The New President

Walking through Manhattan's streets, Eva and Johnny continued their conversation.

"What do you do for a living?" she asked.

"I'm an escort."

Eva wasn't sure what Johnny said in his obscured remark, "What do you exactly mean by that?"

"People—well, rich and luxurious-living ones—would hire me for a day, for me to either accompany them or they would make me do something else," he explained. 

"Oh. I didn't expect that." Her dry lips being licked. "Does that mean you have done something else?"

"Like what? I mean what do you have in mind?"

Johnny was aware of what Eva wanted to say but she was hesitant to say it. And just to be certain, he insisted that she say it in front of him.

Eva gulped and looked away from Johnny before she asked, "Have you already been asked to have sex?"

'I was right', Johnny thought. 

"You probably already know that nobody wants to do it with me, honey," Johnny replied with a smirk. "People can see right through me because I don't have any experience—"

She gave him another quick frown and replied, "That's not true, Johnny—"

"Then, will you have sex with me?"

Eva was startled when Johnny asked her out of the blue, so she stopped in her tracks which also made him stop.

"It must be shocking to hear that from me," Johnny said, "because you know how respectful of a person I am to women, and mostly to you."

"I…" Eva blinked oddly before lowering her head, shaking them, and then turning to look at him once more.

"There are a lot of things you don't know anymore, Eva. Just like how I fell in love with someone who thought of me as a disgusting creature," Johnny said.

Eva was confused by what Johnny had just said, and she was rendered speechless by the very thought of it.

"Were you that lonely?" she asked him.

"I have never been lonely in my whole life since the day you chose to leave."

Hearing all those words from him had left her to continue to stare in his eyes, which convey the depth of his past suffering.

They ended up stopping in front of the Italian restaurant, Fatti a Mano, and got interrupted as soon as a black Verena-Höfle Viano pulled up and parked in front of the restaurant, drawing Eva's entire, bemused attention.

A bodyguard immediately got out of the vehicle and addressed Johnny, "The boss awaits you. Please get inside the vehicle." 

As he exhales, Johnny timidly puts his hands inside his front pockets before glancing at the woman.

"It's really nice to see you again, Eva."

"I—uh," she paused for a few moments, still staring at Johnny. "Well, me too."

"I should be going now. See you again some time." With a smile and a hand wave, Johnny bid his farewell. He turned around walking towards the vehicle and entered it.

Eva couldn't help but feel guilty as she watched his back. Regardless of whether or not she did everything the correct way, it still feels like she made me a huge mistake.

"Johnny!" The latter stopped and turned around to look at Eva. "I'm sorry for what happened."

As he sighs, Eva receives a little smile from him before he completely enters the car. Right after Johnny left, Eva soon realized she's already late for the party.

"Oh shit!"

She quickly grabbed her phone and contacted Edward, even though they haven't spoken due to the fact that they've been in an argument.

Yes. Very childish.

"Come on. Pick up, pick up."

When all she could hear from the other line was an intercept message, she felt outraged.

Eva groaned. "Fuck! I hate you, Edward!"

She proceeds to call someone else, and finally it was answered.

"Hello?"

"I need your help! Now!"

"Huh?"

"I think I could use some back up," Eva continued.

Meanwhile, the event venue was infused with a heavenly and angelic ambiance due to the fact that everyone who attended was dressed in white, as requested in the invitation.

Moreover, a masquerade mask was furnished to them, but only a few guests perfectly acquired the impression of wearing something so majestic.

Everyone went into loud applause when the host of the event arrived. And that person was none other than the new president of The Palate Group…

"Cameron Larsen is the new president of TPG?!" Mara exclaimed in German as she and Eva stepped out of the car and saw Cameron's enormous two hundred million-dollar estate from the outside.

"Who?" Mara and Eva both made hasty movements toward the entrance.

The security staff stopped them to check the invitation card, and they were able to enter without problem since Mara had just come along with Eva after Edward ditched her.

"Cameron is a famous guy during college," Mara continued as they sprint while in search of a restroom.

"How famous is he exactly? Because all I could think of was this other well-known guy who believes he can fuck every girl in our batch," Eva answered as she entered a restroom that was absolutely empty.

She entered one of the cubicles to put on an outfit that is a little more appropriate for the occasion. Despite not wanting to engage herself at the party, she must maintain her professionalism.

"Hand me over the garment bag," Eva ordered and Mara reached the bag swiftly over the cubicle door.

"It's unbelievable that I'll be joining you at Cameron's party. During college, I never had the opportunity to speak with him at all," Mara exclaimed in excitement.

"There is no denying your level of excitement. And the reason for that is that you dressed far better than I could with that ivory notched-collar belted jumpsuit of yours."

"Hey! It just happens to be that I'm going to meet someone tonight and thanks to you, I might lose the chance to have a boyfriend," Mara sulked.

"You're welcome!" Eva responded as she finally unzipped the bag.

Looking at the formal dress that her friend had brought for her, her eyes widened in disbelief.

"Shit…" she whispered to herself in English.

The event had started with practically everyone present in the great living room hallways of the new TPG president's mansion with all the guests' identities hidden behind a certain mask.

"On behalf of the TPG board members present tonight, I appreciate everyone attending to celebrate our newly elected company president," Eric, one of the board committees, stated. "Please welcome, Mr. Cameron Larsen!"

Everyone applauded as the president got up from his seat and made a spectacular appearance, greeting them with his husky yet soft voice.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen…"

As Cameron continues to make a speech for everyone at the party, he has also given the board members the opportunity to say their welcoming speech to him.

Everything for him was going well, not until his full attention suddenly diverts from everyone else and focuses on one particular person in the same room.