172 Are You Belittling Me?

It's been two days since Amber got ahold of the evidence against the scandal around Alissa.

It even started escalating that the cameraman was actually a sugar daddy and Alissa was actually a mistress.

People started creating more and more rumors regarding this but Capa remained silent.

Not even a single word regarding it.

For the outside world, they think that they are currently having a dilemma that the newly established company was too shock because of the sudden scandal that they couldn't handle it.

On the other hand, Capa was actually doing just fine. The inside was so peaceful that no one would think they are currently having such a big problem.

Jake tried to ask Amber what she was planning but she remained silent about it, only giving him a sentence.

"I'm waiting for that person to become impatient."

Jake couldn't pry more about it so he also decided to wait.

Isaac called once again asking about it since it is becoming bigger.

"Oh, are you worried about my company?" Amber asked in a nonchalant tone.

"No, why would I. I just want to see how far this little company of yours could go," he replied.

"Don't worry, I'm just using this event to straighten up my company even more. Everything is under control for the outside once I brought out the evidence but my company wouldn't be, so I am waiting."

Isaac was actually following the activity of Capa ever since she made a turn around during Hayley's drop in sale.

Being a business man or so long, he can already determine if the other was trying to act tough or not. And in her voice?

He could only hear the nonchalance as if this is really nothing in her eyes.

He turned his swivel chair and looked outside the window while tapping his fingers on the armrest.

"Truly how familiar, it's as if I have witnessed such attitude before. Can turn everything around at their own will but could still enjoy whatever it is that's being thrown at them."

He had been thinking since the last time he heard her from one of the minor shareholder's call.

"This lady, who does she resemble?"

It's been 17 years since he saw him, of course for someone like Isaac who was leading an empire, he wouldn't surely instantly remember.

That particular person, who was envied by the other empires and was the pride of his very own empire,

Nathan Price.

*****

"Miss Coleman, was the rumors true?"

"Miss Coleman, what do you think will happen for the first quarter event?"

"Miss Coleman, is miss Alice really a mistress?"

"Miss Coleman, who is this mysterious lover of miss Alice?"

Hayley gritted her teeth, this had been her routine every morning whenever she enters the office.

She would be bombarded by questions regarding Alissa.

"I-"

She furrowed her brows, every time she wanted to speak up already. Someone would interrupt her and they would enter the company building without another word.

"I'm getting tired of this, why don't I just answer them?" she complained to the guard who helped her in.

"President's orders ma'am," was the only reply before he returned to his station.

Hayley harrumphed before she walked to the elevator heading to her office.

"I really don't understand, isn't she worried that not only Alissa was affected but even I and the others?

She threw her bag on the sofa and sat down heavily.

"Calm down Hayley, think back, have you really tried to speak to her properly?" Mark replied on the phone.

"I have, a lot of times but she just brush them off."

"Then try again today, if she still won't listen then you can go ahead and speak your mind to the reporters," he suggested.

"What would I tell them? Plus I was always being stopped by the other employees whenever I tried to speak in front of the building."

"Then call for a press conference without telling them, being a pillar of the company you must have that right to stand on your own," he added.

"That's right, I am also a pillar why won't she listen to my opinions? I am also a starter not just Alissa and aunt Jacqueline. Why isn't she listening to my opinions?" Hayley complained.

"To get your mood up, my mother liked them very much. The designs you sent. She was planning on wearing them on the next event she will attend," he then said.

"Really? I'm happy she liked it," she exclaimed her gloomy feeling disappeared.

Amber sighed heavily as she shook her head.

She came here to have a chat with Hayley, she was feeling bad for what is happening already but she also needs to do it.

Yet upon coming the conversation was what she heard.

'I really am lucky that Ashton was indeed the right guy, if I had chosen the way she did…'

She didn't continue what she was thinking and decided to wait in her office.

She knew it would no longer be long.

*****

*knock knock*

The knock she had been waiting arrived that afternoon.

She leaned back at her chair as the door opened and Hayley came in.

"It's been almost a week," she started while standing opposite her.

"And?"

"And? What do you mean and? Amber not only was Alissa the one affected but even us, can't you see that?"

"I think I can see it but other than you, no one has come to complain yet. So I guess it is not yet that urgent," she replied with a shrug.

"Aren't you even nervous about this? This is the biggest scandal Capa has ever faced."

Amber slowly smiled, her sweet smile.

Hayley furrowed her brows. She couldn't help but to feel something was off as she looks at her.

"I never thought we would actually reach this point," Amber started.

"What do you men? The scandal?"

"No, you *points at Hayley* and I *points at herself*."

"You're playing with words again," Hayley shook her head and said.

"Tell me Hayley, what do you think was the reason behind all these?" Amber asked as she leaned forward propping her head on her clasped hands.

"Isn't it Alissa's other work?" Hayley replied full of confidence.

"When she started her work there, her schedule was fixed so much that her events has lessened. And now that she has more she still didn't took a day off leading to such a scandal."

Amber slowly nodded, "Oooh."

Hayley couldn't help but frown, she could hear sarcasm in Amber's reaction.

"Say Hayley…"

The smile in Amber's face disappeared.

"Are you belittling me right now?"

"Eh?"

"Are you belittling me as your president or are you belittling as the Pianist?" Amber continued her eyes turned sharp.

"What do you mean?"

Suddenly she felt uncertain when the name Pianist was included to their conversation.

Of course, she knew how great Pianist is. Up to date no one was still able to find a trace of her.

She was renowned but she barely really comes out.

"No, I am just asking, are you belittling me?"

"Why would I belittle you?"

"Then let me wonder, why are you questioning my decisions? Regarding the scandal. Regarding what Alissa wanted to do. Why?"

"I am just voicing out my opinion because-"

"Because you are also a pillar and one of the starters of the company?" Amber continued what she wanted to say.

Hayley's eyes grew wide upon hearing this, this was what she and Mark talked about a while ago.

"You eavesdrop?"

"Oh, should I eavesdrop to understand what was going on in his mind? The idea of giving Alissa a lot of projects was his, so obviously the way you argue with me was also his idea."

Hayley was rendered speechless upon hearing this.

"Did I hit the mark?" Amber tilted her head on the side.

"What do you really want to say Amber?"

"My question, are you belittling me?"

"No, of course not. Why would I belittle you?" she started panicking inside but tried her best to hide it.

"If not then why did you schedule her to so many events knowing full well that both Jake and I, allowed her to take up that job. Why are you insisting now that it was because of her other job that everything started?"

Hayley suddenly laughed.

"So this is it? Why did you have to go in a round about manner? Why didn't you just say in the beginning that everything was my fault?"

"Don't raise your voice on me, who was it that kept coming here to complain about what is going on and demanding for Alissa to stop her other job?"

"Have you ever asked her what she wanted to do?" Amber asked.

"She wanted to be a model!!" Hayley was starting to get emotional.

"She wanted to be a model because she wanted to help you."

"No it was what she had been saying since she was young."

"When I was young I wanted to be a doctor," Amber suddenly said catching Hayley off guard.