The Next Move

Wirata walked to the back of the penthouse he had pointed out for her. At the end was a big and tall glass wall with a double-glazed sliding door. The curtains were pulled fully open and tied at the sides so when looking out she saw a big swimming pool. It looked like... a garden...? Garden with a swimming pool in the middle of it.

She looked to her left. She could see from the opened door that it was the kitchen. Wirata did not look around anymore, she walked in there. It was beautiful. If she was not in a bad and upset mood. it would have stunned her.

The room was big. The kitchen units were black and white. There were counters along one wall with a modern and beautiful design to suit the luxurious penthouse. The island in the middle had lots of draws. There was a dining table with ten chairs near the other glass wall which was able to see the view of the city outside. Everything was... beyond description for this place.

However, Wirata did not care. She saw a coffee maker and walked to it. Well, it was not just one machine, but there were three. The modern automatic coffee center she saw at first, a drip coffee maker and a kettle full of hot water for making an instant coffee. Opened the cabinets above her head to find a coffee jar. She decided to make an instant coffee as it the quickest one. What she cared right now was to get out of here.

Wirata put two spoons of coffee powder in her mug, and for his, she put ten spoons! Now pressing the water from the kettle to fill the mugs. Her head had stopped spinning so she was back to thinking mode.

**********

The tall figure wearing a soft blue robe walked into the living room as James and Ben opened the penthouse door and walked into the room at the same time. The two bodyguards bowed their heads to greet Stefan.

"Good morning, boss."

They said. Stefan looked at his men. They were in a dark suit ready for their job as usual.

"Get the car ready."

Stefan told his bodyguards.

"It's ready, boss."

Ben said. He could predict a little what's going to happen today, and now just waiting to see how much he would be accurate.

Stefan glanced at his men and nodded, shoving a hand in his hair, his brows knotted as he was thinking something in his head.

The bodyguards looked at the boss who walked to the bar, poured the whiskey into a thick glass then walked to stand near the wide glass panels, looking out. His unsmiling face had indicated that he was not in a good mood.

"Should we be worried?" Ben whispered to James while watching the boss lifted the whiskey glass and drank the whole lot in one swift move.

"Hm, not looking good, isn't he? Only one night and he looks like a Goner." James whispered back.

"I think you're right. He looked a little bit off."

Ben said in low voice. They were standing about five meters away from their boss and made sure the boss couldn't notice that they were talking about him. They were very good at talking in low whispering tone with their mouth hardly moved but they heard and understood each other very well.

"A lot off! He is behaving very weird." James replied.

"Like what?" Ben continued the conversation as it was their fun routine for starting the day, gossiping their own boss.

"Firstly, the boss never wastes his time following women around and never got beaten by a woman."

James responded. They both glanced at Stefan's bruised face.

That's true. Stefan didn't have to waste time chasing a woman. There were a lot of beautiful models and movie stars queueing up ready to jump into his bed. Even one of Bernardo's sweet birds had escaped from her godfather's cage to Stefan's bed. But Stefan only welcomed her once just to make Bernardo angry and bruised his egos. Bernado was very angry indeed, felt losing face and his reputation damaged for a long time from that incident.

"Secondly, the boss has never brought any woman up here. Thirdly, the boss doesn't last with any woman the whole night."

Last night they didn't get a call from the boss to send the woman back to her place as he normally did.

Ben nodded in agreement with his friend. It was true. He was thinking the same in this case. Stefan wouldn't sleep with any woman all night long. He just wanted a woman to release his natural desire and that was it.

"You two take Wirata to her place."

Here came the first order of the day. James and Ben bowed to acknowledge and turned to meet each other's eyes, communicating in a silent language that only them two understood each other.

"Another thing, I've fired her. She won't work at the company anymore." Stefan told his men.

Not a surprise to James and Ben in this case. They could read Stefan's game. It was because of his motto 'THE ABBOT DOES NOT EAT THE TEMPLE'S CHICKEN'.

