《Rise Of The Disgraced Heir》


 Chapter 1 - 1

    WARNING: RISE OF THE DISGRACED HEIR IS CONNECTED TO MY OTHER NOVEL, NEVER JUDGE. YOU DON''T NEED TO READ ONE TO UNDERSTAND THE OTHER AND THEY CAN BE READ SEPARATELY. BUT IF YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT IAN AND MOST OF THE CHARACTERS IN RISE, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND READING NEVER JUDGE.


    "Ian! Hurry up!" Ian rolled his eyes as Jas nagged him over the phone, why did he have to date such a demanding woman.


    Ian stood at the bus stop, combing his fingers through his hair as he waited for the bus anxiously.


    He gave an annoyed smirk as he noticed a few college students looking at him, giggling excitedly.


    Ian was quite a handsome man, both his parents came from affluent families, but they had hit hard times. Most men that looked as attractive as him would not be seen taking public transport.


    "Jas, I can''t exactly make the bus fly." Ian complained and rolled his eyes as he tapped his shoes on the pavement. As usual the bus was late, nothing was ever on time in the capital.


    There were just too many people in one place, traffic was crazy and living expenses were even worse. The only way you could get to one place on time was if you left hours in advance or if you had your own car.


    Ian was too poor to buy his own car, his family had lost everything when he was in high school, turning a prince into a pauper.


    "Why can''t you just leave earlier Ian?" Jas asked in an annoyed tone. "You know how hard it was for me to arrange this interview for you? I had to ask dad to talk to some of his connections just for you. It was embarrassing."


    "I know Jas, I know, Why do you have to keep on reminding me." Ian said rolling his eyes as he finally spotted the bus. "It''s here. I''m going to drop the call." Ian said as he shoved his phone in his pocket.


    Ian sighed as he finally found a spot on the bus. He missed the better days back when his family had money. Things were better, people respected him, people didn''t look down at him the way they did now.


    His girlfriend, Jasmine Ortega, was his childhood friend. She knew him from the days when the Lim family was rich, that was the only reason why her father even allowed them to date.


    Jasmine wasn''t some stuck up bitch from a rich family, she was actually nice. She had just lived a sheltered life and was unaware of how the ordinary man struggled.


    Ian looked down at his worn out shoes, letting his black hair fall to his face as he recalled the day he found his mom begging at school.


    Eight Years Ago


    "Lim, come on! We''re gonna be late for class!" A dark-haired young teen called out to his friend.


    The bell had just rung, signaling the end of their lunch break. All students were expected back in class within five minutes of the bell.


    "Wait." Ian Lim said in an annoyed tone. He didn''t like people ordering him around, but this particular friend of his didn''t care.


    "Lim if the prefect catches being late again I''ll blame it all on you." His friend said helplessly as he followed Ian in the direction he was headed.


    "Screw the prefect." Ian said with a laugh. "You''re too uptight Park. No wonder you want to be a general or something."


    "Police chief!" His friend Damien Park said, correcting him.


    "Whatever, tomato, tomato. It''s the same thing." Ian said as he walked away from their classroom.


    "Just because the Lims are wealthy doesn''t mean the prefect will go easy on you." Damien Park said as he followed his friend. "Even those princes don''t get away with everything."


    "Psh! Those princes, so vain, just because their families are the richest in the country." Ian shook his head in annoyance.


    "Don''t be so cocky Ian." Damien Park said as he continued to follow his friend down the hall.


    "If you''re so worried go back to class." Ian said as he turned.


    "Your funeral." Damien said as he raised his hands in surrender and walked back to class.


    Ian shook his head and continued walking, he was never one to follow the rules.


    He didn''t want to go to class today, he didn''t feel like it.


    Things at home were too chaotic for him to focus, his parents thought he didn''t know but he had seen the change in his dad, he seemed stressed and sad all the time.


    "Please sir, my husband''s company is closing down and we just need time to get the money for his tuition." Ian heard a familiar voice beg.


    It couldn''t be, how could she be here? Ian asked himself as he crept around the corner to get a better view.


    "Mrs. Lim, I''m sorry but there isn''t much we can do." Ian heard the head of his school''s finance department say.


    "But if you kick Ian out he will have to stop school." Ian heard his mom beg.


    "Last stop! Last stop!" A voice called out. Ian suddenly sat up as he woke from his nightmare.


    "Crap." Ian cursed, he had drifted too far in his memories that he didn''t realize that the bus was nearing his stop.


    He quickly ran out the door as the driver shouted at him. "Hey! You didn''t pay!"


    "Sorry, sir." Ian said as he scrambled to get enough money from his pockets. He was already running late for his first job interview.


    The bus stop was still quite a walk away from where his interview was going to be held, but Ian didn''t mind, he had walked further for a lot less.


    As a fresh university graduate, Ian had gone to a lot of job interviews in the past month, each one turning out worse than the last.


    For some reason, some rich man''s son or daughter would always snap up the job opportunity just as he thought he would get accepted. This time, Ian was hoping that it would be different.


    Jas had spoken to her father and begged him to help Ian land a job with a family friend.


    Ian looked up as he entered the small building of Island''s Inc.


    The company was not a large one, it was owned by the Hernandez family, but it was a good company. At his point in his job hun Ian was willing to go and apply in all companies that had an open position.


    "Ian Lim?" The woman at the reception asked as he approached.


    "Yes." Ian said with a nod as he smiled at the woman who simply smiled back at him.


    "Down that hall. They are already expecting you." The woman told him as she pointed at the hall she was referring to.


    Ian thanked her and went on his way.


    Inside the room a member of the Human Resources staff informed Ian that he would be interviewed by John Hernandez, the grandson of the company owner.


    Ian nodded and followed the HR Staff to the interview room.


    When Ian entered, he was surprised to see a man that seemed to be just a few years older than him. He wore flashy branded clothing from head to toe and was casually leaning on his seat when the HR staff and Ian arrived.


    "You''re the one uncle Ron recommended?" John Hernandez asked as he looked at Ian from head to toe.


    "Yes, sir." Ian said, adding the sir as a sign of respect. The uncle Ron that John Hernandez was referring to was Jas'' father.


    "You can''t even dress properly." John Hernandez scoffed as he looked at Ian. "This is an apparel company. Get this man out of my sight!" John ordered embarrassing Ian.


    Seeing as he had nothing to lose Ian took the opportunity and fired back at the man.


    "My clothes might look worn out but they are much better than yours." Ian said in a loud voice. "Do your employees know how much fake clothes you are wearing on you right now?" Ian said with a laugh.


    "How dare you?" John Hernandez said, standing up from his seat.


    "Don''t you know it''s tacky to show off the brand logo? You new rich people, so disgusting." Ian said as he turned and walked out.


    As he left the room, two large security guards grabbed him by the arms and dragged him to the back of the building.

 Chapter 2 - 2

    Ian held the ice to his eye as his girlfriend berated him on how he should have just sucked it up and left.


    "How could you expect me to just take insults from a man like that?" Ian asked. "He didn''t even look at my resume, he gave me one look and sent me out!"


    "My dad placed his name on the line for you on this!" Jas shouted back. "You should at least be thankful!"


    "Yes, yes, because you and your dad pay for everything and do everything for me!" Ian answered her. "This apartment we live in, your parent''s graduation gift. Our daily expenses, mostly from the card your dad pays for. I work two jobs already and I can''t provide for us. Why not just break up with me and find a proper guy!"


    "That is not the issue here Ian Lim!" Jas shouted back. "The issue here is your attitude!"


    "My attitude! My attitude!" Ian said, rolling his eyes. "I didn''t do anything that deserved getting beaten up like this."


    "You should have been more respectful to John." Jas said as she tried to bring the discussion to a calmer level.


    "He was disrespectful as well." Ian argued back. "You know what, I''m out of here." Ian said, raising his hand and grabbing his jacket.


    "Don''t you dare walk out on me Ian!" Jas shouted as Ian slammed the door behind him.


    Ian could hear Jas calling out for him as he walked down the stairs, he stuck on his earphones blocking out all other noises, including Jas calling for him to return.


    It was raining hard outside, but Ian didn''t care, he needed to be somewhere else, somewhere not there.


    Ian eventually ended up at the entrance of the famous Constellations Hotel. It was a chain of hotels that had mysteriously popped up in the past year. No one knew who owned it, all they knew was it was extremely hip and it was expanding rapidly.


    Ian walked in, not caring that he was soaked or that he probably couldn''t afford the drinks in the high end establishment. He simply walked in and sat at the bar.


    He watched as rich men picked up young women who were there for that exact purpose. Ian had been around enough rich heirs to know that these women here were there for their entertainment.


    He noticed one girl, sitting alone at the bar. She was frowning as the bartender gave her another glass of alcohol.


    She stood out among the crowd, she didn''t seem like one of the high class escorts or social climbers that littered the bar, looking for a rich man to snag.


    Instead she seemed lonely, like him.


    She wore an elegant business suit, with her long brown hair tied up in a ponytail. She sat straight and regally as if she was some princess of a foreign land. She was pretty but not Ian''s type.


    He saw a man approach, he tapped the girl on the shoulder, the woman shook her head and sent him away. It was clear, she wasn''t here for that.


    The bartender refilled her drink again, which sipped leisurely.


    The man returned, this time Ian could see how demanding he was, pulling on her arm. Ian had two younger sisters and he could not stand a man treating a woman that way.


    He quickly stood up and approached the arguing pair.


    "Is there a problem here?" Ian asked in his deep baritone voice.


    "Get away kid, this is none of your business." The man said as he gripped the woman''s arm tightly, clearly hurting her.


    "I told you to fucking let go of me. I''m not some low class escort." The woman said as she struggled to get free from his grip.


    "Oh come on baby, that''s what they all say at the start." The man said in a disgusting tone.


    "Let go of her." Ian said as he grabbed the man''s arm, gripping it tightly.


    "No!" The man insisted.


    Ian''s blood boiled at the man''s insistence, Ian couldn''t hold back, he threw a punch at the man, throwing him to the ground.


    Ian was soon surrounded by several bodyguards that dragged him to the back of the hotel.


    Ian groaned at his luck, he had just dealt with being beaten up by the goons at Island''s Inc. now he was going to get beaten up by the security team at the Constellations Hotel.


    He was surprised that instead of taking him to some alley, he was brought to posh room with a carpeted floor and elegant fixtures.


    In the room stood a man with an imposing aura. Ian couldn''t help but avert his eyes from the man, he was clearly someone important, someone too important.


    "Uncle." The girl from earlier said as she entered the room.


    "Does your father know you are here?" The man asked.


    "Of course not." She said, shaking her head. "Please don''t tell him uncle."


    "Fine, but avoid bars from now on kid." He said, shaking his head.


    "Thank you, uncle!" The woman said excitedly as she turned to leave.


    She suddenly stopped and walked up to Ian. She wasn''t that tall and the top of her head was only at Ian''s lips.


    She looked up at him with an intimidating gaze, she was clearly someone that you didn''t want to mess with. Something about her felt familiar to Ian but he couldn''t point out what it was.


    "You are a good man." She suddenly said in a kind tone. "You saved me from that man."


    "I only did what any gentleman should do." Ian said with a shrug.


    "What''s your name?" She asked.


    "Ian Lim, miss." Ian said, his tone now full of respect for her.


    "Ian Lim?" The man asked.


    "Yes sir." Ian answered. The man didn''t say anything after that, which puzzled Ian.


    "Most men wouldn''t have stood up for me. You are a dying breed." The woman said, shaking her head. "My name is Katerina Sebastian. I hope we meet again someday."


    "Sebastian? As in the senator?" Ian asked as he tilted his head to the side.


    "Yes, he is my dad." Katerina said with a mischievous grin. "You should stop playing hero Ian, it will get you in trouble."


    Ian was at a loss for words, the Sebastians were the elite of the elites, the oldest and most powerful political family in the country. Very few stood at a position higher than them. What was a daughter of such a family doing at a bar?


    Katerina gave him a sad smile as she walked out and left. Ian was left in the room with the intimidating man and his goons.


    "Why are you doing this?" The imposing man in front of him asked. Ian could feel the power and authority radiating from him, he was clearly someone important. "You didn''t have to save her, and you are clearly drinking for a reason, so why help?"


    "Does it matter?" Ian hissed, he wasn''t in the mood to bow down to some rich man. He had enough on his plate today to care.


    He was surprised when the man suddenly laughed. Ian was expecting this man to have him thrown out, not to be amused by what he had just said.


    "I like you." The intimidating figure finally spoke. Ian couldn''t help but look up at him in curiosity, most powerful men didn''t like being talked back to. "Marco, get his details. I see a future for this one."


    For some reason Ian knew at that moment that his life would change, that he would no longer need to settle for rich kid''s scraps.. Something about this man''s words seemed like a promise to help.

 Chapter 3 - 3

    Ian felt like he was living a dream, after speaking to the man he was handed a calling card and told to send his resume there. It shocked Ian, after months of searching he was handed a card to one of the most powerful companies in the country, the Reyes Group.


    According to rumors their hiring process was brutal but fair. They only hired the best of the best, regardless of their connections or relationships with other businessmen. This fact excited Ian, it meant he had a shot at a better future.


    Ian couldn''t help but hope this was true. He only had a few hundred left in his savings and he badly needed a full-time job. His two other part time jobs weren''t enough to feed him and Jas, add to it the money he sent back to his parents.


    He wanted to prove to Jas'' family that he could provide for Jas, that they could have a future together.


    On top of that he had another goal, one that he had been working hard to achieve for years, everything he had done in his life was aimed at that one goal, to bring the Lim family back to its former glory.


    He wanted desperately to see those that had looked down on them and abandoned them, looking up once more. And this job interview would be his first step towards his goal.


    As Ian approached the tall glass office building, he couldn''t help but look up and marvel at its grandeur, R Tower was the pi¨¨ce de r¨¦sistance of the Reyes Group. It was the most beautiful building in the commercial center and it also housed the most powerful company.


    Ian couldn''t help but daydream about working at R Tower, being hired by the Reyes Group. He would woki his hardest to impress his future boss, and make his way up the corporate ladder till he had enough money to buy back Lim Holdings.


    He had been so absorbed in his thoughts that he didn''t notice bumping into a stranger on the sidewalk.


    "Idiot." Someone cursed at Ian, bringing him back from his daydream.


    "Sorry." Ian said in a low voice as he tried to push past the man and his female companion. He didn''t need any drama today, he just needed to get into the building without causing any issues. He wouldn''t risk his future for some cocky rich man.


    "Sorry? Is that all you have to say?" The man asked as he grabbed Ian by his collar.


    Ian was forced to look at the man he had run into. He didn''t seem much older than Ian, he was probably four or five years older than Ian and he wore a luxury brand from head to toe, Ian could tell based on the H stamped all over the clothes.


    Ian stifled a laugh as he recalled how his mom looked down at people who boasted about the brand of their clothes.


    Old rich rule #1: Never broadcast how rich you truly are, Ian grinned as he observed how blatantly this man broke that rule. At least everything he was wearing was original, unlike John Hernandez.


    The Lims may have long lost their luster but Ian could still smell new rich social climbers from a mile away. He had grown up hearing his aunts and uncles talk about them, as if they were pests on society.


    "Edsel, put him down. He isn''t worth it." The man''s female companion said in a disgusted tone. "He''s just some salaryman, I''m sure he can''t even afford the shoes you''re wearing."


    Ian wanted to laugh, the shoes he was actually wearing were probably worth Edsel''s whole wardrobe. His shoes once belonged to his grandfather and were made specifically by an exclusive shoemaker in Italy, one of the few remnants of their old wealth.


    His mother had insisted that he wear the refurbished shoes in case he bumped into a member of the Reyes clan. Even in its used state, the shoes were not only worth a few hundred thousand, plus that shoemaker didn''t just let anyone buy his crafts.


    "Disgusting." Edsel said as he spat at Ian.


    "Edsel!" The woman scolded. "We''re here to get into the good favor of the Reyes Family. Don''t ruin our image before we''ve even stepped into the building."


    Edsel rolled his eyes and walked ahead of the woman.


    "If you tell anyone about what my boyfriend did I will ruin your career." The woman threatened before turning to leave.


    Ian wanted to laugh at them, didn''t they know how fast money and power disappeared? By the way, the young master Edsel was acting their family fortune would be gone before he even got a hold of it.


    As Ian entered the lobby his phone began to ring, he smiled as he saw who was calling it was one of his girlfriend, Jasmine Ortega.


    He debated if he should answer the call, when he had finally made it home last night she was fast asleep.


    Ian had crawled into bed with her and hugged her tight.


    When they woke up this morning Jas acted as if nothing had happened, this allowed Ian to tell her about his opportunity to go for an interview at the Reyes Group.


    Jas had been shocked, it was a once in a lifetime opportunity, anyone could hand in their resume to the Reyes Group but to actually get an interview was another matter.


    Ian shook his head and sighed, he might as well pick up the phone.. He didn''t want their relationship to be strained by a simple matter.

 Chapter 4 - 4

    "Hey Jas." Ian answered the phone happily.


    "Ian dear, have you made it to R Tower?" Jas asked in a sweet tone.


    "I told you not to call me that, it''s embarrassing." Ian said in a cold tone.


    "I''m sorry, old habits die hard." Jas said with a laugh.


    "How will you find a proper husband if you keep calling me by some old pet name?" Ian scolded Jas. He was well aware that Jas'' family was looking to pair her with some young, rich heir, and her calling him by a pet name was her way of getting out of a date.


    "I''m sorry Ian. So did you make it on time?" Jas asked, ignoring his comment. They might have been dating, but he knew Jas'' family still set her up for blind dates when he wasn''t around.


    "I just walked into the lobby." Ian told her as he approached the receptionist''s desk. "I have to go."


    "Alright. Bye Ian." Jas said as she dropped the call.


    "Miss I have an interview for a management trainee position." Ian told the receptionist. The woman looked at him with a confused look.


    "Name?" She asked.


    "Ian Lim." Ian said.


    She quickly typed something before handing him a badge. "CEO''s level is at the top floor."


    "What?!" An angry voice said from behind Ian. "Why are you letting this lowly boy up there, but you won''t let me in?"


    Ian turned to see the couple from earlier once more.


    "He has an appointment, it was specially scheduled by Marco So, the CEO''s assistant." The receptionist said as she glared at Edsel and his female companion. "Meanwhile, you are just some nuisance that decided to pop up and demand a meeting with our CEO."


    "Don''t you know who I am?" Edsel demanded. "I''m Edsel Ares! My father owns Ares Co."


    "Ares Co. is nothing to the Reyes Family." A young woman said as she arrived.


    Ian grinned as he saw the woman walk up to Edsel and his group.


    "And you are?" Edsel asked as he observed her from head to toe.


    Ian wanted to laugh at his ignorance. Of course since his family had only recently become rich so he had no idea that he was talking to a member of the Reyes Family, a family so low profile that no one had seen their eldest son in years.


    Ian on the other hand knew the Reyes siblings, at least he had met them before. Their eldest son, whose name he had forgotten was his classmate before he disappeared.


    The woman who was standing before them was none other than Ayanna Reyes, the twenty year old daughter of the CEO. She got the signature black hair and piercing black eyes of the Reyes family. Her other features Ian assumed came from the mother, Priscilla Clarin.


    "Someone you should watch your mouth around." Ayanna said as she walked passed everyone.


    Right before going through the barrier to the elevators she stopped.


    "Ian Lim right?" Ayanna asked as she looked at Ian.


    Ian was stunned that she knew his name. Ian simply nodded at her question.


    "Well come on, you''ll be late." Ayanna said as she flashed him a rare smile.


    Ian did not hesitate and followed her through the barrier and to the CEOs elevator.


    "Are you their friends?" Ayanna suddenly asked him.


    "No." Ian said as he shook his head. "Just some people I literally bumped into in front of the building."


    "Ha! You''re funny." Ayanna said with a laugh. "You''ll be perfect for the job."


    "The job? The management trainee job?" Ian asked. "Miss Reyes I don''t know how my sense of humor would have anything to do with the job I applied for."


    "You''re perfect." Ayanna said with a grin as the elevator doors opened and they climbed in.


    "I thought my interview was for the management trainee role, would you know why it''s on the CEO''s floor?" Ian asked, unable to contain his curiosity.


    "So many questions, you remind me of him." The younger woman said as she shook her head. "He also keeps asking questions."


    "He?" Ian asked. It seemed he ended up with more questions than answers.


    "My dad will explain later." Ayanna said with a laugh again. "You''re lucky dad called me in for lessons today, or else that mess at the lobby would be pretty bad."


    "You''re changing the topic." Ian said as he rolled his eyes.


    "Hmph, only someone from an old rich family would dare roll their eyes at me." Ayanna complained. "And yes I am because I don''t need to answer your questions."


    Ian was about to say something when the elevator doors opened and Ayanna walked out ahead of him.


    "Marco, this is Ian, dad''s waiting for him." Ayanna said as she walked away.


    "Mr. Ian Lim!" The older man who had given him the card for an interview asked. He looked different today, more refined, more formal, happier and brighter in general.


    "Yes sir." Ian said with a nod.


    "I''m Marco So, personal assistant to the CEO of the Reyes Group." Marco said as he offered a hand for Ian to shake.. "We''ve been expecting you."

 Chapter 5 - 5

    Ian remembered the last time he was in a similar place, it was years ago but the memory was so strong that it felt like it was just yesterday.


    He was seventeen at the time and his mother had picked him up from school, something she rarely did that they usually sent the driver and some maids, and she told him they were going to meet someone very important.


    Their car soon drove up to a big gray building with employees rushing in and out. Ian recognized this place, his grandpa, Constance Lim''s father, would often bring him there.


    ''You are my eldest grandson and the most business savvy in this family little boy.'' His grandpa would often say as they walked around it''s clean halls. ''Someday Ian, both the Ong and Lim family businesses will be under your control.''


    "Mom, why are we here?" Ian grumbled as he followed his mom through the now cold halls of the office building.


    When his grandfather had died unexpectedly, Ian''s mother was kicked out of the board, and more suspiciously his grandfather''s will had disappeared.


    Ian''s mother changed at that time, from being one of the toughest people he knew, she became broken. It took a while for his mother to recover, luckily back then the Lim Group of Companies was still thriving, his father dedicated his time and attention to his wife''s recovery.


    But Ian could never forget what pain he and his family had to endure because of what had happened. Now this building gave him nothing but painful memories, a reminder of what once was.


    "We are here to meet with your uncle Philip, my younger brother." Ian''s mom, Constance Lim, said. "When you were younger you would go to his house and play with your cousins."


    "Of course I know my uncle Philip, but why did you bring me here?" Ian grumbled. His mothers family hated them, they hated him the most in particular.


    His grandfather, the late Rodolfo Ong, favored him and his sisters among all his grandchildren. Their mother Constance was the eldest of five siblings, and he was the eldest grandson.


    "Mister Ian, Miss Constance." Several employees greeted them as they walked through the halls.


    All of the older employees recognized them, for years Constance Lim stood as he father''s right hand, managing the business. And when her son was old enough he was a constant fixture on his grandfather''s side.


    They eventually came face to face with the familiar oak doors that led to the CEO''s office.


    "Miss Constance, Mister Ian, do you have an appointment with Mr. Philip?" An assistant asked as she approached them.


    Ian eyed the woman, he knew for a fact that his uncle was sleeping with this one. He had caught them being intimate a long time ago.


    "Do I need an appointment to see my brother?" Constance Lim was a very intimidating woman. She had led the company by her father''s side for years, so the poor assistant couldn''t help but simply nod.


    "Is my brother really that busy?" Constance glared at the woman. "Which mistress is in there?"


    The assistant was at a loss for words, she didn''t expect the once meek Constance to answer her in such a strong way.


    "Miss Constance." Another assistant greeted as he approached. This man was Rodolfo Ong''s old assistant. When Ian''s grandfather had passed he stayed in the company and chose to work for the new CEO, Ian''s uncle.


    "Jerry, I''m here to see my brother." Constance Lim said in a commanding tone.


    "Miss Constance, it''s good to see you back to your normal self." Jerry the assistant praised. "But the boss is otherwise occupied right now."


    "I know my brother is just in there with one of his mistresses."


    Ian watched as his mother walked straight up to the oak doors and pushed it open.


    It did not come as a surprise to Ian when he walked in after his mom and found a young woman on his uncle''s lap.


    Ian recognized the woman to be an up and coming model that his grandfather''s company had recently signed as an endorser.


    "Seriously Philip?" Constance asked as she marched up to her brother. "This is why OC Corp. is falling. The company needs you and what are you doing? Some model?"


    "Out." Ian''s uncle Philip hissed at the model as he brushed back his brown hair.


    The model jumped off of him in a panic, Ian wanted to laugh, the model probably thought his mother was his uncle Philip''s wife. Constance Lim and Philip Ong looked nothing alike, while they shared their father''s fair skin, Constance inherited her european features from their mother, while Philip looked more like the late Rodolfo Ong.


    "Sister, I know you are just here to ask for money." Philip Ong said as he pulled out a bottle of water. "Everyone knows the sad state the Lim family is in."


    "I''m not here to ask for help for the Lims." Constance stepped closer. "Ian is going to University soon, father placed aside some money for Ian."


    "Father did no such thing." Philip said quite defensively.


    "Father did it for all of his grandchildren." Constance rebutted. "Why are you singling Ian out? I''m not asking for special treatment, just what father left."


    "Constance, this isn''t the OC Corp you used to run!" Ian''s uncle Philip said angrily as he slammed his hand on the table. "This place is different, you have no right to come here."


    "I''m not asking for anything from the company!" Constance Lim answered back.


    "Leave, before I have you thrown out!" Philip Ong said as he pointed towards the door.


    Ian didn''t know what to do, he was frozen in place, were they going to follow his uncle''s orders? Or was his mother going to defy him?


    "Constance, I never want to see you here again." Philip said in an angry tone.


    Ian watched as his mother glared at her younger brother, she didn''t say a word, she simply turned and left.


    "Ian?" A voice said, pulling Ian back from his memories, he looked back up at Marco who was gesturing for him to enter the office ahead.

 Chapter 6 - 6

    Ian entered the office, he was shocked at its size, normal people didn''t have offices like these. On the other side of the door was an office whose whole wall was made of glass, Ian could see the modern side of the capital from where he stood.


    To his left there was a meeting table and in front of him was a couch that seemed to serve the purpose of entertaining more casual discussions.


    He wondered who exactly he was doing his interview with, it was definitely not some manager, maybe it was a vice president or a department head of the Reyes Group. The company had been notorious for always having a low profile CEO.


    He looked back to Marco So, the older man simply nodded at him, urging him to enter the room further.


    Ian was nervous, he didn''t expect to be having an interview with someone so high up in the company. The Reyes Group was one of the most illustrious in the country, he was just a fresh graduate.


    "Ah, Ian Lim." A familiar voice said, making Ian turn his attention to the man seated behind and elegant wooden table. It was the same man from Constellations hotel, the one that Katerina Sebastian had called uncle.


    "Sir, it''s you." Ian said, he tried to sound as confident as possible, but he was curious as to who this man truly was, "Sir, I don''t mean any disrespect, but what am I doing here? I''m just a fresh graduate, this seems to be the executive''s floor."


    "Well, this is the CEO''s floor." The man said with a shrug. He seemed more approachable today than when they first met at the hotel. "Take a seat Ian, I need to explain a few things to you."


    The man walked over and offered for Ian to sit on the couch across him.


    Ian did as the man asked and sat up straight, not daring to relax, he wanted to leave a good impression.


    Marco soon came in with two cups of coffee and placed it in front of Ian and the intimidating man. Marco then bowed and left, closing the door behind him.


    "You can relax." The man told Ian, noticing his stiff behavior.


    Ian leaned back slightly, still not daring to be too confident or relaxed in his situation.


    The man suddenly laughed and shook his head.


    "You already got the job you know." The man said, shaking his head as he watched Ian''s confused expression. "That is of course, if you still want it." The man said taking a sip of his coffee, observing Ian.


    "What job sir?" Ian asked, he was quite confused and worried that he was going to be given an unsavory or illegal job.


    "I''ll tell you after this. But there are some things that I need to explain first." The man said with a smile.


    Ian nodded in reply, as he dared to lean his back against the couch.


    "I have looked into your background and I know you are a good man." The man said as he looked Ian in the eyes. His expression was quite hard to read, he seemed intimidating, yet there was a gentleness that Ian could detect.


    "I know what you''ve been through." The man explained. "The pain your family has suffered over the years. That part is just too much, it was unfair, and my only regret is that I didn''t know and that I couldn''t help. I know your father, we were friends long ago."


    Ian sat up at the mention of his family, how did this man know his father. Were they acquaintances or business partners back when the Lim group was still thriving? Or was this man across him one of the business elites that his father and grandfather used to rub elbows with.


    He remembered the last time his family was invited to a socialite event, Ian despised it. All anyone and everyone talked about was their trip last summer to Switzerland, or their new apartment in New York.


    Ian barely spoke to the rich young men of his generation, they often pitied him or looked down on him. The story of the Lims wasn''t exactly a secret, if you belonged to the right circle you would know what had happened to them.


    "After this, I hope I could get the chance to speak to your father once more." The man said, his expression seemingly one of regret. "I know your father would be too proud if I simply handed your family back all the riches you lost. I also know you don''t accept charity, so what I am offering you is an opportunity instead,"


    "An opportunity?" Ian asked.


    "Yes, an opportunity to build your wealth and buy back what was taken from the Lims." The man said with a nod. "An opportunity to make the right connections and to be respected by those connections."


    "I don''t mean any offense, sir, but who are you to promise such big things?" Ian asked with a raised eyebrow. He had been through too much over the years to be easily fooled by a lavish office and an imposing aura.


    Ian had learned from his past pains and his failures that not everyone should be trusted, that some people only sought to harm others.


    The man simply laughed at him, making Ian frown.


    "My name is Emilio Reyes III, and I am the CEO of the Reyes Group. I can and I am promising these things." Emilio Reyes said, shocking Ian.


    He knew this man was someone important and somewhat familiar. The CEO rarely made appearances so he couldn''t be easily recognized.


    "Close your mouth boy. I''ve known you since you were a baby." Emilio Reyes said with a laugh, confusing Ian even more.


    "Had your father reached out I would have helped." Emilio Reyes said, shaking his head. "But a trademark characteristic of you Lims is your pride. Plus your father and I lost touch when we argued about my son''s training."


    Ian just stared at Emilio Reyes, what was going on?

 Chapter 7 - 7

    "Now, for the job I need you to do. Honestly it''s simple." Emilio Reyes said with a shrug as he lounged on his seat. "For the next few years you, and another employee will train to be my son''s assistants."


    "Sir?" Ian said as he looked at the CEO in visible confusion.


    "You might think that being a CEO''s assistant is a lowly role, you schedule his meetings, buy things he needs, but that''s not how the Assistants to the CEO of the Reyes Group functions." Emilio Reyes explained.


    "I need people that are both book smart and street smart, I need people who will be able to stand up to my son and tell him no." The CEO further explained.


    "Sir, how does being an assistant help with my plans?" Ian asked tentatively.


    "Your plans?" Emilio Reyes asked with a raised eyebrow.


    "Sir, I will be honest with you, I don''t plan on remaining as an employee for the rest of my life." Ian revealed to the CEO.


    To Ian''s surprise Emilio Reyes simply grinned and shook his head.


    "You know, if you said that to another CEO or to another employer they would have immediately kicked you out of the room." Emilio Reyes said with a laugh, clearly amused with Ian''s behavior.


    Ian was confused, he never thought that someone like the head of the Reyes Group would find his statement amusing.


    "Sir, I''m very serious about this." Ian said in an insistent tone.


    Emilio Reyes seemed to find his statement amusing and ended up laughing even more.


    "You seem to be a smart kid who has been through a lot." Emilio Reyes said as he tapped on the table. "How far do you think you will get with just money?"


    Ian was about to answer when it hit him. This man was right, without the right connections there wasn''t much that he could do.


    All his efforts would all just be in vain.


    "You won''t get far right?" Emilio Reyes said as he raised an eyebrow and leaned back on his seat.


    "What are you offering?" Ian asked as he looked at the intimidating man.


    "Train to be my son''s assistant, stand by his side, and the Reyes Family will back you." Emilio Reyes offered.


    "Then I wouldn''t be taking back my family''s position on my own." Ian said as he looked at the man.


    "Your honesty is refreshing." Emilio Reyes said with a smile. "You remind me of my own assistant, Marco. That honestly will serve you well around my son, he can be short sighted at times."


    "Sir?" Ian asked, even more confused now.


    "It''s true that it will not be 100% just you, but Mr. Lim, everyone requires help every now and then." Emilio Reyes said with a nod.


    "I have a dislike of second generation heirs." Ian said quite frankly, he knew he needed this job, but something in him was just desperate to push it away.


    "My son isn''t a second generation heir." Emilio Reyes said with a laugh. "More like a fifth or sixth generation, much like you."


    "I don''t like working with spoiled rich kids, I met one in the lobby just now. He was annoying." Ian said, crossing his arms on his chest like a child.


    "Again, my son is different." Emilio Reyes explained. "He has neve been spoiled by anyone in our family. He has never received special treatment, currently he is undergoing a special form of training."


    Ian paused and considered his options. Working for the Reyes group would definitely solve his problems, but he felt that if he committed to this his whole life would be tied to this family, and that was not something he was eager to do.


    "I''ll make sure that in your contract, you can leave after working for my son for two years." Emilio Reyes promised.


    "Can I extend if I need to?" Ian asked, he wasn''t a fool, he wanted to guarantee that if he wasn''t ready to branch out on his own then he would still have a job.


    "That will depend on my son and on how well the two of you work together." Emilio Reyes said with a shrug.


    "That is acceptable." Ian said with a nod, agreeing on the terms. "And what sort of training and work will I have to do?" He asked.


    "You and another future assistant will shadow Marco, when we see fit we will send you to one of the company subsidiaries that my son will take over first." Emilio Reyes explained.


    "Seems manageable." Ian said with a shrug.


    "Do not be deceived, kid." Emilio Reyes said with a laugh. "The job you are about to take isn''t an easy one."


    "I''m a fast learner." Ian bragged.


    "That I can see." Emilio Reyes said with a grin.


    "Marco." Emilio Reyes called out through the intercom.


    The assistant from earlier quickly entered the room, with him was a thick envelope and a pen.


    "Before you go I want you to sign the contract and the NDA." Emilio Reyes said. He also took out another envelope from his drawer. "Part of your compensation will include an apartment in your name, a car, and a company credit card for personal use."


    Ian was shocked at what the CEO had said, he didn''t expect any of the additional perks.


    Marco quickly took out the contract and handed it over to Ian to read and sign. Ian knew that this contract would be much more complicated compared to most employee contracts.


    As he read through the document Ian was not surprised to see the steep penalties when it came to the non-disclosure of both company and personal affairs for the Reyes family and the executives of the Reyes Group.


    When he got to the section discussing the terms of his employment, he was surprised to find that the two year trial period was already incorporated. It seemed that the CEO was two steps ahead of him.


    "I assume everything is in order?" Emilio Reyes asked as he handed Ian his pen.


    Ian nodded and signed the contract.


    "Great." Emilio Reyes said with a smile as he handed Ian the envelope containing the keys and deed to the apartment, the keys to the car, and a credit card.


    "File that and give Ian his ID so he can come in tomorrow." Emilio Reyes told his assistant Marco who simply nodded and left.


    "A signing bonus." Emilio Reyes said as he handed Ian an envelope of cash.


    Ian thanked him and took it. He was about to check how much money was inside when the CEO spoke.


    "That''s one hundred thousand in cash. It should be enough to see to your needs before your first pay." Emilio Reyes told a shocked Ian.


    "Sir, this is too much." Ian said, shaking his head.


    "No, the work you will be doing will be more than you could ever expect, so I hope I can compensate you." Emilio Reyes said, refusing the money.


    "I''ll do my best sir." Ian said with a nod.


    "You may go. You are expected to be here at 7am sharp tomorrow morning. Understood?" Emilio Reyes asked Ian.


    Ian nodded and left.


    Outside the office, Marco was waiting for him.


    "Welcome to the family, I guess." Marco said with a shrug.


    "Why do I feel like I just signed my soul to the devil?" Ian teased, Making the older assistant laugh.


    "It feels that way sometimes." Marco said, shaking his head. "The Reyeses are a good family, they are just secretive, you should know this."


    "I''ve heard that they are nicer. I mean, I''m sure you know about my family." Ian said with a shrug.


    "I hope this job helps you bring them back to the top." Marco said as he placed a hand on Ian''s shoulder. "I''ll walk you out. Here is your ID, corporate attire for work, no uniform. Usually I try to at least wear duller colors compared to the boss."


    Ian simply smiled and nodded as they walked into the elevator.

 Chapter 8 - 8

    Stepping out of R Tower, Ian thanked Marco, the man had given him a quick run through of what to expect. It seemed that the CEO of the Reyes Group was not an easy man to please, he had many expectations and Ian and the other trainee would need to meet those.


    As finally left the building behind him Ian couldn''t help but look up and smile, he couldn''t believe that what he had expected to be just another interview for an ordinary job would land him in the CEO''s office.


    Ian couldn''t help but grin, he had been through so much over the years and this job was like a step towards the right direction.


    "I can''t believe it." Ian muttered to himself as he took a look back at R Tower. It glistened against the morning sun, from tomorrow onwards until he reached his goal it would be his workplace.


    Ian was now faced with a new dilemma, who to tell first, his girlfriend or his parents. Knowing Jas she would have felt bad if she was the last to find out, but this kind of news was something he wanted to share with his family first.


    After walking for a bit he realized he had forgotten something, he quickly fished out the car keys that Mr. Reyes had given him, Ian had been so excited that he completely forgot about the car.


    Running back into the building, Ian was greeted by a laughing Marco. It seemed that the assistant knew he had forgotten about the car and that he would be back.


    "Too excited were we?" Marco teased as he signaled for Ian to follow him to the elevators once more.


    "And you just let me leave?" Ian asked, shaking his head and laughing as several employees watched them.


    "Get used to this." Marco said, signaling towards the employees who quickly turned away. "As someone that works directly for the CEO and for his heir people will want to be friends with you. They will want to know everything, you''ll be like a mini celebrity in the office."


    "Clearly most of them are fake." Ian scoffed.


    "Most, yes." Marco said as they got into the CEO''s elevator. "You''ll learn to tell the real people from the fake ones soon enough."


    They didn''t descend far, they were only at the 2nd basement parking level when the elevator doors opened.


    "Normally I would use the other elevators, even if we have the privilege of using the CEO''s elevator." Marco explained as they walked towards a row of brand new cars. The first few were clearly luxury cars and Ian doubted any of those were his.


    "Riding the ordinary elevators allows you to catch some gossip, plus it doesn''t hurt to interact with people." Marco further explained as they continued to walk.


    "Nice cars, aren''t they." Marco said as he noticed Ian eyeing the brand new luxury cars.


    "Yeah, but they look like they''ve never been driven." Ian said as he looked back at the cars they had passed.


    "They''ve been driven once or twice, they belong to the Reyes Heir." Marco explained. "I''ll tell you more about him tomorrow, when Camilla gets in."


    "Camilla?" Ian asked.


    "Camilla Montero, the other assistant in training. She''s a nice kid." Marco said with a nod as they approached a set of simpler vehicles.


    "That Hyundai Sta. Fe is yours." Marco said as he pointed to a white SUV. It was definitely brand new, Ian walked up to it and clicked the remote, sure enough the vehicle unlocked.


    "It''s true, you know." Marco said with a laugh. "The car really is yours."


    "I heard rumors that the Reyes Group took good care of its employees, but I never expected something like this." Ian said as he looked at the keys in his hand.


    "You and Camilla are special, not everyone gets benefits as good as these. Enjoy them." Marco said as he walked away.


    Ian decided to go and check out the condo unit that had been provided for him first, he wanted to see what he needed to bring over.


    Based on the address it was a five minute drive from R Tower at a property calle Solaire Towers. Ian knew that this was one of the Reyes Group''s high end developments and that a unit here could set a person back by the hundred millions.


    "Good morning sir." A guard greeted him as he rolled up to the driveway.


    "Hi, yes, I''m here to check out unit 49B?" Ian asked the guard.


    The guard''s expression suddenly changed, it was as if he was suddenly speaking to some rich businessman.


    "Mr. So called ahead for you sir." The guard told Ian. "I will take your car and park it."


    "Oh, thanks." Ian said as he climbed out of the car, taking with him his bag.


    "Is that all you have sir?" A man dressed as a bellhop asked as he appeared in front of Ian.


    Ian was stunned that a residential building would have a bellhop ready to assist it''s residents.


    "Yeah, I just wanted to take a look around." Ian said with a nod as the bellhop led him into the lobby.


    "This is Mr. Lim for unit 49B." The bellhop informed the female receptionist.


    "Good morning Mr. Lim. Is there anything I could help you with?" The woman said with a sweet smile.


    "No, I''d just like to take a look at my unit." Ian informed her.


    "There is an exclusive elevator for your floor sir, this way." The woman behind the receptionist''s desk said as she walked towards another hallway.


    "This one is for your floor and the penthouse." The woman said as she pointed at the elevator. "It requires a special card for you to use." As she said this she handed Ian four sets of cards. Ian was somewhat confused as to why he would need four sets but he thanks her nonetheless.


    "Would you like a tour of the facilities?" The receptionist asked him.


    "Maybe after I take a look at my unit." Ian said with a nod, he truly did want to know what facilities a luxury residence such as this would have.


    "Very well sir, there are phones in the unit, just dial 0 and I will be right up to assist you." With that the woman turned and left.


    Ian quickly hopped into the elevator and leaned against the wall, if the staff was already treating him like some high valued client, he wondered what the unit would look like.. He didn''t expect anything luxurious at first, but now he was nervous.

 Chapter 9 - 9

    As the elevator door opened, Ian was surprised to see that there were only two units on the floor, he assumed that one was his and the other was for Camilla.


    Ian casually walked over to his door and unlocked it with the key he was given. The unit had a fingerprint lock, he assumed that he would have to set that one later on.


    As he pushed the door open, Ian was shocked by the size of the unit. From where he stood he could tell that it had a second floor. He was surprised to see the unit semi furnished, it had couches and tables, but no personal accents, something he guessed the Reyese intended for him to add on.


    There was a large living room at the center, to the right he spotted what looked like a dining room and a kitchen. To the left he spotted a double door which he chose to explore. Ian walked over and pushed the doors open, it led to a brightly lit home office with an amazing view of the city below.


    Ian noticed there was an envelope on the desk, curiosity got the best of him and Ian walked over to pick it up. It was an unassuming white envelope, no logos, just a simple scribble ''To Ian'' written on the outside.


    Placing his bag on the table, Ian sat and pulled the letter from inside, and it read:


    ''Ian,


    You do not know me yet, but we will be working quite closely together in the years to come. I was ecstatic to hear from both my father and my sister that you had shown up to the interview. You may not remember me, but we went to the same school back during my elementary days, after that I had to leave for further education.


    I hope you like the accommodations we have provided, dad and I spoke about it last time we met. I suggested this place, I hope you like it. Feel free to change anything and everything, this place is officially yours, spend the money in the credit card dad gave you, trust me, you can''t drive us bankrupt.


    I know the years ahead will be tough, and it may be another five years before we do meet and you start working on the job you are being trained to do. I know my dad has a good eye for talent, and I''m confident that Marco will be a great teacher.


    So until we have to step up to our real jobs, enjoy, learn, we will meet someday.


    The Reyes Heir''


    Ian read the letter several times over, he was quite surprised to see that his future boss had somehow managed to send him a personally written letter.


    He was even more shocked by the fact that the Reyes Heir had remembered him from their elementary days. In all honesty, Ian didn''t even remember the man''s first name. It was tradition in their school to call each other by their last name, so he had called him Reyes and he was called Lim.


    It was only his best friend, Damien Park, that called him by his first name.


    Ian sighed and tucked the letter with the other documents and valuable files he had with him, it wasn''t everyday that the future head of the Reyes Family wrote you a handwritten letter.


    He further toured his new home, the other side of the first floor did lead to a dining room with an adjacent kitchen, it had an open floor plan and was divided by a breakfast bar. The countertops were all black marble and the kitchen appliances were all top of the line and brand new.


    The fridge was empty and there were no plates or utensils, Ian assumed that this was the part where he was free to choose or style on his own, they were mostly going to be small purchases.


    He left the kitchen and headed up the stairs, there were four bedrooms on the second floor, three smaller ones and another that Ian assumed to be the master bedroom.


    When Ian entered he was shocked by the size, it was even bigger than Jas'' place where he was currently staying. It had a large window to one side that opened up to an amazing view of the city. It had a remote controlled curtain which Ian played with for a bit.


    It also had a huge walk in closet which was connected to the bathroom.


    While Ian was exploring the room his phone began to ring, it was his father.


    "Hey dad, what''s up?" Ian asked as he took a look at the bathroom.


    "Is your interview done?" His father, Richardo Lim, asked over the phone.


    "Yeah, I got the job dad, I start tomorrow." Ian announced quite happily.


    "That''s great news son!" Richardo Lim said as he congratulated his son over the phone. "What company?"


    Ian had forgotten that only Jas knew that he was interviewing for the Reyes Group, he didn''t want to get anyone else''s hopes up that he would get in.


    "Oh, ummmm, the Reyes Group dad." Ian informed his father.


    There was silence on the other end of the line.


    "Dad?" Ian asked.


    "Oh, yeah, that''s good. The Reyes Group is a good company. I know the CEO, you should have told me, I would have given him a call." Richardo Lim told his son.


    "It''s alright dad, he actually mentioned you." Ian said with a laugh. He was worried that his father wouldn''t be happy with him working for the Reyes Group, seeing as he and the CEO knew each other.


    "Emilio mentioned me?" Richardo Lim asked in shock. "Wait, you had an interview with Emilio?"


    "Yes dad." Ian said.


    "What job did you apply for that you had to be interviewed by the CEO?" Richardo asked his son, clearly confused as to how Ian ended up with an interview with Emilio Reyes.


    "Why don''t we have lunch and I can explain everything to you and mom?" Ian asked.


    "Alright, mom is cooking, come home quick." Richardo told his son.


    "Actually dad, I was thinking we could have dinner out." Ian said as he walked back down to the first floor and sat on the couch.


    "Are you sure Ian?" Richardo asked his son in a worried tone. "Can you afford it? I know you are tight on funds now. I don''t want you spending on things that are unnecessary."


    "I can afford it dad, I got a signing bonus from the Reyes Group." Ian told his father.


    "Alright, where then?" Richardo asked.


    "Remember that spanish restaurant we used to eat at? Amalia''s?" Ian asked his father.


    "Ian, it''s quite expensive there, I don''t want you spending too much." Richardo Lim said, now scolding his son.


    "Dad, it''s fine. Just meet me there. Bye." Ian said dropping the call.


    By his estimates it would take his parents and siblings another hour to get to the restaurant, so he had time to take a quick tour of the building.

 Chapter 10 - 10

    "I''d like to tour the facilities now." Ian said as he called the receptionist at the lobby.


    "Very well sir, I''ll be right up." The receptionist said in a seductive tone.


    Ian ignored her tone, chalking it up as her way of being accommodating to the residents of the building.


    Within five minutes of his call, the receptionist was already standing outside of his room.


    "Thanks." Ian said with a smile as he stepped out of the room. "I hope this isn''t too much of a bother."


    "No sir, the bellhop took my spot for the meantime." The receptionist said with a charming smile.


    "Please, just call me Ian." He told the woman.


    She looked up at him and bushed a stray strand of her brown hair behind her ear and smiled.


    "A pleasure to meet you Ian, my name is Faye." She said as she gestured for Ian to get into the elevator.


    "Faye, what a pretty name." Ian said with a smile as he got in.


    Faye pressed a button and the elevator door closed and began to descend.


    "Solair is a unique kind of residence." Faye began to explain. "You don''t need to hire your own staff since the developers, the Reyes Group, has already provided them for you. Each set of units has an assigned chef and cleaning lady. If you need additional staffing you can just ask me."


    "How about for laundry?" Ian asked, he didn''t seem to recall seeing a laundry room in the unit.


    "The cleaning lady already sees to that." Faye said with a smile as the elevator doors opened to a luxurious hallway.


    "What''s on this floor?" Ian asked her as they stepped out.


    "This is the sports floor." Faye told Ian as she led him through the hall. "On this floor we have the gym, swimming pool, badminton, tennis, and basketball courts. We also have a virtual driving range."


    Ian nodded as Faye showed him each room, some had other residents enjoying themselves, while others were empty. Ian didn''t expect to see other people around, it was the middle of the day, so he assumed most would be at work.


    Faye then led Ian down a lavish staircase, it seemed to be an even more elegant version of the level above.


    "On this floor we have the cinemas, formal dining rooms, and some meeting and event venues." Faye explained to him as they walked into a restaurant.


    "This restaurant can also bring up room service for you, but some of our residents would prefer a change of scenery from time to time." Faye explained.


    Ian nodded as he took a look around, the restaurant was quite similar to most high end dining places in the city, except this one had an aerial view of the city.


    "Good morning ma''am." Faye suddenly greeted a young woman that passed by.


    The woman was very pretty even if she wasn''t wearing any make up, she was at most as old as Ian but she looked like she could still be in school. She was wearing what looked to be casual clothes and yet she still stood out in a crowd with the way she carried herself. Ian felt like he had met her somewhere in the past, he just couldn''t place it.


    It seemed that the woman also recognized Ian, her gaze lingered on Ian before quickling snapping back to smile at Faye.


    "New resident?" She asked Faye.


    "Yes ma''am." Faye said in a respectful tone.


    The woman simply nodded and left.


    "Who was that?" Ian asked when the woman was finally out of earshot.


    "That was Miss Nicole Chan, her family owns Saints Hospital and they are very good friends with the Reyes Family. She occasionally comes here to have lunch, she has a unit on the 12th floor." Faye explained to Ian.


    "She looks like she''s still in school." Ian commented quite absent mindedly.


    "She still kind of is." Faye said with a shrug. "She''s taking her specialization or something, she''s a doctor."


    "Oh." Ian said as he looked towards the direction she had left.


    "Would you like to see the other floors?" Faye asked Ian.


    Ian took out his phone and noticed that it was almost time for lunch, he had to leave now in order to arrive at the restaurant before his family.


    "Maybe after I move in." Ian said with a shrug. "I''m running late for lunch, thanks Faye."


    "No problem Ian." Faye said, waving at him with a smile as he left the restaurant.


    Ian was in such a rush that he almost forgot about his new car, luckily the valet had kept it parked in front of the lobby.


    He quickly thanked the valet and drove off to the restaurant.


    In all honesty he could have walked to the restaurant, but he decided that he wanted to show his parents the new car, also he felt that they wouldn''t believe him if he just told them he was given a car.


    Inside the restaurant, Ian waited for his parents and two sisters. It had been a while since they last ate here, it used to be their favorite as a family, but when they lost everything they only came here for special occasions.


    "Ian." Richardo Lim said with a smile as he spotted his son.


    Ian smiled back and waved as he saw his father and mother arrive.


    "Where are Karina and Sam?" Ian asked as he looked by the door to see if his sisters had come.


    "They said they weren''t hungry." Richardo Lim said with a frown.


    Ian knew the real reason his father had asked his sisters to stay home was because he thought his son couldn''t afford to pay for such an expensive meal for all of them.


    "Dad, I suggest you ask them to follow, what I''m about to tell you will explain why I wanted to celebrate." Ian said with a grin as he pointed at his dad''s phone.


    He also made a mental note to replace the old thing, it had been his father''s phone for the past ten years and it was already quite beat up.


    "Tell us first, then I''ll decide." Richardo Lim told his son as he crossed his arms on his chest.


    "Alright, I''ve been hired to be the assistant to the future CEO of the Reyes Group, they gave me a house, a car, and a starting bonus that will blow your minds away.." Ian suddenly said, shocking both of his parents.

 Chapter 11 - 11

    "Ian Vicente Lim, return that money now." Ian''s father suddenly said, shocking Ian. He didn''t think his father would greet his good news with such animosity.


    "Ric, not here, not now." Constance Lim said as she placed a hand on her husband, trying to calm him down. "We are in public." Constance had always been quite conscious of their image to the public. She knew that they had long fallen from grace, but some old habits died hard.


    Richardo looked at his wife and frowned, he didn''t like being corrected in public, especially in front of their son.


    "Dad, aren''t you happy I was offered such a good opportunity?" Ian asked as he struggled to understand his father. "Isn''t this everything we''ve spoken about, everything we planned and dreamed? I got a good job so that we could build the company back up."


    "Ian, you will not take handouts from the Reyes family." Richardo Lim said in a low but angry tone.


    "Dad, how is this a handout?" Ian asked. "This is literally a job I worked for. I never asked you to put in a good name for me with the CEO. I worked hard for this."


    "How did you know that I knew the CEO?" Richardo Lima asked his son. He looked shocked that Ian had found out that he knew Emilio Reyes.


    "He told me, dad." Ian said with a sigh, shaking his head. "He told me that he wished he could have done more for you, more for us. He didn''t know what we had to go through and he only found out after he had his people investigate me."


    "Emilio told you this?" Richardo Lim asked his son.


    "Yes, dad." Ian said with a nod. "Dad, I earned this. He chose to hire me even before he found out that I was your son. This isn''t some sort of handout because he pitties us. Aren''t you guys happy?" Ian asked his parents.


    "Of course we are happy, son." Constance said with a smile as she looked tenderly at her son. "Your father and I are more than just happy to hear that you have found an incredibly well paying job."


    "I''ll call your sisters." Richardo Lim said with a nod as he took his phone out and left to call his daughters.


    "Ian, be patient with your dad, the past years haven''t been easy on him." Constance told her son with a sad smile.


    "I know mom, it hasn''t been easy for any of us, that''s why I thought that this news would be a relief for him." Ian said with a frown. Nothing could have prepared him for how his father had reacted.


    "You know how he is." Constance said with a frown. "He doesn''t want us begging for help. He doesn''t want to owe anyone anything, we''ve been burned too much over the years."


    "Mom, you don''t need to remind me." Ian said as he saw his father coming back.


    "Well, your sisters are on their way." Richardo Lim said with a smile. "It will take them a while though, there are less buses at this time."


    "It''s alright dad, I don''t have to report to work till tomorrow moning." Ian said. "Actually, why don''t you order our lunch and I''ll go home and pick my sisters up?" Ian suggested.


    The couple looked at each other, waiting for one to say something first. This time it was his mother, Constance, who made the decision for them.


    "Go pick your sisters up Ian, I''m sure they will be extremely excited to see the new car." Constance told her son with a smile.


    Ian nodded, got up, and gave each of his parents a tight hug and quickly left the restaurant.


    The Lim family lived in an old ancestral house that had been with them for generations. When they had lost everything the family tried to sell the property, but no one wanted to buy it. In the end the Lims decided that it must not have been meant to be for them to sell off the old house.


    Ian drove up and slowly opened the rusty gate, they had been so poor the past years that they couldn''t even have it fixed.


    As he drove the car inside, he spotted his sisters quickly running out.


    Ian had two sisters, the older one Karina, who was three years younger than Ian, and their youngest sibling, Sam, who was five years younger than Ian.


    Karina looked more like Ian, taking after the Lim side of the family, the only part she inherited from their mother was her light brown wavy hair.


    Sam on the other hand looked more like their mother, she had a much lighter complexion than her siblings, but rounder eyes. Unlike her siblings her hair was straight and brown, like Karina.


    "Is this Jas'' new car?" Sam excitedly asked as she ran up to her brother.


    "No." Ian said with a smile as he waited for Karina to come closer.


    "This is my car." Ian proudly announced when his sister arrived.


    "Ian, since when could you afford a car?" Karina asked as she eyed her brother suspiciously.


    "I got a job today." Ian proudly announced.


    "So you spent money you didn''t have yet?" Karina said as she gave her brother a judging look.


    "Of course not, Karina." Ian said with a laugh. "This car is one of the perks of my new job. It''s in my name, together with several other things."


    "That''s crazy, what kind of company would give you so much? Ian, stop lying." Karina said in a harsh tone to her brother.


    "Why don''t you get into the car and let me explain?" Ian asked his sister as he opened the door and invited them in.


    Sam quickly hopped into the back seat, while Karina climbed up in front.


    Ian smiled when his sisters got in without a protest.


    As soon as he was sure that they were wearing their seatbelts he drove the car out of the property.


    When they finally entered the main part of the city Karina finally spoke up.


    "So what kind of a job is this?" She asked as she eyed her brother suspiciously.


    "I''ll be working at the Reyes Group and it''s a crucial role for the company''s future." Ian said with a shrug.


    "The Reyes Group? Wow? Really?" Karina asked with an amazed look in her eyes.


    Karina was very much interested in business, if Ian was into it to return their family''s fortune, Karina simply enjoyed the concept of thinking of ways to make money.


    It wasn''t that she was greedy, she was very generous, she was just a business genius.


    "I got to meet your idol." Ian said with a grin.


    "You met the CEO?" Karina said with a gasp.


    "Yup, I''ll be the assistant to the future CEO, so my job is to train and prepare myself for when the Reyes Heir takes over." Ian explained quickly.


    "So that''s why they gave you this car." Karina said as she looked around the brand new car.


    "Yup, I''ll even show you around my new place." Ian said with a smile. Words couldn''t explain how happy he was at the moment. "They also gave me some money, and it''s more than enough to survive on for the meantime."


    "Wait, do you mean -" Sam began to ask as she sobbed with tears of joy in the back.


    Ian pulled over and he and Karina got into the backseat with Sam. He pulled his little sister into a hug. All three of them had been through so much that he wasn''t surprised that his sister was not crying at the thought of having some money.


    "Yes Sam, you don''t have to skip lunch any more, and you don''t need to walk to school. I''ll take you to school everyday and I''ll even give you an allowance for lunch and some snacks." Ian said as he held his sister tight.


    Sam began to cry even harder as they stayed parked at the side of the road.

 Chapter 12 - 12

    After having lunch with his family Ian promised to let his sisters stay the night in his new place once he had it fully set up. His sisters also volunteered to help him shop for the other furnishings and items he would need for his new home.


    Ian was extremely happy when he left the restaurant and headed to Jas'' apartment to tell her the good news and show her his new car.


    "Jas, babe." Ian said as he got out of his car and crossed the street to the building of Jas'' apartment.


    "Hey, what time will you be back?" Jas asked. "I wanted to celebrate you getting a job. I was thinking we could have dinner and drinks."


    "I''m crossing the street now, I''ll be up in a bit." Ian said happily as he reached the building entrance.


    "See you." Jas said as she dropped the call.


    Ian smiled as he looked down at his phone. He felt like the luckiest man in the world at the moment, he was dating an amazing woman and he had the best job possible.


    His experiences of losing everything seemed to be a distant memory now.


    As Ian stepped into the elevator he couldn''t help but think back at how different his life was now compared to when his family first fell.


    Years ago


    "What do you mean it''s all gone dad?" Ian heard his father shout in a painfilled tone.


    When he had noticed his father arrive home angrily and ask to speak to his grandfather in the home office, Ian couldn''t help but sneak up after them and eavesdrop on the conversation.


    Ricardo Lim''s home office was on the second floor of their home. It had a thick double door, but Ian had made sure to stick a piece of cardboard in between so that he could listen in.


    "Dad, properties and money don''t just disappear like that. What happened?" Richardo asked his father slowly.


    "Son, it''s just gone." ian heard his grandfather say as he refused to give the reason.


    "Did you accidentally send it all to one of your mistresses?" Richardo asked, shocking Ian.


    Ian didn''t know that his grandfather had other women aside from his grandmother, this was news to him.


    "I know you have mistresses dad, I know you have children with them, stop denying it and just tell me the truth." Richardo said angrily as he slammed his hand on the table.


    "I don''t know what you are talking about son, and that is still my business and my money." Ian heard his grandfather answer back in an equally intimidating tone.


    "Yes dad, the business is in your name but do not forget that my brother and my sister and I were the ones that worked our asses off just to bring it to the level it''s at now." Richardo said. "And with regards to your mistresses and illegitimate children, when will you come clean dad?"


    Ian could hear the frustration in his father''s tone, it seemed that this issue was not a new one, rather it seemed to be an ongoing problem.


    "I''ve told you many times Ric, I''ve only ever been with your mother and no one else." Ian heard his grandfather say.


    "Dad, I thought you would tell me the truth this time." Richardo said with a sigh as Ian heard something thud on the desk, as if it were dropped on top.


    "Ric, what are these?" Ian heard his grandfather ask.


    "You tell me dad." Ric answered as Ian heard his father''s chair being moved.


    Ian assumed that his father had sat down behind his desk and was now looking at his grandfather.


    "I won''t ask again son, what are these documents?" Ian''s grandfather asked in an angry tone.


    "Don''t take that tone with me dad!" Ric shouted as Ian heard his father''s hands slamming on the desk and his chair hitting the wall. "You know exactly what those are! Don''t play innocent!"


    "I have never hidden anything from you, what are you saying?" His grandfather answered back.


    "Do I have to spell it out for you?" Ian''s father said with a barely audible sigh. "Two weeks ago you transferred thirty percent of our assets to a certain Cao-Co Trading industries, then last week you transferred twenty percent of our properties to your cousin Rene."


    "Where did you find out about this?" Ian heard his grandfather''s shaky voice.


    "Dad, I practically run the company at this point, don''t you think I would know?" Richardo asked his father. "Dad, you need to step down, decisions like these will be our downfall. What did your cousin promise this time?"


    "He had a business venture in the province, in his hometown." Ian heard his grandfather say. "Don''t worry, I had someone look at it and he said it was a promising project."


    "Rene will never have anything promising dad!" Richardo told his father angrily. "I thought you were giving him these projects because you pitied him."


    "He is a good businessman." His grandfather said. "Remember five years ago when he had us invest in."


    "Dad, that was one out of fifty projects you have given him." Ric said with a groan. "Enough, you will stop giving him projects to manage. We as a company have lost hundreds of millions because of him."


    "You aren''t the president and CEO yet, Ric. These decisions are mine to make and I trust my cousin." Ian heard his grandfather insist.


    "You know what dad, fine, it''s not like you can give him so much money that it would drive us into bankruptcy." Ian heard his father say as his footsteps drew closer to the door.


    Ian panicked and quickly ran down the hall, not wanting to be discovered.


    Present day


    Ian sighed at the memory as the elevator doors opened and he stepped out.


    Back then it seemed like just an ordinary argument between his father and grandfather, little did they know that his grandfather''s trusting nature would lead them to lose almost everything.


    Ian who had been born with a silver spoon, knowing nothing but comfort would soon after that be forced to face the harsh realities of life.

 Chapter 13 - 13

    As Ian entered Jas'' apartment, he was taken by surprise as she jumped into his arms, hugging him tightly.


    "I missed you." Jas greeted as she planted a passionate kiss on his lips.


    "What''s with the sudden desire to jump me?" Ian teased as he gently placed her back down on the ground.


    "Well I just wanted you to know that I love you no matter what." Jas said as she brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "So how did the interview go?" She asked.


    Ian looked at Jas'' face, she was clearly worried about him. He was happy that he had a woman like Jas, someone that truly cared.


    He simply smiled back at her and grinned.


    "You got it?" Jas asked in an excited tone as she began to jump up and down.


    "Yes, baby. I got the job." Ian told her as he smiled.


    Jas quickly hugged him and kissed him again.


    "Wow, this is amazing." She said as he released her from his arms. "We need to celebrate. I''ll make a reservation somewhere."


    Jas quickly walked up to the breakfast bar and got her phone, scrolling through her contacts.


    "There is this new place that the girls at the country club were gushing about this morning. It''s a restaurant called Bamboo Room, apparently one one of the five princes owns it." Jas told Ian as she placed the phone on her ear.


    "Oh, sure, yes. Let''s have dinner." Ian said with a smile. "Let me just go and change first." Ian said as he walked into their room.


    By the time Ian finally stepped out of their room, dressed in more comfortable clothes, Jas was sitting at the dining table with two cups of coffee for them.


    She smiled proudly as Ian walked over to her and thanked her for the coffee.


    "I''m assuming you managed to make the reservation?" Ian asked as he raised his mug to his lips and blew on it lightly.


    "Yes, and it wasn''t easy." Jas said in an exhausted tone. "Apparently they are booked for months. I mean I would expect that, seeing as Raymund Laurence owns the place."


    "Hmmmm. . .Raymund Laurence." Ian mumbled the familiar name as he sipped his drink.


    "Didn''t you go to school with him?" Jas asked with a raised eyebrow.


    "Yup." Ian said, giving a simple answer.


    Raymund Laurence was one of the five princes, the five sons of the richest and most powerful families in the country.


    Their so-called leader was his future boss, the Reyes Heir.


    "Yup, what?" Jas asked.


    "What do you want me to say, Jas?" Ian asked her with a laugh. "I barely know the guy. Yes we went to the same school but we were classmates twice, once in the fifth grade and again in our final year of highschool. I don''t really know him."


    "Well it wouldn''t have hurt if you and Damien decided to cozy up to those five princes back then." Jas teased.


    She, Ian, and Damien had all grown up together having lived practically next to each other.


    Ian''s home had always been the largest in their gated community and everyone knew growing up that the Lims were the richest.


    So when Ian''s family fell on hard times people were quick to notice it, and while many of their childhood friends stopped hanging out with Ian, Jas had never left.


    Jas loved Ian even when they were children, Damien always complained about being left behind by the two whenever they would disappear to play games.


    "Well Damien is a clingy guy, he didn''t like me having other friends." Ian said as he rolled his eyes.


    "We both know that it was you that didn''t like sharing your friends." Jas pointed out. "You never really liked those five, did you?"


    "Nope, they were arrogant and annoying." Ian said with a laugh. "I hope they improved."


    "I saw Alexander Sebastian in the country club, he still seems arrogant." Jas told Ian.


    Alexander Sebastian was the eldest son of the current Senate President and one of the five princes. He came from a powerful political family who had held various positions in government over the years.


    Alexander was also known as the playboy prince.


    "Alexander Sebastian has a new girl on his arm every few weeks, trust me babe, you don''t want me to be friends with that guy." Ian scoffed as he drank his coffee.


    Despite knowing that both Raymund Laurence and Alexander Sebastian weren''t exactly model citizens and people he would voluntarily interact with, Ian knew that he would have to talk to them eventually.


    He was going to be working for the Reyes Group, and the Reyes Family that owned the company had close ties with both the Laurence and Sebastian families.


    "Oh, you never told me what kind of job you were hired for." Jas said as she gently placed her cup of coffee down on the table. "So are you going to be a janitor or something?" Jas teased.


    Ian wanted to frown at how Jas was mocking the janitors and other blue collared workers, he didn''t like it when she did that.


    "Jas." Ian scolded in a stern tone. He knew that she wasn''t entirely to blame for her attitude towards the lower classes, she didn''t act like that just because she wanted to. It was because that was how she was brought up.


    "Sorry." Jas said with a frown as she realized her mistake. "So what job?" She asked as she quickly diverted the topic back.


    Ian sighed and shook his head, changing Jas''s behavior and attitude towards certain things was quite difficult.


    "I''ll be working as the CEO''s personal assistant." Ian said with a proud smile.


    "Oh." Was the only response that Jas could utter.

 Chapter 14 - 14

    "What do you mean, oh?" Ian asked with a raised eyebrow as he frowned at Jas.


    "Well, um, no, baby I''m proud of you, congratulations!" Jas said in a happy tone as she tried to salvage the situation.


    She quickly walked over to Ian''s side and tried to hug him.


    Ian held a hand out and stopped her from taking a step closer to him.


    "No, Jas, what did you mean?" Ian asked with a raised eyebrow as he kept her at arm''s length.


    "Babe, can''t you just forget about what I said?" Jas told him with a frown. "I didn''t mean to react that way. I''m proud of you for having found a job at the Reyes Group."


    "Jas, are you worried about how people will look at me, at us, because of my new job?" Ian asked as he continued to frown at her.


    "Ian. . ." Jas groaned as she refused to answer his question.


    "I''ll take that as a yes then." Ian said as he stood up from the table and walked to the kitchen to wash his and Jas'' mugs.


    "Ian, please, I''m sorry. I didn''t mean it that way." Jas begged as she grabbed his arm.


    Ian sighed and placed the mugs down on the sink.


    "Jas, what do you want?" Ian asked in a disappointed tone. "I know an assistant isn''t the kind of job that you, your friends, or your family finds acceptable, but this job is good. It''s better than any job offer I''ve seen."


    "Ian, assistant''s don''t get paid much, and they have a reputation." Jas said in a sad tone.


    "This is the Reyes Group for crying out loud!" Ian said angrily as he turned to face her.


    Ian was at a loss for words, he simply finished washing the mugs and placed them to dry and walked back to his and Jas'' room.


    He was planning to ask her to move in with him into his new apartment, but now he had to rethink those plans.


    "Ian, please, I''m sorry." Jas begged as she chased after him.


    "Look, you didn''t even give me a chance to explain my job or what the benefits are, I''m tired of this Jas." Ian said as he took out his luggage from underneath the bed.


    "Ian, what? What are you doing?" She asked as tears began to fall from her eyes.


    "I''m packing my things, what does it look like I''m doing?" Ian asked as he walked over to their shared closet and began taking out his clothes.


    "Why? This is just a small fight, we''ve had worse." Jas cried out.


    "Jas, if you had just kept an open mind for one second you would understand." Ian said with a sigh as he continued to walk back and forth between the closet and his luggage.


    "Please, no, Ian, I love you." Jas begged.


    As much as Ian was mad at her, he didn''t want to leave on bad terms. He also had no intention of breaking up with Jas.


    Ian simply wanted to pack up his things in peace. He still wanted to go on that dinner date with her. He wanted to show her that his new job was not as low as she thought.


    "Look, Jas." Ian said with a sigh as he turned to face his girlfriend.


    He took two steps and closed the gap between them, he cupped her face in his hands and wiped the tears away from her beautiful face.


    "Jas, I love you." Ian said as he planted a kiss on her forehead. "I love you very much and I want you to be with me as I go on this new adventure, but I need you to listen and to understand."


    "I will!" Jas said as she looked up and smiled at Ian. "I will be a better person. I won''t judge a person based on their looks or their job or their background. Babe, please don''t go." Jas begged as tears began to fall from her eyes once more.


    "I still need to go Jas, but not because I want to leave you." Ian said with a tender smile as he lifted her face to look him in the eyes.


    "What do you mean?" Jas asked, clearly confused by his words.


    "Jas, I will be the assistant to the CEO of the Reyes Group, and that comes with a lot of perks." Ian said with a sly smile. "One of them is an apartment in Solaire Tower."


    Jas gasped as she heard the name of the location.


    Solaire was in a prime location, but you couldn''t just buy a unit there. You needed to know the right people and belong to the right group,


    Many of those who lived in the property were employees and executives of the Reyes Group. Initially there were rumors that the Reyes Group owned Solaire, so people waited for an announcement.


    Everyone was shocked when no one claimed ownership of the development. And when those that lived there were asked, they told people that they weren''t allowed to say who owned it and how they had bought their units.


    "Ian, this is amazing, so they gave you a place to stay?" Jas asked.


    "Yes." Ian said with a nod. "And it''s not just that, they gave me a car, a signing bonus, and a company card to use for my personal expenses."


    "Wow, I''ve never heard of a company paying its CEO''s assistants so much." Jas said in awe.


    Even as the daughter of a rich businessman, her apartment couldn''t compare to one of those in Solaire Towers. She would also soon find out that even the car Ian had been given was way better than hers.


    "Jas, it''s the Reyes Group, they do things differently." Ian said with a shrug. "I won''t be doing ordinary secretarial work, it will be much more than that."


    "This is amazing!" Jas said in an excited tone.


    "Jas, I want you to move in with me, in my new place. Let me be the one to provide for us this time." Ian said as his heartbeat quickened. He had no idea if she would say yes.


    "Oh babe." Jas said as she kissed Ian on the lips. "I''ll ask dad, but yes, I''ll move in with you. Yes!" She told him as she kissed him again.


    "So, are we still on for that date tonight?" Ian asked as their lips parted.

 Chapter 15 - 15

    When Ian and Jas arrived at Bamboo Room, they immediately saw the long line of people wanting to get into the restaurant.


    "Wow, this place is really popular." Ian said as he drove the car over to the valet.


    "It''s owned by Raymund Laurence, just the idea of getting the chance to see him is enough for people to line up and try to get in." Jas told Ian as a valet approached the car.


    "Do you have a reservation, sir?" The valet asked as Ian got out of the car.


    "Yes, under Jasmine Ortiz." Ian told the valet.


    "Ah yes, you are our last reservation for tonight." The valet informed Ian. "Have a good meal."


    Ian nodded and thanked the valet as he walked over to Jas at the other side of the car.


    "That was impressive." Ian remarked as he took Jas'' hand in his and they walked over to the waiter at the podium.


    "What was?" Jas asked.


    "Even the valet knows all of the reservations for tonight. It''s impressive." Ian explained.


    Ian had worked as a valet in the past, he had done a lot of odd jobs as he tried to find any source of income to pay for their daily needs at home as well as for his education.


    He was no stranger to how stressful and hectic the lunch and dinner rushes could get, knowing every reservation by heart was an additional effort that impressed him.


    "This is, of course, a top class restaurant." Jas said with a smile. "I would expect nothing less."


    "Miss Ortiz, Mr. Lim, good evening." The waiter at the podium greeted them as he led the couple inside the restaurant.


    "Did you give them my name too?" Ian asked as he was confused as to why the waiter knew his last name.


    "Actually I didn''t." Jas said as she shook her head.


    "That''s odd." Ian told her as they were led to a table with a majestic view of the city.


    The Bamboo Room was built on the side of a mountain that was just on the outskirts of the capital.


    It was high enough to give diners a beautiful panoramic view of the bustling city as it''s lights twinkled in the distance.


    "Wow, this is a really good table, we got lucky." Jas remarked as Ian helped her to her seat.


    Another waiter arrived and brought them the menu and wheeled over a bottle of wine.


    "Oh, no, that''s too much." Jas said, waving the waiter away.


    "Jas it''s fine, I can afford things now." Ian said as he looked her tenderly in the eyes.


    "Ian, that bottle is way too expensive." Jas said, shaking her head. "We''ll take a cheaper one, and just two glasses." Jas told the waiter.


    "Miss, this is on the house." The waiter said as he served them a glass each. "Mr. Lim''s boss said this his celebratory gift to his new employee and he looks forward to working with him in the future."


    "You boss?" Jas asked as her eyes went wide in shock.


    "Thank you." Ian simply said with a nod.


    "Call us when you are ready to order." The waiter said as he left, leaving the couple alone to talk in peace.


    "By your boss did he mean the CEO of the Reyes Group?" Jas asked in a hushed tone.


    Ian thought about Jas'' question, there were two people who could have possibly sent him the wine. It was either the current CEO, Emilio Reyes III, or his unknown son, whom Ian was going to work for.


    "Ian?" Jas called out when she didn''t get an immediate response from him.


    "Oh, well, yeah, probably." Ian said as he looked through the menu, trying to hide his confusion.


    He didn''t discard the idea that it could possibly be his future boss, the Reyes Heir, that had sent the congratulatory bottle of wine.


    It was a well known fact that the Reyes Heir and Mr. Raymund Laurence were quite close friends. It would have been easy for the Reyes Heir to ask his friend to keep an eye out in case his future assistant showed up.


    "The food here sounds so delicious!" Jas exclaimed as she called over a waiter.


    The couple quickly gave their orders and the waiter once more bowed and left.


    "Do you think he is here?" Jas asked Ian as she looked around, seemingly searching for someone.


    "Is who here?" Ian said with a confused look on his face.


    "Raymund Laurence of course!" Jas said as she rolled her eyes at him.


    "And what would be the big deal if he were here?" Ian asked her.


    Sometimes he didn''t understand his own girlfriend and her fascination with the elites of their society. Jas'' family was already part of the wealthy 1% of their country, and yet she always hungered to hear more about the top families.


    "Ian, this is the Raymund Laurence we are talking about." Jas nagged. "He began to help his father manage the family business before he had even graduated from university. Plus he is one of the five princes, the people that will control most of the country''s wealth in the future."


    "Sounds like someone that could be a stuck up spoiled brat to me." Ian said with a shrug as their meal was served.


    "Yes, and the children from the Reyes Family aren''t stuck up rich spoiled brats too." Jas said, rolling her eyes as she took a bite out of her meal.


    "This is heavenly!" She remarked as she swallowed.


    "We both know not all rich kids are spoiled brats, there are some decent ones." Ian said as he enjoyed his meal.


    "Yeah, definitely not you when we were young." Jas said with a laugh as she reminded Ian about how he had been when they were younger.


    "When you are raised to think that the world was yours for the taking, it can all go to your head." Ian said with a frown as he recalled his younger years.


    Jas wasn''t wrong, Ian was not a nice kid. He wasn''t exactly mean, but he wasn''t the friendliest guy around either.


    "I admit I was quite snobbish and aloof." Ian said as he took a sip of wine.


    "Was? Was?" Jas said as she began laughing. "Ian Lim take a look at the mirror and tell me you aren''t still that same boy. Yes you have changed, you''ve been hardened and humbled but you are still the same person."


    "I am different now." Ian said with a frown.


    "Right. . ." Jas said. "Is that why you mocked that Hernandez guy? The one my dad got you an interview with? Calling him tacky and part of the nouveau riche?"


    "He did look tacky and he was wearing mostly fakes, only his tie and his wallet were originals." Ian said as he rolled his eyes.


    "Whatever." Jas said with a laugh as they continued to enjoy their meal.


    As they happily ate their desert Jas and Ian were taken by surprise when an elderly couple walked up to them.


    "Jasmine Ortega, my you have grown, still dating this poor boy I see." The woman said making Jas and Ian turn their attention to the couple.

 Chapter 16 - 16

    Ian was not surprised to bump into some of Jas'' relatives on their date.


    Bamboo room was one of those places that they would be desperate to eat at. Even if the Ortegas were wealthy, Ian couldn''t help but notice how many of them were social climbers.


    Some of the Ortegas acted very much unlike most old rich families, they still lacked a certain class to them, and Ian was never shy when it came to pointing it out.


    "Auntie Belle, Uncle Marvin." Jas greeted. She was clearly not expecting to see them there today. "I thought you guys weren''t able to get a reservation."


    "Oh you know how it works, you have a friend who knows someone who can get you cancelled reservations and all that." Jas'' Auntie Belle boasted.


