Chapter 268: Meeting-1

Mina patiently waited for James to arrive at her apartment, but the man was a no show. She grabbed her jacket and her unactivated cell phone and left, locking the door behind her. As Mina waited for the lift, a teenage boy and his father joined her.

There were only three apartments per floor, and Mina knew they must have been her neighbors. The older man was scolding his son regarding his grades, but the boy was staring at his phone, likely playing a game. Out of annoyance or something else the older man turned to Mina and spoke.

"Miss, tell him. Do women want a man who only cares about his gamerscore?" Mina shook her head; she did not want to get involved.

"Pretty girls like her know nothing dad," the boy said. Mina was surprised to hear his father agree without care.

"That may be true, but most men want a pretty wife." Mina scoffed. She was sure she was smarter than both men combined, and although she was not a gamer, she was familiar enough with the computer specs necessary to make herself appear informed if she wanted.

Mina ignored the father son duo and entered the elevator behind the men. The teen looked at her once, then twice before speaking again.

"What high school do you attend?" He asked, and Mina almost did not know he was talking to her.

"I have completed university," Mina admitted. This earned her a chuckle from the boy's father.

"Child, no need to lie. We are your neighbors. Your parents did well in teaching you to keep personal details to yourself." Mina's eyes cut to the side before she flashed an annoyed smile.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" The teen asked and his father started to scold him again. This time Mina interjected.

"That phone you are using; the processor speed is only 1.8, you should upgrade to something with at least 2.2 gigahertz," Mina said. The teen stared at her like she was an angel. "Also, your father is right. Whether the girl is a gamer or not, women need assurance from men, and unless you go pro; video games are not it." The doors for the lift opened and Mina stepped out first.

What Mina had said was not her personal belief, but it was a fact of life in Pan. Since the country was oppressive to women, it only made sense that most would seek out a reliable spouse. At one point, Mina also wanted a husband she could depend on, someone who maintained steady employment while she worked from home; likely dabbling in the stock market.

Mina's dream was to raise her family with the money her husband earned, while saving for their future with the money she earned. She wanted to enjoy being married, she wanted to enjoy being a parent, and she wanted to treat her children to all the things she had missed out on growing up.

Mina had often dreamed of those things because the thoughts of her parents as grandparents made her happy. She knew that they also felt a sense of loss in their lives, and she hoped she could give them fulfilment in their old age.

That was Mina's dream, but Mina had stopped dreaming about the future the moment she entered the Lee mansion.

----

Mina made her way out of the complex and toward the nearby road, she was prepared to hail for a Taxi, but James' vehicle screeched to a halt in front of her.

"Crap Mina, sorry I am late," James said. He had been at the Lee mansion getting an updated set of directives regarding Mina.

"It's okay, but I have to get to the address sent to Director Porter's phone by 6:55AM," Mina said. James nodded and Mina buckled herself in.

----

Mina arrived at a mid-sized office building in Scal city. She had passed by the place many times, but never went in for an interview. The sheer number of men working at the company had always deterred her.

"Umm Mina, this is not Director Porter's office," James said.

"I know. I'm meeting with an investor," Mina replied.

"Did Jessica know about this?" James asked. Mina shook her head, but she did not allow James to say another word. She dashed out of the car and into the building. Leaving James calling out her name in alarm.

----

Mina and Oric sat in his office which was beautifully decorated with antiques. The office space combined the two cultures of his parents and Mina loved that the man's family was important to him.

"You know, I almost applied to work here?" Mina said as she browsed the walls.

"Why didn't you?" Oric asked.

"Too many men." Oric chuckled at the statement. His mother and father were firm believers in keeping the working environment free of 'distraction.'

That meant that Oric's father worked with the men, while his mother worked with the women at another location. Both buildings were part of the same company, but the staff only mingled during holiday events, and Oric hated it.

"Blame my parents," Oric said. "They don't believe men and women can work in the same place without causing-"

"Disruptions?" Mina asked.

"Not you too," Oric stated.

"I see the wisdom in it, but in my opinion, men become more aggressive when they only have other men to show off in front of." Oric nodded vigorously.

"You have no idea," he said playfully.

----

It did not take long for Oric's father to join the pair in his son's office. He was surprised to see Mina because he was sure he had met the girl before.

"Miss Mina, is this the first time we are meeting?" Mr. Lamar asked.

"No sir, I have met you when I graduated from our alma mater." The revelation made Oric's eyebrows raise. Mina had not mentioned meeting his father.

"You attended Wayvair as well?" The man asked, surprised. Mr. Lamar now knew why Mina looked familiar, he and his wife had enquired about her after the graduation ceremony, but they were met with vague answers that gave them the impression that the woman was more trouble than it was worth.

"Yes sir, I gave a commencement speech before the closing remarks. I knew Oric's surname was Lamar, but only now am I connecting it with you." Mina replied.

"How do you know my son?" Mr. Lamar asked, and Mina was honest. The man shifted his eyes to Oric who nervously smiled.

"Dad, you can take the money out of my bonus."

"Bonus?" His father asked sarcastically. Oric rubbed the back of his head before speaking to Mina directly.

"I kind of lost the company a couple of million last year," Oric said and Mina shook her head.

"A woman?" She asked and Oric's father cracked a wide grin.

"I like this girl. She is no Willow, but I like her." Mina's head spun toward Mr. Lamar but Oric stopped her from asking the question he knew she was going to ask.

"Dad let's go, Mina already knows her role. We don't have time to chat."

----

Mina sat in the meeting room, the only woman among five men; Oric, Mr. Lamar, the two Sclevanian businessmen whose names Mina did not want to butcher, and their translator.

For Mina's role, she was meant to just listen as she handed paperwork to Oric and his father. If the men discussed something that was not in the contract, or if their interpreter lied about anything, Mina was supposed to bring it to Oric's attention right away.