So it meant if he wanted to eat the chicken, the chicken had to be rid of the temple first, getting fired to be free for Stefan to swallow her whole. Then the company employees couldn't say that the boss had lost his high spirit.

"Yes, boss."

The bodyguards acknowledged.

"Pack her stuff from the office as well."

She had worked there for over one month so she probably had her things on her desk.

"Where to, boss?" James asked his boss.

"Here! Since when are you stupid hah, James?! When she finishes packing. you bring her back here!"

Stefan snapped with an edgy voice. He didn't feel fresh and his head ached like hell. And his men were making him annoyed with their stupid acts.

"Ah, meaning...you are going to keep her...Are you, boss?"

Ben asked a question which he could guess the answer. But just wanted to make sure. Ben and James had been with Stefan for so many years, so they could see and read their boss's thoughts a little and now they could guess which way it's going.

It's definitely going SOUTH!

Stefan poured more whiskey into the glass and sipped it slowly this time, he was thinking why this morning his subordinate henchmen were asking stupid questions like this. It was too early for him to use his aching head too much right now.

"Please don't get mad yet, boss. If I recall correctly, you've told us to remind and warn you not to raise any woman in a long-term contract. You only want one night stand not even repeat twice."

James was brave to say out as it was his duty to do so when seeing his boss wasn't likely himself or doing things against his words. And also because he was standing many meters away from the big boss so it was quite a safe distance.

"Ah, and you don't allow any temporal woman up here."

Ben added to help James to remind their boss of his strange behaviors.

The boss was quiet. James put his head close to Ben in whispering gestures.

"This kind of symptom, it is called ... Falling in love ... isn't it?"

James whispered to Ben. And right that second the whiskey glass flew straight toward them swiftly. The two bodyguards quickly jumped and dodged in different directions. Good job the glass was thick and it hit the carpet, soft landing enough not to break into pieces!

" You two shut up!... I don't love anyone. Don't ever say that stupid thing to my ears again. Do you understand? I don't have any feelings for women who are gold-diggers. They just want my money. When they look at me they see a big fat check and it is fair enough that I just want to buy their body. And nothing more. it's just that. Do I make it clear enough to you two?! I hate gold-diggers!"

The dark voice snapped with anger. lifted his hand to rubbed his forehead. Stefan was not a stupid man. Being an heir of the rich family. From what he had learned all his life. Women were the same, the thing they loved was the smell of dollars in his bank account.

He didn't care what they were thinking or feeling toward him. But from his experience, they all felt good to spend time in bed with him that was for sure. He had money, lots of it. And it was true that money could buy everything that sellable in this world included women. So who cared about love? Not Stefan Mackenzie that's a curtain.

Lust, that's what he was after, not LOVE!

Stefan looked at his bodyguards. They were quiet now. These two did his head in sometimes with their silly statements.

"If you forget. I'll remind you and make it clear again. Women are just for fun, there is no one special than another. They are the same, no one gets a permanent contract with me. It's the only sex that I look for, nothing else! Do you understand every word I say?"

The boss said it clear and loud. Before Ben and James could say they understood every word very clearly, the slender figure stood still in silent at the opened door linked to the back of the penthouse.

There were two mugs of coffee in her hands. She wore a black dress from last night. Her face was pale and her hair looked a little messy, she tied it in a ponytail style. Ben and James were not sure since when she had been standing there and not sure if she had heard the attitude toward women the boss had just announced or not.

"Er ... boss." James said, tried to send a signal to warn Stefan. His boss didn't see her because he stood facing James and Ben, and his back to Wirata.

"These women are just toys, Between me and them, it's exchange business deals. They give me a good time and I pay them good money. You should know well how much they love my money."

The harsh voice continued then he seemed to notice his bodyguards gestures. Stefan slowly turned. There, the slim body standing between the door frame with two mugs in her hands, her face was emotionless and unreadable.