    "Jas, I thought we told you to stop dating this Lim boy." Her Uncle Marvin scolded as he pointed at Ian.


    "Uncle!" Jas said in an annoyed tone.


    "You old people do know that I''m sitting right here?" Ian asked as he crossed his arms on his chest.


    "Be realistic Ian, you can''t provide for her." Auntie Belle said as she glared at Ian. "Your salary is just her gas money."


    "Still measuring people based on their financial statements I see, Belle." Ian said, emphasizing that he did not respect her enough to call her auntie.


    "At least we have money, unlike you Lims who can''t even bring enough money to feed yourselves and pay for electricity." Jas'' Auntie Belle spat as she looked at Ian from head to toe.


    "Money isn''t the only thing that matters in this world." Ian told her. "Did Mr. Abad respond to all of your calls yet? From what I last heard, you are so desperate to get into their group that you are willing to send your daughter to his bed."


    "Ian!" Jas scolded.


    Ian frowned at Jas'' reaction.


    "I''m just stating facts." Ian said as he rolled his eyes.


    Jas'' relatives had been so desperate to have one of their sons become friends with the five princes. They had decided to assume which of the five was the easiest to send their daughter to.


    They had made the wrong assumption in thinking that Ramon Abad, heir to the Abad News Network and Light''s Entertainment Talent Agency, would be the easiest because of the industry he was involved in.


    What they hadn''t realized was that Ramon Abad was a complete gentleman and would not be fooled by such easy tricks.


    They had sent their drunk daughter to his room half naked. They thought something would happen between the pair.


    The Ortegas were shocked when Ramon Abad quickly left his room and called for security and a doctor to escort their daughter out of his room and run a medical check on her.


    Many people had heard the rumors that it was an intentional trap set by the family, but there wasn''t enough evidence to prove it.


    Ian of course, knew the truth. Jas had told him about her aunt''s and uncle''s plans and was very much frustrated with them that day.


    "Does your father know you are still dating him?" Uncle Marvin asked as he pointed at Ian.


    "Yes, and he is fine with it." Jas said, defending Ian in her own way.


    Ian appreciated it whenever she did this. He understood that it wasn''t easy for Jas to stand up to her elders. They would often say she didn''t respect them when she answered back, even when she was right.


    "I pity your dad for having such a poor prospective son-in-law." Aunt Belle scoffed as she gave Ian a disgusted look.


    "Let''s go, Belle." Uncle Marvin told his wife as he pulled her away. "It''s a waste of time trying to convince her, she''s a lost cause."


    "See you around Jas dear." Auntie Belle told Jas in a sweet tone as the couple turned and left.


    "I really don''t like them." Ian groaned as he watched the couple walk away. "Why did we have to bump into them here?" He complained.


    "Don''t think too much about them, they''ve left so let''s just enjoy the night." Jas said with a wink.


    "Thank you for saying something earlier." Ian told Jas with a sad smile. "I know how hard it is for you to stand up to them, I want you to know that I appreciate it."


    "I love you, and I want that to be the only thing that matters to my family." Jas said with a shrug.


    Despite Jas'' words Ian couldn''t help but feel sad. He knew that she was simply saying this.


    Every time her family had spoken up against them she became quiet. Moments when she would stand up for their relationship were far in between.


    Ian couldn''t deny that he was in love with Jas, he felt that she was the one. Out of everyone in the world that he had met, she and Damien were the only people that remained constant.


    They never looked down at him when they became poor, nor did they judge him when he started doing odd jobs to make ends meet.


    One of the reasons why he wanted to get a good job was to prove to the Ortegas that he could bounce back. That he could be someone that was capable of providing for Jas.


    "What''s bothering you?" Jas asked as she reached out and held Ian''s hand. "Are you alright?"


    "I''m fine." Ian said as he lifted Jas'' hand to his lips and planted a gentle kiss. "I was just thinking about us."


    "Thinking about good things I hope." Jas said with a laugh as she pulled her hand away and continued to eat her desert.


    "It''s always good things with you, Jas." Ian said with a smile. "You know that this job will actually give me enough income to provide for you, for us."


    "I know, but I don''t want you to take that job just because you want to prove yourself." Jas said with a frown.


    "Jasmine Ortega, you''ve known me for more than two decades now do you really think that I would work this hard just for one goal?" Ian asked with a raised eyebrow.


    Of course Ian took the job for more reasons than just money, it was the first step for him to put his family back on the pedestal they had fallen from.

 Chapter 17 - 17

    "I got this." Ian said as the waiter approached them, carrying their bill for the night.


    "Ian, you haven''t even started working and you''re already spending your money." Jas said with a frown. "It''s not practical to spend like this."


    "Jas, I got a signing bonus." Ian said as he rolled his eyes, taking the bill from the waiter.


    When Ian saw how much their meal cost, he was shocked.


    "See, I told you, it''s too expensive." Jas scolded as she tried to reach for the bill in Ian''s hands.


    "No, Jas, it isn''t that." Ian said as he scratched his head.


    "What''s wrong, sir?" The waiter asked.


    "I think you might have computed our orders wrong." Ian told the waiter as he showed the bill. "This is way too cheap for what we had tonight."


    "What?" Jas asked as she gave Ian a funny look.


    "Take the steak for example, the price is at least 50% cheaper on the bill than on the menu. You might need to check your cash register, it might be broken." Ian explained, earning him a funny look from the waiter.


    "Ian, you''ve got to be kidding right?" Jas asked as she successfully took the bill from Ian.


    "I''m not Jas, just take a look at it." Ian said with a shrug.


    As Jas read through the bill, Ian was able to tell by her expression that the price was indeed wrong.


    "Sir, of course your bill is cheaper." The waiter said with a smile. "Your name is on our preference list."


    "Preference list?" Ian asked.


    "Yes, it''s a selected number of people that are given discounts by the restaurant owner." The waiter explained.


    "How? I don''t eat at places like this." Ian told the waiter. "You might have gotten my name wrong or the name on the list is wrong."


    "No sir, your name was personally added by Mr. Laurence this morning." The waiter said, taking Ian and Jas by surprise.


    "Dude, I really don''t understand." Ian said, as he was slowly getting more and more confused by what was going on.


    "I thought you didn''t know Raymund Laurence?" Jas asked as she handed the bill back to Ian.


    "I don''t." Ian said with a hiss. As he turned his attention back to the waiter.


    "Look, I''m flattered but you should really check if you got the name right." Ian insisted.


    "Let me call over my manager to check." The waiter said as he turned and left.


    Ian didn''t want to take advantage of the mistake. He knew that Raymund Laurence was one of the people you never wanted to offend.


    Add to that the fact that he would probably be working with the businessman in the future seeing as he was a close friend of the Reyes Family.


    "What if we just took the discount?" Jas asked. "I mean it''s not like you can just throw money around."


    "Jas, I won''t be throwing money around, we are just paying the correct amount for our meal." Ian explained. "Plus we don''t want to cross Raymund Laurence."


    "This wouldn''t be crossing him." Jas said in an annoyed tone. "We were just paid the bill we were handed."


    "Since when have you wanted to save money?" Ian asked with a laugh. "And yes it is. It will leave a bad impression if he finds out we took advantage of his mistake."


    "Sir." The waiter called out as he walked back over with a woman.


    She was wearing a business suit and had her hair tied in a bun. She had a nameplate on the left side of her suit with her name, Ana, and her position, Floor Manager.


    "Mr. Lim." The floor manager greeted them with a slight bow. "I was informed that you had a question about your bill? Rest assured that we have applied the appropriate discounts and aren''t trying to cheat you."


    "Wait, what, no." Ian said, confused with what the manager had told them. "I''m not asking for a discount, I am just very very confused. I shouldn''t have a discount, I think you''ve gotten my name mixed up with someone else''s"


    "You are Mr. Ian Lim, correct?" The manager asked as she scrolled through the tablet in her hand.


    Ian was surprised that they were using a tablet for information in the restaurant, it was new technology and quite expensive.


    Then again, this place was one of the most popular and most expensive restaurants around.


    "Yes." Ian said with a nod.


    "You work at?" The manager asked Ian.


    "The Reyes Group, under the CEO''s office, I was just hired today." Ian answered. He had no idea why they needed that information but he gave it anyway.


    "Oh, right there is a mistake." The manager said with a frown.


    "I told you there was a mistake." Ian said as he looked at Jas.


    Jas shook her head and rolled her eyes at him. She was annoyed that he was refusing a discount when he clearly had to save in every way possible.


    "Yes sir. I''m really sorry about this." The manager said in a somewhat frantic tone. "There must have been a mix up at the cashier and they applied the wrong discount."


    "It''s alright." Ian said with a smile, relieved that he had asked for them to double check. He would not have wanted to be the man that tried to cheat Raymund Laurence.


    "I''m really sorry, sir." The manager said. "You may go now, you don''t need to pay."


    The manager''s words shocked Ian and Jas so much that he wasn''t able to speak for a few seconds.


    "W- w- what?" Ian asked, he was sure the manager had told him he didn''t need to pay, but that was impossible.


    "Yes, sir." The manager said with a nod. "You are on the VIP list of Bamboo Room. You don''t need to pay for anything and we will always have a table reserved for you."


    "Okay, now I''m sure you got me wrong." Ian said, shaking his head.


    "No, sir." The manager insisted.


    "What''s going on here?" A deep voice called out from behind as a man around Ian''s age approached them.

 Chapter 18 - 18

    When Ian saw who was approaching there was no doubt in his mind that this was Raymund Laurence, the owner of the Bamboo Room.


    "Mr. Laurence." The manager greeted her boss as he arrived. "Mr. Lim seems to be confused, he doesn''t think he should have a discount."


    Ian watched as Raymund Laurence seized him up and looked at him from head to toe.


    What surprised Ian was the way that the man looked at him, it wasn''t one of disgust, rather it was simply Mr. Laurence trying to figure out what kind of a person he was.


    "Ian Lim?" Raymund Laurence asked as he kept stern look on his face.


    Ian tried his best to guess why Raymund Laurence was speaking to him and what the man could possibly want with him.


    In the end he just gave up and decided to see where the conversation would go.


    "Yes." Ian said with a nod as Raymund Laurence''s face remained expressionless.


    "They didn''t get it wrong." Raymund Laurence said. "We''ll be working closely soon, you work for someone who has been like a father to me."


    At that Raymund Laurence turned and left, leaving Ian and Jas stunned at what he had just said.


    So it was true that Ian would have a free meal at Bamboo Room, even Raymund Laurence himself had confirmed it with them.


    The manager remained standing by their table with a respectful smile.


    "So. . ." Jas said as she tried to remove the awkward atmosphere around them.


    "Mr. Lim, is there anything else you would like to order?" The manager asked.


    "No, we''re fine." Ian said with a nod. "So we just stand up and leave?" Ian asked.


    "Yes sir." The manager said as she tried to hold back her smile.


    "You can laugh." Ian told the manager as he gave her a charming smile.


    "No, sir." The manager said, shaking her head. "It''s just quite interesting how you reacted. Most people would be thrilled that they get to eat here for free, you just seem worried."


    "You do seem worried, babe." Jas said as she reached out to hold Ian''s hand.


    Ian simply smiled at his girlfriend and shook his head. He was no longer confused about his free meal. But now his worries were replaced with an odd feeling about meeting Raymund Laurence for the first time.


    The man was quite intimidating, and even though he and Ian were the same age and went to the same schools. Something about him gave off an aura of someone who had been though a lot.


    "Do a lot of people get free meals here?" Jas said as she turned to ask the manager.


    "No miss." The manager said with a slight laugh. "Even most of Mr. Laurence''s relatives have to pay when they eat here."


    "Oh." Jas said, quite surprised at what the manager had told them.


    "We should go." Ian told Jas as he got up. "Thank you." Ian told the manager as he tried to hand her and the waiter a tip.


    He only thought it was fair since they didn''t even have to pay for the meal they ate.


    "Oh, no sir." The waiter said as he refused the money Ian was handing to them. "We would rather not take tips from clients like you. No offense sir, but we are paid quite well here."


    "Seriously?" Ian asked, completely at a loss with the situation.


    "Yes, sir." The manager said with a laugh. "Shall I ask for the valet to bring up your car? I''ll have a waiter serve you wine while you wait."


    "Yes please." Jas quickly said. She was worried that Ian would say something that would make the staff laugh at them again.


    "Very well miss." The manager said as she and the waiter turned and left.


    "We don''t need wine while we wait, we can wait outside." Ian complained as Jas rolled her eyes at his reaction.


    "Ian, you are acting as if you don''t belong to this world, what has gotten into you?" Jas asked in an annoyed tone.


    "What are you talking about Jas?" Ian asked. "I''m human, of course I belong here." Ian teased.


    The waiter soon returned with a glass of wine for each of them, Ian refused his since he still had to drive.


    It didn''t take long for the waiter to come back and inform them that Ian''s car was already out front and ready for them.


    Ian thanked the waiter again as they left.


    "I''m not staying at your palace." Ian told Jas as they exited the restaurant''s driveway.


    "What? Why?" Jas asked. "Where are you going to stay?"


    "At my new place." Ian said as he sped down the mountain. He knew that Jas wouldn''t like his news, but he wanted some time alone to process everything that had happened so far.


    "But your things." Jas said as she thought of a reason for him to stay.


    "I already packed everything." Ian informed her. "I didn''t have much and I wanted to stop looking like I depended on you for everything." He tried to explain.


    "But you aren''t." Jas said with a frown.


    "You can move in with me eventually if you want." Ian said with a sigh. He decided to make the offer against his better judgement.


    In all honesty Ian wanted to live alone, to experience what it was like not having to share everything, not having to adjust his own habits for others. But he knew he had to make the offer in order to keep the peace.


    "Really?" Jas asked as her eyes widened in surprise.


    "Yeah, I mean you''ve given me a place to stay all these years. It''s about time I let you stay with me this time." Ian said as he smiled at Jas.


    "Of course, yes I''ll move in with you. But I still have to ask dad''s permission." Jas said as she began to think of how she would convince her father to let her live with Ian.


    "My new place is quite far from your work though." Ian said with a frown as he realized that Jas'' office was at the other end of the city.


    "It''ll be fine." Jas told him, waving off his concern.


    "Okay it''s decided then." Ian said with a nod.


    "Oh, and babe, we need to talk about how you behaved in Bamboo Room earlier. It''s really not proper. You look like a poor boy." Jas said with a frown.


    Ian sighed as he began to dread the conversation, he was a poor boy.


    He was a poor boy that was once a prince.

 Chapter 19 - 19

    Ian took a deep breath and sighed as Jas'' words echoed in his head. He really didn''t like her attitude when it came to wealth and social rank.


    "Jas, are you ashamed of me?" Ian asked.


    "No, of course not. Why would you think that?" Jas asked Ian in return.


    Ian knew that Jas wasn''t a horrible person. She was just brought up thinking that the rich were better than the poor.


    "Jas, if I were not a Lim, would you date me?" Ian asked, he wanted her to realize that status was not everything.


    "Ian, you are being stupid." Jas said, rolling her eyes at Ian. "I love you because you are you. I''m not with you because you are some rich man''s son, because you aren''t."


    "Wow, that was blunt." Ian said with an awkward laugh.


    "We both know I didn''t mean it that way." Jas said with a frown.


    "I''m sorry. I''m just a bit off today." Ian admitted. "I just need some rest tonight and I should be fine tomorrow. Alright?"


    Jas nodded as Ian continued to drive them home in silence.


    Ian couldn''t help but think back about what happened in the restaurant. Not only had he come face to face with one of the five princes, but the people at Bamboo Room treated him differently.


    It was the first time in years that he didn''t feel like people were looking down at him. He missed that feeling.


    Whenever he would accompany his parents to one of their social gatherings the guests would always look at him with pity. It was as if in their minds he had missed out on life, but he hadn''t.


    If anything, his hardships have built him up to be stronger.


    After a long and quiet drive back to Jas'' apartment, Ian kissed his girlfriend good night and walked her to the lobby.


    "Look, Ian, about my uncle and aunt earlier. . ." Jas said as she looked down in embarrassment.


    "Jas their attitude isn''t your fault. You can''t control your family." Ian said, shaking his head. "Their opinions are their own and I know yours are different."


    "I just don''t like it that they look down at you and your family." Jas told Ian. "They should know their place, even when the Lims lost everything you were still the Lims. Nothing has changed except the amount of money in your pockets."


    Ian frowned at Jas'' statement. He knew that she was saying two things, the first that they were still the same family her relatives tried to suck up to for years, and second that even without money the Lims were still an influential family.


    "Yeah, I guess." Ian said with a sigh, not wanting to create a larger issue out of their discussion.


    "Is something bothering you?" Jas asked as she placed a hand on Ian''s cheek and caressed it gently.


    Ian smiled at her and held her hand, keeping it on his cheek. He moved it to his lips and planted a kiss on it.


    "I''m fine." Ian said as he tried to convince Jas and himself that everything was alright. "It''s been an overwhelming day and I need to process everything that''s happened." Ian said with a sigh.


    "Alright. Drive safe." Jas said as she went up on her tip toes and kissed Ian.


    Ian smiled as he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her back, he was going to miss not having her next to him in bed tonight.


    "Try not to miss me too much." Jas said with a wink as she turned and went into her building.


    Ian smiled as he watched her retreating form leave and enter the building.


    He knew that he really needed to be alone tonight, after everything that had happened. Ian knew he needed to process everything and to prepare himself for his future, from what Mr. Reyes had told him he would be with the Reyes family for a long time.


    "You got a new car, Ian?" One of the security guards in Jas'' building greeted him.


    "Yep, came with my new job." Ian proudly said.


    Ian had always been quite friendly with the staff of the building and moving out he would miss most of them.


    "Wow, that''s a good new job." The guard praised.


    "Hopefully I don''t mess it up, Joseph." Ian told the guard with a laugh as he entered the car.


    "You''re a good kid, Ian." Joseph said with a nod. "You''ll do great. Not staying with Miss Jas tonight?" The guard said with a raised eyebrow.


    "No, I have my own place now. I have to arrange it and stuff." Ian explained. He knew that these guards talked and that if he didn''t clear things out they would assume he was cheating on Jas. "I''ll be back to pick her up in the morning." Ian said with a smile as he drove away.

 Chapter 20 - 20

    When Ian got back to his new place, he couldn''t have been more thankful that the unit came accompanied by its own set of staff. The whole building felt like a hotel rather than a residence.


    As soon as he arrived with his bags, a bellhop took them out of his car and a valet appeared to park his car.


    "What time will you be leaving tomorrow sir?" The valet asked.


    "Six in the morning." Ian told the valet as he thought back to what time he needed to be in the office.


    "Alright sir, we''ll have the car ready for you by then." The valet said as he gave Ian a light bow and drove the car away.


    "Sir, to your room?" The bellhop asked as he pushed the cart with Ian''s things into the lobby.


    "You don''t have to do that for me." Ian said as he tried to help the bellhop.


    "It''s my job, sir." The bellhop said with a laugh as he continued to push the cart.


    Ian couldn''t help but scratch the back of his head. In all honesty if this had been the old him, the one back in highschool he would expect the bellhop to do everything for him. But since they lost everything and he had to suffer so much hardship he started to appreciate others differently.


    He didn''t deny that in the past he would have simply expected people to do their jobs, but now, he knew how hard it was to make a living. So he liked to help in any way he could.


    "Good evening Mr. Lim, do you need a maid to help you put your things away?" The receptionist asked as they entered the lobby.


    Ian paused for a moment, normally he wouldn''t ask for help, but today he was quite exhausted and unpacking would simply drain him.


    "Yes please." Ian said with a nod.


    "What time would you need the chef to prepare breakfast for you?" The receptionist asked as she pressed on a buzzer.


    "I think I can prepare my own breakfast." Ian said with a frown as he considered the offer.


    "Mr. Marco called, he told us that you would need help for breakfast and we weren''t supposed to take no for an answer." The receptionist explained, making Ian sigh in response.


    It seemed like he had no choice, it was instructions from above. Plus some help would very much be welcomed since he still didn''t know his way around his new kitchen.


    "Fine, can he have my breakfast ready by 4:30 am? I don''t like having to rush too much." asked as he computed backwards the time he needed to prepare.


    "Of course, have a good night Mr. Lim." The receptionist said with a bow as the elevators opened.


    By the time Ian made it up to his room, a maid was already there to put away his clothes. The bellhop helped her out and they were done in a matter of minutes.


    Ian let them go for the night and climbed into his new bed.


    At first he thought he would have a hard time sleeping since it was a new place, but as the night passed he fell into the best sleep he had had in years.


    Ian woke up on the dot the next day, as his phone alarmed next to him.


    At first he was quite confused as to why his bed was so soft, and why the sheets felt so smooth and luxurious under his touch.


    As he sat up, everything came flooding in. He remembered that it was his first day in his new job and he had breakfast waiting for him downstairs.


    Ian quickly freshened up before heading down to his new kitchen.


    "Good morning Mr. Lim." Two voices greeted him as he entered the dining room.


    "Oh good morning." Ian greeted them as the chef and the maid came over with his breakfast.


    Ian was surprised when the chef and maid served him his favorite breakfast and coffee the way he liked it.


    "Mr. Marco left us a file with your preferences." The chef explained with a smile.


    Ian happily ate his breakfast and thanked the staff, before finally getting ready for work.


    It didn''t slip his attention that the closet already had some custom made suits hanging inside. He didn''t need to wonder where they had come from. It seemed that the Reyes Group was way too efficient.


    He quickly picked out one of the suits and checked his watch for the time.


    5:50am, just in time for him to head down at a casual pace and drive to work.


    "Sir, your coffee." The maid said as Ian walked down from the stairs.


    "Oh, thanks, I guess I won''t need to pass by a coffee shop." Ian said as he gave her a smile and walked out of the door.


    He couldn''t help but feel happy about his new life, he could get used to such a comfortable life.


    As Ian arrived at the lobby, a new receptionist greeted him and informed him that the valet would be out shortly with his car.


    Ian thanked the receptionist and sat in one of the chairs in the lobby. He couldn''t help but observe how he had never seen anyone else there. It was as if he was the only resident.


    "Miss, why does this lobby seem so deserted?" Ian asked as he looked around.


    "Sir, this isn''t the main lobby, this is the VIP lobby." The receptionist explained. "Only a select few units are allowed to pass here."


    Ian was quite surprised by this fact and wanted to ask more about it.


    Unfortunately, he saw his car arriving, prompting him to cut his conversation short.


    He thanked the receptionist and walked out to get into his car.


    "It''s been gassed up and ready to go sir." The valet said as he opened the door for Ian.


    "Thank you." Ian said with a smile as got inside the car.


    As Ian reached to lock the doors, the front passenger seat door suddenly swung open and a young woman quickly hopped into the car, catching him by surprise.


    "Excuse me, what are you doing?" Ian asked as he gave her a confused look.


    "Ian Lim right?" The young woman asked. "You should get driving or we''ll be late for work." She said in a confident tone, leaving Ian speechless and confused.

 Chapter 21 - 21

    "Who the heck are you?!" Ian asked in a loud voice as he refused to make the car move.


    Not waiting for the girl to answer, Ian rolled down his window and called out to one of the guards.


    "Guard!" Ian shouted. "Get this woman out of my car please." He asked.


    The guard simply stared at him and look extremely confused.


    The woman laughed, tossing her head back and shaking her head.


    "They won''t make me leave." She said with a cheeky grin.


    Ian raised an eyebrow as his eyes darted back and forth between the woman and the guards outside. They were still just standing there, looking at Ian and the woman.


    Ian took a deep breath and calmed himself, she was probably someone important for the guards not to stop her.


    "I won''t start the car if you don''t tell me who you are." Ian warned as he leaned back against the driver''s seat.


    "Really? You would risk being late?" The woman asked.


    "R Tower is 30 minutes away. I have time." Ian said with a shrug.


    "True, but it''s a 30 minute drive, 5 minutes to park, maybe 2 minutes to get up to the CEOs floor." The woman told Ian as she listed down how long it would actually take him to get to his desk.


    "How do you even know I work at R Tower and at the CEO''s floor?" Ian asked as he gave her a confused look.


    "Fine, as much as I am enjoying this, we will be late." The woman said in surrender. "I''m Camilla Montero, the other assistant. So drive, we''ll be late."


    Ian sighed and started the car. He wasn''t sure if the woman was telling him the truth, but why would she even lie.


    "I don''t believe you, but you''re right we''ll be late." Ian said, giving his curt response as he drove them away from Solaire Towers.


    "Thanks." Camilla said as she opened the car''s vidor and looked at herself in the mirror.


    "Don''t you have your own car?" Ian asked as he focused on the road.


    "The one the Reyes Group assigned to me?" Camilla asked as she tied up her black hair that fell to her shoulders into a ponytail.


    "Yes, the one that looks exactly like the one I''m driving right now." Ian grumbled.


    "Un- Mr. Marco said I could get it today." Camilla said.


    Ian didn''t miss out on the fact that she had almost called the CEO''s assistant her uncle. Was she some rich kid that used her connections to get the job. If that was the case then Ian was very disappointed in the Reyes Group.


    "How did you even know who I was?" Ian asked as they approached an intersection.


    "Well the lobby we use only houses three people." Camilla explained. "You, Me, and Leon, the Reyes Heir''s bodyguard, and I know Leon. He leaves Solaire at 4am and comes home at 10pm."


    "How long have you been living in Solaire?" Ian asked. "By the sound of it you''ve been there for months."


    "I''ve only been here for a month or so, Leon has lived there longer." She explained.


    Ian nodded as he looked up at the shining tower in the distance. It was R Tower, one of the most notable landmarks in the business district of the capital. He took a deep breath as it slowly sunk in that he would be working there starting today.


    "It''s green." A shy voice said, making Ian step on the gas. He was quite surprised that Camilla had gone from bloistrous to shy from one moment to the next.


    "Amazing, isn''t it?" Camilla asked, shattering the silence that had taken over the car.


    "Which?" Ian asked as they neared the office.


    "R tower." Came Camilla''s sort reply.


    "Yes, it''s amazing." Ian said with a nod as he turned towards R Tower.


    "I never expected that I would work here, all my life I thought I wouldn''t get far, and yet, here I am, at the Reyes Group." Camilla said in a thankful tone.


    "Oh." Was all Ian could say as he was taken by surprise by her words.


    "Did you think I was some rich kid?" Camilla asked Ian with a laugh. "I promise, I''m not. I had to work hard just to get this job. There were hundreds of applicants all from good families and all from good schools and I beat them."


    "There was a job posting for this role?" Ian asked, the surprise evident in his tone.


    "Yep, but not a normal one." Camilla said with a shrug. "The Reyes Group approached several promising people our age. After all the rounds of interviews were done they only picked me."


    "So there was only one open position?" Ian asked.


    "No, there were always two. They just didn''t like anyone else." Camilla said with a laugh.


    Ian was surprised at what Camilla had just said. The Reyes Group had interviewed hundreds of potential employees and picked only Camilla, while he was picked up because he just so happened to bump into Katerina Sebastian.


    "They have to be very particular with the people they hire for our jobs." Camilla added as she noticed Ian deep in thought.


    "It''s not going to be easy, that''s what I was told." Ian said with a sigh as he entered R Tower''s underground parking.


    "No. I mean, someday we will be taking over Marco''s job, and from what I''ve seen, it''s more demanding than a small company''s CEO." Camilla said with a nod as Ian parked the car.

 Chapter 22 - 22

    When Ian and Camilla arrived at R Tower the place was silent, there were barely any employees that came in at this hour.


    However, the CEO''s floor painted a completely different picture when Ian and Camilla arrived.


    It was already a buzz with life. People were walking around, handing out documents and coffee to each other.


    "I guess the executives are early risers?" Ian said with a shrug as he and Camilla made their way to their desks.


    As they walked along the lavish hallway, they couldn''t help but notice the curious glances and stares from the other employees.


    "Back to work guys." Marco So''s distinct voice called out, scolding the other employees.


    Everyone was quick to follow his orders, he was, after all, the assistant to the CEO. There were very few people who had authority above him, and most of them had Reyes as their last name.


    "As you can see, this floor comes to life much earlier than the others." Marco So, the CEO''s assistant, said with a smirk as he greeted Ian and Camilla.


    "Yeah, everywhere else in the building was quite dead, then we head up here and it feels like the middle of the day!" Ian exclaimed as he looked around.


    "The CEO likes to come to the office early so his executives try to be earlier." Marco explained. "The boss will be coming in late today though, so let''s discuss some things in my office."


    Marco led the pair to a smaller office to the side. This one was simple and bare but there were filing cabinets and several computers inside.


    "I''m surprised that you came to the office together." Marco told Ian and Camilla as he gestured for them to take their seats across him.


    "We met at Solaire Tower." Ian said with a smirk.


    "Ah, I did hear that you moved in. I hope you get to take full advantage of that building." Marco said with a nod.


    "You don''t live there?" Camilla bravely asked the older assistant.


    Marco laughed at her candor. She didn''t hesitate to speak when something came up in her mind.


    "No, I don''t." Marco said, shaking his head. "Solaire Towers was designed and planned by our CEO, Mr. Emilio Reyes III, with his son, the Reyes Heir."


    "And does this future boss of ours have a name?" Ian asked. It was hard working to be the best assistant for a person with no name or face.


    "He does, but it''s not my place to tell you. So I suggest you don''t ask in the future." Marco told Ian with a smile that said, don''t ask.


    Camilla and Ian looked at each other and nodded slowly at Marco.


    "I know it''s very unconventional to train for years to work for someone you don''t know, but this is the way that Mr. Reyes wants things done. Plus you guys agreed to it." Marco said with a laugh.


    "Yeah, we signed a legally binding contract." Ian muttered.


    "I''ll be honest to both of you, it''s not an easy job, and it leaves little to no time for family or friends. This company becomes your family and friends, and don''t worry, the Reyeses will treat you like family." Marco explained with a reassuring nod.


    "I don''t have an issue with that." Camilla said with a shrug. "It''s not like I have a boyfriend and my family, well, let''s just say they will understand."


    "I know you have a girlfriend, Ian." Marco said as he looked at Ian. "She will need to understand that this isn''t some simple job. Yes we are assistants, but the connections we need to build and the work we put in is no laughing matter."


    "I think she knows." Ian said with a sad smile. He was actually worried that Jas would not understand that the job he just took was quite different.


    "Today, since Mr. Reyes will be coming in late, I plan to take you both around the different departments and teams. Of course I can''t exactly bring you to everyone so you will be introduced over the course of the week." Marco explained as he watched their reaction.


    "For the next few days the both of you will be shadowing me." Marco said as he made sure they understood what would happen over the course of the next few days. "After that I will be assigning you each tasks that you will have to handle in the future on your own."


    Ian and Camilla nodded as they listened to Marco tell them about what would happen next.


    "In the course of your stay here you will meet people who are the movers and shakers of our country. You will also hear many conversations that cannot ever be repeated and documents that are for your eyes only." Marco warned. "You might not be loyal to the Reyes Group yet, but I promise you. It''s worth it."


    The mood turned dark as Marco mentioned the confidentiality required for their jobs. Ian and Camilla remained silent as they processed what the older assistant had just told them.


    "Has anyone ever tried to betray the Reyes Group?" Ian asked as his voice shook a little. It seemed quite scary for someone to go against an organization as powerful as the Reyes Group.


    "You do not become this powerful without making enemies, and many enemies try their best to plant spies in the company." Marco said with a nod. "On that note, you will also be provided with a small security detail. Don''t worry they are just there for your protection."


    "Security detail?" Ian asked.


    "One bodyguard and one driver each. This one was the Reyes Heir''s request." Marco explained.


    Before Camilla or Ian could say anything, Marco stood up and pointed towards the door.


    "Come, follow me. I''ll take you around." He said as he pushed the door open with the pair following him as he asked.


    "Nervous?" Ian asked Camilla.


    "Excited?" He asked her back.


    It was clear they were feeling the same way on their first day on the job.

 Chapter 23 - 23

    "The top floor is fondly called the CEO''s floor." Marco explained as he led them down the hallway. "Half of it is assigned to the CEO, we have the CEO''s office, the assistants'' offices, and two board rooms. We also have our own pantry."


    Ian looked around as he noticed that this part was quite empty, it seemed that no one ventured to the CEO''s half of the floor.


    "Our jobs include the most complicated tasks to the simplest, including preparing his coffee." Marco said as he pointed towards an elaborate espresso machine. "He likes Cafe Latte, extra sweet. Funny right?"


    Ian and Camilla were at a loss for words, they didn''t know if they could laugh or if they should say anything.


    Sensing the awkward atmosphere, Marco pulled the pair into the pantry and closed the door behind him.


    "Mr. Reyes isn''t exactly some stiff, strict businessman." Marco explained as he pinched the space between his eyes and sighed. "When it is just us you can be comfortable and less formal. Alright?" Marco asked.


    Ian nodded and looked at Camilla who nodded as well.


    "Now for your future boss, well he''s a simple guy, even simpler than his dad." Marco said with a laugh. "His father and sister need to force him to spend. Luckily the CEO''s daughter loves to shop."


    "This family seems really, ummm. . . odd." Ian remarked. He had seen many sons and daughters of rich families and never had he seen an heir refuse to spend.


    "Nothing in the Reyes family is normal, then again, nothing in the Reyes Group is ordinary either." Marco chuckled as he led the two out of the pantry. "Let''s continue your tour, shall we."


    Marco led them through the pristine halls once more, when they left the pantry all they could hear were their own footsteps. But as they approached the busier area of the CEO''s floor, they could hear as the office workers went on their day.


    It didn''t take long for them to reach the more populated area.


    Marco signaled for them to stop.


    "To the left is the VPs office. On paper, that''s Miss Ayanna, the CEO''s daughter who is finishing up her studies. She works here after school and is being trained by the Associate Vice Presidents of each company under the Reyes Group." Marco explained as they peered into a neat and empty office.


    Marco waved at a man, gesturing for him to come over to them.


    "Paul, these are Ian and Camilla." Marco said, introducing them to a large and well built man. Paul looked to be in his late thirties and carried a worn out expression on his face.


    "The Reyes Heir''s people?" Paul asked maining a placid look.


    "Yes." Marco said with a nod. "Paul is currently Miss Ayanna''s assistant. He handles her day to day schedule and most of the things she needs for work."


    "Wow, it must be amazing to be a student and have an assistant." Camilla exclaimed.


    "No, no, Mr. Reyes is strict on that." Marco told them as he shook his head and smiled. "Paul is only allowed to help her with work, not with anything else."


    "Yeah, as if she''s never tried." Paul scoffed.


    "Miss Ayanna is young." Marco said, shaking his head. "She will learn."


    "I hope she does." Paul said. Ian did not miss out how his tone was filled with disapproval. "Anyway, I have a ton of work, is that all that you called me over for Marco?" Paul asked.


    "Yes. You may go." Marco said with a frown.


    "Nice meeting the two of you, and good luck." Paul said with a nod as he turned and went back to his desk.


    "I know what the two of you are thinking." Marco told Ian and Camilla as they continued to walk down the hall. "Paul and I used to work as Mr. Reyes'' assistants, when Mr. Reyes decided that it was time for his daughter to join the company he assigned Paul to her."


    "I''m guessing Paul didn''t take it well." Camilla said as she glanced back to look at the assistant who was busy with his work.


    "He saw it as a demotion and was not happy about it." Marco said with a shrug.


    "Why couldn''t he just leave?" Ian asked.


    "You know how well the Reyes Group pays. It isn''t a job that you can leave." Marco said with a laugh as they approached an area with people hanging around.


    When they spotted Marco they stopped talking and looked at their direction.


    "Show time guys." Marco said looking back at Ian and Camilla with a grin.

 Chapter 24 - 24

    Ian and Camilla were immediately greeted by whispers and curious glances. It seemed that everyone had an idea of who they were.


    Weeks before the selection process for the future assistants of the Reyes Heir had begun, rumors already circulated the office.


    People were not only eager to see who would replace Marco in the future, but they also wanted to hand in their own recommendations for the position.


    The assistant to the CEO was a powerful person. He or she held contacts to the people that shaped the country.


    The CEOs assistant also often had a say on the company''s direction. Unlike most companies, the Reyes Group hired competent and genius businessmen to assist their CEO.


    Every proposal, every document, and every strategy of the Reyes Group passed through the assistant''s hands before making it to the CEO''s desk.


    Emilio Reyes demanded that Marco give a recommendation before he saw any document.


    "Everyone, listen." Marco called out as the crowd silenced.


    He looked around and waited for them to calm down, Marco commanded a certain aura that made people listen and follow. He was a natural born leader standing as close as possible to the helm of the most powerful company in the nation.


    "I''d like to introduce you to Ian and Camilla." Marco said as he gestured towards the pair standing next to him.


    Ian watched as people craned their necks to get a better look of them. He wanted to laugh, they were like celebrities today.


    Everyone wanted to know who had been chosen in one of the most difficult hiring processes in their generation. The opportunity to work for the future CEO of the Reyes Group only came once, if you missed it, there was a low chance of you getting the opportunity to try again.


    "Ian and Camilla have both met Mr. Reyes'' expectations and demands. They are the most qualified people to take on the role of being assistants to the Reyes Heir." Marco instructed in a booming voice.


    The workers on the top floor nodded at his words, they all knew the value of these two youths in front of them.


    "You can all return to work now." Marco said. "I will be introducing them to one group at a time, that is all."


    As Marco ended his speech the crowd dispersed and returned to their own areas on the CEO''s floor.


    "As I mentioned, this floor houses the heads of each of the companies owned by the Reyes Group, they all report to the VP, Miss Ayanna Reyes the CEO''s daughter, who in turn reports to her father." Marco explained as they walked to the first office.


    "The biggest group and the founding company of the Reyes Group is Krisanta Land." Marco explained as they were greeted by a smiling lady.


    "Has the Assistant Vice President arrived?" Marco asked, not bothering to greet the woman. She knew why he was here.


    "Yes, he is in his office." The woman responded with a nod as she got up and led them to the room behind her desk.


    "Sir, Mr. Marco is here for you." The woman informed her boss.


    "So early." A man grumbled from inside. "Let him in, it''s as if I can say no."


    The woman turned to them and laughed before finally letting Marco and his companions into the office.


    It was the same size as Marco''s with an ultra minimalistic feel to it. There were barely and images on the walls and there was just a desk and a space for entertaining guests.


    "Marco, to what do I owe this pleasure?" A man who looked quite similar to Emilio Reyes said as he got up and walked over to greet the assistant. "Does my cousin need anything?" He asked.


    "No Rolan, the boss is coming in a little bit late today." Marco said as he shook his head. "I want to introduce you to some people." The assistant pointed at Ian and Camilla as he spoke.


    Ian looked at Rolan, something about this man seemed familiar, as if they had met in the past.


    It wasn''t impossible since Ian''s parents still attended many of the old rich functions, and this man was definitely a Reyes.


    "Is this them?" Rolan asked with a smile.


    "Yup, meet Ian Lim and Camilla Montero, his future assistants." Marco said proudly as he emphasized the word his.


    "I know you." Rolan said as he looked closely at Ian.


    "Sir?" Ian asked, unsure of what he should say in response.


    "You''re Richardo''s boy." Rolan said as he recognized Ian. "You Lims all look alike with your dark hair and pale skin! You were at my sister''s party a few weeks ago."


    Ian immediately felt embarrassed. His family had been invited as a courtesy to the Lim name. Everyone knew they had once been rich but had lost everything.


    "Don''t worry." Rolan said with a sad smile. "No one will ever dare look down at you any more."


    Ian looked up in shock, he had never expected anyone to say those words to him, let alone a member of the Reyes Family.


    "Being an assistant to the CEO essentially makes you part of the family, no one will dare touch you or make fun of you." Rolan explained.


    "Thank you." Ian said with a nod.


    "And you my dear." Rolan said in a fatherly tone to Camilla. "I would like to apologize for society in advance, they will say things that will hurt, but I''m sure that little brat will do everything to protect you."


    "Little brat?" Camilla asked.


    "The Reyes Heir." Marco said with a chuckle as someone knocked on the door.


    "Come in." Rolan called out.


    His assistant quickly opened the door and looked inside. Her eyes found Marco and she nodded.


    "Mr. Reyes arrived early." She announced.


    "Shit." Marco cursed. "He said he wouldn''t be in till this afternoon."


    "Clearly my cousin had other plans." Rolan said. "Let these two explore the building, their IDs should let them go anywhere."


    Marco nodded and agreed with his plan.


    "Meet me back at my office in an hour. We''ll continue then." Marco said as he dashed out of the office leaving Camilla and Ian with Rolan who was laughing at Marco.

 Chapter 25 - 25

    "I suggest the two of you go check out the cafeteria first." Rolan suggested as he sat down behind his desk. "Meet some new people, find out what they do."


    "Sounds like a good idea." Camilla said with a nod as she looked at Ian. "I''m also kind of hungry."


    "There is a chef at Solaire, there is a chef for each of your rooms, how could you have not eaten?" Rolan asked as he gave Camilla a doubtful look.


    "I was in a hurry, I forgot to set an alarm and rushed down." Camilla said with a shrug. " I was honestly lucky that Ian hadn''t left yet. If he had, I would have been late from taking the bus."


    "How do you know so much about Solaire?" Ian asked Rolan. From what Ian knew, Solaire was not developed under the Reyes Group. A different company owned it.


    "I cheated and helped my nephew develop it," Rolan said with a shrug as he placed on his glasses and began to read the documents in front of him.


    "Cheated?" Ian asked, confused as to what the man was saying.


    "I''ve already said too much, my assistant will tell you where the cafeteria is." Rolan said as he pressed the buzzer to call his assistant in.


    After explaining what he wanted her to do, the woman led Ian and Camilla out of Rolan''s office.


    "What''s your name?" Ian asked.


    "Rose." The woman said with a blush. "Mr. Rolan is right, you should start at the cafeteria first. They serve really good food there. It''s on the 7th floor."


    "Oh, alright, thank you." Camilla told Rose with a smile as she tugged on Ian''s sleeve, urging him to leave.


    "Some advice." Rose suddenly said, making Camilla and Ian turn their attention back to her. "Don''t let people know what your jobs are here until the official announcement." She said in a hushed tone.


    "Why?" Ian asked as he gave Rose a confused look.


    "Two reasons, first you want to know people''s true attitude." Rose explained. "If they know from the start who you are they will be nice and fake, those people are dangerous. The Reyes Group does not tolerate people dragging each other down, but it still happens."


    "Makes sense, what''s the second?" Mae asked.


    "Not everyone will look kindly at the new assistants of the future CEO. Many employees also applied for your jobs, and none of them were accepted." Rose said with a slight frown as she looked around.


    "Very contradictory, but go on." Ian said with a nod.


    "Until you have real power and influence in this company they will try to pull you down." Rose explained. "Both of you don''t seem like the traditional recruits."


    Ian raised a questioning eyebrow at Rose, urging her to explain.


    "Ian, you look like some rich kid that''s part of the mafia or something. Someone spoiled who got handed the world at birth." Rose said quite frankly, catching Ian by surprise.


    "Well you aren''t a hundred percent wrong there." Ian said with a grin.


    "And Camilla, you are a woman, you know how it works, they will just say you slept your way into the job." Rose told the pair. "You have good grades, yes, but you have no work experience. You are unproven, something that most would find questionable."


    "Wow, you went straight to the point there." Camilla teased.


    "My boss is a Reyes, it has afforded me some bluntness." Rose said with a shrug. "I''ve also made those mistakes in the past and have been victim to rumors like those."


    "What should we say then if they ask what department we are in?" Ian asked Rose. They couldn''t simply strike up conversations with random people without a solid backstory.


    "Say you are management trainees for the Human Resources Department." Rose instructed. "That role is perfect for fresh grads and the HR Department would never confirm or deny if you worked for them."


    "Are you sure?" Ian asked.


    "I''ll give them a call. I''ll say it''s the boss'' orders. Marco won''t mind." Rose said as she picked up the phone.


    "Marco is your boss? I thought it was Rolan?" Camilla asked with a confused look on her face.


    "Marco is technically almost everyone''s boss." Rose said with a laugh as she waited for someone to pick up her call on the other end. "Marco is the CEO''s right hand man, just as you will be for the Reyes Heir."


    Ian was about to ask a question when Rose held up a hand and spoke over the phone.


    "What do you think is the deal with this Reyes Heir?" Ian asked Camilla. "Why is he so mysterious? If he is going to be our boss, why is he hiding?"


    "I''m not sure if it''s our place to ask these things." Camilla said with a frown.


    Ian could tell based on her expression that Camilla wanted to ask. She wanted to know who their boss was as well, but he decided to stay quiet.


    "The HR department has been informed, go have fun. Enjoy your last days of freedom." Rose teased as she sent them away.

 Chapter 26 - 26

    "I wonder if there are people at the cafeteria at this time?" Camilla asked as they stood in the elevator, waiting for it to reach the correct floor.


    Since it was early in the morning, and people were just coming into work everyone was headed up rather than down.


    "I guess people grabbing breakfast." Ian said with a shrug. "I mean, with how bad traffic can get during rush hour people would be skipping breakfast just to come to work on time."


    Camilla nodded as she agreed with Ian.


    The elevators at the Reyes Group were quite fast and they were soon at the cafeteria.


    The pair was quite surprised at the sight that greeted them. This wasn''t some common company''s lunch room, it was practically a restaurant.


    There were waiters walking around serving customers. The place was elegantly designed, much like the rest of the building. The floor was carpeted rather than tiled or simply cemented like most office cafeterias.


    As they walked forward a waitress approached them and smiled.


    "Miss Rose called in advance." The waitress said. "She told us that for today you''ll be seated on ordinary tables. Please, follow me." The waitress told Ian and Camilla as she led them deeper into the room.


    "What do you mean by ordinary tables?" Ian asked in a low voice as they approached an empty table good for six to eight persons.


    "People from your department have a separate area." The waitress explained. "Although I rarely see people from your department eating here. You guys are either way too busy or off at meetings."


    "Thanks." Camilla said as a waiter came over and pulled out her seat for her.


    It felt like the Reyes Group cafeteria was truly a restaurant and not a place for employees to simply eat.


    "So Rose warned you about us?" Ian asked as the waitress handed him a menu.


    "Yeah, I normally arrange for the food she orders, so she thought to give me fair warning." The waitress said with a shrug.


    "Wow, the food here is really cheap!" Camilla exclaimed as she looked through the menu.


    Her comment made Ian turn his attention to his own menu. Camilla wasn''t kidding, everything was priced as if it were cooked at a local mom and pop dinner in the city.


    "The Reyes Group prices everything at cost." The waitress explained. "Our salaries aren''t even charged against the food. The company wants it''s employees to be happy, healthy, and well fed."


    "So everyone can focus on their work." A young man with striking green eyes said with a laugh as he joined Ian and Camilla.


    "The name''s Mike." The young man said as he held out a hand for Ian to shake. "I''m guessing you are both new here?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.


    "Yeah. First day. How did you know?" Ian asked as he politely shook Mike''s hand.


    Mike suddenly laughed as he looked at Camilla and Ian as if Ian was crazy for even asking.


    "Oh, you''re really asking that?" Mike asked as he noticed the serious and confused looks on Ian''s and Camilla''s faces.


    "Yeah, just curious." Ian said with a smile.


    "Well for one you are asking the waitress a ton of questions." Mike said. "Second, you look around too much, you seem to be too shocked at your surroundings. And Third, no IDs." Mike said as he lifted his own ID to show Ian and Camilla.


    "Can I get your orders now?" The waitress asked Ian and Camilla with her tone suddenly shifting from it''s earlier warmth to a cold and formal one.


    "Umm. . .sure." Camilla said as she ordered breakfast and Ian settled for some coffee.


    "Guys, over here!" Mike waved as four employees walked over to their table.


    "Who are these people, Mike?" A woman asked as she sat next to Mike, flipping her long black hair as she turned to face them.


    "New hires." Mike said with a smile.


    "Did you even know their names?" A man who looked to be a little bit older that Ian asked as he combed his hand through his hair and joined them at the table.


    "No, but I was about to ask them." Mike said as he rolled his eyes at his friend.


    "Names and Jobs, newbies." The girl next to Mike said as she pointed at Ian and Camilla.


    "I''m Ian Lim and this is Camilla Montero, we''re both management trainees from the HR Department." Ian said as he quickly recalled Rose''s instructions.


    "You should really wear your IDs." The man said as he lifted his own badge.


    "Oh right." Camilla said as she took her ID out of her pocket. Seeing no harm in doing so Ian also did the same and wore his as well.


    "There are very few people that can go around not wearing theirs." Mike''s male friend explained. "Only the executives and the CEOs assistant. Everyone else needs to follow the rules. They are quite strict about it."


    "Oh, right, we haven''t introduced ourselves!" A woman who had remained quiet the whole time suddenly said in a squeaky voice.


    "Riiiight." The woman next to Mike said.


    "I''m Seth." The only other man among Mike''s friends said. "I work in Marketing. I''m not sure if we will ever work together, but who knows"


    "I''m Katrina." The woman next to Mike said with a grin. "I''m teammates with Seth. Work at the Reyes Group is really hard, but I hope the two of you survive." She said in a fake genuine tone.


    Ian wanted to laugh. She was clearly a cocky one.


    "I''m Pia." The woman with a squeaky voice said. "I work in finance, I''m sure you guys will have a great time here."


    "I''m Charlotte." The last member of their group said with a warm smile. "I''m a secretary in the Sales Department."


    "Nice to meet you all." Camilla said with a smile as their orders were served.


    "So what department do you belong in, Mike?" Ian asked the man who was seated next to him.


    "Sales." Mike said with a cocky grin.


    "Mike is one of the rising stars in the sales department, you''re lucky he spoke to you." Katrina said as she praised Mike.


    Something about Mike already felt wrong to Ian, he had a gut feeling that the two of them would not get along at all.

 Chapter 27 - 27

    "Look, I know the two of you are new here, so we''ll be nice." Katrina said with a sly grin as a waiter brought her orders over.


    "Katrina." Seth said as he gave her a look of warning from across the table.


    "What?" Katrina asked as she glared at her friend. "These new hires should know the hierarchy as soon as they arrive. I am doing them a favor so that they don''t make the same mistakes many of the new employees do."


    "Mistakes?" Camilla asked as she gave Katrina a curious look.


    "Yes! Mistakes!" Katrina said in a loud voice, grabbing the attention of the employees who were seated at the nearby tables.


    "What kind of mistakes?" Ian asked as he leaned back on his seat.


    "Well looking cocky and smooth like you, for one." Katrina pointed out as she gave Ian a look of disgust. "You''re acting like some rich spoiled kid right now. You''re a new hire, the lowest of the low. Don''t get too comfortable."


    "Katrina!" Seath scolded.


    "What is it this time?" Katrina asked her friend as she glared at him. "There is a hierarchy in this company that they need to know about. They will learn it sooner or later."


    "An unspoken one." Pia, their other friend, added as she continued to keep to herself.


    "Yes, an unspoken one which the management tries to ''discourage''." Katrina said, doing air quotes as she said the word discourage.


    "Yeah, and you and Mike just continue to push for it." Pia said as she rolled her eyes at her friend.


    "It''s not our fault I am quite high up in that hierarchy." Mike said with a shrug as he turned to face his friends.


    Ian and Camilla looked at each other, both carrying confused looks on their faces. They were way too new to know anything about what the group of friends were saying.


    It was only normal for companies to have hierarchies, but the whole mess with Mike being quite high up confused them.


    He didn''t seem much older than them, he was probably a year or two ahead, but not enough to be something like a manger.


    "Look, you''ve confused them." Seth said as he pointed Ian''s and Camilla''s expressions out.


    "If you and Pia had let me finish what I was saying I would have explained everything by now." Katrina grumbled as she pouted at Mike.


    Seth rolled his eyes and took it on himself to explain everything to Camilla and Ian.


    "Our friend Mike here isn''t just an ordinary corporate slave." Seth told them as he began to explain.


    "Hmmm?" Ian asked as he focused his attention on what Seth was saying.


    "Mike comes from a rich family, a very rich family." Seth explained.


    "If his family is rich, then why is he working at the Reyes Group?" Camilla asked.


    Camilla was not an idiot and knew that some children from rich families chose to work for bigger companies before starting to run their family business. They often did this because they wanted to learn from the bigger fish.


    The reason why she had asked this question was so that she would sound like an ordinary simple employee.


    "Because Mike isn''t some simple minded rich kid." Katrina said, joining in on their conversation.


    Seth and Pia nodded in agreement.


    "Unlike most children from rich families, Mike wants to learn from the best in the business. And who better to learn from than the richest man in the country, Mr. Emilio Reyes III." Seth said with a grin as he looked at his friend.


    "Wow, Mike works directly for the CEO?" Ian said as he feigned a tone of admiration and shock.


    "Yes and No, but I think I can get him to notice my efforts soon." Mike said as he beamed with pride. "Mr. Reyes is like a mentor, but he doesn''t broadcast the employees he mentors."


    Ian had to use every ounce of self control to not laugh at this guy.


    "Mike is a rising star in the sales department. He has used all of his connections to bring in as many clients to the Reyes Group, going above and beyond his targets." Katrina boasted. "I''m sure he''ll get promoted soon."


    "Good luck with you on that then." Camilla said as she began to get up and leave the table. "Ian and I need to go. We told our boss we''d be back as soon as possible."


    "Oh, right. First day." Seth said with a smile and a nod.


    "Quick reminder, people you do not want to offend aside from the bosses, the CEO''s assistant." Pia called out as Ian followed Camilla and stood up as well.


    "And the future CEO''s assistants too, they haven''t started but I heard they were hiring." Seth told Ian and Camilla, both of whom wanted to laugh.


    "They''re just assistants, what can they do?" Mike said as he rolled his eyes at his friends'' warnings.

 Chapter 28 - 28

    Ian wanted to smack Mike in the head when he heard his words.


    But then again, it was the same impression everyone else had when people worked as assistants. Ian was just shocked at how Mike had no idea how powerful the assistants at the Reyes group actually were.??


    "It was great meeting you all." Camilla suddenly said as she tugged on Ian''s sleeves. "We really need to go."


    "Nice meeting you guys!" Seth said with a smile as the rest of the group waved goodbye to them.


    Both Ian and Camilla looked around to make sure that the coast was clear, before using their IDs to access the CEO''s elevator.


    They had been told previously by Marco that aside from the CEO and his family, they, his assistants, could use that elevator as well.


    Camilla and Ian both didn''t want to have to explain to people why they were going up to the top floor, so they decided to just take the CEO''s elevator.


    It was hidden from sight around the corner so people wouldn''t even see them waiting for it to arrive. They only had to be careful if people saw them heading in that direction.


    As they waited for the elevator, they heard Katrina''s now familiar shrill voice as the group entered the elevator lobby.


    "Wow, those newbies got on the elevator fast!" Seth commented.


    "I''d give them a week, tops." Mike said as he placed a bet on how long they would stay.


    "Why do you think that?" Pia asked.


    Ian and Camilla looked at each other as they continued to listen in on the conversation.


    "That Ian guy, he looks way too cocky, too confident, too rich!" Mike exclaimed.


    "So you think he''s a rich kid that just got his job because of daddy''s connections?" Katrina asked.


    "It''s quite obvious, the way he carried himself, I am 100% sure he is some son of a rich provincial family. I swear they are the worst!" Mike complained.


    Ian looked at the numbers on the elevator pad as he noticed it was still headed down.


    "Just tell Mr. Reyes about him." Pia said in a sarcastic tone.


    "You know I can''t bad mouth people in front of my mentor, he would see that as rude." Mike answered Pia back.


    "What good does that mentorship of yours bring, you can''t introduce us, you can''t get sudden promotions. All you do is have dinner with the CEO and discuss your growth in the company." Katrina grumbled to her friend.


    "Ignore her." Seth told Mike. "What about Camilla, she seems nice?" Seth asked.


    "Crushing on her now?" Katrina teased.


    "No." Seth replied with a laugh. "Mike said they wouldn''t last at the Reyes Group, I just want to know why."


    "She''s too soft." Mike said with a laugh. "You can''t be soft or kind at the Reyes Group, we all know that."


    Ian and Camilla jumped as the elevator in front of them suddenly dinged and opened.


    "Huh? Is that the CEO''s elevator?" Mike asked.


    "I was about to come get you guys!" Marco suddenly said making Ian and Camilla quickly get into the elevator with him and aggressively press the close button.


    "Do you think it''s Mr. Marco So? We should go say hi." They heard Seth''s voice as it came closer.


    Ian and Camilla quickly hopped into the elevator and vigorously tapped the button to close the door.


    "What''s the rush?" Marco asked in an amused tone as they could hear the group coming closer.


    "Guys maybe we shouldn''t disturb him, he seems to have company." Mike said in a nervous tone as the elevator doors finally began to close.


    "Why so shy Mike?" Seth egged. "Come on."


    Seth''s urging was the last Ian and Camilla heard as the elevator doors finally closed, allowing both of them to relax.


    "Friends of yours?" Marco asked with an amused look on his face as he leaned over and pressed the button for the CEO''s floor, the top floor.


    "They were teaching us how to survive as new hires." Ian said in between pants. He didn''t realize how much effort he and Camilla had just put into trying to close the elevator doors.


    "One of them even claims to be the CEO''s apprentice." Camilla said with a laugh as she recalled her conversation with Mike and his friends.


    Marco laughed even louder, making Ian and Camilla jump in surprise.


    "The CEO has never taken an apprentice. Whoever claims that is full of bull." Marco said, shaking his head. "This isn''t even the first time this has happened."


    "I''m not surprised people claim these things." Ian said.


    "You have no idea how many people claim to be me." Marco said with a grin. "Don''t worry, I''m sure you''ll meet a lot of people claiming to be you guys."


    "Huh? What do you mean?" Camilla asked as she gave Marco a confused look.


    "It seems we will need to delay announcing that we''ve hired the future CEOs assistants." Marco announced to them as the elevator doors opened to the CEO''s floor.


    This time the hallway was vacant, everyone must have been busy working.


    "Let''s discuss this in our office." Marco said as he led the pair to the office next to the CEOs.


    Ian and Camilla looked at each other, it seemed like they would be extending their time as poor new hires.

 Chapter 29 - 29

    When they finally made it into the assistants'' office, Ian closed the door behind him and sat down on the couch.


    "Mr. Reyes would like the two of you to learn the ropes of every department and every company under the Reyes Group." Marco announced.??


    "Okay, that makes sense." Ian said with a nod.


    "You don''t understand." Marco told them, shaking his head. "This isn''t some one week internship with each company and each department. This is a long term one."


    "What do you mean by a long term one?" Ian asked with a raised eyebrow. "In all honesty I have no complaints, it''s fine with me."


    "Well, basically you''ll be going around the different companies for two to three years." Marco said with a serious look on his face. "On top of that you will be helping me here when I need an extra set of hands for work. Both of you will also be present for important occasions to meet important people."


    Ian and Camilla were silent, it wasn''t like they could refuse. Both of them had signed a contract tying them to whatever training the Reyes Group deemed necessary for them to prepare for their roles in the future.


    "We don''t exactly have a choice." Camilla pointed out, breaking the silence.


    "We want to hear your opinion." Marco said as he got up and made coffee. "Want some?" Marco asked as he pointed at the machine.


    "I''m fine." Ian said, refusing Marco''s offer. "Camilla?" He asked as he turned to the woman next to him.


    "I''ll have some." Camilla said as she stood up and walked to the coffee machine to prepare her own.


    "We?" Ian asked as he realized what Marco had just said.


    Marco nodded as he taught Camilla how to use the machine in his office.


    "The reason why we want you to do this is so that you could learn how the company works." Marco said as he walked back to the couch and sat down. "The Reyes Group is large and complex. You will be working with everyone and it would be best if you were at least familiar with all the parts."


    "If it''s the best way to train us, why are you still asking for our opinion?" Camilla asked in a flat tone as she added sugar to her coffee.


    "We still want to hear your opinion." Marco explained. "This route is the best, but it is not the easiest. People may or may not know who you are. So we cannot guarantee if you will be treated respectfully."


    "Of course I will do what you are asking." Ian said with a nod. He had nothing to lose, this job was now everything to him. It was his ticket to finally moving on from his past and moving forward to a better tomorrow for him and his family.


    "And you? Camilla?" Marco asked as he looked at the young lady who had just sat back down.


    "I don''t have anything better to do." She said with a laugh as she blew on the hot liquid in her mug. "It''s part of what is required for me to do my job, I don''t see what''s wrong with it." she finally said.


    "Good, good." Marco said with a nod. "Mr. Reyes will explain things to both of you in a bit. He is just in the other room, speaking with someone."


    As if on cue, the intercom at the center of the room buzzed and the CEO''s voice came through.


    "Marco, please escort my guests to the elevator, then I''ll speak with you, Ian, and Camilla." Mr. Reyes ordered in a deep voice.


    "Yes, sir." Marco replied diligently as he got up and stepped out of the room.


    "Why does Marco make it sound like going around to different departments and different companies will be a bad thing?" Camilla asked Ian as she turned and looked at him.


    "I have no idea." Ian said, shaking his head. "I don''t think either of us would have an issue working in lower positions, unless you do?"


    "No! Of course not!" Camilla said in a defensive tone. "I can work anywhere."


    The door to the office suddenly swung open, making


    "Okay, come on guys." Marco said as he waved at them to step out of the office.


    Ian and Camila both took a deep breath as they stood up and followed the older assistant into the CEOs office.

 Chapter 30 - 30

    As they entered the office, Ian and Camilla were greeted by the familiar intimidating figure of the CEO of the Reyes Group.


    "Sit down guys." Marco told the pair as he pointed towards the couches at the center of the room.??


    Ian and Camilla silently obayed as Marco sat across them and the CEO sat at the head of the table.


    The single couch where Emilio Reyes III sat looked more like a throne than a couch as he sat tall, barely leaning back.


    "You can both relax." Emilio Reyes III told Camilla and Ian with a slight smile.


    Ian observed the CEO, despite his best efforts to look kind and less intimidating, Ian still felt inadequate sitting around the same table as the man.


    "I''m assuming Marco has already briefed you on what will happen next?" Emilio Reyes asked Camilla and Ian.


    They both wordlessly nodded to his question.


    "And they didn''t complain?" Emilio Reyes asked Marco.


    "Nope, they said they were fine with it sir." Marco relayed as he told the CEO about their earlier discussion. "As a matter of fact they told me that they understood the reason behind why we needed them to go through this."


    "Really?" Emilio Reyes said in a surprised tone as he threw Camilla and Ian a questioning look.


    "Yes, sir." Ian quickly replied with a nod. "Plus we did say we would do whatever it took to get us ready for our real job."


    Emilio Reyes silently nodded as he was seemingly deep in thought.


    "They will make a good match for my son." Emilio Reyes finally said as he looked at Marco.


    "The young master isn''t as impulsive as you think, sir." Marco said with a laugh. "You need to give your son some credit, he isn''t exactly taking the easy path."


    "No, he isn''t." Emilio Reyes said with a frown as he shook his head.


    Emilio Reyes frowned and sighed before turning to face Camilla and Ian again.


    "As you both know you are training to help my son and heir in the future." Emilio Reyes began to explain. "The thing is, you''re not the only ones undergoing some sort of training. My son, the Reyes Heir, is learning as well."


    Ian and Camilla looked at each other, both clueless at what to say.


    "I know most people expect me to simply hand over the reins to my son, but that''s not how my family works." Emilio Reyes continued to speak. "There is a reason why we have been able to stay afloat for so long. I can''t tell you yet, but when the time comes we will tell you what it is."


    The two young assistants could do nothing but nod at the CEO. What could a person say when someone as intimidating as him spoke?


    "You two don''t need to be so stiff and tense around me." Emilio Reyes said with a laugh as he noticed how silent the pair had been since they entered his office.


    "I guess I''m just nervous to mess up." Camilla said with a laugh. "Sir." She added as she realized that she didn''t address him correctly.


    "We will be spending a lot of time together, so you being awkward and tense won''t help with the job we need to get done." Emilio Reyes told them.


    "We''ll try, sir." Ian said with a nod.


    "Alright, now I wanted to discuss with you your placement throughout your stay at the Reyes Group and during your training." Emilio Reyes announces as he noticed both assistants visibly slowly relaxing.


    Ian and Camilla nodded as they listened to the CEO.


    "You will start with the most obvious company, Krisanta Land." Emilio Reyes told them. "It''s the largest and oldest company under the Reyes Group. I want you to start with the sales department then make your way around. This won''t take too long since you need to get through all of the companies and most of the departments."


    "There will be a lot of office politics." Marco added as his boss took a pause. "It won''t be easy, but these are things you will need to learn."


    "We can take it." Camilla said with a determined look on her face.


    "Yeah, it''s not like we''re some weak willed fresh graduates." Ian added with an awkward laugh.


    "You aren''t, why else would we have hired you if we didn''t think you were tough enough to survive in the Reyes Group." Emilio Reyes told Ian and Camila with a smile.


    "Your final destination will be Mor Co." Emilio Reyes explained.


    "Mor Co.?" Ian asked with a confused look. "I''m not familiar."


    "It''s not a publicly listed company under the Reyes Group, it''s a tech company that we have newly acquired, even the employees don''t know that they are working for the Reyes Group." Emilio Reyes explained. "This company will be the first one that my son will take charge of."


    "It will also be the company you need to learn the most about." Marco added.


    "You will be placed there for a year, under the CEO''s office." Emilio Reyes told them. "People will think we fired you. But you will continue to receive the same perks."


    "I don''t mind." Ian said with a shrug,


    "Me either, as long as my bosses know I''m doing my job, that''s all that matters." Camilla added with a grin.


    "Good. You both start at Krisanta Land tomorrow." Emilio Reyes informed them. "Today you will learn everything there is to know about the Reyes Group from Marco. Good luck."


    With that the assistants were all dismissed and they left the CEO''s office, excited and worried about the challenges ahead.

 Chapter 31 - 31

    Ian''s first day at work was exhausting.


    He hadn''t realized how many companies were actually owed by the Reyes Group. They were either built up by one CEO, purchased, or in some cases acquired through marriage.??


    Each company had its own intricacies as they were each in a different industry. The Reyes Group had made it a point to truly diversify their portfolio, something that protected them from different industries falling and rising.


    "My brain hurts." Camilla complained as she and Ian walked towards the elevator.


    "We aren''t even done yet." Ian said with a frown as he looked around the empty hallway.


    As assistants to the CEO they did not leave till the CRO left, and even after he had gone they still had a lot of work. Ian began to wonder how Marco even completed everything in time to go home and sleep.


    "Right, we still need to drop by Human Resources to get our new IDs and to check who we will be assigned to work with." Camilla grumbled as Ian pressed the elevator button.


    "Do you think there will still be people in the department to talk to us?" Ian asked as he looked at his watch. It was already 8pm, luckily they had called home in advance and asked the chef to prepare them dinner.


    "We can always check." Camilla said as she got into the elevator.


    Since they didn''t want to announce that they worked for the CEO, the pair decided to take one of the normal elevators down.


    When they got to the HR department''s floor, they were surprised to see several people still working.


    "I guess this company never closes." Camilla whispered with a laugh as they approached the person closest to the elevator.


    Marco had told them that the head of the HR department would be waiting for them. Since it was such a delicate matter, not everyone could be involved in moving Marco and Camilla around the different companies and departments.


    The employee pointed them towards the office at the far end of the hallway.


    The pair quickly walked towards the direction he had pointed at. They knew that the head of the HR department was an important person, they were already ashamed of making him wait for them.


    When they arrived an assistant greeted them and told them that the HR head was already expecting them.


    However, the sight that greeted them was not something they had expected.


    "Finally! You guys are both here!" A woman, not much older than them greeted as she pulled Ian and Camilla into her office. "Marco has told me so much about the two of you, sit, sit." She gestured.


    Ian and Camilla did as she asked and awkwardly sat in her office.


    "Oh, right, I should introduce myself." The woman said with a laugh. "My name is Marie Mendiola." She said with a grin.


    "Ummm, nice to meet you Miss Marie." Ian said with a nod.


    "So stiff, so formal. No wonder my uncle chose you to be my cousin''s assistant." She said with a laugh as she walked over to her desk to grab some documents.


    "Cousin?" Camilla asked as her eyes went wide in realization.


    "Haha, yeah." Marie said. "My mom is the CEO''s older sister. She was supposed to be the Reyes Heir during her time, but she refused. Honestly I''m glad she said no. I wouldn''t want to be like my cousin."


    "Oh, I thought. . ." Ian said as his voice trailed off. He suddenly realized that what he was about to say would sound rude.


    "You thought that the Reyes Family wouldn''t let a woman be at the helm?" Marie asked as she placed the documents in front of them. "Or were you wondering why I am holding such a low position compared to my relatives?"


    "Both?" Ian asked. For some reason, her tone urged him to ask these questions that would otherwise be seen as rude. He was definitely curious, but he wasn''t curious enough to risk his job for answers. After all, Marie was still a Reyes.


    "The Reyes Family is much more progressive compared to its counterparts. For years the women of my family have worked alongside the men, so it would be no issue to have a female heir." Marie explained quite bluntly.


    "Not all families are like that." Ian said with a frown as he thought of his mother''s side. If they had been as open minded as the Reyeses, his mother would now be running the company she had helped grow.


    "As for me working as the head of HR, I asked for this. I need to learn this aspect in order to take over my mom''s role. Don''t worry, I''m not offended by your question. I''m just glad someone asked." Marie said with a smile.


    "We''re still trying to figure out how things work." Camilla said as she smiled back at the woman.


    "These are the documents you need." Marie said as she pushed an envelope towards each of them. "You will both be working under the Sales Department of Krisanta Land. My uncle wanted you assigned to the best team, good luck and be careful. Now go home."


    Marie said as she sent the pair away.


    The walk back to the elevator and the ride down to the parking was silent as they each looked through the documents they had been given.


    "She''s odd." Ian finally said as the elevator descended.


    "I like her though." Camilla told him.


    "So are you taking your car home?" Ian asked his new co-worker.


    "Marco had someone drive it back to Solaire for me, so I guess I need to hitch a ride with you again." Camilla told Ian with a smile.


    "Sure, what could possibly go wrong?" Ian said with a laugh as they walked up to his car and drove home.

 Chapter 32 - 32

    The first half of the drive home was surprisingly quiet. Despite having spent the whole day together Ian and Camilla didn''t seem to have anything to talk about.


    They barely knew each other, so it was no surprise that they didn''t exactly know what to talk about.??


    "Traffic in the capital is the worst." Camilla commented with a frown as they moved at a snail''s pace through the streets.


    "Tell me about it, that''s why nothing is ever on time." Ian grumbled. "So did you grow up in the capital?" Ian asked as he glanced at the girl sitting in the passenger seat.


    "Yes, well kind of." Camilla said, seemingly unsure of the answer. "My family lives in one of the communities right outside of the capital. My parents work at the capital but my school was inside the community we lived in."


    "Lucky you then." Ian said with a laugh. "You haven''t had to suffer through this kind of traffic your whole life."


    "I did when I went to university." Camilla said with a smile. "It was hell, but I preferred going home to my parents'' place rather than staying at a dorm. What about you?" She asked as she tilted her head and looked at Ian.


    "I grew up in the city." Ian said with a nod. "I''ve suffered this hellish traffic all my life."


    "I guess this is normal for you." Camilla told Ian as the cars ahead slowly moved.


    "Just because it''s normal or something I''m used to, doesn''t mean it''s right." Ian said with a grin as he slowly stepped on the pedal, making the car move.


    "Wow, an idealist." Camilla said with a laugh.


    "Nah, I think I''m a realist." Ian told her as he focused his attention on the road. They were only a few minutes away from Solaire Towers. "I''ve been through too much to think the world is perfect, I just know that some things should be made right when they are wrong."


    "I''m surprised you''re working for the Reyes Group then." Camilla said as she gave Ian a curious glance.


    "What do you mean?" Ian asked.


    "Most people would think that the Reyes Group, or to be more accurate the Reyes Family is a symbol of all the injustices in this world." Camilla told Ian in a flat tone.


    "They are extremely wealthy, yes, but they earned every cent." Ian explained. "And it''s not like they pay their employees unfair wages, I mean, look at the life we are living!"


    "That''s true. So when are you planning on going shopping for your unit?" Camilla asked as she diverted the topic to something less serious.


    "Why do you girls all just want to go shopping?" Ian asked with a laugh.


    "Well my question is practical." Camilla told Ian.


    Ian grinned at her response, she was right. He did need to buy things for his unit, it was barebones at the moment.


    "I promised my sisters they could come buy things for me." Ian told Camilla. "Have you set up your unit yet?" He asked.


    "Not yet, well not completely, I still need to buy a few things." She told him as their car approached the driveway to the executive entrance of Solaire Towers.


    "Why don''t you come with us? I''m sure my sisters would love to meet my new co-worker." Ian offered.


    "Sure! That would be perfect. What about this weekend?" Camilla asked.


    "Aren''t we working this weekend?" Ian said as he tried to recall the schedule Marco had briefed them on earlier that day.


    "Yeah, but it''s not till the afternoon. So we should be fine." Camilla said with a nod.


    "Perfect!" As Ian spoke his stomach grumbled, irritating him. He didn''t realize how hungry he actually was because he had spent the whole afternoon working.


    Camilla laughed as she noticed the annoyed expression on his face, prompting him to simply roll his eyes at his co-worker.


    "Hey, did you have the chef cook two separate meals for us?" Ian asked Camilla as he remembered she was the one that called the chef earlier.


    "Crap. I forgot." Camilla cursed. "I''ll just pack some food and eat it at my place." She suggested.


    "No, no. Just eat with me. It''s pretty lonely having dinner alone." Ian said.


    "Wait, wait, are you hitting on me?" Camilla accused. "You''re a nice guy Ian, but I don''t date co-workers, I don''t like the idea." She quickly said.


    Ian suddenly burst out laughing at what she had said.


    "Okay, what I said sounded so wrong now that I think about it." Ian told her with a laugh. "I don''t like you like that." He said as he quickly cleared the air of any confusion.


    "Good. Cause I like you as a friend." Camilla said with a nod.


    "Yeah, same here." Ian told her. "And I have a girlfriend." He quickly added to clarify things.


    As if on cue Ian saw Jas, marching up to the entrance as several guards stopped her from making it all the way to the executive entrance.


    "Shit." Ian cursed as he realized how bad this would look.


    "What?" Camilla asked as she began to worry about Ian''s reaction.


    "Remember that girlfriend I was telling you about?" Ian asked as he scratched his head.


    "Yeeeeaaaahhhh." Camilla said slowly.


    "Well she''s out there and about to misunderstand why I have another woman in my car." Ian said with a sigh as he took a deep breath and stepped out of the car.

 Chapter 33 - 33

    "Let her pass, she''s with me." Ian quickly called out as he walked towards the guards who had stopped Jas.


    "Thank you." Jas said with a smile as she ran up to Ian and hugged him.??


    "I''m so sorry." Ian told her as he hugged her back and gave her a gentle kiss on the lips.


    "It''s fine. I just got worried." Jas told Ian as she cuddled into his arms.


    "I was supposed to pick you up at your place, what are you doing here?" Ian asked as he finally loosened his hold on her waist.


    "Ian, don''t you know what time it is? It''s 9pm, I got worried, you didn''t even call." Jas said. Ian could hear the sadness and worry in her tone. He didn''t mean to forget to call, he was just really busy with work.


    "Things were crazy at the office, Jaz." Ian tried to explain as he kissed the top of her head.


    "It''s your first day, how can you be so busy on your first day?" She asked Ian. "Plus who was the girl in your car?"


    Ian froze at the question, there clearly was no reason for him to react that way, but after his conversation with Camilla it felt somewhat awkward.


    "The girl has a name." Camilla said with a laugh as she approached the couple. "Hi, Camilla Montero. I work with a lover boy over here."


    "Jasmine Ortega, lover boy''s girlfriend." Jas said with a cold smile. "What were you doing in my boyfriend''s car?"


    "I hitched a ride with him. Is there something wrong with that?" Camilla asked, not letting Jas get the better of her.


    "No." Jas answered, clearly losing the argument.


    "Look, Jas, I''m not trying to steal your boyfriend." Camilla told her as she crossed her arms on her chest. "I work with him, we will be working a lot together so you will be seeing a lot of me."


    Ian was surprised to see such a powerful and intimidating side to Camilla. She had been kind and silent the whole day, so this version of her was one he was yet to see.


    "I don''t like you riding with him." Jas pointed out.


    "And here I thought you were better than the ordinary rich stuck up bitches." Camilla said with a laugh, shocking Ian.


    "I''m not acting this way because I''m jealous!" Jas shouted.


    "Maybe we should take this discussion upstairs." Ian suggested as he pulled Jas by the arm, into the executive lobby.


    The guards and receptionists bowed and greeted as they entered, but Ian and Jas ignored them as he marched up to the elevator.


    Camilla on the other hand gave them a smile and asked about a person named Leon.


    When the elevator door opened, Camilla quickly said goodbye to the staff and followed the couple inside.


    The elevator ride was quite awkward with no one saying a word.


    Soon enough they made it up to their floor. Ian didn''t slow down as he marched up to his unit and opened the doors.


    As they entered he heard Jas gasp at the sheer size and elegance of the place. Ian had forgotten how she had never been here yet.


    "Wow." Jas said as she walked in.


    "You clearly need to do a lot of shopping this weekend." Camilla commented as she looked around.


    "Camilla." Ian warned. He still had to tell his girlfriend that he was going shopping with his sisters and Camilla then they had to work after. Which meant, they wouldn''t be able to spend any time together that weekend.


    "Right, I''ll go check on dinner. Have you eaten, Jasmine?" Camilla asked.


    "No." Jas said with a frown.


    "I''ll have another place prepared for you." Camilla said with a smile as she walked out of the living room. Giving Ian and Jas some privacy.


    "I don''t like her." Jas hissed not caring if Camilla could still hear her.


    "It doesn''t matter if you like her or not, I work with her." Ian said in a stern tone. "Seriously Jas, why are you acting like a child?"


    Jas frowned and didn''t say a word.


    "Jas, look, Camilla isn''t my type. I''m not Camilla''s type." Ian said as he made Jas look him in the eyes. "I love you Jas, you and only you."


    "Promise?" Jas asked in a sad tone.


    "Why are you doubting me now, Jas?" Ian asked.


    "You are rich now." Jas said with a frown. "You don''t need me anymore."


    "Jas, I wasn''t with you because I needed you. I am with you because of you. Because you are this amazing woman that I love. Please, don''t ever think I was just using you." Ian begged.


