Chapter 236 - Nikolai

[Z Image Main Headquarters]

Unlike the usual neutral mood in the office at this time, Z Image office was far from neutral. The mood in the office was just gloomy, much worse than the cemetery in the movies. 

"Mel, can you double check the color palette whether I've used the correct one?" Luigi Chan weakly turned to Melanie Xue. The bags under his eyes were darker than before, showing that he had barely slept. 

"Uh..." Scrutinizing her co-worker, Melanie Xue scanned around as everyone except her shared the same gloomy energy. 

Usually, Melanie Xue comes one hour earlier before everyone else. Hence, she was used to her schedule. 

Back when Zoey was still living in the building, Zoey was already working whenever she came in. That made Melanie Xue the second person to come to the office. 

But today, most of her colleagues came before her with this foreboding dark cloud above their head. By the looks of it, Zoey hadn't arrived yet. 

"You guys didn't pull an all-nighter, did you?" Slowly, Melanie Xue felt the depressing mood as it grew stronger upon her remarks. 

"I wish I did so I could sleep more instead of using the time to travel home and come in today." Still bearing the aghast expression, Luigi Chan murmured as he chuckled to himself. 

Melanie Xue then saw him murmuring to himself, as if he was about to snap and lose his sanity. "Hey, what's so bad about doing your job properly? Like really, people?" Her under eye twitched, as she couldn't relate to their agony since Melanie Xue rarely made mistakes and improvised her methods to finish her job easily. 

However, her remarks were repelled by Luigi Chan's strong demonic defense as he kept murmuring as if he was cooking an evil scheme. "You guys..." She sighed, shaking her head as she glanced at Luigi Chan's monitor screen. 

For once, Melanie Xue was impressed by his design. It was well thought out, and very creative as if he put his heart and soul into it. She couldn't even believe he did this overnight as Luigi Chan's designs were too basic. Not that his designs were the problem, it was his lack of attentiveness because he uses a different shade that were on the same palette and wouldn't even notice it if it were not for Zoey's keen eyes. 

Fortunately, there were clients who preferred the basic designs and not the complex ones. Hence, despite Luigi Chan's lack of creativity, he was still useful.

"Is this the one that you sent to Boss D? It's good." Nodding her head, Melanie Xue tried to comfort her colleague to which the latter didn't pay much attention. 

Just then, Melanie Xue and everyone in the gloomy office heard the joyful and hyper voice of Zoey. "Good morning everyone~!" 

Zoey pranced her way inside the office before she stopped and looked around. First, she was surprised to see that she was greeting not just one or a few employees; everyone was present that early!

However, that wasn't what truly surprised Zoey; it was the depressing mood circulating across each wall of the office which stunned her. "Did someone die?!" Zoey inquired, before she jolted as one of her employees looked up to her. 

"Agatha! You nearly gave me a heart attack!" Zoey scolded, patting her chest as she thought for a second that her employees came after watching a horror movie. 

"Morning, Boss Zhou." Greeting the big boss, Melanie Xue was just as surprised at Zoey — not because of the office's mood but because of Zoey's high energy. 

As everyone turned their attention to Zoey, they cocked their head to the side as their exhausted mind had a huge question mark. For some reason, they could see that Zoey's aura was surrounded with pink petals. 

"Gosh..." Placing her hand on her chest, Zoey scanned the office once again with eyes full of disbelief. 

She could barely recognize her own building as it was surrounded by dark life forces. Glancing at Melanie Xue, Zoey's brow twitched upon laying her eyes on Luigi Chan who was usually bubbly and innocent. 

"Well, have some coffee to drink." Speechless, Zoey suggested before she rushed to her office. 

She wanted to cheer them up as she was in a good mood. However, if Zoey did, all her darling's effort to discipline them would go to waste. 

Zoey just felt their comfortless gaze follow her figure which made her hasten her pace. As soon as Zoey entered her office and shut the door behind her, she exhaled in relief. 

"I didn't know my darling's way to discipline people will turn them into depressed zombies...!" Under her breath, Zoey muttered because for a second, she felt like she was being gazed upon by some zombies. 

"Just when I thought I didn't have enough shock this morning..." Patting her chest, Zoey stabilized her breathing by inhaling peace and exhaling love. 

Shortly, when she recovered, Zoey walked over her desk and fished her phone out. Since Matthew Xi wasn't around and she successfully diverted his attention earlier, Zoey could now focus on her main concern. 

Checking out Patrizio Moretti's messages yesterday, Zoey scoffed as he kept on inquiring if she succeeded in seducing Matthew Xi. After skimming through all the nonsense he sent her last night, Zoey decided to call him. 

However, the first call wasn't answered. Hence, Zoey tried to reach him over and over again. After her fifth try, the line was finally picked up and soon connected. 

"Who is this?" Speaking in his mother tongue sounding half awake, Patrizio Moretti inquired. 

"It's me." Rolling her eyes, Zoey figured that he must have had his fun last night. 

"Oh, Z..." Sounding lazy, Patrizio Moretti dragged himself to sit straight up as he massaged his temple by his knuckles. 

"Dear, why didn't you tell me that Nikolai is here? Don't tell me you brought him with you?" In an instant, Zoey's mood changed as a glint flashed across her eyes. Fortunately, Patrizio Moretti wasn't standing before her or god forbid she would have taught him a lesson. 

"Huh? What do you mean? I didn't." 

"Don't lie. He pretended to be a night patrol last night! I heard him, Patty!" Clicking her tongue, Zoey ground her teeth as she realized this morning she wasn't hearing things last night. 

The person that bid them farewell, the other officer that was with the officer they talked to was that creepy guy!