32. Teasing
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The whole night, their table that had been bustling with activities earlier now looked terribly deserted. Maya had no choice but to endure, the guests and her companion’s stares. If she makes a hasty retreat, no doubt she will become a butt of jokes in the tabloids tomorrow.  

But the bad news did not end there.

The elites seem to remember suddenly that Angharad is only a subsidiary of an old European enterprise. The parent company is a well-known global giant established since the 18th century. 

The old guys refreshed their memories and now looked at Sena in a different light. Such untouchable gem.  

The other business leaders, however, are unaware of the facts behind Miss Erde, all they see is a talented young girl who made a huge profit in the ongoing economic bubble. 

“Speaking of the Capital City’s most accomplished youths. Miss Erde should be ranked amongst the top three. In just two months, her net worth soared to millions after buying the plunging stocks of Horizon and Alpha Tech. Tsk, tsk, what a fearsome child.”

“Ha, that’s not all. Have you forgotten the land she bought in the East District? It is now estimated to cost hundreds of millions.”

Maya’s eyes were wide with horror. What land? The one her father planned to buy in the auction!? Didn’t Sena put it up for bidding three months ago? 

Answering her query is a youth with tall stature. He was seated nearby their table.  

“My dad was also planning to bid for it but the auction house said it has been pulled out a couple of months back. Miss Erde paid a fine without complaints and now she still owns that land.” 

For the first time since she came, Maya’s pristine goddess-like expression faltered.    

The signing of documents went without a hitch. Michael came to shake hands with Sena, Nicholas followed next and Mr Gil. 

Sena received his handshake politely. “There is no need to be so tensed President Gil, tonight we are not here to talk about business. Take your time to get to know more about your new partners for the upcoming project. I’m here simply as a guest.”

In short, she is leaving the official business into his hands. Until now President Gin could not believe that after Miss Paula, her daughter is now handling the company like a veteran. She closed a deal with Horizon’s resort project in the east!  

For Angharad, it is not impossible to infiltrate the domestic market since they are already a global brand but it will cost millions just to find a good spot. Let alone starting a construction. The Miss on the other hand not only found reliable partners but also quietly secured a suitable location in the current hottest spot nonetheless. However, odd as it may seem, instead of taking merits, she left them all for him to handle?  

After hours of shaking hands, facing the enthusiasm of several leaders trying to please him, and the relentless barrage of goodwill President Gil finally understood why the boss left the tiresome job to himself.   

It was only three hours since the party started yet he felt like he had grown callouses not only on his hands but on his ears as well. Sena shot him an apologetic look. 

“No hangover?” Nicholas leaned over and whispered. 

For some reason, the seemingly normal gesture gave her a wave of goosebumps. Perhaps it was because she remembered how she shamelessly hung on him the other night like a human-shaped pendant! 

Nicholas Vaughn-Aiguille, one of the most sought-after bachelors, an excellent business man feared by many, walking on the streets in the middle of the night with a woman snoring like a pig on his back. That must have been quite a sight. Sena wanted to turn back time and murder her drunk self.  

While Michael gave a speech at the podium to inspire and get to know the company’s employees and officers, Nicholas was left with the job to look after Layla and Sena.  

“Glad you made it tonight.” 

She tried to sound as normal as possible, “I had plenty of free time recently, besides big brother and Linda are coming home soon.”

“You’ve worked hard.” he praised dotingly like how an elder would to a junior. 

His sudden compliment startled her but also made her smile. “It wasn’t much, I know I have to do well to give them a breather.”

“Leo must have saved the universe in his last life, he not only found a good wife but got an excellent little sister as well.” 

She nodded unconsciously then paused. She completely neglected this issue until now and it had been almost two months.  

“You and big brother Leo, you know each other?”

He chuckled, “I thought you’d never ask.”

Truth to be told it was long overdue. They have seen each other more than a few times, ate on the same table and had conversations like this yet she only asked something about him now.   

“I’m serious.”

