บท 11: Safe or Suspicious?
Adrian's gaze lingered on the memory of Hailey's touch, the imprint on his hand serving as a subtle reminder of an inexplicable connection. 'I felt something... like a spark. It wasn't much, but this sensation eludes me in other handshakes,' he contemplated, lost in the intricacies of newfound emotions.
The insistent buzz emanating from his pocket shattered the contemplative atmosphere. Retrieving his phone, Adrian's eyes honed in on the screen, revealing the caller as Alexander. A heavy sigh escaped him, frustration evident in his demeanor. "Why is he calling me again?" Adrian mumbled beneath his breath, a trace of irritation coloring his voice as he reluctantly accepted the call. "What do you want?" he gruffly inquired, his impatience apparent.
"Young master, this is bad..." Alexander's voice quivered, injecting a sense of urgency into the conversation. Adrian's eyebrows furrowed slightly as he braced himself for what might follow, concern etching his features. "What is it now?" he asked cautiously, prompting Alexander to divulge the troubling information.
Alexander sighed heavily, a rush of words escaping him. "It's Eliza. She has posted a new entry on her blog—a photo of her with her boyfriend." The weight of the revelation hung in the air, leaving Adrian in a state of intrigued . "But I can't really see his face," Alexander added.
Adrian closed his eyes, a sign of growing frustration, and began rubbing his temples. "Get to the point already," he urged, his voice tinged with impatience, eager to cut through any lingering uncertainty.
A silence hung in the air before Alexander spoke in a hushed tone, "She is wearing one of our latest unreleased designs... again..." His words trailed off, carrying a sense of hesitation and apprehension.
Unfazed by the revelation, Adrian responded, "Is that so? Tell me more." He leaned back in his chair, a composed demeanor masking any underlying concern.
Taking a deep breath, Alexander continued, "Young master, this is serious. Our company may suffer a huge loss from this." His voice broke, emphasizing the gravity of the situation. Adrian, however, interrupted with a hint of impatience, "Don't you understand sarcasm?"
Sighing, Alexander insisted, "Young master, this is not a joke." Adrian, maintaining his calm exterior, asserted, "I know. I guess from now on, the design team will have to work twice as much." He cut in impatiently, aware of the urgency.
"But, young master, I don't understand. If we overwork them..." Alexander countered, seeking clarification.
"I will pay them twice as much. Just listen to me; I will explain what they need to do later," Adrian responded decisively, revealing a pragmatic approach to resolving the impending issue.
"Alright, Young master," Alexander acquiesced before ending the call. Adrian sighed, placing his phone back in his pocket. His attention returned to the table, and he couldn't help but think, 'How annoying. This pest needs to go.'
***
The next day arrived, and Hailey found herself seated in her office chair, immersed in the information gathered by her personal assistant. Brow furrowed, she flipped through the folder's pages, reaching the last one. "This is ridiculous. It only shows when he founded AZ Couture and what happened since then," she muttered to herself, closing the folder.
Turning her stern gaze toward Julie, she asked with annoyance, "Is this all you could find about Mr. Zhan?"
Julie nervously smiled, her eyes fixed on the floor. "Uh, I tried my best, ma'am, but I couldn't get anything else apart from that."
"I'm uninterested in his business life; I want to know his personal life," Hailey declared, leaning back in her chair with crossed arms.
Julie raised her head, meeting Hailey's gaze, and cautiously expressed, "Ma'am, I think that would be very hard. Mr. Zhan seems to be the secretive type when it comes to his personal life. Plus, it's weird that not many people know him as the owner of AZ Couture. It's almost like he erased every memory of himself in people's minds," she added, introducing an intriguing layer of mystery surrounding Adrian Zhan's private affairs.
Hailey maintained a blank expression for a moment, processing Julie's words, and then retorted, "You really are delusional, and I thought you were joking when you noted that." Although annoyance laced her voice, Hailey's demeanor betrayed a growing interest in the enigma that was Adrian Zhan.