"If you've finished, please let me go home."

Wirata said. She walked to the bar and put his mug down, didn't bother to hand it straight to him. She had heard him every word! He's an evil jackass bastard!

Stefan stared at her. His brain was searching for words to say more, but nothing came out. But only one minute, the handsome face turned grim and his eyes looked into hers.

"You will come to stay here with me and we will talk about the deal, a contract, in writing."

Wirata listened to the voice of the big boss. He seemed to be accustomed to issuing orders at all times. Orders that no one under his commands had never dared to reject.

Inside her head, she was not sure which way life was going to lead her to, but one thing she was so sure of, she would be far away from this evil man. Wirata had heard how much he had insulted and looked down on women, wondering if he was born from the bamboo trunk!

Her brain was still slightly foggy, especially when seeing his face again. She needed a little time to recover and to clear her mind, but of course, she hated this man to bits!

Come here to live with this evil mafia? ... In his dreams!

"Okay."

But her calm voice spoke with an easy gesture. Stefan stared at her face to find any hidden clues but he saw nothing, Stefan nodded, thinking she seemed to understand easily now which was good. He hated complicated things, and women were complicated human beings!

Wirata only focused on 'GET OUT OF HERE'. That was it. So whatever he said she would agree, just for now.

"James and Ben, drive her home and bring her back."

The boss ordered again ... James and Ben bowed to the order. The boss turned to Wirata again.

"You have your belongings at the apartment as well, don't you? Bring all here."

He gave orders to everyone.

Wirata nodded without argument, causing Stefan to feel surprised by her easy-going attitude and obedience to him.

"Don't play tricks with me. I am warning you. "

The harsh voice gave her a sharp and knowing gaze. Wirata nodded again, didn't say anything. Her heart was dancing ... He was going to let her go! ...

Please! Don't be slow. She prayed for James to open the door very soon. Tried to hide everything under her indifferent expression, making herself look as calm as possible.

"Give Ben the apartment key"

Stefan said. He felt distrustful of her 'too calm' manner. Wirata handed the apartment key to Ben.

"Here it is." She said.

Stefan frowned. He thought it was a little weird when she not fight or giving him some argument. He was used to her fighting with him. But Stefan shrugged. If she had any plan to run away, she should know better, that she couldn't escape from him.

Stefan nodded to his bodyguards, gestured them to go. Ben pulled the door open. Wirata's heart was beating rapidly with excitement. She hurried to walk to the opened door!

"Wait a minute"

The dark voice stopped Wirata in her tracks. She sighed, slowly turned to face him, again.

"Come here"

The order followed. Wirata turned to look at the opened door... If she rushed out now without walking back to him as he commanded, would she be able to escape or survive?

Three tall men were looking at her. Wirata drew in the air and decided to walk to the tall figure in the soft robe. Better to be safe than sorry, just had to be patient for another minute.

The big hand grabbed her waist and pulled her to him. The dark face bent down and crushed his lips on hers. He kissed her right in front of his men. Wirata held herself and was thinking of giving him a jab with her knee. But he stopped, lifted his face up and pushed her away.

Ben and James looked at each other before rolling their eyes, thinking that their boss was completely a goner!

"Come back with James and Ben. Do you understand?"

He repeated, staring at Wirata. She nodded and prayed it would be the last command that she would ever hear from him.

Stefan was not sure if he could trust her, looking at the emotionless face, her full lips were red because of his kiss, couldn't help bending down and gave her a peck on her lips again then he walked to pick up the coffee mug on the counter and strode back to his bedroom without looking back.

Wirata sighed with relief. Her face was blushed, feeling embarrassed that the evil boss kissed her in front of his men. Wirata didn't waste any more time, she quickly walked out of the door, planning in her head what to do next!

Her brain started to work effectively again when she was free from the big powerful evil man!

Where to go?!