25 Page 25: I hear boss music

"Why is he here? Is he here already? Ugh, this is impossible." I grumbled. Dave tried to catch up to me as I strutted along the hall. As soon as I saw who was on that list, the hairs on my scalp felt like combusting.

"I don't know. Lily wasn't aware of it either. He suddenly decided to join the meeting."

I stopped. About a few meters away from me was a wooden double door spilling a red carpet with two attendants dressed in striped tie suits standing on both sides. A gold event sign stood outside that said: Heiress x Queen.

I turned to Dave. The look in his face told me to please calm down let's not be rash. His bottom lip quivered.

"I'm fine." I choked midsigh. "I'll―I will be fine."

He held my shoulder, "Be at ease. He won't recognize you. Your disguise is perfect. It always is."

"And what if he recognizes me?"

His nose flared, "He hasn't seen you, Hera. He won't find any resemblance from your mother. Have faith."

Have faith, I repeated in my head. I've had several experiences with faith. All of it ended me trapped and immobilized. I could count on it, but not hold on to it. It's either we do it my way or no way.

The two attendants pulled the two sides of the door simultaenously and the cool air of the airconditioner kissed my cheeks. I breathed it all in and walked my way in with Dave following behind me.

Upon entrance, the red carpet goes on. Dashing lined chandeliers hung above with one side having floor to ceiling windows overlooking the city. As I walked down the carpet, about five employees from Queen whom I've known for years greeted me. Some asked me of my outfit and some were curious of Dave's relationship status. I swear, I'm beginning to think who's the bodyguard at this point.

Cutting the chatter was a woman in an all white suit wearing a black earpiece on her right ear and the connected black talkie on her left hip. She led Dave and I to the long mahogany table prepared for the meeting. From afar there were assigned seats with pyramid name plates each space on the table. Some seats were already filled with unfamiliar gentlemen talking, must be those of the production I assumed. The lady explained to us who the men were (confirming my suspicions) and where we were seated. I felt relieved at first knowing that I was seated midway through the table and behind me was a glorious window (not as if I was planning to jump off incase things go bad). It was all good until I saw who was seated in front of me. Our eyes met and I began to remember what had happened earlier in the dressing room. I must have froze since Dave caught my wrist and gripped it as if to say "Keep it in." Heck, I'd rather not say anything even.

We made our way to our seats and noticed both head seats empty. I read the name plate to my left and it was Mr. Kim's seat. Thank the gods our king will be joining us today. I mean, I had a feeling he was despite nobody telling me but Mr. Kim has a fashion for flare and would tend to join the meeting halfway while creating a flashy entrance.

Dave, who was seated to my left, leaned over, "Don't worry. I got a text from Mr. Kim. He says he's about a minute away."

I grimaced, "Guess that's the only thing faith will grant me today."

Dave's lips set on a hard line, so I gripped his hand and gave him a weak smile. He shook his head and leaned back to his chair.

I diverted my attention to the right side of the table. Similar to our side, the head seat was also vacant with one other vacant ones on each side. My eyes tunneled down to the nameplate and made me go "humph".

"Worried?" said Cherry who had her eyes glued on her phone.

"Certainly not." I replied haughtily. "What is there to worry? Also why are you even asking me this?"

She looked up for a second then went back to scrolling, "I'm just curious. This is your first collaboration after all."

"First or not, I can handle myself thank you very much."

She shrugged, "We'll see about that."

I wanted to counter that but talking to a person who wasn't even looking at you felt as if I was the one begging for attention. Stupid.

Truth be told, I was bothered by how their CEO was joining us today. Heiress's owner was known for being picky in his meetings. It was either he sent a representative or joined through video conferences (but he even shuts off his screen in the process). And Cherry acting as if she knew something about this rare opportunity made it more questionable.

Amidst my pondering, the double doors swung open spilling a barricade of men in black each with black sunglasses, glancing around as if they were searching for an exconvict. I was about to ask Dave what was going on when a man chuckled and said, "Alright, boys. That will be enough."

In his command, the men in black broke formation revealing a middle aged man with dark hair wearing an all white striped suit (the man who spoke I assumed) and another familiar Asian man on his side dressed like a traffic light looking askanced with the bodyguard next to him. The lady in white who greeted us earlier ran to the man's side moving them away from the door to the inner part of the entrance. They exchanged a few words possibly updating him on the attendance and program. That's when I realized she was his secretary. Talk about matching outfits.