"No, ma'am, I'm being serious about this. I mean, it doesn't make sense that absolutely nobody knows his name. All they know is that AZ Couture has an infamous Tyrant CEO, and his company is extremely popular," Julie insisted, her tone carrying a sense of conviction.
Hailey shook her head, dismissing the perplexing thoughts. "It doesn't matter anymore. It is weird that he isn't known, but that doesn't mean he has the ability to wipe out any memory of himself in people's minds," she remarked with a sigh. She began to browse through another folder, giving Julie one more look before commanding, "He is a businessman after all. Anyways, don't dig any more into his personal life and go get me coffee," she demanded, shifting the focus away from the elusive details.
Defeated, Julie sighed, nodded, and left Hailey's office. Closing the folder, Hailey stared intently at the one containing Adrian's information, contemplating, 'It is unsettling that there's absolutely nothing about him, and the fact that he knew about my blind date—date, time, and place—is creepy. But I will stick to the fact that he owns AZ Couture... that's all the insurance I need,' she thought with distaste, determined to maintain a professional perspective.
A few minutes elapsed before Julie returned, presenting Hailey with a cup of black coffee. Hailey expressed her gratitude with a nod, lifting the cup with both hands. Inhaling the steam rising from the beverage, her lips curled into a small smile. Taking a sip of the steaming coffee, she relished the momentary escape from the enigma that was Adrian Zhan, finding solace in the warmth of the cup.
Hailey placed the cup back on her desk, and Julie hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Hmm, ma'am, there's something I forgot to tell you about your blind date yesterday."
Hailey, intrigued, raised her eyebrow, prompting Julie to continue, "Chairwoman Hang's grandson called at the time you were still in the restaurant. He said he had reached the restaurant but didn't see you there," Julie finished softly.
A momentary freeze of surprise gripped Hailey before she regained composure. Thoughts raced through her mind, and she contemplated, 'That means... the restaurants were switched... but how did he do that?'
Julie sensed Hailey's puzzlement and continued, "I asked the matchmaker after that, and she apologized for the mix-up, but she wasn't sure how she mixed the places up in the first place."
' How did she not know how she mixed it up ? It's either she did it on purpose, or was bribed . '
Hailey pondered for a while and, aware of the ticking clock, asked in a tense voice, "I don't have much time. Is what I asked you to prepare ready?" She checked her wristwatch for the time, urgency evident in her demeanor.
Julie nodded and showed her the file, "Of course." Pausing, she hesitated before expressing concern, "Ma'am, it might not be safe to go on with this..."
Hailey narrowed her eyes at Julie, her curiosity piqued. "And why wouldn't it be safe?" she inquired, seeking clarification on Julie's cautious words.
Julie hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "You don't know him fully... how can you trust him?" she stated, as if attempting not to offend Hailey with her concerns. The room hung in a momentary silence, Hailey scrutinizing Julie with a searching gaze while the other woman met her eyes with a worried expression.
Breaking the silence, Hailey stood up, fixing her gaze on Julie once more. "You're right, Julie. I shouldn't trust him, and I won't... but you know why I need him, right?" she asked, a disconcerting grin playing on her lips.
"I don't have anyone else who is capable enough to help me. So please trust me on this," Hailey declared, a note of determination in her voice.
Julie's brows knotted together in confusion, but after a moment of contemplation, she nodded hesitantly and said, "Alright, ma'am. I will trust you."
"Good, let's go," Hailey stated firmly, pushing open the doors of her office. Stepping outside, she moved with purpose, Julie following closely behind.
As Hailey walked out of the building with Julie following closely. Hailey basked in the sensation of the sun warming her skin and a gentle breeze tousling her hair. Casting her gaze toward the sky, she admired the clear, azure expanse above.
A contented sigh escaped her lips as she approached her car, neatly parked in the sunlit parking lot. The peaceful atmosphere seemed to embrace her, promising a moment of tranquility in the midst of her busy day. However, the serenity was abruptly disrupted as another car zoomed in, assertively positioning itself between Hailey and her vehicle, compelling her to halt .
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