51 Aquaphobic

"Why?" Grace asked Ann the moment Ann informed her Chairman Jiang wanted to see Brad before allowing Grace to travel with him.

"He probably unconsciously cares for you even though he doesn't know you're his daughter. I guess the bond between you two is very strong," Ann said, making Grace smile despite herself.

She liked the idea that Ann was probably right and her father was subconsciously looking out for her.

"That reminds me, I spoke with your grandmother late last night. I think she is sweet," Grace said, making Ann look at her with Interest.

"She is? What was she like? What did she say?" Ann asked, leaning forward with her hand on her heart.

"She just said she couldn't wait to see you, and then she said she was going to prepare my room and call me every day until I finally meet her. And then she asked about Maggie. I guess that's your mom," Grace summarized.

"I really wish I could go there myself," Ann said with a wistful sigh.

"Did Wang Tae-Joon call to tell you about anything?" Grace asked Ann after a while.

"Yeah, he did. You're having lunch with him later. Is there a problem?" Ann asked curiously.

"None that I know of. He saw me coming out of my room and assumed I passed the night with a man," Grace said with a shrug, making Ann wince.

"I take it you cleared the air on that?" Ann asked.

"Sure. He wants to buy me lunch to apologize for making my parents throw me out of the house with his lesbian theory," Grace explained, waving her hand to discard the subject.

"That's, by the way. I really think you should update me on your family. Tell me all you know that you think I need to know to face them," Grace said eagerly like she was really looking forward to the whole experience.

"Okay then. Sit down while I tell you what little my mother told me about her family. After that, you can tell me what I need to know and do in your absence," Ann said, and Grace nodded in agreement.

"And we will also have to go over to see Mrs. Shu and inform her that you're leaving with Brad. It's best Brad comes along with you, and then you can just tell them I will be checking on them in your absence," Ann added before starting her lecture.

**********

"I learned you were the man that spent the night with Ann in your hotel room?" Chairman Jiang asked, narrowing his eyes suspiciously at Brad, who was looking at him with a frown.

Brad was sitting across from him on one of the sofas in his office. Chairman Jiang hadn't expected the young man to honor his invitation so soon, but the moment he had seen how handsome and wild Brad looked, he had suddenly become scared for Grace. This was the sort of man that stole a girl's heart without her consent.

Why was he suddenly asking about that? Ann had only told him her employer wanted to see him before they concluded on plans to leave. He hadn't expected to be interviewed over something that wasn't even her employer's concern.

"Yes. Do you have a problem with it?" Brad asked cocking a brow.

"Do you go about passing the night with every lady you see?" Chairman Jiang asked.

"Do you go about interviewing every man your female staff passes the night with? Or is there something particularly special about Ann?" Brad retorted.

"I take it nothing happened between the both of you? Especially since you now know she is your cousin?" Chairman Jiang asked, disregarding Brad's rude response.

"It's none of your business. Is this why you wanted to see me?" Brad asked, rising to his feet. He didn't have the time or patience for discussions like these.

"Ann is very special to me. And I do hope you can watch over her carefully until she returns," Chairman Jiang said with a sigh, even though Brad could hear the plea in his voice.

"She is my family. Of course, I'm going to take care of her. So you can stop worrying about her. Is your daughter aware that you have such feelings for her personal assistant?" Brad asked with a disapproving frown making Chairman Jiang look at him with a puzzled frown before suddenly smiling when he understood what Brad was thinking.

"I don't have any untoward feelings towards Ann. She's like a daughter to me, and I care for her as such," Chairman Jiang said, smiling at the irony of it all.

"I hope that's the truth. I'll be leaving now if that's all," Brad said, moving towards the door.

"I want you to do me a favor," Chairman Jiang called before Brad could open the door.

"I don't do favors," Brad muttered under his breath. He was usually more agreeable than this, but he just felt kinda hostile towards Chairman Jiang, thinking he was having inappropriate feelings for Ann.

"Either ways, keep your hands off her. And don't do anything to make her fall for you," Chairman Jiang warned, making Brad scoff.

"She's my cousin! I don't know how things are done this way, but over there, we don't have inappropriate affairs with relatives," Brad told him before walking off.

Chairman Jiang looked at the door with a frown. As long as Brad kept thinking that way, then he was okay. If believing Grace was his cousin was going to make him keep his hands off her, then he was very much okay. He could only hope that Grace would behave herself accordingly.

************

"I'm Aquaphobic!" Zoe cried when the dance instructor insisted on them going for swimming lessons. How was she to take off her clothes? She couldn't risk being discovered, not when she had just started doing what she loved.

"But this is part of the curriculum! You have to---"

"I can't go close to the water. Besides, what has swimming got to do with dancing?" Zoe interrupted with a frown. She only knew about aquaphobia because of her sister Grace, who was scared of going close to water. 

"It's good for your cardiovascular fitness. You really can't go close to the water?" The Dance instructor asked with a frown while Zoe shook her head.

"What a weirdo!" One of the guys said, making the others chuckle.

"If he says he can't, then he can't. Just go on with the other guys. I need his help," Zhang Wei said, making Zoe look up at him in surprise. She hadn't realized he was standing there since it was past the lunch break already, and he hadn't shown up.

"Okay, sir. You can go," The dance instructor said before returning his attention to the other guys and leading them out.

"Thanks," Zoe said without looking at him.

"It's fine. You shouldn't be made to feel like a weirdo over something like that," Zhang Wei said with understanding. He was glad that he wasn't the only weird one in their friendship.

Zoe bit her lips and looked away from him. She was lying too much, and the deeper she got, the more worried she was about what would become of their friendship if the truth was unveiled.

"My mother wants me to bring you over for lunch," Zhang Wei said, making Zoe look at him with wide eyes. Madam Zhang? How could she pretend around her? Pretending to be a guy around men was one thing, but around a woman like Madam Zhang? That was going to be extremely difficult. Zoe thought with a frown.

"You told her about me already? What did you say to her?" Zoe asked nervously.

"Relax, it's not a big deal. She just wants to meet my friend and get to know you. That's all," Zhang Wei assured her.

"If you say so," Zoe said with a sigh. She could only hope that Madam Zhang wouldn't pay too much attention to her.