Chapter 124: To Meet Again

The multimillionaire owner of Athon Luxury leaped for the secretary. Her ebony eyes shined like the night sky with thousands of stars. Dark brown hair swayed behind her back. She left it untied, giving her a youthful look. 

Luna held up her arms for a hug.

Eve blocked them halfway. Her hands swerved over Luna's elbows and captured the latter's forearms. A polite smile emerged on her face. "Ms. Athon, greetings. Please take a seat. Sir Hathaway will be right with you."

She gestured towards the waiting area. It had the same gray carpet from their last visit. An L-shaped leather couch covered one side while armchairs occupied the other. 

Luna pouted. "Not even a tiny clue?"

"I honestly can't tell either," Eve admitted with a shrug. Her pleasant expression remained, making Luna glower harder. It did little to change the circumstances. Eve also knew that it wasn't anything serious. 

She highly doubted that would be enough to dampen Luna's mood. 

"Pity."

Luna strolled towards the waiting area and chose an armchair. Her flared black skirt draped over the edge. The indoor lights highlighted the miniscule jewels on her yellow V-neck blouse. She crossed her legs, showing off her stilettos. A rhinestone hair clip pushed her hair back on one side.

It seemed like Eve wasn't the only person who found vintage looks trendy these days.

She followed behind Luna, saying, "Would you like a drink? Do you have any specific requests? We have coffee and tea, both iced and hot."

"I'd like some iced tea. Thank you. Summer weather is absolutely dreadful. It's still morning but the heat feels like noon," Luna complained. She rubbed her right temple. "It also gives me this excruciating headache."

"I can get you something for that. Would that be okay?" Eve offered, mildly concerned.

"Get her plenty of water while you're at it," Mikael said. He had used the bathroom as soon as they reached the top floor. He walked over to the couch and rested his arms on his thighs. "She's been neglecting it in favor of other beverages. With the weather, she's dehydrating faster than usual."

"Oh. That can be arranged." 

Luna snapped her head towards the secretary. "But I want iced tea."

"I can give you one after you drink three glasses of water," Eve compromised. 

"But-but-"

"Don't worry," she comforted her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "They're iced water."

Then, Eve left the scene.

Mikael's radiant blue eyes flickered in her direction. She quickly disappeared from his sight when she reached the pantry. He supported his cheek with his thumb while the rest of his fingers covered his mouth. 

It had only been a day since he last saw her as Evangeline Reed. The contrast between their outward appearance was still as astonishing. Unless someone examined carefully, it would be difficult to connect the two women. 

He had to commend how well-established the disguises were.

Even he hadn't noticed Ambryan's secretary over the years.

Eve came back carrying a tray filled with a pitcher of water and two empty glasses. She set it down on the coffee table, standing up quickly. "I'll check on Sir Hathaway. Please help yourselves."

Ambryan just stood up from his chair when she knocked on his door. Her head popped out from the other side and spotted his figure. He adjusted the silver tie out of habit. Unlike his other garments like it, he was conscious of this one. He could feel it weigh heavily under his neck. 

He stepped down the elevated floor and headed for the door.

Pushing it further open, Eve stepped aside and bowed her head.

Mikael stood up first. Luna mimicked his example a second later. She had finished one glass of water. She placed the second one back on the tray and met Ambryan halfway. "Good to see you, Yan! So glad we could meet again so soon. How's the collaboration with the fans going?"

Ambryan held up his hand for a shake. "We received a bulk of reviews, insights and criticisms. We're in the middle of checking if our initial processing is still suitable."

"But you wrote it, right?" Luna asked rhetorically. "I'm sure you already say this coming."

"Nothing is certain until it happens."

"Good point." She angled her body towards Mikael and motioned the male model to come forward. "I'm sure you remember Mikael. I heard that you have the proposal ready. Is it worth my while?"

"Of course, please come in." 

