head home.

“Leah, I have to be away for a few days to Italy.” We are inside the car as we are on our way when he told me about his sudden business trip. I turn my head and look at him skeptically.

“For what? I don’t see any meetings scheduled there, all I have is the ones in the company,” I remembered all his schedules for four days ahead and I don’t see anything regarding Italy, did I tell you that I did a good job in adapting well into business world, that’s why I’m a good assistant for him and I’m very sure there’s nothing about meetings in Italy.

“It’s a sudden meeting and David is waiting on me there too.” He answered it calmly even though I’m looking at him right now with 100% focus. I can’t see his face that well because he keeps his eyes fixed on the road. I could only see his side face.

“I thought he’s in London for the meetings with the buyer,” I remembered David said about going there 2 days ago, now suddenly he’s in Italy. Super weird.

“Nothing weird Leah, he went there yesterday waiting on us right now, me and Liam will be going while Josh will stay to look after you,” did I said it out loud? I want to ask him back when I noticed that we already arrived at his garage, after he parked safely, I got out from the car along with him too.

“Why am I not going with you?” If we go together, he would say ‘we’ just now but he didn’t say it. What kind of a business trip that doesn’t bring the assistant let alone a secretary because as far as I concern I am both. Ian took my hand and led me inside, he then brought us together to go to sit on the couch in the living room.

“It’s a new investment, and I need to go there to see it on my own. Plus, I don’t want to bring you there because of business, if we go there, I want it to be a vacation or a honeymoon,” I was melting inside when he said about honeymoon, it must be romantic and sweet.  

“But we just came back here two days ago, and now you’re leaving? Without me?” the happy feeling about vacation was replaced by sadness when I think he’s going to leave me alone. I thought I could spend more time with him since we’re now together, not only as my boss or a friend. I could feel myself frowning over this matter.

“I’m sorry Jellyface, I didn’t plan all of this, I have to. I promise that I’ll be home in no time to spend more time with you,” I know he’s being sincere so I nodded in disappointment, I tried to hide it but I can’t. He must felt bad about it, that’s why he gave me a peck in the lips and hugs me to comfort my sad feelings. I gladly hug him back and let his warmness engulfs me in a soothing way.  “You’re not going to be the clingy girlfriend right?” He then breaks our romantic moment just like that and earned a deadly pinch on his side from me. He groaned in pain because of that.

“Why? Is that bothering you so much?” I said it while still hugging him, he didn’t break the hug even after I pinched him instead he only tighten his embrace more and I don’t care a bit. I kinda like it when I have this kind of attention from him, in fact I love it so much.

“No, I wish you are, you can cling to me all you want.” His deep chuckles vibrate throughout his whole body, and when I practically clinging from his neck like a small kid while straddling him, he laughs out loud by that. “Not literally.”

“I know.” That night I helped him packed his things before going to sleep because he said he booked the first flight ticket tomorrow, talk about eagerness. By the way, we sleep in the same room since we came back, Ian told me that he told Sophia to bring all my things straight away into his room the night I asked him to be my boyfriend. Imagine I came home seeing all my things in his room and I can’t even change my clothes freely like always. No, nothing intimate with him, I’m just not ready about it yet. Don't even ask me why.

“Just promise me Leah, be safe. No matter what happened, promise me too that you always stay close with Josh and Phil. Please…….”

That was his last words before he went to Italy this morning, I did stay close to them, in fact too close because he told me not to work so I only need to stay at home but I get bored easily. I don’t understand why Ian only let Josh to run the company while I’m stuck in the house alone. So then I got an idea, I went to his office to do whatever I could, at least I don’t get bored and I stay close inside Josh and Phil’s sight. Trust me, I did all I can find in his office, I organized everything even though I don’t need to because I’ve done all my work, I cleaned, I watched Youtube, and everything else along with Phil. Josh can’t always look out for me so Phil was the one who stuck with me, he helped me cleaned and made all those origami. He doesn’t say much but I’m still glad he’s with me, for a young man like him, he really is serious just like David. Josh still can’t join us during lunch so I decided to go to Ian’s store, he owned one of the famous design lines here where my white gown the one that I used for the dinner came from, and it’s a good way to kill more time too. That is after I text him and Josh my whereabout, I don’t need to do it because Phil and the others probably update all of my activities but I like to keep him on tab.

I was looking for the latest design on a catalogue when I saw an elegant old lady went inside, I was attracted on her way of communicating with the worker, she looks elegant and according to the manager just now, she is a VVIP. I lost my focus on the catalogue I’m holding when I saw her steal a few glances on Phil then suddenly went to approach him.