    A part of him felt annoyed that Jas would think he was only with her for the money, that part made him disappointed in her. But she needed to understand that he truly loved her and that he wouldn''t change just because he suddenly had a better life.


    "Okay." Jas said with a nod. "I love you."


    "Okay you''ll try to get along with my officemate and you won''t be so insecure about our relationship?" Ian asked slowly.


    "Yes, I won''t be insecure." Jas said with a nod. "But the officemate, I''ll try. It''s kind of awkward that the two of you live right next to each other and will be spending almost every hour of the day together."


    "I will never ever cheat on you Jas. I promise. I love you too." Ian said as he kissed her passionately on the lips. He missed how her lips felt on his as he pushed his tongue into her mouth.


    He felt her arms wrap around his neck as her hands tugged gently on his hair. He pulled her closer, wanting more.


    "Dinner is ready - oops." Came Camilla''s voice as she realized that had accidentally walked in on their hot make out session.

 Chapter 34 - 34

    Ian ate silently as he watched Jas throw glares at Camilla.


    He was surprised at how Camilla simply ignored the evil look his girlfriend was throwing at her from across the table. Despite what had happened, Camilla remained calm and collected and focused on eating her dinner.??


    "So Jas, are you working?" Camilla suddenly asked, breaking the silence that had enveloped the dining room.


    "Yes." Came Jas'' uninterested response.


    "Oh, nice." Camilla said with a sweet smile. "Where do you work?" Camilla asked.


    "I don''t think you need to know the personal details of my life." Jas hissed as she glared at Camilla.


    "Okay, okay, I got it. We''re not friends." Camilla said as she returned her attention to the meal in front of her.


    "Jas, please, don''t be so hostile towards Camilla." Ian said sweetly as he held Jas'' hand and gently caressed it.


    Jas remained silent for a while as she considered Ian''s request.


    "I have to work with this woman everyday, she will be around a lot." Ian added.


    "I won''t be around if I don''t have to be." Camilla quickly said in an attempt to help Ian''s cause.


    "Fine." Jas said in surrender. "I guess I could give you a second chance. I''m sorry I jumped into conclusions and misunderstood things."


    "I''m sorry too." Camilla said with a frown. "I just act too casually around Ian, I thought that if I acted that way, working together would be a breeze."


    "Don''t apologize for that Camilla." Ian said as he looked at his co-worker. "You were right to drop the formalities. We''re stuck together for the foreseeable future, there shouldn''t be any formalities or awkwardness between us."


    "Still, if I hadn''t just hopped into your car this wouldn''t have happened. I''m sorry." Camilla said with a frown.


    "It''s fine Camila." This time it was Jas that responded. "I over reacted."


    "She has reason to." Ian said with a laugh as he continued to eat his dinner.


    "Oh, why?" Camilla asked as she leaned in to listen.


    "Well, as you can see, my Ian is quite attractive." Jas said with a grin.


    "Not my type, but I see why people would swoon over him." Camilla teased, making everyone laugh.


    "Seriously though, back when we were in university when we had just started dating, a lot of girls would try to put him in suspicious situations to get us to break up." Jas explained with a frown.


    "It wasn''t just girls." Ian grumbled. "Some guys that liked her too would find ways for us to break up. They''d try to cause misunderstandings between us."


    "Even my friends tried that." Jas confessed with a frown.


    "Seriously though, I''m really not interested in Ian." Camilla said with a genuine smile. "I want to be friends with him because we work together, that''s all. Plus he seems to be a really nice guy."


    "Thank you." Jas said with a smile.


    Ian could see that his girlfriend really appreciated how Camilla had stated her intentions. He could only hope that Jas wouldn''t feel so insecure next to Camilla.


    "So how was your first day?" Jas asked the two as she relaxed.


    "Tiring." Camilla said with a laugh.


    "My brain is fried. We had to learn too many things. I''m mentally and physically exhausted." Ian said with a sigh as he shook his head.


    "So is the CEO of the Reyes Group really as menacing as they say?" Jas asked.


    Despite being a public figure the CEO of the Reyes Group, just like the rest of his family, remained to be a very private person.


    All everyone knew about him was related to his work and some basic information. Like the fact that he was married to Priscilla Clarin - Reyes, a woman from an equally powerful family.


    But on the details of how they met or where they met, that was something that people didn''t know. Mr. Reyes rarely attended events too unless his attendance was necessary.


    There was no need for the CEO to attend such trivial events. He controlled the largest and most company in the country, people came to him.


    "Actually, the CEO isn''t as bad as most people say." Camilla said as she picked at her food. "He''s actually quite nice, just really intimidating."


    "I pity his son." Ian said with a frown as he thought of their future boss. "Imagine having a father as demanding as him."


    "He seems quite nice though." Camilla said as she thought of their encounter earlier. "Maybe he is different at home and at work? That''s the case for many people."


    "My dad is somewhat like that." Jas said, joining in on the conversation. "In front of his staff he has this whole demanding persona, but at home he is quite nice."


    "Marco doesn''t seem sad." Ian added as he thought of the CEO''s assistant.


    "Marco, is the CEO''s real assistant, we are just tailing him for training." Camilla explained to Jas.


    "Training for what?" Jas asked as she looked at Camilla with a confused expression.


    Camilla suddenly realized Ian had not told Jas who they were really working for.

 Chapter 35 - 35

    "I guess, I''ll go now." Camilla said as she quickly excused herself. "I''ll see you in the office tomorrow Ian. The help will see to this. Good night. Nice meeting you Jas."


    "Camilla, wait!" Ian called after her as he moved to stand up.??


    Noticing his attempt to follow, Camilla quickly walked out of the apartment before Ian could catch up or Jas could say anything. Ian was shocked at her ability to get out of a sticky situation so quickly.


    "So your real boss is who?" Jas asked as she looked at her boyfriend.


    "I was going to tell you the details of my work today." Ian said as he scratched his head. "So, the real work doesn''t start till the Reyes Heir comes back from some sort of training."


    "So this is like a trial period? This isn''t like a stable job for you?" Jas asked as she raised an eyebrow and tried to figure out more regarding Ian''s work situation.


    "No, no, it''s nothing like that." Ian said, shaking his head with a smile. "Camilla and I are in training too. We are learning from Marco So, the CEO''s assistant."


    "And so what exactly will you be doing there at the Reyes Group?" Jas asked, she didn''t seem mad to Ian. She sounded more curious than mad which surprised Ian, he had expected her to be furious about not knowing the details.


    "You aren''t mad that I didn''t tell you about my job from the start?" Ian asked as he cocked his head to the side. After everything that had happened with her that day he expected Jas to be mad at him.


    "Why would I be mad?" Jas asked Ian. "It''s no big deal. Why would you even think I would be mad? Do you think so lowly of me Ian Lim?" She questioned as the tears began rolling down from her eyes. "I was just concerned, I didn''t want you ending up in a job with no stability, no future. Is it wrong for me to try to help you get the best opportunities?"


    "Jas, I''m sorry." Ian said as he reached out and held her hand.


    "Why do you think so little of me? Why, Ian?" Jas shouted as she continued to cry. "When everyone abandoned you, I stayed. When your family lost everything, I never once thought of you as a lesser man. Why do you keep looking at me as if I''m some spoiled brat?"


    "Jas, I''m sorry if that''s how it came off -" Ian said as he attempted to apologize.


    "No!" Jas shouted as she stood up. "Just because you are the one that lost everything financially doesn''t mean that you are the only one that has suffered in this relationship."


    "What do you mean, Jas?" Ian asked. "I was always the one that people looked down at, I was the one that everyone saw as undeserving of you!"


    "Did you really only see it that way?" Jas questioned him in an angry tone. "People also said things about me, hurtful things. And despite all that I chose you, I chose to stay with you because I love you. I''m guessing that''s not enough for you!"


    At that Jas turned around and marched towards the door, picker her bag up as she passed through the living room.


    "Jas, please, let''s talk about this." Ian called out as he chased after her.


    "Don''t just don''t!" Jas said as she opened the door and stepped out.


    "Jas let me drive you home, it''s dark and unsafe." Ian said as he joined her in the hallway.


    Jas ignored him as she vigorously pressed the down button on the elevator pad.


    "Jas, your father will be furious if I let you go home on your own. Please let me do this. Let''s talk about this." Ian begged.


    "No, Ian." Jas said in a stern tone as her voice echoed down the empty hall. "I brought the driver with me when I came over, I never planned on staying the night. I just wanted to check up on you and wish you a happy first day at work."


    "Jas, please I spoke without thinking." Ian begged.


    "No, not this time." Jas told Ian as the elevator doors opened and she stepped in.


    Ian tried to follow after her, but she held her hand out against his chest, stopping him. Ian looked her in the eyes, but there was no sign that she would give in to him. Clearly she had made up her mind.


    "Ian Lim, if you get in this elevator we are through." She threatened. "Think about what you said and call me when you''re ready. I don''t want you just apologizing to me for the sake of peace. Good night."


    With that Jas pressed the ground floor button and the elevator doors slowly closed, leaving Ian standing in the hallway all alone, wondering what he had done wrong and how he could make it right.

 Chapter 36 - 36

    Ian stared at the elevator for a while as he processed what had happened.


    Jas was right and wrong at the same time. He understood that she needed some sort of understanding from him, that she too had gone through a lot because of their relationship. But wasn''t what he went through worse???


    Wasn''t the suffering and humiliation that he lived through everyday of his life worse? Or was he just pitying himself?


    As Ian opened the door to his apartment, the one next to his opened.


    "You alright?" Camilla asked as she peaked out of her door.


    "Yeah, I guess I will be." Ian said as he placed his hands in his pockets.


    "I know it''s not my place to ask, but are things all good with you and Jas?" Camilla said as she tilted her head slightly to the side.


    "I think they are." Ian said with an awkward smile. "Wanna grab some coffee? I could use the company." He said as he pointed at his open door.


    "Sure, why not." Camilla said as she stepped out of her place and walked towards Ian.


    Ian almost laughed as he saw what she was wearing.


    "Hey! Stop it!" Camilla scolded as she walked past him wearing her fluffy white slippers and pink pajamas with cartoon animals drawn on it.


    "I''m just surprised." Ian said with a grin as he entered his apartment after her. "You dress so prim and proper, I expected you to wear something different to bed."


    "I''m not a silk and lace type of girl." Camilla said as she rolled her eyes and checked the dining room.


    Since Ian and Jas had left in such a rush, several maids were still clearing the table as Camilla walked in.


    "Could I have a coffee please?" Camilla asked, to which a maid nodded and walked towards the kitchen.


    "One for me too." Ian added.


    "So you''re a fluffy bunny type of girl." Ian teased as Camilla jabed an elbow in his ribs, making his cough from the pain.


    "I can be whoever I want and it''s none of your business." Camilla said, rolling her eyes at Ian.


    "Thanks." Ian said with a smile as the maid returned with their coffee.


    "So what''s your story?" Camilla asked as she sipped from her coffee. "You must have a story."


    "What happened to I won''t push you to talk?" Ian asked as he raised an eyebrow.


    "Did I say that?" Camilla asked with a grin.


    "No, but isn''t that the proper thing to say at this time?" Ian asked her.


    "Well, I''m not proper, so spill." Camilla said with a grin.


    "Fine." Ian replied as he rolled his eyes at her. "What do you want to know?"


    "Why don''t we start with your life story?" Camilla asked as she crossed her legs. "You tell me yours I''ll tell you mine."


    "Alright, well where to start?" Ian asked as he thought of what he should say.


    "We''ll be working together for a really long time, so might as well start bonding now." Camilla teased.


    "Do you want to hear my story or not? You talk too much." Ian told her with a chuckle.


    "Shutting up now." Camilla told him as she pretended to zip her lips.


    "Well, I guess you can see that I''m not exactly wealthy." Ian said as he pointed at the hole in his socks. "But my family used to be quite well off, then we lost everything." Ian said with a frown as he recalled what had happened.


    "You don''t seem like a rich spoiled heir." Camilla pointed out as she eyed Ian from head to toe.


    "Well, it''s because I''ve changed a lot over the years." Ian said with a sigh as he took a deep breath. "When I was younger I was a spoiled child, or at least I felt invincible and I got everything I wanted."


    "Did you go to the same school as the five princes?" Camilla asked as she leaned forward.


    Ian laughed at her reaction.


    "Yes, but we weren''t friends." Ian said with a grin as he thought of his only real friend in that school, Damien Park.


    "That''s a bummer, so you don''t know our future boss personally?" Camilla asked as she frowned and leaned back on her seat.


    "I could probably recognize him, but I still wouldn''t be sure." Ian told her. "He left our school when we moved to highschool"


    "Where did he go?" Camilla asked.


    "According to rumors he went to study in America. I guess that''s expected. I mean how can he take the Reyes Group to new heights if he stayed here and didn''t learn from better people?" Ian asked.


    "Do you think that''s where he is now?" Camilla wondered.


    "I think he is either at university there or working for a big company." Ian said as he scratched his chin. "It would be the best way for him to learn about how to improve the Reyes Group."


    "I hope we can meet his expectations." Camilla said with a frown.


    Ian looked at her and realized that she was worried about under performing, and she wasn''t alone, he was too.


    "I''m sure you''ll do great." Ian said as he patted her on the shoulder.


    "I guess all we can do is to learn and do our best." Camilla said with a nod before finishing her coffee and calling it a night.

 Chapter 37 - 37

    The next day, Ian and Camilla still had to go to the office earlier than everyone else.


    Before they could report to the sales department of Krisanta Land, they still needed to meet with Marco, to get their schedule for the week.??


    Since people couldn''t find out that they were assistants to the future CEO of the Reyes Group, the pair had to arrive in different cars and park at the ordinary slots reserved for employees.


    Luckily they were at the office early and didn''t have to fight for parking with the other employees.


    "It really doesn''t make sense that we need to arrive in two different cars despite coming from the same place." Ian complained as they waited for the elevator. "Add to it the fact that our cars are identical, it looks really suspicious."


    "Well maybe we could say we are carpooling so that we don''t need to come to the office in two separate cars." Camilla said with a shrug. "I mean if they ask where we live we will say the same place right?"


    "We haven''t even gotten our story straight yet." Ian said with a laugh as he realized that there was so much that they needed to do.


    "Alright, well we both work as HR Management Trainees and the company wants us to go around learning what skills are required of different jobs." Camilla said as she thought of how they would explain why they were going to different jobs and companies.


    "Now, for the more personal ones, I mean we can be truthful about most things, but they will ask where we live." Ian pointed out. "I think it''s safe to say we live at Solaire Tower."


    "They will think we are loaded." Camilla said with a laugh. "Only high profile individuals and executives of the Reyes Group live in Solaire."


    "We could be working part time there and living at the employee housing." Ian pointed out.


    "Ooooh, good idea. I think we can arrange that with Marco." Camilla said with a nod.


    As the elevator doors opened to the top floor, they were greeted by an eerie silence. It was way too early for people to be in the office.


    "That''s odd, the lights aren''t switched on." Ian said as they silently made their way down the hall.


    "Give me a sec." Camilla said as she fished a flashlight from her bag. "I like being prepared." She said with a grin as they continued to make their way down the hall.


    Ian suddenly stopped in his tracks and held his hand out, signaling Camilla to stop as well.


    "What?" Camilla asked as she had almost tripped when Ian stopped her.


    "Do you hear that?" Ian asked as he whispered in her ear.


    "Hear what?" Camilla asked in an annoyed tone. "Don''t you dare try to scare me Ian Lim, this isn''t funny."


    "I''m not trying to be funny, keep your voice down." Ian whispered. "Can I borrow that?" He asked as he pointed at Camilla''s flashlight.


    "Sure." Camilla said as she handed him the flashlight.


    Ian scanned the hallway, turning the flashlight to the empty cubicles and offices along the hall.


    "What''s wrong Ian?" Camilla asked as she grabbed his arm.


    "I thought I heard footsteps." Ian told her as he turned around to look at the places they had passed. "I thought there was someone else."


    "Clearly there isn''t anyone else in here, Ian. It''s too dark and too quiet." Camilla said as she tugged on his sleeve. "Let''s just get to Marco''s office and lock the door till he arrives if you are worried."


    Ian gave the hallway one more look before nodding and agreeing with Camilla.


    As they turned around and walked forward, Ian was suddenly grabbed from behind by an unknown individual, making Camilla''s flashlight fall to the ground.


    "Let go of me!" Ian heard Camilla shout as he tried to fight his attacker.


    It was too dark for him to see anything but he could still sense where his aggressor was more or less.


    Ian had been in a lot of fights back in his university days so he wasn''t helpless.


    "Camilla, how are you holding up?" Ian called out as he felt his fist connect to a jaw.


    "I could use some help - let go of me bastard!" Camilla shouted as she struggled against the unseen enemy.


    "Try to keep talking to me!" Ian shouted as he felt a knee make contact with his gut.


    "I''m trying - aghhhhhh!" Camilla shouted.


    "Camilla!" Ian called out as he was tackled to the ground.


    Ian tried to roll away but a pair of hands quickly grabbed his ankle. Luckily he managed to slip one leg free, he quickly kicked his attacker and crawled towards Camilla''s flashlight.


    As he grabbed it, he quickly rolled away, a smart move on his end as he heard someone stumble. Clearly an attacker had tried to grab him.


    Ian turned the flashlight towards the direction of the sound and saw a large buff man coming at him.


    He knew he was too weak to go up against a man twice his size, so he quickly evaded the man and hit him with Camilla''s flashlight on the head.


    Luckily the flashlight was metal, making the man fall to the ground.


    Despite having dealt with his attacker, Ian hadn''t noticed that another man had come up behind him, knocking him unconscious.

 Chapter 38 - 38

    When Ian woke up everything was a blur, he was confused as he tried to recall what had just happened to him.


    It took a few seconds for him to finally realize that he and Camilla were attacked in the CEO''s hallway.??


    He began to thrash, but what surprised him was the fact that he wasn''t tied up and he was lying down in a hospital bed.


    "Oh, good, you''re up." Came Marco''s familiar voice.


    "What happened?" Ian asked as he struggled to get up.


    "Tsk, tsk, they weren''t supposed to be so rough, but you put up quite a fight." Marco said as he shook his head.


    "What?" Ian asked, thinking he had misheard the older assistant.


    Marco shook his head again and laughed.


    "Give it a moment and you''ll be pissed off at me." Marco told Ian as he placed a hand on Ian''s shoulder and walked out of the room.


    He then made his way to the waiting room where Camilla sat, frowning and looking at the floor.


    "I''m sorry." Marco told Camilla. "I know it brings up old trauma, but we needed to know how the both of you would react together."


    "It''s part of my job. Please, don''t mention the past." Camilla said with a frown.


    "Ian is awake, I need to explain things to both of you." Marco said with a nod as he led Camilla into the hospital room.


    Inside, Marco could see that Ian now understood what had happened and he wasn''t happy. It wasn''t like he could complain though, there was a valid reason for what happened.


    "What time is it?" Ian asked with a frown, refusing to talk about the attack.


    "It''s 7:30am, work doesn''t start till 9am so you both still have time." Marco told Ian as he took a seat next to the hospital bed.


    Ian and Camilla simply nodded, choosing not to say anything.


    "First of all, I''d like to apologize to both of you." Marco told the pair. "I know what we did was quite, extreme."


    "Very extreme, what will I tell people when they see my bruised face?" Ian asked as he pointed at his face.


    "Ian there are no marks, you honestly look normal." Camilla said with a laugh as she took a mirror out of her bag.


    "I had them avoid the face or any part that could be seen with your clothes on." Ian pointed out. "But your bruises have been healed and we made sure there was no lasting damage."


    "Yeah, so punching me in the gut was fine." Ian grumbled, unable to say anything worse.


    "This was a test." Marco explained, ignoring the younger man''s reactions. "We needed to assess at what level your skills are."


    "Couldn''t you have taken us to a gym or something, instead of having us attacked at six in the morning in a dark hallway?" Ian asked Marco.


    "Unfortunately, no." Marco said with a laugh. "We needed to see how you would both react to a dangerous situation. We saw how prepared Camilla was and how cautious you are. It also taught us that you are quite the fighter Ian."


    "I had to stand up for myself growing up." Ian said with a shrug.


    "These reactions are not things we can get from you in a gym or in a training room. It''s something that can only be seen in real life situations, like you experienced." Marco explained.


    "So what was the point of this test?" It was Camilla''s turn to ask this time.


    "As assistants to the CEO of the Reyes Group you will always be a target." Marco said in a serious tone. "And although the Reyes Group will provide you with bodyguards, you still need to be able to fend for yourself."


    "We''re going to have additional work, aren''t we?" Ian grumbled as he realized what Marco was testing them for.


    "Your abilities won''t just save your lives, but possibly the life of the future CEO as well." Marco said as he ignored Ian''s question. "You are lucky that you have a few more years of training and you won''t be dropped into real work at the start."


    Ian and Camilla both gave Marco a confused look, they knew that they had to train to be the CEOs assistant, but it seemed like there was something else there.


    "I didn''t have the time to prepare like you guys did. Most of what I can do, I learned on the job." Marco said with a frown. "And from the very start my life has always been under threat."


    Marco stood up and walked towards the large window in the hospital room that overlooked the city.


    He took a deep breath and spoke.


    "The Reyes Group and the Reyes family have many enemies." Marco explained. "And to them, the assistant of the CEO who is also the head of the Reyes family is someone extremely valuable. We not only manage the CEOs day to day activities and are privy to many confidential information. We are also people that the CEO trusts, our opinion matters to them, we are both valuable and dangerous."


    Marco turned around and leaned against the glass window and took a deep breath.


    "That''s why we need to know what you can and can''t do, we need to know what gaps to fill." Marco explained. "I''m sorry that we were quite harsh in our methods, but this is something we can''t take our chances on."


    Camilla and Ian looked at each other, they both now understood the need.

 Chapter 39 - 39

    Camilla sat beside Ian as she gave him a concerned look.


    Marco had taken them back to R Tower, to discuss their schedule and the additional training that they needed to undergo. They would also be talking about how Ian and Camilla would be splitting their time between working in the different companies and helping Marco with some assistant duties.??


    "Does it hurt?" Camilla asked as she wore a worried expression.


    "I fought too much, I guess." Ian told her as he threw her a grin.


    "Here, let me fix the ice pack." Camilla offered as she reached out and adjusted it for him.


    "Sorry about that." Marco said with an apologetic smile as he returned to his office.


    For some reason the CEO of the Reyes Group, Emilio Reyes III, had decided to come in way too early. It was only 8am and he was already in the next room, busy talking to someone.


    "Right, on the matter of your schedule. You''ll only be working your rotational roles and companies three times a week, so that''s Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, you''ll be here with me." Marco explained as he looked at Ian and Camilla to see if they understood what he was trying to explain.


    The pair simply nodded, telling Marco that they understood.


    "Next, self defense and survival lessons, these will happen every Saturday at six am sharp. An instructor will go over to Solaire, you can choose to train either at the gym or in your apartment. That bit I leave it up to you." Marco told Ian and Camilla.


    "What if there were other skills that we think would be relevant to our work?" Ian asked.


    "We won''t stop you from learning." Marco told Ian. "As a matter of fact the CEO would encourage it. He is willing for the Reyes Group to shoulder any additional education or learning that you feel you might require, as long as you still manage to fulfil your basic duties,"


    "So, let''s say I wanted to learn coding or evasive driving, could I?" Ian asked as he worked on getting confirmation from Marco.


    "Yes, as long as it doesn''t interfere with your work." Marco said with a nod.


    "Okay, great, I have some skills in mind that I want to work on." Ian told Marco with a grin as he plotted what he would learn.


    "Next, the CEO rarely attends public dinners and events, for those only I will be attending." Marco told Ian and Camilla. "But for the more private functions, these are the more important ones you need to be part of. It will give you the opportunity to meet the really important people in our society."


    "What if there is a conflict with our rotational work in the companies and these private events?" Camilla asked.


    "Then you of course prioritize the CEO." Marco informed them. "The people you will be meeting won''t just help you with the future CEO, it will help you with your personal goals as well."


    "What about private functions? Do we need to attend those?" Ian asked.


    "It depends, there are some that the CEO invites us to, but normally he doesn''t." Marco told Ian. "He knows how little personal time we have and he doesn''t want to take all of our time."


    "Alright." Ian said with a nod.


    "I will admit, with this schedule everything will be difficult and tiring. You will have very little time for your families and friends." Marco told Ian and Camilla with a frown. "I won''t lie to you, my job has ruined relationships, but this is something you knew coming here."


    "My family understands." Camilla said with a smile. "Plus I haven''t been living with them for a while now so they don''t really expect me home that often."


    "Ian?" Marco asked as he looked at the young man. "I know you have a girlfriend, and I know that you still have obligations as your family''s eldest son to fulfill, will this be an issue?"


    "There won''t be an issue with my family." Ian said, shaking his head. "They understand completely the demands of my job. My family has been nothing but supportive with this."


    "And your girlfriend?" Marco asked. He of course knew that Ian was in a relationship. It would have been embarrassing if the Reyes Group wasn''t able to find that little piece of information out.


    "She will have to understand." Ian said with a nod. "Don''t worry about my relationship, I can handle it." Ian said in a confident tone.


    "To be honest, we wouldn''t want your personal life to suffer from this job." Marco said with a frown.


    "Don''t worry, Jas will understand. She has to." Ian said with a determined look in his eyes.

 Chapter 40 - 40

    Ian and Camilla were given some time to rest by Marco, before having one of Marie Mendiola''s people bring them to Krisanta Land''s office.


    All the head offices under the Reyes Group were located within R Tower. As the first company established by the Reyes family, Krisanta Land''s offices were on the 18th to 21st floor.??


    "Are you ready?" Ian asked Camilla as they followed the Human Resources staff member down the hall and towards the elevator.


    "I don''t like lying." Camilla said with a frown.


    "Well just think of it this way, we are really in essence trainees as well." Ian said as he draped an arm over Camilla''s shoulder, which she shrugged off.


    Ian rolled his eyes and laughed at her reaction.


    "Relax Camila, I have a girlfriend remember." Ian told her.


    Camilla rolled her eyes and shook her head as she laughed at how silly Ian was being.


    "Yeah, we are trainees for the future CEO, who if I might remind you is someone we''ve never met." Camilla said with a grin as the elevator arrived.


    "Exactly, so it''s not a lie." Ian said as they got in.


    "You know, most new hires are usually just as clueless as you." The employee from the human resources remarked. "You''ll fit right in." He said with a laugh as the elevator descend.


    "We met some interesting people from Krisanta Land yesterday." Camilla told the HR employee.


    "Don''t tell me, is it that Mike kid and his friends?" The employee said with a laugh.


    Ian and Camilla were shocked that the HR employee knew exactly who they were talking about. It seemed that Mike and his friends had become quite notorious.


    "Don''t worry, the CEO doesn''t have any apprentices except his own son. That kid is all bark and no bite." The employee told them, shaking his head in disapproval.


    Ian and Camilla were both at a loss for words, they didn''t know what to respond to his comment.


    "The name is Hank by the way." The HR employee said.


    "Nice to meet you Hank." Ian said with a nod. A part of him couldn''t help but wonder why Marie would trust this man with the knowledge that they were the newly hired assistants in the CEO''s office.


    "I know what you''re wondering." Hank said with a laugh. "Most employees can''t know who you guys are and yet here I am, assigned to take you to all of the companies you will work for." He said with a grin.


    "Would it be bad if I admitted to thinking that?" Camilla asked with an embarrassed look on her face.


    "No." Hank said in a kind tone. "Marie and Marco weren''t able to explain it to you. There are several Reyes relatives working here, including myself. The name is Hank Reyes - Laurel."


    "You''re a Reyes?" Ian asked with a shocked expression. "I knew you guys were low profile, but this is way too much."


    "Wait till you meet my cousin, your future boss." Hank told them as he shook his head. "For me, this is only temporary anyway. Uncle Emilio is planning on expanding abroad and that''s where most of us will go."


    "Don''t you have a choice?" Ian asked.


    "Of course we do, I chose to take this path my uncle offered." Hank told Ian.


    "You know Ian, we''ve met several times before." Hank said with a grin. "The other families are just way too showy including my father''s side."


    "We have?" Ian asked as he tried to think back.


    "Stop keeping your head down, kid." Hank advised Ian as he clasped his shoulder.


    Just as Ian was about to ask Hank about the details the elevator door opened and they had to step out, quickly shifting the conversation.


    The sales department of Krisanta Land was on the 19th floor, as they made their way to the far end of the row of cubicles a familiar voice called out their names.


    "Ian, Camilla!" It was Seth, one of Mike''s friends.


    "That one is a good kid." Hank whispered as Seth approached.


    "What are you doing here?" Seth asked Ian and Camilla.


    "Oh, we are moving around different companies and departments, it''s kind of essential to learn our jobs." Camilla said with a shrug.


    "Let''s chat later." Seth said as he glanced at Hank. Everyone knew that this man worked with the head of the Human Resources department and he wasn''t someone to be delayed.


    "We''ll come find you." Ian said with a nod as Hank led them towards a meeting room at the end of the hall.


    The meeting room seemed to take up the whole side of the building. Ian assumed that the sales teams often met here since it could probably accommodate all of them.


    Ian glanced at Camilla who gave him a nervous nod, Hank on the other hand placed a hand on each of their shoulders and gave them a reassuring squeeze.


    He then took a step forward and looked back at the pair.


    "Good luck with this one." Hank said with a laugh as he pushed the door open and went inside.

 Chapter 41 - 41

    As Ian and Camilla entered the meeting room walking a step behind Hank, they were quite surprised to see the room packed with people sitting around a long meeting table.


    Some, those that Ian assumed to be lower ranked employees, were standing with some leaning against that wall.??


    "Mr. Laurel, to what do we owe the pleasure?" A man who was seated at the head of the table asked. The way the man greeted and spoke to Hank clearly showed how much respect Hank commanded among the other employees.


    Ian couldn''t help but wonder if they were aware of his connection to the Reyes Family, or were they simply respecting him due to his boss.


    "Just running some errands for Miss Mendiola." Hank said in a casual tone. "Do you and your people have five minutes, Armand?"


    The man whom Hank had called Armand nodded.


    Ian and Camilla both could tell that he was someone of importance among this group since he was seated at the head of the table.


    "Great." Hank said with a nod. As he pushed Ian and Camilla in front of him. "These are Ian and Camilla, new hires from the HR department. They will be going around, working with different companies and departments trying to figure out what it is exactly you guys do and need."


    Ian and Camilla gave an awkward nod, they were unsure of what to do next.


    "Nice to meet you." Armand said with a smile as he offered his hand to shake to Ian first then Camilla.


    The pair obliged and shook his hand.


    "Oh right, Armand is the Vice President for Sales and Marketing of Krisanta Land." Hank said as he quickly remembered to introduce the man in front of them.


    "I thought you would forget to introduce me, Mr. Laurel." Armand said with a laugh.


    "With my workload, it''s normal to forget things like these." Hank said with a nod. "They will be working here for a few months, I believe I emailed you their work schedule?" Hank asked the man in a more serious tone.


    "Yes, and I already have a team in mind to assign them to." Armand said with a nod.


    "I guess I''ll leave the two of you with Armand and his team. Good luck Ian and Camilla." Hank said as he turned and left.


    As soon as the door closed behind Hank the room was quickly a buzz with people chatting among themselves.


    It seemed to Ian and Camilla that Hank had intimidated the room full of top salespeople into silence.


    "Sorry about that." Armand said as he scratched his head. "Mr. Laurel is, well, he works for Miss Marie and everyone knows Miss Marie is the CEO''s niece, so he scares a lot of the employees."


    "He seems to be a nice guy Mr. Armand." Ian told the Vice President as he carried a confused look.


    "Yes, Mr. Laurel is a nice man, he seems nice at least." Armand said with a nod. "The thing is you don''t want to slip up around him. If he works for a Reyes that means he is important." Armand explained.


    Ian and Camilla looked at each other and wordlessly nodded at Armand.


    "As a matter of fact we aren''t even sure if he is related to Miss Marie, you see he has Reyes in his name." Armand explained.


    Ian wanted to laugh when the VP of Krisanta Land began to explain their suspicions about Hank.


    "We don''t want to jump into assumptions because why would a member of the Reyes Family allow themselves to be subjected to such low positions in their own company." Armand told Ian and Camilla.


    "But then again, the Reyes Family is so low profile that we don''t even know who is actually a Reyes in the company." Armand said as he shook his head. "It doesn''t help that Reyes is such a common surname, just in sales and marketing alone I have five employees with that last name."


    "Are they related to the CEO?" Camilla asked, giving what would be the natural response to Armand''s statement.


    "No, no, none of them are, but that just shows how many people are walking around with the same last name." Armand said.


    "I guess we should be careful with the employees around here." Camilla said with an awkward laugh.


    "Let me introduce you to everyone then to the team you will be working with." Armand said as he clapped twice to get everyone''s attention.


    It was clear that his people respected him very highly, as soon as they noticed that he had something to say they all became quiet and turned to face the front.


    "As you all heard from Mr. Laurel, Ian Lim and Camilla Montero will be working with us for a few months." Armand announced. "I hope you will all be nice and give them a warm Kristanta Land Sales Team welcome."


    Everyone clapped and smiled at the end of Armand''s introduction, confusing Camilla and Ian.


    As Ian scanned the crowd, he spotted Mike who nodded and waved at him and Camilla.


    "Manager Jake." Armand called out.


    A tall and fit man in his 40s stood up and walked over to Armand, he had been seated to Armand''s right along with those Ian assumed to be his team members.


    "Ian, Camilla, you will be joining Jake''s team." Armand said as he allowed Jake to take Camilla and Ian aside to talk. "He''ll explain the situation a little bit more, for now, we''ll continue with our meeting."


    At that, Ian and Camilla nodded, finding some spots to stand behind Jake.


    It seemed that there was far more than the eyes could tell to Manager Jake''s team.

 Chapter 42 - 42

    Armand''s meeting was quick as he dismissed everyone within ten minutes. It seemed that Ian and Camilla had been brought in just as the meeting was ending.


    Armand quickly left after the meeting with another team.


    Ian assumed that it was the team Mike belonged to since he had tagged along.


    As soon as the meeting ended Jake let everyone go and asked Ian and Camilla to come with him to get a cup of coffee.


    Thinking that it was just a normal discussion, the two assistants saw no harm in it and went with the manager to the coffee shop on the ground floor.


    Since work hours were in full swing, there wasn''t a long wait at the elevator.


    "I''m sorry the two of you are stuck with me in this team." The manager, Jake, said with a sigh as he leaned against the elevator wall.


    Camilla and Ian gave each other a confused look before asking the manager what he meant.


    "This team?" Ian asked.


    "Yes, well, being in this team is a punishment and a quote, unquote, promotion for me." Jake said as he rolled his eyes. "Look it isn''t safe to talk here but I''ll explain while we grab a cup of coffee."


    Ian and Camilla could do nothing but nod as they took the very awkward elevator ride down.


    Apparently the coffee shop Jake wanted to take them to was not in R Tower, rather it was across the street where very few Reyes Group employees went.


    They found a quiet area to the side and ordered their drinks.


    "I won''t lie to you seeing as you were quite friendly with Mr. Hank Laurel." Jake said with a frown. "I know who he is by the way, one of the few."


    "What do you mean?" Ian asked as he looked at Jake.


    "Honestly if the people below were just as good as the employees working directly for the Reyes Family the Reyes Group would be the best place to work for." Jake said with a sigh as he took a sip of his coffee.


    Ian and Camilla looked at each other but decided against saying anything.


    Jake took a deep breath and shook his head.


    "I''m sure Armand gave you that whole speech about not knowing who you are working with, it''s exactly what happened to me." Jake told them. "I used to handle the strongest sales team in the Reyes Group, but because of one kid, I got kicked out of the team."


    "Why didn''t you tell Hank?" Ian asked Jake.


    "I did, why do you think you''re in Krisanta Land first?" Jake said with a laugh. "The team I was handed now is one of the poorest performing teams, and I don''t think it''s their fault."


    "What do you mean?" Camilla asked.


    "Someone is sabotaging this team. It was Armand and Mike that didn''t know who they were messing with." Jake said with a grin.


    "Don''t tell me you are a Reyes too." Ian said as he rolled his eyes, if Jake belonged to the Reyes Family as well it would be too much.


    "No, nothing like that." Jake said with a laugh. "I''m cousins with Hank, on his father''s side, but I was kind of disowned."


    "So you ended up here?" Ian asked Jake.


    "Yes, Lim. I''m not ignorant like Armand, Ian Lim, same name as Ricardo Lim''s son?" Jake said with a laugh. "It was Hank that pointed you out at the last party."


    "I thought you were disowned?" Ian asked.


    "Privately not publicly, as the eldest son of the Laurel family I still need to go to all those damned functions." Jake complained.


    "Why not just ask the Reyeses to fire Mike and Armand?" Camilla asked. "Isn''t that how it usually works? The CEO''s people don''t like someone they fire them."


    Jack chuckled at Camilla''s expectations.


    "You watch too many dramas." Jake said. "That''s not how the real world works. Plus the Reyes Group is fairer than fair and it annoys the hell out of me. Hank sent you so we could investigate what is going on at Krisanta Land."


    Ian and Camilla looked at each other suspiciously, they didn''t know if they could trust Jake or if this was some sort of test.


    "Look, just ask Hank later. He''ll drop by to bring you back to Marco. The boss has a big private event tonight, you''ll be needed." Jake explained.


    "Let''s just say for now we believe you." Ian told Jake with a nod.


    "Great, once you confirm with Hank I''ll see you tonight and we can talk." Jake said as he finished his coffee and stood up.


    "Tonight?" Camilla asked.


    "Yep, the Laurels are involved so my dad wants me around." Jake said with a grin as he gestured for them to leave.

 Chapter 43 - 43

    When they finally made it back to the 19th floor, Jake Laurel brought Ian and Camilla to their desks and introduced them to the rest of the team.


    "We won''t be in the office most of the time, so I wouldn''t leave too many things here." One of their new teammates advised.


    "We''re only here on Fridays to do reports and meetings." Jake informed them with a nod. "I''ll let you guys settle in and we can have a team lunch after this."


    "Thanks." Ian and Camilla both said with a nod as everyone laughed at how in sync the pair were.


    "So what''s the score on the two of you, are you guys dating or what?" Another teammate asked as he rolled his seat over.


    "Nothing like that." Ian said as he shook his head. "We just met yesterday. I''ve known Camilla just one workday ahead of you guys."


    "Well, the two of you look like you''ve known each other for years. Probably why they paired you up to work together." A female member of the team said with a sweet smile.


    "Excuse me." A familiar voice said from behind Ian and Camilla. The pair turned around and found Seth awkwardly waiting for them.


    "Hey, you''re Mike''s friend." One of their teammates pointed out with an annoyed expression. "What are you doing here?" He asked.


    "Oh, ummm, I''m friends with Ian and Camilla. Well we''ve met and I wanted to talk to them." Seth said in a shy tone.


    "Really?" Another member said as he eyed Camilla and Ian suspiciously.


    "This will only take a moment." Seth said with a nod as he pointed towards a secluded corner.


    "Sure, why not." Ian said with a shrug as he dragged Camilla with him.


    As they turned back the could see their teammates, shaking their heads as if the pair had made the worst decision they possibly could in their lives.


    "I feel bad for those guys." Seth said as he looked around, making sure that there were no eavesdroppers nearby.


    "What''s up with the whole tense situation and awkward behavior?" Camilla asked Seath.


    "Well, they don''t exactly like me because I''m friends with Mike." Seth said with a frown. "Honestly it''s Mike that''s at fault here, that guy is an ass." Seth spat in a bitter tone.


    "Then why are you still friends with him if you know he is a rotten person?" Ian asked as he crossed his arms on his chest. "It makes you just as bad as him."


    "I found out way too late." Seth said with a frown. "Plus I won''t be here for long so it''s best to just keep my head down."


    "What do you mean?" Ian asked.


    "Look, we are getting off track." Seth said as he shook his head, taking a look over Ian''s shoulder.


    "What do you keep looking for?" Ian asked angrily as he looked around, trying to figure out what Seth''s anxious glances were about.


    "Just don''t get on Mike''s bad side." Seth warned. As a group of employees approached them. "I''ll tell you more when we have time. Can you meet me outside of work?"


    "Here." Camilla said as she quickly handed Seth a folded piece of paper. "Meet us on sunday." She said as Seth nodded and quickly left.


    "That was odd." Ian told Camilla as he looked at his fellow assistant.


    "Way too odd." Camilla responded as she shook her head.


    "By the way, what did you give him?" Ian asked as they turned to join their teammates.


    "My phone number and the address to the executive lobby of Solaire." Camilla said with a shrug.


    "What!?" Ian asked, his shock written all over his face. "Why would you let him know we lived in Solaire."


    "Look, he clearly knows something, Ian. And as assistants to the CEO and the future CEO it''s our job to defend this company." Camilla said in a low voice. "So get your act in line Ian!"


    "I got it, alright, fine." Ian said as he laughed at how intense Camilla suddenly got.


    "Plus I just gave him the address, doesn''t mean we live there." Camilla said with a shrug. "I doubt he would believe that we lived there."


    "Whatever, let''s just get back to everyone before they start hating us for talking to Seth." Ian told Camilla as they walked back to the group.

 Chapter 44 - 44

    "We didn''t know you were friendly with minion number 2." A female teammate of theirs said in a bitter tone as Camilla and Ian returned to their desks.


    "We aren''t exactly friends." Ian said, shaking his head as he tried to disassociate himself from Seth.


    "Really? Then why did the kid come looking for the two of you?" She asked.


    "Calm down Ash." Another teammate said as he reprimanded the woman named Ash.


    "Well, Fred, they should at least know what kind of person Seth Dean is." Another employee said.


    Ian and Camilla looked at Fred with a questioning expression on their faces.


    "Look, if you guys want to know how we met Seth and his little group we can tell you." Camilla told their teammates. "It''s not exactly like some sort of secret meeting where we got accepted into their cult."


    "So how did you meet them?" The woman named Ash asked as he gave Camilla a disgusted look which annoyed Ian.


    "We were minding our own business on our first day at the Reyes Group when Mike decided to impart some words of wisdom to us." Ian said as he rolled his eyes.


    He decided to answer for Camilla since he didn''t appreciate the way Ash was talking to her.


    "So what do you think of them?" The one called Fred asked.


    Ian assumed that he was like the leader of this group since everyone took his opinion into account and they all kept quiet when he spoke.


    "Mike is annoying." Camilla said as she rolled her eyes. "And that girl that keeps hanging around him, what''s her name again Ian?" Camilla asked.


    "Katrina." Ian responded with a groan as he thought of how annoyed he was when they met her at the cafeteria.


    "Right her, Katrina, she''s just a pain." Cilla said as she shook her head.


    "What about Seth and the other two girls they hang out with?" Fred asked.


    "We didn''t get to talk to them much." Ian said with a shrug. "Seth''s not loud or boastful. I don''t know how he is so I can'' pass judgement."


    "Fair enough." Ash said with a nod. "Seth''s only issue is that he is friends with Mike, but they came in together so I guess he has no choice."


    "Yeah, Mike and Katrina were boasting about how Mike was the CEO''s apprentice. Seth didn''t seem too happy with what they were doing." Ian pointed out.


    "That''s a ton of bullshit." Fred said, surprising everyone in the group.


    "Wow, that''s harsh coming from you." One of their teammates said with a a laugh.


    "Well I''m pretty sure the CEO doesn''t have an apprentice." Fred told them as he shook his head. "It''s his fault we are in this situation now, and I pity our new manager, Jake."


    "Why?" Ian asked as he gave their new teammates a confused look.


    "It''s not exactly safe to talk about this now, maybe later over lunch." Fred said with a frown.


    "Just know that this is the worst possible team you could belong to in Krisanta Land. We have the worst sales and the worst reputation." Ash said as she shook her head and frowned.


    "It wasn''t always like this." Fred said with a sigh. "Things were better before, much fairer. The Reyes Group has always been fair, at least at the top."


    "Yeah, then pricks like Armand hire tiny pricks like Mike. I swear I think they are related." Ash argued.


    "Are they?" Camilla asked.


    "Nope." Fred replied with a laugh. "But with the way Armand favors Mike you would think they were related." He said as he shook his head.


    "I thought the Reyes Group was the fairest company in the country giving equal opportunities to its employees?" Ian asked as he tried to get more information out of the group.


    "It is. Well at least the higher ups are, but they can''t keep an eye on the little ones like us. That''s where the abuse of power happens." Fred explained as he shook his head. "We can see the bosses try, but Armand is just really rotten fruit."


    "Aren''t you worried that he will hear you?" Camilla asked as she looked around.


    "They don''t give a shit about us." Ash said with a laugh. "We are the lowest of the low here.


    "We should all go, Jake might end up waiting for us at Nouveau if we don''t go down now." Fred said as everyone began to stand up and move.


    Ian noticed how they all packed up their things and made sure to securely lock them in their drawers.


    "We''ve been pranked more than once." Fred explained as he noticed Ian''s curious expression.


    Ian frowned as he realized how miserable the conditions were for the team they had joined.

 Chapter 45 - [Bonus ] 45

    "So what is Nouveau?" Ian asked as they piled into the elevator.


    "You don''t know Nouveau?" Ash asked with a look of surprise on her face. "Have you been living under a rock or something?" She questioned.


    "Go easy on them Ash." Fred said as he shook his head in disapproval of the way Ash was acting.


    "So what is it?" Camilla asked again.


    "Nouveau is a fancy restaurant that the Reyes Group owns and operates. It''s very expensive and very posh." Fred told them. "It''s located on the 15th floor of R Tower and while you are eating you can gaze upon the marvelous skyline of the city."


    "Or at least that''s how we like to introduce it to our clients." A male team member said with a laugh. "We often take them there when we are trying to impress them. As long as it''s a valid meeting, the company pays for the meals."


    "It''s hard though, since we need to get our reservations in as soon as possible. There are only four tables reserved for the sales team of Krisanta Land on a daily basis, and everyone wants to eat at Nouveau." Another team member explained.


    "Well the demand has gone down a bit." Fred told them. "Especially since that place, Bamboo Room opened."


    "Yeah, I had a client that insisted on having a meal there." Ash said as she shook her head. "He insisted that since our CEO and the father of the owner of Bamboo Room are friends, we should be able to get reservations easily."


    Fred and the other members of the team laughed at Ash''s story.


    Ian and Camilla on the other hand didn''t quite get the joke.


    "It''s quite common for people to assume that since you work at the Reyes Group you have access to everything the Reyes Family has, including their connections." Fred said with a frown.


    "I had a cousin ask me once if I could get her into Lights Entertainment, I couldn''t help but laugh at how silly she was being." One team member explained.


    "Why would they think that?" Camilla asked.


    "Have you never heard of the five princes of the capital, Camilla?" Ash asked if she gave the young assistant a confused look.


    "No." Camilla said, shaking her head.


    Ian too gave her a concerned look, he was sure Camilla knew who the five princes were. What confused him was what she could be planning with her question.


    As Ash was about to answer, the elevator doors opened and they started to get off of the elevator.


    "You are joking, right?" Ian whispered to Camilla.


    "Shhhh. I want to hear their answer." Camilla said as she walked ahead of Ian.


    Their group was then led to a table overlooking the city.


    Ian could see as Jake waved at his team calling them over. The team however, didn''t seem too happy to see him as they made their way to the table.


    "I''m assuming you all got to get to know each other better?" Jake asked Ian, Camilla, and the rest of the sales team as they took their seats.


    "Yeah, these two are quite interesting." Fred said with a nod. It seemed like Fred was the spokesperson of the whole team to Jake as they all kept quiet, creating an awkward silence on the table.


    "So Camilla, do you really not know who the five princes are?" Ash finally asked, shattering the moment.


    Jake gave Camilla a confused look as she nodded. He too expected for Camilla to know who the five princes were, especially since they were hired to work for one.


    "Wow, this kid really doesn''t know!" Fred exclaimed. "Don''t worry, Ash knows everything and anything about them." Fred said with a laugh.


    "It''s true, she''s a fan." Jake said with a smile as he was curious to find out what Camilla was plotting. "She even waits at the lobby when one of them comes to visit their uncle."


    "I can''t help it, they are rich, smart, and good looking, the complete package." She said with a shrug.


    "So who are they?" Camilla asked as she pretended to be clueless on the matter.


    "The five princes are the sons of the most powerful men in the country." Fred explained. "Among them is our CEOs son, the Reyes Heir."


    "Oh, don''t even get me started on him, he is the hottest among all of them." Ash said in an excited voice.


    Ian wanted to laugh at how a grown woman was suddenly acting like a highschool girl as she swooned over someone she didn''t even know.


    "How do you even know he is the hottest, no one has seen him."'' Jake said, shaking his head at his employee.


    "It''s because he is so mysterious, that''s why he is so hot." Ash boasted.

 Chapter 46 - 47

    It took every ounce of Ian''s self control not to laugh at the woman before him. He couldn''t believe that just moments ago he was scared of her hostile demeanour, and now here she was talking about how hot a guy she had never seen was.


    "Okay. . ." Camilla said in a weirded out tone as she too tried not to laugh.


    "Oh, right, you wanted to know who they were." Ash said with a somewhat embarrassed expression.


    "Yeah, so the Reyes Heir is one. Who are the other four?" Camilla asked.


    "Well, the most notorious, and possibly the most popular one is the president''s son." Ash explained.


    "The president''s son? Like the president of our country?" Camilla asked as she pretended to be shocked.


    Ash laughed and nodded. She seemed to find Camilla''s false ignorance quite amusing, little did she know that Camilla would probably be interacting with those princes soon.


    "Alexander Sebastian, hot and dangerous, and the perfect son. His only crime is that women fall too quickly for him." Ash said with a grin.


    Ian remembered Alexander Sebastian, they had gone to the same schools all throughout their lives. They were even classmates in elementary school, but Ian only knew the so-called playboy politician from a distance.


    "He might be young, but he is already running for office. I can just imagine all of his posters in his hometown." Ash said with a blush as she thought of the handsome politician.


    "Who are the others?" Camilla asked.


    "Ah, the one Luis here was talking about is Ramon Abad, another of the five princes." Ash said as she pointed at the tall and lanky man that had told them the story of his cousin in the elevator.


    "Ramon Abad, comes from another business family, they own the largest broadcasting and production network in the country, Abad News Network." Ash explained. "And Mr. Ramon personally manages Lights Entertainment, their artist management arm."


    "If you didn''t know, Lights is the agency that made Eric Chan the big star that he is." The only other woman in their team said.


    "Jill here is a huge fan of Eric Chan." Ash said as she laughed at Jill.


    "Yeah, at least the guy I am a fan of is at least as old as me, you''re crushing on kids that just graduated from university." Jill teased Ash.


    "Hey, hey, hey, no low blows!" Ash whined as Jill and the others laughed at Jill''s comment.


    "So it''s the Reyes Heir, the President''s Son, an Entertainment Mogul, who else?" Camilla asked as she steered the conversation back on topic.


    "Well there is also Miguel Chan, his family owns Saints Hospital, and based on what I know, he is a rising star in the medical field." Jill told Camilla as she thought of what she knew.


    "Maybe he and Eric Chan are related." Ian said as he recalled that Miguel Chan had an older brother back when they were in school.


    The girls laughed at his comment.


    "Yeah, and I''m related to the CEO." Ash said. "My last name is Reyes, but I am in no way related to those moguls. I wish I was, but no." She said with a sigh.


    "Chan is a common surname among the Chinese here in the capital, so it isn''t likely that they are related. I mean, are you related to all of the Lims?" Jake asked Ian with a wink, making Ian consider it even more that Eric Chan and Miguel Chan were related.


    "So who is the fifth?" Camilla asked.


    "Well, I guess you could say he is the second most mysterious one next to our Reyes


    Heir." Ash said with a smile. "Raymund Laurence is the sole heir to the Laurence fortune, a company that is only second to the Reyes Group."


    "Oh, another rich man." Fred said, rolling his eyes.


    "He isn''t just rich because of his family." Ash said as she rolled her eyes at Fred. "He has been quite successful in his own ventures, that place we were telling you about, Bamboo Room, he owns it."


    Ian nodded silently as he recalled his own interaction with Raymund Laurence in the restaurant. The man had said that he now worked for his friend so he was due to get special treatment.


    "If rumors are right, then he is the Reyes Heir''s best friend." Jill added as she recalled the latest gossip she had read.


    "There is gossip about them everywhere, it''s because both he and the Reyes Heir are very private individuals." Jake said with a nod.


    "People have even gone as far as assuming that he and the Reyes Heir are in fact a couple." Luis said as he laughed.


    "It''s not entirely impossible." Ash said with a grin. "No one knows who the Reyes Heir is, and Raymund Laurence has never been seen with a woman."


    "But he always brings a date to the Reyes Group galas." Jill pointed out.


    "He brings a girl, but ends up chatting in a corner with his friends, very suspicious." Ash said, shaking her head.


    "So aside from the Reyes Heir being so mysterious, what else do we know about him?" Camilla asked.


    "I swear woman, have you been living under a rock?" Ash asked as she pointed at Camilla.


    "I''m not a fan of gossip." Camilla plainly said.


    "Rumors about the Reyes Heir have been circulating since he disappeared, and it''s not like we had much to go on before." Ash grumbled.


    "People say he is in an institution." Fred whispered as he looked around the room.


    "We all know that''s bullshit." Ash said as she rolled her eyes at Fred.


    "Well, what reason is there? I mean it already looks like the CEO is grooming his daughter to take over, at such a young age she is already the Vice President." Fred argued.


    "They would have said if Miss Ayanna is going to be the next CEO." Ash pointed out.


    "You never know." Fred said with a shrug as he left everyone on the table to consider the rumor.

 Chapter 47 - 47

    The rest of the day went quite peacefully for Ian and Camilla, they learned that on office days, the sales team barely did anything interesting. I was mostly filing documentary requirements and updating everyone on their sales.


    As the day ended, Ian and Camilla got instructions from Jake to join Ash on her route on Monday.


    They quickly got Ash''s number and agreed to meet up at a place near the client she was meeting.


    According to Jake it was a big client and he wanted Ian and Camilla to provide whatever support it took.


    "We can''t really do much." Ian told Jake as they rode the elevator up to the CEOs floor. "We don''t have the connections or the skills to help Ash out if there is a problem."


    "You are the best connected person in the office, second only to those with a Reyes in their name." Jake said with a laugh. "Marco will help you, just give him a call."


    "I don''t think we are supposed to abuse our positions as assistants to the CEO." Camilla pointed out.


    "You wouldn''t be." Jake said as he shook his head. "That meeting is for the benefit of the Reyes Group, and if my suspicions are correct, Mark and Armand are out to sabotage the meeting."


    "Why would they sabotage something that could benefit the company?" Ian asked.


    "Because they want to have a monopoly on all the major clients." Jake explained. "I know they are doing something, I''m just not sure what."


    They quickly stepped out of the elevator and made their way to Marco''s office, along the way, they bumped into the Vice President for Krisanta Land, Rolan.


    "Jake!" The Rolan greeted Jake with a pat on the back. "How are my sales people holding up?"


    Ian and Camilla both gave Jake a curious look, if he was friends with the Vice President then why did he suffer under Armand and Mike.


    "Same old, same old, I still need proof." Jake said with a frown as he shook his head.


    "If anyone will catch them, you will." Rolan said as he smiled and nodded at Jake. "Did you specifically ask for them? I know Hank was the one that found a way to get them into your team. That cousin of ours is cunning."


    "I did." Jake said with a nod and a smile. "He would have put them in any random department if I hadn''t."


    "Good luck guys, if Jake needed help it means this is a tough one to crack." Rolan said as he smiled at the two assistants.


    "Got a meeting with uncle?" Jake asked as he looked at the documents that Rolan was carrying.


    "Yup, it''s about the dinner tonight. You''ll be there, right?" Rolan asked.


    "My dad wouldn''t let me miss it, he plans on capitalizing how much time I spend with my Reyes relations." Jake said as he rolled his eyes. "I really really don''t understand him."


    "He''ll understand, eventually." Rolan said as he wished Jake the best. "I still have some work to finish, see you tonight." Rolan said as he left with his secretary trailing behind him.


    "So they send you when there are problems?" Camilla asked as she gave Jake a curious look.


    "Nah, just with Krisanta Land." Jake said as he shook his head. "Uncle Emilio knew that I wanted to learn more about the business since my family is into real estate as well."


    "So he hire you to learn? Like an apprentice?" Ian asked with a laugh.


    "I guess you could say something like that." Jake said with a shrug. "But it''s not like it''ll help that much, with me being disowned and everything. Come on, Marco will be waiting for you guys he still has to brief you on the dinner tonight and there are a ton of things you need to learn."


    Camilla and Ian nodded as they followed Jake down the hall.

 Chapter 48 - 48

    When they got to the assistants'' office, Ian and Camilla were surprised to find that the huge office had changed completely.


    There were now three rooms and a hallway between them, it seemed like it was now bigger as well, probably absorbing one of the adjacent meeting rooms.


    "Ah, here." Jake said as he pointed at the room at the end of the hall, by the looks of it, it was the biggest one out of the three.


    Camilla and Ian glanced around as they saw their names written on silver plaques above each of the two smaller rooms.


    "I guess we have our own offices now." Ian said with a shrug as they followed Jake down the hall.


    Jake stopped and knocked on the door, just like the other two, this one had a plaque with Marco''s name on it. He waited till they heard Marco''s voice call out, telling them to come in.


    "I got your kids back." Jake teased as they walked into the newly renovated office.


    "Good." Marco said without lifting his head from the documents he was reading.


    Marco''s old desk and furniture were moved into this room, it seemed to be almost the same size as the hallway and two smaller offices. Clearly as the CEO''s personal assistant he was provided with more work space.


    Jake shook his head as he noticed how focused Marco was with his work, he walked over and sat casually on the couch.


    When he noticed that Ian and Camilla had remained standing by the door, Jake waved them over, telling them to take a seat.


    An awkward silence enveloped the room as Marco continued to study the document in front of him, occasionally writing down notes.


    After a while Marco sighed and finally placed the document down and turned his attention to Ian, Camilla, and Jake.


    "Did you get surprised?" Marco asked with a smile. "They work really fast here, unfortunately I had to work in Mr. Reyes'' office the whole day and I barely got any work done."


    "Did he ask you about you know who again?" Jake asked with a raised eyebrow.


    "I swear the closer the date comes to his return, the more eager you uncle becomes." Marco said, shaking his head.


    "Who?" Ian asked as he gave a curious glance to both men.


    "Your future boss." Marco said with a laugh. "Mr. Reyes is anxious to have him come back."


    "Where is he anyway?" Camilla asked.


    "Confidential, we can''t tell you. But trust me, you''ll be the first to know when he is back." Jake said with a grin.


    "Ian, do you mind preparing coffee for us?" Marco asked as he pointed to the coffee machine that was neatly placed on the side. "Don''t worry, I already had someone clean it and make sure it runs."


    "Alright." Ian said with a nod as he did as Marco asked.


    "Camilla, there are a stack of documents on your''s and Ian''s desks in your respective offices, can you get them?" Marco asked. "I was hoping the two of you could help me with work, I didn''t expect you to drag Jake along."


    "We didn''t drag him along, he dragged us." Ian complained as he prepared the coffee.


    "I''ll help Camilla get the documents." Jake said as he quickly left Marco''s office.


    Marco laughed as Jake sprinted out, followed by Camilla.


    "He isn''t supposed to be here, is he?" Ian asked Marco as he brought over Marco''s coffee.


    "Thanks." Marco said with a nod as he took the cup from Ian. "No he isn''t." Marco said, shaking his head.


    "Then why did he insist on taking us up here?" Ian asked as he brought his, Jake''s, and Camilla''s drinks to the table.


    "He is just avoiding his dad." Marco said as he shook his head. "His father normally wants him at their house an hour before the meeting. Jake is delaying it so that he arrives, five minutes before they have to leave."


    "I am not delaying anything." Jake said as he held the door open for Camilla. Each of them had a small stack of documents in their hands.


    "Might as well be useful while you are here." Marco told Jake with a mischievous grin. "Those are all contracts that need to be looked over for tonight. You just need to check the proposal, if it brings a significant enough amount to the Reyes Group or not."


    "I swear, the role assistant is an understatement for you guys." Jake said with a laugh.


    "Don''t just stand there Jake help with the documents." Marco said in a stern tone as he pointed at a pile on his desk.


    "I can''t, conflict of interest." Jake told Marco as he tried to get out of helping.


    "Conflict my ass, the only conflict you have is you would disapprove of your own company''s proposal so that you wouldn''t have to go to dinner tonight." Marco told Jake as he pushed the pile towards him.


    "Fine." Jake said as he walked over and too the pile from the desk, giving into what Marco wanted him to do.

 Chapter 49 - 49

    "Time to go." Marco said as he looked at the clock and pointed at Jake.


    "Already? I hate having to face my dad." Jake grumbled as he placed the documents he had been working on neatly at the side.


    "You''ll only need to face him for five minutes, after that you both take separate cars to the venue." Marco pointed out, making Ian and Camilla laugh.


    "You have no idea how bad five minutes can get." Jake said as he rolled his eyes.


    "Is it worse than people forcing you to marry someone?" Marco said with a straight face.


    "Riiiiight. . ." Jake answered as he began to blush. "Sorry about that Marco, I''m sure she''ll come around eventually."


    "It doesn''t matter, now go." Marco said as he pointed at the door.


    Jake quickly said his goodbyes to the assistants as he dashed out of the office.


    "Do either of you have any clothes appropriate for tonight?" Marco asked Ian and Camilla.


    "What would you consider appropriate for tonight? What is this event even about?" Camilla asked as she tried to figure out what outfit she needed to wear.


    "Right, I haven''t fully briefed you, sorry about that." Marco said as he placed the documents in front of him aside. "The rest of the work can wait till Monday. Leave them in your offices."


    Camilla and Ian nodded as they too placed the documents aside.


    "The event tonight is something Ian''s family is actually quite familiar with." Marco said as he gave Ian a sad look. "Every six months, the richest families that are involved with real estate gather for dinner. Normally it would be the head of the company and his heirs."


    "So the Reyes Heir will be there?" Ian asked. He was eager to learn who his boss was. Even the name of the Reyes Heir was not in any source he had checked.


    "No, the kid won''t be there." Marco said as he shook his head. "For the Reyes Family, it will be the CEO, Miss Ayanna, Miss Marie, and Hank."


    "So is Miss Ayanna going to end up running Krisanta Land in the future?" Camilla asked.


    "It all depends on her brother." Marco explained with a shrug. "When the Reyes Heir eventually takes over, he will be the one calling the shots. He and Miss Ayanna have a very good relationship, as a matter of fact I think he will make her choose which company she likes most."


    "What will happen at dinner tonight? I mean I have a vague idea, but I might be wrong." Ian told Marco, bringing their discussion back on topic.


    "Tell me, what do you think?" Marco asked the younger man.


    "Business deals and match-ups, so all business deals." Ian told Marco flatly.


    Marco laughed at Ian''s comment, but it seemed that Camilla didn''t understand what Ian was trying to say.


    "Can you explain? I don''t get it." Camilla complained.


    "Obviously you know what business deals are, but tonight, many parents will use it as an opportunity to match their son or daughter with another kid." Marco said with a laugh. "All of those match-ups are financially and politically motivated. So they are still business deals."


    Marco laughed as he said the joke once more, making Camilla roll her eyes at him.


    "So why do we have to be there?" Ian asked.


    "The Reyes family goes there for one reason alone, the business deals." Marco explained with a more serious expression. "Unlike most families, they don''t interfere with who their children marry or date. They only step in with extreme cases."


    "They don''t have anything to chase or prove." Ian mumbled.


    "Yes, so our purpose is to help the boss, and the other Reyes relatives close deals and get the proper documents ready." Marco said with a nod.


    "Do we need to come back here after?" Camilla asked.


    "No, your places have their own safes, store all the documents there. It''s up to you if you want to sort them over the weekend or not. But otherwise, just leave them till Monday." Marco informed the pair.


    "So I''m guessing this is a formal event?" Ian asked. Most events with the rich families were formal, especially those held at night.


    "Yes, so wear something nice, but Camilla, nothing too alluring, you know how rich men get." Marco said with a frown.


    "Yep." Camilla responded.


    "So now off with both of you, I''ll see you guys later." Marco instructed as he sent Camilla and Ian away.

 Chapter 50 - 50

    Ian knocked on Camilla''s door for the third time since he finished getting ready. They had to leave in the next ten minutes and Camilla still wasn''t ready.


    He was so tempted to ask the woman at the lobby to have the door opened. They could not be late for their first event.


    "Calm down!" Camilla called out from the other side of the door.


    Ian could hear her voice coming closer to him. He quickly took a step back, he knew Camilla wasn''t going to be happy about him rushing her.


    The door flew open and Camilla glared at him.


    She was wearing a black dress with blue accents, it was somewhat form fitting but it didn''t show off too much of her body.


    It had a halter top making it look a bit more convervative than what most of the rich young ladies would be wearing.


    "You look pretty." Ian praised as he looked at Camilla from head to toe.


    "You''re just trying to get out of trouble." Camilla groaned as she gestured for him to come in. "I still have ten minutes, why are you so impatient?" She complained as she marched back up to her room.


    "I was worried you wouldn''t be ready in time." Ian called out as he stood up and explored Camilla''s living room.


    "We said we would meet at the lobby at 7pm, I have a watch! I know what time it is!" Camilla shouted back.


    "Well based on my experience with women, you guys usually take forever to get ready." Ian said as he picked up a photo of Camilla and her parents.


    "Bad experience with women?" Camilla asked, her voice no longer coming from the second floor of the apartment.


    Ian turned to see her walking down with a bag as she placed on a pair of earrings.


    "Kind of." Ian said with a smirk. "We''re kind of matching." Ian pointed out as he lifted his necktie which was the same shade of blue as the accents on Camilla''s dress.


    "Our minds are syncing, creepy and cool at the same time." Camilla said with a laugh as she walked towards Ian.


    "My girlfriend always took three to four hours to get ready for a date, I''m sorry I assumed that you were the same." Ian apologized with a frown.


    "It''s fine, I understand why you were worried, but you need to realize Ian Lim, I''m not like other girls." Camilla said with a grin as she noticed the photo behind Ian.


    "Those are my parents, well my adoptive parents." Camilla explained. "They took me in when I was two, I think. I really don''t remember much, the psychologists say I am suppressing my memories because they are too painful."


    "You don''t need to explain." Ian said as he shook his head and fixed the photo''s position on the table.


    "Thank you." Camilla said with a sweet smile.


    as she walked over to her shoe rack by the door.


    "You ready to go?" Ian asked Camilla.


    "Yep." Camilla said as she opened the door and walked out of the room.


    When they got to the lobby the receptionist greeted them and smiled.


    "Mr. Marco called, he asked me to inform you that your driver will take you to the party tonight, and you are not allowed to complain." The receptionist informed them.


    Ian frowned at the message, he enjoyed driving, but if Marco thought it was best for them to be chauffeured to and from tonight''s dinner, then there must be a purpose.


    They both thanked the receptionist before finally stepping onto the driveway to find Ian''s car already waiting for both of them.


    "Ladies first." Ian gestures as he helped Camilla into the car.


    "Wow, such a gentleman." She teased as Ian climbed in behind her.


    "Good evening, I''m John, I''m your assigned driver." The man in the driver''s seat greeted.


    "Nice to meet you John." Camilla replied with a smile.


    "Thanks for driving us tonight." Ian added.


    "It''s no problem, I actually feel quite useless with the both of you driving yourselves everywhere." John said with a laugh as he pulled out of Solaire Tower''s driveway.


    "What do you mean?" Ian asked, he was quite confused with what John had just said.


    "Oh, you didn''t know?" John asked with a laugh. "I''m your assigned driver, I should be the one taking you to the office, Mr. Lim."


    Ian and Camilla were both wide eyed with shock as they looked at each other.


    The Reyes Group providing their assistants with drivers was just too much.


    Ian was surprised when John took them through a route he didn''t recognize. Marco had told them that the event was going to be held at the Reyes Mansion, and Ian had been there multiple times.


    The house was located at the heart of the capital. In an area called the old city, it was full of ancestral houses and was filled with historical buildings. It was also where Ian''s family lived so he knew the area quite well.


    The path John was taking would not bring them to that area.

 Chapter 51 - 51

    "John, where are you taking us?" Ian asked as he looked out of the window. It was dark outside and there wasn''t much that he could see.


    "Shortcut." John simply said as he continued to keep his eyes on the road.


    "John, there are no other cars here!" Camilla shouted as she began to panic.


    "No signal either." Ian told Camilla and John as he took out his phone. "This better not be another test." Camilla grumbled.


    "The two of you are too high strung." John said with a laugh as they rounded a corner.


    Ian was surprised to see one of the old gates to the ancestral part of the city.


    He was the familiar old mossy bricks that covered the wall around the old part of the capital. It seemed to be one of the old back entrances that servants and merchants used to pass through.


    "Oh." Ian said as they were stopped by a policeman at the gate.


    "Don''t worry." John said with a laugh. "I''ve worked with the Reyes for a really long time, the policeman is just making sure we don''t have evil plans. Like the one you were suspecting me of just a few minutes ago." John said with a laugh as he rolled down his window.


    "Ah, Mr. John, I didn''t recognize this car." The policeman said as he eyed the car.


    "Oh ,right, let me introduce you to a few people." John said as he quickly remembered Marco''s instructions.


    The window next to Camilla rolled down, and the policeman moved to check who the passengers were.


    "These are Ian and Camilla." John explained. "Ian might be a little familiar to you, he lived in the city."


    "Lim residence, right?" The policeman asked Ian, catching him off guard.


    "Ummm, yeah, how did you know?" Ian asked.


    "We keep tabs on all of the residents of the old city. We need to know who can and can''t be moving freely around. So we more or less know who lives where." The policeman explained. "So who are they?" He asked John.


    "New assistants, like Marco." John said nonchalantly.


    "Oh, got it." The policeman said with a nod. "Better keep my eye out for them then." He said with a grin.


    "Yep, we need to get going, event and all." John said as he rolled up the windows and continued to drive into the old city.


    Everything in this part of the capital seemed frozen in time. The buildings were mostly over a hundred years old, and the streets had only been asphalted recently.


    Ian knew that the Reyes Family owned the largest piece of property at the northernmost section of the old city. He rarely ventured there since the only things to see where the old, sprawling mansions of the extremely wealthy.


    "Here we are." John announced as they were greeted by a wall covered with ivy, it looked similar to the outside of Ian''s home, all the old houses here had walls like these.


    When they finally reached a break in the wall, it was a black gate that slowly swung open.


    John turned and entered the gate, the guards seemed to be expecting them because this time no one stopped them.


    From where they were, Ian saw the huge mansion that was the Reyes home.


    There was a long, circular, grand driveway that led up to the mansion.


    "Welcome to the Reyes Mansion." John announced as they pulled up to the entrance. "Wow, we still have ten minutes, nice."


    "Thanks John. Sorry about what happened earlier." Ian said. He was quite embarrassed to have thought that John was trying to take them somewhere else.


    "No worries." John said with a laugh. "I should have explained, and if it makes you feel better, if I were in your position I would have thought you were trying to kidnap me or something."


    "Anyway, thanks." Ian said as he stepped out of the car.


    He heard Camilla mumble he thanks before getting off as well.


    As they made their way into the house, a maid greeted them.


    "Mr. So is waiting for you in the study." The maid said as she gestured for them to follow her.


    Ian and Camilla couldn''t help but marvel at how beautiful the Reyes Mansion was both inside and out.


    The exterior gave everyone an old city vibe, just like the surrounding area it was in. But the inside was a whole different story.


    It was the melting pot of both the old and the new. It had accents of it''s ancient historical past, but most of the floor, ceiling, and fixtures were mostly modern.


    "Those are the Reyes Heirs over the years." The maid explained as they passed a hall of images and paintings.


    Ian knew that the Reyeses were a very old family, he just didn''t expect them to be this old.


    At the end of the hall Ian spotted a photo of a woman that eerily looked a lot like Marie Mendiola. Compared to the image next to it, it didn''t look too old. They seemed to have been taken a few years apart. He took a mental note to ask Marco when he got the chance.


    The portrait next to the woman was one of Emilio Reyes. He looked much younger in this photo, maybe in his thirties.


    The last frame in the hall was empty, Ian assumed that this was reserved for the current Reyes Heir. What confused him was the fact that the Reyes family worked so hard to keep its future CEO a secret.


    "Mr. So." The maid called out as she knocked on the door.


    "They are here already?" Ian heard Marco call out.


    "Yes, sir." The maid replied in a respectful tone.


    "Let them in, and bring us some food and coffee." Marco called out as the maid pushed the door open and let them in.


    "Ah, it''s good that you''re early." Marco praised. "Here is a list of all of the guests, I suggest you get familiar."


    Ian and Camilla looked at each other in confusion.


    How were they supposed to memorize a list of nineteen families in the span of a few minutes?

 Chapter 52 - 52

    Ian soon realized that memorizing the list was not as difficult as he had initially thought. Many of those on the list were people he had met in the past or he had heard others gossip about.


    He was disappointed to find out that a majority of the people invited were from newer families. Ian had somewhat expected that tonight''s event would have mostly members of old families. Those that had helped build the city from the ground up.


    Unfortunately, it was quite rare for those people to gather together.


    "Times up." Marco said as he looked at the watch on his wrist. "I hope you memorized as much as you could. The guests will be arriving in a few minutes and Mr. Reyes will most likely want to have a word with us."


    Ian and Camilla nodded as they placed the dossiers down on the table.


    "Let''s go." Marco said as he got up and led them out of the room.


    "Did you manage to memorize them?" Camilla whispered as they walked down the hallway they had come through earlier.


    The hallway was now abuzz with activity, several maids and butlers walked through the hallway making sure everything was in order.


    Some were even wiping the fixtures and making sure all of the portraits in the hall were in order.


    "Yeah, I memorized them." Ian said. "I''ve met many of them and for the others I have heard of them. Of course, I doubt anyone on that list would remember me."


    "There are so many bigshots coming over for dinner." Camilla whispered.


    "It''s to be expected." Ian said flatly. "I mean it''s the Reyes Family, everyone will flock just to catch a glimpse of this mansion, let along to wine and dine with the Reyeses."


    "You have a point." Camilla said with a nod as they began to ascend an elaborate staircase at the entrance of the house.


    "I expect both of you to be on your best behavior." Marco warned as they reached the top of the staircase. "This is your first event, so behave appropriately, and do not lose your temper." As he gave his warning about their temper he looked directly at Ian.


    Ian was well aware he had anger issues, something he believed was associated with all the pain and suffering he had to live through.


    It wasn''t easy falling from the top of both the social and economic pyramid.


    When his family lost it all he didn''t just have to struggle with finances, he had to struggle with a lot more.


    People who he thought were his friends turned their backs on him, some even tried to bully him. But Ian was tough, he wouldn''t let people step on him, so he worked tirelessly to fight them.


    It was from then on that he started to get easily triggered, getting angry at the slightest things.


    "Ian!" Marco called out, pulling Ian back to reality.


    "Yes, sorry about that, I got distracted." Ian said as he apologized.


    "Don''t let that happen again tonight." Marco warned. "You need to give your full attention. If we miss any detail that the CEO may need then we will have a problem. Also if the guests think you are not paying attention to them they will find it offensive."


    "Sensitive snobs." Ian hissed.


    "Keep your opinions to yourself tonight, Mr. Lim." Marco warned.


    Ian simply nodded and apologized, he hadn''t meant to say it out loud. Marco was right he needed to be one hundred percent mentally present tonight.


    Ian and Camilla walked wordlessly behind Marco as he led them Mr. Reyes'' office on the second floor.


    When they reached two large oak doors, Marco stopped and knocked.


    "Come in." Emilio Reyes called from the inside.


    Marco pushed the door and let the three of them in.


    Inside there were four other members of the Reyes Family sitting in various spots all over the room.


    Ian and Camilla recognized all of them except for a woman seated on the couch.


    She looked to be a little bit younger than Emilio Reyes, but she carried the same regal air. She sat elegantly as she read through a document in her hands.


    "Have they studied the list of the guests?" Emilio Reyes asked Marco from behind his desk.


    "Yes." Marco said with a nod.


    "Good." Emilio Reyes said with a nod.


    "Dad, what about this one?" A young woman in a navy blue dress asked as she got up and walked over to Emilio Reyes.


    Ian recognized her to be Ayanna Reyes, the CEO''s daughter. He had met her a few times with their most recent encounter being at the lobby of the Reyes Group.


    "Interesting. . ." Emilio Reyes said as he looked through the documents.


    "Ian." Emilio Reyes called out, making Ian stand in attention.


    Ian caught as both Camilla and Ayanna laughed at his reaction.


    "Calm down Ian and come over here." Emilio Reyes ordered, to which Ian dutifully followed and walked to Emilio''s desk.


    "Are you familiar with them?" Emilio Reyes asked as he pointed at a name on the document.


    It was for a piece of property located in the business district of the capital. It was owned by Derrick Lopez.


    "I am familiar with them." Ian said with a nod.


    "Good, this is why I hired you." Emilio Reyes said as he smiled. "What is the latest gossip about them?" He asked, shocking Ian.


    "I''m sorry sir, but what?" Ian asked, he was so confused that he wasn''t sure if he heard things right.


    "One of the easiest ways to find out someone''s deep dark secret is through gossip." Emilio Reyes said in a confident tone.


    "Not always." The elegant woman on the couch said.


    "But my love, I can''t launch a full blown investigation now, it will take too long." Emilio Reyes reasoned in a sweet tone.


    It led Ian to conclude that the woman on the couch was none other than Emilio Reyes'' mysterious wife.

 Chapter 53 - 53

    "Oh right." Marco suddenly said with a laugh as he shook his head.


    "I think you''ve finally driven Marco crazy, Emilio." The woman who Ian assumed to be Emilio Reyes'' wife said as she shook her head.


    "What are you talking about auntie?" Marie Mendiola asked. "He''s always been crazy." She said with a laugh as Marco glared at her.


    "More like crazy in love with you." Hank, who was seated next to her, teased.


    Marie was so pissed off with his comment that she elbowed him on the ribs, making Hank grunt in pain.


    "I''ll tell you later." Ayanna whispered to Ian and Camilla as she winked at them.


    Marco remained unfazed by Hank''s comment as he simply shook his head.


