17. An Upcoming Disaster
774 3 19
X
Reading Options
Font Size
A- 15px A+
Width
Reset
X
Table of Contents
Loading... please wait.

 

Eight o’clock Sunday night while Sena and April were playing Jenga on the balcony, a warning of a huge catastrophe came into Sena. 

Her second grandfather called. If Grandpa Pascal is known to have a fickle temperament, Grandpa Ye is well-remembered by her by his soft and wise character. 

He called merely to check on her, also to inform her that the company is doing great and there is nothing to worry about. In short, she is free to do anything she wishes and focus her attention on her passion. If she wants to concentrate on building up her career they will support her. 

“I heard that you started investing?”

Grandpa P must have spoken to him after calling her a few days ago. If her guess is right, those three old raisins sent people to monitor her. If it were the former her, she would have lost her temper and erupted right away but now, she could only feel sweet. 

Sena smiled as she walked beside the blooming hydrangeas, “I did and I seem to have gained a very favourable result.” 

The old man on the other line nodded his head. 

“Suddenly new companies like Alpha Tech and Horizon Group in your country emerged from the bottom to top. Young entrepreneurs these days have become more shrewd and daring. Truly admirable.” 

It was because she knew that even though Alpha Tech and Horizon Group started slow and inconspicuous, they are managed by very capable people. The period where their stocks were falling was merely a result of the clean up by the new heads. It wouldn’t take a full month to recover. From here on they will continue to develop into an even larger and solid group with more prominent positions among the business elites of this country. 

“It’s my luck to get a piece of the large pie, just a few days ago none bothered to buy their stocks because they were sold at very low prices. People were sceptical but now, even if the investors have money they would no longer be able to buy one because everyday the stocks of those two companies continue to climb. Who’s foolish enough to be willing to sell when it’s barely even a month yet?” 

“Then I guess those who snorted and ignored those measly stocks are going crazy in regret by now.” Old Ye laughed. “I can rest assured hearing that you are doing well. At least I would be able to enjoy fishing.”

Sena’s hand shook. “Y-You’re going to the sea?”

“Hmm.”

A flash of an old event came to her. A scene that became an international headline. The picture of Night Peony, a 236-foot long sailboat being swallowed by a huge wave and smashed into the rocks. The impact has battered the body and tore its glorious sails mercilessly. 

“Australia or Hawaii?”

Old Ye did not notice anything unusual on her voice but April who was just sitting nearby saw her face turned pale. 

“Hawaii would be the best place since the last time we went there was three years ago. Maybe those fish have grown.” the old guy then chuckled. “I’m thinking of bringing a few friends along. Shame that your Grandpa Oslo and Pascal are currently busy.”

Hearing him confirm the place gave life to the terror lurking at the back of her mind. Sena’s legs softened she ended up slumping back to the couch. No, she has to stop him. She needed to rack her brain for an excuse to change his mind. 

He could go fishing but just not in that place, a super typhoon is coming!  

“Kid, I’ll have fresh seafood delivered to you next week. Bet on it.”  

She held her breath, she had to do something. 

“But Grandpa Ye,” Sena bit her shaky thumb hard and deliberately sounded whiny. “I’ve been craving for a tasty grilled black marlin recently. I haven’t had it for a long time.”

The old guy easily caught on her meaning, “You want me to head to Australia?” 

“W-Well, I heard Lizard Island is a good place to fish. I saw it on a travel blog.” She was really scared he would insist on Hawaii, so while talking she was chanting prayers in her head.   

Old Ye looked at his secretary, “Sounds like a good idea, if you want black marlin so much then Australia it is then. Anyway, the vacation home is Hawaii is about to start the renovation.”

“Yes, yes, all that noise will only disturb your holiday,” Sena added sneakily. 

On the other line, the secretary wondered. “Black marlin?” He scratched his head with a stylus and sighed. Miss wanted to eat black marlin suddenly changing their overall itinerary.

Old Ye glared at him ferociously and covered the mouthpiece. “Be it black or blue marlin, even pink as long as she likes it we will find it.”

Mr Secretary rolled his eyes inwardly. Not even his employer's own grandson was spoiled like this. When Miss was young, she hated brushing her teeth to the point she would rather step on knives than hold a toothbrush so Miss Paula would contact Old Pascal to scare her, and when she ends up crying, Old Ye is in charge of clean up and coax her from weeping. 