“Yes, we met when he went further down the Southeast. Shared a few sob stories and toured around.” 

She remembered that during Leo’s sophomore year in high school, he went abroad and did not return for almost a year. She was in grade school back then and could still remember him coming home with just a knapsack and very tanned skin. It was also that time that his and Linda’s relationship changed from platonic to…   

“What’s in there?”

Guns, grenades and plenty of bad men, a cute girl like you shouldn’t know about. He wanted to tease her some more but he knew that would scare her so he answered with a cryptic smile. “Archeological sites.”

Sena snorted, no longer interested. 

“You’re free to ask some more.” he offered playfully. 

She gave him an eyeful.

“Aren’t you afraid I’d talk about your antics to your big brother?” 

She suddenly became alert. Like a cat having her tail stepped on. 

“Don’t you dare.” the angry kitten glared. 

“I’m talking about your drinking,” he said innocently. “What were you getting all huffy for?”

Her eyes widened, appearing so round and clear that it was very nice to look at. Her cheeks also had that telltale blush. “That… about the.” she bit her tongue hard.

Nicholas suddenly had a very bold thought, if he teased her further, will she scratch him with those cute pink paws? He smiled wryly then decided against it. 

“Rest assured I’m keeping my word. Whatever happens on the island, stays on the island.”   

He didn’t take her mistrust to heart. She was only worried it would disappoint the people she loved. He understands that. If Sena had bad opinions about him from the start, she wouldn’t talk to him and neither could he come close to her.  

Her reaction towards him was that of a naughty child caught doing something bad and didn’t know how to act after. She was so confident and organized when it comes to her career.

Earlier when he saw her playing her attitude he silently stood aside. He knew she wasn’t someone easy to push around, she knows how to express all her dissatisfactions and thoughts without appearing too arrogant. That is why he decided not to interfere.  

But when facing him, she was different.

Like this time for example. A slight mention of that night and she would blush so hard it could drip blood. Who was it that told him they should forget about it? Who was it who wanted to appear worldly and mature? Saying something on one hand and doing the opposite on the other. He finds it comical despite agreeing to the so-called arrangement.

With her being his way, Nicholas was afraid he wouldn't be able to hold back. After all, he couldn’t get enough looking at that adorable reaction and a man can only take so much. 

“Why are you afraid of Leo? Does he spank you when you’re being bad?” 

“No, big brother is not like that.” he would glare and stay silent for hours until her inside turned to knots.

Leo rarely gets mad, but when he does it would be very terrifying. For her, big brother is a lot scarier than all the scary things combined. If he learned she and Nicholas rolled on the sheets at the eve of his wedding… 

Nicholas chuckled softly, enjoying the changes on her face. “If he gets mad at you, you can come to me. I’ll take responsibility.” 

She wanted to say no need but his stare stopped her. God, who looks at people like they’re about to scorch them to charcoal? 

Reading her thoughts, he grinned. “Don’t make a face that makes people want to tease you.” 

Sena’s heart did a somersault.  

Layla who was drinking an apple juice nearby nearly dropped her glass. 

Layla: (ʘᗩʘ’)... 

W-What responsibility? And holy cow, Nicholas is teasing a girl and enjoying it! 

Is the world ending? She must tell her brother! It looks like the sister-in-law she wanted to reserve for him is about to be taken away. 

Sena shot him a glare, “Tch, stop staring.”

“Why? Scared?”

She snorted. “Go ascend to heaven!” 

“Nope, I’m afraid of heights.” he answered with a laugh. “You’re not used to this, are you?”

“What?” she asked grumpily.

“Teasing.” while saying that he swapped the empty glass on her hand to a new one when a waiter passed by. All done in a swift neat move.

“Maybe because I was expecting Mr Aiguille to be a lot more…” she couldn’t find the right word.

“Cool?”

“---weird.”

Nikki’s eyelid twitched. This girl… 

“You’re a president of a company, you’re supposed to be--” 

“If you say overbearing, tyrannical and unfeeling I will get mad.” 

