Chapter 18–Drunk with your love

"He's really serious with his job." Richard said, staring at Adrian as he disappeared into the crowd. "He's been with you for four years now, tolerating you and all your nasty behaviours."

"Hey!!" I frowned. "I don't have nasty behaviour."

"Mhm," He smiled. "And he survived, he deserves an accolade."

"Yeah, that's why I chose him." I replied, smiling casually. "He is quite loyal."

"Oh, you do agree you have nasty behaviour." He smiled and I promptly gave him a blank stare.

He pursed his lips, shaking his head. "But you know the agency can decide to dismiss him at any time." He arced his head towards me, fixing me with his dark brown eyes that were usually mistaken for black.

"Not if I complain about anything." I replied. "And I don't think that is possible. He recently got promoted."

"They don't need your complaints to fire him," He threw his head back and gulped his drink. "They could use any means." He stated.

"Well, in that case, I've got him covered." I replied, fiddling with the tip of my eyeglass.

"How?" He echoed calmly, relaxing on the sofa.

"He's still going to continue working as my manager but under my employ instead of the agency's." I answered. "That's what is in the contract."

"So, you get to keep him around even when the agency eventually does dismiss him."

"Yes," I furrowed my brows. "He will be working as an agent." I replied after a while.

"That means he can't work anywhere else and while he'll still be with the agency, he won't be working for them?"

"He can work anywhere else if he eventually decides to leave. That and many others are the benefits of being the major shareholder of the agency."

"Smart." He nodded. "Funny, how you don't exert your powers." He said without missing a beat. "Besides, you seem more like the chairman of the agency."

I rolled my eyes. "I don't like interfering with their business. And besides, not everyone in the company knows who the main shareholder is and I like it that way."

"Since you hold more power, why not just buy the agency and become the owner."

"I'm not quite interested in it. Probably, in the future."

"Yeah, I forgot you decided to be invisible." Richard said, whirling his glass. "Have you heard from your parents?" He glanced at the dance floor.

"Mom called earlier today." I answered, adjusting the glasses on my face.

"Heard your father won in the parliamentary elections?" He peered at me, reaching for his wristwatch.

I snorted. "So I heard. I still don't get why he chose to be involved in the nation's politics after those of the entertainment world."

"That's his choice." He ran his fingers through his hair. "When was the last time you heard from him though?"

"Two weeks ago," I stated. "That was when he won the elections. I had to congratulate him as a son." I answered, flipping my phone oblivious to the stares he was giving me.

"Have you ever thought of going back to the laboratory?" He asked quietly after some time.

My eyes snapped to meet his.

"Where is that coming from?" I stiffened if he noticed he didn't let on.

"Will you?" He asked.

I clenched my jaw refusing to meet his intense gaze, "Why ask when you know the answer?" I finally voiced.

"For how long?" He muttered and continued whirling his glass.

I eyed him but remained silent. I didn't want to talk about it and I was hoping he would take the hint.

"Never mind." He sighed. "Hope Adrian hasn't found trouble for himself?" He asked changing the topic for which I was grateful.

"He's coming." I answered as the brewing tension gradually disappeared.

"I'm sorry I spent long." Adrian said and took his seat. "Is everything okay?" He asked staring at the both of us.

"Where are the drinks?" I clasped my hands and laid them on the table ignoring his question.

"Chill, it's coming." He answered scanning the room as if looking for someone.

"Wait, you mean to tell us you took long only to come back empty-handed?" Richard asked sardonically.

"No." He shouted, his eyes looking everywhere but at us. "Oh, here he comes." He smiled at us.

"What took you long?" He asked the waiter with a frown.

"Sorry sir, I lost you and finding you took some time." He replied, hanging his head. "I sincerely apologize."

"Never mind, thanks for the drinks." Adrian answered.

"You're welcome, have a nice night." He answered and left.