    "I just realized I didn''t introduce Ian and Camilla to Mrs. Reyes." Marco explained with a smile.


    "Oh, right. I know Ian though." Mrs. Reyes said as she pointed at Ian.


    "You do?" Ian said as he reacted in shock. "Ma''am." He quickly added, he wasn''t exactly sure how to address the CEO''s wife.


    "Please, you can call me auntie Priscilla for all I care." Priscilla Reyes said as she laughed at Ian''s and Camilla''s stunned expressions.


    "I don''t think that would be appropriate ma''am." Ian said in a respectful tone.


    "She isn''t lying." Emilio Reyes said with a laugh. "She was at your baptismal, I think. Then she would see you in school when we would drop our son off."


    "Oh." Ian said in surprise.


    "Fine, call me auntie in private but you can call me Mrs. Reyes in public, none of that madam madam nonsense." Priscilla Reyes said with a smile. "The same goes for you Camilla, I don''t want you to think that we are giving Ian preferential treatment."


    "Yes, ma''am, I mean, auntie." Camilla said in a shy tone.


    "Awww, they are shy." Priscilla Reyes said as she observed the two assistants. "Don''t worry, you will be as shameless as Marco in no time."


    "I''m not shameless." Marco grumbled in a low voice.


    "Did you say something, Marco?" Priscilla asked despite knowing what he might have said.


    "Nothing madam." Marco said with a grin.


    "See, shameless." She said as she shook her head.


    "Mrs. Reyes, with all due respect -" Marco began to say before Priscilla Reyes raised her hand mid sentence making him stop.


    "You really need to stop calling me Mrs. Reyes or Madam or Ma''am. How many times do we have to have this conversation, Marco?" Priscila Reyes asked with a raised eyebrow.


    "Apologies, auntie." Marco said with a frown.


    "Anyway, what do you know about this family Ian?" Emilio Reyes asked as he showed Ian the document again.


    "You really want gossip?" Ian asked as he looked at the name Derrick Lopez again.


    "Yes, I do." Emilio Reyes said with a nod.


    "Well sir, I mean uncle Emilio, Derrick Reyes is known for his tendency to have multiple women." Ian said as he tried to recall the latest gossip. "But from what I''ve heard it''s never gotten in the way of his business skills."


    "Like Alexi." Ayanna mumbled.


    "He isn''t married?" Hank asked Ian.


    "No." Ian said as he shook his head. "He is quite young. He was forced to take over the family business at eighteen. He had some blunders at the start, but since then they have been growing quite steadily."


    "Why do you know this?" Marie asked Ian as she eyed him curiously.


    "Well, people tend to ignore the son of a no longer influential family." Ian said with a shrug. "We get the invites, my parents go to see their friends, but I just stay in a corner most of the time listening to the old ladies talk."


    "But I''ve seen girls approach you." Hank pointed out.


    "That''s before they realized that I''m a Lim." Ian says with a laugh. "The moment they realize that I am invited for courtesy''s sake, they all run for the hills."


    "Not all women are that shallow." Camilla pointed out. "I doubt they only look at you for your financial value."


    "Correction, they only look at him for his current financial value." Priscilla Reyes said as she emphasized the word current.


    "Some families, no matter how low they fall, find a way to get back up." Emilio Reyes said with a nod as he agreed with his wife. "Just like the Lims. They have such a strong foundation that earthquakes and tornadoes may come, they may fall for a moment, but eventually they get back up."


    Ian smiled at the praise the Reyeses had showered on him. He didn''t expect them to speak so highly of him.


    Even his own family and friends had been ashamed of the Lims when they became poor. But the Reyeses, who were complete strangers, praised him and had faith in him.


    "So Ian''s family is that influential?" Ayanna asked her father as she looked at Ian in shock.


    "Yes." Emilio Reyes said with a nod. "Before they lost everything, they were one of the richest and oldest families in the country. As a matter of fact, their ancestral home is just at the other end of the old city."


    "So we are neighbors." Ayanna said with a giggle.


    "With all due respect, uncle, our house is nothing like yours." Ian said with a frown.


    "As much as it saddens me to hear about what happened to your family, we are lucky to have you Ian." Emilio Reyes said with a proud smile. "If it weren''t for you I would have flat out thrown any contract from Derrick Lopez in the trash."


    "Yes, the only thing we knew about him is that he liked women and to gamble." Marco pointed out.


    "I even thought he was married and cheating on his wife. If he is young and dating I don''t have an issue." Priscilla Reyes added.


    "As long as he has good business sense then I don''t care if he gambles. If he were bad at it, he would have lost everything by now." Emilio Reyes said with a nod.


    "I wonder why he is still single though." Hank said as he thought of Derrick Lopez. "He is in his thirties and unmarried, that is quite odd for someone in his position."


    "Marriage is not a requirement to be successful in life, Hank." Marie said as she glared at her cousin. "Uncle Emilio and Aunt Priscilla weren''t married till they were thirty two." Marie pointed out.


    "That''s different, it''s because of, ummm that thing." Hank said as he realized he had almost spilled a secret.


    "At least you have the sense not to blabber, which you shouldn''t even have reached." Marie said as she rolled her eyes at Hank.


    "Ian, Camilla, there are a few more people I''d like you to go through with Ayanna." Emilio Reyes told them. "Do you mind heading to her office and going through them?"


    "Sure." Ian and Camilla both said with a nod.


    "Perfect." Emilio said as he smiled proudly. "Ayanna, we only have a few minutes, go through them quickly with Ian and Camilla. I don''t want you to be distracted by these gossips." Emilio told his daughter as he looked at his niece and nephew.


    "Alright dad." Ayanna said with a smile as she led Ian and Camilla out of her father''s office to a room across the hall.


    It had a much lighter feel than Emilio Reyes'' office. It was more modern and had a more feminie touch to it.


    "We need to go through this list quickly, we only have a few minutes before the guests arrive. You guys will have to welcome them." Ayanna said as she pulled the pair into the office and walked over to a coffee machine.


    She quickly whipped some up for the three of them, shocking Ian and Camilla. It was their first time seeing the daughter of a rich family taking care of the assistants.


    That was not how things worked.

 Chapter 54 - 54

    There were a total of ten people and families that Ayanna needed help in getting insight about, and Ian was apparently the perfect source.


    He knew things that others didn''t and since they were too afraid of the Reyes Family, they usually placed their best foot forward around them. This meant, there were many major faults and flaws that the Reyes missed out on.


    "You are a godsend!" Ayanna praised as they finished the list. "If you didn''t know these things we would have had to reject them after the full investigation."


    "Won''t your dad verify what I told you?" Ian asked Ayanna. He was quite surprised at the level of trust the Reyeses had placed on him. He had only known them a week and had been working for them for only a few days.


    "Why?" Ayanna asked as she tilted her head to the side, giving Ian a confused expression. "Is there any reason you would lie to us?"


    "What if I wanted revenge for your father not helping mine in our time of need?" Ian asked as he thought of a reason for them to be wary of him.


    "Do you want revenge?" Ayanna asked as he gave him another confused look, making Camilla laugh.


    "Of course not, but you guys shouldn''t be so trusting!" Ian pointed out as he tried to explain why he had asked those questions.


    "Well, for one, dad did a very detailed background check on you." Ayanna pointed out. "Secondly, you have no reason to lie, and even if you did or if you made a mistake, it won''t cause the Reyes Group to crash and burn."


    Ian looked at Ayanna, she made a very good point. There was no way that Emilio Reyes would have offered him that job if he didn''t know about Ian and his past.


    They would have done an intensive background check on people that would work with the present CEO and the future CEO. It wasn''t something they would take lightly.


    "Look, your questions are making us waste time." Ayanna said as she got up and took the list that had cross marks and checkmarks from the table. "Dad needs this list now."


    With that Ayanna led them out of the room and across the hall again.


    As they entered Emilio Reyes'' office they could hear the people inside laughing and chatting casually.


    "Ah you are back, do you have my list?" Emilio Reyes asked his daughter and the two young assistants.


    "Yup dad!" Ayanna said proudly as she handed the paper to Emilio Reyes. "Ian and Camilla were a big help. They saved us a lot of time and effort." She said proudly.


    "It was mostly Ian, sir." Camilla said in a shy voice. "I only ran the numbers."


    "And the location assessment, don''t sell yourself short Camilla. You were as much help as Ian." Ayanna pointed out.


    Emilio Reyes nodded as he agreed with his daughter.


    "You were both hired because you each have a unique set of skills that put you above the rest." Emilio Reyes explained. "I am basically entrusting the future of the Reyes Group to you and my son, I wouldn''t go about that lightly."


    "Thank you, uncle." Ian said with a slight smile as he was flattered by Emilio''s praise.


    "Emilio." Priscila Reyes said as she looked her husband in the eyes as if trying to say something.


    "Oh right." Emilio Reyes said as he sat up from his seat. "Ian, you won''t be acting as my assistant tonight."


    "I won''t?" Ian asked as he scratched his head. "But don''t you need my help?"


    "Oh, you''ll help." Hank said with a laugh. "Uncle has a plan for you."


    "Ian, you will be attending as a guest." Emilio Reyes revealed, catching Ian by surprise. "Don''t worry, Marco and Camilla can handle everything else. In the past only Marco would help out, so having Camilla there is already a big deal."


    "Sir, I mean, uncle." Ian said as he panicked and corrected himself multiple times. "The Lims aren''t invited."


    "They aren''t invited because someone sabotaged the invitations." Marco hissed. "I swear I sent them out."


    "It''s alright, Marco." Emilio told his assistant. "Ian, we only realized that the invitation did not make it when you never mentioned your father or anyone from your family attending tonight. We found it oddly suspicious."


    "People have always been trying to get the Lims more and more embarrassed." Priscilla said with a frown. "They keep thinking that if your family keeps missing events you would be looked down upon as being rude."


    "Is this-" Ian said as he tried to form the words he wanted to ask, but right now he was too mad. "Is this-" He tried again.


    Ian took a deep breath and calmed himself.


    "Is this the first time this has happened?" Ian asked the people in the room.


    "Unfortunately, no." Emilio Reyes told Ian. "This has happened multiple times in the past. As a matter of fact it was one of the reasons we hesitated in hiring you."


    "We thought you and your family had decided to give it all up and just ignore our world." Priscilla Reyes explained. "That is actually how we had come to learn about what had happened to your family."


    "Someone was trying to curry favor with Auntie, that''s when she told them that you guys had lost everything." Marie explained.


    "Of course we were shocked." Priscilla Reyes told Ian. "We had just seen your parents at the last party and they seemed fine. No one gossiped about them."


    "They were probably afraid to say anything since the Lims were there." Hank scoffed. "They think the Lims are poor and weak and yet they can''t even gossip about them when they are in the room."


    "Older families carry a different air to them, they have a different level of influence." Emilio explained.


    "So I''m just supposed to be there, like sit around?" Ian asked as he was confused by what Emilio Reyes wanted him to do.


    "Sit, talk, I''m sure Hank and Jake will speak to you." Emilio Reyes said with a shrug.


    "Yes, and after you turn your back, the gossips will jump in." Priscilla Reyes said with a smile. "They don''t fear you like they fear your parents, fortunately. Eventually we will find out who was behind all the missing invitations."


    "Why are you doing this for me?" Ian asked as he gave Emilio Reyes a lost and confused look.


    "Oh, there is something you will need to listen for as well." Emilio said with a grin. "Listen to the gossip. Learn what you can, because what you did today with me and my daughter, the way we analyzed these people, I will need you to do it in the future."


    "Also the more you know about people now, the better." Marco added. "When word gets out that you and Camilla work for the Reyes Heir, people will stop talking around you. They will watch your words, and it will be quite difficult to find things out."


    "Ian, when I hired you, I promised that you would get your family''s name back up there." Emilio Reyes told the young man as he looked at Ian. "I plan to honor that promise. You are a great asset to the Reyes Group, I know that helping you out is something that I won''t regret."


    Ian smiled and thanked the Reyes Family. He never expected to receive such kindness from strangers.


    "Well, if you will be acting like you are a guest you should go." Marco pointed out. "Your car is waiting out back, a maid will take you to the back entrance where John is waiting."


    "People will find it odd that I have a car and a driver." Ian told Marco. I''ll ask John to stay back and hand my keys to a valet when I arrive."


    "Good." Emilio Reyes said with a nod.


    "We''ll see you later then." Camilla said with a smile as Ian stepped out of the CEOs office.


    As he had been told, a maid was already waiting for him outside.


    She greeted him and led him to the househelp''s entrance outback.


    "Good luck." John said with a wink as he tossed Ian''s keys over.


    "Thanks, I''ll need it." Ian said with a smile as he hopped into the car and took a deep breath before driving out of the compound.

 Chapter 55 - 55

    As Ian drove up to the entrance of the Reyes Mansion once more, Ian noticed the line of luxury cars and their security vans that were being inspected by the Reyes family''s security team.


    Ian expected no less from them. He knew that even among the rich, many wanted to harm the members of the Reyes Family. They wouldn''t hesitate to help those that had ill intentions against the Reyeses.


    Due to the thorough inspection, it took a while for Ian to finally make it to the gate.


    As Ian rolled up and lowered his window the guard saluted him as he recognized the car.


    "You can go on through sir." The guard said. He knew that Ian was one of the assistants, and among the staff of the Reyes family, they ranked the highest.


    "No, you need to inspect the car, it''s only fair. Plus people will be suspicious." Ian pointed out.


    The guard at the gate looked to his supervisor next to him.


    The higher ranked guard simply nodded and instructed for his men to conduct a thorough inspection.


    Of course they found nothing, Ian would never harm the Reyes family and the car had come from inside already.


    "It''s all clear sir." The guard told Ian with a cheery smile. "And just so you know, we don''t usually inspect your car."


    "You should, you never know." Ian said with a shrug.


    "Very well sir, we will." The supervisor told Ian as he saluted the younger man.


    Ian was surprised at how seriously they had taken his recommendation, he didn''t think that they would do as he asked immediately.


    After thanking the guards, Ian rolled up his window and drove off.


    Since there were a lot of guests, there was once more a line just to drop off passengers. There might have been only twenty families invited, but each family seemed to have brought three cars worth of relatives along.


    Ian couldn''t blame them, even among the richest families in the capital, the opportunity to step into the Reyes Mansion was rare.


    The Reyeses rarely had events here, if they had a party or anything that required them to invite guests, they would either have it at Maharlika Hotel or the newly renovated Constellations Resort.


    After another long wait, Ian finally made it to the entrance of the mansion.


    A valet quickly came up next to him and took his keys.


    It seemed that all of the employees of the Reyes Mansion already knew who he was, because the valet greeted him as Assistant Ian.


    Ian thanked the man and made his way inside the mansion.


    He wanted to laugh at how silly this was, he had just passed through those doors less than an hour ago and now here he was again.


    "Mr. Lim." A butler greeted. "This way sir." The man directed as he walked next to Ian, matching his pace.


    They walked down the hallway of portraits that Ian and Camilla had gone through earlier.


    It was only now that Ian had realized that the door to Marco''s office was not visible unless you were looking for it.


    And this time around, it seemed like a plant had been placed directly in front of it, to obscure it from view even further.


    At the end of the hall, they entered a huge entertaining space, much like the ballroom of a hotel, but this one was far more elegant. There were expensive paintings hanging on the walls, and a gold and crystal chandelier on the ceiling.


    Ian couldn''t help but look around and marvel at the opulence around him as the butler guided him to another line once more.


    "What is this line for?" Ian whispered to the butler. He was sure that the butler knew who he was and that the butler would not hesitate to answer Ian''s question.


    "Each family will have time to talk to members of the Reyes Group." The butler whispered. "Marco and Camilla are informing them of their schedule. In the past this was on a first come, first serve basis. But this year, it''ll be a little bit different."


    Ian confused about the last line, but he nodded and acknowledged what the butler had said.


    After a few minutes it was his turn.


    Ian resisted his urge to smile, laugh, or tease his co-workers as Camilla pretended to look at a list.


    "Ian Lim." Ian sad as he realized that he needed to give his name.


    "Ah, Mr. Lim, we weren''t expecting you to come." Marco said in a loud and intimidating voice. "It isn''t everyday that someone ignores an invitation from the CEO of the Reyes Group. We thought your family decided to snub the Reyeses."


    Ian was shocked at Marco''s acting ability, he even got scared for a little bit before finally realizing that it was all an act and that he had a role to play.


    "With all due respect sir, our invite got lost for some reason." Ian said in a humble tone. "The Reyeses and the Lims go way back, my family would never ignore the Reyeses."


    "Very well." Marco said with a nod. "When is his schedule?" Marco asked Camilla.


    "The Lims are last on the list." Camilla said.


    "Very well, we will call for you when it''s your turn, for the meantime, enjoy the party." Marco said as he gestured for Ian to proceed.


    Ian thanked him and walked on. He knew that the people behind him were already gossiping about the Lims snubbing the Reyeses.


    He was sure that by the night was over, that rumor would have evolved and there would be ten different versions of his conversation with Marco.


    But those rumors didn''t matter to Ian.


    They didn''t matter in the past and they would matter a lot less now.


    These people had no idea that he was there to hear their gossip.


    "Lim!" A man called out as Ian walked to the side of the room, it was what he normally did since they were so often ignored by the rich.


    "Jake." Ian quietly responded as Jake made his way to Ian''s side.


    "Don''t worry, I know." Jake said as he flashed Ian an knowing smile.


    "Won''t your father scold you for hanging out with me?" Ian asked. "I don''t exactly make for a good image."


    "It''s fine." Jake said with a laugh. "Dad knows that the key to getting a project is not getting me mad."


    "You''re crazy." Ian said as he rolled his eyes at Jake.


    "Let''s get some food, I''m starving." Jake said as he dragged Ian to the other end of the room, to the buffet table.


    "I''m full, no thanks." Ian said as he shook his head.


    "Really, he''s full?" Ian heard a woman whisper to her companion.


    "Last I heard the Lims had become so poor that they can''t even afford to eat three times a day. He should eat as much as he can." Her companion whispered back.


    Ian shook his head and sighed. He knew he would never be able to escape these rumors.


    "Speaking of being poor, did you hear, Mark lost their fortune on a piece of property he bought for his mistress." The first woman whispered to her companion.


    Ian couldn''t help but smile as they continued to talk, now this was the gossip he needed.


    "Which Mark?" The second woman asked. "Mark is a very common name, be specific." She scolded her friend.


    "Mark Miranda." The woman said in a voice that was a little bit too loud, making a few guests turn towards their direction.


    "Is that all you are going to eat?" Jake asked Ian.


    "Wait, I''m still picking." Ian hissed as he tried to listen in on the conversation of the two women.


    "That''s why he was so desperate to get an earlier slot." The first woman explained. "He needs a partnership with the Reyes Group or else the family will lose everything."


    "Isn''t this the third time this has happened?" Her friend asked.


    "Yes, one more and he will lose control of the company and his younger brother takes over." The first woman said.


    "If there is anything to take over." The second woman said with a laugh as they slowly walked away.


    "Why were you gossiping?" Jake asked as he and Ian finally found a spot to stay at.


    "I was just doing my job." Ian said with a grin as he slowly ate the food he had picked out.

 Chapter 56 - 56

    Jake had to eventually leave Ian since his father demanded that he interact with several of the single ladies at the event.


    Ian could have tagged along, but Jake''s father considered him to be a woman repellent because no one wanted to talk to the son of a disgraced family.


    The rest of the night was quite interesting for Ian. He went around mostly unnoticed like always, but this time he actually made an effort to remember all the gossip he heard and note it down.


    As the night went by, Ian watched as the members of the Reyes Family interacted with the guests. It made Ian want to laugh when he noticed how different they were in public, from when they were alone.


    Gone were the kind and happy smiling faces he had interacted with in the CEO''s home office. Now they looked like stern and emotionless business people that could probably send you into poverty if you crossed them.


    Ian was about to move to the other end of the room, when he heard his family name being mentioned quite loudly.


    ". . .what I do not understand is your need to invite the Lims to this event!" A man said in an angry tone towards Ayanna.


    He seemed to think that it would be easier to influence the young woman over her other relatives.


    Ian had to resist the urge to laugh as he moved a little bit closer to the conversation, trying to hear more.


    "Mr. Sison, I don''t think I understand what you are trying to get at." Ayanna said in a stern tone as she held her ground.


    "It will look bad on your family if you keep inviting people of little relevance like them, Ayanna." The man Ayanna had called Mr. Sison said in a bitter tone.


    "And who gave you the right to speak to her so informally?" Ian said as he walked up and out of the crowd.


    "I have more right to call her that than you ever will." Mr. Sison said as he spat at Ian.


    "Disgusting." Ian said as he wiped the saliva from his face. "No wonder both your wife and mistress left you. All you have to show of your pedigree is your last name." Ian said with a cocky smile.


    Normally he didn''t like to speak up during events like these, but he couldn''t just let his boss'' daughter and future boss'' sister. Especially when she was in trouble because they had insisted that he attend as a guest.


    "What would you know?" Mr. Sison said as he took a step closer to Ian. "You are poor." He said as he emphasized the word poor.


    "Financially, yes, my family lost everything, but at least I''m still a decent human being." Ian said with a chilling laugh.


    "You should know how to respect your betters!" Mr. Sison said angrily as he raised a hand to slap Ian.


    Just as he thought he was going to hit the younger man, Ian caught his wrist and grinned. This man was so weak that he didn''t even have the strength to land a slap.


    "Is that really all you''ve got?" Ian asked with a smile.


    Mr. Sison tried to pull his hand away from Ian, but Ian gripped it even tighter.


    "You should apologize to Miss Reyes." Ian said as he looked the man in the eyes.


    "You dare try to embarrass me?" Mr. Sison asked as he glared at Ian.


    From the corner of his eyes Ian could see as the rest of the Reyes family had come over to watch the little spectacle he had created.


    He couldn''t help but wonder how much further Emilio Reyes would let this go. He knew that normally such an insult on the CEO''s daughter wouldn''t be allowed to go on for so long.


    "Mr. Sison, you don''t need my help embarrassing yourself." Ian said with a grin as he pushed the man away.


    "How dare you lay a hand on me!" Mr. Sison shouted as he ran in an attempt to punch Ian.


    Ian couldn''t help but laugh as he watched the man run. Obviously he would be able to anticipate the punch since Mr. Sison had his right hand pulled back and fisted into a ball.


    He simply took a side step to the right, leaving his foot, making Mr. Sison fall flat on his face.


    Ian couldn''t help but laugh as the man turned red in embarrassment.


    Everyone was now watching them, all eyes were on them as Mr. Sison got back up. No one made a move to help him. All the guests simply watched on.


    "Will you really allow this scum to insult me this way Ayanna?" Mr. Sison asked the young lady who just laughed. "Brat." He hissed, not knowing who was already watching.


    "You''ve got quite the nerve Mr. Sison." Ian said with a laugh as he shook his head. "I''m used to people calling me names, I mean, my family did lose everything." Ian said as he walked closer to Mr. Sison.


    Mr. Sison simply glared at him, his attention focused on Ian and no one else.


    "You really have a lot of nerve." A familiar voice said from behind Mr. Sison.


    Ian laughed as he watched the older man stand frozen at the sound of the voice behind him.


    "Is this man bothering you guys? Ayanna? Ian?" Raymund Laurence asked as he walked over to their side.


    "Not me, those insults, I''m used to those." Ian said with a laugh, not caring that he wasn''t exactly friends with Raymund Laurence. "But he did call Ayanna a brat."


    "I didn''t, swear I didn''t." Mr. Sison said in a panicked tone. "That boy is crazy, he''s lost it, being poor has made him imagine things. I would never dare disrespect Miss Reyes."


    Ian laughed as Mr. Sison desperately tried to defend himself.


    "Are you really that stupid?" Raymund Laurence said with a laugh. "Someone imagining things because he is poor? And by the looks of it, I don''t think Ian is poor. They still have their home in the old city, how could they be poor?"


    Mr. Sison''s jaw dropped, clearly he said things in a panic and hadn''t thought his words through.


    "You do know that you called her a brat in front of her father, mother, and cousins, as well as all of their guests?" Ian said with a laugh.


    Mr. Sison froze as he slowly realized that the crowd had gathered around them, and to his right stood the members of the Reyes family.


    "In your desire to embarrass Ian, you made yourself look like an even bigger fool, Mr. Sison." Ayanna said with a laugh. "I suggest you study who you are going up against before trying to go after them."


    "What do you want done with him?" Raymund Laurence asked Ayanna.


    "I think he has suffered enough embarrassment." She said with a grin. "Just send him away." She said as she waved, calling over a few guards.


    "Miss?" The large man in black asked as he waited for Ayanna''s orders.


    "Throw him out of the compound." Ayanna ordered.


    The guards quickly jumped to her command and dragged a screaming Mr. Sison out of the room.


    "It''s your fault Lim! You planned this!" Mr. Sison shouted as he was dragged out. "You are clearly trying to get into Miss Ayanna''s pants to get your wealth back! You don''t fool me, scum!"


    Ian knew that the man''s claims were crazy, but no matter how outlandish his accusations were, it wouldn''t stop people from gossiping and assuming that there might be some truth in his words.


    As the man was dragged away, Ian took the opportunity and sunk back into the crowd, becoming somewhat invisible again.


    Choosing to listen to the whispers rather than be at the center of it.

 Chapter 57 - 57

    "Did you get a good look at him?" Ian heard a young woman whisper to her companion.


    "Who?" The woman''s male companion asked.


    "The Lim kid." She whispered back, catching Ian''s attention.


    As much as he hated hearing all the gossip about himself and his family, he couldn''t help but listen.


    Every year the rumors about them got wilder and wilder, and he was sure that the scene Mr. Sison had just caused it wouldn''t help their image at all.


    Ian made a mental note to tell his father about what happened later tonight. He was sure that the events of tonight would soon reach his father''s ears, whether Ian wanted it or not.


    "I didn''t see him, we were too far in the back and we were behind him." Her friend whispered.


    "I only saw Mr. Laurence." The woman said with a sigh.


    "Only? Only?" The man said in disbelief. "If your sister were to hear your regret then she would hit you in the head. Do you know how many people want to be in the same room with him. Especially with this level of drama?"


    "I know, but that Lim kid seems more interesting." She said with a giggle.


    "What? You want to turn him into you boys?" The man she was with asked.


    "Well if he is so willing to try to get into Ayanna Reyes'' bed, then he will surely accept me." She said, making Ian want to throw up. "I will give him money up front, a car, his own place, and even allowance to buy whatever he wants. Daddy will let me."


    "I doubt your father will allow you to be associated with the Lims." Her friend said in a disgusted tone.


    Ian couldn''t help but wonder if the man she was with was also one of her boys, as he had put it. Probably not, since only those with good backgrounds and images could be brought along.


    Not that the Reyeses had a rule about it, but it was because the attendees wouldn''t want themselves being associated with the wrong kind of people.


    "What do you mean?" The woman whispered.


    "Well, they are bad luck, the Lims are simply bad luck." The man warned her.


    "I''m sure that''s not true." She replied with a laugh. "If Ayanna Reyes is interested in him, then I might be in the market too. She would definitely have good taste in men. Plus I don''t see the Reyes family suffering in anyway."


    "It''s not the Reyes, I heard he is dating one of the Ortegas." The man whispered.


    Ian inched a little bit closer as he tried to hear better.


    "Which Ortegas?" The woman asked. "No way! But didn''t the head of their family just get caught with drugs? And from what I heard they burned a lot of bridges recently."


    "I wouldn''t be surprised if their association with the Lim kid had anything to do with their sudden decline." The man gossiped.


    Ian was shocked at the news he had heard. He didn''t know that Jas'' family had been suffering recently.


    He chose to ignore the gossip and simply walk away, ending up outside on the balcony.


    He walked to the furthest end and took out a cigarette.


    At first he was all alone in the dark, it seemed no one was interested in enjoying the stars on a chilly night.


    Ian took deep breaths as he tried to calm himself. He now had another thing to think about, his girlfriend and her family.


    He wondered if there was something he could do to help her. Maybe he could talk to the CEO, Uncle Emilio seemed to be kind and quite understanding. But would it be asking for too much for the Reyes Group to help the Ortega family.


    Then there was the matter of Jasmine appreciating his help. Would she see it as him overstepping? Would she be thankful? Or would she be angry?


    Ian sighed at the thought, he knew relationships were not supposed to be like this. He shouldn''t be afraid of helping her and her taking it the wrong way, but recently Jasmine had changed.


    He noticed the change a few months back. She started to be a little bit colder, and a little bit quicker to anger.


    Ian had been walking on thin ice since then.


    "How the fuck did that kid manage to get here?" Ian heard a man''s voice curse as someone walked onto the balcony.


    Ian quickly dropped his cigarette to the ground and stepped on it, effectively putting it out. He sunk even deeper into the dark as he stood behind one of the large pillars of the Reyes Mansion.


    "Do you think I wanted to mess up?" Another man said as he cursed at the wind. "I thought this would be the perfect event to embarrass them. Imagine, snubbing an invite from the Reyes family, who does that?"


    "What happened? I thought you managed to trick the delivery man into handing you the invitation?" The first man asked in an angry tone.


    "I did." His companion insisted. "I waited outside of the Lim residence and since they no longer have any staff it was easy to simply tell the delivery man that I lived there and I convinced him to hand me the invitation."


    "Then how the fuck did Ian Lim end up at the party tonight?" The first man shouted.


    Ian tried his best to see the two men that were speaking, but it was too dark and if he craned his neck any further he risked being discovered himself.


    "I don''t know." The second man said as he shook his head. "Could Mr. Sison''s accusation be true? Do you think Ian Lim could be involved with Ayanna Reyes?"


    "Idiot, of course not!" The man reprimanded his companion. "Clearly Mr. Sison has lost his mind. He was in a panic, he had no one to blame so he was throwing all the blame on Ian Lim. The boy is the easiest target, normally people would have believed Mr. Sison above a kid like him."


    "I saw him speaking to Jake Laurel earlier." The second man said. "Could he have invited Ian?"


    "Of course not." The first man said with a bitter tone. "The Laurels would never let their eldest son be associated with someone like the Lims. It is dangerous to their image and the elders of that family are extremely superstitious."


    "It''s a good thing then, that we spread the rumor about the Lims being bad luck." The second man said with a laugh.


    "It wasn''t difficult." the first man said in an unamused tone. "The past decade has been extremely miserable for them. And it wasn''t difficult to start a series of unfortunate events for the Ortega family. That girl and her father can''t complain, we warned them."


    Ian felt his blood boil as heard that these men were responsible for Jas'' family problems. He wondered if they were the reason behind her sudden change in attitude.


    A part of him wanted to step out of the shadows and beat the men up, he was furious at them. They had harmed the woman he loved and her family. Despite their shortcomings, Jas'' father never sent him away or forced his daughter to leave Ian. He even tried to help Ian find a job.


    At this point he owed the Ortegas and the Reyeses his second chance at life. Without them he would have no future.


    Ian knew that if he acted on his impulses he would lose. He had no proof that these men were working in the shadows to harm the Ortegas, he also had no idea who they were.


    He decided that the best way to fight them was to first find out more about them.


    There was no urgency at the moment, he had the Reyeses on his side now. He knew that Uncle Emilio would help him if needed.


    "Maybe we should apply a little bit more pressure on the Ortegas." The first man said.


    "We should also keep an eye on that Ian Lim kid." The second man told his friend cautiously. "Something about him is just off. I feel like we are missing something."


    "Let''s have some people watch him. Let''s go before we are missed." The first man said as Ian saw two figures return back into the room.

 Chapter 58 - 58

    By the time Ian found the chance to return to the party the crowd was gone, and the only people in the room were the servants of the Reyes family.


    "Assistant Ian!" A butler said in a worried tone as he spotted Ian. "We were worried that something had happened to you. The boss was about to send out a search party for you."


    "I''m sorry, I got stuck outside." Ian said with a frown. He hadn''t intended to stay hidden for so long, but as soon as the two men went in more people would come out.


    Fortunately for Ian, it meant getting the juiciest gossip of the night, which was what he was supposed to be doing.


    "They are all in Mr. Reyes'' office. I''ll have someone bring up some food and coffee for you." The butler said as he quickly guided Ian out of the room and back along the hallway of portraits and up the stairs.


    When Ian and the butler finally stood outside of Mr. Reyes'' office.


    The butler knocked and announced that he had found Ian.


    As they entered Ian was surprised to find everyone smiling as if a huge weight had been lifted from their chest.


    "Ian, where have you been? We were so worried!" Priscilla Reyes said as she rushed up to check on Ian if he had been harmed.


    Ian was shocked at the woman''s reaction. They had only met earlier that night and yet she treated him like he was family.


    "I''m fine auntie." Ian said with a warm smile. "I just got stuck on the balcony for a bit. But I guess you could say it was a blessing in disguise. I got a lot of information people wouldn''t dare talk about inside the hall."


    "We actually thought that Mr. Sison''s friends had somehow managed to get you." Ayanna said as she looked up at Ian. "We were worried. You were only helping me and you could have gotten into so much trouble because of me."


    "Uncle, I couldn''t find him." Raymund Laurence said as he burst into the room. "No one has spotted - oh wait, you''re here." He said as he realized that Ian was standing in the room.


    "It seems he got stuck doing his job a little bit too well." Emilio Reyes said with a laugh.


    "Well now that we''ve found Ian, you can all go home and rest." Priscilla Reyes told everyone with a smile.


    "Wait, you don''t want me to report on what I heard or anything?" Ian asked as he gave them a concerned look.


    Earlier he had been more worried about the Reyeses being angry because he had gone missing and wasn''t immediately able to help them with their deals.


    "Ian, wasn''t it tiring staying on the balcony outside?" Emilio Reyes asked the young man.


    "I am, but don''t you need me to tell you about the things I learned?" Ian asked.


    "If you think you will forget everything, just put it in a journal." Priscilla Reyes told him. "You need your rest Ian, we all need to rest." The woman said in a motherly tone.


    "Not what you expected?" Hank asked him with a laugh. Clearly Hank understood why Ian was so confused.


    Ian shook his head as he told Hank that it wasn''t at all what he expected.


    "The Reyes family has an image of being cold, strict, and cruel." Ayanna said with a sigh. "That''s because our family has many enemies, people that want the world to think the worst of us."


    "And you never bothered to correct them?" Camilla asked as she tilted her head curiously.


    "What''s the point?" Ayanna responded with a laugh. "If we defend ourselves, we will just look guilty and it will make things worse for us."


    "So you choose to just take that image?" Ian asked them.


    "It''s an image that has helped us in some way as well." Marie Mendiola said with a shrug. "It''s driven many people that we don''t want around away. It''s also made us look much stronger than we actually are. So it has worked in our favor."


    Ian and Camilla both wordlessly nodded as they listened to what the Reyeses explained to them.


    "It''s getting late, and if I''m not mistaken you have plans tomorrow." Emilio Reyes said with a grin.


    "Plans?" Ian asked, confused as to what the CEO meant.


    "Shopping?" Emilio Reyes said with a smile.


    "Oh right, yes, we do." Camilla said as she nodded.


    "Ohhhhh Shopping, can I come?" Ayanna asked in an excited tone as she began to jump up and down like a little child.


    "No." Her dad said in a stern tone. "You will make them uncomfortable and you will end up dictating your style on them."


    "Fine." Ayanna grumbled as she walked back to her seat.


    "I can take you shopping tomorrow, Ayanna." Raymund Laurence said as he sat next to the angry woman.


    "Can Nicole and Katerina and Natalia come along too?" Ayanna asked as her eyes lit up.


    Ian simply assumed that the other three girls were her friends.


    "Sure, why not, just don''t nag Ian and Camilla tomorrow and I''ll keep you occupied." Raymund Laurence said with a smile.


    "Perfect." She said with a grin.


    "You guys can go." Emilio Reyes said as he dismissed Ian and Camilla.


    "It was nice meeting you Auntie Priscilla." Ian said with a slight bow.


    "So formal." The woman said as she walked over and gave him a hug. "At least it isn''t madam anymore." She said with a laugh.


    She turned to Camilla and gave her a hug as well, catching the young woman by surprise.


    "It was nice having you around earlier. Things weren''t as boring as they normally are." Priscilla Reyes said with a smile as she released Camilla from her hug.


    "It was nice meeting you again, Ian." Raymund Laurence said as he suck out his hand for Ian to shake.


    "Likewise, Mr. Laurence." Ian said with a nod as he moved to shake the man''s hand.


    He was surprised when Raymund Luanrence suddenly pulled his hand away.


    "Just call me Ray." Raymund Laurence said as he shook his head. "Saying my full name is such a mouthful, even just my last name." He said with a laugh.


    "Isn''t that a bit disrespectful?" Ian asked as he gave the man a confused look.


    "No, not really." Raymund Laurence said as he shook his head. "We went to school together, we were classmates a few times, and my dad knows your dad, so no, it''s not disrespectful."


    "Alright then, Ray." Ian said with a grin as he shook the man''s hand.


    "Plus you helped Ayanna, anyone who is willing to save Ayanna is a good person to me." Ray said as he flashed a grin at Ian.


    "You didn''t have to throw yourself under the bus to help me, Ian." Ayanna said with a frown. "But thank you." She said.


    "I''d do it again, you''re my boss'' kid and my future boss'' sister. You guys have already done so much for me, it''s the least I could do." Ian explained.


    "I''m sorry about the things Mr. Sison said about you." Ayanna said in a sad tone. "You don''t deserve people treating you that way."


    "It''s fine. I''m used to it at this point." Ian said as he shook his head.


    "Okay, I should be sending these two home." Marco told the group as he dragged Ian and Camilla out of the CEO''s home office and down the stairs.


    "Thank you." Camilla said as she looked up at Marco. "I''m really exhausted and I really wanted to just go home."


    Marco laughed at Camilla''s reaction.


    "The Reyeses are a chatty bunch, the safest way to be around any of them is to stay quiet." Marco explained as he shook his head. "The two of you, get some rest. It''s been a long night."


    Ian and Camilla both bid Marco goodnight as they climbed into Ian''s waiting car at drive way.


    "Where to?" John teased as they closed the door behind them.


    Ian laughed at the man''s question, but Camilla simply grumbled.


    "Such a cranky woman." John said with a laugh, making Ian shake his head.


    "Are you really picking on her?" Ian asked as he pointed at Camilla who was now slumped against the door, slowly falling asleep.


    "It''s more fun when they are cranky." John said with a laugh as he drove them home.

 Chapter 59 - 59

    Ian tossed and turned in bed, for some reason, despite being exhausted he couldn''t fall asleep.


    He sat up and leaned against the headboard and took deep breaths.


    "Why can''t I fall asleep, damnit." Ian cursed as he placed his head in his hands and took deep breaths. "Fuck." He cursed as he swung his legs off the side of the bed and walked to the closet to change into some outdoor clothes.


    Since he couldn''t fall asleep, Ian decided to take a walk.


    As soon as he arrived at the lobby, the receptionist greeted him.


    "Mr. Lim, are you alright? Isn''t it a bit too early for you to be up?" She asked Ian as she gave him a concerned look.


    "Just going out for some fresh air, I need to walk." Ian said as he waved and walked out of the lobby.


    The area around Solaire Towers was relatively peaceful, there were several parks and a few hotels nearby.


    Ian felt as the cold morning air blew through, making him lift his hood over his head.


    At first Ian simply walked along the sidewalk, watching as the cars zoomed past.


    Despite it being three in the morning, there were a few cars that would pass by every so often. Several cabs would even slow down next to him to ask if he needed a ride.


    Tired of the street, Ian decided to take a walk inside one of the nearby parks.


    He took a deep breath as he could smell the freshness of the air. It was very different from the congested environment of the city.


    The parks were like a small sanctuary, the lungs of the city, and they made Ian feel much better.


    He allowed his mind to wander back to the events at the Reyes Mansion.


    As much as he liked to tell people that he had now gotten used to being talked down to because his family had lost their wealth, he still wasn''t used to it. As a matter of fact it infuriated him.


    Ian had a temper, and it was a really bad one. He was glad that Mr. Sison had given him a reason to throw a punch, because if he hadn''t Ian would have punched him anyway.


    He had no right insulting the Lims. The Sisons were only rich because they had cheated their partners and married into extremely rich families.


    Ian also knew that the Sisons had a history of bribing government officials just to get what they wanted.


    Finding a bench in the park, Ian decided to take a seat, lean back and close his eyes.


    He remembered the first time he got into trouble because someone was mocking him for being poor.


    It was right after all of their money had run out and rumors began to circulate among the rich in the city. He was hanging out with his friend Damien and his girlfriend Jas at a local coffee shop. He remembered it like it was yesterday.


    -------Flashback--------


    It was six years ago, Ian, Damien, and Jas were in their last year of highschool, they decided to hangout in one of the coffee shops inside the old city.


    This place was quite popular among the local families because the tourists who flocked to see the old city didn''t visit this place.


    It was quite modern and didn''t fit the aesthetic of the old city.


    "How is your uncle, Ian?" Damien asked with a frown.


    Just a month prior to them meeting up Ian''s uncle was diagnosed with stage four cancer. The doctors said that he had a very slim chance of surviving.


    "He is coping." Ian said with a frown.


    None of Richardo Lim''s siblings ever got married, so Ian''s uncle and aunt had treated him and his sisters as if they were their own,


    Ian had decided to care for his uncle as much as he could, accompanying him to doctor''s appointments and his radiation sessions.


    The Lims had already spent quite a lot on his treatment, they refused to accept that his case was hopeless and they wanted to fight.


    "Oh look who it is." A mocking voice came from the other table, making Ian and his friends turn around. "Can you even afford to be here, Ian?" A boy the same age as Ian said as he laughed.


    "Piss off, Manuel." Jas said as she glared at the boy and his companion.


    "Really? Are you letting your little girlfriend stand up for you?" Manuel asked, making his companions laugh.


    "Jas isn''t my girlfriend, and I choose to ignore you, Manuel." Ian said as he rolled his eyes at the other boy.


    "Really now?" Manuel asked with a grin.


    "Hey Ian, I heard your grandfather gave all of your properties to his mistresses and illegitimate children, that must be a pain." Another boy said as he laughed at Ian.


    "Shut up, Adam!" Damien hissed.


    "Oh, now it''s your boyfriend that''s standing up for you." The boy named Adam said with a laugh.


    "Ignore them." Ian said as he turned around and focused on his drink. He had to deal with way too much to be bothered with them.


    "I bet your fucking uncle deserved to get sick, you Lims got way too cocky, serves you right!" Manuel said as he laughed at Ian.


    At that Ian felt something snap in his mind and he saw red.


    He calmly stood up and walked towards Manuel.


    "Ian." He heard someone call out, but he was way too angry to notice who it was. He didn''t care why they were calling him. All he knew was that he was furious at Manuel.


    "I said your fucking uncle deserves to be sick, it''s your family''s fault -" Manuel began to say, but he stopped half way when a friend grabbed his shoulder as if telling him to stop.


    Ian balled his hands into a fist as he tried to resist the urge to attack the man in front of him.


    "Manuel, too much." His friend Adam said as he shook his head.


    "Fuck off Adam!" Manuel shouted as he shook Adam''s hand off his shoulder. "Don''t tell me you are afraid of a cunt like him? The Lims are nothing now, they don''t even deserve to live in the old city."


    "Manuel." Another friend said in a shy tone. "Too much."


    "Whatever, losers." Manuel said as he rolled his eyes at his friends. "This guy is a coward, he is nothing. The Lims deserve every pain and every punishment coming their way. They all deserve to suffer. I bet your father is just like your grandfather, fucking every whore that comes knocking."


    At that Ian couldn''t take it anymore. He launched himself towards Manuel as he felt his hand make contact with Manuel''s face.


    Punching him once was not enough for Ian. Using his other hand he punched Manuel once more, shocking everyone in the room.


    "Ian!" Jas called out as she and Damien both tried to pull Ian off of Manuel.


    "You fucking asshole!" Manuel managed to shout between punches.


    Eventually Damien was able to pull Ian off of Manuel and managed to hold him back with the help of a waiter.


    Manuel''s friends helped him up as he struggled to get back on his feet.


    Ian smirked as he watched Manuel wipe the blood off of his face, Ian had gotten him good. His right eye was now swollen and his lip was cut.


    He was sure he also heard Manuel''s nose break from one of his punches as blood dripped from it.


    "You! You!" Manuel shouted as he struggled to form a proper insult.


    "I what?" Ian shouted back as Damien and the waiter both tried to get him to keep quiet.


    "Wait till my dad hears about this!" Manuel threatened. "You''ll be spending your university days in prison and your family will be kicked out of the old city!"


    With that Manuel''s friends helped him out of the coffee shop.


    ----End of Flashback----


    Ian took a deep breath as he shook his head, he was a foolish boy to let his temper get the best of him.


    Manuel''s father was an important businessman and he had single handedly managed to doom his family even more with that fight.


    Ian looked up at the stars and wondered, what if he had let the insults continue? Would things have turned out better?

 Chapter 60 - 60

    Ian knew that thinking about the past would do nothing for him. It was done, it was in the past. There was nothing he could do to change it.


    As much as it hurt it was a part of him now.


    Ian walked around the park once more, feeling as the cold breeze brushed against his cheeks. He was proud of where he was now, of how much he had achieved.


    He remembered how those parents had told him he wouldn''t achieve anything, how his fate had been sealed by his family''s loss.


    -----Flashback-----


    "Don''t please, don''t take him!" Ian could hear his mother beg as two policemen dragged Ian out of their home. "Please, he isn''t even eighteen yet."


    "Sorry ma''am, he assaulted another kid, and well, it''s an order from the higher ups." The policeman told his mother with a frown.


    "Mom, call dad, or grandpa, they will know what to do." Ian called out as the police shoved him in their car.


    Ian watched through the window as his mother frantically ran inside to call his father or grandfather for help.


    "Sorry kid." The policeman said with a frown as he glanced back at Ian. "I heard what you did, that kid is a prick, and he really deserved that beating. . .but. . ." The policeman said as he hesitated to complete his statement.


    "I''m from the same world as him, or at least I was." Ian said with a sigh. "I know, your boss'' boss'' boss owes him a favor. I know how it works."


    "If it''s any consolation, I think you are a thousand times better than that kid. Sorry about this." The policeman said as he looked towards the front.


    When they got to the police station, Ian was brought to an empty room that only had a stool at the center.


    The policeman told Ian to sit and to wait.


    "I''m sorry." The policeman said with a frown as he left Ian alone in the room.


    Ian closed his eyes and tried to calm his nerves, he knew more or less what was about to happen, but he couldn''t help but feel anxious.


    He didn''t know if he would walk out of this room alive, but he did know that he wouldn''t be the same person after.


    It was unlikely that Manuel and his father would let him walk out unharmed. He was sure that Manuel and his father would have hired thugs to beat him up.


    After a few minutes, Manuel and his father walked into the room followed by several men.


    Manuel looked at Ian as if he were some disgusting creature that had clawed its way out of the sewers.


    "This the kid?" Manuel''s father asked in a gruff tone.


    "Yeah." He responded with a nod.


    "Well, he doesn''t look poor. Are we sure the police picked up the right guy?" Manuel''s father asked as he turned to one of his men.


    Ian couldn''t help but laugh at Manuel and his father.


    "Do you really expect me to look like some beggar on the street?" He asked them. "I mean, they picked me up from my house, at the center of the old city. I''m still a Lim and we are still one of the older families here." Ian said as he lifted his chin, showing his pride.


    "Ha, you think you are better than us because your family has been richer for a long time? You are mistaken, kid." Manuel''s father said as he waved a man forward.


    "Punch him." He told the man.


    "Weak, you''re even afraid to get your hands dirty." Ian said with a laugh just as the man''s fist collided with his face.


    Ian was in pain, but he didn''t want to show Manuel and his father that he could be hurt so easily.


    He spat the blood from his mouth and sat back up with a grin. Manuel and his father were both wide eyed in shock.


    "Just because my family used to be rich, doesn''t make me a pussy like your son!" Ian shouted with a laugh. He knew he was making things worse for himself, but at this point he didn''t care.


    Ian wanted to get the worst reaction out of Manuel and his father.


    "What did you say!" Manuel shouted as he took a step forward.


    "You heard me, cunt!" Ian shouted back with a grin.


    Ian wanted to laugh, he wasn''t even cuffed.


    Manuel grabbed his shit and made him stand up, Ian complied as he grinned at Manuel.


    "You think you are so tough?!" Manuel shouted at Ian.


    "Ha! Tougher than you." Ian said with a laugh as he kicked Manuel to his crotch, kneeing him hard on his balls.


    "You fucking asshole!" Manuel screamed as he fell to the ground, clutching on to his family jewels.


    Ian smirked as he knew he did quite the damage on Manuel.


    "Kill him." Mauel''s father ordered in his anger as he walked over to his son.


    "Stop." A man in uniform said as he entered the room. "We can''t touch him." He said as he walked in and stood between Ian and the other men.


    "What the fuck is the meaning of this captain?" Manuel''s father asked as he knelt next to his son who was still in pain.


    "He has an even higher backer. There is nothing we can do." The police captain told Manuel and his father.


    "What the fuck?!" The elder man shouted as glared at Ian. "His family has no money anymore, they have nothing left."


    "Well clearly you were misinformed, trust me, this person is someone you don''t want to cross." The police captain warned as he pulled Ian towards the door.


    "You''re one lucky kid." The police captain said as he shook his head.


    When they got to the waiting area of the police station, Ian saw his father and grandfather sitting on a bench.


    "Dad, Grandpa!" Ian shouted as tears began to fall from his eyes.


    "Ian!" His father said as he stretched his arms out.


    Ian quickly ran and hugged his father.


    "Dad, I''m sorry, I''m so sorry dad, thank you for coming to get me." Ian cried as he let himself feel everything he was suppressing when he was in the other room.


    "I''m just glad we arrived in time." Richardo Lim said as he hugged his son tightly.


    "Mr. Lim, we are sorry about what happened." The police captain said with a frown.


    "Don''t worry, my son is safe now. Thank you." Richardo said with a nod.


    "Please tell him that we did our job." The police captain looked at Richardo with pleading eyes, Ian couldn''t help but wonder who his father had called for help.


    "I will, thank you." Richardo responded as he guided his son out of the police station.


    "Dad, who did you call for help?" Ian asked as a cab pulled up in front of them.


    "An old friend that I thought had forgotten about me." Richardo said with a sigh as he opened the door letting his father get in first.


    ----End of Flashback---


    "I was so stupid." Ian said with a laugh as he remembered what he had done to trigger Manuel and his father.


    Ian knew he could have died, but at the time he didn''t care and it didn''t matter. He knew his life was fucked either way, so he risked it all.


    He continued to walk around, savoring the fresh air and the silence. It was peaceful and he was alone. He was happy being left alone with his thoughts.


    "I wonder if I signed my death certificate again when I went up against Mr. Sison." Ian said with a laugh. He was speaking to himself of course, there was no one else in the park.


    He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn''t notice several men creeping up behind him. He also hadn''t noticed that the had somehow made his way to a part of the park where there was barely any lights.


    "Fuck, I should get back." Ian said as he looked at the watch on his wrist.


    As he turned to retrace his steps, he was shocked that his path was blocked by several men.


    Slowly they inched towards him, making Ian take a step back with every step forward that they took.


    Ian gulped, this was not going to end well for him.

 Chapter 61 - 61

    Ian stood his ground and readied himself to get beaten up.


    He knew that Mr. Sison would come after him for having offended the man, he just didn''t expect it to happen so soon.


    They must have been watching him from outside of Solaire Towers, his address was on all of his documents so it wouldn''t exactly be difficult trying to find where he lives.


    "Look, this isn''t our fight, you guys have no idea who you will be angering if you kill me." Ian said as he tried to remain calm.


    He knew that these men wouldn''t believe him, but it was worth the try. If he didn''t try then he would be accepting defeat.


    He knew he could defend himself, but he wouldn''t be able to hold off these many men. There were at least five of them that slowly walked towards Ian.


    Ian guessed that they were still being warry, just in case he ran or had friends waiting around the corner.


    "Stop." A familiar voice suddenly said from behind the men.


    Ian squinted as he tried to see in the dark. He could make out a man, but he couldn''t be too sure who it was.


    The men were distracted for a while, but even they didn''t seem to recognize the man behind them, so they turned their attention back to Ian.


    "Are you sure you want to offend the Dean family?" The man asked, making Ian''s attackers freeze in their steps.


    "Who are you?" Their leader asked as he turned to face the man.


    "Are you sure you should be asking that question?" The man asked as he took a step forward, standing in the light.


    Ian was shocked by what he saw, it was Seth from the Reyes Group. It was odd seeing him out of his office clothes and in streetwear.


    Seth pulled the collar of his shirt to show a tattoo that looked to be in an ancient script.


    Ian watched as the men panicked at the sight of the tatto, it clearly symbolizes something to them.


    "Mr. Dean, I- I- I didn''t recognize you." The leaders stuttered in a panic.


    Ian was more than confused now, who was Seth and who were the Dean family. They weren''t one of the old rich families that Ian was used to interacting with.


    For a moment he considered that Seth could be part of a gang, but Seth didn''t seem like someone that belonged in a gang. He seemed like someone that belonged to the rich families of the country.


    Plus he was working an ordinary job at the Reyes Group, they would have done a thorough background check and Ian was sure that gang members weren''t welcome as employees.


    "Leave him alone." Seth said in a cold tone. "Who even sent you to come after him?" Seth asked the leader of the group.


    "It was your younger brother, he said he got a call from Mr. Sison, asking him to rough up someone named Ian Lim." The man explained.


    Seth closed his eyes and took a deep breath, he shook his head as he tried to figure out a way out of the situation.


    "I''ll talk to my brother, but that man is not to be harmed, ever." Seth said as the men nodded.


    "Go back, I''ll deal with you later." Seth said as he dismissed the men, all of whom quickly started running away.


    "You shouldn''t be taking a walk in a place like this at night." Seth said as he moved closer to Ian.


    "You''re alone at night too." Ian pointed out.


    "Not really." Seth said as he gestured towards two armed men behind him.


    "So, should I ask?" Ian said as he raised an eyebrow at Seth.


    "I''ll tell you my secret and you tell me yours." Seth said as he gestured for them to sit at a nearby bench.


    Ian nodded and they sat down.


    "Do I go first, or do you?" Ian asked Seth.


    "Why don''t you? I mean, you already know something is different about me, but with you I was just confused. People would normally run at the sight of thugs like those." Seth told Ian.


    "I''ve been through a hell of a lot more to be intimidated by them." Ian said with a laugh. "Plus I already knew that someone would come for me, what they don''t know is who stands behind me."


    Seth looked at Ian curiously, but he said nothing, allowing Ian to explain the situation himself.


    "I work for the CEO of the Reyes Group and the Reyes Heir." Ian said with a laugh. "That''s my secret."


    "Don''t we all?" Seth asked, looking at Ian as if he was mumbling nonsense.


    "No, no, we are very different." Ian said as he laughed at the misunderstanding. "I was hired to be the assistant of the future CEO of the Reyes Group, and right now, I work as an assistant to the CEO."


    "It''s a good thing I showed up then." Seth said with a laugh. "If I hadn''t my family would be dead."


    "Your family?" Ian asked.


    "Not yet, let me ask my questions first." Seth said as he shook his head.


    "Alright, ask away." Ian said with a nod.


    "What did you do for Mr. Sison for him to want you dead or at least badly beaten up?" Seth asked.


    "I punched him earlier for insulting my family and Miss Ayanna Reyes." Ian explained.


    "Earlier?" Seth asked.


    "There was a dinner for the rich landowners of the country. Long story short I was there for work and as a guest. Things got heated, he insulted my family and Miss Ayanna, he tried to punch me and I punched back." Ian said with a shrug.


    "Tried to punch you?" Seth said as he gave Ian a confused glance.


    "He clearly can''t throw a punch, so I simply side stepped and tripped him." Ian explained.


    Seth laughed at Ian''s story, he could just imagine a man like Mr. Sison falling flat on his face as he tried to attack Ian.


    The man was lean because he worked out at the gym, but he didn''t exactly know how to act in a fight. He probably thought Ian would just stand there like a punching bag, taking his blows.


    "Makes sense." Seth said with a nod. "So why are you working at Krisanta Land telling everyone you are management trainees from the Human Resources Department? Wouldn''t people respect you more if you just told them outright that you are from the CEOs office?"


    "Then we wouldn''t get to see all the dirt." Ian said with a grin. "The boss wants us to really get a feel of what makes the Reyes Group, he wants us to understand all the businesses involved. We will be helping the future CEO so we need to know the company like the back of our hand."


    "So you know that Mark is full of bullshit?" Seth asked.


    "Yep, from the start." Ian said with a nod. "I don''t even know why you are friends with him." He said with a laugh.


    "He just latched himself on to me. I''ve been trying to hang with him less, but he just won''t let go. It''s really annoying." Seth grumbled.


    "He sounds like a real pain in the ass." Ian said as he shook his head. "Is that all you have to ask me?"


    "Yep. Your turn." Seth said with a grin.

 Chapter 62 - 62

    "So what was with all that?" Ian asked as he gave Seth a confused look.


    "I guess I should start by explaining who I am outside of work." Seth said with a laugh as he shook his head.


    "Yeah, start with that." Ian told Seth with a nod.


    "Clearly you''ve guessed by now that I''m not just some employee." Seth said with a grin.


    "Clearly." Ian mockingly said with a laugh.


    He flinched as he noticed the two men who had been shadowing Seth suddenly make a move towards him.


    "Relax, he is a friend." Seth told the two men, who once more took a step back and retreated.


    "Sorry about that." Seth said with a frown. "So what do you think I am."


    At first Ian hesitated, he had a theory but it seems so unlikely that it was the only possible answer.


    He decided to simply risk it and tell Seth of his suspicion.


    "Do you belong to a gang of some sort?" Ian asked as he shifted in his seat. He knew it was a crazy question to ask, but he was curious.


    Seth laughed at Ian''s question, shaking his head.


    Ian knew it was a stupid question, he wondered why he had to ask it.


    "You aren''t entirely wrong." Seth said with a smile, shocking Ian.


    "What?" Ian asked, unable to believe that his crazy suspicion was actually quite close to the truth. "Well, then what''s the actual truth?" He asked, eager to hear what he had gotten wrong.


    "Mafia, not gang." Seth said with a grin. "To be exact the Dean Family Mafia, I''m the eldest son and the supposedly designated heir."


    "You''re fucking kidding me, right?" Ian asked.


    "Nope." Seth responded as he shook his head.


    "Aren''t they the same thing though, Mafias and Gangs?" Ian asked, in his head they were somewhat the same. They both did illegal things and moved in groups.


    "Well I guess to most people you would think that they are the same." Seth said as he combed his mind to find a way to explain the differences.


    "So what''s the difference?" Ian asked.


    "Mafias are basically organized crime, within ourselves we have our own hierarchies and it works more like a government. The gangs on the other hand are mostly groups of people who rule a particular turf or area." Seth explained.


    "Honestly it''s much more complex than that, but those are the differences that you can easily spot. Mafias have a finesse to them, while gangs are straight up dirty." Seth said with a grin.


    "I''m guessing the two don''t get along based on how you just called the gangs dirty." Ian said as he laughed at Seth''s description.


    "Historically we don''t." Seth said as he shook his head. "Wars used to break out between both sides, everything was chaotic, but we are all friends now and we all report to one man or, well, family."


    "You do?" Ian asked. This was news to him, not a lot of people knew anything about the city''s criminal organizations.


    The gangs were very visible, but not the mafia. Ian didn''t even know that there was a mafia in his country.


    "We call him the King of the Underworld, and he is more powerful than any of the families or gangs. He also keeps everyone safe, maintaining a balance between the world everyone knows about, and ours." Seth explained.


    "If this King of the Underworld is so powerful, why hasn''t anyone heard of him?" Ian asked his friend.


    "It''s for his safety." Seth told Ian. "Imagine if everyone knew who he actually was? They would all come after him. There are only a select few that know his real identity, just know that he is incredibly dangerous."


    "So you know who he is?" Ian asked.


    Seth nodded in reply.


    "I''m the next head of the Dean Family, of course I know who he is." He said with a grin. "People are not who they seem. Most people have skeletons in their closets that will truly horrify you."


    Ian simply nodded, not knowing what Seth meant by his words. He simply assumed that Seth was referring to himself. Being part of the Mafia meant Seth had done things that would probably shock Ian.


    After a short silence Ian asked his next question.


    "Why are you in the Reyes Group?" Ian said as he looked at Seth. "If you''re the next head of a mafia family, why are you toiling your days as an ordinary employee?"


    "I don''t want to be part of the mafia." Seth said with a shrug.


    Ian glanced at the two men that he assumed to be Seth''s bodyguards.


    "Don''t worry, they know." Seth said with a grin. "Everyone in my family knows that I want out, but they won''t let me."


    "Wouldn''t it be a bigger problem for your family if they forced you to take over?" Ian asked.


    "No, not really." Seth said as he shook his head. "I''m a natural at it, everything about the mafia comes easily to me. It''s not something I even have to work hard for and I even earned my own place among our men."


    Ian remained silent as he listened to Seth''s story.


    "Normally, since my dad is the current head of the family, I don''t really need to get my hands dirty." Seth explained. "I can just sit comfortably from our home and rule the mafia from there."


    "So why didn''t you?" Ian asked.


    "Because I wanted to know what life was like as a member of the Dean Family mafia." Seth said with a shrug. "I was curious. I grew up with these men respecting me for no reason at all, I wanted to know what they had to go through. So when I was fifteen I snuck out of home."


    "I bet your parents weren''t happy about that." Ian pointed out.


    "They weren''t." Seth said with a laugh. "The thing is, no one wanted to take me in. They all knew who I was, so they all knew that making me go through what a normal member did would get them on my dad''s bad side. That''s when I met him, the future king of the underworld."


    "Did you know it was him?" Ian asked.


    "No, not at all." Seth said as he shook his head. "He dragged me along to join one of the groups under my family that had no idea who I was. It was there that we made our way up, then he left, moved to the gangs and I was left on my own. For years my parents searched for me, then I came home."


    "Just like that? They didn''t question where you went?" Ian asked.


    "Yup, they just said they trusted my instinct. That''s when I decided to remain active in the mafia while studying in university." Seth explained. "I was studying and helping people do hits and smuggling weapons at the same time." Seth said with a laugh.


    "And the whole time, your parents had no idea?" Ian asked.


    "Oh, they knew, they knew a few weeks before I came back." Seth told Ian as he shook his head. "They eventually found out that I was with one of the groups under the family, they just decided not to tell anyone. And my father ordered everyone not to say who I was."


    "So what happened after?" Ian asked his friend.


    "Well, I climbed my way up until I became one of the youngest group heads under the Dean Family mafia, and that''s when my dad stepped in." Seth said with a frown.


    Ian could tell that whatever it was, it bothered Seth deeply.


    "During one of the meetings with the heads of the Dean Family, I was anxious." Seth said with a sigh. "I had come over from school and was seated where my group was assigned. As my father entered I tried to keep myself hidden, I knew he never looked that far down the table, we were a small group, small but growing."


    Seth took a deep breath and sighed at the memory.


    "That''s when he sprung it on me, on all of us in the meeting. He stood tall at the head as he announced that his son had been undercover in the gang for years. And he announced that I would be the next head of the Dean family Mafia." Seth said with a sigh as he shook his head.


    "As he revealed that he knew the whole time, my face turned pale, I didn''t want people knowing who I was." Seth explained as he recounted the day.


    "Were you afraid of them thinking you climbed the ranks quickly because you were from the Dean family?" Ian asked.


    "No." Seth said as he shook his head. "I didn''t want them to know because I knew they would treat me differently. I was no longer their peer after that, I was their boss. Nothing was the same after that day."

 Chapter 63 - 63

    Ian and Seth walked back to Solaire towers together, apparently Seth lived in the same building as Camilla and Ian as well.


    "They should have known that you weren''t someone that should be messed with." Seth said as he looked up at the building. "The fact that you came out of this entrance and not the main one says something."


    "Not everyone knows." Ian said as he shook his head.


    "No, but they should have." Seth said in a threatening tone. "My brother should have told them. The Dean family won''t survive if they go around attacking everyone that they get a hit on."


    "Why?" Ian asked as they continued to walk.


    "This entrance is reserved only for the truly powerful, you don''t mess with the people that come out of here." Seth said as he shook his head. "Of course you can mess with them, if you want the Reyes family to come after you."


    "There are only three of us that live here." Ian told Seth. "I haven''t even met the third person." Ian explained.


    "It''ll fill up quite fast, last I heard the Reyes Heir was slowly filling up his staff. Then there will be your staff too." Seth explained.


    "We don''t get our own staff, Seth." Ian said.


    "Oh, you do." Seth said with a laugh. "I know for a fact that the Reyes family is hiring bodyguards and drivers for the two assistants. It was a mystery to us who the two were, well now I know." Seth chuckled.


    "Isn''t that too much?" Ian asked.


    "You were just attacked by men from the Dean family, my very family, do you really think that you don''t need bodyguards?" Seth asked.


    "Well, Marco is having us take self defence classes." Ian said with a shrug.


    "That''s never going to be enough." Seth pointed out. "Dangerous people will come after you. You are assistants to the richest and most powerful men in our country. You know things others don''t and you have an influence on them that very few people have."


    "Does Marco have a staff too?" Ian asked.


    "Yeah, from what I know he has a whole group of people working for him, making sure that the CEOs day goes perfectly." Seth told Ian.


    "So will it be the same with the new CEO?" Ian said as he thought out loud.


    "Either way, I need to warn my brothers about doing anything that might offend you." Seth said as he shook his head in disappointment. "He not only endangered you, but our men and our family as well. The Reyeses could crush us with one word."


    "Are you sure you don''t want to take over your family?" Ian asked as he smiled at Seth.


    "Yes, why?" Seth asked.


    "Well, by the looks of it you care way too much to let them go, I think that''s what your family thinks you are the best option to be the next leader, you clearly care." Ian said with a shrug.


    "I care, but it''s not the path for me." Seth said as he shook his head.


    "Where are you going?" Ian asked as he noticed Seth and his bodyguards walking away from the building entrance.


    "To our entrance, we can''t pass there." Seth pointed out. "Only the personal staff of the Reyes Family and their guests can pass there. I''m not allowed."


    "Bullshit." Ian cursed. "We are friends and you aren''t a threat to us, come on." Ian said as he dragged Seth with him.


    "Ian, the Reyeses are people I cannot offend." Seth said as he tried to get Ian to let got of him.


    "Just trust me." Ian said as they were greeted by the guard at the door.


    "Your friends sir?" The guard asked.


    "Yes, they are tenants and this man works with me in the Reyes Group, would it be alright if they pass here?" Ian asked in a commanding tone.


    "Of course, sir." The guard said with a nod, shocking Seth.


    "You can just do that?" Seth whispered as he and Ian walked into the lobby. "I swear, I need to warn my brothers about crossing you." He said with a laugh.


    "Why? That guard is really nice." Ian said as he pressed on the elevator button.


    "He is former blackops, he is very dangerous." Seth explained. "All of the staff in the executive entrance are all trained to keep the residents safe. They also have the highest qualifications. Then again, the Reyes heir is meant to live here."


    "What floor?" Ian asked as they stepped into the elevator.


    "Tenth." Seth said.


    Ian nodded and pressed the button for the tenth floor.


    "So can I tell Camilla?" Ian asked as he leaned against the elevator door. "I mean, technically you know her secret now too."


    "Alright." Seth said with a nod as the elevator doors opened.


    Ian had forgotten that this elevator was for executive use, so when the doors opened on the tenth floor, a couple that was waiting for the elevator gasped.


    They never expected to see those elevator doors open.


    Seth and Ian couldn''t help but laugh at their visible confusion and embarrassment. Clearly they had been doing something that should be done in private.


    "Why don''t we grab dinner on Sunday with Camilla?" Ian asked as Seth walked out with his bodyguards.


    "Sure, text me the time." Seth said as the doors closed.


    When Ian finally made it back to his room, he fell face first on his bed and fell fast asleep.

 Chapter 64 - 64

    Ian groaned as his alarm went off.


    He had self defense training with Camilla and their instructor at 8am today. He didn''t realize how late he had managed to crawl back into bed. It was already 4am by the time he made it back to his room.


    Ian took a deep breath and sighed before finally getting up and dragging himself to his bathroom to prepare for the day.


    Just as he was dressing up, he heard the doorbell go off repeatedly.


    He groaned at the noise, grabbing his shirt and making his way down to the first floor of his place.


    The doorbell didn''t stop till he yanked the door open to find Camilla with her arms crossed and an annoyed look on her face.


    When she realized that he didn''t have a shirt on, she gasped and covered her eyes.


    "Ian, put a shirt on!" Camilla shouted.


    "It''s just my chest." Ian grumbled as he placed his shirt over his head and did as Camilla asked. "Why are you even here? We still have thirty minutes before we have to head down to the gym."


    "I want breakfast." Camilla simply said as she kept her hands on her eyes. "Do you have a shirt on yet?" She asked.


    "Yes." Ian grumbled.


    Camilla quickly walked into his room and slammed the door behind her as she marched to his kitchen.


    "What are you doing?" Ian asked Camilla as he chased after her.


    "I told you, I want to eat breakfast." Camilla told Ian as she opened his fridge and took out some food.


    A maid quickly appeared and took it from Camilla.


    Camilla tried to protest but the maid told her that it was her job to cook and clean after them.


    In the end Camilla gave in and let the maid cook for them.


    "Don''t you have your own kitchen?" Ian asked as he walked over to the coffee machine.


    This time the maid didn''t try to stop him from making his own coffee as she cooked their breakfast.


    "I do, but it''s boring being all alone." Camilla said with a frown. "I''m tired of eating all of my meals alone, I don''t want to. I can always just swing by here and save the maids some work of cooking for the two of us and cleaning after the two of us."


    "Fine, fine." Ian said as he gave in to her plan. "You can have your meals here with me. I just need to know what you like and don''t like and what you are allergic to."


    "With all due respect Mr. Lim, Miss Montero." The maid said as she joined in on the conversation. "We already know these details. It was part of your dossier that we needed to memorize." She explained.


    "Wow, the Reyeses are thorough." Camilla said as she was shocked that the staff knew details like those.


    "Marco is thorough." Ian said as he shook his head. "We need to learn from him, to be like him or better."


    Camilla nodded in agreement.


    "So you''ll have dinner and breakfast here everyday?" Ian asked.


    "Yes, well as long as you don''t have Jas over." Camilla told Ian. "I don''t think Jas likes me."


    "She has to like you, I''m stuck with you." Ian said with a laugh.


    "Well till she is comfortable with me I will do my best to stay away, I don''t want to strain your relationship with her." Camilla offered. "I can already see this job taking a toll on your relationship."


    Ian took a deep breath and closed his eyes, he could already see how difficult his conversation with Jas was going to be.


    There was also the issue of her family losing money because she was associated with him. Ian didn''t want the Ortegas to suffer because of him, it wasn''t right.


    "Earth to Ian, are you still there?" Camilla asked as she waved her hand in front of him.


    "Yeah, I was just thinking." Ian said with a frown.


    "Breakfast." The maid said as she laid out a platter of sandwiches in front of Ian and Camilla. "It''s a good thing the two of you both like bacon and egg sandwiches, cooking for you two would be a pain if you had different preferences." She said with a smile before walking back into the kitchen.


    "Wait." Ian called out. "Is it alright if we run through the meal plan for the rest of the week later, right after our self defence classes?" Ian asked the maid.


    "Yeah, sure." She said with a nod.


    "What''s your name, by the way?" Camilla asked.


    "Jane." The maid said with a smile.


    "Thanks Jane." Camilla said as she pointed at her food.


    Jane simply nodded and left them alone.


    "You''re used to having maids and servants, aren''t you?" Camilla asked Ian.


    "We did, a long time ago. But things are different for my family now." Ian said with a shrug.


    "I saw your file by the way." Camilla told Ian. "Well your family file, it was assigned to me last night. I was shocked when I saw it."


    "Well, what do you want to ask?" Ian said as he braced himself, he knew telling Camilla about what happened to his family would force him to relive all the trauma and the pain. But it was inevitable, he had to repeat his story every so often.


    "How did you survive through all of that?" Camilla asked. "How did you survive and now thrive? You are amazing."


    Ian was caught by surprise with her question. No one had ever asked him that, they normally focused on all the loss and all the pain, but never what happened after.


    "Are you alright?" Camilla asked Ian as she gave him a very confused look.


    "Yes, I''m fine." Ian said with a nod as he took a bite of his sandwich.


    "So how did you?" Camilla asked as she waited for his answer.


    "You know, no one has ever asked me that." Ian said as he laughed. "Usually I have prepared answers for all of the usual questions, but for this one I don''t."


    "Then don''t give me a generic answer, tell me the truth." Camilla said with a smile.


    "I didn''t." Ian shrugged. "I didn''t survive it. Everything I went through beat me black and blue. It changed me, it damaged me, it morphed me into someone different."


    "For the better, I hope." Camilla said as she looked at Ian.


    "I think I changed for the better." Ian said with a smile. "If I had stayed the same reckless boy I once was, I would never survive in the real world."


    "You are lucky then." Camilla told Ian.


    "Lucky?" Ian asked.


    "Yup, lucky." Camilla said with a nod. "You are lucky that tragedy made you stronger, it made you better. If it hadn''t happened things could have become worse."


    "I guess that''s true. I wasn''t exactly the best person before we lost everything." Ian said as he remembered how horrible he was growing up. He was spoiled to the bone, and all the hardships he went through made him realize how bad he was.


    "Sometimes, bad things have to happen to us to make our lives better." Camilla said in a weak voice.


    Ian could feel that her words meant something to her, something she hid deep inside her. But he didn''t want to push her to tell him if she wasn''t ready.


    They would be working together for years, he knew she would tell him eventually. He hoped that she would come to trust him over time.


    They would need to learn to trust each other and their boss.


    "Oh fuck." Camilla cursed as she looked at her phone.


    "What?" Ian asked as he finished his sandwich.


    "We''re gonna be late." Camilla said as she got off her seat and dragged Ian out the door.

 Chapter 65 - 65

    Ian and Camilla were surprised to find the gym of Solaire Towers empty and without a soul around.


    "Are we late?" Camilla asked Ian as she looked at her watch, they were right on time.


    "No you guys aren''t late." A tall man with a military buzz cut said as he entered the room.


    "Leon!" Camilla said as she looked at the man with a surprised expression.


    "Leon?" Ian asked. "You know him?"


    "Yes, Leon is the Reyes Heir''s future bodyguard." Camilla explained. "He lives on the floor below us and I''ve bumped into him a few times."


    "Marco enlisted me to get both of you in better shape." Leon explained. "My job will be to protect our future boss, but even with me around, there may still be some unwanted individuals that could get through. You need to be able to defend both yourselves and our boss."


    Ian and Camilla nodded as they listened to Leon.


    "You both need to be fit, and you both need to be capable of fighting back." Leon explained. "Training every Saturday will not be enough. You will also need to put in some extra effort on other days to keep yourself in shape."


    "We could schedule daily workout sessions together." Camilla suggested.


    "Those are up to the two of you." Leon said with a shrug. "I have other duties aside from training you two."


    "I''m fine with going to the gym twice a week and running the other days." Ian suggested.


    "That would be perfect." Camilla said excitedly.


    "Good, at least I know the two of you won''t be slacking off." Leon said with a smile. "Now, from what Marco tells me, Ian, you can actually defend yourself."


    "I got into a lot of fights when I was younger, so I needed to learn to defend myself and to fight back." Ian explained.


    "Good, show me." Leon said as he invited Ian to attack.


    "Are you sure?" Ian asked as he hesitated.


    "I can take you, don''t worry about hurting me." Leon said with a grin.


    "I''m not stupid, I''m not worried about you getting hurt, I''m worried about me!" Ian shouted, making Leon and Camilla laugh.


    "I promise not to hurt you too much, now come at me!" Leon challenged him.


    At first Ian hesitated, but eventually he realized that he needed to do this and that it was for his own benefit.


    He quickly attacked Leon, making the bodyguard smile. Leon thought it would take a lot more convincing to get Ian to attack.


    It was a good thing that Ian was quite smart and didn''t hesitate for long.


    Leon anticipated that Ian would punch with his left hand, he had read Ian''s file, he knew that the assistant was left handed.


    He was caught by surprise when Ian threw a punch with his right hand, making Leon take a step back.


    "Good, unpredictable, good." Leon praised as he quickly countered Ian with his own punch.


    Ian was fast, he quickly ducked and stepped aside, attempting to attack Leon with his fists. But Leon was a top notch bodyguard for a reason, he was able to quickly deflect Ian''s fists, making Ian take a step back this time.


    "You''re fast and you know how to use it, not bad." Leon said as he admired the assistant''s skills. "Rough around the edges, clearly you learned fighting on the streets, but good material to work on." Leon praised.


    Ian took advantage of Leon being distracted as he used his knee to try to kick Leon in the chest, but the bodyguard was faster, catching his knee and pushing it back down.


    The strength of Leon''s counter almost made Ian fall, he quickly regained his balance, just as Leon threw a punch at him.


    Ian moved to avoid the punch from colliding with his face. Unfortunately, since he wasn''t stable on his feet from Leon''s counter, Ian fell as Leon''s attack messed with his balance.


    When Ian tried to get up, Leon placed a foot on his chest, keeping him down on his back.


    Leon laughed as Ian glared at him, Ian hated to lose, and right now he had fallen flat on his ass and Leon''s foot was stopping him from getting back up.


    "Okay, I think that''s enough." Leon said with a smile as he took his foot off of Ian and offered his hand to help him up.


    "This isn''t one of those I''ll help you but punch you to teach you a lesson, is it?" Ian asked as he hesitated to take Leon''s hand.


    "No." Leon said with a grin. "I was told to teach you to defend yourself and our future boss. I know you are capable of telling who to trust and who not to trust. I will just do my job and teach you both how to fight."


    "Thanks." Ian said with a smile as he took Leon''s hand and stood up.


    "You''re good for someone that isn''t professionally trained, better than others to be honest, but your punches and kicks lack power." Leon commented as he recalled the mental notes he made while they fought.


    "Thanks, I guess." Ian said as he dusted himself off.


    "Follow me." Leon told Ian who walked behind Leon to a corner.


    Leon patted a punching bag and gave it a few jabs before nodding his approval.


    "This will do." Leon said. "Watch me." He told Ian as he did twenty jabs before kneeing the punching bag five times.