When the conversation ended, Sena already sweated several litres soaking her cartoon shirt. April looked at her pitiful appearance and decided to sprint to the kitchen to get a glass of cucumber juice she made earlier. 

It must have been one of the boss’s elders. She looked like she was in pins and needles all the while.  

“Finally, over.” Sena said draping herself languidly to the armrest. 

She did not end the call until she was assured he would go to Australia instead of Hawaii. Rather than persuading him not to go fishing at all, it was better to send him in a different direction. Grandpa Ye rarely gets to have fun and fishing is his most effective stress reliever. She couldn’t deprive him of that, could she? That would be heartless.

Later on the bed, after resolving the accident issue of Grandpa Ye her mind shifted for the event tomorrow. Now that Leo and Linda are not here how will Sophie proceed with her stalking scheme when her subject is not there?

She would bet two cents she assumed that the couple had returned. Even if she missed them at the airport she would only excuse it as being inattentive. She would never think Sena sent the two to the Maldives for a proper honeymoon.

Well then, the game begins…     

***

Inside the Qin house, Sophie sat on the topmost part of the bed hugging a picture frame lovingly to her chest despite the tremor in her hands. 

Damn it, she couldn’t sleep a wink because she drank a lot of coffee since this morning! 

She sat full of expectation outside the arrival area enduring the weird stares from the coffee shop’s servers just to wait for that tall and broad figure of her dreams. But where was he!?

He should have shown up. Those two idiots called her on separate occasions reporting the same thing yet both ended up wrong. Sophie bit her molars and cursed Asha and Zhang Min a thousand times in her heart.

Dumb useless bitches! 

Her eyes fell on the handsome boy in the photo. He looked in between fourteen to fifteen, barely a man yet but his prominent features are already showing. Attracting admiration and love from many.   

Sophie worshipped him to the heavens, if none was to take a peek into her room they would find plenty of articles similar to what Leo had been fond of using over the years. From wrist bands, mini race cars, wood beads accessories, and even the headband he wore during soccer practices. Sophie had a complete replica of those in her room.

“Darling, I didn’t see you again today. I miss you…” she sighed in melancholy.  

The purple nightgown she is currently wearing was exactly one of those he touched inside a boutique. But in the end, he chose the much-muted lilac and rose colours. She had been watching on the side at that time, everything he touched she bought imagining he chose it for her. She did not care if a tall imposing guy like him braved entering a lingerie store to buy articles for his girlfriend.

No, she did not want to think about it at all. He would be doing this for her someday anyway. Sophie fell asleep very late while still hugging the picture frame and with a faint smile on her face. 

 

As expected, the next morning the game started. When Sena came to the office, everyone was looking at her strangely plunging her in a thick sense of deja vu.

“What’s the matter?”

Jue was the first to clear his throat. “Boss, today seems to be a very nice day isn’t it?”

She looked outside the window and pretended to frown. 

“It’s the usual one, I don’t see any flying saucers. Why?”

Everyone exchanged mysterious smiles. No one answered so she shrugged her shoulders and went to her office. Upon entering the strong scent of flowers tickled her nose. Niko was waiting by the door smiling from ear to ear. 

“Boss, it looks like you have a secret admirer. Look!” she pointed at it enthusiastically. 

Sena stopped, her eyes on the package on top of her table. “They’re beautiful.” 

She quickly went into it and hugged the black rectangular box filled with yellow roses and pink carnations while enduring the tickle on her nose.   

“They’re from Flora Aura and they are very expensive!” Niko gushed out. 

But she was answered by an achoo~!

Sena no longer held on to gracefulness and let out a series of sneezes until her eyes watered. 

“Boss?” April asked worriedly. 

“I’m fine.” Sena eyed Niko then said, “Put them in the vase. Such a waste to throw them away.”

Niko who thought she would lose her temper was taken aback. She smiled awkwardly as she nodded following her order. While she pretended to be busy working outside, her head would come up from time to time observing Sena. 

April happened to come out and she hurriedly blocked her path.

“Hey!”

April sighed and looked at her blankly. 

“Do Miss Sena usually receive flowers from strangers? Don’t you think that’s odd?”