Once he had left, I cleared my throat and turned to look at Adrian. He smiled slightly, "Guys, I'm sorry," he said. "I got carried away."

"By whom?" Richard asked suddenly interested while gently mixing the drinks.

"I hope she's beautiful enough to have gotten you distracted." I said, letting a smile slip on my face.

"Hey," He laughed. "She's beautiful but underage."

"Underage?" Richard asked surprised.

"How did she get in here?" I asked.

"Are you seriously asking that question?" Adrian gave me a blank look and shook his head. "Guys, hear me out." He continued.

I collected the glass from Richard and took a sip. "Okay, go ahead."

"She is Kiara's younger sister." He explained.

I blinked twice, frowned and glanced at him, "Who's Kiara?" I asked.

"Your house manager." He glared at me.

"You mean Krystal." Richard said smiling. "What is she doing here alone?" He asked with a frown.

"She's not here alone, so she said." Adrian replied and Richard nodded.

"Nevertheless, she's smart and fun to be with." Adrian said and took off his jacket. "She looks mature and also talks mature -more than her age." He adjusted his shirt.

"That's the reason you mistook her for an adult." I sassed.

"Whatever you say," He dismissed my comment with a wave of his hand. "I'm hoping to work with them."

"No," Richard replied almost immediately. "You'll have to take permission from me." He stretched lazily in his seat.

I threw him a glance."Who are you to them?" I asked and stood up.

"I'm Kiara's soon-to-be boyfriend." He replied with a smirk while Adrian rolled his eyes muttering something along the line of him being sick.

He was sick.

"She is so likeable and adorable." He sighed, staring off into space.

"Gosh, Richard is so dramatic and I'm wondering how the both of you are still friends." Adrian said.

"It's love but he refuses to admit it and as a loving boyfriend, I can only hope he does realize it before it's too late." Richard winked and smiled drawing closer to me. "Right, baby? Say it, you love me." He drawled fiddling with the zip of my jacket, his eyes sparkling with pure amusement.

"Gross." I squatted his hands away while shifting further away from him.

"My!! Did you just gross me out?" He looked at his hands and back at me. Adrian sat back with his phone recording the drama Richard was putting up.

"Richard," I started. "We don't want to do this." I tried to escape from him.

"Babe, you know you can't run away from this love." He flipped his invisible hair inching closer.

"Adrian, can you please stop him?" I pleaded, shifting closer towards him.

"Sorry, I can't come in between your love life." He smiled moving the camera to my face.

"Take that off my face, Adrian." I shouted covering my face while still trying to escape from Richard.

"It's not every day I get to watch live shows like this. Besides, I'm enjoying myself." He laughed, standing up as I lunged at him.

I narrowed my eyes at him, "You're so going to pay for that." I growled but he laughed and continued filming.

"Ian," Richard purred. "Please, don't run away from me." He said and pulled me in for a tight hug.

Richard was quite a hugger, he knew how to hug not just the person but their spirit and soul included if you get what I'm pointing at.

"Richard, are you drunk?" I asked irritatedly, trying to peel myself out of his embrace.

"I'm drunk with your love." He slurred. "Come on, say you love me too." He coaxed and tightened his embrace while Adrian was laughing hysterically drawing attention to us.

"Richard, please." I pleaded, trying to turn but failing.

"Just say it." He huffed. "It won't kill you." He added and pulled back a bit to look at me.

I smiled suddenly getting an idea but also silently praying it would work. Richard was ticklish, it was one of his funny secrets that he guarded very well.

"Okay, I'll say it. Release your grip." I tried to keep my smile transparent -I didn't want him to sense my plans.

"Are you sure?" He narrowed his eyes trying to read me but I grinned. "Fine, say it." He said and released his grip a little.

I covered my face with my left hand for a split second and looked at him with as much concern as I could muster.

"What?" He rolled his eyes.

"Richard, I'm sorry." I smiled mischievously, brought both hands to his side and tickled him.