    "Watch your form, make every hit count." Leon told Ian as he punched. "Put more force in every attack that you are used to."


    Ian nodded in response as he watched Leon''s actions.


    "Now you do it." Leon said as he stepped aside, letting Ian repeat his actions.


    Ian stood before the bag and gave it his first jab with his right hand.


    "Harder." Leon instructed.


    Ian punched the bag harder this time with his left.


    "Good, now with your right." Leon told Ian.


    Ian complied and tried to punch the bag with his right hand as strong as he could.


    "Better, but not good." Leon commented.


    Ian punched it again with his left, hitting it squarely. He knew he was punching better with his dominant hand, but he was aware of the need to strengthen his right hand as well.


    "Repeat it with your right." Leon instructed.


    Ian did as he was asked, and he felt the difference this time as his fist collided with the bag.


    "Good, keep it up." Leon said with a nod as Ian continued to punch the bag as instructed.


    "Now, knee it." Leon told Ian.


    Ian did as he ordered, gripping the punching bag and using his knees to attack.


    "Clearly you are better with your fists than your knees." Leon said with a laugh as he corrected Ian''s form.


    Leon watched as Ian did two more rounds of punching and kneeing the bag.


    "Keep it up until Camilla and I are done." Leon instructed. "You can take a break every five rounds, hydrate yourself then practice again."


    "Alright." Ian said with a nod as he panted.


    "Two more and you can rest, go." Leon said with a nod as Ian resumed punching the bag.


    Ian was so focused on doing as Leon instructed him, that by the time he had finished five repetitions he didn''t realize how exhausted he was.


    "Good, again!" Ian heard Leon call out as he turned to watch as Leon taught Camilla how to fall.


    Despite learning how to fight on the streets, Ian knew how important knowing the right way to fall was.


    He had broken his leg several times because he didn''t know how to fall properly at the start.


    "Ian, don''t rest for too long!" Leon called out as he noticed Ian watching them.


    Ian simply nodded and drank from his water before returning his attention to the punching bag.


    After two more sets of punching and kneeing the bag, Ian finally heard Leon tell Camilla that they were done for the day.


    "Tired?" Camilla asked as Ian joined her and Leon on the mats once more.


    "Very." Ian said with a nod. "We need to eat, I''m starving." Ian said as he touched his stomach.


    "We can have something whipped up." Camilla told Ian with a laugh. "Join us?" Camilla said as she invited the bodyguard.


    "I can''t." Leon said as he shook his head. "I have work to do. I''m always busy so don''t get offended that I''m rejecting your offer."


    "Alright." Camilla said with a nod. "Come on Ian, let''s get some food in you before shopping."


    Ian ground at the thought of shopping as Camilla dragged him to the elevator, leaving an amused Leon behind in the gym.

 Chapter 66 - 66

    There was one thing Ian hated doing with his sisters, and that was shopping.


    The two girls, Sam and Karina, had dragged him across Elissia Mall pointing out everything he should get for his new place.


    He was glad that Camilla had tagged along, because she seemed to be just as interested in shopping as his two sisters.


    "Oooohhh!" Karina said as she pointed at some kitchenware. "I think that would go perfectly in Ian''s new place."


    "You''ve never even seen my new place." Ian grumbled as he walked behind the two girls.


    "No need, Camilla showed us photos." Sam chirped as she picked up some utensils she thought her brother would need.


    "You took photos of my place?" Ian asked Camilla with a raised eyebrow.


    "Our apartments are identical, I just showed them mine." Camilla said with a shrug as she picked up some things for herself as well.


    "Why does it look like I''ll be throwing a party everyday with all the things you are picking up for me?" Ian complained as his sisters continued to pick things out, pointing them out for the sales people to process. "Why am I buying so much more things than Camilla!" Ian complained.


    "Because I don''t have anyone else coming over to my place." Camilla said with a laugh. "At most it will be you and Leon and I don''t know your girlfriend if she can stand me."


    "Don''t worry about Jas, Camilla." Karina said as she joined in on the conversation. "She''s actually really nice. I think she is just stressed with work."


    Ian frowned at the thought. He knew that someone was suppressing Jas'' family because of him and his relationship with her.


    "I just know to stay as far away from Ian as possible when she is around." Camilla said with a laugh as she showed Sam and Karina something she wanted to buy for her place.


    "Why do I feel like I suddenly adopted a third sister?" Ian asked as he rolled his eyes at the three women.


    "I would love to have another sister!" Karina said in an excited tone as she hugged Camilla.


    Camilla laughed at the sisters'' antics as they continued to buy things for their apartments.


    "I think we need to go clothes shopping for your brother." Camilla pointed out.


    "No I don''t, I have enough clothes." Ian said as he shook his head. "We need to get these to the car first and back to the units so we can set everything up."


    "First of all, I''ve seen your closet, and yes you need more clothes especially now that you are working." Sam argued. "And second we have a way to get things back, you brought John with you."


    Ian frowned at his sister''s suggestion. He had forgotten that the driver had insisted on taking them to the mall.


    He said he felt so unwanted and unneeded because Ian and Camilla both chose to drive themselves everywhere.


    Eventually, Ian gave in and let the man drive them to his home to pick his sisters up, then later to the mall for their shopping trip.


    "Why don''t Sam and I take the things to the car, while you and Camilla can go clothes shopping? I''m sure John can drive us to your place and we can set everything up before you arrive." Karina told her older brother.


    "And what about us?" Ian asked.


    "John can come back and fetch you." Sam said with a shrug.


    "Makes sense." Camilla said with a nod.


    "Why can''t we all just go home?" Ian asked.


    "Cause you need clothes, and Sam and I want to decorate your place." Karina said with a grin as she looked at her older brother.


    "Fine, but don''t go overboard, here are the keys." Ian said as he passed them the keys to his apartment.


    "Can we do yours too Camilla?" Sam asked the older woman excitedly.


    "Sure. Here." Camilla said with a nod as she handed her keys to the siblings as well.


    "You guys might want to grab some lunch here in the mall while we work on your apartments." Karina said as she flashed the pair a mischievous smile.


    "Why do I feel like I''ll end up regretting this?" Ian grumbled as he watched his sisters leave him and Camilla.


    "Your sisters are sweet, I wish I had siblings growing up." Camilla said with a frown.


    Ian looked at her curiously, he knew many people that grew up as only children felt sad about not having siblings, but Camilla seemed sadder than most. It was as if she had lost a sibling rather than not having had one from the start.


    "Are you alright?" Ian asked as he gave Camilla a concerned look. "If you''re not we can go home with my sisters."


    "No, I''m fine." Camilla said as she shook her head and gave Ian a weak smile. "I just remembered someone, well something. Don''t worry about it, I have a therapist."


    "Well if you ever need someone to talk to, I''m here." Ian said with a smile as they walked towards one of the high class shops for men''s clothes.


    "Are you sure we should be buying here?" Ian asked as he looked around.


    Yes, he had been born to a rich family, but it had been years since he had bought at a shop like this.


    "Your sisters said this was your favorite brand." Camilla said as she gave him a confused look. "To be honest I was quite surprised, not a lot of people know this brand. People normally flock to the more famous ones, this one is quite unknown."


    "Mr. Ian Lim, is that you?" An older man said as he walked out from the storage room.


    "Hi Henry." Ian said with a gentle smile as the man walked up to him and shook his hand.


    "Wow, you''ve grown, I''ve been waiting to see you come back. How are your parents? And your grandfather, is he still giving everyone a pain in the ass?" The old man, Henry, said as he spoke to Ian in an excited tone.


    "Grandpa is fine, so are my parents." Ian said with a nod. "Henry, you don''t need to be polite, I know that you know what happened to my family."


    "I do." Henry said with a nod. "But families like yours, they can''t keep you down. You guys always keep fighting. And look at you now, you are back in my shop, and I see you are still wearing your grandpa''s shoes!" Henry said as he pointed at Ian''s feet.


    "Well, you price them high and they last generations." Ian said with a laugh.


    He suddenly remembered that Camilla was with him and that he had forgotten to introduce Camilla to the old man.


    "Right, where are my manners?" Ian said with an awkward laugh. "Henry, this is Camilla Montero, she''s a friend from work. Camilla, this is Henry, he is the owner of this shop. And before you get any ideas Henry I have a girlfriend, and it''s not Camilla."


    The old man laughed at how Ian had managed to predict what he was about to say.


    "Nice to meet you Miss Camilla, I''ve been dressing Ian''s family since his grandfather''s time, and my father worked for his great grandfather and great great grandfather. We''ve worked for families like theirs for generations." Henry told Camilla with a smile.


    "It''s an honor to meet you." Camilla replied. "I''ve heard so much about your brand and how you only dress certain people."


    "I don''t want those new rich strutting around in my clothes when they look down at people." Henry said with a laugh. "I make some exceptions, but I prefer to pick my clients."


    "You can afford to do that anyway, Henry." Ian teased. "Who is it now, the Reyeses, the Sebastians, the Laurences, the Chans, the Abads, the Carpios, the Roccis, who else am I missing?"


    "A lot more." Henry said as he shook his head. "All people that don''t want their names on tabloids."


    "You must be amazing at what you do." Camilla praised.


    "He is." Ian said with a nod, to which Henry simply shook his head.


    "So what can we do for you young Mr. Lim?" Henry asked as he returned his attention to Ian.


    "He needs a completely new wardrobe." Camilla said with a laugh as she walked over to the clothes displayed on the racks.


    "Well, you know the drill Ian, let''s get you measured." Henry said as he pointed at a pedestal with mirrors surrounding it.


    Ian nodded as he stood on the pedestal like he did when he was younger.


    Even if he hadn''t been to Henry''s in years, it just felt like things were slowly snapping back to how they used to be.

 Chapter 67 - 67

    "So it will be a whole wardrobe?" Henry asked as he listed down the things Ian needed.


    "Ummm¡­" Ian said as he hesitated, not sure if he could spend that much of the Reyes Group''s money.


    "Yes, a whole wardrobe." Camilla said as she answered for him.


    "Hey!" Ian shouted as she took his wallet from his pocket and handed the company issued card to one of Henry''s assistants.


    "Relax, I know which is the company card and which is your personal one." Camilla said as she handed Ian his wallet back.


    "It''s not that." Ian said with a frown.


    "Trust me, Marco would scold you for worrying about spending the money. We were given this for a reason, plus if I''m not mistaken there is a limit on the card." Camilla explained.


    "Still we shouldn''t abuse this money." Ian whispered to Camilla, unwilling to let others hear their conversation.


    "Why are you whispering?" Camilla asked, we are the only people here.


    "Here is your bill." Henry said as he handed Ian a slip of paper.


    Ian took it, ready to see the most expensive bill he will ever lay his eyes on. He knew that hiring Henry was not cheap, and he had only planned on buying one to two sets of clothes, not an entire wardrobe.


    "Henry! What is this?" Ian asked as he showed the shop owner the receipt he had handed Ian.


    It had one hundred written on it for the whole wardrobe.


    "That''s how much everything you ordered costs." Henry said with a shrug as he watched the shop assistant swipe the card.


    "Why?" Ian asked. "You don''t need to give me a discount." Ian told Henry.


    "I''m not, that''s exactly how much your grandfather asked me to pay when I set up this very shop. One hundred, I know he spent much more than that, but he refused any more payment. So I made it a habit, to you Lims it will always be a hundred." Henry said with a shrug


    Camilla smiled at Ian as the assistant handed her the tape receipt from the machine with Ian''s card.


    Ian tried to protest, but a familiar voice called his name.


    "Ian? Camilla?" Ian turned to find Mike waving at him from outside the shop.


    "We''ll have the items delivered to your place, do you still live at the old mansion?" Henry asked Ian.


    "No, I live at Solaire Towers, send it to the executive entrance." Ian told Henry. "Thank you."


    "No problem, your family and mine go way back, now shoo. I don''t want kids like those in my shop." Henry said as he sent Ian and Camilla away.


    Ian couldn''t help but laugh at how much Henry didn''t want Mike or his companions stepping into the shop.


    "Let''s go, Henry doesn''t want them in here." Ian said as he and Camilla walked out of Henry''s shop, waving at Mike.


    "Wow, were you just talking to Mr. Herny?" Mike asked in awe.


    "Yeah, he''s an old family friend." Ian said with a nod.


    "Oh, so you aren''t a client?" Mike asked.


    Ian paused for a moment, considering if he should tell Mike that he was actually buying clothes.


    "No, I''m not. I was just saying hi." Ian said.


    "Oh, that''s too bad. I heard Henry only accepts certain clients, and if he dresses you, you''re up there. The richest of the rich, the most powerful men in the country go to him." Mike explained.


    "I''m sure Ian knows that." Camilla said with a light laugh.


    "He might not." Mike said with a shrug. "Since you are family friends you should ask him for a suit, although according to rumors, one suit from him costs a year''s salary."


    "Well, I can''t afford that." Ian said with a smile.


    "Why don''t we grab coffee? My treat." Mike said as he pointed towards a popular coffee shop at the end of the hall.


    "Sure, why not." Camilla said with a smile as she and Ian followed Mike and his friends.


    Ian knew what Camilla was doing, she was extending their investigation outside of their work hours. He knew it was inevitable, but he wanted to spend his first weekend relaxing. Unfortunately that was no longer possible.


    It seemed that Mike and his companions were frequent patrons of the shop. As soon as their group entered, the servers greeted them and offered them a table with a reserved sign.


    "Come here often?" Ian asked.


    "Yeah, every weekend, it''s like our hangout." Mike''s friend said. "Oh right, my name is Red."


    "Red, like the color?" Camilla asked.


    "Yes, and this is Joey." Red said as he pointed at their other friend.


    "Red and Joey, nice to meet you. I''m Ian and this is Camilla, we know Mike from work." Ian said as he shook hands with the two men.


    "Ah, from the Reyes Group, yeah, Mike''s got a good gig there." Joey said as he nodded.


    "The usual, sir?" A waiter asked as he approached the group.


    "Yes, and get my friend''s orders." Mike told the waiter as he pointed at Ian and Camilla.


    The pair quickly gave their orders as Mike handed the waiter his card.


    "So are you guys dating or something?" Mike asked Ian and Camilla with a nasty grin. "Cause you know, in the Reyes Group, we aren''t allowed to date our colleagues."


    "What?" Camilla asked in a surprised tone as she leaned forward.


    "So you guys are dating?" Mike asked as he pointed at the pair once more.


    "No." Ian said as he laughed at Mike. "We are just friends, I actually have a girlfriend."


    "Oh, wow, did not expect that." Mike said as he was genuinely surprised that Ian had someone else. "I mean, based on the way you and Camilla interact, I''d say you guys were quite familiar with one another."


    "Yeah, he isn''t my type." Camilla said as she rolled her eyes at Ian.


    "Wait so employees aren''t allowed to date each other?" Ian asked. "It wasn''t in any of the rules I read."


    "It''s an unspoken rule." Mike explained. "Auntie Priscilla doesn''t like her employees being in relationships. It almost caused Clarin Industries to fall in the past."


    "Auntie Priscilla?" Camilla asked, checking if she heard Mike say things correctly. She knew that despite the Reyeses allowing her and Ian to be informal towards them, they were quite cold and unfriendly to everyone else.


    "Yeah, I thought you guys worked with Mike?" Red asked. "Didn''t you know he is apprenticing under the CEO and that he is friends with the Reyes heir?"


    "Is that what they are calling him now? The Reyes Heir?" Mike asked.


    "Then why aren''t you one of the five princes?" Camilla asked Mike.


    Everyone knew that the Reyes Heir''s friends formed the group called the five princes. Five sons of the five richest and most powerful families in the country.


    They were each quite incredible in their own right, and together they could control almost every facet of the country.


    "Because I don''t want to be." Mike said with a shrug. "Anyway, we''re getting off topic. Don''t you know who Priscilla Clarin - Reyes is?" Mike asked the pair.


    "No. Is she the CEO''s wife?" Ian asked as he pretended not to be aware. Priscilla''s name was not exactly public knowledge. She operated outside of the Reyes Group, managing her own company.


    "Yes." Mike said with a nod. "She isn''t just his wife, she is also a very powerful business woman in her own right. She is the last heir to Clarin Industries, without her that company would have crumbled."


    "Wow, the CEO''s wife is amazing." Camilla said in genuine awe.


    "Mike?" Someone suddenly called from behind Camilla and Ian.


    Ian froze as he heard the voice, it was Jas.


    "Oh, hey, it''s my date." Mike said as he winked at Ian and Camilla and got up to walk over to Jas.

 Chapter 68 - 68

    "Relax." Camilla whispered to Ian as she pretended to take a sip from her coffee.


    "But. . ." Ian said as he tried to listen to Mike''s conversation with his girlfriend.


    "Hey Jas, I thought our date wasn''t till later?" Ian heard Mike ask her.


    Ian quickly took out his phone and started to message Jas.


    ''Babe, where are you?'' Ian quickly typed and sent the message.


    "Look there is something I need to talk to you about." Jas said in a tentative tone.


    "Can it wait till later?" Mike asked her. "I''m with friends." He pointed out.


    "Actually I wanted to talk about later." Jas said slowly. "Wait a moment." She suddenly said.


    Ian assumed that her phone had buzzed from his message.


    "We''re having a conversation, Jas, why are you texting someone?" Mike asked her.


    "I just need to reply to this real quick." Jas told Mike. "One moment, and sent."


    Ian felt as his phone buzzed in turn as he received Jas'' message.


    ''Out, dealing with something. Can I come over tomorrow? I can''t do tonight.'' Came her reply.


    Ian immediately knew that she couldn''t come tonight because of the conversation she was having with Mike.


    "Okay, I''m all yours, what''s up?" Jas asked. "Why can''t we talk now? It''s just Red and Joey, no big deal they know everything."


    "Yeah and two other strangers I don''t want to introduce you to." Mike grumbled. "I thought they were worth something, but I guess not."


    Ian wanted to punch Mike then and there. Clearly something was going on between him and Jas, add to that the fact that Mike practically said that he and Camilla were worthless make Ian furious.


    "Fine, whatever, let''s just talk tonight. I''ll probably do some shopping first." Ian heard Jas tell Mike.


    "Okay, here is my card. I''ll come find you later." He told her.


    "Thanks, and go easy on them." He heard Jas say.


    "I will, I''ll see you for dinner then we can go to my parents'' place." Mike told Jas in a very formal tone.


    "Alright, see you then. Bye." Jas told Mike as he left.


    When Mike joined them again, he had a big smile on his face.


    "Girlfriend?" Ian asked.


    Under the table he felt Camilla place her hand on his, as if to tell him that she was there, supporting him.


    "I guess you could say that." Mike said with a shrug. "At our level marriages and engagements are a business deal. She comes from a good family, I come from a good family. Dating could help both families. We''re just in the getting to know each other phase." Mike explained.


    "She''s from the Ortega family." Red explained. "Old rich, the kind that will never go bankrupt."


    "I''m sure everyone can go bankrupt." Ian told Red.


    "We should go." Camilla said as she nudged Ian.


    "Oh, you guys live in the same place?" Mike asked them.


    "Yeah, it''s not far, and we drove over." Ian explained, not wanting to give any other details about where they live.


    "Which community?" Joey asked.


    The capital was filled with walled residential communities that aimed to create a peaceful environment for the home owners and their children.


    But the walls were mainly built to keep the poor out of the rich people''s lives.


    "Oh, we live in an apartment complex." Camilla said, quickly thinking of a lie that wasn''t exactly a lie.


    Solaire towers was an apartment complex, just one that was way more lavish and way more exclusive than most of the communities around the city.


    There were very few places that were more exclusive than Solaire Towers. The biggest one being the old city. To own property there you needed to belong to a certain group of families.


    Another place that was just as exclusive as a private community built by Krisanta Land, south of the capital.


    It was so private that ordinary sales people were not allowed to sell any parcels of land in that place. The only way to purchase one was to go straight to the VP for Krisanta Land or the CEO himself.


    Just getting the chance to talk to either of them meant you were incredibly important.


    There was a third rumored land development, this time to the north of the capital. No one knew exactly who owned it, but it was huge and it had an amazing view of the capital from its elevated point.


    The wall surrounding it had the latest and most sophisticated security technology. It was rumored to be ultra exclusive and ultra safe.


    People assumed that Krisanta Land owned the development, but the Reyes Group never gave an official statement.


    "You sure you don''t need us to drop you off?" Red asked Ian and Camilla.


    "We can manage on our own." Ian said with a nod. "Thanks for the coffee, Mike."


    "You''re welcome." Mike said as Ian got up and pulled Camilla out with him.


    They walked in silence for a while until they were at the entrance of the Elisia Mall they had gone to.


    "I texted John, he should be here soon." Camilla told Ian as she placed a hand on his shoulder. She knew that he must have been suffering from the conversation he had heard and Mike''s admittance that he was dating Jas.


    "You know I won''t break right?" Ian asked Camilla as she looked up at him from her phone. "I won''t break because Jas is also dating someone else aside from me. This isn''t the first time this has happened and I''ve lived through much worse."


    Camilla took a deep breath and sighed.


    "I know Ian, I know." Camilla said as Ian''s car pulled up in front of them.


    "You okay?" John asked as he noticed Ian''s solemn mood.


    "Let''s just get hime." Ian told John who simply nodded and drove them back to Solaire Towers.


    The ride wasn''t long, it was ten minutes at most and John dropped them off at the executive lobby.


    As always, they were greeted by the guard that opened the door for them, and inside the receptionist gave them a sweet smile.


    "You said this isn''t the first time this has happened?" Camilla asked Ian as she was no longer able to contain her curiosity. "Why Ian, why do you let her do that to you?"


    "Don''t judge her Camilla, you don''t know Jas." Ian wanted. "We''ve only known each other a few days, don''t you dare get too familiar. Don''t assume that you know me."


    "I''m stuck with you for at least another seven years, so might as well start talking to me now." Camilla grumbled.


    As she said this the elevator doors opened and Camilla walked out, leaving Ian behind as she slammed the door to her unit.


    "Woah, what did you do to tick her off?" Sam asked as she stood by Ian''s door.


    "Jas is dating again and Camilla saw it herself, we''ve known each other a few days and she thinks she has the right to judge Jas. And don''t you dare start!" Ian warned as he brushed past his sister and entered the room.


    "You know Camilla is right." Sam said as she shook her head and followed Ian back inside the room. She knew better than to speak ill about Jas in front of her brother.

 Chapter 69 - 69

    Camilla was in her living room, working on some notes from the party last night when a knock came at the door.


    For obvious reasons there were only a few people allowed access on their floor, so it could only be either Ian or one of his sisters.


    She got up from the couch and slowly made her way to the door.


    As she opened it, Camilla was greeted by two smiling faces, Sam and Karina, Ian''s siblings.


    "We''re sorry you have to deal with our brother." Sam, the elder of the two, said as he handed Camilla a tray of food.


    "It''s not like I''m getting rid of him anytime soon." Camilla said with a chuckle. "Does he even know you came over?" She asked as she gladly accepted the tray.


    "No, he locked himself in his room as soon as you guys got back." Karina told her with a frown.


    "You guys want to hang out or something?" Camilla said as she invited the siblings in. She was never one for unnecessary social interaction, but if she liked the person she was willing to exert herself.


    "Are you sure?" Sam asked with a hopeful look in her eyes. "You seem busy." She said as she glanced at the documents on Camilla''s coffee table.


    "No, it''s fine. We can chat while I work. I don''t really like things being so monotonous. I''m a walking contradiction." Camilla said with a laugh as she led the two girls into her unit.


    "You and our brother have identical tastes." Karina said with a laugh as she looked around the room.


    "Not completely." Camilla said with a laugh as she walked into the kitchen. "Coffee, tea, snacks?" She called out.


    "Coffee!" The sisters shouted at the same time.


    "It seems we have the same taste." Camilla told them as they followed her into the kitchen.


    Unlike the ones in Ian''s unit, this one was much more cozy.


    "Our brother would never set his place up like this." Sam said with a laugh as she looked around. "Even our house is built so ummm, Karina, what''s the word I''m looking for?" She asked her younger sister.


    "It''s very formal, very cold, and very old." Karina said with a grin as Camilla finished preparing their drinks.


    "You have to understand Camilla, our brother, he''s been through so much. So a lot of his decisions aren''t logical to you, but to him it makes sense, it helps him get to his end goal," Sam explained.


    Camilla took a deep breath and sighed. She had no intention of judging Ian so harshly, she too had a story, but the way he acted earlier was inexcusable. It was like he just snapped when she showed her concern.


    "Let''s talk about this in the living room." Camilla told the sisters as she got her mug of coffee and some snacks. "You guys can carry your own drinks, right?" She asked with a grin as the two women scrambled to help her.


    Camilla gently set her drink and snacks down on the table as she avoided the documents she was working on.


    Sam and Karina soon joined her, avoiding the documents as well.


    "I don''t know if we should be telling you this, but you''re the first person Ian has considered to be a friend in the past ten years." Sam told Camilla with a frown as she looked down, avoiding Camilla''s gaze.


    "You''re kidding, right?" Camilla asked with a slight laugh.


    "No, she isn''t." Karina said as she shook her head. "Things happened, years ago, we were too young to understand but Ian was old enough. He suffered the most from it."


    "What happened?" Camilla asked, wondering what was so bad that it could affect how a young man could suddenly build a wall around him.


    "Well, okay, first let me explain the Lims." Sam said as she took a deep breath.


    Camilla watched as Karina reached out to her older sister and gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze.


    "I don''t know how much you know, but the Lims weren''t always poor, as a matter of fact there was once a time that we could stand shoulder to shoulder with the Reyeses, the Chans, the Carpios, the Abads, and all of the other old families in the country." Sam explained with a frown.


    "That much I know." Camilla said as she informed Sam. "During the party that your brother and I had to attend and in several conversations I''ve had with your brother, I learned that your family and the Reyeses were once friends."


    Sam and Karina nodded, acknowledging that Camilla had the right idea.


    "Our parents and our brother still get invited to events from the older families." Karina said with a sigh. "I know it''s difficult for him and for them. People are always whispering behind their backs, talking about how they think we lost our fortune."


    "Then there are those that judge us for living in our house, still." Sam added. "First of all, it''s not easy selling property in the old city. There are standards and it takes decades to sell one. Then there is the fact that it''s our ancestral house. It''s where our family started, the government won''t let us just sell it because it''s historical."


    "People talk a lot when they think we aren''t listening." Karina said with a frown.


    "And we know that growing up, people left Ian. When he needed a ride home they just let him walk. When he was hungry they happily let him starve. They just left him in the wind as soon as they heard we lost everything. Only two people stayed, Jas and Damien." Sam told Camilla.


    "Who is Damien?" Camilla asked. It was the first time she was hearing this name.


    "Our brother''s only other friend. He is out of the country right now." Sam said with a shrug.


    "Is that why he won''t let go of Jas? Because she stood by him through everything?" Camilla asked the sisters.


    "Yes and we think he really loves her, but we aren''t sure about Jas. We don''t know if she is staying because they are old friends or because she loves him just as much." Karina explained.


    "Well, when she came here she seemed to be so in love with your brother that she was willing to attack me." Camilla told the sisters with a laugh.


    "She has her own pressures too." Sam said as she frowned at the thought. "Her immediate family accepts Ian, but her extended family insists she meets other people. The thing is, she agreed to it."


    "That''s why you aren''t sure if she loves your brother?" Camilla asked.


    "Yes." Karina replied with a nod. "How the hell can you date someone else when you have a boyfriend, it''s just not right." She hissed.


    "She is doing it to make things easier on Ian." Sam told her younger sister with a frown. "We know how complicated their situation is at the moment. The businesses under the Ortega family are slowly crashing, the pressure is on Jas to get a partnership that will save them."


    "By partnership, do you mean marriage?" Camilla asked with a raised eyebrow.


    "No, no." Sam said with a laugh as she shook her head. "But she uses those dates to get partnerships. We don''t know how, all we know is that they talk, go on a date, then they get a new partner. But every time as soon as she closes a deal things get worse."


    "You mean she -" Camilla said in shock, she didn''t know what to think, or even if what she was thinking was true.


    "No, well, we don''t think she sleeps with them." Sam said as she thought of the possibility.


    "I still don''t think she is the best person for our brother." Karina told Sam as she rolled her eyes in defiance.


    "It''s Ian''s choice who he loves, not ours." Sam told her sister. "She stood by him when everyone left him, that must mean something."


    Camilla frowned at the thought of how miserable Ian''s life must have been, watching everyone abandon him because of money.


    And now the woman he loved was constantly with other men. How much faith did Ian have on Jas that he was able to withstand that. She knew she would never be able to survive the pain Ian must be suffering at the moment.


    "Can you girls start decorating my room?" Camilla asked as she got up.


    "Yeah, sure." Sam said with a smile as they watched Camilla step out of the room.

 Chapter 70 - 70

    Ian closed his eyes and sighed. He never wanted to have a confrontation  like that, as much as possible he avoided losing his temper, but after everything today, he just couldn''t control it.


    He knew it was wrong for him to go off on Camilla like that, she was only concerned about him, worried about how he was doing. It was only natural to find what had happened odd, not a lot of people found themselves in the same situation as Ian and Jas


    Ian and Camilla had only known each other for a few days but he already felt like they connected on a whole different level. He felt comfortable around her, like she was family.


    He trusted her, and he knew that wasn''t going to run. He was attracted to her personality, but not in the same way he was attracted to Jas, nott in a romantic way. He liked Camilla as a friend, and he found her presence comforting.


    "Ian." He heard Sam knock outside of his door.


    "Go away Sam!" Ian called out. He wasn''t in the mood to deal with his siblings right now. He loved them, but they could be quite annoying at times.


    "We''re going over to Camilla''s. Mom sent some food, I don''t think you''ll be able to finish all of it. We''ll give some of it to Camilla." Karina told her brother from the otherside of the door.


    They clearly didn''t care if he was in one of his moods. They grew up with him, they knew him, they knew what he needed.


    "Whatever, Camilla has most meals here, I doubt it would make any difference." Ian shouted back.


    He wasn''t lying, he and Camilla had agreed to have their meals together, except when Jas was around. And seeing that Jas would be dating again meant that she wouldn''t be visiting that often.


    He wouldn''t have had the time to deal with her anyway. He already knew that his job would be quite demanding, at least now he wouldn''t have to explain why he couldn''t come over every night after work.


    "I doubt she''ll eat here tonight with how cranky you''ve become." Sam said with a laugh. "You really should pick the women you fight, I doubt you would win against this one." She teased.


    "Go away Sam!" Ian shouted.


    "Fine, we''ll go over to Camilla." Karina said as he heard them walk away from the door, chatting between them.


    Ian sighed as he looked up at the ceiling of his room, his mind was empty, he tried not to think of anything, letting himself relax and lose himself it the void in his mind.


    But no matter how hard he tried, a part of him constantly felt bad about the way he had treated Camilla.


    It annoyed him how a new person in his life had come to matter so much.


    Eventually, when he was sure that his sisters had left his apartment, Ian got up and made his way down to his office.


    He wanted to list everything that he had gotten from the party the night before. And working would help him keep his mind off of Jas.


    Ian knew that Jas had her reasons, but it never made it any easier on him.


    Even now that he knew that Jas'' family was slowly falling, he still felt hurt. Was it wrong for him to want to be the only man in her life?


    "Ian?" He heard Camilla call out as the front door opened.


    He had completely forgotten that he had added her thumbprint to the lock on the door.


    "Office." Ian shouted as he heard her close the door as he heard her footsteps echo outside the office as she made her way to his office.


    Camilla pushed the door open a little more as she stepped into the room.


    "Hey, I''m sorry." Camilla said shyly as she walked into the office.


    Ian looked up and gave her a confused look.


    "What for?" Ian asked. He wasn''t used to hearing other people apologize to him.


    "Well, you''re right, I don''t know everything about you, and honestly we just met. I don''t have a right to jump to conclusions." Camilla said with a sigh as she stood next to his desk.


    Ian looked up at her, he was at a loss for words. He himself didn''t know what to say when it came to his and Jas'' situation.


    "Look, you don''t need to say anything." Camilla said with a sigh.  "Why don''t we grab lunch with your sisters? Focus on the good things, not the bad." She said with a smile.


    "I know it''s not normal." Ian finally said after a few moments of silence. "Everything about my situation is not normal."


    "Ian, you don''t need to force yourself to explain." Camilla said as she shook her head. "Just tell me when you are ready and I''ll a listening ear."


    "Thank you." Ian said with a smile. "I don''t mind explaining it to you by the way, I just don''t know how."


    "Maybe all you need are a couple of shots and that tongue of yours will start spilling secrets." Camilla teased. "Come on, I''m hungry and I''m sort of worried about what your sister''s might have done to my place."


    Ian grinned and shook his head.


    He quickly placed his notes away and got up.


    "I like what they did to my place though, it looks better." Ian remarked as they walked out of his office.


    "Do you really like it this way? All stiff and formal?" Camilla asked.


    Ian simply shrugged.


    "Let''s go." Camilla said as she gave up on asking Ian about his style preferences.


    "Wait, where are we going?" Ian asked Camilla as they moved from his room to hers.


    "There is a restaurant downstairs, we can actually eat there for free." Camilla said with a grin as they entered her apartment.


    "What the-?" Camilla asked as she was stunned with how fast Ian''s sisters had managed to set her room up.


    "Oh, you''re back. That was faster than expected." Sam said as she looked back at Camilla and Ian who both stood by the door.


    She and Karina were arranging some accents on the living room coffee table, making it look more homely.


    "How did you guys get this done so fast?" Camilla asked as she looked around the room.


    Almost everything she had bought was set up the way she envisioned it. She wondered  how these two girls managed to set everything up so quickly.


    "Oh Camilla, Ian." John said as he stepped out of the bathroom.


    "What are you doing here John?" Ian asked the driver.


    "I came to check up on you and Camilla, you guys weren''t exactly friendly in the car earlier, then I met these two." He said as he pointed at Sam and Karina.


    "My sisters." Ian explained.


    "They just told me they were Camilla''s friends." John said with a laugh.


    "Hey! Camilla is my friend, not yours!" Ian complained.


    "Can''t she be friends with all of us?" Karina asked her older brother.


    "Why are you guys acting like children?" Camilla asked as she gave Ian a confused look. "They are my friends too now, so shut it." She said as she rolled her eyes at Ian.


    "She''s my sister now!" Sam happily declared.


    Camilla simply laughed at the younger woman as she shook her head.


    "John, have you had lunch?" Ian asked as he tried to change the topic.


    "No, not yet, why?" John asked Ian.


    "Come with us, we''re having lunch downstairs. It would be nice to eat with people other than Ian for a change." Camilla teased as she waved at the girls to walk out of the room with her.


    "Sure, why not." John said as he and Ian followed after Camilla.

 Chapter 71 - 71

    Since moving into Solaire Towers, Ian hadn''t had the chance to use any of the facilities.


    The only time had been when he and Camilla met with Leon earlier that morning for their self defence classes.


    When the elevator doors opened, the attention of everyone within the vicinity quickly turned to them.


    Ian and his group were suddenly frozen in their tracks as John laughed.


    "I forgot to warn you, this happens all the time." He said as he walked out of the elevator ahead of them.


    Ian and Camilla gave each other a concerned look before finally stepping out and following John into the restaurant.


    As they walked out of the elevator to whispers and stares, Ian spotted how uncomfortable his sisters were as they walked ahead of him and Camilla.


    "Relax, they won''t dare say anything wrong." Camilla whispered to Sam and Karina.


    "How do you know?" Karina asked as she glanced back at Camilla.


    "Because of the elevator we just stepped out of. They are just wondering who we are." Camilla said with a gentle smile.


    "Why?" Sam asked Camilla and her brother as John pointed at a table where they could sit.


    "Let''s sit first, your brother should explain things to you." Camilla told them as she grabbed each by the wrist and quickly sprinted towards the table.


    Ian couldn''t help but laugh at how silly the three women looked.


    As soon as they were settled at their table, a waiter came up and handed them the menu.


    "There aren''t any prices." Sam whispered to Ian.


    "Just order whatever you want." Ian told his sister.


    "But, aren''t you worried about the price, this place looks really fancy." Sam told him with a frown as she looked around.


    "I''ll explain everything after we order, but for now, just order what you want, isn''t tempura your favorite? Go order that." Ian said as he pointed at the food item on the menu.


    "But it will be expensive." Sam said with a frown.


    "If you don''t order it, I will." Ian threatened his sister.


    "Fine, fine." Sam said as she gave the waiter her order.


    The restaurant at Solaire Towers hosted a variety of cuisines from all over the world. Their menu was actually several pages long, each page dedicated to a particular cuisine.


    They wanted to be able to provide for every single craving of their residents.


    When everyone was done ordering, someone suddenly approached Ian and his group.


    "Lim." The man hissed as he looked down at Ian.


    "Do you know him?" Camilla asked as she pointed at the stranger.


    "Manuel?" Ian asked, he wasn''t sure if this man was the same youth that had him kidnapped and tortured.


    "I see you managed to nab yourself a sugar mama." Manuel said with a grin as he eyed Camilla.


    "She''s -" Ian started to say before Camilla placed a hand on his shoulder.


    "Relax." Camilla said as she glared at Manuel. "And you are?" She asked Manuel.


    "Manuel Howell." Manuel said as he offered his hand for Camilla to shake.


    Camilla ignored him and simply nodded.


    "You''re supposed to tell me your name, beautiful." Manuel said with a wink as he walked closer to Camilla. "I promise you, I can satisfy you much more than Lim here."


    "Ian, this person is bothering me." Camilla said in an adorable feminate voice, confusing Ian for a moment.


    "He can''t do anything about me, he''s just some poor kid." Manuel said with a laugh as he looked down at Ian.


    Sam and Karina looked at their brother anxiously, while John leaned back casually against his seat, watching the events unfold.


    "Really?" Camilla asked with a raised eyebrow.


    "Yeah, darling, I can get him sent out of here, just say the word." Manuel boasted.


    Camilla watched as Ian gripped the arm rests of his seat as he tried to control his anger. She had no idea who Manuel was to Ian, but from the looks of it, he was someone that needed to have his ass handed to him.


    She laughed at Manuel''s words, confusing him for a minute before he lowered his head and brought it close to her face.


    Annoyed at how Manuel was treating Camilla, Ian was forced to stand up and pull Manuel away as he yanked on the man''s shoulder.


    "You fucking dare?" Manuel said in an amused tone. "You got away before, but this time I guarantee you, you won''t." Manuel challenged.


    "Oh this will be entertaining." John said with a laugh. As he waved a waiter over and ordered some drinks for the table.


    "You find this interesting?" Sam asked John as she worried about her older brother.


    "Relax, no one can touch Ian." John said as he shook his head. "Manuel is an idiot. Even I won''t go against Ian or Camilla."


    "Shut it." Camilla said as she glared at John. "I wanna see how far he takes it."


    "Manuel or Ian?" John asked.


    "Duh, Manuel." Camilla said as she rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to Ian and Manuel who were glaring at each other.


    "You should learn respect, Lim." Manuel said as he spat at Ian on the face.


    "You know, that''s very unhygienic." Ian told Manuel in a calm voice.


    "Oh, no." Sam said with a gasp.


    "Why?" Camilla asked as she looked at the sisters.


    "When Ian is calm, that''s when he is at his worst. He can explode at any time." Karina, who was seated closest to Camilla whispered.


    "Ian. . ." Camilla said as she began to worry.


    "Relax, we''re at Solaire, as I said, he is practically untouchable." John said with a grin as if he knew something that the others didn''t.


    "Just because you have some whore paying for you doesn''t make you any better." Manuel said as he began to get angry.


    His shouts drew the attention of everyone else in the restaurant. People were now watching, but what puzzled Camilla, was that whenever one person attempted to take a video, a member of the staff would stop them, take their phone and delete the video.


    "You noticed it?" John said with a grin.


    "Now, that''s unfair to Camilla." Ian said as he shook his head. "I can''t let you say bad things about my friend." Ian said with a grin.


    "Or what? What will you do Lim?" Manuel asked as he challenged Ian.


    "This." Ian said as he punched Manuel squarely on the jaw, making the man fall backwards as the crowd gasped and screamed.


    "Help him, why aren''t you helping him?" A woman frantically called out as she looked at the staff. "Don''t you fucking know who he is?" She asked.


    Ian looked at the well dressed woman, he had noticed her earlier. She was grinning as Manuel berated him and hit on Camilla.


    By the looks of it they were either friends or relatives.


    "Miss, what do you want us to do?" One of the security personnel of the restaurant asked as he approached the woman.


    "Throw that fucking asshole out!" The woman screamed as she pointed at Ian.


    The security personnel nodded at his companions as they walked towards Ian and his group.


    "This is the most excitement I''ve seen in months, I''m glad you two arrived." John said as he casually sipped his wine.

 Chapter 72 - 72

    As the security personnel walked closer to Manuel and Ian, Ian''s heart beat faster. He couldn''t get into trouble so early on in his employment.


    He would get fired, no one would hire him. He was sure that Manuel would spread word of his previous run in with the law and he would be basically black listed from all the good companies.


    Ian couldn''t figure out what had gone wrong, he had a better grip of his temper normally. What was so different now? Was it because Manuel was insulting Camilla? Probably. Ian could never take it when men looked down on women.


    He was sure that after the Reyeses found out that he had lost his temper, he would lose his job. They couldn''t have someone with such a tainted record as their employee. It would ruin their name, especially in such an important position as the CEOs assistant.


    Ian quickly regretted letting his temper get the best of him.


    "Not so tough now, huh?" Manuel said as he wiped the blood off of his lower lip as he slowly got back up on his feet.


    Ian didn''t even notice at first that he had broken skin as there was some drops of blood on his knuckles. He quickly wiped it on his pants, but it had somewhat dried and it left a stain on him.


    He glanced at the security personnel as they whispered among themselves, seemingly discussing what to do next.


    Ian gulped as he visibly became nervous. This couldn''t be happening to him, not so soon. No wonder people claimed that he and his family were bad luck.


    A part of him was now starting to believe that they brought nothing but dark times on those around them.


    He looked at Camilla and wondered what misfortune he had brought to her by simply being her friend.


    Ian felt guilty about being selfish, about thinking that after years of keeping people out he could finally have a friend in Camilla.


    And John, he hadn''t known John long, but the driver had made a mark on him. He liked John, he liked his sense of humor and how he seemed to find everything entertaining.


    Did he also bring misfortune on someone he just met?


    "Don''t over think." Ian heard Camilla say as he was pulled back from his toxic thoughts.


    "People like you are the reason why top families fall." Manuel hissed. "Worthless brats that don''t know who to respect. Had you let me have my way I would have given you a chance, maybe a job, I heard you are desperate for it." Manuel said with a grin.


    "Take him. Take him out of here!" Manuel pointed at Ian as the security personnel stood in front of them.


    They looked at each other, Ian couldn''t tell what was running through their minds. Their faces didn''t register whether or not they would listen to Manuel or not.


    After a few moments one of them nodded as the other spoke.


    "Mr. Lim." The security personnel said. He seemed to be their head, Ian began to worry what they would do to him.


    "Look, I didn''t mean any -" Ian said as he quickly panicked and tried to reason with them. He was willing to do anything at this point.


    "You should take that scum out." John suddenly said from behind Camilla. Making Camilla gasp at his words.


    They didn''t expect John to make things worse for them, and now he was speaking so informally to the security personnel, ordering them around.


    "Ah, Mr. John, you''re having lunch with Mr. Lim." The security personnel said in a respectful tone. A tone that confused Ian, how did this man know John? And why was he so respectful to John?


    "Yeah, this man disturbed Ian." John said as he pointed at Manue who glared at John.


    "And who the fuck are you?" Manuel asked as he looked at John from head to toe. "You don''t look like someone important."


    John returned Manuel''s look as he observed Manuel as he glared at John.


    Suddenly, John started to laugh, making Ian think that he had gone crazy.


    "John, what the hell?" Camilla asked as she looked at the driver. "Are you trying to get us into more trouble?"


    John looked at Camilla and shook his head.


    "You''ll understand soon enough." John replied with a grin as he turned his attention back to Manuel.


    "You''re a cocky bastard." Manuel hissed as he looked at John. "It''s like you want to get thrown out of here and banned. I''m the son of a very powerful and rich man while you are probably a nobody from some slum."


    "Yeah, next to Ian, I''m a nobody." John said with a laugh as he looked at Ian.


    "What?" Ian asked, he was extremely confused by John''s actions.


    "You guys should deal with him." John told the security personnel.


    They in turn looked at Ian.


    "Mr. Lim, is this person bothering you?" The security personnel asked as he pointed at Manuel.


    "What the fuck?!" Manuel shouted. "You should be asking me that. Don''t you know who my father is? If he hears about this he will have this place shut down."


    John once more laughed at Manuel''s reaction. It seemed this man looked way too highly of himself and didn''t understand the situation he was in.


    "Trust me sir, we are more afraid of Mr. Lim than of you." One of the waiters who had been standing nearby said with a laugh. "You may not know who he is, but we do. And trust us, he is the last person in this room that you want to piss off."


    "You are all crazy!" Manuel shouted. "He is a kid whose family can''t even feed themselves. They lost everything because of their stupidity and because they are bad luck!"


    "Manuel!" His female companion said as she seemingly began to look embarrassed by his reaction.


    "Don''t act like that Mica! Don''t be embarrassed by your brother." Manuel told his sister Mica in a stern tone.


    "Are you really not going to deal with him?" John groaned. "He is getting annoying." He told Ian.


    "Sir, what do you want us to do?" The security personnel asked as he looked at Ian.


    Ian paused for a moment, it was the first time that he had the opportunity to get back at Manuel. After all the suffering the man had caused him, he actually had a chance this time.

 Chapter 73 - 73

    Ian stood over Manuel, for the first time in a very long time he had the upper hand.


    "Sir?" One of the security personnel asked as they waited for Ian''s decision.


    Ian could tell that they were very anxious. For some reason they sought out his approval and validation. This was something Ian couldn''t understand at all.


    "Is there somewhere here where we can hold him temporarily?" Ian asked as he continued to glare at Manuel.


    "Yes sir." The security personnel said with a nod as he waited for Ian''s instructions. "We have some holding cells at the security office. We can keep him there if you''d like."


    "Please take him there for me." Ian instructed.


    The man who seemed to be the highest security personnel in the area quickly organized for Manuel to be taken down to the security office.


    It seemed that the men were making a public display of them subduing Manuel, embarrassing him even further.


    They quickly grabbed Manuel by the shoulders and cuffed him behind his back.


    "I told you not to do it." Ian heard Manuel''s sister hiss as she approached him.


    "Keep the sister in custody too. I don''t think it would be a good idea to let her walk freely out of here." Ian instructed.


    The leader of the group nodded as he gestured for two more men to take her.


    Seeing as his sister tried to retaliate, the men holding Manuel forced him on his knees, embarrassing the man even further.


    Ian could see how much Manuel wanted to act out, to scream and shout, but he was at a disadvantage. Not only was he cuffed and on his knees, but he was also out numbered and it seemed that Ian had more influence over the people in the room at the moment.


    "What the fuck!" She screamed as the men tried to get her to cooperate. "Wait till our father hears about this, you will all regret it. You are nothing but employees!"


    "Miss, you really messed with the wrong people." A security personnel said with a laugh as they dragged Manuel''s sister out of the restaurant.


    Ian wanted to laugh as they dragged her out kicking and screaming. She kept demanding to see whoever was in charge, but clearly she was ignored.


    "Why didn''t you take them together?" Ian asked the leader.


    "It would be dangerous. We would be in a small confined space with two hostiles. It''s safer this way." The man explained.  "Plus he was quite horrible, a little more embarrassing moments won''t hurt." The man said with a chuckle.


    After a few minutes the leader of the security team signaled the remaining men to take Manuel from the restaurant to the security office.


    They dragged him up, much faster than they needed, making Manuel suffer even more.


    "Move." One of the guards said as he pushed Manuel by the shoulder.


    "I swear Lim, you will regret this." Manuel hissed before he was once pushed to move.


    "Don''t you fucking dare order me around!" Manuel shouted as he glared at the security personnel behind him.


    "I wouldn''t challenge the staff here." John said with a laugh. "They aren''t your typical guards. They are trained to serve the best of the best. You underestimate the people around you."


    "Shut the fuck up!" Manuel shouted, earning him another punch from Ian.


    Manuel''s face was thrown to the side as he spat blood from the impact of Ian''s fist with his face.


    "You''ll pay for this." Manuel threatened as he was nudged forward once more by the security personnel.


    "If you don''t move, my men will carry you out, trust me you don''t want that." The leader of the security team said with a grin. It was as if he was daring Manuel to answer back.


    At first it seemed like Manuel was going to fight back, not satisfied with the embarrassment and punishment he had already suffered today.


    Ian was shocked when he dropped his head in submission, allowing the security team to lead him out of the restaurant.


    When Manuel and the men that were taking him to the security office were out of sight, the crowd that had gathered dispersed and Ian and his group were left alone.


    He was surprised to find that the leader of the security team had stayed behind and waited for things to settle.


    A waiter quickly walked up to them and asked if they were ready to have their meal.


    "Please, I''m starving." John grumbled, making Ian and Camilla laugh.


    "Sir." The leader of the security team said as he approached Ian.


    "You don''t need to call me sir, Ian will do just fine." Ian told the man.


    "It would be very disrespectful of me to call you by your first name, sir." The man said.


    "If you insist." Ian said with a sigh. "Is there anything you need from me?" He asked the man.


    "Would you like us to rough him up a bit, show him how wrong he was?" The man asked.


    "You can do that?" Ian asked with a surprised expression. "Won''t it get you in trouble with your boss or whoever is the higher authority here?"


    The man gave Ian a puzzled look, as if he had grown two heads and was speaking nonsense.


    "Do you want him beaten up or not?" John asked Ian casually. "Just answer the question."


    "Of course I want him to learn a lesson, but I don''t want these guys getting into trouble because of what I want." Ian said as he shook his head.


    "They won''t get into trouble, Ian." John said with a sigh. "I''ll explain why later. Just tell them what you want done and don''t worry, things will be fine." John told Ian with a grin.


    Trusting John Ian turned to the leader of the security team.


    "Rough him up, I want him to learn that there are consequences to his actions and that he cannot keep looking down at people." Ian told the man.


    The leader nodded in return, acknowledging Ian''s instructions.


    "Also, try to avoid the face, I think I did a number on him and anything else will have consequences." Ian instructed.


    The man nodded and left.


    "Now where is that explanation you owe us." Ian said as he settled back into his seat.


    "Well, technically you and Camilla are their bosses." John said with a laugh confusing the pair.

 Chapter 74 - 74

    "You are not making any sense." Camilla said as she looked at John, puzzled by his words. They were the bosses? How crazy was that.


    "This place is owned by the Reyes Group." Ian said as he recalled what Emilio Reyes had told him.


    "Not by the Reyes Group." John said as he shook his head. "It''s owned by a Reyes and was built to serve a purpose."


    "You are being very confusing." Camilla said in a frustrated tone as their food was served.


    Ian couldn''t help but smile as he saw his sisters'' faces light up at the sight of the meal in front of them.


    He knew that like him his sisters also had to give up so much and suffer a lot because of their family''s fall into poverty.


    "Are you sure this meal won''t cost you too much?" Sam asked as she looked tentatively at Ian. It was as if she was waiting for his permission to eat the food.


    "Sam, yes, go eat, go enjoy your food." Ian told his sister with a smile.


    "This must cost a lot." Karina said as she took a bite of the meat in front of her. "Are you sure we can afford this Ian?"


    "Karina, the food is already in front of you." Ian groaned. "You''re already eating it." He said as he rolled his eyes.


    Camilla couldn''t help but laugh at the interaction between the siblings as Karina rolled her eyes back at her brother and continued to eat her food.


    "What do you mean that it''s owned by a Reyes but not by the Reyes Group?" Ian asked John steering the conversation back on to the topic.


    "First of all it''s not public knowledge that Solaire Towers is owned by the Reyes Group, that much I''m sure you know." John began to explain. "Now the second part is that Solaire Towers is actually owned by the Reyes Heir and was built mainly to house his people."


    "His people?" Ian asked, confused by what John meant.


    "You, his assistants." John said as he pointed at Ian and Camilla. "Leon, his bodyguard, which he doesn''t know by the way. And me, his driver, right now all of us are being prepared for when he returns, but when he comes back, the real work begins."


    "Wait, if you''re the Reyes Heir''s driver, what are you doing here already? And why are you driving us around?" Ian asked as he was confused with what John had said.


    "As I said, I''ve been working for the Reyeses for a very long time. I know the family and I''ve been training for my role for years." John explained. "They saved me and I am simply paying them back."


    "It seems the Reyeses have a thing for saving people." Ian said with a chuckle.


    "You too, huh?" John asked with a grin.


    Ian simply replied with a nod.


    "It still doesn''t make sense why we are their bosses here. We are all employees of the same person and family." Camilla said as she shook her head in confusion.


    "You do know that the Reyes Group operates quite differently, right?" John asked. "In other companies, secretaries and assistants are simply there to help the CEOs or Presidents, to the Reyes Group you guys are very different."


    "I know that we have many tasks that are out of the ordinary, that''s why there are such high requirements for the role." Camilla said with a nod.


    "Did you know that Marco So, owns the largest amount of shares of the Reyes Group, after the members of the family?" John asked. "The assistants of the Reyes Group are basically the bosses of anyone who is not a vice president in the Reyes Group, and all Vice Presidents tend to have the surname Reyes somewhere in their lineage."


    "I never thought taking this job would have so much power and responsibility." Ian said with a frown. "I just wanted a job, not something like this."


    "That''s why Mr. Reyes and his son had to select the next assistants carefully." John told Ian with a nod. "It''s a very important position that could easily be abused. Absolute power can corrupt absolutely."


    "I just hope I don''t go down that path." Ian said with a frown.


    "You won''t." Camilla said as she reassured her friend. "Let''s promise to make sure that the power and responsibility of our jobs don''t corrupt either of us. I don''t want to see you go down that path and I don''t want to become that kind of person either."


    "I promise, I won''t let you." Ian said with a nod.


    "So does this mean that technically, my brother and Camilla are your bosses?" Sam said with a grin as she looked at John.


    "Yes and no." John said with a laugh. "Just think of it as we have the same position, but theirs is a little bit higher. I won''t follow them blindly, but as long as they don''t abuse my trust I will follow them."


    "So complicated." Karina said as she massaged her temples.


    "It''s like you didn''t grow up in a complicated household." Ian teased as he laughed at his sister.


    Growing up there were many rules and practices that they needed to follow. As the grandchildren of the head of the family they were expected to act a certain way and meet certain goals.


    They couldn''t simply be who they wanted to be. They needed to represent the family at every age.


    "Sir." Someone said, making Ian jump in his seat, he hadn''t expected anyone to approach him.


    "Sorry sir." A man who looked to be the same age as him said as he frowned next to Ian. "I didn''t mean to startle you."


    "Who are you?" Karina asked as she looked at the man.


    Ian frowned as he observed his sister''s reaction. It was clear that she was physically attracted to him.


    "I''m from the security department, my boss asked if you wanted to watch?" The man asked as he handed Ian a tablet.


    "Oh, I thought you meant watch downstairs." Ian said as he took the tablet from the man.


    "That can be arranged if you wanted to." The man said in a serious tone. "We just thought you would prefer to finish your meal before heading down. Would you like to keep it on mute or would you like earphones to listen?"


    Ian couldn''t help but grin. Something urged him to listen to Manuel suffer, the man had caused him way too much pain for him to just let it pass.


    "You have earphones?" Ian asked.


    "Yes." The man from the security department said as he handed Ian a set of earphones.


    "Thanks." Ian said with a grin as he powered on the tablet.


    "Here, sir." The man said as he tapped on somethings on the screen and live footage of what was happening in the security office was flashed on the tablet.


    "You guys keep eating, this will probably ruin your appetite." Ian told his siblings, Camilla, and John.


    "Oh, I want to watch this." John said with a grin as he pulled his seat behind Ian to watch.


    "Barbarians." Camilla said as she rolled her eyes and continued to eat.

 Chapter 75 - 75

    "So, what did this Manuel guy do to you?" John asked Ian as he leaned forward to get a closer look as Manuel was dragged out of a cell.


    "My whole life was almost ruined because of him." Ian said with a frown as he kept his eyes on the screen.


    "It must have been pretty bad for you to react this way." John said as he glanced at Ian. He couldn''t read Ian''s expression, he just kept a straight face as his attention was focused on the screen.


    "I lost my temper, punched him, and almost went to jail." Ian explained briefly.


    "It''s good that you didn''t go to jail." John said quite awkwardly.


    "Yeah, that would have been a disaster." Ian said with a laugh.


    As Ian continued to keep his attention on the screen he noticed as Manuel was made to kneel on the ground and the camera was adjusted so that Ian could get a better view.


    "You wanna listen?" Ian asked John as he offered one of the earpieces.


    "Nah, I''m fine with just watching." John said as he shook his head.


    "You aren''t a bright guy, are you?" Ian could hear one of the security personnel say in a rough voice. "You should really choose the people you insult." The man said as he laughed at Manuel.


    "That guy is nothing." Manuel said in an angry tone. "Trust me, you will suffer more in my hands than with Ian Lim."


    "I''m pretty sure Ian Lim is more important than someone like you." The other guard said as he took a step closer to Manuel.


    "How could he be?" Manuel asked with a grin. "He has no money, no position, and no connections." He scoffed.


    "When was the last time you met Ian Lim?" The first guard asked.


    Ian could see how the guards were trying to get him to talk, to build his confidence only for them to crush it once it was at its peak.


    "Five? Six years ago?" Manuel said as he thought back to the last time he and Ian had faced each other. "He isn''t someone you want to meet often. As a matter of fact a lot of his old friends had told me how embarrassed they were when they saw Ian again."


    Ian gripped the arm rests of his chair as he remembered how his old friends had shunned and ignored him. He was an embarrassment to them, someone they refused to be associated with because he had become poor.


    He knew that because of their reaction they didn''t deserve his friendship, but he couldn''t help but feel hurt.


    These were people he had gone to school with, people he had grown up with, they were the ones that approached him to become friends.


    Even as a child Ian had a cold side to him. He simply didn''t like exerting too much effort for someone else''s attention.


    But since the Lims were then a very wealthy family, parents insisted that their children make friends with Ian.


    At a very young age these boys were taught to see who was worthy of their friendship based on the other person''s family income.


    Ian didn''t mind back then, he was a child. He even questioned if he would have minded if he had grown up rich.


    There was a high possibility that he wouldn''t  have become a better person. He would have probably ended up as one of those spoiled rich kids that paid their way through life, much like Manuel.


    As much as Ian hated the pain and suffering he had gone through he had to admit that it had saved him as well.


    "Why would they be embarrassed of meeting Mr. Lim?" The guard asked.


    Manuel laughed at their question as he shook his head.


    "Because Ian Lim is poor, it''s that simple." Manuel said. "He is worthless and thus an embarrassment."


    All of a sudden one of the guards punched Manuel squarely in the jaw, almost Manuel over.


    "What the fuck?" Manuel said as he wiped the blood off of his face. "Why would you defend a worthless man like him? He is nothing. You should pick the sides you are on properly."


    "And do you think you are on the right side?" The other guard asked.


    "I have money and the right connections." Manuel said with a laugh. "What other side is there to be on? Ian''s side? Please he can''t do anything to harm you. The worst is that flimsy punch he threw at me. Completely worthless!"


    "A punch like this?" The other guard asked as his fist collided with Manuel''s face from the other side.


    This time Manuel fell to the ground as he screamed in pain.


    It seemed that the other guard had added more force to this punch, making Manuel truly hurt.


    "Why do you guys keep punching me?" Manuel asked as he lay on the ground.


    "Up! Back on your knees!" The guard shouted at Manuel.


    When Manuel didn''t move, he pulled the man by the collar making him kneel.


    "What is Ian? The building manager or something?" Manuel asked. "Because I am more important than some building manager. I am a guest at your restaurant! You are supposed to be serving me!"


    "Really you''re going to go with that?" The guard said with a laugh as he punched Manuel in the gut this time.


    "Let me tell you this, Mr. I''m so powerful because I''m a guest at the restaurant, Mr. Lim is much more powerful and important than you can ever dream to be." The guard said as he lifted Manuel by the collar of his shirt. "And your disrespect towards him cannot be tolerated."


    The guard then threw him across the room. Ian could hear a thud as Manuel hit the wall.


    "Hmmm. . .They aren''t that brutal today." John said as he watched the live footage. "I''ve seen them torture in the past and they are much worse."


    "We can''t rough him up too much." The security personnel informed Ian and John.


    "Later, we''ll head down." Ian said as he closed the table''s screen and handed it back. "I''m starving. I''d like to finish eating lunch first." Ian said with a grin.

 Chapter 76 - 76

    For some reason the thought of Manuel suffering for all his actions against Ian made Ian''s meal taste ten times better than it should have.


    Even Camilla noticed that Ian seemed to be in a much better mood, less brooding. He seemed to smile more after watching whatever that video held.


    "So are you satisfied with how they dealt with Manuel?" John asked as he sat back down in his place. "They will do anything you ask, it doesn''t matter if it''s legal or not."


    "Isn''t that dangerous?" Sam asked John.


    "Oh you naive little child." John said as he shook his head.


    "I''m not a child." Sam replied as she rolled her eyes at John.


    "Well, if you didn''t know, the law doesn''t exactly apply to the rich and powerful of this county." John said as he continued to eat his food. "Everyone has a price, it''s just a matter of if your morals will let you."


    "So do the Reyeses have morals?" Camilla asked, earning her an awkward stare from Ian and his sisters.


    "What? I want to know what my boss'' limits are." Camilla explained. "If we don''t know these things we could end up in trouble for going too far or not going far enough. It''s part of our job." She explained plainly.


    "So do they?" Ian asked as he glanced at John.


    John laughed and shook his head.


    "The Reyeses are clean, but that doesn''t mean that the people around them aren''t." John said with a serious expression. "If they need something illegal done then they have someone for that. You''ll eventually learn who and how to contact them."


    "So the Reyeses regularly engage in such practices?" Ian asked.


    "Only when necessary." John said as he shook his head.


    "So what I had the security team do-" Ian began to doubt if it was acceptable, but John shook his head.


    "What we choose to do to people that harm us, that''s on us." John said. "They will willingly provide you with the tools to deal with your issues and problems, how you execute those are on you."


    "So what I did was acceptable?" Ian asked as he sought validation.


    "People who work for the Reyes Family have done worse, and in all honesty that Manuel guy deserved it." John said with a grin.


    "Do I even want to know what you had the security team do to him?" Camilla asked as she looked at the two men.


    "Not really, if you are faint hearted then no." Ian said as he shook his head.


    "I''m not weak." Camilla told Ian and John. "I just didn''t want the sight to ruin my lunch."


    "Then come with me later." Ian urged. "I mean if you want to. I''ll even tell you why he is receiving this sort of treatment."


    "For the record Ian, I don''t think you would willingly harm a person." Camilla said as she tried to rest Ian''s doubts.


    "You barely know me." Ian said with a frown.


    "In the short time I''ve known you I could already see that you wouldn''t harm another person unless they truly deserved it. And by the looks of it earlier Manuel deserved more than a beating." Camilla said with a grin.


    "Let''s finish our lunch then we can head down and see Manuel." John suggested.


    "Good plan. Sam, Karina, you two stay in my place, we''ll come back for you." Ian instructed his sisters in a strict tone.


    "Can''t we watch?" Sam asked with a pout.


    "Sam! Why would you want to watch that?" Karina asked her older sister in shock.


    "Manuel hurt Ian when we were younger, I want to see him pay." Sam said as a serious expression crossed her face.


    "No Sam." Ian said as he placed his foot down on the matter. "You and Karina will wait in my apartment until we''ve sorted this out. I don''t want you seeing this, I don''t want either of you being exposed to this."


    "Fine." Sam said. She knew that she wouldn''t win against her older brother.


    They continued their meal in silence, until they were all done and had to part ways.


    Sam and Karina did as Ian asked and headed up to Ian''s apartment, while Ian, Camilla, and John were escorted to the security office in the basement.


    They were led to a pair of steel doors that were made to blend with the parking walls.


    As they entered, a chilly breeze coming from the air conditioning made Ian shiver.


    "I hope that''s intentional." Ian said with a grin as they were led to the end of the hall.


    "This is my first time here too by the way." John confessed. "There is normally nothing that needs my attention here. All the security stuff is normally handled by Leon."


    Ian wordlessly nodded as he recalled the strongly built bodyguard that had taught them earlier today.


    "Sir, through those doors are where we keep the holding cells, Mr. Manuel isn''t the only person that we are currently keeping down here, so please don''t be shocked." The security personnel explained as they stopped in front of the doors.


    "Understood." Ian said with a nod as the man led them in.


    The hallway was white, as if from an institution in a horror movie. Ian was sure that the halls were designed that way on purpose as to scare offenders as they walked through.


    On each side there were one way mirrors, through which you could see a receiving area and three cells.


    "How many people can this place hold?" Ian asked as they walked through the hall.


    "About fifty people." The security personnel that was guiding them said.


    "And how many are in here?" Camilla asked as she glanced at the occupied cells.


    There seemed to be people from all walks of life inside. Some looked like businessmen, while others looked more like reporters.


    They were either inside their cells or being interrogated by someone.


    "Right now? Ten." The man said as they continued to walk.


    As they reached the end of the hall, Ian and his group met a familiar face.


    "Ah, Ian, Camilla, John. When I heard someone was brought here for fighting Ian I just felt the urge to come over." Leon said as he greeted them with a grin.

 Chapter 77 - 77

    Unlike this morning, Leon was now wearing more casual clothing making him stand out among the members of the security team.


    "Mr. Leon." The man with Ian''s group said. It was clear that this man regarded Leon quite highly as he bowed to Leon.


    "Leon isn''t just some bodyguard." John whispered to Ian and Camilla. "He is one of the best soldiers in the military."


    "What''s he doing working for the Reyeses then?" Camilla asked.


    "When he was younger Leon got into some trouble, and it was a member of the Reyes family that saved him." John explained. "His main job will be to ensure the safety of the Reyes Heir. But until that man comes back, Leon does other jobs for the Reyeses."


    "And security at Solaire is one of them?" Ian asked in a sceptical tone.


    "Solaire Towers is meant to house the Reyes Heir''s most important employees, so yes, the security of this place is also his priority." John said with a nod.


    "Are you gossiping about me?" Leon asked as he looked at their direction.


    "Of course." John said quite confidently as Leon rolled his eyes at the driver.


    "If you have any questions, Ian, Camilla, you can ask me. John is known for pulling pranks and having a filterless mouth. He can''t tell what''s right from wrong sometimes." Leon said with a serious expression on his face.


    "That''s what the Reyes like about me, I''m honest and I don''t keep secrets from them." John told everyone proudly. "But when it comes to others, well, that''s a whole different thing. I will be loyal to the Reyeses till my death and after if the world demands."


    Ian and Camilla were surprised as John switched from being happy and jolly to a more serious personality.


    Leon simply shook his head as he turned his attention back at Ian and Camilla.


    "From what the team tells me, this man insulted you in public?" Leon asked Ian.


    Ian simply nodded in reply.


    "They''ve beaten him up, do you want to rough him up too?" Leon asked.


    "What will happen after?" Ian asked Leon. He wanted to know what would become of Manuel.


    "In all honesty, that''s up to you." Leon said with a shrug. "We could simply let him walk out of here as if nothing happened, or you can call the police to arrest him."


    "Under what charges?" Ian asked.


    "Trespassing." Leon said simply. "Of course we can also claim that he assaulted you,that one is easy enough to stage."


    "Let the police deal with him." Ian said with a nod.


    "There is actually another option." Leon suggested as he looked at Ian with a serious expression. "But this one isn''t something I can arrange, you''ll need to talk to Marco. I doubt he would refuse."


    "What is it?" Ian asked as he leaned forward, even more intrigued.


    "I just know that Marco has done this in the past and in fact the Reyes family actually encourages us to flex this little muscle once in a while." Leon said in a cryptic tone.


    "I''m listening." Ian said with a nod.


    "Check which companies his family works with." Leon said. "If they have ties to the Reyes Group, threaten them that the Reyes Group will stop working with them if they continue to work with Manuel''s company."


    "The CEO would allow that?" Ian asked.


    "They would prefer that over the more brutal choice, yes." John said, joining in on the conversation.


    "And what if Marco says no?" Ian asked.


    "Marco will not refuse." Leon assured Ian. "The Reyes family likes to make sure that they care for their people. As long as you are loyal to them and don''t do anything evil, then they will do everything in their power to help you."


    "Wouldn''t the Reyes Group have too many enemies if every single employee did this?" Ian asked. The plan was good, it was something he would rather do than physically assault Manuel. But the suggestion seemed too perfect, as if it were a plot for a movie.


    "It''s not something that they extend to all of their employees." Leon said with a knowing grin. "Only those that work closest to them. But of course, the Reyes family has enough enemies as it is, what are a few tiny families to add to that list."


    "Ian, they hired us to be efficient and to get our jobs done." John said in a serious tone. "If we are distracted or can be deemed as a risk to the Reyes family then we are useless. That''s why they help us, so we can do our jobs right."


    Ian nodded as he truly understood what John and Leon meant.


    "I''ll talk to Marco as soon as I can, but for now I want to let out my anger on Manuel." Ian said with a grin. "I also want him to be scared, I want him to fear for his name and for his safety, can the police hold him for a bit in jail?" He asked Leon.


    "It can be arranged." Leon said with a nod as he waved a member of the security team over and gave them a few orders, one of which was to instruct the police on how to deal with Manuel once he was in their custody.


    "So Ian, what did this bastard do to you?" Camilla asked, she had been itching to ask that question since she first saw Manuel earlier in the restaurant.


    "He called me names, I beat him up, he paid the police to take me into custody then he, his father, and his father''s men beat me up. But just as they were about to kill me, my dad and grandfather somehow managed  to save me." Ian explained briefly.


    "How many months ago did this happen?" John asked.


    Ian shook his head.


    "Not months, years. Almost six years ago." Ian said as he watched their shocked expression.


    "Six years and he still hasn''t gotten over that one time?" Camilla asked Ian.


    "Well, he usually gets his way. He didn''t get what he wanted that time so he has been obsessing over it, I guess." Ian shrugged. "Honestly, I''m surprised he remembers, it''s not like he lost anything that night. I almost lost everything because of him."


    "Then we better tell the police not to go easy on him." Leon told Ian with a grin as he nodded at a guard nearby.


    "I just want him to feel what I felt, the fear of the possibility of not coming back." Ian said with a frown as he looked at the door. "I want him to be afraid, to feel that he will lose everything."


    "Perfect, I could do with letting out some steam as well." Leon said with a chuckle as he opened the door to the room where Manuel was being kept.


    Ian had no idea what Leon was planning, but he trusted the man enough to know that Leon had a plan and Leon wouldn''t let him down.


    Inside the room, Ian could see as the siblings were held in separate cells.


    Manuel''s sister was clearly sobbing in a corner. She seemed untouched, but afraid.


    Ian wanted to feel sorry for her, but the more he recalled the way she acted, the less he felt for her.


    She wasn''t that different from her older brother, they had grown in the same household and valued the same things. Ian felt no pity for her, she was old enough to know better at this point.


    In the cell next to her was Manuel. His formerly pressed and clean clothes were now torn, dirty and bloody all over.


    His face only had a cut, clearly the members of the security team had avoided hitting him there. Making sure that if he were to step into the public again he would still be presentable.


    "He was beaten black and blue, don''t be fooled." Leon told Ian as his face remained calm. "Shall we?" Leon asked as he gestured towards Manuel''s cell.


    Ian nodded as walked towards the cell, Manuel refused to look Ian in the eyes as he approached.


    When Ian was standing inches in front of his cell, Manuel, who was seated on the floor, refused to look up at Ian.


    "Are you enjoying having our roles reversed?" Ian asked as he grinned at Manuel.

 Chapter 78 - 78

    "Our roles are not reversed." Manuel hissed as he kept his eyes on the ground. "You are still scum and the moment I get out of this place my dad will have his men take you and finish what should have been done years ago."


    Ian couldn''t help but laugh at what Manuel had said.


    Any doubt or fear that Ian had in the past was now gone. John''s and Leon''s words gave him confidence.


    Ian trusted the Reyes Family, he trusted the CEO, and for some reason he trusted this future boss of his whom he had never met.


    "Why were you here?" Leon suddenly asked.


    "None of your business." Manuel said as he spat at Leon''s shoes.


    "Ugh, I just bought this." Leon groaned as he wiped the spit off against his pants. "You are disgusting."


    "All of you will regret holding me here." Manuel shouted.


    "Manuel, please, please don''t anger them anymore. I just want to leave." Manuel''s sister sobbed in the other cell,


    She might have remained untouched, but she was frightened. She had watched as men beat up her older brother and threw him back in his cell.


    "Take her out." Leon ordered.


    The guards with them quickly jumped into action, opening her cell.


    Ian could hear as Manuel''s sister began to scream. He imagined that she would be doing her best to stay as far away from the guards, kicking and screaming as they approached.


    "Don''t touch me!" She shouted. "Don''t fucking touch me! You''ll pay for this if you touch me!"


    Her screams were a mix of anger and tears, they felt like she was in pain, but Ian knew that Leon''s men would never harm her.


    She was definitely exaggerating whatever was going on in her cell, Ian didn''t care. It was best if she overreacted, it would make Manuel break.


    "Please, please, get away!" Manuel''s sister screamed in a shrill voice.


    Ian watched as Manuel''s expression shifted from stubbornness to worry with every scream that came from the cell beside his.


    It was clear that no matter how horrible Manuel was to other people he cared deeply about his sister as he began to panic.


    "Manuel! Manuel! Save me! Manuel help! Manuel please!" His sister screamed.


    "Oh please, such a drama queen." Camilla scoffed as she watched from behind.


    She had a clear view of both cells and she could see how Manuel''s sister was simply backed up against the wall.


    With every small motion that the guard made she would scream as if she was being tortured, and everytime the man took a step she would begin to beg.


    Camilla wanted to laugh so hard at the sight, but if she showed that nothing bad was truly happening to Manuel''s sister she knew that it wouldn''t break Manuel.


    "Such a loving older brother." Ian said with a grin. "Letting your sister fear for her life. Don''t you want to know what the guards are doing to her?" Ian asked.


    "Don''t you dare hurt her!" Manuel shouted as he finally stood up, grabbing onto the bars of his cell.


    "What will you do if we hurt her?" Ian asked with a laugh. He wanted Manuel to fear for his sister''s life.


    "Mica, Mica, stay strong. I''ll get you out of there!" Manuel screamed as he offered his words of encouragement to his sister.


    "Manuel, help me, get me out of here!" Mica shouted back as she begged to be saved.


    "I swear Ian, the moment I get out of here you and your sisters better start watching your backs!" Manuel threatened. "I know people in very powerful positions! I know the fucking person that owns this place!"


    "Really?" John asked with a laugh as he eyed Manuel.


    "If you know who owns this place then why are you in that cell?" Ian asked Manuel with a raised eyebrow.


    In the cell next door the guard took another step forward making Mica scream for her brother once more.


    "No please! Manuel please save me! Manuel!" Mica shouted.


    Camilla couldn''t help herself as she laughed at Mica''s reaction. It was clear that the young woman was exaggerating her fear.


    "Take her to another room, she annoys me." Camilla said with a sigh.


    "Will you babysit her?" Ian asked as he glanced back at Camilla.


    "Hell no, she''s very very annoying." Camilla said as she rolled her eyes.


    Ian turned and walked towards Camilla.


    For a moment Camilla was worried that Ian would be mad at her for ordering the guards to take Mica out of the room.


    "I want you to join them outside. Have the guards hold Mica outside the window, I want her to watch as her brother is beaten up. I want her to fear that the same thing will happen to her." Ian told Camilla.


    "Sure. I can do that." Camilla said with a nod as she grinned.


    "Don''t hurt her, not a hair on her head." Ian warned.


    "I won''t just some mind games." Camilla said as she walked towards Mica''s cell.


    "I changed my mind, I want to have some fun with you." Camilla told Mica in an eerily happy tone.


    "Cuff her and take her to the next room." Ian told the guard with a nod.


    "No, fuck you!" Mica shouted. "Don''t touch me! No! Manuel! No, please don''t let them take me Manuel!" She began to scream as the guard held her by the wrist and cuffed her hands behind her.


    "I''ll see you boys later." Camilla said with a wink as she led the guards that held Mica out the door.


    "Manuel, please don''t let them take me! Manuel save me! Please!" Mica started to scream as she tried to kick the guard that was holding her.


    Ian wanted to laugh as he watched her pathetic attempt to get free.


    The guard wasn''t even holding on to her tightly. Mica was just weak and in a way illogical. She kept trying to kick when the guard holding her could easily take a step back.


    In all honesty the guards didn''t even have to hold her. She would have followed out of fear.


    When the door finally closed behind Camilla and Mica, Ian grinned as he looked at Manuel.


    "Switch off the cameras." Leon ordered to no one in particular.


    Ian watched as the red lights on the cameras all switched off, signaling that they were no longer recording the scene in the cell.


    "Now, let''s have some fun." Ian said with a smile as he nodded at a guard who opened the cell door to take Manuel out.

 Chapter 79 - 79

    A guard dragged Manuel out of his cell and threw him on the ground.


    Manuel was already bruised and bloody from his earlier encounter with the guards and could barely sit up.


    It seemed that it took all of his energy to stand up to Ian earlier as he heard his sister pleading and begging in the cell next door.


    Ian grinned as he thought of Manuel''s weakness, no matter how annoying his sister was, it seemed Manuel truly cared for her.


    "I hope Camilla is having the guards beat Mica up." Ian said with a laugh as he walked closer to Manuel. "Aren''t you curious as to what my friend is doing to your sister?"


    "Don''t you dare touch her!" Manuel shouted. "You''re in over your head here Ian. I swear if I get out of this fucking place you are all dead!"


    "Maybe you should think really well about who has the upper hand here." John said as he took a seat and observed what Ian was planning. "Clearly, you didn''t do your research."


    "You are all so dead when dad hears about this!" Manuel screamed. "One of our clients works closely with the Reyes Group! They will help us and the owner if this place will fall!"


    Ian couldn''t help but laugh. Manuel was threatening employees of the Reyes Family with the Reyes Group. Maybe if he knew who he was talking to he would back down.


    "What are you planning Ian?" Leon asked. "I see a mischievous glint in your eyes."