Sena laughed. Just look at that exaggerated expression. It couldn’t be more fake.

“Aren’t you?”

“Sorry to break the fantasy,” Nicholas said unapologetically. “The family is not a staunch follower of the well-known executive trope.”

Layla snickered and disagreed inwardly. You’re not? Why does this whole setting look like a cliche novel called: The Domineering CEO Teasing His Little Wife?

The kid who had her head filled with novels can already draft more than a thousand words of plot based on their interaction alone. While she made an internal struggle, the two people went on.

Nicholas, like the devil filled with bad intentions, leaned down to Sena’s ears and whispered. “Don’t tell me you’re into those cold and domineering, slightly psychotic types?”

Sena couldn’t stand it and flushed crimson.

“Ha, you silly girl.” 

Laugh all you want. She looked at him with a strong urge to kick. 

With a throaty laugh, he added, “Oh, you’re shy.” 

Sena: (ʘ言ʘ╬)

“Can we just talk about business?” she huffed inching away from the devil whispering unspeakable things into her ears.

Nicholas sobered, “Everything had been set up.”

“What about on Mickhael’s side?” 

“There is no problem if that’s what you’re worried about. Michael’s uncle and his family won’t be able to make moves. They are buried in debts now. Be at ease, your investment is worthwhile.”

“I’m not worried about the investment. It’s those people I’m looking out for.”

Nicholas straightened himself, “It will be settled soon. The investigators found a connection between the KTV incident to Annie, Peter’s daughter. You were right to worry about Layla that night.” 

Sena clasped her hands together to cover her restlessness.

“It appears Annie hired thugs to thrash the place with the intention to get Layla caught up in it. She also had her family’s consent based on the thug’s description. Now that everything's out in the open the families of the victims are adamant to make the perpetrators pay.” 

Oh, no wonder she did not see a shadow of Annie and her mother at the party. They might be quaking on their boots at home. 

Nicholas did not mention that the Qilin gang, the one who owned the Bacchus drug exposed on TV is also after Peter’s family for revenge. If it weren’t for them, there wouldn’t be an accidental exposure like this.  

“Thankfully.” Sena breathed looking at the clear glass on her hand.  

“Why not take a break? You should know how to balance work and leisure else, you’d pass on the best time of your life without even enjoying it.”

What he said struck a chord inside her. Is she going down the same path again? The realization woke her. Didn’t she promise to live and pursue her happiness this time? 

“It’s alright to take it easy.” he urged her softly.

Sena blinked her eyes. Since her return, she had done nothing but avoid falling to the pattern of the previous life. The growing noise of the party gave her a sharp comparison to the memories of the past where chaos and despair swallowed her. Her breathing eased. 

“You’re right.” Sena replied with a faint smile. 

Nicholas’ lips bent into a subtle arc. She’s not resistant to him at all. 

“We will be leaving in a few days.” he blurted out suddenly. His expression turned quiet and solemn. 

Sena’s delicate eyebrows curled. “What about the project? Who’s going to supervise it?”

“It won’t be for long,” he assured her. “When we return, how about going out to the sea to play?”

“Do you have a boat?”

Nicholas grinned, “I have.”  

She thought of the brokerage company, made a quick mental run to see if there are aspects she needed to pay attention to.

“Alright.” Sena agreed. 

“Until then, don’t get in trouble, okay?”

She snorted and frowned at him. Did he think she was some kind of trouble magnet? 

“I’m a law-abiding citizen.” 

“Glad to hear that and since you are such an obedient citizen, I trust you keep your promise,” he said with his eyes twinkling with something. 

“Why, did you think I’d change my mind?” said by the oblivious Sena.

Why would she pass on a free and relaxing cruise when it’s handed out generously? 

Nicholas however was inwardly surprised. She agreed? Does that mean she is slowly opening up to him? According to his expectations of her, she would frown and glare at him. Or maybe give him a kick or two.  

Just as he thought that it would be hard getting close to her, here she was walking right up to him. 

 

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