Chapter 17 - Making Xi Ana Sleep

Just as expected, the whole country is in chaos. As soon as the news broke out about President Xi Ana of Xi Empire and CEO Lim Yi Sheng of Lim Group, everyone was shook to their very core.

Companies who have acted rashly when the scandal about Xi Ana broke out earlier this morning can't even think of anything anymore, they tried to contact all of their connections within the Top Floor but they can't get through anyone. And the thing they are most scared about at the moment came suddenly like a tornado, Xi Empire released a list of blacklisted companies and now they can't do anything but to watch their stocks hitting the bottom.

This is their incompetence showing in numbers, they knew they shouldn't have listened to those things. They could only hope that this will just be a passing storm.

As they were watching their stocks go down at an increasing pace, and is now already at the critical level, they couldn't help but sigh. To their surprise, what came next would actually make them as good as nothing.

About two hours after the release of Xi Empire's blacklist, Lim Group released a similar list, no, it is almost the same list blacklisting all of them. It's over, what have they done in their past lives to experience this now is what they thought with heavy hearts.

Meanwhile, those who have good relationship with Xi Empire remained unfazed because they knew Xi Ana would never do something that would taint her reputation. Knowing the fact that two of the most powerful people in the industry seems to have something going on between them, it is best not to get on their bad sides.

The employees were quite satisfied with the results they've managed to achieve in just a few hours. Stocks were back to normal and the amount of demands for collaboration increases in an unimaginable speed.

While Hannah is busy finishing all the matters at hand so she could follow the president soon, her cellphone rang. Her heart almost leaped when she saw that the caller ID is the private number of the president.

"Yes, president?" she said the moment she answered the call.

"I already know what happened, you don't have to explain anything to me. Don't rush things, you can follow me tomorrow and just deal with everything there for now. I was only on a 30-minutes break so I'm gonna hang up soon. Make sure that everything is already settled before going here." she made everything on point knowing that she only has limited time to spare.

"I understand, President. I'll prepare a thorough report so you can review it once I reached there."

"Okay." and that ended the call. Hannah already know what to do and she will make sure that everything will be done efficiently.

- - -

Xi Ana received a voicemail from her husband who explained the current situation in a concise and brief manner which saved her time from reading through everything. He also stated what steps did they take to solve the issue and she's not against it, if she was there it would also be her way of dealing with that matter.

After calling her ȧssistant, she decided to give her husband a call. She only have 15 more minutes before their meeting will resume. It didn't take three rings before the man answered the phone.

"Are you done with your meeting?" the man asked who is, by the way, in the middle of a sudden meeting which was a result from the news earlier.

"We're on a short break, what's the situation on your end? Is there any problem?" he can hear the rush from her voice, she must have limited time.

"No, you don't have to worry about anything. I'll handle everything from here, just finish what you have to do and don't forget to rest. Did you sleep on the plane?" he's worried because he knew his wife went straight to the meeting upon landing in France.

"I managed to take a nap. I have to get back soon, eat your meals and don't drive. Do you understand?" she glanced at her wrist watch.

"I understand. See you soon." his heart felt a little pain when he heard what she said. A nap is not enough, she's been working straight for how many hours but he decided to keep it to himself, it's not like he can stop her from working anyway.

"Uhm." with that short response the call ended.

It was only a normal conversation if you would think about it, there is really nothing intimate about the phone call but the executives who witnessed the entire thing with their own eyes were shocked with how soft the features of their CEO while talking to the person on the other line, which they presume to be the president of Xi Corporation, Xi Ana.

They were called here by the CEO as he would clarify the news that was recently released but before they could start they were interrupted by the call that just ended.

"Everything I was about to tell you will stay here." he set his phone on his side and started speaking with full authority.

"President Xi Ana and I were married." the crowd gasped as he dropped the bomb without warning. Feng Jinnian, who's standing on the side already knew about it but the way the CEO revealed it is really something.

On the faces of the executives formed hundreds of questions but no one dared to ask, they just waited for the next words from their CEO.

"I would have wanted this to stay a private matter but due to what happened its gonna be hard to do so. We will clarify this through a press conference, as for the appearance of Xi Ana on the conference itself, I will still need to consult with her." Xi Ana has never been good with crowds.