    "It''s nothing. It''s news that can wait." Ian said with a grin.


    He wanted Manuel to suffer then feel like he had won before finally truly taking him down. He wanted Manuel to feel what it was like to lose everyone and everything.


    Manuel was going to suffer a fate much worse than what he threatened Ian with.


    Ian wasn''t a forgiving person, he wasn''t magnanimous and he held grudges.


    He had lived most of his life fueled by his desire to get back what his family had lost and to get revenge on the people that pushed them down.


    Ian watched as Manuel tried to get up, pushing himself against the ground. He laughed at the sight.


    "And here I thought you were strong? I thought you were going to attack me earlier. I guess you aren''t even strong enough to protect your sister." Ian said as he watched anger burn in Manuel''s eyes at the mention of his sister.


    "Is all you can do call for your daddy?" Ian said with a chuckle. "At this point I might start to think that he is your sugar daddy and not your real dad."


    Ian''s statement seemed to make Manuel snap as he charged at Ian, his fists ready to punch the other man.


    As Ian prepared to avoid Manuel and punch the other man back, Manuel was suddenly thrown to the ground as Leon punched him in the gut.


    "I was going to take that shot." Ian groaned as he walked over to Manuel.


    "You were cutting it too close for comfort, I couldn''t let you risk it." Leon said with a shrug as Ian sighed.


    "Hmmm." John said as he looked at Ian quite curiously. "Who knew that silent and charming Ian had this side to him? I was about to peg you as one of them?"


    "One of them?" Ian asked as he lifted Manuel up.


    "Those men that insist on getting vengeance but don''t want to get their hands dirty." John said with a shrug. "Clearly I read you wrong."


    "There is always more than meets the eyes." Ian said with a grin.


    "That charming young man is just a facade?" John asked.


    "Depends who I''m with." Ian said plainly.


    "Drag him and tie him to a chair." Ian ordered two guards. Both men quickly walked up to Ian and dragged Manuel away.


    "Get me a bucket of ice cold water." Leon ordered as he noticed Manuel fading in and out from the pain.


    "He has only known the good life." Ian explained. "Anything more than a punch is extreme pain for him."


    "Well, I don''t think you would enjoy him fainting in the middle of this." Leon said with a grin as some guards came back with the water he had asked for.


    "Pour it on him." Ian ordered.


    The men nodded and scrambled to do what was asked, clearly they wanted to make a good impression on these three men.


    As soon as the cold water hit Manuel, the man jolted up as he pulled against his restraints.


    "Enough, enough!" Manuel began to plead, changing his tone.


    "I don''t think you''ve had enough, we''ve only used our fists." Ian said as he shook his head.


    "Please, I can''t. I can''t take -" Manuel began to beg.


    Before Manuel could even finish what he was saying, Ian''s fist came into contact with his stomach, cutting Manuel off mid sentence.


    "Take his shirt off." Ian ordered.


    The guards quickly sprang into action as they stripped Manuel.


    "Ah, such a waste." Ian said as he looked at Manuel''s shirt. He knew it was a limited edition shirt that even Manuel valued.


    It was clear that they had come to Solair Tower with the plan of impressing the people that lived there.


    "Hold the shirt up in front of me." Ian ordered the guard.


    The man did as Ian asked and stood in between Ian and Manuel.


    "Such a waste." Ian said as he shook his head again.


    "You can have it. All you need to do is wash it and it''s good as new. That shirt will fetch a good price in the resale market. It''s a limited edition so the prices have probably gone up." Manuel told Ian as he frantically tried to bargain.


    "I''m not interested in this shirt." Ian told Manuel as he looked the other man in the eyes. "As a matter of fact I think it''s incredibly ugly."


    "Then let me keep it." Manuel said.


    "Nope." Ian told Manuel as he took something out of his pocket. "I think the world deserves to see this shirt go."


    With that Ian lit his lighter and placed it directly under the shirt.


    "Please no, that''s on loan, it''s not mine, please!" Manuel began to panic as the flame got closer to the shirt.


    "Oh, then you just need to pay the person back." Ian said as he lifted the lighter a little bit higher.


    "No, he can''t be paid, he won''t accept payment, please don''t." Manuel said as he began to panic.


    "I thought you wanted to give it to me earlier, now you''re telling me you can''t pay the person you borrowed this shirt from. What is it really?" Ian asked with a raised eyebrow.


    "Please, no, don''t he''s from the mafia! I can''t cross him!" Manuel begged.


    "Oh, too bad, I guess you''ll just need to explain things to him then." Ian said with a grin as he let the flame touch the shirt.


    It quickly caught on fire as Manuel began to scream and curse at Ian.


    Ian couldn''t help but revel in his pain.


    "You fucking asshole! He will come after us now!" Manuel shouted as the burning shirt dropped to the floor.


    "Ugh, so loud." Ian said as he rolled his eyes at Manuel.


    He walked over and grinned at the man before him.


    "I really don''t care who you borrowed it from.." With that Ian kicked Manuel on the chest, making the chair and Manuel fall backward.

 Chapter 80 - 80

    Just outside of the room Camilla smiled as she looked at the horror that spread on Mica''s face as she watched her brother being punched by Ian.


    For some reason she got a warm feeling from every injury that was inflicted on Manuel. It was probably because she knew he was a bad man that deserved what he got.


    "Please, tell him to stop." Mica begged as Ian pulled Manuel up from the ground. "Please, I''ll tell you everything, I''ll even show you proof."


    Camilla looked at Mica with a smile. It seemed that they were about to get more information on Manuel''s family without even asking for it.


    She looked at Mica from head to toe. The woman was dressed in the latest fashion, something that could have cost her in the hundreds of thousands.


    Camilla had just assumed that Manuel''s and Mica''s families were just that rich, they did after all, almost kill Ian without any consequences in the past.


    Now that Mica had mentioned it, Camila couldn''t help but wonder how much of their family''s wealth actually came from illegal sources.


    Camilla couldn''t help but begin to form a plan in her head on how to get Mica to rat out on her relatives. She knew that whatever secrets Mica would tell her would help Ian a lot, and a huge part of her really wanted to help Ian.


    "I have no idea what you are talking about." Camilla told Mica as she kept her eyes on the scene that was unfolding in front of them.


    Ian had ordered for Manuel''s shirt to be stripped and handed to him.


    "Please, I''ll tell you, I''ll tell you everything." Mica begged and screamed as a guard brought out several torture equipment and placed it behind Ian.


    "Look Mica, there is nothing you can do or say that will save your brother, just relax and watch the show." Camilla said with a grin as Mica began to thrash against one of the guards'' hold.


    "Manuel! Manuel!" Mica began to scream.


    "Your brother can''t hear you." Camilla scoffed. "You can cry all you want, but Manuel, he won''t hear you. I''m not sure if he would even want to hear anything around him. I mean, it seems like he did something horrible to Ian."


    "My brother is a good man!" Mica insisted.


    Camilla couldn''t help but laugh. From her short interaction with Manuel she already knew that the man was not nice or good.


    He was one of those young, rich, and entitled boys that felt they ruled the world. With the way he acted Camilla already knew that he believed that he was whichever god''s gift to mankind.


    "No, no, no!" Mica said in a frantic tone as she began to fight the guards to get loose again. "No, he can''t, my brother just borrowed that, the owner will come after him!" Mica began to scream as she fought harder than ever.


    Camilla watched as Ian had a guard hold up Manuel''s shirt as he lit a fire under it. He was clearly intending to burn it, and if it weren''t for Mica''s reaction, Camilla would think that it was just any ordinary shirt and she would have laughed at Ian.


    "Why would someone kill over a shirt?" Camilla asked Mica.


    "Please, it''s a limited edition that the owner had to purchase abroad. If he hears that my brother got it burned he will kill my brother." Mica said as she began to sob.


    "Who would be so shallow that he would be willing to kill over a shirt?" Camilla asked as she looked back at the scene inside.


    She was surprised to find Manuel in the same state of distraught as his sister, it seemed that Mica wasn''t lying. Someone would really come after them for that shirt.


    "You people are crazy." Camilla said as she shook her head. "Why would you borrow some stupid shirt from some scary person that would kill over a shirt? It''s so illogical and stupid, just stupid."


    "Because we were here hoping to meet him." Mica said as she blushed a bright red color.


    "Really, your brother borrowed a shirt so you can meet your stupid crush? You''re stupid." Camilla said with a laugh as she shook her head.


    "No, my brother was hoping to see him. According to what we found out he lives here in this building. We were hoping to gain favor. The man my brother borrowed that shirt from works for him and that shirt was a gift from him." Mica explained.


    "Him, him, him, why do you keep assuming that I know who this him is?" Camilla asked. She was getting frustrated with talking to Mica.


    It was like the woman was not capable of having a logical conversation of any sort.


    "No!" Mica suddenly shouted as Ian set the shirt on fire. "No! Please no. He will kill my brother!" Mica was going crazy as she watched the shirt burn.


    Inside, Camilla could see Manuel with the exact same reaction. He looked like he was about to break at the sight of the burning shirt.


    Maybe Mica wasn''t exaggerating, maybe the man would kill them. But what kind of a person would do that over a shirt?


    Maybe someone from the gangs or the mafia? Most likely someone involved in illegal businesses since, at least according to Mica, the man was more than willing to commit murder.


    "Please I''ll tell you everything, please just let us go! We need to get as far away from the capital as possible!" Mica began to scream.


    "No! Manuel!" Mica shouted as she watched Ian kick Manuel on the chest making the man fall back with his head hitting the ground.


    "Take her to another room, I want to hear what this information she has is about." Camilla ordered the guards who obediently nodded. "I''ll follow, I need a word with the boys."


    When she was sure that Mica was already in the next room, Camilla pressed on the intercom button that would allow her to speak to the people inside.


    "Ian, Leon, a word?" Camilla asked.


    "Hey! What about me?!" John screamed.


    "Fine, you too. Could you guys step out for a bit?" She asked.


    The men looked at each other but said nothing. They simply moved from where they stood and stepped out to speak to Camilla.


    "You better have a good reason for this. You ruined our fun." John complained.


    "Ugh, I swear you act like a child." Camilla groaned.


    "And you are stuck with me for at least the next five years." John teased making Camilla roll her eyes at him.


    "I have no idea how any of us will survive." Ian added as he massaged his temples.


    "Why  did you want to talk to us?" Leon asked as he stayed reasonable.


    "Oh, right." Camilla said with a nod. "Mica spoke a lot while she was out here. So I learned two interesting things." She said with a grin.


    "Go on." Ian said with a nod.


    "First, they were here to meet the boss of the owner of that shirt or at least they had hoped to meet him. And for some reason Mica is incredibly scared of the man and at the same time she is crushing hard on him." Camilla explained.


    "Well there are a ton of men who fit that description." Ian pointed out.


    "That''s why I sent Mica to the other room I want to question her." Camilla said.


    "Are you up to it?" Leon asked with a concerned look on his face.


    "I''m not some weak girl." Camilla said.


    "If you say you can then go, I''ll lend you a few men to help you out." Leon said with a nod.


    "And second?" Ian asked.


    "I think the Manuels are involved with someone dangerous, I think they have illegal businesses of some sort." Camilla told the boys. "Mica kept saying that she would tell me everything, that she would even give me proof."


    "Do you think you can get that from her?" Ian asked.


    "I can, if you let me." Camilla said with a not.


    "I won''t stop you." Ian said with a laugh. "Good luck."


    "It shouldn''t be that hard, she was practically begging to tell me earlier. As long as we let them go of course." Camilla told Ian.


    "They will walk free, but only for a little bit.." Ian said with a grin as he began to sense that things were falling into place.

 Chapter 81 - 81

    Ian and the others waited for Camilla to enter the room next door before going back in. They trusted that Camilla would get the information  from Mica while they continued to terrorize Manuel.


    At this point Ian knew that he was only letting his anger out on Manuel. What he did to Ian years ago had lasting effects on a young man. Effects that eventually shaped his future and almost ruined it.


    Manuel was now conscious once more as Ian noticed a few drops of blood on the ground. Luckily he had not killed Manuel in anger earlier as he kicked him.


    Ian walked around Manuel as he observed the other man''s condition. Overall Manuel didn''t seem to be dying or gravely injured, which meant Ian could continue on with his physical revenge.


    "I think it''s unfair that my friends don''t know what I suffered from your actions." Ian said as he stopped in front of Manuel.


    "Whatever hell you suffered you deserved it!" Manuel said in an angry tone as he spat at Ian''s face.


    "What''s with you and spitting?" Ian asked as a guard came over and handed him a paper towel. "I swear it''s unhygienic." Ian grumbled as he wiped his face.


    "Whatever you do to me now, you will receive it ten times worse when I get out of here." Manuel hissed. "And I know I will get out of here, you can''t keep me here, it''s illegal."


    Ian couldn''t help but laugh at Manuel''s confidence. He was only confident with his words, but the moment a fist came at his face he turned into a coward.


    " Of course you''ll walk free, but till then, I want to inflict as much damage as I can." Ian said with a grin.


    "Then get as many hits as you can, because after this, I promise, you and your friends will be going away for a very long time." Manuel said with a laugh.


    "If only you knew how much I''ve suffered because of you." Ian said as he shook his head. "No matter what you throw at me, it can''t compare to the life I''ve lived."


    "Lies, I saw you walk out of that police station with your father and grandfather completely intact." Manuel said as he glared at Ian.


    Ian couldn''t help but laugh as he punched Manuel in the gut.


    Manuel grunted and started to wobble on his seat as he felt the impact of Ian''s punch.


    A guard quickly ran over and poured cold water on Manuel, making sure that he didn''t pass out from the injuries Ian had inflicted.


    "I don''t know how or who was helping your family at that time but I''ll get to them eventually, I swear they will fall too." Manuel hissed as he glared at Ian.


    "It''s funny that you think after I walked out of the police station my life just snapped back to normal." Ian said as he shook his head. "You see the thing about walking out of a police station, people say things."


    "That was not my fault." Manuel hissed.


    "That''s true, I did choose to punch you back then, but the rumors after don''t deny that you were the one that spread them." Ian told Manuel as he looked the man in the eyes.


    He waited for Manuel to say that it wasn''t him or to simply sprout some insult, but nothing came. Manuel remained silent.


    "Do you know what rumors like those do to  your odds at a better life?" Ian asked as he glared at Manuel.


    "You deserved whatever happened to you after." Manuel answered back. "Yes I spread those rumors, you fucking punched me and you didn''t pay!"


    "Pay? Pay? You wanted me to pay with my life!" Ian screamed.


    "I am glad to hear that you suffered after." Manuel said with a confident tone.


    Ian was shocked when John suddenly walked over to Manuel.


    "What rumors did you spread about him?" John said in an unusually serious tone.


    "Why does it matter to you?" Manuel asked. "It was ages ago."


    "I asked you a question, you are in no position to answer back." John told Manuel as he inched closer.


    "I suggest you answer his question." Leon said with a chuckle.


    "I don''t answer to men that are lesser than me." Manuel said as he gritted his teeth.


    John seemed to take the insult to heart as he punched Manuel on the face, breaking the man''s nose.


    Ian could see as blood dripped and stained his chest. He couldn''t help but grin at what Manuel had just suffered.


    "You have no right to call any man less than you." John said as he wiped the blood and sweat off of his fist. "You have no right to decide because you are worthless. Now what rumors did you spread?"


    "Ha, simple, I told everyone that Ian was a convicted criminal and that he was only able to get out of jail because he offered his services to male politician." Manuel said with a grin as he looked  at Ian.


    "You fucking asshole." John hissed.


    Suddenly there was a knock from outside of the room. Leon held his hand up and walked out.


    Ian had a feeling that this was a signal that Camilla had already gotten what she needed from Mica in the next room.


    "I''ll be free soon." Manuel said with a cocky smile. "My dad will notice that I haven''t updated him, and the person I was supposed to meet will notice it too. You messed with the wrong person, Lim."


    "We''ll see." Ian said with a knowing smile as Leon walked back into the room with a frown.


    "The police are here to collect them." Leon announced.


    "Oh, what a pity, we were just having fun." Manuel said with a grin as he felt they were finally going to be able to escape.


    Ian knew he couldn''t show that he was happy about the police arriving, it meant that Camilla had gotten enough dirt on Manuel and his family.


    "Trust me, this isn''t the last time we will run into each other." Ian said as he faked his disappointment.


    "It won''t, but it will be the last time that you will be confident or happy." Manuel told Ian proudly as one of the guards wiped the blood off of Manuel and dressed him in a new shirt.


    "You think avoiding my face will wipe all the evidence away?" Manuel asked with a laugh. "These bruises will be my proof, and I am sure that the owner of Solaire Towers will be more than happy to hand me footage of what happened here when he finds out who I am."


    Ian could see as John resisted the urge to laugh. The man was already struggling to keep it in as Manuel kept going on about how much lesser Ian was compared to him.


    When Manuel was finally dressed and cleaned, Ian and his group walked out followed by two guards holding Manuel, making sure that he wouldn''t escape.


    Outside of the room there were several policemen waiting for them as they held a cuffed Mica as well.


    "Are these the troublemakers you called about?" The police asked Leon.


    "Yup, some rich kids, they got roughed up a little when they tried to resist being cuffed and sent to the cells." Leon explained, making Manuel''s and Mica''s jaws drop.


    "Well, what do you expect, everyone wants to get into this fancy building of yours." The policeman said with a grin. "The boy looks roughed up, but the girl seems to be fine other than the fact that she''s cuffed."


    "We barely touched her, sir." A guard said. "We only held her to guide her out of the holding cell."


    "I know you would never harm a woman." The policeman said with a smile. "Anyway, I should bring these kids to the police station and prepare myself for their furious parents."


    "Good luck." Leon said with a chuckle as the policeman let Manuel and Mica down the hall.


    "Well that was interesting." Ian said as soon as the policeman exited the hallway.


    "A lot of people try to trespass into Solaire Towers, they come here often, they know we try to scare trespassers." Leon said with a grin. "They''ve come to accept it since it means less hostile people for them to pick up."


    Ian simply nodded, acknowledging what Leon had said.


    "You got everything?" Ian asked Camilla.


    "Yup, and she managed to email all the proof while we were in the other room." Camilla said with a laugh.


    "What next?" John asked Ian.


    "I need to talk to Marco next, hopefully the proof we have is enough to convince the Reyese to help me out on this." Ian said in a serious tone.


    "Don''t worry, they always do.." Leon said with a confident nod.

 Chapter 82 - 82

    As soon as Ian got the information from Camilla, they all went back up to their own rooms. Leon and John lived on the same floor, the one below Camilla and Ian.


    When they stepped out they all agreed to talk about what Marco would have to say to Ian once he had spoken to the older assistant.


    At first Ian was hesitant to contact Marco on a weekend, but John reassured him that Marco didn''t care. He normally worked weekends too.


    "The man barely has a life." John said. "I really hope that our boss isn''t that demanding. I mean okay it isn''t the CEO''s fault it''s Marco''s too. He doesn''t do weekends or days off, he just keeps working."


    "Plus it''s not like Marco needs the money." Leon said as he shook his head.


    "Yeah, Marco comes from a wealthy family, as a matter of fact he is related to the Chan family, the ones that own Saints Hospital!" John said as he told Ian and Camilla more about Marco. "But from what I heard he once had a fiance, I don''t know what happened but I don''t think they broke it off."


    "Okay, enough gossip from you." Leon said as the elevator doors opened to their floor. He quickly grabbed John by the back of his shirt and dragged him out of the elevator.


    "Don''t forget to give us a call what Marco tells you what you''re supposed to do next!" John called out as the elevator doors closed behind them.


    Ian and Camilla both couldn''t help but laugh at how silly John was acting. It was incredibly entertaining to watch how he and Leon interacted.


    It seemed that they had already known each other for quite a while, since neither seemed uncomfortable in the other''s presence.


    "So what do you plan on telling your sisters?" Camilla asked as the elevator doors opened to their floor.


    "What do you mean?" Ian asked as they stepped out into the hallway.


    "I mean, it will be a shock to them to find out the horrible things Manuel did to you?" Camilla asked with a frown.


    She really didn''t want to mention it anymore because she could see how much Ian had suffered at that man''s hands.


    "My sisters have always known what I''ve suffered from Manuel." Ian said as he shook his head. "They aren''t children, they watched as I got rejected from every university and every scholarship that I applied for. They heard every rumor in school and they even got called names on my behalf."


    "So Sam and Karina were also victims of Manuel?" Camilla asked.


    "Come." Ian said with a nod as he opened his door and invited Camilla in.


    "You''re back!" Sam said excitedly as she and Karina ran over and hugged their older brother. "Did you deal with him?" She asked.


    Camilla was surprised to see the sudden shift in Sam''s expression. She was no longer the happy and energetic girl from earlier.


    Her eyes seemed to burn from anger and hate as she asked her brother if he dealt with Manuel.


    "It''s in the works." Ian said with a shrug as he sat on the couch. "Camilla got to see first hand how despicable he and his sister are."


    "Mica." Karina hissed.


    "You guys knew her?" Camilla asked in a surprised tone.


    "Mica bullied us all our lives, well at least when we weren''t rich anymore." Sam in an angry tone as she clenched her fists and looked away. "She was the reason I almost dropped out of school."


    "I hope you and Ian deal with her." Karina added as she took a seat next to Ian.


    "Oh, right, Ian there was something I learned that you might find interesting." Camilla said in a scheming tone as she joined the siblings on the couch. "I learned it from Mica."


    "Okay, shoot." Ian said as he listened to Camilla.


    "I found it odd that the person they were planning on meeting had the same name as a new friend of ours from work." Camilla said with an intrigued look.


    Ian already had an idea who, but he wanted to hear it from Camilla herself. Maybe there were other employees of the Reyes Group that were involved with the underworld.


    "A new friend of ours?" Ian asked. "Who?"


    "Seth Dean." Camilla said with a proud grin.


    "And how is Seth involved with them?" Ian asked.


    "Well it seems that Manuel wants to join the Dean Family mafia, or at least do business with them." Camilla began to explain. "According to Mica, Seth is the new head of the Dean family and that if they managed to impress him they would be made for life."


    Ian couldn''t help but laugh at Mica''s assumption. He knew the truth, and it was time Camilla found out too. After all, he had agreed to have dinner with Seth as the restaurant the next day.


    "So, what do you think?" Camilla asked Ian as she waited for his response.


    "Okay, don''t get too pissed, but I''ve known since last night that Seth, our officemate Seth is the next head of the Dean family mafia." Ian revealed.


    Camilla was shocked at his words, she thought the man simply had the same name as the Seth they knew. Her mind was blown to hear that it was the same person.


    "So Mica was right?" Camilla asked.


    "A little." Ian replied with a shrug. "Seth the reluctant heir to the head of family title, and I don''t think someone like Manuel or Mica could impress him." Ian said with a laugh.


    "Will you tell Seth?" Camilla asked.


    "Yeah, tomorrow, we will have dinner with him." Ian said nonchalantly.


    "Wait, what? How? Where?" Camilla asked in rapid succession.


    "Calm down, Seth lives here in Solaire Towers, he invited us to have dinner just to catch up. He knows who we are and who we work for. It will be nice having someone know for a change." Ian said as she shook his head.


    "Ooohh, can we come?" Sam asked her brother. "I want to meet a real life gangster." She said with a grin.


    "No, you will go home tonight. And Seth isn''t a gangster, gangs are different from the mafia." Ian explained as he recalled his conversation with Seth.


    "Whatever they seem to be the same to me." Sam said as she rolled her eyes at her older brother.


    "Don''t you have a call to make?" Camilla asked as she looked at Ian''s phone on the table.


    "Fine." Ian grumbled as he picked it up and walked to the side.


    Ian searched his phone for Marco''s number and as soon as he found it he pressed the dial button.


    After one ring Marco picked up the call.


    "Hello, Ian?" Marco asked.


    "Marco, sorry to call you on a weekend but there is something that came up." Ian said in a hesitant tone.


    "Work or personal?" Marco asked.


    "Personal." Ian said shyly.


    "Wow, you really don''t waste any time." Marco said with a chuckle.


    "You heard?" Ian asked.


    "No, I just have an idea." Marco said in a confident tone.


    "I''ll send you an address, come over, bring Camilla if she wants. Tell me what you guys know and we''ll come up with a plan. Be here in an hour.." Marco said as he dropped the call leaving Ian stunned and confused.

 Chapter 83 - 83

    As soon as he dropped the call with Marco, Ian told his sister to pack up and get ready to go home. He would drop them off at home in the old city before heading to Marco''s home.


    "Marco said to tell you that you could come if you wanted." Ian said as he looked at Camilla. "Do you want to come?"


    "Yes, sure, why not. I wouldn''t pass up the opportunity to see where Marco actually lives." Camilla said with a laugh.


    "Do you need to get anything?" Ian asked.


    "Let me just get some stuff from my apartment, I''ll meet you outside." Camilla told Ian as she turned and exited his place.


    It seemed that Sam and Karina had already made themselves quite at home in Ian''s place, taking over one of the guestrooms and adding clothes and their own touch.


    "You''ve really taken over this room, haven''t you?" Ian asked as he leaned against the door frame.


    "Oh shut up, you have too many rooms in this place just to keep for yourself." Sam said as she quickly placed a few things in her bag.


    "We know you don''t need this much space, Ian." Karina said with a laugh as she walked past her older brother. "We know one room is enough for you."


    Ian rolled his eyes at his sister, she was right, he didn''t need this much space and he was still debating in his head what to do with the spare rooms.


    It seemed that his sisters had already decided it for him.


    Sam didn''t take long to pack up and the siblings were out the door.


    Camilla was already waiting for them outside by the time Ian started locking up his apartment.


    "Your car, my car?" Camilla asked.


    "My car." Ian said with a nod as they all piled into the elevator.


    Ian had already sent a message to the lobby to have his car brought to the driveway out front, he had also sent a quick message to Leon and John telling them that they were going to Marco.


    When Ian, his siblings, and Camilla stepped out of the lobby, Ian was surprised to see that it was already dark outside.


    "I think we took too long with Manuel and Mica." Camilla said with a laugh. It seemed that she too didn''t notice how much time had passed.


    "You guys took forever." Karina grumbled as she walked up to the back seat of her brother''s car and got in.


    "I guess I''m sitting up front." Camilla told Ian as they made their way to the car.


    It seemed that Sam, Karina, and Camilla got along way too well as the three girls wouldn''t stop chatting.


    When they finally dropped the siblings off at the old city, Ian suddenly laughed.


    "Have you gone crazy or something?" Camilla asked as she gave him a confused look.


    "I hadn''t realized that the music was switched on this whole time." Ian pointed out as he laughed. "You get along with my sisters really well, it''s been a while since I last heard them this chatty."


    "Really?" Camilla asked as they drove out of the old city and towards the direction of Marco''s house.


    "My sisters may seem to be happy or they may seem to be the trusting type to you, but it was that very trust that made them suffer so much." Ian said with a frown.


    "You really love your sisters." Camilla pointed out as she looked at Ian. "And they care about you a lot too. They kind of told me the same thing earlier."


    "We''ve encountered many people that we thought we could trust." Ian said as he shook his head. "When we lost everything we lost almost everyone."


    "They said that''s the reason you stick with Jas." Camilla said with a frown, she knew it was a tough topic but she couldn''t help but mention it.


    "It''s one of the reasons." Ian admitted, catching Camilla by surprise. "She loved me enough to stay, and for that I love her. Now I learned that her family is suffering because they keep supporting me. I can''t help but feel guilty for it."


    "It''s not your fault." Camilla said with a frown. "Jas and her family chose to accept you. It was their decision, all you can do is to show them that their trust was placed in the right person."


    "Thank you." Ian said with a nod. "I never expected you to say that."


    "Just because I think it''s odd that she dates other people while you are together doesn''t mean I don''t approve of her completely." Camilla said with a laugh. "And who am I for my opinion to matter?"


    Ian smiled at Camilla as they drove up to a gated community at the heart of the Capital.


    This place was known for housing some of the richest and most famous people in the city. He was honestly quite surprised when Marco sent him this address, he didn''t expect the assistant to live here.


    "Wow, this is where Marco lives?" Camilla asked.


    "Yup, this is the address he gave." Ian said with a nod.


    "I guess the Reyes Group has always paid well." Camilla teased as a guard approached.


    "We''re guests of Marco So." Ian told the guard.


    "Ah Mr. Lim, Miss Montero, just follow that car and it will guide you to Mr. So''s mansion." The guard said as he waved at his companion, telling him to open the gates.


    "Mansion?" Camilla asked as they followed the car inside.


    Ian simply shrugged as they followed the car inside the community.


    They were led through the main road and up a hill, they passed many large and extravagant houses, spotting a famous personality or two along the way.


    "Was this community developed by the Reyes Group?" Camilla asked.


    "No, I don''t think so. As a matter of fact I have no idea who developed this community. It''s like Solaire Towers, the developer never said anything." Ian said as they reached the top of the hill.


    They were quite surprised to see a giant modern mansion.


    The car in front of them stopped signaling them to move forward.


    "Mr. So is expecting you, his staff will assist you inside. If you need any help getting out just ask one of the maids to call the guard house, we''ll come back and get you sir." The guard said with a nod as they drove away.


    Ian was at a loss for words as they moved towards the black gates to the driveway. As they approached it swung open and inside they found Marco standing by the door.


    "I guess Marco is richer than we thought." Camilla said with a laugh as they drove inside.


    Ian couldn''t help but wonder what other things they would learn about the older assistant inside.


    "Right on time!" Marco greeted as Ian''s car pulled up.


    Both Ian and Camilla were still in awe of Marco''s house.


    "I''ll explain later when we get in, all I can tell you now is that the Reyes family takes care of their people. Your homes at Solaire is just the tip of the iceberg. The son is much more generous than the father.." Marco said with a laugh as he led the pair in.

 Chapter 84 - 84

    Marco''s home was simple and clean, as a matter of fact it felt more like a modern styled hotel rather than someone''s house.


    "I don''t really spend that much time at home." Marco admitted as he led Ian and Camilla through a hallway. "I''m usually at work or at the Reyes Mansion. This place has just become somewhere I rest."


    Ian and Camilla looked around and noticed how the place was extremely clean as if it were regularly being disinfected.


    "I don''t like things out of place and my staff know that." Marco said as they entered a room that looked to be his home office.


    "Take a seat, someone will be around to bring us some coffee." Marco said as they sat down on the couch in the middle of the room.


    "Your place is really nice." Ian remarked as he looked around Marco''s office.


    Like the rest of the house it had a modern minimalist design with one side filled with books and the other filled with the latest technological advancement.


    "Thanks." Marco said with a smile. "As you can imagine I don''t really get that many guests, so you are one of the first few to have walked in here."


    "It''s an honor then." Camilla said with a smile.


    "I hope you guys can stay for dinner." Marco suggested. "I have a really good chef, I''m sure he can whip something up for us that you will both like."


    "Sure." Ian said as he continued to look around. The conversation and the atmosphere had turned incredibly awkward as Camilla and Ian resisted asking the question at the back of their mind.


    At first the room was silent as Ian and Camilla looked around, luckily a maid came in with coffee and snacks, making Ian and Camilla feel relieved.


    When the maid finally left the room fell silent again.


    Suddenly Marco started to laugh, confusing Camilla and Ian as they gave each other a puzzled look.


    "I know what the both of you are wondering." Marco said as he shook his head. "It''s okay to ask me questions, you know. I am the person who walked your path before you."


    "Well, I thought it would be rude." Ian said as he scratched the back of his head.


    "No, not rude." Marco told Ian and Camilla. "I''m sure you are wondering how I ended up owning such a big and empty house and why my life seems to be so lonely."


    "Your life doesn''t exactly seem lonely, I just thought you might have a wife." Camilla said.


    "No wedding ring." Marco told Camilla as he held up his hand. "I''ve dedicated my life to the Reyes Family and not everyone understands that. My fiance does but things are complicated between us." Marco said with a chuckle.


    "You have a fiance?" Ian asked in surprise.


    "You guys thought I was married and now me having a fiance is a shock?" Marco said as he laughed at the two younger assistants. "Yes I have a fiance and I love her with all my heart. She''s just very stubborn and things are very complicated between us."


    "Oh, well, good luck then." Ian said as he gave Marco a smile.


    "As for how I could afford this place, my family is quite well off and I do help manage our family business on the side. I do what I can as long as it doesn''t interfere with my work with the Reyeses." Marco explained.


    "So this property is from them?" Camilla asked.


    Marco shook his head and smiled.


    "No, this property and the community it is in is owned by me." Marco said with a grin catching Ian and Camilla by surprise.


    "Y- y- yours?" Ian asked.


    "You pick up a thing or two working for the Reyeses." Marco explained. "You also gain connections and earn capital. I have a decent amount of shares in the Reyes Group, some bought by me, some gifted by Mr. Emilio. With that money I built this place."


    "Wow, Ian and I were just discussing how this community might be owned by the Reyes Group." Camilla told Marco.


    "It''s not, but that is an assumption many people make." Marco said with a laugh. "Apparently the fact that I live here makes people think this mansion was gifted by the Reyeses. So with them thinking that this community is developed by the Reyeses more people want to purchase property here."


    "Wow, just being associated with the Reyeses and the Reyes Group really had a huge impact." Camilla said in awe.


    "It does." Marco nodded. "You will eventually reach a point where businessmen acknowledge you as an extension of the CEO. They set appointments with you and they do their best to get on your good side, at least the smart ones." Marco said with a laugh.


    "And the not so smart ones?" Ian asked.


    "They will either act like they are better than you or they will ignore you. Most just ignore assistants like us, but there are those that want to treat us like scum." Marco said with a grin.


    "Now, I''ve answered your questions. It''s your turn to answer mine." Marco said as he looked Ian in the eyes. "Who is this Manuel kid, what did he do to you, and what do you want to do to him?"


    Ian didn''t hesitate as he told Marco about who Manuel was and about how he and his family had affected Ian''s and his family''s lives.


    Marco was silent the whole time, his expression remained placid as he listened to Ian''s story.


    Ian could see how Camilla was bothered by the way Manuel and his family had treated Ian. They didn''t care about others, just about themselves.


    When Ian was done telling his story, Marco shook his head and sighed.


    "When you were first placed into consideration for the next CEOs assistant, we heard about those rumors and we heard about how you were sent to the police station for attacking Manuel." Marco explained. "I won''t lie, it made us hesitate."


    "What changed your mind?" Camilla asked as she looked up at Marco.


    "Your future boss, the future CEO of the Reyes Group." Marco said with a laugh. "That boy is stubborn, if he wants something he will have it, and he wanted Ian as his assistant for some reason. He told us that if every person could be judged by rumors then the people in the Reyes family would be the worst of all."


    Ian couldn''t help but laugh at Marco''s statement. He had heard all kinds of rumors about the Reyes family.


    "These rumors are a sign of jealousy, they are a sign of another person''s greed. Marco said as he shook his head. "I''m glad that that kid was insistent."


    "I''m glad too, I look forward to meeting him." Ian said with a nod.


    "Now, what do you want to happen?" Marco asked Ian. "The Reyes Family will always support its people. Even without me the two of you have enough influence and power to move the needle, but, of course you still need to be taught."


    "How?" Ian asked.


    "By using the Reyes Groups resources, for both of you there are barely any limits now." Marco informed them with a warm smile.


    Ian grinned as he thought of the plan he had formed in his mind.. He was going to make Manuel and his family regret the day they crossed him.

 Chapter 85 - 85

    "Why the fuck are you still holding us here!" Manuel shouted as he grabbed on the bars of the cell he and his sister had been placed. "I want my lawyer, this is illegal!"  He screamed.


    "Manuel, I''m sure dad is on the way to come and get us." Mica said in a shy tone.


    She was too afraid to say anything, she didn''t want her brother to find out that she had provided Camilla with information on their family''s illegal businesses.


    "How can you be so calm and silent right now Mica?" Manuel asked his younger sister. "We are in a cell in a police station! If someone sees us then it will be the end for us!"


    "You''re exaggerating." Mica said with a frown as she leaned back against the cold cell wall.


    "Really? Am I?" Manuel asked as he looked his sister in the eyes and walked towards her. "Do you know what really sealed the deal for the Lims? It wasn''t the bankruptcy, it was the rumors that we spread. So I am not exaggerating."


    "We have the resources to clear our names, the Lims didn''t." Mica said as she rolled her eyes at her brother.


    At times like these when he was acting like a spoiled brat Mica wished that he wasn''t her brother. But you couldn''t pick family, and he was hers, it wasn''t like she was the best person either. She knew she was flawed.


    "Shut up." Manuel said as he slapped his sister across her cheek, making Mica gasp in surprise. She never expected her brother to hurt her physically.


    "Wow, it''s only been thirty minutes and you''re already turning on each other." A voice from outside of the cell said in an amused tone.


    When Martin turned around to see who it was he was surprised to find one of Ian''s companions from earlier.


    "Who the fuck are you and what are you doing here?" Manuel hissed. "I don''t want to see scum like you."


    "Scum, hmmmmm. . ." the man said as he walked across the cell tapping on the bars. "If I''m not mistaken I''m the one out here, and you guys are the ones in there. Who would be scum in the eyes of the public then?"


    "Shut up!" Manuel shouted, making the man laugh.


    "The name is Leon by the way." The man said as he smiled at Manuel and Mica from outside their cell. "I just came to tell you that Ian has decided not to press charges and that you will both be set free. All the police are waiting for now is for your father to arrive."


    Manuel continued to glare at Leon as the man smiled and left.


    "Do you think he is telling us the truth?" Mica asked as she looked at him with hope filled eyes.


    "I don''t know, but even if Ian Lim doesn''t drop the charges, we still have the upper hand." Manuel said as he sat next to his sister. "Remember, the Lims have no one and nothing."


    Manuel and Mica sat in the cell for what felt like hours until finally they heard a familiar voice that brought Mica to tears.


    "Manuel? Mica?" Their mother''s voice said from the other side of the cell.


    "Mom?" Mica asked as she looked up. When she saw her mother standing outside of their cell she began to cry. "Mom!"


    Mica quickly stood up and ran to the bars and hugged her mother through it. While Manuel slowly got up from behind her and walked after her.


    "Mom, get me out of here, please." Mica begged as she cried.


    "We will, you''re dad and the lawyer are just getting the policeman, they will set you free, don''t cry my beautiful daughter." Her mother said as she wiped the tears of her cheeks.


    "Mom, I was so scared, we were just eating one moment then we were being thrown into these damp and scary cells at the bottom of Solaire Towers. We don''t know what happened mom." Mica cried as she exaggerated her story.


    Manuel ignored the fact that his sister had completely left out the fact that he had first gotten into a fight with Ian Lim before they were taken.


    He also chose to ignore that she had exaggerated the condition of the cells they were kept in.


    "I hope they didn''t hurt you." Manuel''s and Mica''s mom said as she cupped her daughter''s face and checked for any bruises or wounds.


    "Mom they did, they hurt us and they scared us. Mom, they were horrible." Mica cried.


    "Don''t worry, we''ll make every single person involved with Solaire Towers pay." Manuel''s and Mica''s father said as he arrived with a lawyer and the policeman in tow.


    "Dad!" Mica cried out. "Dad, Manuel said you would come! He said you would save us, Manuel was right!" Mica said as she continued to sob.


    "What are you waiting for you idiot? Let my kids out!" Their father hissed at the policeman who was clearly intimidated by the businessman.


    The policeman quickly scrambled to get the siblings out as he tried to figure out which key opened the cell that they were in.


    "What''s taking so long?" Mica asked in a more offensive tone. "I want to get out!" She shouted at the policeman.


    "If my daughter spends any more time in that cell, I will report you to your supervisor for sexually harassing her!" Manuel''s and Mica''s mother screamed at the policeman.


    "Madam, it''s not my fault, the key to this cell is not here." The policeman said as he shook his head. "Give me a moment, I''ll be back, I have another set of keys on my desk the right one should be there."


    "Then what are you doing still standing here, get my children out of that cell!" Manuel''s and Mica''s father screamed, making the policeman panic and run out to the next room.


    "I want to know what happened and why you ended up here. And where is the shirt that Alfonso lent you?" Their father asked as he looked coldly at Manuel.


    "It was Ian Lim." Manuel hissed. "For some reason he has influence at Solaire Towers, he had us taken and beaten up in a cell. He even burned Alfonso''s shirt."


    "So you weren''t even able to meet Seth Dean?" His father asked.


    "No." Manuel said with a frown.


    "I have it! I have it!" The policeman shouted as he ran back into the room and unlocked the cell door.


    Mica quickly ran out to hug her father, but was greeted by a cold glare, making her step back.


    Manuel on the other hand stepped out slowly, he knew his father wasn''t happy with the results and that he would have to suffer the consequences.


    As Manuel approached his father, he kept his head bowed looking at the ground as he slowly inched closer.


    "So you failed?" His father asked.


    "Yes." Manuel said in a silent voice.


    "You can''t even take your failure as a man!" His father shouted as he slapped his son, the sound echoed through the room as Manuel was thrown the the ground.


    "Why do I have such disappointments as children?" Manuel''s father asked as he turned and left.

 Chapter 86 - 86

    "Will they really listen to me?" Ian asked Marco as he looked at the list of people that they had gathered.


    It was a list of all known associates of Manuel''s family that had business with the Reyes Group. By the looks of the list it was almost every single client of Manuel''s family business as well as several family friends.


    "Use the number I gave you and introduce yourself properly, you don''t need to say who you are, just who you work for." Marco explained as he handed Ian a phone.


    "I can help if you need me to," Camilla said as she gave Ian a concerned look. "I need to learn how to do these things too."


    "Okay." Ian said with a nod. "Let''s just mark the numbers that we are calling so that we don''t overlap."


    "I''ll go talk to my chef, I know your preferences, I''ll have something that we all like made for dinner." Marco said as he got up and left.


    For a few minutes, Ian just stared at his phone, something in him felt like this was the wrong move to make.


    "You know if you don''t do anything, Manuel''s family will continue to exploit people." Camilla said with a frown. "And if you don''t act now they will come after you. We might have all of these connections but we still have our limits."


    Ian closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he convinced himself that this was the right thing to do.


    "I got it right, didn''t I?" Camilla asked. "You''re hesitating cause you''re feeling guilty."


    "We already beat him up and sent him to jail. Most people would be satisfied with that." Ian said with a sigh.


    "And you aren''t?" Camilla asked as she tried to understand how Ian felt.


    Ian shook his head and dialed the first number.


    "No, I''m not satisfied. The impact they had on my family was just too much." Ian told Camilla as the phone began to ring. "It was because of them that we were never able to recover."


    Camilla was about to ask Ian something when the person at the other end of the call picked up.


    "M- M- Mr. So, what can I do for you?" The man asked in a shaky voice, it was clear that he didn''t expect Marco to ever contact him.


    "This isn''t Marco, but one of the new assistants to the CEO and the Reyes Heir." Ian said as he introduced himself.


    "Sir, yes, how can I help you?" The man asked.


    "If I am not mistaken you work with the Juans?" Ian asked as he mentioned Manuel''s last name, Juan.


    "Yes, I do. I''ve worked with them for years." The man said.


    "I am happy that you are being honest with me." Ian said in a cold and intimidating tone. He tried his best to keep a persona over the phone, one that the man would fear and respect.


    "I have no reason to lie to the Reyes Group or the Reyes Family, sir." The man said in a respectful tone.


    "Good." Ian told him. "Stop working with them."


    "S- s- s- sir?" The man stuttered. "You want me to pull out twenty eight projects from the Juan family''s business?"


    "Yes." Ian said plainly. "But not yet."


    "Sir, may I ask why?" The man said in a shaky tone. It was clear that he knew that in asking he was already endangering himself to the Reyes Group''s wrath.


    "It doesn''t matter why, but for your sanity I will tell you." Ian decided. He wanted to paint the Juan family in an image that they would never be able to escape. He was simply repaying them for what they made the Lims suffer all those years ago.


    "Thank you for understanding, sir." The man at the other end of the call said.


    "The Juans attacked a member of the close staff of the CEO and the future CEO." Ian told him. "They also made sure that this person''s family could never get up. They also have other illegal activities that will drag you down with them, all of these will come to light soon."


    "Thank you for letting me know, sir. When do you want me to pull out my investments?" He asked.


    "In a week, we will call but with another number." Ian explained.


    "I will wait for your call, sir." The man said as Ian dropped the call.


    "Wow, that was easy." Ian said in a relieved tone. He had expected that he would need to argue with the man or that he would need to threaten the person at the other end of the call.


    "It seems that the Reyes name and even just Marco''s name instills fear into the right people." Camilla said as she took the phone from Ian and dialed another number.


    "Hey, I was going to use that." Ian grumbled as she took a look at the long list.


    "I can''t exactly call them with my phone." Camilla grumbled as Marco walked back into the room with two paper bags.


    "Why are you arguing over my phone?" He asked them as he placed the paper bags in front of them.


    "One phone, two people making calls." Ian said with a laugh.


    "Then these arrived at the perfect time." Marco said with a grin as he pointed at the two paper bags on the table.


    "What are those?" Camilla asked as she placed Marco''s phone down.


    "Your company issued phones." Marco said as he pushed the paper bag towards them. "The numbers of the Reyes Group executives and assistants are all unique. Most serious businessmen can recognize the number. The more zeros the more important the person is."


    "So are we 007 or something." Ian said with a laugh.


    "Nice joke, but no." Marco said as he shook his head. "Try using those numbers to call the people on that list. Most of them should know where you are from and that you are important. For those that don''t then we will need to send a message."


    "Isn''t that too much?" Camilla asked as she inserted the sim into her new phone.


    "No, not really." Marco said as he shook his head. "The Reyes Group and it''s employees cannot afford to be seen as weak, especially the assistants. As it is, people question what our roles really are and look down at us. We need to show them that we are serious and that we mean business."


    "Will the CEO be alright with this?" Ian asked. "We are using the Reyes Group''s name, the Reyes Group''s resources, and the Reyes Family''s influence for our personal issues."


    "Trust me, if anything he will be more than happy to help." Marco said with a smile as he watched Camilla dial a number.


    "H- h- hello?" The person asked nervously, making Camilla smile.


    Ian wanted to laugh at how it seemed everyone they were going to call would be nervous to pick up the phone.


    "This is one of the CEOs new assistants, the Reyes Group would like to know if you have business with the Juan family?" Camilla said in a confident tone.


    "Yes." The person said.


    "Cut all business deals with them next week." Camilla said plainly as she imitated Ian''s tone from the earlier call.


    "Yes ma''am." The person said as Camilla dropped the call.


    "Wow, that was so much easier." Camilla said with a grin.


    "I''m sure there are those that will question who you are and will choose not to believe you." Marco said as he took a look at the list. "There are some small companies here that we have never done business with."


    "We''ll convince them." Ian reassured Marco with a nod.


    "News travels fast in these circles, you should know this by now." Marco told Ian and Camilla. "They might not tell people about what the Reyes Group asked them to do, but they will tell everyone they know that there are new assistants."


    "I bet they will be so confused, a man and a woman." Ian said with a laugh.


    "They will figure it out eventually." Marco said as he shook his head. "For now, go plant the foundation for your plan. The boss needs something from me. I''ll be back." Marco said as he left the pair alone once more.


    "Well, let''s get to work then.." Camilla said with a grin as she started to work on her half of the list.

 Chapter 87 - 87

    "Are you sure you want to challenge me on that?" Ian asked as he spoke to a stubborn businessman.


    This person was the last one on his list and yet he refused to believe that Ian worked for the Reyes Group or that he was an assistant to the CEO.


    "The CEO only has one assistant, Marco So." The man said. "You can''t tell me that this is some special number that only you guys have, I''m sure this can easily be requested."


    "So you are willing to risk your company and its position just because you refuse to believe me?" Ian asked.


    "I''ve known the Juan family for decades, they would never stupidly cross the Reyes Group or the Reyes Family. They are smarter than that." The man insisted.


    Ian sighed and shook his head. This was the third businessman that refused to believe who he was and who he worked for.


    "If I am not mistaken your company''s office is on Reyes Group property, am I correct?" Ian asked the man.


    "Yes. Everyone knows that, that''s common knowledge." The man said in a confident tone.


    Ian was starting to get annoyed at this person as he insisted that he was just a scam, so Ian decided to increase the consequences by a little bit.


    "And if I am not mistaken all of your shops are in Elisia Malls." Ian pointed out.


    "Again, public knowledge." The man said confidently.


    "Then sir, I suggest you save this number. I''ll be speaking with you tomorrow." Ian said as he dropped the call.


    "Another one that wouldn''t believe you?" Camilla asked as she relaxed on the couch having finished her list before Ian.


    "Yeah, and this one was way more annoying." Ian said with a laugh as he dialed a number that Marco had given him.


    "Don''t worry I still got more refusals than you did." Camilla said with a laugh as she handed Ian the list of people that didn''t want to believe that she worked for the CEO.


    "How did you get through the list so fast?" Ian asked.


    "I just chose not to reason with them, plus they all interact with the Reyes Group the same way. Their money is in M Bank and their offices and homes are on Reyes Group property."  Camilla said with a laugh as she remembered how they had chosen not to believe her.


    "Wow," Ian said as he placed the phone to his ear. "I didn''t even touch the bank money but you went there."


    "Well, they annoyed me." Camilla said with a grin. "Plus they were sexist saying a woman would never be able to handle the work required from the Reyes Group."


    "They are stupid, you are a great employee and they are stupid." Ian said with a laugh as the person at the other end of the call answered.


    "Yes Ian?" The voice said, making Ian laugh.


    "This is your number Hank?" Ian asked as he was quite surprised that he would be the one asking Hank to do things. The other man was, after all, Reyes.


    "Aren''t you going to ask me how I knew it was you?" Hank asked as he refused to answer Ian''s obvious question.


    "I assume our numbers are programmed into your phones or something." Ian said as he told Hank of his suspicions.


    "Very smart, yes that''s how I know. So what does Marco need?" Hank asked Ian.


    "Why would it be Marco that needs something, can''t it be me?" Ian said with a laugh.


    "True, but usually Marco is the one that needs something on a Saturday night, I swear that man needs to get a life." Hank grumbled, making Ian laugh.


    "Actually it''s me that needs something. Well a couple of things." Ian said as he scratched his head.


    "Alright, spit it out, what do you need?" Hank asked.


    "I need several companies threatened by Reyes Group subsidiaries." Ian explained. "It''s a personal matter of mine and Marco said we could do this."


    "Oh, nice, we get to have some fun." Hank said with a laugh. "Text me the list of companies and put what you need done to each of them. It''s been a while since we messed with people, I missed this."


    "Wow, I thought you would be pissed." Ian said over the phone.


    "It''s boring when you have to act all professional and prim and proper." Hank grumbled. "I need to have my fun too. I''m already pissed at my cousin that he gets to have all the fun while we work at the Reyes Group."


    "Your cousin?" Ian asked.


    "The Reyes Heir, but I''ve already said too much. Just send me the list and get out of Marco''s place as soon as you can before he drags you over to work, bye." Hank quickly said as he dropped the call, making Ian laugh.


    "It was Hank?" Camilla asked. She was just as confused as Ian  to find out that they were asking a member of the Reyes Family to do something for them.


    "He said he was excited to threaten them. I mean it seemed like he really wanted to." Ian told Camilla.


    "Hank has always been odd." Marco said with a laugh as he entered the office. "Are you guys done?" He asked them.


    "Yes, I just need to send this list to Hank and we''re done." Ian said with a nod.


    "Alright, just clean up after and join me in the dining room." Marco instructed. "If you can''t find it ask a maid, one of them is always standing outside the office door just in case we need anything.


    "Okay, this shouldn''t take long." Ian said with a nod as Marco left the room.


    "Did Marco seem a little off to you?" Camilla asked as Ian continued to type the list on his phone to send to Hank,


    "Maybe he is tired." Ian said as he kept his attention on what he was doing. "Hank did say that Marco works a lot. Even Marco admits to that."


    "I don''t think that''s it, but then again I could just be over thinking." Camilla told Ian as she began to put their things aside.


    She knew that Ian would be too busy to remember the documents that Marco had given them. They were supposed to help the pair navigate things behind the scenes.


    "Done!" Ian said proudly as soon as he sent the message to Hank.


    "Shall we join Marco for dinner?" Camilla asked as she got up and stretched. "Wow, I didn''t realize how long we were sitting." She commented.


    "Let''s get going. I want to sleep early tonight. I barely had any sleep earlier." Ian grumbled as they walked out of the office.


    "Well it''s your fault for taking a walk at two in the morning. I mean who does that?" Camilla asked.


    "My walk was very productive." Ian told her as he rolled his eyes. "We know about Seth because of that."


    "Sir, ma''am, Mr. So asked me to take you to the dining room." A maid said as they stepped out into the hallway.


    "Oh, thank you, lead the way." Camilla said with a smile.


    "Mr. So also asked me to inform you that there is another guest tonight and he hopes you can both be on your best behavior." The maid informed them.


    "I have no idea what that''s supposed to mean, but yes, we''ll behave." Ian said with a grin.


    "This way." The maid said as she led them down the hall.


    "What do you plan to do about Seth by the way?" Camilla asked. "You know that Manuel and his sister were at Solaire Towers to impress him, will you tell him about Manuel?"


    "I think we should, but I just don''t want him to do anything. I don''t want Seth to think that our friendship with him is just based on the fact that we can use him." Ian explained.


    "I''m sure he knows that that isn''t the reason." Camilla said as she tried to calm his worries.


    "We''ll see tomorrow over dinner." Ian said with a nod as they walked into the dining room.


    "Ah, Ian, Camilla, come, let me introduce you to my fiance." Ian heard Marco say as they entered the room.


    When Ian lifted his head and saw who was seated next to Marco his jaw dropped. This woman was Marco''s fiance? How was it possible?

 Chapter 88 - 88

    "Oh close your mouths, the both of you might end up swallowing a fly!" Marie Mendiola scolded Ian and Camilla as she laughed at their expressions.


    "How? What? Why?" Ian stuttered as Camilla pulled him towards the dining table and made him sit.


    "At least one of you still managed to regain your senses." Marie teased as she watched the interaction between the pair.


    "I did mention that it was complicated, right?" Marco asked as he looked at Ian and Camilla.


    "You did, you just didn''t mention how complicated." Camilla said with a laugh as she nudged Ian.


    Ian shook his head as he tried to recover from the news. In a way it wasn''t impossible. Marco came from a rich family that had ties to the Chans.


    Add to that the fact that Marco and Marie must have worked with each other a lot, making them even closer. It wasn''t impossible, it was just shocking to see.


    "Okay, I think we at least owe them an explanation." Marie said with a laugh as she watched as Ian tried to figure out what was going on and how the relationship had happened.


    "Why?" Marco said as he pulled Marie close to him and kissed her on the side of her head. "I find it quite entertaining to see these two chatty assistants at a loss for words." Marco said with a laugh as Ian shook his head.


    "Stop being so cruel to them." Marie said as she pushed her fiance off of her. "You are stuck with these two whether they like it or not. And they are stuck with me because I''m a Reyes, let''s at least enjoy the peace before my cousin returns."


    "Fine." Marco grumbled. "So what do you two want to hear?" Marco asked.


    Ian just stared at the couple as he was still trying to figure out how things fit together. It would have been incredibly complicated to have your fiance be your boss.


    "Looks like you guys broke Ian." Camilla said with a laugh as she poked the other assistant on the shoulder.


    "Oh, sorry, what?" Ian asked as he shook his head.


    "Welcome back to the world of the living, Ian." Marco teased as he waved the maids over to serve their dinner.


    "So, go ask, we''ll do our best to answer." Marie said as she encouraged them. "Just remember that our relationship is not as simple as it seems, it''s very complicated."


    "How long have the two of you been engaged?" Camilla finally asked.


    "Around seven years." Marco said, shocking Ian and Camilla.


    "Isn''t that a bit too long for an engagement, shouldn''t the two of you be married by now?" Ian asked as he looked at the couple in front of them.


    "As I said, our relationship is complicated." Marco said with a shrug.


    "Is it complicated because of work?" Camilla asked Marco and Marie. "I mean technically Marie is your boss. Are the Reyeses against it or something?"


    "No, my family fully supports our relationship." Marie said, shaking her head.


    "So it''s Marco''s family that has an issue." Ian said as he thought of the situation. "Wait, that makes no sense at all! No one in their right mind would stop their child from marrying a member of the Reyes family. That would just be insane!"


    Marco and Camilla both laughed at Ian''s reaction.


    "It''s possible for someone to not want their child to marry a Reyes, trust me, it''s happened, but that''s not the case for us." Marco said as he shook his head.


    "So what is the reason?" Ian asked as he leaned forward to listen closely to Marco''s and Marie''s story.


    "As I said, it''s complicated. At first my family didn''t know that Marie was a Reyes so they opposed our relationship from the very beginning. You know how low key their family is, you don''t know who is a Reyes and who is not." Marco said with a shrug.


    "So they tried to break you apart?" Camilla asked.


    "They tried to discourage me, but my auntie Amy, the madam of the Chan family, she encouraged my relationship with Marie. She told me to be with the person I love and I love Marie." Ian explained.


    "So did you guys run away or something?" Ian asked.


    "You could say that." Marie said with a laugh. "We ran away and were about to be married when Uncle Emilio decided to set the record straight. He personally drove over to Marco''s ancestral home and told everyone that I was his niece."


    "Then you should have been able to get married. What happened after?" Ian asked as he wondered what stopped the wedding.


    "That''s when my family turned cunning." Marco said as he shook his head. "They decided to take advantage of my relationship with Marie and get as much as they could from the Reyes Family."


    "That''s why he suddenly called off the wedding." Marie grumbled. "We were already outside of the church when he found out that his uncle, who was back then the head of the So family, tried to get my uncle to hand over some projects to them."


    "How did you find out?" Camilla asked.


    Marco and Marie then burst into laughter.


    "We found out because Uncle Emilio had no idea where Marco kept all his files." Marie said as she tried and failed to control her laughter. "He had to call Marco and ask for the documents."


    "Naturally, I was curious, so I asked why. That''s when the boss told me about what my uncle said. I was furious and I called him and told him I would never marry Marie if all he was after were projects from the Reyes Group." Marco explained.


    "Why did he wait for you to marry Marie, couldn''t he have just asked you?" Ian said as he was confused by the situation.


    "My family didn''t know I was working for the Reyes Group." Marco said with a grin. "They thought I was a failure. They thought I was just some secretary in a small company. When they found out who I really worked for they were all stunned."


    "Things got even more complicated when Marco''s grandfather died." Marie said with a frown as Marco hugged her.


    "My grandfather decided to complicate things in his will." Marco said with a sigh. "Everyone expected him to name my uncle as his heir, but a week before his death he secretly called his lawyer and had his will changed. He named me as his heir."


    "I''m sure your uncle did not take that well." Ian said with a frown. He knew too well how families like the Sos valued the succession from one head to the next.


    "He did not take it well, in order to keep the peace, I decided to leave the So family and live on my own." Marco explained.


    "Yeah, but now they still keep asking you to come back and help." Marie grumbled.


    "The properties and the companies are all in my name. Apparently I can''t just give it back to my relatives. It''s either I give it to my direct heir, or I die without an heir and it goes back to the family." Marco said with a frown.


    "No." Camilla gasped.


    "It doesn''t matter to me." Marie said as she shook her head. "As long as I know he loves me and I love him, that''s enough."


    "Why don''t you just take it from them?" Ian asked Marco.


    "Because that''s not the life I want." Marco said as he shook his head. "Marie and I never planned on having kids, so even if we are not married, as long as we are together, we are happy." Marco said as he looked into Marie''s eyes and smiled.


    Ian could sense the love between them, and it affected him in a negative way.


    For some reason it made him question his relationship with Jas. Would she be willing to sacrifice the same thing for him? Would he also be able to sacrifice everything just to be with her.


    Jas loved him, or at least at the moment she loved him, but she often changed her mind and with it her feelings.


    "Let''s eat before the food gets cold." Ian heard Marie say, pulling him back from his thoughts.


    He simply nodded and smiled as he ate what had been placed in front of him.


    "Are you alright?" Camilla asked as she glanced at him.


    "Yeah, I''m fine, just some unnecessary worries." Ian said as he forced a smile.


    "I''ll be here if you need to talk.." Camilla said with a nod as she returned her attention to her meal.

 Chapter 89 - 89

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    Ian and Camilla didn''t stay any longer than necessary at Marco''s home. They knew that the couple would probably want some alone time.


    So as soon as they were done with their meal they left and drove home.


    The drive home and the ride up to their apartments were silent. It seemed that both Ian and Camilla were thinking deeply about what had just happened.


    When they finally made it to their rooms Ian quickly reminded Camilla about dinner with Seth the next day before finally climbing into bed and falling asleep.


    Ian had no idea that he had just collapsed from exhaustion.


    The next day he suddenly sat up from bed as he woke in a jolt from his phone ringing like crazy.


    When he grabbed his phone from the night stand and saw that no one was calling, he suddenly recalled the office phone tht Marco had given them the night before.


    He quickly got up and walked to the table in his room and picked it up.


    "Hank, why are you calling so early in the morning?" Ian grumbled as he lay back down on his bed.


    "Early? Ha! Someone had quite the night it seems." Hank teased. "Check the time again Ian."


    Ian groaned as he rolled over to check the time on his other phone.


    "What the-" Ian said as he saw the time.


    "Yes Ian, good afternoon." Hank said with a laugh. "It''s 2 pm. I''ve been trying to call you since 10 am but it seemed you were dead to the world. Camilla mentioned something about you having had a long day yesterday so I decided to call you after lunch."


    "Ugh. I basically slept the day away." Ian grumbled as he got up and made his way down to the kitchen.


    "Good afternoon sunshine!" Camilla greeted with a laugh as she pointed at a plate with food at the other end of the table.


    "You are a blessing! Did I ever tell you that Camilla? You are just amazing!" Ian praised as he walked over to his seat.


    "Is something going on between you and Camilla?" Hank asked over the phone.


    "No." Ian replied with a laugh.


    "Did he ask you if we were dating?" Camilla asked Ian as if reading his mind.


    Ian simply nodded in reply, making Camilla laugh.


    "No, Hank. Ian is a great guy, just not my type." Camilla said as a maid handed her a mug of coffee.


    "Why did you call?" Ian asked in a serious tone as he took a bite of his lunch.


    "I just wanted to give you an update that we''ve already made all of the threats and you should be getting some calls today." Hank said excitedly.


    "Wow, it seems like you enjoyed making those calls." Ian said with a grin.


    "I got to use my full name, of course I enjoyed it." Hank said with a laugh. "I don''t like flaunting that I''m a Reyes, but I sure as hell love using it to threaten people."


    "You are crazy." Ian said in between bites.


    "Don''t you have any missed calls on your phone yet?" Hank asked. "I know Camilla already has some."


    "People have started to call you back?" Ian asked.


    "Yeah, but I decided to leave it for tomorrow. Let them simmer in their fear." Camilla said with a mischievous grin.


    "She''s brilliant by the way." Hank commented as if he already knew what Camilla had said.


    "You heard her?" Ian asked.


    "No,  but she told me about her plan earlier. She didn''t want to wake you and wanted to tell someone, so she told me." Hank said quite proudly.


    "Thanks Hank, I''ll probably do the same as Camilla and let them stress over their mistakes. Have a good weekend." Ian said as he dropped the call.


    Ian looked at both phones.


    His personal phone had several missed calls and messages from Jas making him groan. He didn''t want to deal with Jas today. Too many things were going on in his life, he just wanted to focus and to have some peace.


    Ian quickly messaged Jas that he had to work and had a work dinner tonight that''s why he couldn''t meet up with her.


    He asked her if they could meet next weekend since he was already expecting avery busy work week ahead.


    As soon as he finished messaging his girlfriend, he turned his attention to his work phone.


    Ian was shocked to see hundreds of missed calls and frantic messages. The messages made him laugh. Clearly the people who didn''t believe them yesterday now knew their mistake.


    "The messages are funny." Camilla said as she spotted Ian smiling. "It''s like they were suddenly slapped in the face and now they come crawling asking for our forgiveness,"


    Ian laughed at her analogy. She was right, these people were now begging for Ian to forgive them.


    "Will you ask them to wait a week too?" Camilla asked Ian.


    "No, ask them to pull out all of their partnerships with the Juan family by Tuesday." Ian said. "Tell them that if they can''t then they will have to suffer the consequences."


    "I thought you wanted Manuel and his family to think that they had the upper hand?" Camilla asked.


    "They will never tie this incident to me." Ian said as he shook his head. "They think too lowly of me to even consider that I could come up with a plan to get their customers, suppliers, and partners to leave."


    "Alright." Camilla said with a nod as she got up and made her way out of the kitchen.


    "Where are you going?" Ian asked Camilla as he noticed that she was on her way out of his apartment.


    "Well, I was going to get some rest. We still have dinner with Seth tonight and I want to make the most of my weekend." Camilla said with a shrug. "Yesterday was just way too eventful." She laughed.


    "Oh." Was all Ian could reply as he realized that she wanted to have her alone time.


    "Are you becoming clingy?" Camilla teased as she flipped her hair and walked out the door. "Don''t forget, I''m not into you." She said with a grin as she slammed the door behind her, leaving Ian in shock.


    Ian decided to follow Camilla''s lead and just laze around the rest of the day. It was the first time in a long time that he simply lay on his bed not worrying about anything.


    He had decided to temporarily ignore Jas and her escapades or Manuel and whatever his family was plotting against Ian.


    Ian was already falling asleep when his doorbell began to buzz.


    He groaned as he got up and checked the time. It was six thirty in the evening, thirty minutes before they were supposed to meet Seth in the restaurant downstairs.


    When Ian took a look at who was outside, he was shocked to find Seth standing by the door.


    He opened the door and glared at Seth.


    "I still had thirty minutes." Ian complained as he let Seth in. "How were you even able to get up here?" He asked.


    "You told the receptionist to just let me next time. So they let me up." Seth said as he looked around Ian''s apartment. "This place is ten times larger than mine."


    "Can you just stay here while I get dressed?" Ian asked as he made his way up to his room.


    "I promise to behave." Seth said as he raised his right hand.


    "Five minutes.." Ian told Seth as he quickly went up to his room and got dressed.

 Chapter 90 - 90

    As Ian dressed, he gave Camilla a call. He knew she would be pissed if Ian didn''t tell her that Seth was in his apartment.


    "You better have a good reason for calling me Ian." Camilla grumbled as she answered the call.


    "Seth is here." Ian announced.


    "Seth is in your apartment? I thought we had thirty minutes?" Camilla said as Ian could hear cups being tossed into her sink.


    "I thought so too but he came knocking on my door." Ian said as he changed his clothes.


    "Okay. I''ll be right over." Camilla said as Ian could hear her climbing the stairs to her room. "Don''t tell him about Manuel till I get there, I don''t want to miss out on the fun." Camilla threatened as she dropped the call.


    Ian laughed, he knew he was right. Camilla wouldn''t want to miss Seth''s expression when he heard about Manuel and the shirt burning incident.


    He also knew that Camilla had a lot of mafia related questions that she wanted to ask Seth and being in a private setting was perfect for Camilla''s curiosity.


    As soon as he was done dressing up, Ian made his way down. He found Seth admiring the apartment''s layout and finishings.


    "Interestingly, half of the stuff in my apartment was bought and arranged today." Ian said with a chuckle as he gestured for Seth to join him in the kitchen. "The place came semi furnished, but there were a lot of things that were missing." Ian explained.


    "The Reyeses really take good care of their employees." Seth said with a nod as he sat at the dining table.


    "Coffee or tea?" Ian asked.


    "Coffee please, thanks." Seth said with a smile.


    Before Ian could even approach the coffeemaker a maid suddenly appeared and told Ian that she would make their coffee for them.


    Ian thanked the maid with a smile as he joined Seth on the dining table.


    "The maid came with the unit." Ian said with a laugh. "If it were up to me I would do everything on my own, but the Reyeses want us to focus on our jobs."


    "Makes sense." Seth said with a nod.


    "Hey Seth!" Camilla greeted as she entered Ian''s apartment.


    "She has a key?" Seth asked as he pointed at Camilla.


    "You could say that." Ian said with a laugh as Camilla walked over to the maid and informed her of how she wanted her coffee.


    "Living alone in such a big space gets lonely, we have most meals together. At least except when his girlfriend is around, she doesn''t like me." Camilla told Seth.


    "So why did you decide to come over earlier?" Ian asked Seth as the maid placed their drinks in front of them.


    "I didn''t have anything to do and my dad has been nagging me to investigate some odd behavior coming from several businesses across the country, many of which are in the capital. I honestly don''t want to do it so I told him I had plans and went here." Seth said with a shrug.


    "Couldn''t you have stayed in your own apartment?" Ian grumbled. "I was about to fall asleep when you arrived."


    "Dad would know I was lying if I went there." Seth explained.


    "What kind of odd behavior are you talking about?" Camilla asked as she took a long sip of her coffee.


    "Well, for one a huge number began to panic as they were served notices from the Reyes Group." Seth explained. "I mean it''s only normal that the Reyes Group gives out notices, but the way these businessmen reacted was just way over the top. Some came to us begging for protection."


    "Oh." Camilla said as she looked at Ian.


    "Don''t worry, if the Reyes Group is planning something I won''t ask." Seth said with a smile. "I wouldn''t shelter them against the Reyes Group, nor would my father. If they crossed the Reyeses it''s all on them."


    "At least they came to your father and not your brother." Ian told Seth.


    "For matters this big my brother wouldn''t dare intervene." Seth said as he shook his head. "There was another odd occurrence though, it seems like many companies are planning to pull out from working with someone, we just can''t find out who."


    "Well, this will entertain you." Camilla said with a grin as she leaned forward. "Will I tell him or will you?" She asked Ian.


    "We met someone very interesting yesterday." Ian said with a smile. "Someone who was here at Solaire Towers waiting to meet you."


    "Ugh, not again." Seth said as he rolled his eyes. "I don''t understand why people insist on trying to meet me. I already said that I won''t be taking over the family and yet they come here and cause trouble."


    "This isn''t the first time?" Camilla asked.


    "Unfortunately, no." Seth said with a sigh. "I already warned the security team here as well as  my bodyguards, but they''ve gotten craftier and crafiter."


    "So you know about the holding cells in the basement?" Ian asked.


    "I''ve been there a couple of times. Had to convince several mafia members to stop showing up here, after that they avoided Solaire Towers like a plague. It''s only the desperate businessmen that come here now." Seth told Ian and Camilla.


    "Do you know Manuel Juan and Mica Juan?" Ian asked Seth.


    "I''ve met them once or twice I think. Manuel Juan pays one of my men for protection. I probably met him at a birthday party or something. I can''t remember." Seth told Ian as he tried to recall how he had met Manuel. "Were they the one that caused trouble?"


    "Yup, and they just so happened to use you as an excuse." Camilla said with a laugh.


    "It''s a long story." Ian said with a sigh.


    "Shorten it, I''m sure you can." Seth insisted.


    "Well, Manuel and I have butted heads in the past, and let''s just say that Manuel is one of the reasons why my family could never recover. So when he saw me at the restaurant yesterday at lunch time, he couldn''t resist flinging insults." Ian quickly explained making Seth laugh.


    "Please tell me the security team dragged him away." Seth said.


    "Oh they did, after Ian punched him." Camilla said proudly. "That''s not all, so the security team roughed him up a bit, then Ian took a few jabs. His sister was so frantic that she decided to tell me all of their family''s secrets and provide me with proof."


    "Idiots." Seth said as he shook his head. "I don''t know why they insist on trying to meet me. This isn''t the first time I''ve heard of them being at Solaire either."


    "Oh, you''ll find the next part hilarious." Camilla said with a grin. "Tell him Ian."


    "This better not be disappointing." Seth warned.


    "Trust me, it''s not." Camilla told Seth.


    "I noticed that his shirt was some limited edition shirt that was way too expensive for him to afford. So I had the security team take it off of him and I burned it. He freaked out when I did because apparently it wasn''t his, it belonged to one of your men." Ian said as he resisted the urge to laugh.


    "Damn, that Manuel Juan kid is crazy." Seth commented as he shook his head. "I''m guessing that''s not the end of the torments you have lined up for him."


    "Not in the slightest." Ian said as he shook his head.


    "Those odd activities you were telling us about? That was us." Camilla boasted. "And the family that''s about to lose it''s head is the Juan Family."


    "So I suggest you tell your men not to protect them when the time comes. Because I have a bone to pick with them and I am not going to hold back." Ian said with a grin.


    "Good, I can finally get them off of my books. They have been nothing but loss after loss." Seth told Ian and Camilla.


    "I think they might have been looking to meet you because their companies are on the verge of bankruptcy, or at least that''s what it looks like based on the proof Mica sent me." Camilla explained.


    "Whatever it is, I know they deserve it." Ian said with a serious look on his face that intimidated even Seth and Camilla.


    -----------------------------------------


    For those that have been asking, yes Ian''s and Camilla''s personality are very different here compared to Never Judge because they are much younger.


    If you are reading one of my novels for the first time, Rise of the Disgraced Heir is a spin off of my other novel, Never Judge.


    Don''t worry the two novels can be read independently of each other.

 Chapter 91 - 91

    "Our reservation is in a few minutes." Ian announced as he got up. "We should head to the restaurant."


    "Or we could have dinner here." Camilla suggested.


    "It''s an idea." Ian said as he considered the suggestion.


    "Oh, no." Seth said as he shook his head. "The two of you are going to take full advantage of Solaire Tower''s full amenities. I''m pretty sure you don''t even need to pay for dinner." Seth said with a laugh as he dragged the pair out to dinner.


    "I can''t believe I slept the whole day away." Ian said with a sigh as they descended in the elevator.


    "Well, we did have an extremely eventful day yesterday." Camilla said with a laugh as the elevator doors opened.


    Just as what had happened the day before, everyone turned their attention to the people stepping out of the VIP elevator.


    Everyone was aware that this elevator was only accessible to a select number of units in the building, and those units were not for sale.


    According to the rumors that had spread, the only way that you could get those units were if you were someone truly important.


    "I really hate it when they stare." Ian grumbled as they made their way into the restaurant.


    "Mr. Lim, Miss Montero, this way." A waiter greeted them as he led them through the tables and to a secluded area at the other end of the restaurant.


    "Ah, this is nice." Ian said with a smile as he took his seat.


    Their table was blocked from the view of other patrons, while still providing them a glimpse of  the famous capital skyline that could only be seen from a select number of locations.


    "My manager thought that you would prefer a more private dining experience after what happened yesterday." The waiter said in a respectful tone as he handed them their menu.


    "Thank you." Ian said with a smile. "I appreciate it very much." He said as he nodded at the waiter.


    "We would also like to apologize for yesterday''s incident." The waiter said. "If we had placed you in a more secluded area, none of yesterday''s events would have happened." He told them apologetically.


    "It''s not your fault." Camilla told the waiter. "To be honest, it was quite entertaining to see Ian in a different light." She said with a slight laugh, making Ian roll his eyes at her.


    "It''s no one''s fault." Ian said reassuringly. "The only person to be blamed is Manuel Juan and his sister. They should have acted accordingly."


    "Thank you, Mr. Lim, Miss Montero, for understanding the situation." The waiter said with a bow. "Most people would have blamed it on us."


    Seth laughed at the waiter''s comment.


    "Do you really think these two are most people?" He said with a grin.


    "You know Seth, if anyone is to blame, it should be you." Ian told Seth with a cunning smile.


    "What? Why me?" Seth asked as he gave his friend a confused look. "I wasn''t even in the building when that happened. Had I known I would have happily joined in the fray."


    Camilla suddenly laughed as she realized what Ian meant by the events being Seth''s fault.


    "You really don''t get it?" Camilla asked as she stifled her laughs.


    "What?" Seth asked as he gave her a confused look.


    He was clearly unaware of what Ian had meant.


    "Seth, why were the Juan siblings here?" Ian asked his friend as he smiled knowingly.


    Seth was a smart man, he just liked to over think things. That''s why he didn''t understand the joke at first.


    "Oh shit." Seth said as he laughed at how long it took him to realize what Ian meant. "They were here to see me."


    "Bingo, so if anyone is at fault, it''s you." Camilla said as she shook her head.


    "Why did you put them in such a publicly visible spot?" Seth asked the waiter.


    He knew for a fact that the VIPs living in Solaire Tower had their own dining area, the space they were in was one of them.


    The other tenants would pay anything to have their meals where they were now seated.


    "We thought that they would like to boast of their status." The waiter explained. "After yesterday''s events we came to the realization that Mr. Lim and Miss Montero are nothing like the other occupants of this building."


    "You should have read their file." Seth said as he shook his head. "They are both quite low key."


    "There was nothing about it in their files." The waiter explained. "We are only allowed to know a limited amount of information about them, so we had to adjust on the fly."


    "Kudos to you and the rest of the staff then." Ian praised with a nod. "Now if you will ignore our friend we are ready to order."


    "Yes, ignore me." Seth said with a laugh.


    They quickly gave the waiter their orders and the man went off to the kitchen to have them prepared.


    "This is a really nice view." Camilla said with a sigh as she looked out the ceiling to floor window across their table.


    "Many of the tenants would kill to eat here." Seth said with a laugh.


    "What do you mean?" Camilla asked.


    "This room is only accessible by the tenants of the VIP floors. Other people can''t eat here, no matter how important you claim to be." Seth said with a shrug.


    "I just want to eat in peace with my friend." Ian complained. "Why does it have to be such a highly coveted spot?" He grumbled.


    "I think everything you have now is something a lot of people would kill to have." Seth pointed out.


    "Seth, you can''t tell anyone about us being under the direct employment of the CEO." Ian said with a frown as he looked at his friend.


    "As long as you don''t tell anyone that I''m the son of a powerful mafia family." Seth said with a chuckle. "Of course I would never tell anyone. I know the CEO has his reasons, he is a smart man."


    "Thank you." Camilla said with a sweet smile.


    As they waited for their food Seth''s phone began to ring and he had to excuse himself.


    Ian and Camilla watched as his expression changed from happy to angry in a matter of seconds.. The pair looked at each other, worried about their friend.

 Chapter 92 - 92

    Camilla and Ian watched as Seth''s expression went from bad to worse. It seemed that whoever he was on the phone with did not have any good news for him.


    They tried their best not to listen, but they could hear Seth cursing at the person he was speaking to.


    "Fucking, stupid." Seth hissed. "Doesn''t he know what trouble he has gotten us into for intervening?"


    Ian and Camilla looked at each other.