I moaned in my seat. I wanted to complain about how he was dressed like a young Elton John with his mounted red-yellow-green feathers on his shoulder pads, but that didn't seem to matter anymore when I saw who he was with. "Why is Mr. Kim with 'him'?"

I was about to stand up when Dave gripped my hand, his eyes speaking, "Calm down."

"I'm just going to greet Mr. Kim." I replied in gritted teeth.

He raised a brow, "Uh huh? While he's standing next to the man of your nightmares? No you won't. I won't let you embarrass yourself."

"Hera!" called Mr. Kim which made me give Dave a crooked smile. I pulled my hand away and strutted from the table. I heard Dave complain under his breath but he diligently followed after me.

I remember feeling proud leaving my seat. It brings me joy to irritate Dave in very spectacular ways, but the moment I got close to the crowd my confidence melted.

I kept my smile on check and greeted Mr. Kim, "Good morning to our king." I beamed which made him shift on his feet. I'm no enthusiastic greeter, but if it's for making my mark, I don't mind peppering a little bit of nicities.

Mr. Kim cleared his throat and smiled along probably thinking if I had too much sugar this morning. "Good morning to you too my dear." He turned to the man on his left, "Hera, I know you've never met him but this is―"

"Heiress's CEO." I supplied glancing towards the man in white. "I've heard of his arrival."

Looking at him directly made me want to scream. Up close his appearance reminded me of Hollywood's Shun Oguri with the height of about six feet. He wore a black inner polo, a grey striped tie and shiny black shoes. His hair was pushed back and his eyes deep as obsidian. Yet beneath all that glamour, I know too well.

He laughed clapping Mr. Kim's shoulder. "Well, isn't this wonderful. You were right Mr. Kim, your favorite has spunk."

I turned to Mr. Kim my eyes asking for an explanation but he laughed along. "Yes of course." He chuckled. "I've treated Hera like my own. I know her more than just a model. She's family."

I don't know what just happened but the moment Mr. Kim mentioned him treating me like his own daughter made Heiress's CEO's laugh die down. And not just die down like quiet down, as in die down with a his forehead creasing as if a distant memory had occured to him and he just had to relive it.

"Right." I managed to cut the awkward tension. I reached out my hand to the gentleman and smiled. "My name is Hera. Pleased to meet you sir."

He caught my eye then glanced down. "Yes of course." He took my hand and smiled back at me.

I can't say how I felt in those few seconds of direct interaction. Touching the man I've hated all my life was weird. Even more so the man whom I've lost all faith in. And yet, it was satisfying to know, that I've gotten this close into finding closure myself. That the nightmare was about to end.

"I'm known as Darius McKinley." He clasped my hand with his other, "At least that was before my father and mother hadn't divorced."

"What do you mean, sir?" Dave interrupted.

He chuckled. "A sad story. I took after my mother's name after they separated."

I pulled my hand away politely then glanced to Dave jabbing my thumb to the other side of the room. "We better―"

"Wait isn't that hard on you? What about the documents? How did you handle it?" Mr. Kim added.

I heard them discuss legalities about name change and stuff so I took the opportunity to push Dave away from the scene which by the way did not work. I don't know why the topic about his name became so interesting all of a sudden that even Dave was so drawn into it.

My stomach felt like it had been pierced with lead. Remember how I said I told them I hated the owner of Heiress because he was the cause of my mother's death? I forgot I hadn't told them the deeper reason behind it.

"Dave!" I hissed pulling his wrist which made him wiggle his head. "My stomach hurts." I lied.

Mr. McKinley sighed, "I know, I couldn't believe they had to separate two years after I started the company."

"Yikes. So what's your name now?" Mr. Kim asked.

"Company wise, I'm still McKinley since most of my assets were labeled as such. But family wise," He glanced up to the ceiling.

I wasn't sure if it was the face of a proud son or the face of regret I saw but the moment he looked back to Mr. Kim, I was so sure that I was going to vomit when Lily interrupted us.

"Mr. McKinley, Mr. Kim," She regarded both of them, "All the guests have arrived."

"Well then.." Mr. McKinley clapped. "Let's continue this some other time."

He gestured to the front and walked ahead along with Mr. Kim. Dave turned to me to ask what was going on with me but I just raised my hand and said, "I saw my life flash before my eyes."

And that by the way was not a death trance. I literally saw toddler old me dressed in a tutu side by side holding hands with a man as we watched the sunset from the wretched mansion I once was held prison to.