Ambryan led the way back into his office. Eve was the last one to enter. She left a message at the intercom for Darryl, asking him to contact the receptionist who could call her for any urgent matters. Anything else was left to be on old until the meeting ended.

"No worries, darling. You can count on me."

"Thank you."

She carried the tray to the sitting area, grabbing a cup of black tea on the way. Luna and Mikael sat together while Ambryan positioned himself on an armchair. She took the spot to his right and brought out a notepad. She only had her lap to work it. Writing seemed to be the most efficient option.

Anything else faded away from her senses. There was only a blank page before her eyes and three voices around her ears. Luna read the proposal, skimming through it and mentally marking important details. 

The compensation passed her satisfaction. 

All that was left were the scenes.

"I know you placed emphasis that this series is not purely romance but…!" Luna began to say. "I'd like a scene where Mikael is buying a gift for his significant other. Maybe he'd even ask the female lead for an opinion like asking a random stranger."

Eve wrote down the suggestion. She used one page for Luna and another for Ambryan. It helped her keep a better track of the conversation. 

"And how would exactly that happen?" Ambryan inquired. "Are you suggesting that the female lead enter an Athon Luxury store?"

"Why not?" She defended. Then, a giggle flowed out her lips. She winked. "You can even use the one where Evangeline's poster is displayed. It covers an entire wall."

The pencil scratched downwards on the paper. It was the first time Eve heard about that poster. An entire wall? How big was her face? Did Andie know? How could it have slipped her mind? It must be an embarrassing sight.

She cleared her throat, hoping her face wasn't red. Her hand continued to take notes.

Mikael arched an eyebrow. That reaction didn't go unnoticed by him. He leaned back and watched her work. Her quiet demeanor was almost as surprising as their distinct clothing styles. One wore makeup while the other didn't.

It was somewhat entertaining.

"Isn't that a little bias towards the other colors of the rainbow?" Ambryan retorted. There were seven colors. He figured a whole display of them together would be a better design and representation of the campaign.

"They all have several designated stores. Dedicated fans have travelled across cities just to find them all. It's a clever tactic if you ask me." Luna shrugged. "Each store also has a few exclusive items. They can buy a souvenir for their journey."

"As fascinating as that is, I decline. We've gone over this. There shouldn't be an explicit scene where it's purely an advert. It might clash with the show's message. 

"Well, how about a scene where Mikael walks past a mannequin and it turns out to be a real human. Like Evangeline?" Luna attempted again. The scenes listed out were decent but she wanted an impactful scene. A moment where they could engage with the audience.

Ambryan frowned, seeing through her. "You just want Evangeline as part of the project."

"Did I mention how handsome you look today?"

He exhaled sharply. "And my answer is no."

"Aw, come on! Think about it," Luna persisted. She had developed a ton of suggestions when she played with the idea. "Maybe you can also make your own cameo. The two of you step out of an Athon Luxury store while the main cast walks by. It's a story on love so it should fit right in."

Mikael glanced in her direction. What happened to promoting the Athon Luxury? This topic was out of bounds. It sounded more like she's asking the couple to represent her brand. The collaboration would definitely pique interests.

"I think Evangeline would agree with me at refusing this idea," Ambryan stated firmly. He leaned forward and stared straight into Luna's eyes. "She made it explicitly coherent that she'd rather not be associated with me outside of our relationship. She values her independence especially in her career. Doing your suggestion will disrespect that."

Luna closed her eyes and groaned. It was her third rejection. Hope seemed to be lost. "The two of you are such killjoys. Back me up here, Mikael."

The male model snorted, taking a piece of toast. "I'd rather not."

"Eve?"

The secretary pressed her lips together. She appreciated the support Luna showed for their relationship but… this wasn't up her alley. Evangeline shouldn't be associated with Eros in any way. It was a step closer to being discovered.

"Sorry, Ms. Athon. I believe all parties should give their consent willingly on the matter. It would receive a wide range of reactions and therefore, would require them to be alright with that consequence."