BXBX NOVEL Chapter 154
“Are you reading my mind?” Squinting her eyes, Karen looked at Alex suspiciously.
“Aren’t those the basic questions that pop in your mind when someone catches you doing something wrong?” Alex, on the other hand, asked mischievously.
“Who’s doing the wrong deed?” Karen looked away.
“Hello... Hello... Bitch? Fucking Bitch?” Alex put his palm over his ears and acted like Karen, shaking his butt.
“Will you stop acting like that?” Karen picked up the folder placed in front of her and threw it at Alex, “Who said I talk like that?”
“Hahaha... I was only joking,” Alex caught the folder and, laughing, sat in front of Karen, “Come... sit and relax... Take a deep breath.”
.....
“I don’t need you to teach me,” Karen said but still took a couple of deep breaths as she fanned herself, waving her palm.
“... Why are you here?” Karen asked, annoyed by that smirk on his face.
“Didn’t I tell you? I came here to meet you,” Alex shrugged, “What happened to my boss? She was always pampering me. But now look at that frown on your face, you don’t look even the slightest bit happy with me visiting you.” Alex said, putting on a sad face.
“Enough with your antics. Tell me the real reason you are here,” Karen ignored that look on his face and asked.
“Still as perceptive as ever,” Alex put on a smile and relaxed back, “I am here to meet Jessica. She had something she wanted to talk about.”
“Regarding that joint venture thing?” Karen asked. She still could not believe that the guy who followed her around was the heir to a multi-dollar company.
Alex nodded.
“Looks like you guys got very close in the last few weeks,” Karen didn’t talk much about the project.
“Close? Well, you can say that,” Alex said, thinking about it, “That trip to Ullu helped a bit. She was in some trouble, and I helped.”
“... Like I can help you if you are in some trouble,” Alex said. He was clearly referring to the conversation she was having on the phone.
“That... I can handle it,” Karen shook her head. And Alex chose not to stretch the matter further.
“Why did you not join Jessica and Veronica to Ullu?” Alex changed the subject, “It would have been fun.”
“I had some important things to attend to,” Karen gave a weak smile and said.
“Ohh... Yeah, I heard you got promoted,” Alex remembered what Jessica had told her, “Congratulations... You owe me a party, and I don’t want any excuses in that matter.” Alex demanded.
“I haven’t really thought about it yet,” Karen again shook her head.
Now, this was it. What was so wrong with Karen? What’s going on in her life? What’s with all this... I don’t... Not right now... Important things... in her life? What Alex admired most about Karen was her clarity over things that really mattered, but now all he could see was the messed up life of Karen.
“How are you? What is going on with you?” Alex placed her hand over hers and asked the thing he wanted the most. How was she?
“I...” Karen hesitated.
“I know that was your mother-in-law. And I even know that the important thing that held you here was also your mother-in-law. Tell me what is going on. Maybe, just maybe, I can help you.” Alex tried to get Karen to open up.
“No, you can’t,” Karen shook her head.
“Try me,” Alex looked earnestly into Karen’s eyes and tried to have her believe him.
Karen saw the genuine concern in his eyes, and she felt comfortable, but she ultimately shook her head and pulled out her hand from his grip, “Don’t underestimate me, kid. I am still more than capable of pulling up my weight.”
“As you wish,” Alex shrugged, “But let me tell you. For you, I am just a phone call away.” Karen smiled, taking his words.
“We should meet regularly over lunch, or maybe dinners, but no drinks... huh... You lose it,” Alex laughed as he suggested, “I have the company’s card now. No limit on wasting money...”
“That’s for sure... When you rejected the contract that day, I thought you missed a great opportunity. But who would have thought you already had a silver spoon in your mouth,” Karen remarked, but she was happy for him like the other ladies.
“It’s all written in the destiny,” Alex said, pointing up, “Who would have thought I would stumble upon my parents. I could have easily died that day with the rain washing away my blood, but...” Alex lamented over his past, but his phone rang at that moment. It was Jessica.
Alex looked at Karen and excused himself, “Hello.”
“Where are you?” Jessica asked.
“I am with Karen. You were...” Alex told Jessica.
“I know. If you are done there, come to my office. Let’s go over the details today,” Jessica cut Alex short and said.
“I will be there in a minute,” Alex said and ended the call, “Jessica... She... I...”
“Karen smiled, “Go. You do your work and let me do mine.”
Smiling, Alex stood up to leave, but when he was at the door, he stopped, and mischievously looked at Karen, “You know... I heard a word floating from your mouth a while back.”
“Word? Floating? What word?” Karen looked at Alex with curious eyes. She thought he was going to talk about her cursing.
“Something... Something like... Like, kid,” Alex looked at Karen, pleased. Karen had, without realising, called Alex a kid. Now the agreement between them was null and void. Her remaining two wishes were down the drain.
“What kid? I never said anything like a kid,” Karen also realised that she did a blunder, but when has she ever admitted her mistake in front of Alex, “If I had said it, you should have pointed that out then and there. Now you are just making things up.” Karen said.
“You really are sly,” Alex said, looking at Karen in awe, “Look at you trying to trap me in the web of words.”
“Aren’t you getting late? Jessica is waiting for you. Leave...” Karen waved her hand, indicating for him to leave.
“I am busy, so I will drop it for now. But this ain’t over,” Alex said and, waving at her, walked out of the room.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“Ma’am... May I come in?” Alex peeked through the door and called out to Jessica.
“Enough with your weird acts,” Jessica was back to her usual self, something Alex had not seen for the last few weeks, “I have called you here to talk about the details.”
“I know... But why are you taking it out on me?” Alex grumbled, “I was before time to meet you. You were the one busy with your father.”
“How do you know he was my father?” Jessica glared at Alex suspiciously, “Are you poking your head in unnecessary places?” Jessica asked.
“Do you think someone will tell me?” Alex asked, “Especially that sleazy Lizzie. I am sure that sleazy Lizzie must have even bad-mouthed me, exaggerating things.”
Hearing Alex call out Lizzie, sleazy, even Jessica let out a snicker. It was true. When Lizzie walked in to tell her that Alex was there, she did complain about him and his weird name-calling.
“But your father... Man, what an item he is... What an item,” Alex’s tone had a bit of awe talking about Jessica’s father, “Coming to your company totally drunk and cursing you in front of everyone. I mean, you have to have all your screws loose to even think about it, but he did it,” Alex could not help but commend him on his stunt.
But this irked Jessica, “Can we not talk about him?” Jessica said angrily, “I have not called you here to sniff around into my family matters.”
“Who me?” Alex acted shocked, “Do you think I want to get embroiled in your family business? Nah... Nah... Nah...” Alex said, wagging his finger in front of Jessica.
“Your family is the walking recipe for disaster. I get burned for no reason,” Alex said, “That guy came to kill you, I got beat up for no reason. You got arrested for murder, I was the one who came running to your rescue. And today you got cursed, but I was here because you called me. And even after all that, I am the one poking into your business?” Alex listed out the events, “Let me tell you, if this goes on, I won’t have just eight holes in my body.” Alex said, almost on the verge of bellowing.
Hearing Alex, Jessica felt amused. She did not know whether to feel sad for his debacles or laugh at them.
“...Just tell me why have you called me here,” Alex said, “Talking about all the other stuff pricks my heart.” Alex rubbed over his chest and said.
Jessica finally smiled, “Fine.” And then she picked up the receiver and called Lizzie, “Tell Rebecca to come to my office.”
“...Just a minute,” putting the receiver back, Jessica looked at Alex and said.
And fair enough, in no more than a minute, there was a knock at the door.
“Come in,” Jessica called out.
* * * * *
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