“I don’t really like seafood but salmon is so delicious,” Luna moaned as she took a bite. The lemon sauce spread across her tongue, coating her mouth in exquisite flavor. No amount of tarts could have suppressed her appetite for it.
Ambryan sat across from her. He cut a slice into a seared venison, making sure it had enough puréed butternut squash and a hint of truffle mash. The meat’s parmesan crust crisped as he chewed. It added another layer of texture to the dish.
His violet eyes glanced at their third companion. “Is something the matter with the dish, Mikael?”
De La Lune’s private room had a square floor. A deep sea blue carpet layered over it. Blinds covered the glass windows that replaced the back wall. At night, the staff removed them and let in the natural light. For daytime goers, they offered a substitute.
An artificial moon hung from the ceiling and illuminated the place with a gentle glow. A round wooden table stood below it. It had a revolving table top for when guests ordered food in bulk.
The entire interior resembled a cloudy night sky.
Mikael ate slowly. He let the stuffed chicken slowly unravel its savory spices. The sausage filling coated his taste buds. The texture reminded him of lumpy mashed potatoes but packed with flavor. It didn’t need any side dishes or dipping sauce.
The chicken managed by itself to satisfy any hungry stomach.
“Nothing, Mr. Hathaway. The food is excellent,” Mikael answered. He patted the table napkin over his lips. Then, he reached for a glass of water. The aftertaste lingered in his throat.
“I’m surprised you picked chicken,” Luna commented beside him, not looking up. She almost finished half of her main course. “I would have thought you’d choose a salad.”
He chuckled at her remark. Chicken happened to be at the top of his diet menu, particularly a part of it. He resumed eating and said, “Chicken breast actually has the least amount of calories but the most amount of protein.”
“What about the stuffing then?”
“Nothing to worry about,” Mikael affirmed with a nod of his head, “I have a good estimate of the calories I consume. I don’t eat a lot at night either. If I do, I exercise more.”
From the moment he entered the industry, he had been given an app for a calorie tracker. It gave him a calorie count recommendation based on his physical activities. It not only recorded how much he ate but also how much he burned if he exercised. The combined result would let him know if he stayed within the suggested range.
It also had a few details about the vitamins and minerals he consumed.
Luna dismissed the subject and changed to another one. As long as her close ones ate healthily, she let them be. Her gaze peered straight ahead. The CEO ate in silence. His utensils barely made a sound against the ceramic plate.
She bit her inner cheek, thinking of how to make him talk. Her mind wandered to Eve. The poor girl stayed behind. Mikael’s presence must have agitated her. There had to be something Luna could do.
After all, she was the one who brought Mikael along for the meeting.
“Yan,” Luna called out, waiting for him to look at her. She placed the tips of her knife and fork at the edge of her place. Her fingers laced together as she rested her chin at the back of them. “Do you know what Ms. Hart likes?”
Ambryan scowled in her direction. He drank from his wine glass before giving her a response. “For what? If I may ask?”
Luna relaxed her arms and stirred her iced mocha. Her ebony eyes never left his face. “I’d like to get her something for being a lovely host. It’s simple courtesy so… does she love chocolate? Flowers? Candy?”
Thinking of her questions, she muffled a laugh. The examples were common in dating. She hoped that the idea would plant in his head and give him some inspiration. Not only the concept of giving a gift but also adding thought into it.
It wouldn’t be obvious now but someday it might help him out.
Ambyran exhaled sharply. He wasn’t the type to pry into someone’s life. He also didn’t want the same to happen to him. “I’m afraid I cannot answer that, Luna.”
“Why not?” Mikael suddenly asked. There were still some chicken bits at the back of his teeth. “What do you get for her birthday?”
“A day off.”
The male model rolled his tongue. The answer actually made the best sense, especially with how his secretary was absent for this lunch. She probably would appreciate an extra day of rest more than anything.
‘A lot of people would actually,’ he added as an afterthought.
Still, Mikael couldn’t be satisfied. “What about holidays then?”
