Chapter 46 - Sickness

The very next day at the company...

Jennet was busy replying e-mails from her clients when their manager in the department, Jerome Banner, showed up at the front door with a piece of paper.

The thirty-five years old man walked towards Jennet and placed the paper on top of her desk. Looking at her with a smiling face, he said,

"Miss Lockhart, I want you to get the names of the staffs who want to join the company trip to Country N in a week from now."

Jennet took the paper and read through the content. After a moment of silence, she raised her head and looked up at him.

"Why am I doing this?" Jennet asked with a frown.

This was supposed to be Mira's task. But, he is handing it to her to handle. Won't Mira get pissed at her later for taking over her task?

Jerome Banner smiled even wider, "Because you're reliable and you are easy to work with. Plus, I heard you got a ring from our Mr Tybelg and helping me means helping him as well." He chuckled and eyed the golden ring on her left hand.

Jennet glanced back the ring on her finger before she stared back at him and coldly said, "This is not from Mr Tybelg." She pulled her hand and hid it under the desk.

Jerome Banner raised his eyebrows. Her answer left him wondering who might be giving her such expensive looking ring or was she hiding the truth about her relationship with Luca Tybelg to avoid catastrophe from happening in the entire company?

It could be since she's a woman who never showed her real self in public and always seclude herself from the others as well. Everything about her life had always been private and mysterious. Plus, he also heard all sort if unpleasant rumours about her being a wild woman. Must be the ring was from her sugar daddy?

He leaned closer to her and whispered, "So, who gave it to you then? The female staffs were going haywire and that's also the reasons why I got Mira to attend the Sales Meeting instead of handling the upcoming company trip. If she meets you, I don't know what she will do to you because of that ring."

Jennet inhaled a deep breath and said, "I found this ring in my closet and tried it for fun but unfortunately it got stuck and I can't take it off." She lied.

"I've tried everything I could to take it off but to no avail. So, I just let it be on my finger since then." She added, looking calm as if everything she had said was true.

The truth was totally different. When she woke up from sleep this morning, she had already found the ring wrapping her ring ringer. Since she overslept, she had no time to take any concerns of the ring and just dashed out of the villa. When she arrived at work, she had tried to take it off but it can't be taken off her finger. So, she just leaves it as it is as if it was nothing special.

"Oh, really? I have no idea." He said, looking surprised.

"Of course you had no idea since everyone made their own speculations about me. I assure you, Mr Banner, I have no relationship with Mr Tybelg. Every rumour were just rumours." Jennet explained her situation.

Jerome Banner nodded his head again. "Well, that's good to hear them. So, can I have a fling with you then, Ms Lockhart?" He teased her with an even wider smile.

Jennet's face turned dark and eerie as soon as she heard his words. "Mr Banner, should I inform your wife in the Human Resources about what you had said just now? I am sure she will be very happy." She said, dead flat with a cold tone.

The man coughed and straightened his back while arranging his coat. "Ehem, let's just forget what you heard just now. I was just joking." His eyes roamed the entire office worried if someone might eavesdrop their conversation.

Jennet glanced back at the paper and she asked him another question, "By the way, what if the entire teams want to join this trip?"

"They will go on the second trip after the first group returns. I am counting on you to tell the rest of the team." He winked at her.

He lowered his head and said, "Don't tell my wife what I had said just now." He reminded her once again in a low voice that only the two of them could hear.

He added, "Put it on my desk by tomorrow." Then, he walked away, whistling happily.

Jennet shook her head slowly. But, she still made a soft copy of the form before sending them out in e-mails to all the staffs in their department. Then, she glanced towards the desk next to her.

Marvina had read the email. She gave Jennet a thumb up and smiled widely. She was saying, 'Thank you for the information' but she didn't let her voice out.

Jennet smiled back and return her gesture with an 'OK' sign.

As soon as the e-mail was being sent out, everyone was so excited and most of them signed up for the trip including Jennet herself since Marvina was asking her to join along.

That afternoon, the aloof Felix made an unexpected appearance at their department. He alone had caused the female staff became restless with envy as he made his way towards Jennet's desk.

"Miss Lockhart, Mr Tybelg asked for you to meet him in his office now." He said calmly in a flat tone.