“You yourself were so excited about it earlier so why would Boss not take it?”

Niko frowned at her. “She doesn’t know who the sender is.”

“What do you expect her to do? Throw them in the bin?”

Her eyes darted from side to side in a fluster. Does the bumpkin have telepathy? 

“I did not say that, don’t makeup stories.”

April shook her head at her and sidestepped to get to the supply room not far away. A little while later Niko was called inside the office. 

“You’re just about to be done with your current listing, am I correct?” Sena asked browsing in her computer. 

“Yes, the house I’m currently at just finished making a few changes and is now waiting for the staging furniture to arrive,” she replied tepidly.

“Good, if that’s the case then I’m giving you new listings.” 

Niko was ecstatic dashing away the gloom she felt from her encounter with April. Her excitement shot to the roof when Sena pulled out her secret file and handed them over to her. However, as soon as she read the address of the houses her whole face crumbled. 

“What’s the matter?” Sena asked resting her chin on her hand. “Those are new ones, just last month. The owners personally contacted us to help them sell those properties. Is there a problem?”

Problem? Of course, there is. A big one! Her heart and probably every organ in her body shivered in anger because these are exactly the listings she stole and handed to the competitor. If she hadn’t known that Sena has no idea what she had done she would think she intentionally gave it to her to create trouble. 

Niko stood on her spot paralyzed. She was both furious and frightened yet helpless. Once she failed, how is she going to explain this to Sena? If she won, the other side would come after her. No matter which she chose it all spelt disaster. For the first time since she faced Sena, she felt fear. 

She had no idea how traumatizing it is to look at her innocent smiling face while she sat there looking at her. She was smiling yet the temperature in her eyes made her shudder in response. 

“I expect a lot from you.” Sena said in a languorous tone. 

Niko tried her best not to shake. 

    

At lunch, Sena called everyone available to eat at their usual place one block away from the HQ. Coincidentally, she saw Sophie Qin sitting on the outdoor deck under an umbrella sipping on a cup of coffee gently. Her back slightly inclined forward as she stares at the tulips on the plant boxes, her posture correct it exudes nothing but soft elegance.   

Only Sena noticed her slight flinch when their noisy bunch came nearer. Most of the girls are out today so there are only Niko, Katya, Jue and then two more guys. 

The men had larger voices so Sophie rejoiced when she heard it was them. Every Monday Leo would come down here to eat here with the male agents so she purposely came down here then selected an appropriate angle where her face would be magnified.  

Her heart flipped several times knowing she is about to meet him after a long absence. Using what seems to be her gentlest move, she turned her head and put on a demure smile to welcome Leo. 

“What a coincidence--” her tongue froze when she saw it was Sena instead of Leo leading a group of five.

“You know her boss?” Jue asked when the woman suddenly turned to them.

Sena shrugged, “I’m not sure. Her makeup is too thick.” 

Pffftt~ 

Some people couldn’t hide their laughter making Sophie shrunk on her seat in embarrassment. The rest no longer minded it and bypassed the strange woman to get to their seat two tables away. 

Leo. Where is Leo!?

Sophie sat rigid for a long time, her hands gripping the edge of the table until her knuckles turned white. Hearing the boisterous laughter from left stimulated her already taut nerves. She wanted to cry. 

Sena you slut, I’ll make you pay!

Angered, she harshly grabbed her purse and marched out of the restaurant no longer as happy as she came. Sena saw her face changed into various shades like a colour wheel and had a good laugh inside her heart. This is just the second one, wait for the rest Sophie… 

Their group finished lunch unhurriedly while discussing ways to further highlight the best areas and improve the weaknesses of each of their listing. Sena guided the conversation towards that topic to avoid giving insights to Niko. On the other hand, she did not thoroughly avoid discussion in order not to alert their enemy. 

“Niko, you might want to check on the house in Suncrest later.” Sena suggested suddenly. “The staging company will be coming there to put the furniture.”

Niko screamed inside her head and hurled multiple curses. Why does she have to go when it’s already been set? Once the staging company is done with the house interiors, they can see it the next day along with the photographer. Why waste time? But Sena is the boss and she had no choice but to follow.    

“Yes boss,” she answered not even showing a bit of her irritation. 

“Good.” 

19