The meeting didn't last for a long time as there is not much to discuss anyway. The only point that matters is that their CEO is married to Xi Ana, the queen of the corporate world.

- - -

It's been six days since the news of their relationship spread and people began to ignore it already but they sure are still waiting for the promised press conference which will be held after Xi Ana came back to the country, she already agreed to appearing which surprised most of them.

In the course of one week, the approximate time she was able to sleep were around 10 hours at best. Hannah who's been here for four days now is really worried, she'd tried to coerce her to sleep but she refuses to do so. She was also forbidden by the president to tell the CEO about her lack of sleep for the past few days.

"I'm sorry for being so impudent president but I really have to say this." no matter how good the president is, Hannah knows that a person's body has a limit and if the president continues this she might ruin herself.

"Go ahead and speak." Xi Ana said without removing her eyes from the document on her hand, the pressing matter has been dealt with but she still needs to make sure that such circumstance never happens again.

"You must rest, president." she purposely said the word 'must' indicating that it's not even a choice. She needs rest, she must rest.

"I did rest though." Xi Ana furrowed her brows upon seeing a miscalculation on the financial report she's currently reading and now she finally turned and looked at her ȧssistant who sighed in disbelief.

So she considered the time she closed her eyes for 10 seconds as a rest, what would I do with this boss, she thought.

"Tell the finance department that if they can't do simple math, don't even think of working for me because I don't tolerate mistakes. Since this the first time and considering our current situation, I'll be lenient for now but tell them that there will be no next time."

"Understood, president." she still wanted to argue about wanting her to take a rest but seeing as how the idea was easily brushed off she already knew that she can't do anything about it.

She sat on her designated place and started working on the things she was tasked to do. As much as she wanted to inform CEO Lim, she really cannot disobey what Xi Ana said because no matter what happens, even if they are already married her loyalty will always be with her boss.

Xi Ana, on the other hand, has been working for three hours straight without being interrupted. The last interruption was when she talked to her ȧssistant. She was planning to continue doing so when her phone suddenly rang. Hearing this, Hannah is full of hope that whoever it is, he might as well be able to make her rest even for just a couple of hours.

"I've let you off the hook for a week now, Ana." his voice is mixed with worry and at the same time frustration towards his wife. He's sure that she bȧrėly slept these past days.

He had someone monitor the situation in France and with the scale of the problem it could take at least a month to fix everything but after only a week almost everything was done, it was solved in an unbelievable speed which he knows that his wife must have been doing extensive overtimes to be able to pull this off.

"Let me off the hook for three more days then." she said seriously. Well, she'll be able to finish it in three days if she's working with her current speed.

Lim Yi Sheng as well as Hannah who have heard what the woman said couldn't help but feel frustrated towards her smart mouth.

"Ana, I'm serious. You should get some rest, you made something that was normally done in a month in just a span of how many days you think I wouldn't know what you've put your body with?"

Xi Ana dropped her pen, crossed her arms, and stared at her phone. "I just need three more days." she almost rolled her eyes as if the person on the other line could actually see.

"How many hours did you sleep for this week?" he ignored her suggestion.

"10 hours." Lim Yi Sheng's face darkened. If we do the math and ȧssumed that she at least slept for the past six nights, it will still be only around 1.6 hours.

"Sleep for the entire night, no more work for you. I bet Ms. Lee can hear me because you're probably on speaker. Ms. Lee, cut off all her work for the rest of the night, unless it's an emergency don't let her near any documents nor her computer, not even her tablet." Xi Ana can't believe what she's hearing right now, this is the first time someone actually had the audacity to stop her from working. Even Hannah was quite shocked, no one has ever tried to forcefully stop her from working.

"I know it makes you frustrated, I know you're not used to this, and I'm really sorry. I want you to know that I'm doing this because I care so much about you."

Xi Ana felt as if her heart was pricked with a needle, her features softened as she sighed in defeat.

"Fine, I will sleep now but no one else is allowed to make me sleep for the next few days until I'm done with this. Understand?"

This is better than nothing, Lim Yi Sheng thought.

"I promise."