The CEO surely couldn’t keep giving off days, right? It wouldn’t always work for every occasion. There had to be times when small gifts were exchanged. Just like simple tokens of appreciation from the stories he heard about fun activities arranged by Human Resources.
“Nothing,” Ambryan responded, unworried about the interrogation. He sliced another piece of his deer meat. “I’ve never given her a material thing as a present.”
“Even if you aren’t, don’t you know what she likes?” Luna clicked her tongue. It seemed to be worse than she expected. Even without a reason, Eve could have displayed her personal interests in different ways.
It could be as simple as from the things she used daily.
“We don’t have that kind of relationship.”
Mikael shook his head, flabbergasted by the information. He didn’t work with everyone in his agency but he did know a thing or two about them. “How long have you worked together?”
“Five years.”
“You mean you’ve been working for five years but you don’t know your employee?” He exclaimed. Unlike him and his own big boss, they hardly saw one another. They had no reason to. Meanwhile, Ambryan and Ms. Hart saw each other on a regular basis.
There had to be something that would trigger the model’s memory—something that could tell where he had seen Ms. Hart before.
Ambryan stopped eating. A hardened look painted over his face. For once, his fork and knife clattered on the plate. The sound echoed around the room. “Mr. Davis, I’d refrain stating offhand comments such as that. I may not know my secretary’s personal interests but I do acknowledge her work ethic and her existence. I still do treat her like a human being.”
“Yet, she’s at the office right now, handling part of your work,” Mikael shot back, openly glaring at the CEO. That woman deserved an award for whatever she had gone through. This probably wasn’t the first lunch she arranged but never attended.
“It’s in her job description to do so. Something she agreed upon when she signed an employment contract,” Ambyran supplied. His gaze didn’t stray away from the annoyed radiant blue eyes. “If you are referring to how she’s missing an expensive meal, it’s not much of a loss compared to the home-cooked food she prepared herself. That one would be a waste if not eaten.”
From what the CEO remembered, she had refused a lunch invite once before. The reason was because of her packed lunches. She valued it above any restaurant. He’d never ask her again since then.
He did it out of respect.
“Okay…! I think Ms. Hart would appreciate anything so I’ll just see what I can do.” Luna intercepted with a laugh. It came out awkward even to her ears. The topic had to change once more before another round of arguments. Her hand turned the table top, aiming for the bottle of red wine.
She filled up her glass and continued with her plan. An excited giggle rippled the wine as she drank. She pulled it away from her lips for the time being. “Yan, I have an invitation for you.”
Ambryan at the last slice of his venison. His plate was wiped clean. Not even the sauce had been spared. He had expected nothing but excellence. Such a thing should be savored down to the last possible bite.
Luna leaned over and gave him her best pout. “Please come to my launch party for the Rainbow Collection. As business partners, I hope you would be able to support me in this.”
The CEO tilted his head to the side. The party held nothing that would boost his curiosity and his interest. Instead of thinking, he picked a safe reply. “I will think about it.”
“Think about what?” Luna snickered. She had hoped Ambryan would say an excuse that seemed almost the same. Then, a smirk teased her lips as she delivered the punchline. “Your girlfriend would be there. Shouldn’t you escort her?”
Ambryan’s hand froze from twirling his wine glass. He pictured Evangeline in a crowd. The woman knew how to handle them well, based on what he’d seen at the skating rink.
Would she still need him?
Mikael grimaced towards Luna. “Charlee Edwards?”
“Oh, Mikael,” the designer whined, hitting his upper arm. Her pitch rose higher as the elated feelings lingered on her face. “Haven’t you seen the news this morning? Yan is dating someone else.”
“Someone you know I presume?” Mikael wondered why he even asked. He could immediately tell what the answer would be. At this point, he doubted Luna had someone she didn’t know.
“Of course!” She declared just as predicted. Smugness dripped from every syllable. “His mother and I are close friends.”
Mikael glanced back at the CEO. If Luna and the latter’s mother were close, he probably met the woman at least once. His eyes searched for distinguishing features. Something the CEO could have inherited and had been passed down through the gene pool.
The longer he looked, the bigger his nagging suspicion became.
Who could possibly be Ambryan’s mother?