    "Do you think it could have something to do with the Juan family?" Camilla asked Ian.


    "It''s possible." Ian said with a nod as he watched Seth''s expression. "Whoever is at the other end of that call must be wetting himself by now. Seth looks royally pissed."


    "If someone in his family decided to help Manuel or his sister, then we can just arrange things between us." Camilla suggested. "I just hope we aren''t too late."


    Ian simply nodded as he watched Seth walk back to their table. He was clearly unhappy as he frowned and looked at the ground, shaking his head.


    Before Ian or Camilla could ask what was bothering Seth, the waiter and the manager entered, serving their food.


    "I''m sorry I couldn''t welcome you." The manager said in a polite tone. "We had a dilemma with a few customers earlier. Some of the people that dine here can be quite demanding."


    "We understand." Camilla said with a smile. "We won''t keep you, we know you have a lot of work. You can just leave our food and we will call when  we are done."


    "Oh, Miss Montero, no need for that." The manager said as he shook his head. "We will clean up as soon as you leave. Unless of course you plan on staying longer?"


    "No, that''s fine. Thank you." Camilla said with a sweet smile.


    Ian wanted to laugh at how different Camilla was now compared to when they were torturing the Juan siblings in the basement. She had suddenly now turned into a sweet and kind woman, a far cry from the strong and cunning one they had witnessed the day before.


    "Wait!" Ian called out as the manager and the waiter turned to leave.


    "Yes, Mr. Lim?" The manager asked. "Is there anything else I can get you?"


    "Actually, yes." Ian said with a nod. "I''m not sure if I can do this, but this man we are with is a good friend of ours, Seth Dean, would it be possible for you to extend the same courtesy to him as you offer us?"


    Ian was nervous that the manager would say no.


    He was making a gamble, hoping that Seth could get some preferential treatment in the restaurant, just like he now enjoyed in the building.


    "OF course." The manager said with a nod. "Unfortunately, the only thing we cannot give him is the free food if he is not with you."


    "That''s fine. Thank you." Ian said with a smile.


    The manager and waiter bowed as they left Ian, Camilla, and Seth alone in the dining area.


    "You didn''t have to do that." Seth said with a frown as he looked at Ian.


    "It''s the least we could do." Ian said. "You are one of our only friends here. It would be quite lonely without you."


    "Thank you." Seth said with a smile.


    "Can we ask what that call was about?" Camilla asked as she cut her steak.


    "Yes, of course, I was actually about to tell the two of you about it." Seth said with a frown.


    "What was it?" Ian asked.


    "It was my younger brother again." Seth groaned. "My father had already given orders not to do anything about the sudden shift in assets that we were seeing. He knew that some very powerful players were involved, but my brother went against his orders."


    "Is there anything we can do to help?" Camilla asked.


    Seth looked at her and shook his head.


    "Right now, no." Seth told them with a sigh. "I already told one of my men to warn my brother that was dealing with things outside of his control. I don''t know if he will listen." Seth said with a sigh.


    "You should warn them about the Juan family." Ian told Seth. "I don''t want to see your people caught up in this mess."


    "I already have, I''m just worried about what my brother might do." Seth said with a sigh as he ate his food.


    "It seems that this brother of yours is insistent on doing everything you guys tell him not to." Camilla said with a laugh.


    "My brother isn''t too happy with our father naming me as the next family head." Seth confessed. "He knows I don''t want the position and yet he keeps making choices that will only convince our father not to name him. Honestly, I''m at a loss."


    "Maybe you should warn your father that the Reyeses are coming after the Juans?" Ian asked Seth.


    "I should, but my brother needs to learn his lesson." Seth said with a sigh. "He needs to grow up if he wants to lead the Dean Family mafia in the future. It''s not only our men he has to impress, he has to impress the boss too."


    "The boss?" Ian asked.


    "Just as the legal world has the president, we have our own president of sorts too." Seth explained. "The thing is, only a handful of people know who he is. We only know who his people are."


    "Isn''t that a bit scary following someone you don''t even know exists blindly?" Camilla asked as she took a sip of her wine.


    "It is, but you can''t exactly just cross him." Seth said. "We call him the King of the Underworld, and according to rumors he has influences in both the legal and illegal world. For a time we thought it was the CEO of the Reyes Group, but as time went on it seemed unlikely."


    "I doubt the CEO would even have the time to manage such a complex organization." Ian pointed out.


    "You never know." Seth said with a shrug. "Look at us, no one would ever suspect what our true identities are, and yet, it''s the truth."


    "You''re right.." Ian said with a nod as he continued to eat his dinner.

 Chapter 93 - 93

    "So is this your older brother or something?" Camilla asked. "It seems like he wants to be calling the shots."


    Based on how things were traditionally done, it was the eldest son that would have inherited the position as head. Camilla simply assumed that it was the same with Seth''s family.


    If his brother was dictating the way things went, then it meant that he was also poised to be the next family head.


    Seth closed his eyes and shook his head as he took a sip of wine from his glass.


    "No, it''s my younger brother." Seth explained. "He has always wanted to be the head of the Dean Family mafia, but I am the first born, so by tradition it should go to me."


    "But you don''t want it?" Camilla asked.


    "No, I don''t." Seth laughed as he shook his head. "I know it''s odd for someone to not want power, fame and fortune, but I''ve seen how being the head of the family can damage you. I''ve been by my father''s side since I was young. I''ve seen things children shouldn''t."


    "You might not want to be the next head of your family, Seth, but it seems like the role is calling to you." Ian pointed out.


    "If my brother cannot prove that he deserves the role, then my father can pass it on to the brother after him." Seth said with a shrug. "He can even hand it over to my sister. She wouldn''t be the first female mafia leader. The Rocci family has a woman co-leading it."


    "The Rocci family? Why is that name familiar?" Ian asked as he looked at his friend.


    "Because of Francesca Rocci, the actress and model. She''s really famous and she does belong to that family." Seth explained.


    "Wow, it''s surprising that the media hasn''t dug up that connection yet." Camilla said.


    "The Roccis are a very private family unlike mine." Seth told his friends as they continued to eat. "We know the name of it''s male head, but not the name of his sister, who is leading the mafia with him."


    "It''s more complicated than I thought." Camilla said with a frown.


    "Every part of society has its own complications." Seth explained. "It''s just that we have grown up understanding how things work in our own circles."


    "Aren''t you afraid that your family will fall into chaos because you refuse to take your role?" Ian asked Seth.


    Seth looked at his friend and frowned.


    "I will avoid it for as long as I can." Seth told them. "Right now, my father still has other heirs that can take the position. It doesn''t have to be me."


    "But you are the best fit." Ian pointed out. "Based on what I have heard from you, if your brother takes the role as the head, he will simply let your family be ruined."


    "As I said, I have other siblings. They can take the role if they are fit for it." Seth said plainly.


    "You do realize that based on what you are telling us, your father can still give you the role." Camilla pointed out.


    "I don''t think you don''t want to be the head of your family, Seth. At least not truly." Ian told his friend.


    "Why do you say that?" Seth asked as he leaned forward, curious as to what Ian meant.


    "If you truly wanted to reject the role, you would have turned your back and never looked back." Ian told Seth. "You would have let all those people burn no matter what the price. I understand that you saved me yesterday because you know me. But saving them from the Reyeses? You don''t have to do that."


    Seth frowned at Ian''s words. He remained silent as he thought them over.


    "I really don''t know what I want." Seth finally admitted. "Back then I thought I wanted to be a more active member of our mafia. I wanted to understand every aspect of it like a business. I wanted to earn people''s respect."


    "Signs of a good leader." Camilla said with a smile as she nodded at Seth.


    "I would have been fine if I came by the role because my father was too old and he had to pass it down, but when he announced to everyone that I was training to be his successor. Well, things changed for me. I didn''t want it anymore." Seth said as he thought back to the night when his successorship was confirmed.


    "I think you might just be afraid, or maybe even worried." Ian told Seth. "Or maybe, you don''t like your choice being taken from you. At least back then it seemed like you could choose your future, but now, it''s been decided for you."


    "I guess." Seth said with a shrug.


    "Do you like being in the mafia? Do you care for your people?" Ian asked.


    "Of course I do." Seth said with a nod.


    "What you want to do didn''t change, what changed was your reason for doing it." Ian explained. "Since this was something forced on you, you hate it. But when it was your choice you loved it. At the end of the day, no matter how you look at it. You like being in the mafia and leading your people."


    "You seem to know a lot about this."  Camilla pointed out as she laughed at Ian. "Are you speaking from experience?" She asked her friend.


    Ian couldn''t help but laugh at Camilla''s question. He knew too well what it was like to have a duty forced on you.


    "In a way." Ian said with a weak smile. "But in my case it was the other way around."


    "You''re the firstborn of your family, aren''t you?" Seth asked as he realized what Ian meant.


    Ian nodded in response.


    "I grew up being told that I would be a businessman, that I would take over the family business someday, and I hated it." Ian told his companions.. "I did everything in my power to go against my family''s wishes, and when we lost everything, I regretted ever hating it."

 Chapter 94 - 94

    ---Flashback 10 years ago---


    Ian Lim: 13 years old


    "Hurry up, Ian." Ian''s mother, Constance Lim called out to him as he tried to walk as fast as he could in the uncomfortable formal attire his parents had him wear.


    Today was the wedding of a business associate and his father was a primary sponsor for the wedding.


    "Ugh, mom, do I really have to wear this coat?" Ian asked as he fanned himself in the hot and humid weather of the Capital.


    "It''ll be air conditioned inside, you won''t feel hot." Constance told her son as they entered the fancy double doors that led to the ballroom.


    "Now, where is your father and grandfather?" Constance Lim said as she looked around the room, trying to spot her husband and father-in-law.


    "Mrs. Lim." A melodic voice greeted as a beautiful woman approached them.


    "Ah, Fatima, it''s nice to see you!" Constance said as she hugged the younger woman.


    "Mrs. Lim it''s such an honor to have you and your family here at my brother''s wedding." Fatima said with a sweet smile as she looked at Constance.


    "Oh, please, our family has done business with each other for years." Constance said as she shook her head. "Ah yes, this is our son, Ian."


    Ian looked up at the pretty woman as she gave him a sweet smile.


    "Such a handsome young man Mrs. Lim." Fatima praised. "I''m sure the Lim family will thrive with him as its head in the future."


    "He is very excited to start learning by his father''s side. Aren''t you, Ian?" Constance asked as she nudged her son.


    Ian simply nodded in return, not showing how much he hated having to go to the office with his father.


    At his age, most of his friends were out playing and having fun while he was forced to attend meetings and come to weddings with his parents.


    "If you''ll excuse us, I need to find my husband and father-in-law." Constance said as she led Ian through the crowd.


    "Don''t frown Ian." She scolded her son. "I know you don''t want to be here, at least show them that you aren''t being forced."


    "Sorry, mom." Ian  mumbled as he walked through the crowd following his mother.


    "It''s your future Ian, all of this. Someday, you''ll be the one that has to mingle with our clients and business partners, you will need to represent the family." Constance lectured her son as she spotted her husband.


    She quickly waved to him as Richardo waved back.


    "Don''t let your father see that frown on your face." Constance said as she looked at her son. "He will be heartbroken if he finds out that you don''t want to be here. If he finds out that you despise being in the family business he will be very disappointed in you."


    "Yes mom." Ian told his mom as they made their way through the crowd.


    "Constance, Ian, it''s a good thing that you could make it." Richardo Lim said with a smile as he gestured for his son and wife to sit next to him. "Ian, meet our friends . . ."


    Ian didn''t listen to what his father was saying, instead he let his mind wander, thinking of the latest video game that his classmate was talking about.


    He was going to ask his father to buy it for him the moment it hit the shelves. Everyone in his class would be jealous of him.


    "Ian." Richardo Lim called out as he looked at his son''s distant expression.


    "Sorry dad, I was just. . . ummmm. . .looking around." Ian said as he tried to think of the best excuse he could come up with.


    "I''m sorry about that, my son is just too curious." Richardo said with a laugh. "He likes learning about everything. As a matter of fact, whenever we are in the office he likes to go around, learning what other people do."


    Ian wanted to laugh at his father''s words. The only reason he went around the office was because he couldn''t stand watching as his father read documents, sat in meetings, and talked to people.


    Even when his father gave him tasks it annoyed him.


    He would often excuse himself to go to the warehouse, not to learn what was going on there, but too play football or basketball with the security guards and warehouse employees.


    Of course these men always let Ian win, he was the boss'' son, their future boss. They had to keep him happy.


    In order to keep his exploits a secret he always kept and extra bag with the security guards so that he could change after.


    He knew his dad would be disappointed if he knew that his son was just messing around and not learning about work.


    "Your son must be a real prodigy." His father''s friends praised.


    "I am just happy that he likes the family business. He is very eager to join the company even at a young age." Richardo Lim told his friends.


    Ian knew that a lot of rich families would be jealous of this. Most of his friends were just playing around while their parents compared them to him.


    Ian Lim, the dutiful son, who at a young age was already being trained to lead the Lim family on another rise to success.


    The wedding reception went on with a lot of drinking and dancing.


    Even if he was only thirteen, many women had invited him to dance, some were just a few years older than him. Every single one of them wanted to make a good impression, he was, after all, the heir to a rich fortune.


    Whoever he would marry would become the madam of the Lim family, a position that only very few could top.


    Eventually the night had to come to a close and Ian''s father was drunkenly escorted to his car by a bodyguard and his mother.


    "Go ride with grandpa." Constance Lim told her son as she pointed at the car waiting behind them.


    Ian nodded and got into his grandfather''s ca

 Chapter 95 - 95

    Ian loved his grandfather. The man had helped raise him, took him to all of his games, and gave him everything he asked for.


    But there was one thing that Ian didn''t like about his grandfather, the fact that the old man expected and demanded that he take over the role as CEO of Lim Industries in the future.


    Ian didn''t like the pressure and expectations his grandfather placed on him.


    When he was younger, he thought that his grandpa would take him to play golf because it was fun. As he grew up, he realized that it was the old man grooming and introducing him to other CEOs.


    Ian used to love Friday nights with his grandfather and grandmother. They would go to Maharlika Hotel, have dinner, speak to some people Ian''s grandfather knew.


    Back then it was a fun trip that he enjoyed going to. But as time passed Ian learned that his grandfather was once more this chance to teach Ian how to behave around certain people and in certain places.


    His grandfather used to enrol him in different after school activities, as a matter of fact, buy the age of thirteen, Ian could speak seven different languages.


    To him, it used to be a game, but to his grandfather it was an investment into the man he wanted his grandson to become.


    "You didn''t have to embarrass your father that way." Ian''s grandfather scolded as his car drove off.


    "I wasn''t trying to embarrass him. I just didn''t want to be there." Ian hissed. "I don''t understand why it has to be me, why you have to groom me. This isn''t what I want grandpa. I''m thirteen, I can decide what I want now."


    "Really Ian, can you really?" His grandfather said without even looking at him.


    "Yes I can." Ian insisted. "What if I want to be an actor?"


    "You will not!" His grandfather said in a scandalized tone. "There is no honor in being an actor. You will only bring shame to our family."


    ''Alright, not an actor, what if I want to be a historian?'' He asked. "I''ve always loved history and all the artifacts. I can be a teacher or work at a museum."


    "There  is no money in those industries. You won''t be able to support your lifestyle and you will go into debt then go hungry." His grandfather scolded. "We only want what''s best for you and the family."


    "What if what''s best for the family is not what I want?" Ian challenged.


    "We''ve all made our sacrifices for our family, you should learn to make yours." His grandfather said as they drove along the busy city streets.


    "This family can survive without me and I can survive without it." Ian insisted.


    "Very well." The old man said with a nod.


    "Stop the car." Ian''s grandfather ordered the driver.


    The driver promptly pulled up to the side of the road and stopped the car.


    "If you will insist that you can survive on your own and that you don''t need us. Get out." The old man hissed. "You need to learn that you are still dependent on this family. Out of my car.


    "Grandpa, you can''t be serious?" Ian asked as he looked at his grandfather, wide-eyed in shock.


    "Your father is right, I have spoiled you way too much." the old man said as he looked at Ian. "You need to learn your lesson. Get out of my car before I ask my driver to take you out."


    "Grandpa you can''t, how am I supposed to get home? I don''t have a driver or a car?" Ian asked.


    "Get home the way everyone else does." Ian''s grandfather told him confusing the young man. In his head everyone went around in cars with drivers. "Get out!" The old man shouted.


    Afraid that his grandfather would have someone drag him out of the car, Ian grumbled and got out.


    As soon as the doors closed behind Ian the old man''s car drove off, leaving Ian at the side of the road, afraid, lost, and scared.


    ----Present day-----


    "I hated my grandfather after that." Ian explained to Camilla and Seth as he finished telling them his story. "But now, when I look back at it, I was just some spoiled child that didn''t want to do what he was being asked because I was being asked."


    "What?" Camilla said with a laugh as she gave Ian a confused look. "Can you say that again?"


    Ian laughed at Camilla''s reaction . He knew that what he had said was quite confusing.


    "Whenever I look back, I look back to that day." Ian said with a sigh. "Everything I said, everything I thought of, everything I did, it showed how much I didn''t like what I was doing because it was what they expected from me."


    Ian reached out and took a sip of his wine.


    "I loved everything I learned. I loved the employees at our old company. I loved leaning what they did and I loved helping them. What I hated was the fact that I was forced to take a position I didn''t choose." Ian said with a shrug.


    "When my family started to lose everything and I had to find my own way, that''s when I realized that I loved my family''s old business. I loved everyone there, I would be more than happy now to go to work with my dad and learn things from him." Ian sighed and frowned. "But it''s all too late for that now."


    "I''ll think it through, Ian." Seth said with a nod. "You have a good point, and I would never have looked at it that way if you hadn''t mentioned it."


    "Don''t wait for things to be too late." Ian said with a nod.


    "Speaking of too late, we should go back and rest, we have a busy day tomorrow." Camilla said as she pointed at her watch.


    Ian simply nodded and they all went back to their rooms, ready for the challenges ahead.

 Chapter 96 - 96

    Ian closed his eyes as he leaned against the car door, slowly falling back asleep.


    He was so happy when John had intercepted him and Camilla in the lobby of Solaire Towers earlier that morning. It seemed like the driver was some psychic that could figure out that he was too exhausted to drive.


    "You know you got lucky that I decided to go down to the lobby today." John said as he drove the pair to work. "If I hadn''t I wonder what kind of accident you would have gotten into by now."


    "You guys do know that I can drive right?" Camilla asked as she glared at the two men who were sitting on the front seats.


    "You can?" Ian asked, genuinely confused by Camilla''s statement.


    "Yes, I can. That''s why I have a company car too, you idiot." Camilla told Ian as she rolled her eyes at him.


    "You always make it seem like you can''t drive!" Ian argued back.


    "I just said it would be less practical to take two cars, not that we can''t take two cars." Camilla said as John laughed at their conversation.


    "You guys act like siblings." John said as they neared R Tower. "Fighting and still being friends. I can tell the next few years will be entertaining."


    "Why do we have to be in the office so early again?" Ian groaned as he kept his eyes closed.


    "Because we are joining Ash on her work route today to meet a bigshot client. So we need to do our morning debrief before we meet up with Ash." Camilla explained as she once more rolled her eyes at Ian.


    She couldn''t believe he had forgotten when she started ringing the doorbell to his apartment.


    "Right, Right. How did I forget that?" Ian said as he sat up and scratched the back of his head.


    "Need me to drive you there?" John asked as the entered the basement parking of R Tower.


    "As much as I would prefer if you drove for us, it would look suspicious if a pair of low level employees like us had a driver." Camilla explained. "We can get away with it now, here in R Towe, but not where we are meeting up with Ash."


    "I''ll meet you guys up here tonight then." John said with a nod as they parked the car and headed up together.


    When they finally made it to the CEO''s floor, Marco was already waiting for them.


    "Do you ever sleep,  Marco?" John asked the older man as he laughed.


    "Good morning, John. I''m surprised these two let you drive them to work." Marco said as he ignored John''s joke.


    "Ian was too sleepy to drive them." John said with a laugh as he recounted the scene earlier that day. "He was so sleepy that I managed to hop into the driver''s seat before he could even complan."


    "You need to start sleeping earlier Ian." Marco pointed out as they walked into Marco''s office.


    Ian glared at John for ratting him out, but he knew it was the truth.


    "It''s a good thing you are there John, I need you to do some things for me and the boss." Marco told the driver as he sat down behind his desk


    "Finally, something for me to do." John said with a laugh as he made himself comfortable on Marco''s couch.


    "Hah, when he comes back you''ll barely sleep." Marco said as he waved Ian and Camilla over.


    "I have a few years." John said with a shrug.


    "Go make us some coffee then while your life is still relaxed, unlike the rest of us." Marco grumbled.


    "It''s not like you don''t like it." John answered as he got up and walked to the coffee machine.


    "How is your little operation with the Juan family coming along?" Marco asked Ian.


    "Well after Hank threatened them, they all followed." Ian said with a grin. "I guess they found it odd that there were new assistants to the CEO of the Reyes Group."


    "Even with me people still question if I am just pranking them or not." Marco pointed out. "You''ll get used to it eventually."


    "I plan on giving the Juan family a false sense of hope." Ian informed Marco. "I want them to feel like they''ve won."


    "Then your meeting today should come to your advantage." Marco said with a smile.


    "What do you mean?" Camilla asked.


    "Didn''t you know who Ash''s clients are? The big shot CEO and his son." Marco said with a laugh as he realized that the pair didn''t even ask Ash for any details.


    "No way, we''re meeting with Manuel and his father?!" Ian asked, wide eyed with shock.


    "Yup." Marco said with a nod.


    "How did you find out before us?" Camilla asked as she tilted her head to the side.


    Ash had never mentioned the name of who her client was. Jake didn''t say anything either when they were planning to meet. How did Marco find out ahead of them?


    "We were in a mall yesterday and I just so happened to overhear a conversation between Manuel''s mother and younger socialite." Marco explained. "It was really funny because she was saying that the meeting with the sales person was a partnership."


    "I''ve heard a lot of people do this." Ian said with a laugh. "They do anything and everything to look better. They always pretend to know someone they don''t just to seem more influential, it''s honestly quite annoying."


    "How did you know it was just a sales meeting with Ash?" Camilla asked.


    "The woman had the gall to say she was meeting with an executive from Krisanta Land, then she proceeded to give Ashley''s name." Marco explained. "I wanted to laugh so hard when I heard it, I immediately called Jake."


    "I guess they will be in for quite a shock when they see Ian and I at the meeting." Camilla said with a giggle. "They think we work for Solaire Towers."


    "They will just assume that Solaire is owned by the Reyes Group, it''s not like that hasn''t happened before." Marco said with a shrug. "By the way, before you leave, there are a few things we need done. Remember the files left from last week? It needs to be done by tomorrow morning."


    "Okay." Ian and Camilla both said with a nod. "We can work on it after the meeting later."


    "Next all that gossip you gathered, Ian. The boss wants to hear about it on Friday. We have another event to attend and I think this time your family is invited. So you will just have to play your part as you." Marco said with a smile.


    "Coffee?" John said in a chirpy tone as he placed the cups in front of Marco and the other assistants.


    "John, the boss should arrive at any moment. You need to be there when he does." Marco told John in a serious tone.


    John simply nodded in response.


    "We''ll get a head start on those documents and leave in an hour or so." Camilla told Marco as she dragged Ian out of the office.


    "I can already feel that it''s going to be a long day." Ian grumbled.


    "I wonder if you can tolerate not moving your plan forward." Camilla said with a grin.


    "Well I can''t move it forward. We still need to catch Mike and Armand pulling the strings and taking projects from Jake''s team.." Ian said with a wink as he disappeared into his own office.

 Chapter 97 - 97

    Dealing with the final stack of documents that Macro had given them was much more difficult than Ian expected.


    He wasn''t even through half of the pile when his phone began to alarm, signaling that it was time for them to leave and head to their meeting.


    They had agreed to arrive ahead of time so that Ash could quickly brief them on what was going to happen.


    As Ian knocked on Camilla''s door, Jake came into the assistant''s area, panting.


    "Oh, great, you guys haven''t left." Jake said as he struggled to catch his breath.


    Ian gave Jake a confused look before knocking on Camilla''s door.


    Camilla opened the door as soon as Ian knocked, she seemed to have been anticipating the time as well.


    "Oh, hey Jake. Why are you here?" Camilla asked as she closed the door behind her and locked it.


    "I''ll be joining you guys. Marco just told me who you''ll be meeting." Jake said as he tried to recover from rushing up to the CEO''s floor.


    "Why do you need to come with us?" Ian asked as he gave Jake a curious look.


    Was it possible that Jake was tagging along so that he could keep an eye on Ian?


    Ian was aware of his short temper, he knew it could get the best of him at times. But today he was sure that he had it under control and that he wouldn''t be doing anything stupid.


    He knew what was at stake for both him and the investigation that Jake wanted to happen. He wouldn''t let his temper get the best of him this time.


    "Because I want to be sure that if the Juans don''t do anything stupid." Marco said as he stepped out of his office.


    Ian could help but smile and let out a sigh of relief as Marco chased away his doubts that Jake was coming along to watch over him.


    "From what I''ve heard, the Juans seem to be quite an unpredictable family. I want to be safe on this." Marco said as he looked at Ian.


    "The Juans know me, or at least they know of me. When they hear that I am working for the Reyes Group they will behave." Jake said with a nod.


    "But won''t that be counter productive to us trying to catch Mike and Armand trying to steal sales and ruin the names of the other sales teams?" Ian asked Marco and Jake.


    "Mike and Armand have no idea who Jake is." Marco explained. "They will still try to take that client."


    "Even if they try, the Juans would never risk offending a family like mine." Jake said with a grin. "They also wouldn''t dare to inform Mike or Armand of who I really am."


    "We can''t arrive in the same car." Ian pointed out. "That will look suspicious."


    "I didn''t say we were. I''ll leave after you. I''ve also informed Ash that I''m tagging along." Jake said. "Now shoo, or you''ll be late." He said with a laugh as Ian rolled his eyes at Jake and left with Camilla.


    The place where Ash had planned to meet with Manuel and his father was quite a drive from R tower.


    It was a country club owned by the Reyes Group and one favored by Ash when meeting with her clients.


    She liked that place because very few sales people from Krisanta Land or any of the Reyes Group''s affiliate companies chose to host their meetings there. It was mainly because it wasn''t one of the new and popular places to go.


    Despite the country club not being popular, it was still beautiful. It was designed to mimic the legendary hanging gardens with it''s lush greenery and exotic plants.


    It had a beautiful veranda where Ash had reserved a table for them.


    As soon as she spotted Ian and Camilla arriving, she waved at them excitedly.


    "I thought you guys would be late." Ash said with a smile as she gestured for them to sit next to her.


    "We wouldn''t dare." Camilla said as she pretended to be scandalized by the idea.


    "I''m surprised you guys came together." Ash said as she gave the pair an odd look.


    "We came from the office, so we decided to just carpool." Ian quickly explained.


    "So the two of you, anything romantic going on?" Ash said in a low voice that was practically a whisper.


    "What? No! We''re just friends." Camilla said as she overreacted to the question.


    "Relax, as long as you aren''t romantically involved you''ll be fine." Ash said as she shook her head. "The Reyes Group isn''t exactly the best place for couples." She explained.


    Ian could see the sad expression on Ash''s face, as if she was a victim of that fact. He decided to ignore it since it wasn''t his place to have a say on the matter.


    "Trust me, we aren''t." Camilla said with a laugh. "I have no idea how many times I''ve had to say that. It''s just silly because Ian actually has a girlfriend."


    "Sorry about that, you guys just seem, well, close." Ash said with a weak smile. "Anyway, let''s get back to work. Ohm before I forget, Jake will be joining us today. He wanted to watch our first sales meeting, which makes sense."


    Ian and Camilla simply nodded as Ash began walking them through what she would be presenting to their clients.


    She also confirmed that they would be meeting with Manuel Juan and his father.


    Ten minutes after Camilla and Ian arrived, Jake arrived as well. He was now less friendly and more businesslike as he pointed things out to Ash that she could improve on.


    As soon as they were done discussing, Ash spotted Manuel and his father arriving. She looked up and gave them a professional smile.


    Manuel curtly nodded at her as he made his way to the table.


    As he walked up to the table Manuel stopped and grinned, it seemed like he had finally spotted Ian and Camilla.


    Ian wanted to laugh when he saw the confident look on Manuel''s face. If only he knew what horrors awaited him in a few weeks.


    "Ah Ian, are you a waiter here?" Manuel asked with a grin.. "I hope you didn''t hire someone as worthless as him, Miss Ashley."

 Chapter 98 - 98

    "Mr. Juan, I don''t understand what you mean?" Ash asked as she pretended not to understand that Manuel was insulting one of her companions.


    "Manuel." The older man scolded. "You should greet Miss Ashley''s companion first."


    Manuel looked at Ian and glared at him.


    "Why will I greet that?" Manuel asked as he pointed at Ian.


    Ian could see as Manuel''s father turned pale. It seemed that Manuel had not noticed that Ash had a fourth companion aside from Ian.


    "Scum like him don''t deserve respect!" Manuel shouted.


    "MANUEL!" His father said as he raised his voice and dragged his son away.


    "Well that was odd." Ash said as she looked at Ian and Camilla. "Do you know Mr. Juan?"


    Ian nodded.


    "An old acquaintance, we don''t get along, but I will be professional. If he doesn''t want to deal with me then I can leave." Ian told Ash.


    "Relax, it won''t be an issue." Jake said with a grin.


    He already knew what Manuel and his father were talking about. He had seen this happen many times in the past. As a manager in the Reyes Group, he was practically invisible, but to those big clients, well, they all knew who he was.


    Despite having moved to the side, Ian and his group could still hear what Manuel''s father was telling him. The older man was so furious with his son that he couldn''t keep his voice down. It seemed like he was going to hurt Manuel as he dragged his son to the side.


    "Have I not taught you anything?" Manuel''s father shouted.


    "What?" Manuel asked as he looked at his father with a confused look.


    Ian wanted to laugh, he glanced at Camilla and he could see how much she too was resisting the urge to laugh at Manuel.


    "How dare you say that to someone who is more important than you?" The older man asked as he raised a hand as if to hit his son.


    "Dad, what do you mean?" Manuel asked his father. "It''s Ian Lim, how is he my better? And that woman with him, she was the one that beat your daughter up! She beat Mica up!" Manuel was practically in tears as he couldn''t believe the words coming out of his father''s mouth.


    His father simply shook his head and frowned. To Ian it looked like he was trying to calm himself so that he wouldn''t hurt his son or do anything that would bring further shame to his family.


    "They are just sales people? How can they be better than me?" Manuel asked.


    "Shut your mouth!" His father hissed as he struggled to control his temper. "You are making things worse."


    "How dad? I''m the VP of our company, we are clients of theirs, if we asked them to send Ian and that woman away, they should!" Manuel insisted.


    "You idiot, didn''t you see who they were with?" Manuel''s father asked, making Ash look at Jake.


    Whether or not Jake heard what Manuel''s father was saying, he didn''t let it show.


    He simply sat casually and texted on his phone. Ian assumed he was pretending not to listen to the conversation.


    "Mr. Laurel, are they talking about you?" Ash asked as she gathered the courage to ask Jake.


    "Since when have you called me Mr. Laurel?" He asked Ash back with a mischievous smile. "Also, didn''t your parents teach you not to eavesdrop, or at least don''t make it obvious." He said with a laugh.


    "Dad, who? That bum sitting on the chair? He didn''t even get up to greet us!" Manuel hissed at his father.


    "Idiot, why do I have such an idiot for a son!" Manuel''s father said angrily as he paced a few steps away from Manuel and back.


    "Dad, you are not making any sense." Manuel told his father in a firm tone.


    "Have you never seen that man before?" His father asked as he gestured towards Jake.


    "No, I don''t think so." Manuel said as he glanced at Jake. "His fashion choices are off, so I don''t think he belongs in the same circle as us."


    Ian could see a small smirk forming on the corner of Jake''s lips, clearly he was listening to the father and son discussing who he was.


    "Really? Will you judge a person just on what he wears?" His father asked. "Don''t you see the small signs, the tiny markers showing who made his clothes?"


    "I don''t." Manuel said as he shook his head.


    "He is wearing Henry''s work from head to toe." Manuel''s father pointed out. "Do you know how rare that is? Henry doesn''t design clothes for just anyone, and how can you not recognize him?"


    "Dad, who is he?" Manuel finally asked, lowering his pride.


    "That''s Jake Laurel, the oldest and only son of the Laurel family." His father hissed. "You not only embarrassed us in front of him, you also insulted him!"


    Ian watched as Manuel turned pale upon hearing the news, he never expected to come face to face to Jake Laurel here of all places.


    "What is he doing with employees of the Reyes Group? Especially scum like Ian Lim. I can''t even understand what Ian and that woman are doing here." Manuel said as he glanced back at the table.


    "They really can''t keep their voices down, can they?" Jake said, making sure that Manuel and his father couldn''t hear him.


    "It seems that his father has no idea that they are talking so loud." Camilla said with a grin.


    "Jake, what are they saying? I don''t understand." Ash said with visible confusion on her face.


    "I''ll explain after. Let''s get a coffee or something." Jake said with a grin. "Do you think you can get us a table at that residential building, Ian?" Jake asked.


    It didn''t take a genius to figure out that Jake was asking if they could have coffee at Solaire Tower.


    Ian simply nodded and took out his phone and texted the restaurant to inform them that he and Camilla would be coming over for coffee with some friends.


    Before leaving this morning, he had saved the numbers of the restaurant, the receptionist, and the maids in case they needed anything.


    Based on how the past few weeks of work had been, Ian already expected to have a long and tiring day ahead.


    Ian and his group watched as Manuel''s father scolded him, Manuel seemed to be quite embarrassed for insulting Jake and not realizing who he was.


    After what seemed to be five minutes of Manuel''s father scolding and berating him, they returned to the table to join Ash, Ian, Camilla, and Jake.


    As they approached, Ian, Ash, and Camilla stood up as a sign of respect.


    "We are sorry about that." Manuel''s father told Ash.


    "It''s alright sir, I''m sure it''s a private matter." She said in a professional tone as she smiled at the father and son duo.


    After hearing the apology, Jake stood up and offered them a smile.


    "Mr. Laurel, we would like to apologize for how my son acted, he wasn''t referring to you." The man said as he and Manuel bowed towards Jake.


    "Then I don''t think you owe me an apology." Jake said in a cold tone, one that shocked Ian, Camilla, and Ash.


    Normally Jake was a happy and easy going person, he was rarely serious, and even when he was you never felt as if he looked down at you.


    The aura he was giving off now was completely different, it was enough to make a grown man keep his head down in fear.


    Jake smirked at Ian, realizing that Ian was observing his actions.


    "I don''t understand what you mean, Mr. Laurel." Manuel said in a respectful tone as he avoided making eye contact with Jake.


    "Well, you just said that the insults weren''t directed at me, correct?" Jake asked as he challenged Manuel to lie.


    "Yes sir. They weren''t for you." Manuel said in a shaky voice.


    Ian wanted to laugh as he heard Manuel, it was as if the man wanted to cry or wet his pants. For some reason he truly feared Jake.


    "It was meant for someone else, sir." Manuel added as he stole a glance at Ian.


    "Then you should apologize to the person you insulted." Jake said as he glared at the father and son. He was challenging them to refuse his demands, he knew that he had the upper hand.


    It seemed that this was the very scenario that Jake was sent to deal with. Marco knew that the Juans would be cocky and would try to abuse what leverage they had against Ian to not only abuse him, but to get a better deal as well.


    With Jake in the picture, they wouldn''t dare use that leverage.


    "Sir, with all due respect, I can''t." Manuel said as he refused to do as Jake asked.


    "Then you insult me as well." Jake said as he crossed his arms on his chest.


    "Sir?" Manuel asked, confused as to what Jake meant.


    "They are my staff, my employees, members of my team, so in a way, they are an extension of me." Jake explained. "You not only insulted them, but you insulted me as well."


    Ian grinned as Manuel glanced at his father.


    Clearly they were at a loss as to what to do.


    If they apologized to Ian, they would be letting their pride down. If they refused they would be insulting Jake.


    The question now was, which was more important, their pride or their fear of Jake.

 Chapter 99 - 99

    "Imsorry" Manuel mumbled.


    "Excuse me, what?" Jake asked as he grinned at Manuel. He knew he just got what he wanted. The Juans feared Jake more than they hated Ian.


    Ian knew that they would probably choose to do this, since there were more ways in the next week that they could get back at Ian for this moment.


    One week, that''s all the Juan family had left before everything came tumbling down. The fate that Ian had planned for them was much worse than what he had suffered.


    Ian had no plans of being nice, why be nice to people who would never change or never feel remorse for their actions. They celebrated the fact that they had helped push the Lim Family overboard. Even children should know better than to do what the Juans did.


    "I''m sorry." Manuel said in a much clearer voice making Camilla gasp and glance at Ian.


    "I''m sorry to who?" Jake said. It seemed he really wanted to drive a message into their stubborn minds.


    "I am sorry, Ian Lim. I didn''t mean to offend you. Please accept my apology." Manuel said slowly so that Jake could hear him.


    "Where is the bow? You bowed to me." Jake pointed out making Ian want to laugh, now this was really pushing it. "Plus you didn''t sound sincere, I don''t think you meant that apology." Jake said.


    Manuel hesitated as he glanced at his father.


    The elder man did nothing to support his son, he simply nodded, telling the young man to do whatever made Jake happy.


    "Jake, I don''t think you need to force him." Ian said as he tried to sound kind and magnanimous, after all this was all an act on both sides, why not try to come out as the better of the two.


    "You''re too kind, Ian." Jake said as he shook his head. "Unfortunately, I''m not."


    With that Jake turned his attention back to Manuel and his father.


    "Well, I''m waiting for you to apologize to him." Jake said as he crossed his arms on his chest. "And this time, I want you to mean it."


    Ian could see as Manuel bit his lower lip and hesitated. It didn''t take a genius to realize that no apology coming from Manuel to Ian would be genuine. The only thing he would have felt bad for is the fact that he had said those things in front of Jake.


    "This is a waste of time." Camilla suddenly said. "We know he will never genuinely apologize to Ian, why bother?" She asked Jake.


    "Because I said so." Jake told Camilla in a calm and yet threatening tone.


    It was clear that he didn''t like the fact that Camilla had challenged him in public, but he wasn''t mad either.


    "I''m waiting." Jake said as he looked at Manuel and Manuel''s father.


    Clearly the older man was smarter and thought more logically as he scolded his son.


    "Manuel, just do it. Drop your fucking pride and apologize." He told his son.


    What Manuel did next shocked Ian and the rest of his companions.


    Manuel suddenly dropped to his knees and bowed his head.


    "I am sorry that I offended you, Ian." Manuel said in a shaky voice as he tried to get the words out as sincerely as he could. "I made a mistake in offending you. Please accept my apology and forgive me."


    Ian was stunned at what lengths Manuel was willing to go to, just to get on Jake''s good side. Clearly they wanted something from Jake, and it was something that was worth putting aside his pride for.


    "You didn''t have to kneel." Ian told Manuel as he walked over and offered his hand. "I appreciate the apology and you are forgiven." Ian said with a nod.


    Manuel remained on his knees, not looking up.


    That''s when Ian realized that his words meant nothing to Manuel unless Jake backed him up.


    One week, in one week Manuel and the rest of his family would realize that Ian was not someone they should have messed with.


    "You are way kinder than me, Ian." Jake said with a laugh as he shook his head. "If my team member accepts your apology, then I guess you are forgiven. I know that you do not regret calling him names, you just regret offending me."


    Ian was shocked that Jake had told the Juans that, straight to their faces.


    "Get up, you look like an idiot." Jake said as he sat back down and waved for a waiter to approach them.


    He quickly ordered drinks and snacks for everyone as the group sat in awkward silence, unsure what to say.


    "Ash?" Jake asked as he looked at the saleswoman.


    "Yes, Jake?" She asked back as she glanced at him.


    "Shouldn''t you begin the introductions and the presentation?" He asked her with a raised eyebrow.


    "Ah, yes, yes." Ash said with a nod as she quickly introduced Jake as her manager and Ian and Camilla as her teammates.


    As the drinks were served, Ian and Camilla found out that the Juans were searching for a place within the Capital, preferably a condominium.


    The first place they had asked about was Solaire Towers, Ash was quick to deny that Solaire Towers was owned by the Reyes Group.


    This fact earned Camilla and Ian a confused look from Manuel.


    For a moment, Ian expected Manuel to ask why the people at Solaire Towers referred to him and Camilla as their bosses, but he kept his mouth shut.


    It seemed he was done with being embarrassed for the day.


    "We could always offer your homes at the heart of the capital." Ash told Manuel and his father.


    "No, no, no houses." Manuel''s father said as he shook his head. "My wife and I are looking for something smaller."


    This got Ian curious, why were the Juans looking for a smaller space. They were a rich family with a business that spanned generations.


    Was it possible that the Juans were slowly losing money?

 Chapter 100 - 100

    "Something is bothering you." Camilla pointed out as they drove to Solaire Towers.


    Ian had remained silent since they left the meeting. He hadn''t uttered a word unless Camilla asked first.


    "I''m just thinking about something." Ian said as he gave his short reply.


    "You know -" Camilla began to say when Ian cut her off.


    "I know Camilla, I know. I can tell you and you can help." Ian said with a sigh as he shook his head. "I''ll tell you when I''ve figured things out. Sheesh, you''re worse than my girlfriend."


    At the mention of his girlfriend, Ian felt a lump forming on his throat and a pain in his chest.


    Since their last conversation, Jas hadn''t even sent him a message. Ian couldn''t help but wonder what she was up to or if she had completely forgotten about him.


    This never happened before, in the past, Jas would have found a way to contact him. A part of him also felt like Jas was trying to get his attention. She may have purposely chosen not to contact him.


    The rest of the drive to Solaire Towers was in silence.


    Ian also didn''t miss out on the fact that Camilla had noticed his change in demeanour after he had mentioned his girlfriend.


    He was just thankful that she chose to remain quiet and not mention anything for the rest of the ride back.


    When they got to Solaire Towers, they entered through the VIP entrance.


    Ian could see as Ash was in awe of her surroundings. Not many people got to see this entrance of Solaire Towers.


    "I''m surprised you passed here." Jake said as he caught up to the pair.


    "I''m not exactly sure how things work at the other entrance, we might end up embarrassing ourselves if we passed there." Ian said with a laugh as they passed the security guard.


    "You do know you''ll have to explain to Ash after this? Right?" Jake asked Ian and Camilla.


    "It''s fine. As long as it doesn''t ruin our training or our investigation, it should be fine." Camilla said with a nod.


    "Mr. Lim, Miss Montero, welcome back." The receptionist greeted them.


    "Only for a bit of coffee at the restaurant." Ian informed the receptionist as he pressed on the elevator button, which promptly opened.


    "Have a good day, sir, ma''am." The receptionist said with a bow as Ian, Camilla, Jake, and Ash stepped into the elevator.


    Ash was too much in awe to say anything. She just kept looking at Ian and Camilla, clearly confused by the situation. It seemed like she had expected Jake to be the bigshot at Solaire, but instead it was the two HR trainees.


    "Don''t worry Ash, we''ll explain everything." Jake teased his team member. "I think you broke her." Jake told Camilla and Ian.


    "Ash, you just need to hold it in for maybe five more minutes then we will answer all your questions. Okay?" Ian asked the woman.


    Ash wordlessly nodded as the elevator doors opened and they stepped out.


    Unlike last time, there were much less people in the restaurant''s lobby, so not a lot stared as they got out of the VIP elevator.


    "Mr. Lim, Miss Montero, the table you reserved is this way." The manager greeted them as he led them through the restaurant and to a room at the opposite end of the building.


    "I''ll have a waiter bring in your orders. Will you need anything else?" The manager asked.


    "Maybe some bread?" Camilla asked.


    "Very well ma''am." The manager said with a slight bow as he left and closed the doors behind him.


    "You can ask now." Camilla said with a laugh as she looked at Ash who seemed to have been holding her breath the whole time.


    "Who are you guys really?" Ash asked just as the room doors opened once more, making her panic.


    Ian couldn''t help but laugh at her expression as she yelped at the sudden entrance of waiters with their drinks and food.


    "Thank you. You may all go." Jake told the waiters who in turn bowed and left.


    "What the hell was that?" Ash said, forgetting her initial new found respect for her companions.


    "Ah, there''s the Ash we know." Jake teased as he shook his head.


    "You guys all owe me an explanation." Ash said as she glared at them.


    "Everyone has their secrets, we just hid ours better." Jake said with a grin. "Well not these two. It hasn''t even been a week and you''ve already found out."


    "It''s not like we had a choice." Ian said as he rolled his eyes at Jake.


    "Ummm. . .explain, please." Ash asked as she gave them a confused look.


    "Jake should go first, his secret is less complicated." Camilla told Ash as she pointed at Jake.


    "Hi, my name is Jake Laurel." Jake said with a grin as he offered his hand to Ash.


    "I knew that, how is that a secret?" Ash asked as she glared at Jake. "You are terribly annoying."


    "See, even mentioning my name after everything she''s seen doesn''t even ring a bell." Jake said with a laugh.


    "I''m confused." Ash said as she looked at Jake.


    "Laurel, does that family name sound familiar?" Ian asked Ash.


    "Yeah, I mean, one of the largest land owning families in the country is the Laurel family. Of course I know that surname." Ash pointed out.


    Jake laughed as Ash suddenly turned pale when she finally managed to connect the dots. Jake was the son of the rich Laurel family and she didn''t even realize it.


    "How? Why? Is it even allowed for you to be in the Reyes Group? And Krisanta Land, a big competitor." Ash said as she struggled to form questions in her head.


    "Okay this bit needs a little more explaining." Jake said with a grin. "Ash, the reason why the Juans reacted to me that way is because I''m the eldest son and heir presumptive of the Laurel family."


    "Then why are you in the Reyes Group?" Ash asked.


    "I left my family, I want to build my own name, I''m tired of achieving things because I''m a Laurel. I know it feels like a spoiled child talking, but it''s different, trust me." Jake explained.


    "Do the Reyes know?" Ash asked.


    "They do." Jake responded with a nod. "They know who I am because one of my uncles married a Reyes."


    "Then why can Mike and Armand walk all over you like that?" Ash asked with a concerned look on her face. "I mean if you are a real Laurel then won''t they be afraid of you."


    "Come on Ash, does anything about me seem rich to you?" Jake asked. "You guys have all been to my apartment, you have all seen my car. The only thing I splurge on are my clothes and I do try my best for Mike and Armand not to notice the brand."


    "Why? What''s with that HD brand, looks like some rip off fake brand to me." Ash said with a laugh.


    "Henry Designs." Ian responded for Jake. "Heny is one of the most sought after designers for men. He makes clothes for a select few members of society, and you can''t even spot the clothes he makes easily."


    "He has a list of maybe twenty families that he designs for. Anyone outside of that list will just have to hope that someone would give them a gift with the HD logo on it." Jake said with a chuckle.


    "What, which Reyes is your relative?" Ash asked.


    "Hank." Jake said with a laugh. "Hank Reyes Laurel."


    "So the rumors about him are true?" Ash asked.


    "According to the rumors he works for a Reyes, not that he is one. So they are still wrong." Jake said with a shrug.


    "Hank is more dangerous than they think." Ian said with a laugh. "He is quite close to the CEO."


    "So the Juan''s know who you are?" Ash asked Jake.


    "Yes, I''ve run into them on a few events, but we belong to different social circles and none of their children are my age, so I''ve never interacted with them." Jake said with a grin. "Ian on the other hand has managed to land a few punches on that smug face of Manuel."


    "Please don''t tell me you''re secretly rich too." Ash grumbled.


    "They are more important than just rich." Jake said with a laugh. "Those two are people you never want to cross."


    "What do you mean?" Ash asked as she looked at Ian and Camilla who were both stunned by Jake''s description of them.


    "Do you want to explain or will I have to tell her everything?" Jake asked Camilla and Ian.


    "It looks like you are enjoying yourself." Camilla said with a laugh. "By all means, go on." She said with a grin.


    Jake laughed and nodded at the pair.


    "Ash, what''s the highest position someone who is not a Reyes can have in the company? And don''t base it on traditional roles, think of how our office works." Jake suggested as he waited for Ash to realize what he meant.


    "Not a vice president, no, not that." Ash mumbled to herself as she tried to figure out what Jake meant.


    "Keep trying to figure it out." Jake said with a mischievous grin, making Ian shake his head.


    "Impossible." Ash mumbled as she looked up at Ian and Camilla with a confused look. "Impossible." She said in a louder voice.


    "What''s impossible, Ash?" Jake asked.


    "The highest would be the Assistant to the CEO, but that role is already filled, if they have that role then, no that''s not it." Ash said as she shook her head.


    "Actually, we are Assistants to the CEO, not just the present one.." Ian said with a grin as he watched an expression of disbelief spread across Ash''s face.

 Chapter 101 - 101

    "That''s not possible." Ash repeatedly said as she looked at Ian and Camilla. "This is a joke, right? A horrible prank you played on me?"


    "Actually it is, because it''s the truth." Jake said as he took a sip of his coffee. "Ash, according to rumors, who owns this place." Jake said as he spread his arms in the air, gesturing to the building.


    "The Reyes Group, but we''ve confirmed that it isn''t." Ash said looking more confused than ever. "We''ve checked all the documents and some company called Prince Group owns this place."


    Jake didn''t know whether to laugh or cry at Ash''s statement. She was a fan of the five princes and yet she wasn''t able to connect the dots.


    "Ash, this place is owned by a Reyes, not the Reyes Group, a Reyes." Jake said very slowly, hoping that the saleswoman would be able to pick up where he was getting at.


    "Wait, what?" Ash said as her eyes went wide. "That means, Prince Group is owned by, by, by the Reyes Heir?"


    "In part, yes." Jake said with a nod as he remained calm, this part Ian and Camilla didn''t know. The whole time they thought Solaire Towers was solely owned by the Reyes Heir.


    "What do you mean?" Ian asked.


    "Prince Group is owned by five young gentlemen coming from very prominent and powerful backgrounds, I think you can figure out the rest." Jake said with a grin as he saw the realization spread across their faces.


    "The Reyes Heir, Raymund Laurence, Miguel Chan, Ramon Abad, and Alexander Sebastian. The five princes." Ash said as she bit her lip.


    Ian was sure she wanted to smack herself in the head for not connecting the dots, of course, who else would have that much influence and wealth.


    "Sometimes the best kept secrets are out in the open, remember that." Jake said with a grin.


    "Wait so why are the two of you treated like celebrities here?" Ash asked.


    "We live here." Camilla said plainly.


    "The Reyes Heir is the biggest investor in the building, as a matter of fact, the current CEO, Uncle Emilio, invested heavily on this project as well." Jake explained. "Of course it was all in secret and his son had no idea. So the top floors of this building are reserved for the Reyes Heir''s personal staff."


    "We actually passed through the VIP lobby because we have no idea how to get in here through the other entrances." Ian added as he laughed. "This room can''t be booked by anyone else either, just us."


    "That doesn''t explain how you know Mr. Juan." Ash said as she looked at Ian.


    "You can''t let anyone find out about this Ash." Ian said as he gave the woman a stern look.


    "It''s as if I''ll go out blabbering everything I found out today. I''d lose my job and end up offending families that I can''t offend." Ash said as she rolled her eyes at Ian.


    "Ian comes from a family that used to be among the richest and most influential in the country." Jake said as he answered for Ian.


    "Hey!" Ian shouted as he glared at Jake. "You had no right."


    "You wouldn''t have told her." Jake pointed out.


    "What happened?" Ash asked.


    "We lost everything, that simple. Manuel was a classmate, he and his sister did things that sealed us in our coffin and made things difficult for us to get back up." Ian explained as simply as he could.


    "A few days ago, Manuel and his sister were here, and they caused trouble for Ian." Camilla explained, continuing Ian''s story. "The security team took them down to the holding cells and well, dealt with them."


    "So why is he still so cocky if he already got, dealt with, by the security team of Solaire Towers?" Ashe asked as she did air quotes as she said the words ''dealt with''. She knew it meant that they were probably beaten up or harassed.


    "Because we sent him to the police and let him go." Ian said with a laugh. "We''re playing the long game with them, so they think they are winning. Manuel has been a cocky bastard ever since. It will be nice to finally put him in his place."


    "Why? What did you do?" Ash asked.


    "They will lose every single deal they made and they will slowly lose every single cent they have." Ian said with a grin.


    "Isn''t that a bit too much?" Ash asked.


    "No, not really." Jake said with a laugh.


    "Ash, if you knew what they did to Ian, you wouldn''t be happy either. This is already them getting off easily." Camilla told Ash.


    "They didn''t seem too worried about their financial status earlier." Ash pointed out. "If they were, they wouldn''t be purchasing more property."


    "It''s because we haven''t done anything yet." Ian said with a grin. "We are giving them this week. Some minor clients and partners of theirs will slowly be pulling out. Of course that''s just normal, it''s business."


    "And how were you guys even able to do this?" Ash asked as she gave them a curious look.


    "You said it yourself Ash, the CEOs assistants are the most powerful people in the company who do not have Reyes in their name." Jake said with a grin.


    "We called in a few favors. Marco helped us." Ian said with a smile.


    While they were speaking, Jake''s phone began to ring.


    "Speak of the devil, guess who is calling." Jake said with a grin as he showed Manuel Juan''s name.


    "Why is his number even saved on your phone?" Camilla asked.


    "I wanted to know when the bastard called." Jake said as he signaled for them to remain quiet as he picked up the call and placed it on speaker mode so that all of his companions could hear.


    Jake already had a hunch on why Manuel Juan was calling, but he wanted to hear it for himself.


    "Mr. Juan." Jake greeted.


    "Mr. Laurel, thank you for taking my call, I understand you are a very busy person -" Manuel said as Jake cut him off mid sentence.


    "Cut the crap and get straight to the point." Jake grumbled.


    "Mr. Laurel, an employee from the Reyes Group approached us trying to smear your name." Manuel said in a shaky voice.


    Jake looked up at Ian and Camilla and grinned.. This was what they had been after, proof.

 Chapter 102 - 102

    "Mr. Juan, you will have to tell me exactly what he said." Jake said as he waved at Ian to record the call.


    Ian quickly took out his phone and began to record the conversation.


    "Mr. Juan, I need to know the details. Who called you?" Jake asked as he leaned forward, listening to what Manuel would say.


    "He introduced himself as Mike Robins from Krisanta Land." Manuel said, making Ian hold his breath. This was it, part of the proof that they needed. "He said that he was the CEO''s apprentice and that he had some information on the employees we met with."


    "What else did he say?" Jake asked as he tried to get more information from Manuel.


    "He told me that the people we spoke with are not trustworthy and that you and your team have a record of illegal affairs in the company. He said that if my father and I wanted a deal truly worth our while we should speak to him." Manuel revealed.


    "And tell me, Mr. Juan, do you believe him?" Jake asked.


    "No, no, of course not Mr. Laurel. I would never believe him. I know who you are and what family you belong to. I doubt you would even need the money that he was trying to say you needed." Manuel said as she quickly tried to save himself.


    "Did he show you any proof that we were untrustworthy?" Jake asked.


    "Yes, he said he would send photos and documents to me proving that you were not as clean as you presented yourselves to be." Manuel quickly responded.


    It seemed that he truly feared Jake''s wrath.


    "What did you tell him?" Jake asked Manuel.


    "I said I would think about it. I wanted to tell you first in case there was something you wanted to do about this man." Manuel said over the phone. "He said while I was waiting I should look at the proof he was going to send."


    "Very well, forward that proof to me. I''ll have someone send you my email address." Jake said. "I''ll contact you on what to do next, for now, wait for me to call." Jake told Manuel as he dropped the call.


    "So that''s it, the proof we needed." Ian said with a smile.


    "Not quite." Jake told Ian as he leaned back and closed his eyes, thinking of their next moves.


    Suddenly Jake got his phone and started typing, Ian assumed that he was sending Manuel his email address.


    "I had him send it to you and three as well, just in case." Jake said with a grin as he got up and turned to leave.


    "Wait, where are we going, we haven''t even settled the bill." Ash said frantically as she watched Ian and Camilla follow Jake''s lead.


    They too got up and didn''t even care to settle the bill.


    "It''s paid for." Camilla said with a smile. "We never have to pay here, come on." She said as she waved Ash to follow them.


    "What''s your plan?" Ian asked as they got into the VIP elevator.


    "We need to talk to Hank and Marco." Jake said as he looked out the glass panel at the back of the elevator. "I have a plan but I want to run it by them."


    "Will Marco be free at this time?" Ian asked, he knew that the elder assistant was extremely busy and might not have time for them.


    "He''ll make time." Jake said with a nod. "Uncle Emilio is already aware of the situation and he wants this as a top priority, we need to close this fast. It''s not only making the company lose revenue, it''s also costing us valuable people."


    "You mean the others that quit?" Ash asked as her eyes lit up with the mention of the people that left.


    "Yes, Mike and Armand have caused a lot of people to leave the company." Jake said with a nod. "At the moment, the Reyes Group is in talks with them to return, but the deal was for Mike and Armand to be removed from their roles."


    "Can''t Uncle Emilio just fire them?" Ian asked Jake as they stepped out of the elevator.


    "Uncle Emilio?" Ash asked, surprised that even Ian called the CEO his uncle.


    "The CEO wants him to be called uncle by me and Ian. It''s awkward." Camilla grumbled.


    "The Reyeses are painfully fair, also they don''t want it to seem like a powerplay." Jake said as they walked through the lobby and out the door. "They want to show their employees and everyone out there that these people were fired for a reason, it will not only send a message but it will also ruin Armand''s and Mike''s careers."


    "Isn''t Mike from some rich and influential family?" Ash asked Jake as their cars pulled up to the driveway.


    Jake laughed at her question and shook his head.


    "Do you really think just any family could threaten the Reyeses?" Jake asked.


    "No, I guess not." Ash said as she realized how senseless her question had been.


    "You''ve been blinded by Mike''s peacocking in the office." Jake said as he looked Ash in the eyes. "Ash, don''t forget this, he is in no way related to the Reyeses or any family that can pose a threat to the Reyes Family."


    Ash nodded at Jake''s statement.


    "Also, the CEO does not have an apprentice, he is only teaching one person, and that''s his son." Jake said in a stern tone. "The closest thing he has to an apprentice are these two in front of you."


    Ash nodded, unable to come up with a response.


    "Let''s meet up at your office in R Tower." Jake told Ian and Camilla. "Do you mind taking Ash there?"


    "Sure, but I think it''s best if Ash rode with us. I don''t want her getting lost." Ian said with a grin.


    "Alright. I can have my driver come back for Ash''s car." Jake said with a nod. "I''ll call Marco and Hank on the way and update them on the situation. God, I wish Uncle Emilio doesn''t want to be involved in this. I swear if he does Ash might faint." Jake said with a laugh.


    "We''ll see you in the office.." Ian said with a grin as he walked to his car and waved at Jake.

 Chapter 103 - 103

    "Still trying to wrap your mind around this?" Camilla asked with a laugh as she glanced back at Ash.


    The other woman had a distant expression on her face and had remained silent since they left Solaire Towers.


    They could now see the familiar shape of R Tower as they approached the office building that lay in the heart of the capital.


    "We''re still the same people." Ian said as he kept his eyes on the road. "We didn''t change, you just found out something new about us."


    "Yeah, but we were accusing you of being friends with Mike when in fact you are at the sales department to help us." Ash said with a frown.


    Camilla could see that Ash regretted the way they had jumped into conclusions when they saw Ian and Camilla speaking to Seth.


    "You know, Seth isn''t what you think he is either." Camila began to say when she noticed that Ian gave her an angry glance.


    "Keep your eyes on the road." She scolded Ian.


    "It''s not our place to tell Seth''s secrets." Ian told Camilla as they drove up to R Tower.


    "I''m not telling his secrets, just clearing his name." Camilla said as she tried to explain her side.


    "Camilla is right though, Seth isn''t friends with Mike by choice. He just ended up getting associated with that bastard." Ian hissed as he drove them to the parking area exclusively reserved for the CEOs staff.


    "This is my first time here." Ash said as she looked around. "It''s much nicer than our parking."


    "Obviously." Ian said as he rolled his eyes and parked his car.


    "Come on." Camilla told Ash with a smile as she got out.


    As the group walked towards the elevator, Ash kept looking around. Since this was the CEOs parking area, there were guards stationed everywhere.


    "Who''s this?" John asked as he jogged up next to Ian and Camilla.


    "An officemate." Camilla told John.


    "Does the boss know that  she knows?" John asked as he looked at the two assistants.


    "Probably, Jake had to tell her." Ian said.


    "Ah, she''s the agent that had Manuel as a client. I''m so sorry for you." John said as he looked Ash in the eyes.


    "Stop messing with her." Camilla told John as she dragged ash into the elevator.


    "Wow, she''s in a mood." John told Ian as they followed Camilla and Ash to the elevator.


    "No John, you just like pushing people''s buttons." Ian said with a laugh as he shook his head.


    "So, what happened?" John asked.


    "I don''t want to keep telling the story." Ian grumbled.


    "Did you guys corner that Mike guy?" John asked.


    "Not quite, but he approached Manuel and it seems Manuel is more scared of Jake than he hates me. So he called Jake to report to him." Ian told John. "I thought Uncle Emilio had errands for you, you''re done?"


    "Not quite, I''m just back because Marco asked me to come back." John said as the elevator reached the CEO''s floor. "I guess it has something to do with your little mess."


    "I didn''t cause the mess." Ian said as they stepped out of the elevator.


    "Yeah, that trash just chose to follow you." John said with a laugh as they walked through the CEO''s floor.


    Ian turned to glance at Ash, she was clearly in awe and at a loss with her surroundings. It was something completely new to her.


    This floor was a place that most employees never got to see.


    "This way." Ian said as he gestured towards their office.


    "So our office is right next to the CEOs so that if he needs anything Marco can go to him." Camilla explained. "We really don''t do much for the CEO since we are still learning. We''re training to be assistants to his son in the future."


    "Ian, Camilla!" Marco greeted as he walked up to them with Jake and Hank.


    "Marco." Ian said with a nod. "This is Ash, she''s the sales agent that had Manuel as a client."


    "Nice to meet you Miss Ash, I''m sorry about you having to deal with the Juans and being so involved in all this." Maroc said with a kind smile.


    "It''s alright, sir." Ash said with a nod as she tried to hide how nervous she was speaking to someone who was practically at the top of the corporate ladder.


    "The boss wants to see us." Marco told Ian''s group as he pointed at the door that led to the CEOs office.


    "Should Ash come too?" Camilla asked.


    "Yes. She has too." Marco told them as he led the way to the office.


    "Nervous?" Ian heard Camilla ask Ash.


    "A bit, I mean who wouldn''t be nervous about meeting the CEO of the Reyes group." Ash told Camilla. "Mike always boasted about all his fake private mentoring sessions with him."


    "Well, Mike''s a liar and he''s done more harm to this company than good." Ian said as he added his opinion to the conversation.


    "We all kind of knew, we just found it odd that everyone that went against Mike ended up quitting or failing." Ash explained.


    "Well, he messed with the wrong people this time." Ian said with a laugh as they entered the office.


    "You seem to be in a good mood, Ian." Emilio Reyes said as he sat behind his desk.


    "Uncle Emilio." Ian said with a respectful nod. "We were just talking about some people getting their just deserts."


    "I heard about your plans against the Juans, nice touch by the way." Emilio Reyes said with an approving smile.


    "We were actually talking about Mike Robins." Ian said with a grin.


    "Ah, the kid that claims to be my apprentice." Emilio Reyes said with a laugh. "And this must be Miss Ash from Krisanta Land''s sales department, am I correct?" He asked as he spotted Ash.


    "Yes, sir." Ash said as she bowed towards the CEO.


    "Everyone please, take your seats so we can discuss this." Emilio Reyes told them.. "If we don''t finish this in time, Marco will throw a fit on how delayed my schedule is."

 Chapter 104 - 104

    "So what do you have?" Emilio Reyes said as he looked at Ian and Jake.


    "We have this." Ian told the CEO as he placed his phone at the center of the room and played the recording.


    As they listened to the recording, Ian could see as a smile started forming on Hank''s lips. He knew that Hank had a special hate for Mike because he was so brave in using the Reyes name for his own advantage.


    "Do you think we have something here?" Jake asked as the recording ended.


    "You do, that''s for sure." Marco said with a nod. "But it''s definitely not enough."


    "He can always say that Manuel Juan lied to get in your good graces, especially with what''s about to come to the Juans." Emilio added as he analyzed the situation.


    "So we will need proof of him really trying to take Ash''s client and trying to ruin the names of other employees and in the process the name of the Reyes Group?" Ian asked as he thought long and hard about the situation.


    "We need to lure him in." Hank said with a nod. "I''m sure Manuel Juan and his father would be more than willing to cooperate with the Reyes Group if it gets them in our good graces."


    Ian saw as Emilio Reyes frowned at the suggestion.


    "The problem with that, is we can''t." Emilio Reyes said as he shook his head.


    "What do you mean, uncle?" Hank asked as he gave Emilio Reyes a confused look.


    "They can''t be on our good side, we can''t promise to protect them." Emilio Reyes said as he glanced at Ian.


    Ian couldn''t help but feel guilty about the situation.


    Was his petty feeling really more important than the company? Could he let go of his revenge and allow the Reyes Group to promise protection to the Juan family?


    "They went against someone we would never turn our backs on." Emilio Reyes said as he put his foot down. "I care for this company, but there has to be another way. A way where we don''t need to promise them our support."


    "Uncle, you don''t need to do that." Ian said as he voiced his concern. "My petty grievances can be put aside if it''s for the company."


    Still, Emilio Reyes shook his head and rejected Ian''s offer.


    "We would be just like everyone else if we placed the company''s benefit before the people that are important to us." Emilio Reyes told the people in the room. "It''s the people that matter, not the profits. That''s always been my mantra. We will find a way around this."


    "The Juans might not even ask for our support Uncle Emilio." Jake suddenly said.


    "Go on." Emilio Reyes said with a nod as he listened to the young man.


    "From what I''ve heard they are already supported by the Dean family." Jake explained. "They already have one of the biggest mafia families backing them, why would they need us?"


    "Then what are you proposing we do, Jake?" Emilio Reyes asked.


    "I think we should at least talk to the Juans, we need to know what they want in exchange for helping us." Jake said.


    "You know that the price will be steep." Marco said as he crossed his arms around his chest and looked at Jake. "You know that the price is always steep whenever we ask something from other people."


    "I know, but what choice do we have?" Jake asked.


    "We can wait." Hank suggested. "We''ve waited long enough. What''s a few more months?"


    "Yes, what''s a few more months to the great and powerful Reyes family, you aren''t the ones directly being affected by this man and his co-conspirators." Jake said in an angry tone, practically shouting at Hank.


    "You won''t be affected Jake, they can''t do anything to you." Hank pointed out as he glared at his cousin.


    "Yes, I won''t be, but my people will." Jake hissed. "Everyday they need to go through the torture of Mike and Armand ruining their names, taking money from them."


    "We will compensate them." Hank said with a shrug.


    "It''s not just about money, cousin." Jake said. "It''s a person''s mental health and integrity. It''s not as simple as you think."


    "Jake, calm down. We will find a solution for this." Hank said as he tried to calm his cousin down.


    "I don''t understand you, Hank." Jake said as he shook his head. "You were with me, we went through all the ranks of the Reyes Group, you know how badly one rotten employee can hurt everyone else."


    "And I''m telling you, waiting will not risk much." Hank answered back.


    "What if all he wants is money?" Ian suddenly asked, making the arguing men look at him.


    "What do you mean? The Juans are well off, they wouldn''t come to us just for money." Jake pointed out.


    "Well, I think they might be losing money." Ian suggested. "The place they are planning on buying is a small unit in the city. I think they are planning on moving and selling their mansion."


    "If that''s the case, then money is no issue to us." Emilio Reyes said as he reacted to Ian''s information. "But if we initiate talks with them, we need to be ready for them to ask for more."


    "As I mentioned earlier, sir. I''m ready to give up my revenge for the Reyes Group." Ian reminded Emilio Reyes.


    The CEO closed his eyes and shook his head.


    "Ian, I don''t like repeating myself." Emilio Reyes said as he gave Ian an angry look. It was enough to make anyone feel like a tiny pest in the room.


    "I already told you, Ian, call me uncle in private, not sir, not boss." Emilio Reyes told Ian, making the younger man smile awkwardly, unsure of how to react.


    "Yes, Uncle Emilio." Ian said with an awkward nod.


    "You assistants have twenty four hours to figure out the financial status of the Juan family as well as their involvement with the Dean family mafia. Only then will we be able to decide on our next move." Emilio Reyes said with a nod.


    "And what if what Ian said is true?" Marco asked the CEO.


    "Then we catch them.." Emilio Reyes said with a grin as he dismissed everyone from his office.

 Chapter 105 - 105

    "Are you sure about what you told the CEO?" Marco said as soon as the door closed behind them. "Because once we get the ball rolling, it won''t stop. What''s at risk here is the justice your family needs and deserves."


    "I''m sure of it." Ian said with a nod. "And as I said. I won''t hesitate to sacrifice my revenge, not because of my duty to the Reyes Group, but because Mike''s actions have a lot more victims than just the Lims."


    "No wonder he picked you, that bastard." Hank said with a laugh as he walked to the assistants'' offices.


    "Did you just call the CEO a bastard?" Ash asked as she shook in her spot. She was worried that at any moment the CEO would step out of his office and hear what Hank had just said.


    "No, no, not my uncle." Hank tried to calm Ash down as soon as he realized that she was beginning to panic. "Their future boss." Hank said as he shook his head.


    "They are a match, are they not?" Marco asked with a grin.


    "I''m shocked he managed to find them despite being where he is." Hank said as they continued their cryptic conversation.


    "As much as I am enjoying the tortured looks on their faces, you two might end up saying something you aren''t supposed to." Jake told Hank and Marco as they entered Marco''s office.


    "So what''s the plan?" Jake asked Marco as he sat on the couch.


    "Well, I think for this one, Ian should take the lead." Marco said with a nod as he looked at Ian. "He is the one with the most at risk. Don''t worry Ian, you will have all of the Reyes Group''s resources at your disposal."


    "Actually, we have our work cut out for us." Ian said as he scratched the back of his head making Camilla laugh.


    "Why don''t we invite him up here, it might make things easier?" Camilla suggested as she began dialing a number on her phone.


    "I''ll go meet him, you tell him it''s urgent." Ian told Camilla as he walked towards the door.


    "And we are just supposed to wait?" Hank asked Ian.


    "Trust me, this will be worth it." Ian said with a laugh as he exited the room and walked down the hall.


    Since he had use of the CEOs elevator it didn''t take him long to get to Krisanta Land''s floor.


    He quickly searched for the marketing department''s area through the maze of cubicles and offices that spanned the entire floor.


    Eventually he found the marketing department and quickly spotted Seth typing away on his laptop.


    "Seth." Ian called out as he briskly walked towards his friend.


    "Ian?" Seth asked. "What are you doing here? I thought you had a client meeting?"


    "Yeah, it''s done, we need you at my boss'' office. It''s urgent." Ian told Seth.


    "I know, Camilla called, give me a second, I just need to save this, and done!" Seth said victoriously as he closed his laptop and got up from his seat.


    "I hope you aren''t busy." Ian told Seth as they walked back to the CEO''s elevator.


    "I don''t think anything could be more important than something your boss might need." Seth said with a laugh as they looked around making sure no one saw them turn towards the private hall to the elevator.


    "Still, thanks." Ian said with a smile as the elevator doors opened and they stepped in.


    "So what does the CEO of the Reyes Group need from me?" Seth asked. "I''m just an ordinary employee."


    "And the eldest son of the Dean Family Mafia." Ian added.


    "You know that I''m trying to distance myself from that career." Seth said with a frown as the elevator doors opened and they walked out.


    "I know, but we kind of need your connection this time. It''s just for information and not to do anything." Ian said as he led Seth towards the assistant''s office.


    "This place is really intimidating, but nice." Seth said as he looked around.


    "It should be." Ian laughed at Seth''s comment. "It''s the hallway towards the CEO''s office. Our offices are next to his and the fastest way is through here."


    "No wonder it gives off that cold, I want to run away and hide vibe." Seth joked as they passed the CEOs office and walked into the separate area  for the assistants.


    "So this is where the second, third, and fourth most powerful employees of the Reyes Group work." Seth teased as they walked towards Marco''s office.


    "There are a lot of people so don''t be overwhelmed." Ian warned as he pushed the door open.


    "Took you long enough." John grumbled as he finished handing out coffee to everyone.


    "Hey, I know you." Seth said as he pointed at John. "You''re the annoying guy at Solaire Towers!"


    "And you''re the kid that won''t fight back." John said with a laugh.


    "Please don''t tell me you managed to annoy another person at Solaire Towers." Marco grumbled as he massaged his temples.


    "I tried to, but this one is way too calm." John said with a grin. "So who is he?" John asked Ian.


    "Well Seth, it''s your secret to tell, not ours." Ian told Seth as he gave his friend an encouraging nod.


    "Ummm. . .Hi, I''m Seth Dean, and I belong to the Dean Family Mafia." Seth said in an awkward voice, unsure of what he should tell the group.


    "Ah, so you''re the kid that Ray warned about." Jake said as he laughed. "How could I have not connected the dots?"


    "Ray warned you about someone in the Mafia being a part of the Reyes Group?" Hank asked Jake.


    "Yeah, but he didn''t tell me how important this kid was, now I''m dying to find out why Ray thought it was important for me to know about you." Jake said as he observed Seth from head to toe. "You seem ordinary."


    "He isn''t." Camilla said with a proud smile.


    "Then who are you to the Dean Family Mafia?" Marco asked as he gave off an intimidating aura.


    Seth couldn''t help but smirk, he had been around enough alpha males to not care about how powerful the other person in the room was.


    That wasn''t the world he wanted, but it was what life gave him.


    "I''m the eldest son of the head of the Dean Family Mafia." Seth said with a grin as he watched everyone''s expression turn to a stunned or surprised one.


    Ian who stood next to him couldn''t help but laugh, it seemed that there were some things that could catch even the members of the CEOs inner circle by surprise.

 Chapter 106 - 106

    The room was silent as everyone stared at Seth. It was clear that they had not expected him to be so highly ranked in the Mafia.


    Those that were born into powerful positions rarely ever stepped out into the real world, preferring the hidden society of the mafia and gangs.


    Being a secret also helped them avoid the law, something that was incredibly crucial, especially for the family heads.


    "Wait, what? Why?" Hank asked as he looked at Seth. "If you are the eldest son, then you are the next head of the Dean Family Mafia."


    "Traditionally, yes." Seth said with a nod as he acknowledged what Hank said.


    "Not just traditionally, from what I heard, your father already named you his successor." John scoffed as he looked at Seth.. "I''ve never seen you, but I''ve heard of you."


    "Why?" Seth asked.


    "What do you mean why?" John asked as he looked Seth in the eyes.


    "You must be involved with the underworld then." Seth concluded. "Only people that belong to that shady world would have heard of the rumors. It also means you are quite well connected to know about me."


    "John used to race." Marco pointed out. "He was one of the best before the boss took him into his employment through the King of the Underworld."


    Seth grinned at the new bit of information he had learned.


    "I''m not surprised, they are good friends." Seth said with a nod.


    "So you know?" Marco asked.


    "Yes, I had to know. Plus the current king was with me when I was learning about the way the mafia and the gangs worked." Seth told Marco with a grin. "He is intimidating though, the new king, much more than his father."


    "More dangerous too." John said with a nod.


    "I guess you learn something new about everyone all the time." Ian said with a laugh, referring to John and his connections to the underworld.


    "I thought you were just one of Mike''s lackeys." Ash said in an apologetic tone.


    Seth couldn''t help but laugh. He knew it was true, he did seem to be one of Mike''s followers since they were always together.


    "I didn''t want to be friends with him, I still don''t." Seth said as he shook his head. "The hard part was that people had already associated me with Mike. For some reason they thought we were best friends when we clearly weren''t."


    "Why are you working in the Reyes Group?" Hank asked. "You should be helping your dad."


    "Because I don''t want to be like him." Seth told Hank as he shook his head. "I don''t want to take a role that''s forced on me, that''s something Ian and Camilla helped me realize."


    "So you''d rather live a normal life?" Jake asked with a smile. It was the exact same thing he wanted. A life that wasn''t chosen for him, a path that wasn''t forced on him, one that he made and found on his own.


    "I''d rather live my life, not one that my family dictates." Seth said. "Right now, I don''t really know what I want. I know I love the members of the Dean Family Mafia and I can''t stand to watch them walk blindly into a war they cannot win."


    "So you might still return?" Marco asked.


    "Yes." Seth said with a nod. "But I have time, my dad is young and no one would dare go up against him."


    "That''s the same thing the Rocci family thought." Marco pointed out.


    "The Rocci family made the mistake of trusting the wrong people and pushing their own daughter too far away, my family would never do that." Seth argued.


    "And yet you are here." Marco said with a sly smile as Seth frowned.


    "Did you just ask me to come up here so that you can mock my choices?" Seth asked. "Or is there something else you need?"


    "Something else." Ian said as he fought to keep his friend to stay.


    "Right, yes, back to business." John pointed out with a laugh.


    "Seth, we need to know, will the Dean Family protect Manuel Juan and his family and their businesses?" Marco asked.


    "That''s a difficult one to answer." Seth said with a frown.


    "Why?" Hank asked. "It''s either a yes or a no."


    "Not really." Seth said as he shook his head. "They are not allies of our family, they aren''t our people either."


    "Then why are there rumors that you will protect them?" Jake asked.


    "They pay some of our men pretty well to do their dirty work." Seth explained. "They also pay some for protection. Just last night we got a call from them asking us for the Dean Family support."


    "Did you give it?" Jake asked.


    "I advised against it." Seth said. "I told my dad that the Juan family had taken on an enemy that we could never defeat. That helping them would not only cost us, but it could also ruin us."


    "Who is this enemy?" Ash asked.


    "The Reyes Family, of course." Seth said with a smile as he glanced at Ian. "Manuel Juan and his sister had offended Ian. I''ve known about him since I had to save him from my own men."


    "Did your father listen?" Marco asked.


