Chapter 22: Dinner With Clients

Their dates from B&T were there, sitting right at the corner of the restaurant. Lucas had waved to them, wearing a wide smile. Andrew Phang was the CEO of a company called Bang's and Tank's. They basically had a hand in every piece of profitable pie that there was from military weapons to oil refineries. Andrew had worked diligently to get where he needed to be in this company.

He was now in his early fifties, and had some grey-white hair to show it. He had a beautiful wife with him, Lydia and a son, Willy at home waiting for them. Lydia Sim was well-off and in a connected family and he was rich, an up-and-comer in the office. They both had something the other wanted and could use their relationship to get where they wanted to be.

"Hello! Mr and Mrs Phang." Lucas and I greeted them and extended our hands. Mr and Mrs Phang greeted back. "Please, have a seat." Andrew said, pointing the chair across from him. His wife was sitted right next to him. "Ruby, sit here." Lucas said, pulling a chair for her. For once in her life, she had someone really care for her. She had always been a loner, at least for the most of her times and she was trying to meet new people too. She had been single for almost five months now.

Lucas introduced her as his personal PA and girlfriend. Time passed by as the we talked about the proposal. Lucas still felt like he hadn't done enough with his life. He was obsessed with the desire to achieve more. If you weren't working hard enough to produce a proper profit then you didn't get to have your job. They weren't running a damn charity, this was business and business was cold, as always. Mr Phang nodded in agreement.

Inside the car, Lucas suddenly voice out his thoughts. "But given what I've been through, I think I'm doing quite alright." Lucas said. "Mmmh... Lucas, you're rich, handsome and you took me to an evening date with your clients, should I profess love?" Ruby asked and smiled coyly to him. "Oh come on, when you want to impress a fine man, you've got to be outstanding don't you think?" He said, staring at me in the eye now. For a moment there was silence, awkward silence in the car.

"Do you want to go back to my room tonight?" He asked, not sure if she's willing or not. Although their room were adjoined to each other, there's no adjoining door between the walls. "No, I really like to be in mine." Ruby said, reaching out for Lucas's hand. "Okay, you are convincing." He said and the two left the car for their rooms, holding each other's hands.

...~...~...

When her cellphone alarm rang the next morning, she wanted to pick it up and shut it down but she couldn't move her limbs fast enough. Her head was pounding when she managed to sit up in bed, and a wave of pains overcame her, causing her to cover her stomach quickly and run to the bathroom. She remembered, she had two bowls of ice-cream last night. Seeing her enjoying her bowl of ice-cream, how she savored every bits of it, Lucas handed his bowl to her.

She heard knocked on her door but she's still in the bathroom. "Ruby?" She heard Lucas's voice. He's standing infront of her door but even so, he sounded so distant. "Are you're awake? Can you open the door?" After few minutes of patiently waited, Lucas knocked again. "Ruby... sunshine, are you awake?" After she finished her toilet matters, she hurried to the door.

"Why did you take so long? Are you alright?" He demanded. As soon as I opened the door, he saw the pain imprinted on my face. My stomach.. it was very painful but it better now. "Why didn't you call me?" He asked, worried. I shrugged. "It just happened. Too much ice-cream last night." He then swiftly walked out from my room and later came back with the painkiller in his hand.

"Here's the painkiller. Take it, you'll feel better." He said. I turned and quickly grabbed the painkiller from his hand. Helping me sit down on the bed, I drank the painkiller along with the water. He then settled himself comfortable on my bed, instantly pulled me to his body and I was lying on his chest. He quickly pulled the covers over me to keep me warm.

"Don't you have work? We have to meet B&T clients today to finalise the proposal." I asked him. He shook his head. "I took the day off just to spend it with you. I had called Mr Phang, telling him you're unwell. We'll meet them tomorrow." I gasped.

"You didn't have to do that!" He shrugged. "I cared! You may need me too." I smiled at him. That was very thoughtful of him. "Thank you..."

He smiled, a real smile! "You're welcome, sunshine."