His eyes went wide having not expected that before he burst into laughter. In his moment of distraction, I ran out of the seat grabbing a laughing Adrian along with me. Once I'd gotten outside, I broke into laughter holding my sides with Adrian in tow.

"That was damn funny." Adrian said in between laughs as he tried to pause what he was filming earlier.

"I can't remember the last time I laughed this hard." I squatted on the floor.

"Richard is so going to kill you." Adrian laughed and straightened himself.

"That's the reason I'm out here."

"How did you do that? He didn't see it coming." He asked once he regained himself.

"He was too engrossed in his acting to read my expressions." I smiled. "I just hope he wouldn't skin me alive."

"Here, he comes." Adrian announced.

"Ian, what was that for?" Richard growled marching towards us.

"I'm sorry but I had to do something." I tried not to laugh.

"Of course, you had to and you thought that was something you needed to do." He asked a frown creased on his brows.

"I'm sorry. I love you that's why I did it." I smiled and went up to him.

"Keep your love to yourself." He snapped but a little smile betrayed him.

"I just declared my love for you and you're telling me to keep it to myself." I laughed.

"But you know that wasn't funny." He hissed.

"I know." I pressed my lips together, feigning remorse. "Please, calm down."

"It was kinda funny." Adrian said.

"Yes, of course, it was." Richard shot him a heated glare.

"Adrian, just shut up." I said hands pressed on the bridge of my nose.

"I'm sorry." He said, raising his hands in surrender still laughing.

"And for you Ian, I will surely get back to you. Trust me." Richard said.

"Yeah, you will." I replied, nodding with a smirk plastered on my face. "What took you long to come outside?" I placed my hand on the back of my neck.

"I had to pay for the drinks." He answered, walking to the parking lot.

"We're leaving already?" Adrian asked and looked at his wristwatch.

"Yes." He replied.

"The fun had just started." Adrian complained.

"Well, you can go back in there," Richard answered and stretched his hands. "The key." He said once we got to the car.

"Richard, calm down. You look like my dad when he's grumpy." I said and gave him the key.

He laughed at that. "Don't compare with your father, God knows I'm more handsome than he is."

"What are you trying to say?"

He smiled. "I'm already tired."

"Okay." I nodded. "You're driving by the ways." I told him and made a beeline for the back seat.

"I'm too tired to drive." He said and turned to Adrian. "Adrian, you seem sober enough to drive." He tossed him the key.

He easily caught the key and stared at it, "We all drank together but I'm going to be the DD. How fair." He complained.

"You drank less than the both of us." I commented lifting my gaze from my phone only for them to fall on my supposed house manager but she immediately looked away. I frowned wondering what that was about but eventually climbed into the car.

"Today was fun." Richard muttered smiling.

"Yeah." I stretched out across the back seats.

Adrian stretched lazily and smiled. "This club is officially my best."

"I'm sure I saw Kiara in the parking lot." Richard muttered and leaned his head on the headrest trying to stifle a yawn.

"Yeah, I saw her too but she left already." I replied.

"Ian, we're crashing at your house." Adrian looked at me through the rear mirror.

I nodded, too tired to give a reply and closed my eyes as the car pulled out of the parking lot. I couldn't remember the last time I had fun without the prying eyes of the media or the agency breathing down on my neck.

Life as a celebrity didn't come easy, it is the reason why I'm not surprised to hear about celebrities falling into depression along the way. I was once a victim and it was hell but it depends on how well you deal with it.

Being successful in this industry didn't come as a pie. It is hectic, confusing, tiring and sometimes misleading but I managed to scale through and through, my being in the entertainment world wasn't what I choose, but I still gave it my best -I'm not exactly happy leaving my first love...it's still a sore spot for me. But I've come to realise that we plan for things in life and life gives us a different thing entirely... a twist that we usually have no choice but to accept. This was my twist, I had to appreciate and live it.

******

Mianhae - I'm sorry.