“Philip? Is that you? Philip Warren, am I right?” I saw Phil was there standing still on his spot for a moment before turning around to face her. Surprise was evident on his face, the old lady smirked at him while he turn his gaze onto his own feet, not dare to meet her gaze on him. I could sense that something is off so I put down the catalogue and started to shorten our distance, I approached them quietly so I could know what’s wrong with him. “I see your future is not that bright huh?” I stopped on my track feeling extremely incredulous on what I just saw, “Security? Hm.. I guess as your ex teacher, I could see that my student turn into a scum and I can’t believe my own mouth calling you my student. How shameful.” I really can’t believe my own ears, the elegant and innocent old lady just spat venomous words and worse, she’s a teacher. I noticed his slumped back and clenched fist that shows how he feels really uneasy but that’s it, he didn’t do anything in response, he just stood there with his head hanging lower and lower. I can’t let her attack him like that, I need to stand up for the poor boy and I just got a perfect idea for that.

Head high and back straighten up, I walk towards them with full of confidence, and luckily I changed my clothes earlier. “Excuse me,” I got the both of their attention by my professional voice, “is there something wrong mam?” I asked her, she looks at Phil who’s in utter shock by my sudden interference in distaste before smiling at me sweetly.

“Is this boy…” she eyed him up and down, “works here? I hope not because he’s worthless, he shouldn’t be here or he’ll ruin this store’s reputation.” Her insults only angered me more but I tried hard to hide it under a smile. “May I ask why?” I asked her, I noticed that Phil still unresponsive to anything that happen right now, he just ‘shutting off’. The lady continued, “This boy was my student a year ago, I can only tell you that this is a devil, you can’t hire someone like him, even if it is for a cleaning job, where’s the manager, I need to see him.” She insisted in ‘firing’ Phil from the job.

I smiled at her, “he’s not working here mam,” she smiled in satisfaction, “he’s the owner of this store,” her smile dropped and I smirked in victory, this should shut her off. “Liar! I demand to see the manager! I knew him and I’m very sure you’re lying.” I could feel the manager came up from behind me to try to calm down the lady before she makes commotion here but I stop him from coming. He understood the signal I gave him when I raised my hand so he stepped back, the old lady then realized that I’m not just a mere customer. Now I cut off my fake smile earlier and I stepped forward with my arms crossed under my chest to show an intimidating stance, I don’t where did I get this kind of confidence, perhaps I copied from one of the drama I watched.

“I am the owner of this place, and the person you just called worthless scum is my brother.” Both were stupefied by my statement, “How? I thought he was adopted,” the old lady talks to herself but I managed to hear it. “That’s what you thought but no, is that a problem with you?” She’s definitely speechless and overwhelmed by the new fact, that’s why she backed off a bit. I took a quick glance on Phil who I forgot in the middle of battling with the lady, I saw that he began to relax a bit and that’s good. “Listen here, you are an awful old lady, and you called yourself an educator? You should be ashamed of yourself, I don’t want to see you face here again, get out.” I glared at her as she stood there flabbergasted. When the security dragged her out from the store, she make a scene by yelling on how rude I am to a customer and an old lady so I went out to follow her not even backing off a bit. “You don’t deserve the respect from me when you insult my family just now. You want to play rough lady? Get the hell out of here old hag!” I just earned myself a lawsuit but I don’t care and I shouldn’t be worry about it because my boyfriend will settle it for me, I only need to deal with his lecture and also my brothers later. About the lady? I just left her.

When I came back into the store, there stood Phil still dumbfounded on what just happened, poor him to have someone like that as his teacher. “Are you okay?” he just stared blankly at me before nodding his head slowly. “Don’t worry, I will never let anyone say anything mean to you after this. Cross my heart and hope to die,” I smiled even though the young boy in front of me still unresponsive or maybe don’t know how to smile. I think he needs a distraction for what just happened, that’s why I know where will be heading after this.

“Hey Phil, wanna go to the beach?”

A/N

I wonder how Ian would react when he receive a lawsuit later. hehe. By the way, any inappropriate comments will be deleted because I don't want to feel down about it. Please be reminded that this is my own story, my own plot, my own character even if it is cliche as hell and it's lack of everything because I'm not talented as others but I tried. If you hate my writting that much, kindly pm me so I could fix it. All of #hwnf is solely mine!

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Love u all Jellyfaces xoxo