Chapter 25

Ivan turned to look at grandfather to listen respectfully. 

I looked back at my grandfather but after a few seconds, too bored of the verbosity, I turned at Ivan to look at him.

My stomach fluttered lightly as I admired his features. 

That was until I began hearing the voices again.

"Is that not Ivan?"

My ears perked up.

"Yes, he's very charming… I was wondering what family he was from."

"Considering no one has heard of him before, he might be a foreigner."

"God knows, god knows."

"I feel he would be a good match for my daughter."

"Then my daughter might have to challenge yours."

"No no, ladies. I heard he and Alice looked very close."

Gossiping ladies were everlasting, no matter what social class it was.

I frowned.

"Poor guy, didn't you say Alice was troublesome?"

"Yeah… I was going to persuade my daughter to find out more about him but it's meaningless now."

My jaw hardened.

"Hmm, but doesn't that mean he's a gold digger, then?"

"That might not be far from the truth. He might just probably be attached to Alice for the money. Who'd be with someone with a personality like that?"

"That is quite unfortunate… His personality seemed very honest. I am once again reminded that looks can be deceiving."

With gnashing teeth, I noticed Ivan's smile growing more prominent. 

"Are you not bothered?" I whispered.

He laughed. 

"They're not even bothering to hide it…" I sighed, "...and they're just saying things that aren't even true."

Ivan laughed slightly louder as I complained.

I pouted and pinched his arm, "What's so funny?"

He looked up at the ceiling in contemplation and smiled back at me. 

Damn.

His mouth moved but my ears did not listen at all. 

Instead, my eyes were focused on his prominent cheekbones which provided strong columns following into his defined chin.

Above his chine, his red lips bloomed into a sexy smile with a quartz white that contrasted the blood lips. 

I zoned into his long eyelashes and fierce but warm eyes. 

"..-ice."

"Alice. Can you hear me? Alice?"

"Eh? Haha, yeah?" My mouth did not follow my practiced words, and my brain slightly spazzed as I stuttered nervously at him.

"What's up?"

"Haha, nothing. What were you saying?"

"I was saying it reminds me of other banquets. Everyone acts so politely and speaks to everyone with smiles, trying to make connections. But once something happens, it's completely the opposite."

"Oh, yeah definitely," I was listening to his words distractedly, feeling more interest towards his shiny pearly teeth and his sharp jawline.

"Reminds me of just how much rich and powerful people love to gossip."

I giggled, looking at his Adam's apple bobbing as he spoke. His legs looked especially long with his formal clothing and his clean appearance reminded me of the old days in the company.

My hands shifted as I felt the urge to pull him from his necktie towards me.

I imagined doing exactly that, my imagination taking me somewhere completely different.

"Hehe.." With no clue how, I was suddenly dangerously close to him and taking in his intoxicating scent. 

Hypnotized, I scanned his features and zoned into his lips.

My hand locked onto the back of his seat and held it tightly. Feeling a slight tingle from alcohol, I followed the feeling along.

"Let's toast, everyone!"

Before I could continue with whatever the hell I was doing, I was fortunately saved by the sound of clinking glasses. 

"Ah?" waking up from my trance, I took my hands back and looked up at the floor with trepidation. He was definitely creeped out, wasn't he?

 Oh god. I swear I'm not insane.

My memories flashed to when I freaked him out by acting crazy.

With hesitation, I looked up at Ivan. His breathing was rough and his eyes glinted, looking particularly dangerous. 

He held his chair with a terrifying grip, making his veins bulge out. His entire body was stiff, concentrated on me.

His strong desire for eye contact made me nervously dart my stare around him.

Ah.. turns out he wasn't creeped out?

I coughed and quickly grabbed my glass. 

"Cheers!" I yelled at his face.

Looking at me for a few seconds, his tight body relaxed.

His breathing settled and he clinked his glass against me. 

He drank the entire glass with an annoyed face, looking away from me. 

"Hehe," I poked his jaw.

"Don't cross the line," his raspy voice threatened.

I coughed. "Yes, haha. Of course."

The dinner continued without a problem.

…

…

…

"Haha. Just watch that dirty whore flirt around with him. She looks so happy."

"Why does that please you?"

"Don't you know how fucking good it'll feel after tonight when her pride is reduced to misery?" 

"..."

"The higher you fly, the harder you'll fall. Watch how I ruin that bitch's life."

"You're obsessed."

"Oh, am I?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Mm.. well. To be honest I was just really pissed when my ex liked her a lot… and then I got more pissed off every time I saw her."

"Haha… if others saw the way you were, I wonder how they would react?"

"It'd be hilarious for sure."

"Are you not worried about your image?"

"Hah. You're funny… Anyway, isn't Andrew looking a little jealous over there?"

