Jade’s mind kept wandering back to ‘him’ as she rode the elevator to the conference room where the meeting had been scheduled to hold.’Why was he there? Was he here to sign the contract too? Or maybe he worked here? Jade gasped at that thought. She shook her head at that thought.It couldn’t be. But she had seen him here before right? Maybe he had come to visit someone who works here, like she usually do visit Amy. Jade could only wish that was true. She couldn’t imagine the embarrassment she’d have to face if she met that guy again.. She kept trying to convince herself against the possibility of Jake working at Acrosoft.Soon the meeting started. There were about 20 candidates representing their different companies, that was after a few more companies had been screened out. They were all interested in signing the contract with Acrosoft, but Jake was only looking forward to signing with one.Acrosoft was a global tech company, therefore a lot of companies were looking forward to signing with them, and above all, Jake’s new software was a masterpiece they all wanted to lay their hands on.Jake started meeting with each candidates one after the other, but he could swear his mind had been wandering back to that girl.He was sure she had come to visit her friend. He made a mental note to ask Blake around for her friend after he was done with all this. He hated been taunted by the mere sight of her, he badly wanted to satisfy his curiosity about her.Even though Jade was academically brilliant, she was still feeling very nervous. She had never been this nervous in her whole life.She had seen several candidates return from the conference room with a sullen expression on their face and that made her more nervous. Jade felt like her bladder was at a brink of rupturing, when she noticed the 8th candidate was being called in. There was 1 more candidate before her and then, Stephanie would be next. She decided to use the restroom quickly. She excused herself before hurrying off to the restroom.She knew she had to be quick with her business before she missed her turn. She hurried back to the waiting area close to the conference room where she and the other candidates had been waiting. Jade almost died on the spot when she noticed the 9th person was gone and so was Stephanie.What happened? She has just hurried off to the restroom few minutes ago. So how was it that Stephanie was gone?She walked up to the lady who had been in charge of coordinating the candidates and asked if she had been called.”I’m sorry you have been called. You’ll have to wait.””You can go in now” The lady informed Jade when the intercom buzzed.”Thank you” Jade said with a smile. She sighed in relief. She thought she might have missed her turn for good.Jade picked up her bag and walked towards the conference room. She could hear her heart race as she stood in front of the door. This was her first time doing something like this. She composed herself, she was about knocking on the door, when her hand stopped midway.”But how can you do this to me? What about last night? You slept with me” Jade heard a voice say. She was sure whoever it was was behind the door.”And I paid you for it. You didn’t return my cheque did you?” Jake replied curtly.Wait she has heard that voice before, Jade thought as she continued listening.”But i..””Silly girl, I never mix business with pleasure. You should have asked properly before crawling into my bed” Jake cut in.”You can leave now” Jake said dismissively. Stephanie clenched her hand into a fist as she gritted her teeth.This were the kind of girls he despised. The bed climber types.Stephanie was disappointed with this outcome. This was not what she had expected. Why did he act the way he did when he met her outside? She opened her mouth to say something, but her words got stucked in her throat like a lump when she saw Jake’s cold look on her.Stephanie angrily opened the door, she froze when she saw Jade standing there.Jade stepped out of Stephanie’s way to let her through. She was still in shock after listening to that. She didn’t know what to say or how to react to this piece of information.Stephanie looked at Jade with wavering emotions in her eyes. She didn’t know if Jade heard anything. She could only pray she didn’t.”Excuse me” Jade said as she walked past Stephanie. What she had heard was solely between Stephanie and whoever she had slept with. It had nothing to do with her or so she thought.Jade’s almost stopped breathing when she saw who was seated in front of her.Jade stood fixated to a spot, no this can’t be. She blinked a few times, probably her eyes were playing tricks on her. He can’t possibly be the same guy she has been avoiding. He slept with Stephanie?How typical!She looked at the door and back at the man in front of her.Jake was shocked when Jade walked in. He instantly sat up upright. He couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw her.”Interesting” He said in a low tone as he continued staring at her.Jade kept gawking at him with unflinching dedication. Of all people she could have met, it just had to him. His smoldering eyes and intense gaze was scanning her from top to bottom.Jake saw her standing all frozen near the door. She looked different than he remembered. He looked at those set of blue eyes he had looked into on his first night in the country, and he could tell something was different about them. There was more life and vigour in it which was more better than those doleful eyes he had seen, not to mention how worn out and fragile she was on that rainy day.”Go..od morning sir” Jade greeted without meeting his gaze.Jade gently tucked a few strands of hair behind her ears and started looking down in a demure way. Jake