Jennet blinked stupidly before him before she finally realized that he was standing in front of her, looking so inferior. She was in a shock herself since Felix had never approached her on anything let alone relying upon any messages to her.

Jennet immediately nodded her head and replied with a short "Okay."

However, she frowned when Felix didn't move from the spot. She thought he would leave but he was still standing beside her desk, looking formidable like a bodyguard.

She eyed him, "Umm, who are you waiting for?" She asked.

Felix looked straight on her face and answered, "I am here to escort you to his office to make sure you show up without excuses." He answered.

Of course, he would send someone to escort her since she had always declined his invitation days ago. He must be so sad over her cold treatment towards his good intentions or even worse, he was probably furious but he just couldn't show it.

Jennet could only nod her head. "Okay, I am going right now." She rose from the chair after locking her computer. She really can't give any more excuses to escape from meeting Luca Tybelg!

She followed Felix all the way to Luca's office. As soon as she entered, Luca was still busy typing on the laptop. Felix disappeared again without a trace, leaving her alone with Luca.

Jennet was feeling awkward as she stood like a stupid person in front of him, waiting for him to open his mouth.

"Umm, it seems you're busy so, I will just..."

"Give me five minutes. Go sit on the sofa." Said Luca from behind the screen, totally cutting her off from continuing with her intention to flee.

Jennet straightened her posture and turned around, grunting in her mind as she made her way towards the sofa. Her smile faded the moment she sat down and clearing her mind from thinking of ridiculous excuses.

Shortly after that, Luca patted her shoulder, "Let's go." He said with a smile.

Jennet rose from her seat and asked with knitted brows. "Umm, where are we going? Felix said you wanted to meet me. Is there something that you need to discuss with me?" She asked.

"Yes, there is and we're having our conversation over lunch. Come on." Luca walked out of the office.

Jennet gingerly followed him from behind. She couldn't stop worrying when a few of her colleagues were staring at them from afar. But, since she's walking together with Luca Tybelg, no one dares to approach her.

The two of them entered his car driven by Felix to a less luxurious restaurant since Jennet had so much trouble keeping her appearance neat on their so-called first lunch date before.

They were seated by the window, overlooking the street where people were passing by. Luca had already made the reservations on their food so they are just waiting for their foods to be served.

While waiting Jennet stared at the smiling handsome face before her. "Well, Luca, tell me what do you need to discuss with me." She said.

Luca chuckled softly and looked back at how troubled her expression was. He leans forward and said, "Hmm, nothing much. I was just abducting you from work for a lunch date."

"What?" Jennet got even more confused but didn't show it on her face. Abducting me from work?

Luca laughed. "Jennet, I am just teasing you. You're becoming more adorable the more I look at you." He said and raised his brows at her in delight.

Jennet was flustered after listening to his words. Her superior is telling her that she's adorable!

No other man had actually paid attention to her and yet this man had said it to her. Her mind was on cloud nine for a while before the pouty looking Hue suddenly makes an appearance in her mind and shattered her happy world to pieces.

She regained her composure and coughed in a polite manner. "Ehem, I didn't expect you would say something like that to a woman like me. I am totally not adorable at all, Luca." She said calmly.

"You're different from the rest of the women I've associated with. You're adorable and shy. That's what I can say about you." Said Luca while playing with his glass.

Adorable and shy? Is that how he pictured me in his head? She was taken aback by his words.

"Luca, should I be cautious about you?" Jennet eyed him with a stern look.

"I didn't mean to scare you, Jennet." He said. He sat straight in his seat. He was trying to tell her something but hesitated.

He looked into her eyes and said, "Actually, I was feeling so uncomfortable for the past few days. I couldn't sleep even a wink, I felt so anxious and something seemed to be not right. Also, my heart felt so heavy as if there was something that made me feel so hard to breathe."

There was a mixture of emotions on his face. At a time, he was looking so pumped up but then there was also fear in his eyes.

Jennet looked away and took her own glass before gulping the content down her throat. As soon as she placed it back on the table, she glanced at Luca.

"I honestly do not know what had happened to you but you sound so severely sick." She said, breaking the awkwardness with a sudden realization.

"Are you sick somewhere, Luca? Have you seen the doctor?" She asked, looking so concerned.

How severe is his sickness now?