Unexpected

"Why don't you be the face of your brand? You have that potential, Alice. You're beautiful. You have many followers. People are more interested in you than your company, take Kylie Jenner for example. She's someone who has successfully combined her business and social branding." Daniel shifted to sit next to Alice until they were closer. Now that you're down, that's potential. Too many people are selling success, so you have to be different. How's the difference? Be a failure. Be the hero of your own story. I can help you." Daniel's hand went to Alice's thigh.

"Are you interested in investing in my company?"

"Yes, as long as you also help me."

Alice frowned. "Helping you?"

"I'm attracted to you."

"Excuse me?"

Daniel's hand went to his arm, up to his shoulder. "I'm attracted to your body."

"I still don't understand, sir." Alice gulped, she wasn't easy to intimidate, but this time hearing those words directly from an old man sent chills down her spine.

"I will immediately invest on the condition that you are willing to sleep with me last night, how about it?" The invitation was spoken directly without further ado as if Alice was someone who had no self-respect. Alice rose from her seat, leaving enough distance between her and Daniel.

"Then, thank you for the offer, sir, I prefer that you don't give a penny of money to my company. Thank You." Alice packed her Macbook. Then when she turned to head for the door, Daniel had already attacked her. His lips grazed Alice's lustful lips, his tongue trying to slide forward. Alice immediately went into cell defense by attacking Daniel's genitals until the middle-aged man was pushed back.

"Your brain isn't much more attractive than your body, honey!" Those words managed to hurt Alice's heart. She took off her stiletto and threw it at Daniel's head, while she threw the other one at the 41 inch TV in front of the table until the screen cracked badly.

"Ooooh, fuck!" Daniel screeched in pain. Alice immediately opened the door and walked out of the cursed room. On the way to the elevator, tears rolled down her cheeks. She pressed the elevator button to get down. People immediately looked at her confused because she walked barefoot, but the attention of the people she no longer cares for because her pride has been shattered since she was treated arbitrarily by Daniel.

She walked out of the company and this time was on the sidewalk. She walked as far as she could until he finally stopped at a bus stop. All night's struggle was in vain.

****

Noah is having lunch at a restaurant with Rachel. "Noah, you're a man. I want to ask you, why is it so hard for you to be sensitive to girls' feelings? It's my husband, even though I've already coded it to remember our wedding anniversary, he just doesn't remember. Even delayed!" As usual, if Rachel took him out to dinner, it would be a joke about her married life.

Rachel was still busy talking and Noah's eyes went straight to the stop across and saw Alice. "Rachel, that's Alice, right?"

Rachel's gaze followed Noah's and found Alice. "Well yes. Is she still crying?"

"I'll pick her up first, okay?"

"Eh-uh, I'll come with you!"

The two of them finally walked over to Alice. "Alice? What is it?" Rachel was the first to approach. "Why? Where are your shoes? Have you been picked on by a pickpocket?"

Alice looked up, as soon as she found Rachel, the girl immediately hugged her best friend tightly and her tears immediately fell. Rachel rarely saw Alice frail, this time, finding Alice crying, made her chest ache. "Alice, what are you doing?"

"I—I just met an investor, didn't get accepted. I even got harassed. He kissed me, Rachel, he held me. He asked me to sleep with him. He said my body is more attractive than my brain."

Noah's heart warmed to hear that. So did Rachel. "Tell me, where is the office?"

"In the… building… EQ Techno Ultimatiu—m," Alice stammered, between sobs.

"I'm going there now!"

"Eh No—Noah!"

"You guys just wait here." Noah got on his motorbike, headed to the location Alice mentioned. Rachel is now confused.

"OMG, that's all there is to him. Alice, how's Al? Shall we go there? Find him? Let there be no bloodshed, Alice."

Rachel finally had no choice but to order a Go-car to take her with Alice to where Noah was. Fifteen minutes later, the vehicle finally arrived in front of the office. Alice sees Noah stop a Ferrari car, then suddenly grabs Daniel by the collar and beats him blindly. The security guards ran in droves to stop him, but to no avail, because Noah was like a madman. Alice never thought Noah would look so scary.

"Noaah, enough Noah! Please, already!" Rachel tried to intervene by screaming as best she could, while Alice froze. She saw Daniel lying down and Noah beating him in the face mercilessly. Two security guards appeared again, intending to secure the bus. Seeing the situation moving hotter, Alice finally took control. She immediately stood in front of Noah, blocking him from doing any further.

"Tell me, Alice, he's the one who's been indecent with you?"

"You broke my car and beat me!"

"But you touched something that in my opinion is far more valuable than your things that I am currently destroying, even though I have beaten you it is not comparable to what you have done to my wife!" Noah pointed at him with bloodshot eyes, "I am willing to do various things to make my wife happy, including taking care of her. Suddenly there is an old geezer who does embarrassing things. Do you think I'll just shut up?"

Daniel fell silent and looked down, not daring to look at Noah. The middle-aged man winced in pain.

"One more thing, as long as you know, my wife is willing to not sleep all night to prepare a presentation in front of you. She wanted everything to be as perfect as possible. This is her way of appreciating you, it turns out that she met the wrong person, a person who doesn't know how valuable she is—"

"Noah, please, enough… let's go home, shall we?" Alice hugged Noah, trying to calm the emotions that surrounded Noah.

Noah finally grabbed Alice's hand, leading her away from the crowd and all the chaos it had created.

****