understood she was as shocked as he was and a smug smile spread on his face. He was determined not to let his guard down or mess up like he did the last time, so he recomposed himself and said in a grave tone, “Take your seat” though his eyes kept lurking at her.Jade glanced at him before occupying the seat which was opposite him. Jake couldn’t tear his gaze off her. It hasn’t registered with him that the girl who had thrown his emotions into chaos was finally sitted in front of him. This was going to be fun.”What’s your name?” Jake asked in a serious tone. Knowing her name was one thing he had been interested in since the first day he met her. He loathed the fact that he hasn’t known her name after several encounters, though it was unlike him to care for a woman’s name talk more of the one he’d slept with.”Jade Peterson” Jade replied.Jake smiled to himself when he heard her name. He knew her name was something to anticipate for, but what he didn’t know was the similarity between his name and hers. To him, it was like a rhyme.Jade and Jake.That was unexpected.”Beautiful name” Jake said with a smile tugging on his lips. Jade glanced at him suspiciously. Everything about him revealed the kind of lifestyle he led. Just now she had heard him and Stephanie, and now he was complimenting her with a creepy smile in his face. Had it been from someone else, she might have seen some sincerity in their compliment. But from him, it sounded like a scam.”Thank you sir” Jade replied in a flat tone.”It’s Jake Beau””Sir?” Jade asked in confusion.”My name is Jake Beau” Jake informed her with a smile, as his eyes kept staring at her intently. Jade replied with a simple nod, she had no interest in knowing his name. And for the records, she had no intention of addressing by his name.Jade became uncomfortable with the silence that filled the room.”So you are?””I’m a representative from Xenox Corporation””Xenox?” He asked in surprise. Wasn’t Stephanie also from the same company? Why has their company sent two representatives?He glanced back at Jade who was sitted nervously in front of him. He decided not to bother himself about why they had sent two people over. If at all, he was grateful to them for making such a brilliant decision, because finally he gets to see her again and even gets to talk to her.The trial of questions inside Jade’s head was making her restless. She wouldn’t miss her chance because of the past that existed between them right? He wouldn’t be cruel to use that against her, just like how he had done with Stephanie? Jade thought about what might happen if she missed such an opportunity.But why has the heaven been so heartless to her lately? People made such mistakes too, but why was her case different?”So what do you do at Xenox?” Jake asked out of curiosity, as he picked up his pen to note something down, but he was only doddling on a sheet of paper. He had noticed how she kept avoiding his gaze, he could only do this to let her relax a bit.Jake was curious why she had slept with him for money when she worked with such a prominent company.Jade was taken aback by his question. She had not expected him to ask her that. She wasn’t sure it was good to inform him that her company had assigned such an important task to an ordinary intern like herselt. It would seem like they didn’t value the contract.”I’m an intern” Jade replied truthfully. She didn’t think it was necessary to lie about her position.”You’re an intern?” Jake asked in a surprised tone as he gazed back at her.”Xenox thought it’s best to send an intern to me to sign a contract? That’s interesting”Jade frowned slightly at his words. Was he looking down on her as an intern? Though she had expected something like this from him, but him saying it in that manner was quite condescending.Jake studied her intensely. He wouldn’t have mistaken her for an intern, most especially when she looked like a boss in that outfit of her’s.”No sir, this contract means a great deal to us. Xenox is only creating a platform where all staffs can exert their capabilities and that’s why I was sent” Jade replied quickly. As much as she wasn’t comfortable being around this guy, she also didn’t want to screw things up.Jake asked her a couple of questions and she answered most of them satisfactorily. Her intelligence spoke for itself and he realized that she was indeed bright and had a good career ahead. He was more than intrigued by her.Jake looked at a copy of the contract in front of him, he was tempted to almost sign on it, not because this would help him redeem himself from those hurtful words he had said to her the last time, but because he was completely sold out to her performance.Jade watched anxiously as Jake continued staring at the contract. It was obvious he had something on his mind and whatever it was beginning to scare her.”How great would it be if I should sign this contract right here and now?” Jake asked with his eyes fixed on her.”That would be lovely sir” Jade replied with a shaky smile.”Hmm” He nodded as he continued staring at her.Jake leaned back on his chair. “I’ll sign your contract” Jake announced making Jade’s eyes lit up in surprise.Jake looked at her as her face lit up and her blue eyes shone brightly at his words. He was completely mesmerized by this lady but he didn’t know why.”Thank you sir” Jade said with a smile and a courteous bow.”But…” Jake speech slurred when Jade sprang her head up to a grave look on her face.”I’ll sign this on one condition” He said with a straight face. Jade felt her heart skip a beat at that word ‘Condition’. She didn’t like the sound of this at all. Jade tensed up when he got up from his seat and started walking towards her.
WATCHOUT FOR EPISODE 32
