The Proxy
Walking out of the Department of Surgery, J sent Jacob a message that she wants Arthur, Daniel, Felix, and Stefan in his office when she arrives. She also sends Lance a message to inquire about his whereabouts and receives a reply that he is already in the elevator and on his way to Jacob's office on the tenth floor.
"Hi, I'm here to see President Jacob Parker," Lance said to James as soon as he reached Jacob's office. Although Jacob is the CEO, he also acts as the President so people would either call him President Parker or CEO Parker but he would prefer to be called Dr. Jacob.
"Mr. Lance Kho, I'm sorry but Dr. Jacob has an appointment at this hour. But since it is you, I'll ask him if he could entertain you first before his appointment." Lance is a lawyer and the representative of one of their biggest shareholders which no one knew or ever seen. So, James knew that he had to treat him with high regard. Because of any moment, his client may turn against the Parkers and take over the CLP Group of Hospitals. So, they have to get to the good side of them.
"No problem." Lance smiled at him knowing that Jacob would definitely cancel or postpone his appointment to please him. After all, it is very rare for him, the lawyer of their second-biggest shareholder to visit him. In fact, there were a couple of times that Jacob invited him for dinner but he strongly refused, not that he doesn't want to, J doesn't want to.
He saw James walking inside Jacob's office. After a couple of minutes, he walked out of the office followed by four hunky-looking men wearing an all-black attire.
"This way please, Mr. Kho." Then James leads him inside Jacob's office. Once inside, James left them alone. He saw Jacob facing the glass window with his back facing him.
When Jacob sensed his presence, he turned to look at him with a smile and said, "Mr. Kho, what a pleasant surprise." He then walked towards him and shook his hand.
"Please, have a seat." his hands gesturing over a black leather sofa.
Lance unbuttoned the lower part of his suit before he took a seat with his legs crossed. "I'm actually here to meet with someone."
Jacob frowned and said, "Excuse me?"
J waited for Diana in the lobby of the eighth floor then they used the stairs to go to the tenth floor. When they reached the tenth floor, she saw Arthur's team sitting comfortably on the sofa in the lobby. She frowned and asked, "Aren't you supposed to be in Jacob's office?"
"Miss J, who are they?" Diana asked, looking at each of them.
"Ah... Miss J, I think someone important just came and requested to have a meeting with Chairman Parker. James asked us to wait here." Felix replied.
Lance already came. J thought.
"Let's go."
The four of them looked at each other then followed J without asking.
"Miss J, Dr. Jacob had a sudden visit from a shareholder so he instructed me to..." James said when he saw J approaching but was not able to finish when J stopped him.
"I know," J said with a serious expression then continued to walk inside Jacob's office leaving James and Arthur's team in confusion looking at each other.
Diana chuckled. "Don't mind her. Should we wait here or should we follow her?" Diana pursed her lips and thought for a second before she answered her own question. "I think we should follow her."
Jacob thought that he heard it wrong. This man came here to meet with someone? Did he think that his office is some kind of a coffee shop? Or is he here to meet his client? Will he finally be able to meet their second-biggest shareholder? Jacob is getting irritated when the door of his office opens to reveal his wife, then after a couple of seconds, a female nurse and Arthur's team enter with James behind them.
"Lance!" Diana shrieked when she saw Lance.
Everyone was startled by her sudden excitement. Jacob was surprised while J was looking at Jacob with a blank expression.
"Oh my God! It's good to see you. You're looking as handsome as ever. Ah... it's been a long time." Diana excitedly walked and ran towards Lance but stopped a few feet away from him. Lance has that typical boy next door look. He is tall and has fair skin, his body is not hunky like Arthur or Leo or Jacob but enough to call him sexy and hot, he got a pointed nose, deep-set eyes, and a strong jaw that is emphasized by his stubble and sideburns, his hair is curly and messy but still looked neat.
"Hey! I heard you're getting married. Looks like Leo's peaceful life is over." Lance laughed as he was about to mess up with Diana's hair but the latter was able to avoid his hand.
Jacob walked elegantly towards J and as soon as he was just a couple of inches from her, he asked her. "What's the meaning of this?"
J smiled mischievously and said, "Thought you want to know my secret."
Jacob frowned, "This is..." then turned to look at Lance with a dark expression. J seemed to notice that Jacob already guessed who Lance is.
Everyone was seated on the black leather sofa inside Jacob's office. Arthur and his team are seated on a four-seater sofa, in front of them are Lance, Diana, and James on another four-seater sofa while Jacob and J are sitting in a black leather accent chair opposite each other. In the middle is a glass rectangular coffee table decorated with a tray with three small pots of succulents. At one glance they would be mistaken as having a corporate meeting.
J was the first one to speak.
"Guys..." looking at Lance and Diana. "This is Jacob, my husband." looking at Jacob leaving the obvious fact that he is the CEO of the CLP Group of Hospitals and the Chairman of Twelve Army. "And that is James, he's Executive Assistant." Then she turned to Arthur. "Then this is my new right-hand man, Arthur and his team, Felix, Stefan, and Daniel."
J didn't have to mention that they are also her guards because Lance and Diana seemed to have noticed it already. When J mentioned that Arthur is his new right-hand man, Lance looked at him as if saying "So this is the one that you replaced me with?" while Arthur remained serious and nonchalant. Daniel and Stefan gave them a nod.
Felix said with a smile, "Hello, it's nice to meet you, friends of the Lady Boss."
Jacob remained focused on J waiting to hear something from her.
When J's eyes turn to Jacob, she immediately catches his cold gaze so she averted her eyes and turns to look at Diana giving her a nod. Diana who seemed to understand straightened up her back and introduced herself.
"Hello, I'm Diana. I've been a member of the Robin Hood Society for ten years now. I used to be Elder Do's private nurse, but ever since he died, President Martin and Madam Victoria assigned me to watch over Miss J. I report directly to Madam Victoria." Diana said in an energetic tone.
Then it is now Lance's turn to introduce himself. Jacob turns his gaze from J to Lance. James was uneasy.
"Hello, I'm Lance. I'm Miss J's best friend." which made Diana roll her eyes. She always wanted to be J's best friend but Lance always claimed that it was him. "I grew up with her, went to school with her, went overseas with her, went to college with her, and went back to the country with her. So technically..." J furrowed her brows and looked at Lance before she cleared her throat to stop him from mumbling nonsense. She knew that Lance was deliberately saying that to irritate Jacob, which was a success. Because looking at Jacob's expression now, it is getting darker and darker.
"Ahem... I used to be Miss J's, right-hand man. That was before I was replaced." Then he looked in Arthur's direction. So, he was the right-hand man. Arthur thought to himself. Jacob who seemed to be in a bad temper now raised a brow when he heard that he was the right-hand man of J. So that's why she was furious when J said that Arthur will be her right-hand man, it's because of Lance. Jacob thought.
"But I don't mind being replaced, because President Martin just assigned me to a more appropriate job title. Actually, all these years as her right-hand man, I don't feel like a right-hand man at all, because of the distance. What I do best, most of the time for her is the job of an adviser. President Martin officially assigned me to be Miss J's lawyer and a business adviser. Actually, that is the job that I've been doing all these years."
Everyone was silent, waiting for Lance's next words. They were anticipating much more.
"I came from a family of a lawyer. My whole family is a member of the Robin Hood Society. Our main job is to represent the family Do in the business circle. And I've been representing Miss J in the business circle since five years ago as her proxy."
Having heard that, Jacob's expression became complex. He already guessed what his next words were.