"Heh, a little. Shouldn't we give him a push? He's not too sober either…"

…

…

"I'll be back soon, bathroom break."

"Uh, okay. That's your second time."

I smirked, "The food was pretty bad."

~~~

"Hey manager, you don't seem too well?"

Our colleagues looked at her with concern. It was a dinner hosted by the company, and nobody rejects free high-class food. 

We were at a fancy hotel, and it was a yearly event where workers no matter their occupations or teams or zones could mingle with each other. 

I took the opportunity to get acquainted with executives. 

It had been a pretty relaxed evening, with good food and drinks. However, the manager did not seem to think the same.

At this point, she had helped me with the dealings moving to the apartment and we'd had some time working together. 

"Manager, what's wrong?" I asked with a frown.

"Shut up. Don't talk to me."

Her poisonous tongue was not at all unfamiliar to me. Rather, I was the only victim of it. 

I've noticed that I'm the only one that gets this type of treatment. 

Before I'm called out for having a degradation kink, it's just that we get along like this.

I think.

I don't have a degradation kink, right?

"-hey. Hey! Ivan! Can you hear me?"

"Yes, yes. What's wrong, manager?"

"Get me a glass of water, I'm not feeling good."

"I'll go get it," someone else spoke up.

She gulped down the glass of water quickly and sleazily wiped her mouth with her hand. 

"It's probably a stomach bug or something. Go enjoy your dinner guys…"

Seeing as she wanted to be left alone, we went our ways.

It wasn't long until I saw her stumbling again. 

"Ugh," she groaned while holding her stomach. 

I handed her a glass of water which she snatched immediately.

Slightly recoiling at her hand, I backed off a little. She appreciated the gesture and after taking a glass, she approached me again.

"God this fucking sucks." Her breaths were heavy.

My eyes popped. This was the manager? Cussing? 

"Thanks for the water," she looked up at me. "Ivan?"

"Relax…" I patted her back. "Your hand was burning. Do you not have a fever?"

"I most likely fuckin' do," she brought up her hand to her forehead. "It's searing hot," she uttered.

I nodded. "Then you should go rest. The others won't mind… we've been wondering for a while what was going on with you."

"Yeah… I didn't think it'd be this bad…" she wiped her sweat.

I pulled out a nearby chair for her and sat her down.

[Your driver is on the way. Your driver is completing a trip nearby.. *** ***** (4.96 stars) will arrive in 6 minutes.]

I showed her my phone, "Cab will be here in 6 minutes."

She nodded. 

"Thanks, by the way."

"No problem. You should've stayed back at home."

"I didn't think it'd be this bad. And I wanted to enjoy today with everyone else… We worked really hard and I wanted to at least give a toast."

I laughed, "Hey, at least you did give a toast. Not gonna lie, it was pretty shitty, though."

"Heh," she gave a laugh, "Mr. Hayes, you don't want to have your salary cut, do you?"

"Glad to see you can still joke around, even while feeling shitty."

"I'll show you how shitty my jokes can be tomorrow morning in your report." She squinted her eyes at me.

I laughed, "Scary."

We talked for a while about, and I quote, 'anything, just distract me from vomiting'

My phone buzzed.

[*** **** is arriving soon in a Ma*da 3 (ABCD 123). After arriving, they'll wait 2 minutes before charges are applied for their time.]

"Ub*r's here."

"Ugh," she stood up shakily and began walking quickly.

"Manager," I called out for her.

"Manager!"

"What?" She turned back to me violently and then recoiled when she felt the contents of her stomach moving.

"That's the wrong way."

"Ah, fuck you."

"Wait for me here while I say my goodbyes to everyone."

"Ah, I'm coming too."

"Sit down, you're looking terrible."

Rather than bite back, she quietly obeyed and sat down.

…

"When you told me you were saying goodbyes to everyone, I didn't realize you'd also leave the dinner," she massaged her temples.

"Eh…" Seems like her brain is fried from the fever.

"I did find it weird that you were saying good bye to everyone just to leave me at the cabby…"

I stayed quiet, taking out the stomach medicine someone had on emergency.

"You didn't have to accompany me. You should've stayed and had more fun."

I shrugged, "I'm too tired anyway. I don't like social gatherings too much either way."

She scoffed, "That doesn't sound like you."

? 

"...Well I did… enjoy… parties in the past."

She laughed, "That's an understatement."

I sweat-dropped. "Alright, alright. I prefer being by myself now."

"Relax, I'm just teasing," she smiled and slapped my back with force.

"Man, too bad you got a fever right on the day of the dinner. Couldn't even enjoy the food."

She smirked, "Meh… the food was pretty bad."

…

~~~

Understanding my reference, she slapped my chest with a smile, "Alright, alright. Go go."