Chapter 280 - Call Me, Markus

[This chapter is dedicated to Martika_Taylor. Thank you for picking up this story and for leaving comments.]

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'A diamond ring, huh!?' She walked beside June, fuming. Noah truly likes giving diamond rings, she thought to herself. And he's quite generous. A girl he dated for a weekend got a diamond ring? She tasted something coppery inside in her tongue. Her anger with the idea of Noah buying a diamond room for a girl he slept with over the weekend opened a sore spot in her heart that she didn't realize that she already bit the inside of her cheek. She only realized it when she tasted the blood. 

"I looked away for a minute and now you're ready to murder someone?" Markus was smiling broadly and Jess felt like she also wanted to smack the back of his head. She doesn't understand the annoyance she's feeling. She didn't give much thought to the fact of her anger.

"We're hungry," June replied to Markus' teasing. She answered him on behalf of Jess because she could feel the pain of Jess's grip on her arm. 

"Well, then you will like the next place we're going to visit." Markus with a big smile on his face tried to catch Jess's eyes but she skillfully avoided his inquisitive gaze. 

He's going to Dubai soon. He couldn't wait to get out of Mumbai to be with the one waiting for him in Dubai. He doesn't want Jess to have some problem with Noah that would make Noah extend his stay in this country. 

The reason why he decided to take Jess and June out today was to make Jess happy. He wanted to make her happy to make the jerk Noah happy. He couldn't understand why his happiness was tied to his woman's happiness. 

Whatever the reasoning of Noah, he doesn't care anymore. He simply wanted to do this one thing for Jess. Besides, he felt a bit guilty about what happened to her under his watch. Now, that's Ellise's men were watching Jess and it seemed they are the best, just like what Ellise told him. Noah quiet down a little about Jess's security. 

When he couldn't catch Jess's eyes, he looked at June who was standing next to her. But June simply shrugged her shoulders. And just like that, the two women ignored him for the rest of the day. 

They clearly enjoyed the food and view from where they took them for lunch and after their meal, he brought them to the nearby local market where the two had a blast shopping. And to cup the day, after shopping, he brought them to a local coffee shop and had some coffee and ate some local sweets. 

Overall, the day was a success except for that one moment when Jess had a murderous glint on her eyes. He hope that before Noah would find the reason why he was already out of the country. 

"Are you sure this is where you want me to drop you girls off?" 

Markus looked at Jess who was seated in the backseat from the rearview mirror. The two of them asked him to drop them at the laboratory parking lot. 

"Yes. I already texted the company driver. He's waiting for us. We will get off here." 

"I don't see why I couldn't drop you off at the villa. I already picked you girls up at the coffee shop. I want to make sure that the two of you are safe," he took another peek at the rearview mirror but Jess was already staring outside the car's window. Her arms were crossed over her chest. She has the look of someone who doesn't want to discuss the matter at hand. 

Markus kept his mouth shut and didn't ask any more questions. He turned his attention to June in the passenger seat. "I hope you guys had a fun time today." 

"Yes, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to take us out." 

Markus smiled. It didn't escape his eyes, the small tinge of color on her cheeks. It wasn't the result of the sun, that's for sure. He noticed that June has thick and naturally curled eyelashes, curtaining her pretty eyes. Too bad, he has to leave soon. He would love to know more about Miss Jung. 

He aligned the car in one of the vacant parking spots. He got out of the car to open the SUV trunk. The girls had almost filled the trunk of the car with their shopping haul. He already got half of the bags when Jess and June got out of the car and helped him bring out the remaining shopping bags from the trunk. 

They lined all the shopping bags on the curb.

"You sure about this?" He asked when Jess finally met his eyes. 

She smiled. "Thank you, Markus. I had a good time." 

Markus playfully kowtows in front of the girls. He could hear the clear dismissal in Jess's formal tone. He cursed under his breath, realizing that Jess was still angry at whatever pissed her off. 

He looked at June and smiled, "Miss Jung, you don't mind if I call you, do you?" He gave her one of his charming smiles. The one that he knew can make any girl swoon. He watched June's cheeks flush before she answered in a formal tone. 

"I don't mind. Thank you for today, Mr--"

"Please, don't be too formal. It would sound like we aren't friends yet." He winked at her and that made the color on her cheeks deepen. "Call me, Markus." 

"Thank you for today, Markus." She smiled brightly. 

He noticed the small dimple at the corner of her left mouth. Her eyes twinkled that even her thick eyeglasses couldn't hide. 

"The driver is the way," Jess informed him. He stopped his flirting at June. He intends to call her to find out what made Jess's mood sour a while ago. 

"Bye, girls!" He waved at them before he got in the car and drove away. He watched them standing at the parking lot, waiting for the company car. He has an idea why they don't want him to drop them off at the villa. The girls were avoiding a talk at the workplace about them going out with him. He smirked. He wondered what kind of talk would happen if they found out that their boss was crazy over Miss Zimmerman.