    "He did, but there was a complication." Seth said with a frown. "My brother sent some of his own people and used some of his personal connections to help the Juan family making it seem like they were sent by us."


    "Then that means they won''t ask for our protection." Marco said as he thought carefully of the situation. "If they already think that the Dean Family is behind them they will probably only ask for money."


    "That''s possible, yes. But I was asking my father to have those men pull out of supporting the Juan family by talking some sense into my brother." Seth explained.


    "No need, this is the opportunity we are waiting for. It''s the best situation for us." Marco told Seth.


    "Best situation for what?" Seth asked as he looked at Ian and Camilla.


    "The best situation for us to get Mike and Armand to slip up." Ian said with a grin.

 Chapter 107 - 107

    Ian drummed his fingers on the table as he sat in the corner with Jake. He was somewhat annoyed that he had to be the one to tag along as Jake met with Manuel Juan and his father.


    It was bad enough that they didn''t get along, now he had to sit and watch as the Juans made a deal with the Reyeses.


    He might have said that he was willing to give up his revenge, it didn''t mean that he liked it. As a matter of fact it hurt something deep down in him, his pride.


    Ian had lost it so many years ago when he had to endure all of the shame and torment that came with losing his family''s wealth. And now, he was going to sacrifice all of that just for the Reyes clan.


    A part of him was hesitant, it wanted to tell Emilio Reyes that he was not willing to give that revenge up. But Ian was smarter than that, he was hot headed but he wasn''t stupid. He knew that down the line it would be a bigger advantage for him to be on the good side of the CEO.


    "I know you don''t want to be here." Jake said in a low voice as he glanced around, looking for Manuel and his father. The pair were already running late as it was.


    "That obvious?" Ian asked with a silent laugh.


    "Yeah, look Uncle Emilio and Marco didn''t send you here just for fun." Jake explained. "They sent you here to test you and to prepare you for the future."


    "What do you mean?" Ian asked as he glanced at Jake.


    "In the future you will meet people that you hate even more, you will have to do the Reyes Heir''s bidding even if it''s against your better judgement and you will need to trust him." Jake told Ian. "I won''t lie, I''ve seen all the bullshit Marco has to deal with and this is nothing."


    "I know I need to be more professional." Ian said with a sigh as he shook his head. "I just need to gather myself."


    "Well do it quick, because I see the father and son duo approaching us." Jake told Ian as he nodded towards Manuel and his father''s direction.


    Ian didn''t miss the proud grin on Manuel''s face as he approached. He knew the man felt like he had won again. And in a way he had, but not completely, at least not the way he won years ago.


    He closed his eyes and took deep breaths to calm himself, of all times today was the most crucial day for him to keep his temper in check.


    It wasn''t just his future that was at stake, it was the future of an entire company with thousands of employees.


    Part of him cursed at the fairness that the Reyes Family tried to stick by, but he knew it was there to protect the employees that couldn''t protect themselves.


    He knew that what was a thorn on his side served a greater purpose to more people.


    "Mr. Laurel, Ian." Manuel greeted as he shook hands with Jake and Ian.


    "I''m glad you could come." Jake said with a nod as his expression remained placid, not showing any emotions at all.


    Ian knew that Manuel was trying to read how Jake felt, but Jake was much more experienced and even better trained than Manuel.


    He was brought up to be an unmoving CEO, one that could not be caught off guard or rattled. Someone that could stay calm despite the storms that they passed.


    Ian couldn''t help but admire how well Jake kept his emotions in check. He had heard how Jake cursed the Juan family after Ian had told him everything that had happened.


    As a matter of fact, Jake felt guilty for even trying this plan, he was the one that wanted to abort, not Ian.


    "Mr. Laurel, you wanted to strike a deal with us?" Manuel''s father asked as he tried to push Jake''s buttons so that they would have the upper hand.


    "I''m merely asking for your cooperation to help the Reyes Group bring to justice an offender." Jake said in an intimidating yet calm tone.


    The calmness in his voice scared Ian, it was like Jake was ready to explode at any moment because nothing seemed to tick him off.


    "You have to understand Mr. Laurel, if we go up against Mike and Armand, we are in a position to lose many things." Manuel explained.


    "And you want compensation for that?" Jake asked Manuel.


    "No, no, not compensation." Manuel said as he shook his head and looked at Ian.


    At that moment Ian knew that Manuel was going to ask for something that involved him. He slowly began to regret that he had allowed for this to happen, but it was too late.


    If they backed out now they risked losing much more than just a valuable way to find out the truth. Manuel could, at any moment, leak the fact that he met with a high ranking member of the Reyes Family.


    He could spread rumors that would drag the Reyes Group down, and Ian had no intention of being the cause of that.


    "So what do you want?" Jake asked.


    Ian knew Jake was aware of his distress, the man simply chose not to show it.


    "As you are probably aware, Ian Lim and I do not get along." Manuel said as he glared at Ian. "As a matter of fact, if you gave us the opportunity, tonight''s meeting could turn into a wrestling match."


    "I''m not uncivilized like you." Ian said, rolling his eyes.


    "You see Ian, I think I made the mistake of underestimating you, so I won''t do that this time." Manuel said with a grin as he already sensed his victory.


    "Name your price." Jake said, ignoring the banter between the two.


    "The Reyes group will not help Ian Lim in any way to hurt my family or our interests." Manuel said as he declared his terms.

 Chapter 108 - 108

    "I know it isn''t the best terms." Jake said as they left the restaurant through the kitchen door.


    "It''s fine." Ian said as he shook his head. "I already knew he was going to ask for something at par with that. Hearing it for myself and agreeing to it though just sent a different chill down my spine."


    "Uncle Emilio will not be happy when he finds out that you agreed to that deal." Jake said with a sigh as Ian''s car pulled up with John driving it.


    The pair quickly got in, making sure no one had seen them come and go.


    "How was it?" John asked as he drove them back to R Tower.


    "Ian here jumped the gun." Jake said with a sigh. "I wanted to delay the talks till we could get a better deal, but he agreed to it immediately."


    "It wasn''t your decision to make. It was my sacrifice, so my choice." Ian told Jake as he rolled his eyes.


    "Calm down." Jake said as he laughed at the younger man. "I''m just saying, uncle might have preferred it if we didn''t risk your plans. But since you made the decision he will accept it and be grateful."


    "So when will you be setting the trap for Mike and Armand?" John asked as they neared the R Tower parking entrance.


    "We should be ready in a few days, we can''t wait too long. If the Juans are seen to hesitate, Mike and Armand might back out." Ian explained to John.


    "Is there anything you need from me?" John asked.


    "Actually, we do." Jake said as he smiled at John from the backseat. "Mike and Armand know all of us. We can''t be there when they meet up with Manuel and his father, but they''ve never seen you."


    "Manuel has though." John said as he glanced at Jake through the rear view mirror. "What if he freaks because I''m there. It won''t be good for anyone."


    "He won''t." Ian said as he shook his head. "He''ll be too focused on his task that he will ignore you."


    "Alright then, why not. It''s not like I have a lot to do." John laughed as he drove them into the parking lot.


    When they finally made it back up to the CEO''s floor everyone was anxiously waiting for news.


    "Did they agree?" Marco asked as soon as Ian and Jake stepped into his office.


    Ian gave Jake a hesitant look, he knew that Marco would also not be happy with his decision. But the act had already been done and there was no changin the terms of the deal.


    Jake sighed and shook his head.


    "They did." He said in a somber tone.


    "But?" Marco asked as he raised an eyebrow at Jake and Ian. "There is a catch, isn''t there?"


    "Yup." Jake said with a nod as he sat down on the couch and pinched the bridge of his nose.


    "It was Ian, wasn''t it?" Camilla asked as she looked at her fellow assistant. He already had a guilty look on his face the moment they walked in and it didn''t take much for her to piece the two chunks of information together.


    "Yeah." Ian said with a frown. "Look, they wouldn''t have agreed if I didn''t say yes to their terms. I know how important it is to a lot of people for Mike and Armand to get caught for what they are doing. I will not be selfish with this."


    "So what did they ask for?" Seth asked Ian. "Maybe there is a way around it, like a loophole."


    "They asked for the Reyes Group not to help me to harm the Juan family or any of its interests." Ian said with a sigh as he shook his head.


    "Then I can get the Dean family to do something." Seth said.


    "Seth, if you ask your father to do something for a friend, he will use that as an opportunity to ensure that you take your position as the future head." Ian scolded. "You should know this."


    "I do know it and it''s fine." Seth told Ian with a sigh. "It''s not like I''m not going back. Working here has just been an excuse for me to prolong my freedom. Despite everything, I''m still involved in mafia politics, I still join events, and I still fix my brothers'' mess."


    "Seth, don''t do anything till it''s our last resort." Camilla told their friend in a much calmer tone. "You might not have to act if the Juan Family is already crumbling as it is."


    "My father will be too scared to even risk going against the Reyeses, but I''m afraid my brother will do something stupid again." Seth said with a sigh. "Using Ian as an excuse not to do anything is perfect."


    "Just wait." Marco said as he shook his head. "That''s the problem with you young ones, you are impatient and you want things done as quickly as you can. Some things take time, lots of time."


    "Very well, I won''t talk to my dad till it''s the last option." Seth promised.


    Ian could see that Seth was not happy with what Marco had asked him to do, but he clearly understood that there were consequences to every action. To ask a favor from his father risked his freedom and his chance to dictate his own life.


    This was something Ian didn''t want a friend giving up for him. Ian knew what it was like to be trapped in a future prepared for you, he also knew what it was like to have no options at all.


    "So how are you planning to get Armand to join Mike? Normally it''s just Mike that meets with the client." Ash asked.


    It was common knowledge among the lower employees that Mike was up to no good whenever he met the clients.


    They all knew that the head of the sales department rarely accompanied him, so trapping Armand as well was quite tough.


    "Despite everything, the Juans are still a very influential family, plus I''ve also allowed them to use the Laurel name as an associate just this once. They will demand for Mike to bring someone of a higher position with him." Jake explained.


    "That will have to be Armand, I don''t think anyone else is in on it with them." Ash  said as she tried to recall if anyone was involved.


    "It will work, I know it will." Ian said in a determined tone, he was betting everything on this. He had given up his revenge for this. It better work.

 Chapter 109 - 109

    Ian was silently working in his office when his phone began to ring. He quickly gave it a glance and noticed that it was Jas, his girlfriend.


    "Aren''t you going to pick that up?" Seth asked as he leaned against the door frame of Ian''s office.


    "Nope." Ian said as he shook his head. "It''s not important."


    "You looked really annoyed at the caller, and it won''t stop buzzing since you ignored the call." Seth pointed out, making Ian sigh.


    "Don''t you have work?" Ian asked Seth as he picked up the phone and checked the messages. He was sure that it was just Jas, asking him to pick up the phone.


    "I do, but it''s much more interesting up here." Seth said with a laugh.


    After learning about Seth''s position in his family, Marco had decided to grant the young man access to the CEO''s floor.


    In Marco''s words, it was beneficial to them to have the future mafia boss around, plus he was more than happy to see that Ian and Camilla had made a friend.


    "Who keeps messaging you?" Seth asked as he stepped into Ian''s office and sat down on a chair.


    "My girlfriend." Ian said with a sigh as he scrolled through the messages.


    Jas: Ian please pick up.


    Jas: I need to explain some things, please call me.


    Jas: Ian please, call me.


    Jas: Ian, we need to talk about this. We can''t just fight and ignore each other. We need to talk this through.


    Jas: Please let me explain, I know you''ll understand then.


    Jas: Nothing happened between us, I''m just doing this to keep everyone happy.


    Jas: Ian, I love you and I miss you.


    "You have a girlfriend?" Seth asked in shock. "Like not Camilla?"


    Ian wanted to laugh at Seth''s question, did he assume that Ian would be dating his co-worker? He knew that the company frowned on that, why would he break it.


    "Camilla and I are partners at work, she isn''t my girlfriend." Ian said as he rolled his eyes.


    Jas: I''m outside R Tower, come and meet me.


    Ian sighed as he held up a hand, telling Seth to keep quiet.


    He quickly tapped on the call button and placed the phone on his ear.


    "Ian!" Jas said in an excited tone. "Are you here? I''m outside the building, the guards won''t let me in because I don''t have an appointment and I''m not an employee."


    "Jas, go home." Ian said in a sad tone. "You''re wasting your time here. I have a lot of work to do, so I can''t come and meet you."


    "What about after work? I''m sure you have time after work, it''s not like you work twenty four hours a day." Jas said in a desperate tone over the phone.


    "Jas, I''m not in the mood for this. Please, just go home." Ian said with a sigh. "I will call you when I''m ready to talk."


    "No, I am not leaving without us talking. I will stay here until you show your face, Ian Lim." Jas said in a stern tone.


    Ian knew that she wasn''t joking. She would willingly stay out in front of R Tower and wait for him. Jas was a very stubborn person that always found ways to get what she wanted.


    "Give me a few minutes. I just need to settle a few things then I''ll come down, alright?" He asked as he waited for Jas'' answer.


    "Yey, I''ll be in the coffee shop across the street!" Jas responded in an excited tone. "See you in a bit. I love you." She said as she dropped the call.


    Ian couldn''t help but frown. He knew that he wasn''t ready to talk to her just yet, but she was forcing his hand.


    "Girl issues?" Seth asked.


    "Yeah, it''s a bit complicated. You don''t need to listen if you don''t want to." Ian pointed out as he leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes.


    "No, it''s fine." Seth said. "I''m your friend, that''s what friends do, I guess. I really didn''t have a lot of friends growing up. They were all afraid of my dad."


    Seth laughed and shook his head. Ian simply smiled at his friend, he knew what it was like for people to steer clear of you and to be fake around you.


    When the Lims were rich everyone wanted to be Ian''s friend, but when they became poor, they avoided him like a plague.


    "So what''s up?" Seth asked as he placed his elbows on the table and leaned in to listen.


    "My relationship with my girlfriend is very unusual." Ian said with a grin. "Her family accepts that we are together, but it doesn''t mean they are happy with her being with a poor boy."


    "So they want her to find someone else or you get richer?" Seth asked. "Don''t shoot me but that sounds like it jumped right out of some drama or novel." Seth said with a laugh.


    "Seth, you seem like a fictional character." Ian said as he rolled his eyes at Seth. "Mafia head''s son that refuses to join the family business?"


    "Well, fiction often draws from real life. I''m sure I''m not the only one that has tried to escape the fate dictated on them." Seth said with a shrug.


    "Anyway, so right now, she is dating someone and she decided not to tell me." Ian told Seth.


    "Wait, shouldn''t she at least break up with you? That''s rude of her to just date while you are together. What if the dating turns into a real relationship, then she would be cheating." Seth said, appalled by Ian''s situation.


    "We''ve had this arrangement for a while now." Ian said with a sigh. "She said that she didn''t want to break up with me because she loved me."


    "Is that the truth? Or is that just what she is saying so you don''t break up?" Seth asked.


    "Honestly, I don''t know." Ian told Seth.


    "Do you still love her?" Seth asked.


    Ian sighed but didn''t answer, did he still love Jas?

 Chapter 110 - 110

    Ian played with his car keys as the elevator descended from the CEO''s floor.


    He had to take an ordinary elevator since he would be getting off at the lobby. The ride was taking longer than usual because it had to stop by multiple floors before finally arriving at the lobby.


    On the way down, Ian couldn''t help but think of what Seth had asked him.


    Did he still love Jas? He loved her from the start, but was he just with her because she stayed when everyone left?


    Did he love her because she stayed or did he love her for who she was?


    He also felt that it was unfair for him to keep her and hold on to her when their relationship was doing her and her family more harm than good.


    Jas'' family was already losing projects and losing money just for being associated with him. Add to that the fact that Jas had to lie to people and date people while being in a relationship with him.


    What if she met someone she loved more than Ian? Someone that was a much better fit for her..


    Their relationship was not an easy one, they had gone through so many bumps that sometimes Ian couldn''t help but wonder why she chose to stay with him.


    In everyone''s eyes he was a failure.


    As the elevator door opened at the lobby, Ian walked out and looked around.


    He couldn''t help but marvel at how beautiful it was. No wonder R Tower was one of the top buildings in the country.


    As he was walking out, he suddenly bumped into someone rushing into the building.


    It was a man, about the same age as him. He couldn''t help but stare at the person, something about him was eerily familiar.


    "I''m so so sorry." The man said as he gathered his documents.


    "It''s fine, I wasn''t looking." Ian said as he helped the man.


    "I was in such a rush I wasn''t looking where I was going either." The man said as he shook his head.


    "No, no it''s fine." Ian told the person as he shook his head.


    "Thanks, I''m rushing in for an interview as an assistant. I think I''m late." The man said as he scratched the back of his head.


    "I''m an assistant too, who knows we might work with each other someday." Ian said with a smile. "I''m Ian, Ian Lim."


    "Nice to meet you Ian, I''m Cedric." The man said as he offered his hand to Ian to shake.


    "Cedric." Ian said as he repeated the name. It sounded oddly familiar. It wasn''t a common name, but it wasn''t too rare either.


    "Are you okay?" Cedric asked Ian.


    "Yeah, yeah, just some personal matters. Anyway, good luck with your interview and I hope we get to work together." Ian said as he flashed the man a smile and went on his way.


    Since it was the middle of the day, the streets weren''t busy and Ian quickly managed to cross to the cafe across the street.


    There he found Jas patiently waiting for him.


    When she spotted Ian at the door, she waved and smiled. Ian smiled back at her as he walked up.


    "I owe you an apology." Jas said with a frown as she pushed a mug of coffee towards Ian.


    Ian lifted it and took a sip, it was just how he liked it. They had been together for so long that Jas already knew what Ian wanted before he even realized it.


    "Jas, we talked about this before." Ian said with a sigh. "I may not like it, but it''s what you need to do for your family and your company. I understand."


    Ian said as he reached out and held her hand, gently caressing it, trying to show her how much he cared.


    "Ian, it''s not just that." Jas said with a frown. "I want you to know why I need to date these people. I don''t want you shutting me out and pretending our relationship doesn''t exist. I love you and I have always loved you over the years. I want our relationship to have no secrets."


    "Jas, it''s okay, I don''t need an explanation. I trust you." Ian told her with a smile as he tried to put his best foot forward.


    "My family isn''t doing too well." Jas confessed. "I don''t know if this time they will force me to marry this person or if just dating him to get a deal will do."


    "I understand." Ian said with a frown.


    "Ian, I don''t want to marry him, heck I don''t even want to date him. They are making me do this against my will." Jas cried out.


    "I can''t do anything about it Jas." Ian said as he shook his head. "Only you can refuse them. I can''t be a more eligible bachelor in their eyes, I''m just an employee at the Reyes Group."


    "Why not lie to them? I mean you got your fancy new apartment, tell them you are in a high position that the CEO is an old friend." Jas said in a frantic tone.


    Ian considered it for a moment, what she said was not a lie. In a way he was an executive of the Reyes Group because of how the company functioned, but it was not in his place to tell the truth.


    He had signed a contract with the Reyes Group, it limited what he could say and he knew for a fact that the person Jas was dating was Mike. Someone that worked in the Reyes Group and could easily say he was lying.


    "Jas, I can''t lie to your family." Ian said as he shook his head in defeat. "The truth will always come out Jas, no matter how hard we try, they will find out."


    "Ian, do you really love me?" Jas suddenly asked.


    "Jas, what are you talking about? Of course I do." Ian told her as he struggled to affirm his feelings for her.


    "It''s a small sacrifice, why can''t you do it for me?" Jas asked before standing up and walking out of the cafe.

 Chapter 111 - 111

    After Jas had stormed off from the cafe, Ian went through the day robotically, completing his duties without saying much.


    Even when Seth and Camilla came over to pester him, he remained emotionless, making Camilla and Seth worry.


    "Join us for dinner." Camilla told Seth as they went their separate ways at the elevator.


    "Are you worried about him?" Seth asked as glanced at Ian.


    The other assistant had a blank look as he stared out into the distance.


    "Yeah, he wasn''t like this last time." Camilla said with a frown.


    "Last time?" Seth asked as the elevator doors opened..


    "I''ll tell you later. Come over even before dinner. I''m afraid of leaving Ian alone." Camilla said as she dragged Ian into the CEOs elevator.


    "Ian, what''s wrong?" Camilla said with a frown as she glanced at her friend.


    "It''s nothing." Ian said as he shook his head.


    The rest of the elevator ride was silent as Camilla left Ian alone to his thoughts.


    When they finally made it to the parking area, John quickly spotted Ian''s odd demeanor. He gave Camilla a questioning look, to which she simply shook her head, signaling him not to ask.


    John, who was normally super chatty, remained silent the whole drive home. He would occasionally glance at Ian to check if the assistant was alright but he never asked Ian anything.


    "No wonder you''re a driver to the Reyes Family." Camila said as she noticed that Ian had fallen asleep in the back seat.


    "What do you mean?" John asked as he glanced at Camilla.


    "Most people would have pestered Ian for answers, but you quickly understood that he simply wanted silence." Camilla pointed out. "Even I tried to reach out to him."


    John laughed and shook his head.


    "The only reason I''m not pestering the bastard for answers is because I''m sure you''ve already tried asking him." John explained. "Add to that the fact that he looked extremely exhausted when you guys arrived at the basement parking lot."


    "He was fine this morning." Camilla said with a frown as she glanced at Ian.


    "Do you know what happened to him?" John asked.


    "Seth said that he got a call from his girlfriend, there was an argument." Camilla explained. "Seth said it wasn''t a full on fight, but Jas was waiting at the cafe across R Tower so he went to meet her."


    "He has a girlfriend?" John asked with a raised eyebrow.


    "Didn''t you have some file about all of our details?" Camilla teased, although she didn''t completely ignore the possibility of John having a file with their personal details.


    She noticed that it seemed to be a common practice in the Reyes Groups upper management to know everything and anything about the people they were going to work with.


    Today, most of her work had been arranging personal information of people that the CEO would be having meetings with.


    Marco had explained how the members of the Reyes Family didn''t like going into meetings or deals with people they knew nothing of.


    As a matter of fact, one of the most important skills that they needed to have as assistants was the ability to use all their resources to find out every bit of information about another person.


    "I do have a file on the two of you, yes." John admitted as he laughed at Camilla''s question. "But it doesn''t have much. Among all the people that work for the Reyes Group, you, Ian, Marco, and Leon are the ones I know the least about."


    "How come?" Camilla asked.


    "You''re technically my bosses or my co-workers, something like that." John explained. "So back to this girlfriend, you''ve met her?"


    "Yeah, she caused a scene once outside of Solaire Towers." Camilla said with a laugh as she remembered how Jas had reacted when she spotted Camilla getting out of Ian''s car.


    "Let me guess, she thought Ian was cheating on her with you?" John confidently asked as he continued to traverse the heavy traffic of the capital.


    "How did you know?" Camilla asked as she looked at John. "You weren''t gossiping with the staff by any chance? Were you?"


    "No." John said as he shook his head. "The two of you look close, too close. If I were in a relationship with either of you I''d be jealous too. You guys just met each other and you seem to get along perfectly."


    "Trust me, he isn''t my type." Camilla said as she shook her head.


    "Sometimes, it''s not about that." John said with a grin making Camilla go silent.


    She knew she didn''t like Ian, at least not that way.


    To her Ian was like a brother, someone she could trust and depend on. Like him, she too had a sad past, and whenever she saw his determination to do better it gave her hope. Hope that she can do better too.


    When they finally pulled up to the driveway of Solaire Towers, John nudged Ian awake.


    "You okay?" John asked as Ian clearly had a better demeanor now after taking a quick nap.


    "Yeah, sorry about that." Ian said as he shook his head.


    "Look, you should talk to Seth and Camilla, they are worried about you." John told Ian.


    "I will, I just needed to wrap my mind around what had happened when I went to speak with Jas, my girlfriend." Ian said with a sigh as he looked around.


    "Camilla went on ahead. She told me to tell you that she invited Seth to have dinner with you guys." John told Ian. "She asked me to tag along too, but I need to go see someone."


    "Alright." Ian said with a nod. "Thank you, by the way." Ian told John.


    "For what?" John asked the assistant.


    "For not trying to find out more." Ian told him.


    "If you wanted me to know, you would tell me." John said with a shrug. "Plus Camilla probably nagged you about it already."


    "No, not really. She just asked then let me be." Ian said as he got out of the car.


    "If you need anything, call." John told Ian as he walked over to a car that was waiting behind Ian''s.


    Ian simply nodded and made his way up to his own place.

 Chapter 112 - 112

    Camilla seemed to be extremely worried that Ian would do something stupid without her, because as soon as Ian came down from his bath Camilla was already in his dinning room.


    "Did you wait long?" Ian asked her.


    "You speak now." Camilla said with a relieved smile.


    "Yeah, just some issues with Jas." Ian said with a nod.


    "I hope it''s fixed now." Camilla told Ian as the doorbell rang. "Seth." Camilla said as she got up and walked up to the door, opening it to welcome their friend.


    "How is Ian doing?" He heard Seth say to Camilla.


    "He seems better." Camilla replied as they made their way to the dinning room where Ian was seated.


    "Hey." Ian said with a smile as he waved at Seth. "Sorry about earlier, to both of you."


    Ian knew that they had been trying to get a response from him since he came back from meeting Jas at the cafe. His mind had been so muddled by his conversation with his girlfriend that he wanted to simply drown in his work.


    "It''s fine, I just hope you are better now." Seth said as he slid onto the seat to Ian''s right while Ian sat at the head of the table.


    "I owe both of you an explanation." Ian said with a frown as he looked at his two friends.


    "Can we talk while eating? Cause I''m starved." Camilla said as she waved the maid over and asked her to serve their meals.


    The maid promptly served their food and left as soon as she was done placing them on the table.


    "The staff here are scary efficient." Seth said as he ate his dinner.


    "Yeah, shows you how much they expect from us too." Ian said with a frown as he ate his food.


    "They provide us with everything so that we don''t have to worry about anything outside of work." Camilla commented.


    "Unfortunately, not everything outside of work can be solved by the Reyes Group, or at least I wouldn''t want them to." Ian said with a frown as he placed his knife and fork down and closed his eyes.


    He took a few deep breaths and waited for his friends to ask, but they never did. They just waited for him to be ready to tell his story.


    "Right now, I''m not sure if Jas and I have broken up." Ian confessed. "I went out earlier because she threatened that she wouldn''t leave if I didn''t meet up with her. I''ve known that stubborn woman my whole life and I know that she means what she says."


    "I don''t even know what to say." Camilla said with a laugh. "I won''t lie to you guys, I''ve never really let people in close enough to be friends, so I don''t know what''s overstepping and what''s not."


    "Honestly, in Ian''s situation I don''t even know what to say." Seth admitted.


    Ian couldn''t help but laugh. Most people would have already jumped in and tried to advise him on what to do.


    "Gosh, I think Ian''s gone crazy." Camilla leaned forward to tell Seth.


    "Did the girlfriend do this or did we?" Seth asked, making Ian laugh even more.


    "I just can''t help but think how odd we are as a group." Ian pointed out. "Most people would have already tried to tell me what to do. Either stick with her or break up with her, while you two are just as confused as I am."


    "Well, do you want to stay with her?" Seth asked.


    "The first time something like this happened, I tried to break up with Jas and she refused to let me." Ian said with a sigh. "She told me that she loved me and only me, that no matter how many people her family told her to date she would stick with me."


    "Do you think she would still do that? Stick with you?" Camilla asked.


    "I do." Ian said with a nod.


    "Then why are you hesitating? I can hear it from the tone of your voice, something is holding you back, making you unsure." Seth pointed out.


    Ian paused for a moment and thought about how to explain his situation properly. After a while he realized that the best way was the direct way, by simply telling them the truth.


    "I love her, but I''m not sure if I still love her the same way and for the same reasons." Ian said with a frown.


    "What makes you think that?" Seth asked.


    "When my family lost everything, two people stayed and never left my side, Jas and our other friend Damien." Ian explained. "I fell in love with Jas and ever since then we''ve had to fight every obstacle in our relationship."


    "You''re tired of fighting?" Camilla asked.


    "No, I''m not. I''m not tired of fighting for her, I''m tired of fighting with her and seeing her suffer because of me." Ian said as he shook his head. "From the very beginning I knew that my life would be an uphill battle, but never did I think it would be an uphill battle for her too."


    "You are very confusing." Seth said as he laughed at his friend.


    "I think he has a lot of hidden issues with Jas." Camilla commented.


    "I don''t talk to other people about Jas, alright." Ian said, shaking his head in frustration. "Jas'' family is being cuckold by several businessmen because she is dating me. She has to date people because of me."


    Ian confessed in an exhausted tone.


    "Ian, at the end of the day it''s about you and her." Seth advised. "I haven''t been in a lot of relationships, but one thing that I know for sure is that it takes two to work things out. Can you still watch as she does this to herself, because it seems like Jas is willing to do this for you."


    "I''ll think about it." Ian said as he tried to push his problem with Jas to the back of his mind. Trying to focus on what was happening now and on their mission tomorrow.


    "Don''t wait too long to decide." Camilla suddenly said. "You might lose her if you wait too long."


    Ian simply nodded in response as he resumed eating his dinner.

 Chapter 113 - 113

    Ian knew that he had to stay focused today. He couldn''t let his argument with Jas cloud his mind.


    Today he needed to push his personal problems to the back of his mind and work as he was expected to.


    "You could have taken the day off." Camilla told Ian as they waited outside in his car. "We all would have understood."


    "I wouldn''t have forgiven myself if I placed my personal problems ahead of my job." Ian said with a frown. "It''s not even a big deal. After you and Seth left my place I was able to calm down and think things through."


    "So how are you feeling?" Camilla asked as she gave him a worried glance..


    "I won''t lie and tell you I''m back to how I was before I spoke to Jas." Ian sighed as he checked the audio coming from Manuel''s mic. "But I am better than I was last night."


    The phone on the dashboard suddenly vibrated, prompting Ian to pick it up and read the message.


    "John said someone is approaching Manuel and his father." Ian told Camilla as he handed her the phone.


    She read through it and nodded, but instead of commenting on their task she continued their conversation on how Ian was fairing.


    "That''s good, at least you aren''t trying to hide the truth and you are staying honest to yourself." Camilla told him as they began to hear a conversation starting over the wire.


    "Sir, someone would like to speak to you." Ian and Camilla heard a waiter say to Manuel and his father.


    "John is also texting, he said that the father and son are now walking towards a private room." Camilla told Ian as she read the message on the phone.


    "Too bad John can''t join them." Ian said with a frown as they continued to listen to the wire.


    "I''m asking him if he could get to an angle where he might be able to take a photo of the people leaving the room." Camilla told Ian as she typed on the phone, texting John.


    "That''s a good idea." Ian said with a nod as noise once more came from the wire on Manuel.


    "Mr. Juan." Mike''s familiar voice greeted.


    "That''s definitely Mike." Camilla pointed out as she checked to see if John had sent them a message again.


    "Mike Robins?" Manuel asked in a cold and aloof tone, making Ian want to laugh. So this was what Manuel sounded like when he was speaking to other people who he looked down at.


    When he spoke to Ian it was more of a disgusted tone, but with Mike, he sounded like he wanted to tell the salesman that he was better than him.


    "Thank you for making time to meet with us." Mike said in a respectful tone.


    "I thought he was supposed to come from some rich and powerful family?" Camilla asked as she listened intently to the conversation.


    "It seems that they aren''t that rich." Ian said with a slight chuckle. "I mean, the Juans are not the cream of the crop. They are rich and they are an old family but not rich enough to get invited to most of the events they crave for."


    "And you get invited despite having lost everything." Camilla said as she smiled at Ian.


    "What are you trying to say?" Ian asked.


    "Your position cannot be bought and at that level, it''s your pedigree and breeding that matter." Camilla said as she tried to encourage her friend.


    "It still doesn''t stop the vultures from gossiping about my family and plotting against them." Ian said as he rolled his eyes and sighed.


    "You''ll come back like a phoenix rising from the ashes." Camilla said with a cheeky smile. "You''ll prove them wrong."


    "So supportive today." Ian teased.


    "Just trying to cheer up my partner in crime." Camilla laughed as they heard the conversation continue.


    "And who is this?" Ian heard Manuel''s father ask.


    "This is my boss and my uncle, Armand Rivera." Mike said as he introduced Armand.


    "And in what capacity do you offer us a better deal?" Manuel asked. "Your colleagues Miss Ashley and Mr. Laurel gave us quite a good deal, I would hate to refuse it."


    "Mr. Juan, Ashley and Jake are not the best people in the company to deal with, as a matter of fact they are sly individuals that will sell you one price and add and add on the charges." Mike explained. "Those charges will not go to the company but rather to their own pockets."


    "Mike and I are the best people in the Reyes Group you can talk to on this sale." Armand said as he joined in on the conversation. "I am the head of the sales department of Krisanta land, I would never lie or cheat you."


    "And what about him?" Manuel''s father asked.


    Ian assumed that he was pointing at Mike, for whom Armand answered.


    "Mike is one of the rising stars of the Reyes Group." Armand praised. "As a matter of fact, this is a secret that I will let you in on. Mike is personally being mentored by the CEO of the Reyes Group."


    Ian heard as Manuel faked a gasp.


    Of course he would know that Jake was more reputable than Mike, he was related to the Reyeses, so whatever Mike and Armand were saying were probably lies.


    "It''s an honor to work with you then." Manuel''s father said. "From what I have heard Mr. Emilio Reyes does not take apprentices. As a matter of fact he has been heard declaring that he will only ever train his own son."


    "I am very fortunate that the CEO has made an exception for me." Mike said in a faux humble tone.


    Ian had to give it to Mike his acting skills were top notch, he could easily fool anyone that didn''t know the truth.


    "You are a lucky one, so what is this deal that you wish to make?" Manuel''s father asked as he signified his interest in shifting sales agents.


    "Well, I will show you the prices and they are much higher than what Ash has shown you because we don''t hide any fees." Mike said in a happy tone.


    "That ass hole, he''s taking money from the Reyes Group too." Camilla hissed as she began to text Marco, giving him an update.

 Chapter 114 - 114

    "Marco said that we need evidence that they are taking money from the Reyes Group." Camilla told Ian as she looked up from her phone. "How are we going to prove that?"


    "May I have a copy of this?" Ian heard Manuel''s father ask.


    "Oh, no sir, I can''t share this with you." Mike said as he was clearly trying to hide the evidence.


    "How am I supposed to remember those ridiculous numbers?" Manuel''s father asked in an angry tone. "I need a copy or my secretary will probably send you the wrong amount."


    "Sir, we can call you over the phone and dictate it to you." Armand said in a calm tone as he tried to get Manuel''s father to adjust to what they wanted.


    "It seems like the Juans know that we need that document.." Camilla said as she continued to listen to the conversation with Ian.


    "Then that amount should be on the contract, just send us the contract before we issue the check." Manuel suggested to Mike and Armand.


    "Sir, some of these service charges are not going to appear on the contract." Mike tried to explain to Manuel. "Like the processing fees, they are on top of what you are truly paying for."


    "Then why are we still speaking to you?" Manuel''s father asked. "You seem to be deceiving us as well."


    "Trust us, sir, you are in much better hands with us." Armand insisted. "Who would you trust more? The head of the sales department or some manager that got demoted recently because of some fraudulent transactions?"


    "Shouldn''t he be fired if he had such transactions?" Manuel asked Armand.


    "The Reyes Group is a forgiving company, the believe in second chances more than they should. But I guess that''s the reason they are still on top, because those that do fail strive to do better." Armand explained.


    "And what about this manager? You claim that he is still a bad seed?" Manuel''s father asked.


    "Despite being given a second chance by the Reyes Group, employees have reported that he has been taking money from the company and misusing company funds." Armand explained.


    "Where have you seen a manager that drives a better car than the company head?" Mike asked.


    Ian knew for a fact that Jake did drive a better car than Armand, but it wasn''t because he was stealing money, but because he came from a very rich family.


    "When you met with him, didn''t you notice that the lowly manager had a driver?" Mike asked, trying to get the Juans to think about how suspicious Jake actually was.


    This trick obviously wouldn''t work. The Juans knew exactly who Jake was, he was  someone that didn''t need to even be working.


    He should have been given the role of a vice president as soon as he joined any company affiliated with his family.


    "He did have a really nice car." Manuel pointed out as he pretended to consider the points that Mike had told them.


    "You cannot get that car with a manager''s salary, even if he works at the Reyes Group it''s not enough." Armand told Manuel and his father.


    "We thought the driver was company provided." Manuel''s father said as he played along with the ploy.


    "The Reyes Group would never give someone at his level a driver." Mike said in a poisonous tone.


    "Even Mike, who is the CEO''s apprentice, doesn''t get preferential treatment like that, why would a simple manager get a driver." Armand laughed as he tried to make the Juans feel silly for even considering the idea.


    "Even if we sign with you and ditch Miss Asley and Mr. Laurel, I will need a copy of that breakdown." Manuel''s father insisted. "Either you give me that pamphlet or you send the breakdown to my email."


    "Will you give us a moment?" Armand asked. "Mike and I need to discuss this outside."


    "Camilla." Ian said as he looked at her.


    "On it." She replied as Ian saw her typing away on the phone.


    Clearly she knew what he wanted to say. He wanted her to tell John that Mike and Armand were headed out of the meeting room and he had to get as close as possible to listen in on their conversation and record it.


    "John said he is right next to the door and he will record a video on his phone." Camilla told Ian as she read the message.


    "Tell him to be careful, an audio recording will do. A video might be too dangerous." Ian said.


    "I did. I just hope he doesn''t play hero." Camilla said with a frown as the pair anxiously waited.


    Inside the room it was silent, it seemed that Manuel and his father had chosen not to speak. Ian thought this was a smart idea in case Mike and Armand also planted listening devices in order to spy on Manuel and his father.


    The room was silent for more than ten minutes before Ian and Camilla received a text from John again.


    "They are back inside, John said he wasn''t spotted and that they were having an intense conversation on how to send the amount." Camilla told Ian as she read the text message. "John also said that they will be sending it through an email, but they plan on framing an employee."


    "I wonder who their poor victim will be." Ian said with a frown as he heard Manuel and Mike speaking to each other once more.


    "So what is your decision?" Ian heard Manuel ask.


    "A colleague will send you the rates." Mike promptly responded.


    "And when can we expect it?" It was Manuel''s father''s turn to ask this time.


    "We will try to send it by tomorrow. My co-worker is just busy at the moment. I will need to talk to him when we get to the office." Mike explained.


    "I hope you are not trying to trick us." Manuel said as he threatened the pair. "We aren''t your ordinary clients."


    "We are fully aware of that." Armand said. "We are glad you have chosen to work with us."


    "If that''s all, my son and I will go." The older man said as Ian heard seats being pushed back.


    "Tell John to stay, keep an eye on Mike and Armand, we need to know which poor employee they plan to frame." Ian told Camilla who nodded, agreeing to his plan.

 Chapter 115 - 115

    Ian and Camilla drove as fast as they could towards Bamboo Room. They had agreed to meet up there with the Juans as well as Marco, Jake, Hank, and Ash.


    John would follow once he got all the information he needed from following Mike and Armand.


    Bamboo Room was owned by Raymund Laurence and was a safe place for them to meet. He had allowed them to stay at the boardroom which had a hidden entrance and parking lot at the back.


    By the time Ian and Camilla arrived, everyone but John was gathered around the table.


    "It''s good of Mr. Laurence to let us use his restaurant to meet." Ian remarked as they entered the room.


    "I told you to just call me Ray.." The tall man behind him said as he entered the room.


    Raymund Laurence looked the role of a serious future CEO and businessman. His hair was cut short in the popular style, while he wore a business suit that fit him like a glove.


    Even the way he moved exuded confidence and wealth, you simply felt like you didn''t deserve to stand in the same room as him.


    Ian was used to meeting people like this, he had lived his life around future CEOs.


    "It just sounds disrespectful for me to call you Ray when I''m just an assistant." Ian said as he found his spot and sat down.


    "We went to school together." Ray pointed out. "I''m sorry about not helping you out by the way, I didn''t know people were bullying you."


    "I''m sure you had your own things to deal with, plus it''s not like we were friends." Ian truly was not mad at Ray for not defending him. The man didn''t know him, his anger was reserved for those friends that abandoned him as soon as they confirmed that he was poor.


    "Do we wait for the others?" Ray asked as he glanced at Marco.


    "Yes, we''re only waiting for John." Marco said with a nod as they patiently waited.


    "Will you keep your end of the deal?" Manuel asked as glanced at Ian. "Will you promise not to go after me, my family, or any of our affiliated businesses?"


    "We already said yes last time." Ian grumbled. "What more do you want?"


    "I don''t want confirmation from you." Manuel hissed as he glared at Ian.


    Ian knew Manuel was trying to be as careful as possible, Raymund Laurence had just shown that he and Ian were on a first name basis, meaning Ian was a friend.


    "You don''t need to be careful with your words around them, you know." Ian said with a chuckle. "Don''t you think they know about our history?" Ian asked with a cocky grin.


    "What''s done is done, let''s move on from the past and forget it." Manuel said as he brushed off Ian''s words like they meant nothing.


    Ian couldn''t help but laugh at Manuel''s statement, move on and forget the past. How could Ian forget the past when it had done irreparable damage to him?


    At one point it almost killed him. Was that how little his life mattered to people like Manuel? Or were they just so insensitive and so evil that everything Ian went through was nothing to them.


    Were the Juans really simply heartless creatures?


    "What you did to Ian is not something you move on from, forget, or forgive." Marco suddenly said as he looked the father and son pair in the eyes.


    "Will you break our agreement?" Manuel asked.


    "Of course not!" Ian suddenly said as he leaned forward. He was not going to let his revenge get in the way of what would benefit more people. He knew that someday he would have his own resources to get the revenge he wanted from the Juan family.


    "I said I wasn''t asking you, idiot!" Manuel shouted.


    "Calm down, we will stick to the agreement." Marco said in an eerily calm voice. I was so calm that it sent shivers down Ian''s spine.


    "Good, that''s all we want." Manuel said with a nod.


    "That''s all you want because you have the Dean family on your side, protecting you." Ray suddenly remarked with a laugh.


    "How- how did you know?" Manuel''s father asked as he stuttered. "The Dean family never


    reveal the people they work with."


    "Is that why you chose them?" Ray asked with a raised eyebrow.


    The father and son duo refused to respond.


    Ian gave Marco a curious look. Did Marco tell Ray about Seth''s secret too?


    "Don''t worry, the Dean family didn''t rat you out." Ray said with a chuckle. "I have friends in many places, people who whisper things to my ears. I learn about who is on who''s side and who is on whose payroll."


    "They simply provide us with protection and we pay them." Manuel said as he defended his family.


    "Relax, I know it''s against the law, but I won''t report you." Ray told them, shaking his head. "You should just be aware that if I know this, then the Reyes Group knows this as well. Not because I told them, but because they can sniff out more truths than I."


    Manuel and his father were left speechless as they stared at the young businessman.


    He had basically told them that the Reyes Group probably knew about every dark secret that they were trying to keep hidden.


    "Wow, that was tiring." John said as he burst into the room, breaking the awkward silence.


    "John." Ray greeted the driver with a nod.


    "Ah, Ray, they managed to drag you into this mess too?" John asked as he found an empty seat next to Ian and sat in it.


    "They didn''t drag me. I chose to be a part of it." Ray said as he shook his head.


    "So do you have news?" Ian eagerly asked.


    "Yeah," John said with a nod. "I know which employee they plan to frame."


    "Who?" Ian asked.


    John suddenly began to laugh like a mad man, confusing the other people in the room.


    "The worst person they could possibly pick." John finally said. "You, Ian."

 Chapter 116 - 116

    With all the plotting and planning going on, the week rolled by quickly for Ian. Before he knew it, it was already Friday night and his phone was buzzing non-stop with Seth''s call.


    He had just come from a meeting with Marco, finalizing their plans on how to catch Mika and Armand as they tried to frame him.


    John had confirmed that Mike was planning on using Ian''s laptop to send out the message and to delete any obvious evidence of the email coming from him.


    Ian would only discover the evidence if the matter was thoroughly investigated and the IT team of the Reyes Group did a sweep of Ian''s emails.


    They knew that Mike''s best chance would be to send the email out on the weekly sales team meeting which was moved to Monday.


    Ian assumed it was moved to that day in order to give Mike and Armand time to plot how they would draw him away from his laptop and for him to leave it open.


    "Just answer your damn phone." Camilla grumbled as she looked at the phone in Ian''s hand..


    "It''s Seth." Ian said.


    "Exactly, it''s Seth, either it''s an important call or he is planning something fun, so pick it up." She encouraged Ian.


    "Fine." Ian said as he picked up the call.


    "Do you and Camilla have any plans tonight?" Seth asked.


    "No, why?" Ian responded. "Wait, let me ask Camilla."


    "Ask me what?" Camilla responded in an annoyed tone, it was her turn to be cranky now.


    "He is asking if we had plans and I accidentally answered for the both of us when I realized you might have plans." Ian said quickly.


    Camilla laughed at what Ian said and shook her head.


    "No, I don''t have plans. But it''s nice that you decided to ask." She said.


    "Okay, now I''m sure, we are both free." Ian said confidently over the phone to Seth.


    "Perfect!" Seth said excitedly. "A new bar just opened. It''s called Hype, and I have VIP passes to the grand opening."


    "I didn''t peg you as a party kind of guy." Ian said with a laugh.


    "I don''t usually go to these things, but the owner is an important person and if I don''t go it would be offensive." Seth said in a hesitant tone.


    "We can go, but we might run a little late. We still have some work to do and we need to go home and change." Ian told Seth.


    "It''s fine, it''s a party. We shouldn''t be early. I''ll see you later then, bye." Seth said as he dropped the call making Ian chuckle.


    "I guess we are going to a party tonight." Ian said with a laugh. "I''m not even sure I have anything that I can wear to go to a bar."


    "Isn''t Henry supposed to deliver your new wardrobe today?" Camilla asked.


    "It should have been delivered earlier at lunch." Ian said with a nod. "Knowing Henry, he is waiting for us to get home so that I can see my new clothes."


    "Let''s get work done quickly then." Camilla told Ian.


    Ian nodded at Camilla as she promptly left his office. He saw the pile of documents on his desk and sighed, it would take a long time for him to get through everything. He doubted if they could even attend the party.


    The plan against Mike and Armand had been taking up so much of their time that even Marco was behind his day to day work.


    It was a miracle that the CEO wasn''t mad at them. He already had three assistants and still the workload kept piling up.


    Ian couldn''t help but wonder how Marco did everything on his own in the past.


    He was half way through the documents on his desk when he heard a knock coming from his door.


    Ian turned around to find Marco standing with his bag slung on his shoulders.


    "The boss said to take the rest of the night off." Marco informed Ian.


    Ian glanced at the bag Marco was carrying and raised an eyebrow at him.


    "I can''t not work, I won''t tonight but I will tomorrow." Marco confessed.


    "I didn''t even say anything." Ian said with a laugh as he shook his head. "But I did know you were hiding some work in that bag."


    "Just get your ass out of the office and home. The Reyeses have an event to go to tonight, so I won''t be surprised if they suddenly need some information from you." Marco remarked.


    "We are going to a party with Seth later." Ian told Marco.


    "Hype?" Marco asked, catching Ian by surprise.


    "Yeah, he said he had to go and that he couldn''t offend the owner or something." Ian explained.


    "Then you might run into the Reyeses, I''ll inform the boss that you will be there." Marco said with a nod. "Just in case he needs information he''ll know that it''s hard to hear your phones. They will probably have someone find you."


    "Do I need to keep my ears open?" Ian asked.


    "You always do, Ian." Marco laughed. "Rumors are what help us, sometimes there are facts laced in with those crazy rumors."


    "Like about Raymund Laurence being gay?" Ian asked.


    "I said sometimes." Marco said as he shook his head and left.


    Ian quickly cleared his desk and found Camilla waiting for him in the hallway as he stepped out of his office.


    "Apparently the Reyes Family will also be at the bar opening we will attend tonight." Ian told Camilla as they made their way to the car.


    "I guess it''s work chasing us everywhere." She said with a grin. "The owner must be someone important both to the Mafias and the Businessworld."


    "Seth did say it was someone he did not want to offend, so it''s entirely possible." Ian told Camilla.


    "I can''t deny that I''m curious to find out who owns the place." Ian admitted, not knowing that he was about to bump into a familiar figure that would shock Seth.

 Chapter 117 - 117

    Ian decided to drive them to the bar rather than to let John drive for them. He didn''t want to hurt John''s feelings that he wasn''t invited and Ian didn''t want to impose on Seth to ask him to invite John either.


    "You ready?" Ian asked as he knocked on Camilla''s door.


    "Yep." Camilla said as she stepped out in a from fitting black dress.


    "You look, umm. . ." Ian was at a loss for words. For some reason, from the moment he met Camilla he didn''t see her as a woman, just as someone like a sister.


    "Close your mouth, you aren''t my type.." Camilla teased as she walked to the elevator, swaying her hips.


    "You look like a girl, pretty." Ian said as he cleared his throat and pressed the elevator button.


    "You''re crazy, I''ve always been a girl." Camilla said as she rolled her eyes and got into the elevator.


    "I know." Ian said with a laugh. "And trust me, you''re not my type either."


    What Ian said was true. He knew that most men would find Camilla attractive, but he didn''t feel anything more than friends for her.


    It wasn''t that Camilla wasn''t attractive enough, it was just that they were too close to be anything but friends. At this point they already had a sibling-like relationship, and all Ian wanted to do was protect her from any ogling eyes at the bar tonight.


    The drive to the bar was silent. It seemed Camilla did not take Ian''s comment that she looked like a girl in a good light. In fact she seemed offended that Ian would say such a thing.


    Camilla normally wore skirts and pants and high heels to the office, so it wasn''t the first time Ian saw her dressed up.


    It was however, the first time Ian saw her dressed up for a more casual occasion with a more sensual outfit.


    When they finally arrived at Hype Bar, they saw Seth waving at them from the entrance with several dangerous looking men surrounding him.


    "I guess that''s our proof that he belongs to the Mafia." Camila said with a slight laugh as Ian shook his head in response.


    "I got proof when his people attacked me." Ian told Camilla.


    "His people what?!" Camilla asked. It was the first time she was hearing this.


    "Oh, someone placed a hit on me." Ian explained as they slowly pulled up to the driveway of Hype Bar. "And the Dean family is apparently the best in the business when it comes to hitmen and assassins."


    Not wanting to explain any further, Ian unlocked the doors and stepped out of the car.


    One of Seth''s men quickly approached him and bowed.


    "The boss sent me to park your car." The man told Ian.


    Ian quickly glanced at Seth who gave him a small nod, telling him that he could trust the man.


    Knowing that the person he was handing his keys to was really one of Seth''s men, Ian didn''t feel the need to worry.


    "I''ll give you your keys back when I''ve parked the car." The man said as he got into Ian''s car.


    "Wow! Just Wow!" Ian could hear Seth praise as Camilla walked over to their friend.


    "That''s the exact same expression Ian had when he saw me!" Camilla said with a slight blush as she hugged Seth.


    "Well, don''t get mad, but you don''t exactly dress that way in the office." Seth said with a laugh. "You look stunning tonight. Ian and I need to work twice as hard to keep the men away."


    "Oh, come on. I can talk to other men." Camilla said as she rolled her eyes.


    "Yeah, but not men at this event." Seth said in a defensive tone as he rolled his eyes at Camilla.


    "You guys aren''t my older brothers, my father, or my dad." Camilla pointed out.


    "No, we are your friends and I know exactly what kind of people are in that bar." Seth pointed out. "Trust me, they are either sleazy mafia or gang bosses or spoiled second generation heirs."


    "Yeah, like you aren''t a mafia boss." Camilla said in a low voice making Seth''s men laugh.


    "Let''s go in." Seth grumbled as he turned around and led them to the entrance.


    When the bouncer saw them he simply nodded and let Seth''s group in, allowing them to cut the line of wealthy and well dressed patrons that were trying to get in.


    "So who owns this place?" Ian asked as they passed a dark hall.


    "The king of the underworld." Seth whispered. "But of course, I''m one of the few people that know who he really is."


    "Who?" Ian asked as two guards pushed open a set of large double doors flooding Ian''s senses with loud party music and the strong smell of alcohol throughout the room.


    "I can''t tell you right now, but you''ll find out tonight." Seth whispered to Ian, making sure that no one else heard him.


    Marco mentioned that the Reyes Family would be here. But as Ian scanned the room he didn''t find anyone from that family on the dance floor.


    "Come on, we''re going to the VIP area." Seth gestured as they walked up to an elevated portion of the bar that had cocktail tables and booths.


    Ian watched as the bouncer bowed to Seth and let their group into the cordoned off area.


    There were two tables with the name Dean on them, a waiter quickly came up and took the signs away, allowing them to sit down and make themselves comfortable.


    In one table were Seth, Ian, Camilla, and three other men.


    "This is Andre, my second in command." Seth said as he introduced the large well-built man to Ian and Camilla.


    "It''s an honor to meet you." Andre said in a smooth voice.


    "Ummm. . .Thanks?" Camilla responded, unsure of how she was supposed to reply.


    "These two are Cato and David, my personal bodyguards." Seth said as the men simply nodded to Ian and Camilla.


    Ian recognized them as the two guards that were with Seth when they first met at the park.


    The waiter soon came back and served them drinks. Ian was surprised to find that Seth had ordered several expensive bottles for their table.


    "Relax, enjoy." Seth said with a grin as he noticed the worry on Ian''s face.


    Ian nodded and calmed down, how rare was it for him to have a peaceful night? He might as well enjoy this one.

 Chapter 118 - 118

    As the night went on Ian began to drink, Seth offered to have one of his men drive Ian and Camilla home to Solaire Towers.


    Before he even knew it Seth was dragging him and Camilla over to the dance floor. It seemed that the future Mafia boss loved to party. His second-in-command, Andre, even made a joke about his boss loving the party life so much.


    "It''s rare that I can let loose." Seth said with a shrug as a beautiful woman came up to him and began rubbing herself against Seth.


    "She seems to like you." Camilla said over the music as she continued to dance with the three man hovering protectively around her.


    Seth simply winked and continued to encourage the woman.


    As the night went on as Ian could feel his tension loosening and him finally relaxing from his stressful week..


    Suddenly there was a commotion at the end of the dancefloor. People were moving aside and making way for a group of men, all dressed in black suits with serious expressions on their faces.


    "Ian Lim, Camilla Montero, Seth Dean, come with us." One of the men said.


    "Why?" Camilla suddenly asked. "What if I don''t want to come with you?"


    "Camilla." Ian whispered as she gripped her wrist.


    "Don''t worry, we mean no harm. Mr. Reyes simply wishes to speak to you." The man said.


    Ian looked at Camilla and nodded. They didn''t recognize the bodyguards, but they trusted that nothing bad would happen to them. After all, very few people knew that either of them had ever interacted with the Reyes family.


    "Keep an eye out, if I''m not back in two hours then send men after us." Seth instructed Andre as he moved past the woman he was dancing with.


    Andre walked towards the opposite direction where the VIP area was located. Gone was his fun demeanor, he was suddenly serious and scouting the area.


    "This way." The man said as he led Ian''s group towards the bar. To it''s right was a hidden staircase which they climbed.


    Ian could hear as the music continued to play behind them, this time muffled as the went higher up the secret staircase.


    When they got to the top, Ian was surprised to find a hallway lined with velvet and outlayed with gold. This was the most luxurious area in a bar that he had ever seen.


    "The boss is this way." The man said as he led them down the hall and towards a large and elegant double door.


    As the man pushed the doors open, Ian was caught by surprise when a woman excitedly squealed and hurled herself towards Camilla.


    "Miss Ayanna." Camilla said in shock as the young vice president of the Reyes Group finally released her from a hug.


    "Is this Richardo''s kid?" A man that Ian recognized to be a Senator named Jose Sebastian asked as he glanced at Ian.


    "Yes." Emilio Reyes said with a nod as he waved for Ian and Camilla to come over.


    Ayanna was quick to grab each of them by the wrist and pull them towards her father.


    It didn''t escape Ian''s attention that Seth had moved a little bit to the side and was greeting Raymund Laurence like an old friend.


    "It''s too bad the others aren''t here yet." Ayanna said as they finally stood in front of Emilio Reyes, Priscilla Reyes, and several other people Ian recognized but couldn''t attach a name to.


    They all looked very familiar and yet very intimidating to him. As if he had met them a long time ago and forgotten about it.


    "Emilio here says you know what society talks about." Jose Sebastian told Ian as he offered him a drink.


    Ian accepted it and thanked the politician.


    "People tend to ignore me at parties and events." Ian said as Ayanna made him and Camilla sit down next to her.


    He couldn''t help but be uncomfortable that his boss'' daughter was treating them like friends rather than employees. She seemed incredibly excited to see both him and Camilla for some reason.


    "Good." Jose Sebastian said with a nod as he carefully thought of his next words.


    "Just ask the boy." A man suddenly said as he walked up to them followed by Ray and Seth.


    "I''m not sure if he would know anything." Jose Sebastian said as he hesitated.


    "There is no harm in asking uncle Jose." Ray suddenly said. "Ian is trustworthy. I trust Ian and uncle Emilio trusts Ian."


    Ian was somewhat caught by surprise by the confidence Ray had in him.


    "Your man trusts him too?" Jose Sebastian asked as he glanced at Seth.


    "They are friends." Ray responded with a nod.


    "Very well, what have you heard about a William Tamayo?" Jose Sebastian finally asked Ian.


    Ian closed his eyes as he tried to recall all the gossip he had heard in the past year.


    "He is a businessman with many illegal dealings. From what I heard the person controlling the underworld is looking for him, but he has stayed safe so far." Ian said.


    "He is good." Ray chuckled.


    "What else?" Jose Sebastian asked as he ignored Ray''s comment.


    "He has multiple mistresses, multiple illegitimate children, most of them are studying abroad. According to rumors his legitimate son is probably not his since his wife also cheats on him." Ian recalled.


    "That could be useful." Emilio Reyes said as the group continued to listen to Ian.


    "Go on." Jose Sebastian urged.


    "He is also known to be backing several candidates for the next presidential elections." Ian revealed.


    "Do you know who?" Jose Sebastian asked, he was now much more interested in what Ian had to say.


    "Stephen Gonzales, Renato Villon, Cesar Rio." Ian said as he recounted the names he had heard.


    "Are you sure?" Jose Sebastian questioned.


    "Yes, I wouldn''t have told you if I wasn''t." Ian said with a nod.


    "Fuck, that''s everyone else." Jose Sebastian cursed. "If this boy is wrong-"


    "Then he is wrong." Emilio Reyes said as he defended Ian, cutting the senator off misstatement. "What he is telling you are the rumors he has heard. It''s up to you to believe them."


    "If what he says is true, then we have a problem." Jose Sebastian said with a worried look on his face.

 Chapter 119 - 119

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    Ray quickly pulled Ian and the others aside, he wanted to explain what was going on. It was clear from Ian''s expression that he was quite confused.


    "Sorry about that." Ray said with a frown. "Uncle Jose didn''t mean to doubt you. It''s just that they have been tricked too many times recently."


    "It''s alright." Ian said with a nod.


    "So who is this oh so rich and powerful person that both the business world and mafias would hate to offend?" Camilla asked as she glanced around the room.


    Seth and Ray both laughed at Camilla''s statement, shaking their heads.


    "Take a guess." Ray said with a grin.


    Camilla once more swept the room with her eyes, trying to figure out who owned the bar.


    "The Senator''s son?" Camilla asked as she took a guess.


    "No." Seth said, laughing at Camilla''s answer.


    There was something they weren''t seeing. Something that Seth and Ray seemed to find amusing.


    "You." Ian suddenly said as he pointed at Ray.


    Ray simply grinned and nodded his head.


    "I understand that you are important to the Reyeses, but why are you important to the gangs and the mafia?" Ian asked.


    "Think it over." Ray said as he offered Ian and Camilla a drink.


    "Who would the gangs and the mafia fear?" Ian asked himself out loud as he asked himself the question.


    "The King of the Underworld." Camilla said as she looked at Ian. "The only person both factions would fear would be the king of the underworld!"


    Ian could see Ray grinning and nodding at Camilla.


    "Wait, it''s you." Ian said.


    Ray simply nodded.


    "So people do know who the king is?" Ian asked, confused as to what was going on.


    "Yes and no." Ray said. "The family heads and gang heads know who is king, but that''s it."


    "Ray and I spent some time in the same mafia group." Seth explained. "He was only around for a few months, so I was shocked when I found out he was the king."


    "My father was still king back then." Ray corrected.


    "Either way, I still thought you were some spoiled boy that ran from home and joined the mafia." Seth said as he laughed at his first impression of Ray.


    "Is that all you guys needed from us?" Ian asked as he looked around uncomfortably.


    He might have been born around great riches, but he lived in poverty for a big majority of his life. He felt that he didn''t deserve to be around all of this wealth.


    "Yes." Ray said with a nod. "If you would prefer to stay downstairs it''s firne."


    "I hope we aren''t offending you." Camilla tol Ray with a frown as she glanced at Ian.


    She could see that he was uncomfortable in their current situation so she didn''t want to push it. Tonight was supposed to be a time when they could relax, unfortunately Ian was needed.


    "No, it''s fine." Ray said, shaking his head. "It was we who bothered you. Please, enjoy the night and order whatever you want. On the house." He said as he winked at them.


    They thanked Ray and left, eventually making it back to the VIP booths where Andre was waiting for them.


    "I was about to send people after you." Andre told them as he offered each person something to drink. "So who wanted to speak to you?"


    "The King." Seth said as he took a drink from the glass he had been offered.


    "The King?" Andre asked in shock, making Seth shush him.


    Andre quickly looked around, making sure that no one else heard them.


    "Shouldn''t you be bragging that you spoke to the king of the underworld?" Ian asked as he noticed their odd behavior.


    "No." Seth said as he shook his head. "You don''t want to be labeled as the king''s pet. You also don''t want people assuming that you can influence the King."


    "What did he want?" Andre asked.


    "One of his companions needed Ian." Seth explained. "Beyond that I can''t tell you."


    Andre simply nodded, trusting Seth''s words. Ian was quite surprised at how Andre didn''t even question Seth any further, he simply took what Seth said as the truth.


    "I think I''ll go dance a little bit more." Ian said as he moved out of the booth.


    "Will you let guys approach me if I tag along?" Camilla asked as she made a motion to slide out of the booth and join Ian.


    "No." Ian said in a stern tone.


    "You aren''t my brother." Camilla said as she glared at Ian.


    "Trust me Camilla, a lot of the people out there cannot be trusted." Seth said as he nodded at Ian. "I wouldn''t let guys randomly approach you either. Some may inject you with a serum so that you would go with them."


    "The boss is right." Andre said with a nod. "The mafias and the gangs are all here and not everyone is as clean as the Dean family."


    "Not like we are in any way clean." Seth said with a chuckle.


    "Fine, I''ll stay here and drink." Camilla said as she crossed her arms on her chest and planted herself in the booth.


    "I''ll keep her company, go have fun." Seth said as he encouraged Ian to leave Camilla with him.


    "I don''t need a babysitter." Camilla grumbled.


    "Relax Camilla, we are just keeping you company. No need to overact." Seth explained.


    Ian shook his head and left Seth to deal with Camilla. Their friend had volunteered to keep her company, so Ian didn''t feel the least bit guilty about leaving them at the booth.


    He decided to loosen up a bit by having some drinks at the bar. While he drank, a woman who seemed to be a year or two younger than him came up and began to speak to him.


    She was wearing a very form hugging red dress that accentuated all of her curves, framing her body quite nicely.


    It would be a lie if Ian were to say that he didn''t feel attracted or turned on by the image in red in front of him.


    Ian learned that she was a freshly graduated university student named Krystal. She had apparently come with a few friends who decided to ditch her as the party became heated.


    He noticed that as Krystal continued to speak she would brush her hand on his chest or lean forward so that her breasts would be pressing on him. Ian didn''t have the heart to complain, it wasn''t like they or we weren''t enjoying as he felt her hand caress him.


    "Do you like this, Ian?" Krystal asked as she traced a nail from his chest down to his abdomen and past his hips.


    Ian gulped as she came close to brushing against his cock.


    Ian already anticipated the disaster that was about to unfold as he could feel himself hardening because of their close proximity.


    "Relax." Krystal whispered as she rubbed a bare leg against him. "I want this too. So just let it happen." She told Ian.


    Ian gulped and wordlessly nodded as Krystal leaned forward and raised on hand to caress his hair.


    "Ian?" A familiar voice suddenly said, making Ian look behind Krystal.


    To his surprise, he saw Jas walking towards him with Mike trialing closely behind.


    "Jas?" Ian asked as he guiltily pushed Krystal off of him.


    What was he thinking? He wasn''t single, or at least that bit wasn''t established when they last spoke.


    "You know him?" Mike asked as he wrapped an arm around Jas'' waist.


    Ian could feel his blood boiling as he watched the intimacy between his girlfriend and his officemate.


    He noticed how Jas pushed Mike''s arm away, making him frown.


    "Ian is a friend, a good friend, my best friend." Jas explained to Mike who was giving Ian a nasty and angry look.


    "I should go." Ian said as he turned to leave.


    "No, wait." Jas said as she reached out and grabbed Ian by the wrist. "Can we talk?"


    "No. Goodnight." Ian said as he made a motion to leave and head towards the VIP area.


    "Mike you can go, I''ll catch a ride with Ian." Ian could hear Jas tell Mike. "Don''t worry, I''ll be safe with him."


    "Okay." Mike said.


    Ian sped up as he realized that Jas would insist on having a conversation with him.


    He was supposed to be relaxing tonight, and somehow it turned into him helping a Senator and encountering his girlfriend with another man in the bar.

 Chapter 120 - 120

    "How dare you?!" Jas asked as she grabbed Ian by the wrist and held him back. "How dare you let another woman touch you. We haven''t even broken up!"


    Ian took a deep breath as he tried to gather himself and look at things rationally.


    "Why can''t you answer my question?!" Jas asked as she pulled on his arm.


    "Jas, I don''t think this is the best place to have this conversation." Ian said as he turned and frowned at the woman in front of him.


    "Ian, is this person bothering you?" Seth asked as he approached with Andre and Camilla in tow.


    "No." Ian said as he shook his head.


    "Seth, Andre, this is my girlfriend, Jasmine Ortega." Ian said as he introduced Jas to them.


    Jas gave them a small smile before turning her attention to Camilla.


    "Hey Jas." Camilla said in a kind tone as she smiled at the other woman.


    Ian would be lying to himself if he said there was no tension going on between Camilla and Jas. He could feel his girlfriend glare at his officemate, as if she wanted to attack the other woman.


    "Hey, Camilla." Seth suddenly said as he wrapped his arms around Camilla''s shoulder. Making their friend jump a little bit. "Why don''t we leave these two love birds alone?"


    Camilla seemed to have caught on to what Seth was doing. She wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned her head on Seth''s chest.


    "Sure, wanna dance?" She asked.


    "Come on." Seth said with a grin as he pulled her towards the dance floor. "Oh, Ian, no need to worry about Camilla. I''ll drive her back myself. It would be embarrassing if I had  someone else drive her home instead."


    Ian nodded and thanked Seth, to which both Camilla and Seth simply winked as they made their way towards the direction opposite Ian and Jas.


    "Are they together?" Jas asked as she glanced back at Camilla and Seth.


    "Did they look like a couple to you?" Ian replied with a laugh.


    "Yeah, I guess my worries were pointless." Jas said as she interlocked her fingers with Ian''s.


    "Aren''t you worried that someone will see us?" Ian asked as he looked at Jas'' hand in his.


    "Mike already left and you just introduced me to one of his office friends as your girlfriend." Jas pointed out. "It''s dark too, no one will see us."


    "Fine, come, let''s talk." Ian told her as he looked around, finding a place where they could at least hear each other.


    He decided to take her to the booth he, Camilla, and Seth were seated at earlier in the VIP section.


    As he dragged her to the back and they stood outside the cordoned area, Jas pulled him back, making him stop.


    "What''s wrong?" Ian asked as he looked at her.


    "Where do you think you''re taking me?" Jas asked.


    "To a place where we can talk that isn''t deafening." Ian still had to raise his voice as the music was still quite loud outside the VIP area.


    "Ian, do you have any idea what place that is?" Jas asked as she pointed at the VIP area.


    "The VIP area where our booth is, so come on." Ian said as he pulled her along.


    He could sense that Jas was nervous that they would be scolded by the two security team members that were guarding the entrance.


    As they passed through and the men nodded at Ian, Jas was visibly shocked. Ian may have come from an old rich and powerful family, but they lost almost all privileges when they became poor.


    So Ian being able to enter a new bar''s VIP area unhindered came as a surprise to Jas.


    "The boss went looking for you." One of Seth''s men said as Ian approached.


    "He found me, he''s on the dance floor with Camilla and Andre." Ian told them, to which they simply nodded.


    "Is she good?" The man asked, checking if it was safe to have Jas in their area.


    "Yeah, my girlfriend." Ian told him. "Do you mind giving us a moment? I need to talk to her about something private."


    The man simply nodded and got up and left. The others in the booth followed suit and made their way to the dance floor as well.


    "What were they talking about? Seth is their boss? What is going on Ian?" Jas asked, her frustration evident in her tone.


    "Come, let''s sit." Ian said as he gestured to the booth next to the one the men were seated at.


    Jas hesitated at first, but with some encouragement, she eventually slid into the booth and a waiter quickly came up to them.


    "Want anything?" Ian asked.


    "No, it''s expensive here." Jas said as she carried a worried look. "I don''t want you making deals with the devil just to order me a drink."


    Ian couldn''t help but laugh at her concern.


    "Relax, the owner of the bar is someone I know. As a matter of fact, everything I order is on the house." Ian said with a wink.


    He noticed Jas glance at the waiter who simply nodded, confirming what Ian had said.


    They had been given specific instructions that whatever Ian and Camilla ordered would be free of charge.


    The serving staff also kept a close eye on the pair, making sure they were happy with the service. They didn''t want to get on the wrong side of their boss on the very first night.


    "Order me a drink then." Jas said as she crossed her arms on her chest, making Ian laugh.


    "A Margarita please." Ian told the waiter.


    "And for you, sir?" The waiter asked.


    "None, I''m driving." Ian said as he shook his head. He knew that he needed to sober up since he had to take Jas home tonight.


    Since she was currently dating someone, it would paint a bad image if she was seen leaving his place the next day.


    Once her drink was served, Jas quickly drank from it, worrying Ian.


    Jas was never good with her alcohol. Now he not only dreaded the conversation they were about to have, but the drive home after as well.

 Chapter 121 - 121

    "Who was she?" Jas asked as she placed the glass down. "Who was that woman that was rubbing against you at the bar?"


    "Someone that just came up to me." Ian said with a shrug.


    He wasn''t lying, she did just come up to him. He didn''t invite her over or encourage her to be in any way sexual towards him.


    "Bullshit!" Jas cursed.


    "Jas, calm down. I would never cheat on you." Ian tried his best to reassure her as he gently rubbed her shoulders. "I love you, Jas."


    "Do you really? Or are you just saying that because you''re afraid to lose me?" Jas asked as she glared at Ian.


    "Have I ever given you reason to doubt me Jas?" Ian asked.


    "No." Jas responded as she shook her head and sighed.


    "Jas, what are you doing here with me?" Ian asked as he finally let go of her. "If someone sees us it could mean trouble in your relationship with Mike." Ian told her.


    "Because I want to be with you. I''ve missed you." Jas confessed.


    "Why Mike, Jas?" Ian asked. "I know he is from a rich family, but he still isn''t at the level that your family normally asks you to date."


    "He''s the apprentice of the CEO of the Reyes Group, he has influence and people listen to him." Jas told Ian as she looked away.


    "Jas, that''s a lie. That''s the worst possible lie." Ian told Jas as he shook his head. "You know who I am at the Reyes Group, why didn''t you ask me?"


    "Because it doesn''t matter Ian!" Jas shouted, making Ian jump a little. "You might be the personal assistant to the CEO, but if no one knows then your word against Mike''s is worthless."


    "Jas, it''s not my choice to keep my role a secret. It''s part of my job." Ian desperately tried to explain.


    "And I''m not blaming you." Jas said as she tried to calm her temper. "Ian, I know you don''t have a choice and this isn''t your doing. But out there in the real world, Mike''s word holds more water than yours."


    "Jas, be careful." Ian warned.


    "Why? Mike is the top salesman in Krisanta Land, I doubt he is in any danger that can affect me." Jas said as she gave Ian a slight smile.


    "Mike already lies about being the CEO''s apprentice. He could be lying about more things." Ian said with a sigh as he struggled not to tell Jas about the actions the Reyes Group was taking against Mike and Armand.


    Ian trusted Jas. He trusted her with his life, he just didn''t want to risk her spilling the plans to Mike or anyone in her family that knew Mike.


    "Ian, I''m not going to take this relationship with him any further." Jas said as she cupped Ian''s face in her small hands. "I love you, my future is with you and you alone."


    "I love you too Jas, but you have to admit, our situation is an odd one." Ian said with a frown. "We''re together but your family keeps setting you up with men that they feel are more appropriate than me."


    "They can set me up, I can go on dates, but that will never change anything." Jas swore as she looked intensely in Ian''s eyes.


    She slowly lifted herself and sat on Ian''s lap.


    Ian wrapped his arm around her waist making sure she didn''t fall off of him. He could also feel something stirring in him, he was getting aroused by having his girlfriend sit on his lap in a bar.


    "You are the only man I will ever marry." Jas said as he planted a kiss on his lips. "You are the only man I have ever loved." She said as she kissed him again.


    Ian smiled at her as he adjusted her on his lap, making sure that she didn''t feel his arousal, but it was too late.


    He felt Jas rub herself against him, making him harder and turning him on even more.


    "I only do that for you." Jas said as he moved to kiss him, but Ian needed to be in control at this moment.


    He held the back of her head with one hand and pressed her lips onto his, savoring the sweet taste of her lips.


    Jas giggled as their lips parted, nipping at his lips playfully and wiggling on his lap.


    "You''ll need to fix this." Ian warned as he lowered his head onto her neck, trailing kisses and playfully sucking on it.


    "I missed this." Jas moaned, not caring that they were in a public place where others could hear her. "I missed you."


    "Well, I wasn''t the one running around with other men." Ian hissed as he playfully bit her earlobe making Jas laugh.


    "Yeah, you were running around with Camilla." Jas complained as she rolled her eyes at Ian.


    "I told you, I''m not attracted to her and she isn''t attracted to me." Ian said in an angry tone. He wasn''t happy that Jas was hostile to Camilla. He saw the woman as his friend, his ally, one of the few people that could understand his situation and dared to care.


    "Well it would have helped if you told me she was dating Seth." Jas complained.


    "Enough." Ian scolded as he captured her lips in his and let his hands trail to her sides, touching her and exploring her body.


    "Ian! Gross!" Camilla suddenly said as she, Seth, and Armand suddenly appeared next to them.


    "Get a room you two," Seth teased as Ian laughed in embarrassment. He didn''t expect for them to be back so soon.


    "We should go." Jas said as she moved back down to her seat and wiped her now smeared lipstick.


    "Yeah, I''ll take you home." Ian said as he pulled Jas out of the booth.


    He quickly said goodbye to Camilla, Seth, and Andre before finally leaving and making his way with Jas to his car.


    One of Seth''s men was waiting for them and tossed him his keys.


    "Thanks." Ian told the man.


    "Anything for a friend of the boss'' . Drive safe Mr. Lim." The man said with a slight bow as he left Ian and Jas alone.


    Ian helped Jas into his car before climbing in himself.


    As he drove towards Jas'' apartment, Jas suddenly placed a hand on his arm and spoke up.


    "Don''t take me home." Jas suddenly said.


    "Should I take you to your parents'' place?" Ian asked innocently.


    He knew that no matter how much he wanted to have her and be with her tonight it would be impossible. To the public she was dating Mike and her coming out of Solaire or his car tomorrow would lead to rumors that could harm the Ortega family.


    "No, I want to be with you. Take me to your place." Jas said, shaking her head surprising Ian.


    "Are you sure?" Ian asked. "What about Mike?"


    "Mike can go fuck himself, tonight I want you." Jas said in a desperate tone making Ian quickly change direction and drive them towards Solaire Towers.


    He didn''t need any additional coaxing, he wanted Jas and he craved for her. Her approval was more than enough.

 Chapter 122 - 122

    ---Warning: Sexual Content Ahead--- This is a bonus thanks to


    Whatwhatintheworld''s Massage Chair Gift.


    Gifting will get you guys a mass release if you gift either of my novels, a Spaceship or a Castle.


    ---------------


    The ride up in the elevator was awkward and filled with sexual tension.


    Ian wrapped his arms around Jas'' waist as he gently caressed her side, touching her all over, trailing his fingers over her breasts and rubbing his hardened member against her.


    Jas moaned as she gave Ian access to his neck, which he gently nibbled.


    "Ian, we''re in public." Jas said in a low tone as she blushed.


    "I don''t think the staff will mind." Ian whispered into her ear. "Don''t worry darling, we''re here."


    At Ian''s words the elevator door swung open he picked Jas up bridal style and pressed his lips onto hers.


    "Ian." Jas moaned as she gave Ian''s tongue entry into her lips.


    Ian kissed Jas passionately as he slammed her against his door, gripping her ass as she turned to wrap her legs around his waist.


    "Thirsty are we?" Ian said with a grin as he bit her lip and accessed his unit lock with his thumbprint.


    "I need you." Jas moaned as she pressed herself against Ian.


    "I missed this." Ian whispered into her ear as he kissed her neck, being careful not to leave a mark on her smooth neck.


    "I hate my family, they keep us apart." Jas hissed as Ian carried her up to the room, each step rubbing himself against her.


    "Jasmine, if you don''t stop that I will take you here and now." Ian hissed as he kissed her passionately.


    "Do I look like I care?" Jas asked, challenging Ian.


    Ian glared at her and ripped her top off, making Jas gasp.


    "That was designer!" Jas shouted, wide eyed in shock.


    "I''ll get you a new one." Ian replied as he pushed Jas against the wall, kissing every inch of her bare skin.


    "Ian." Jas moaned.


    "I will leave my mark all over you." Ian said. "I will make sure that no one can claim you as theirs but me." Ian whispered possesively as he left little love marks in almost every inch of her skin that could be hidden under a shirt.


    "Ian, someone will see!" Jas gasped as she felt him suck, nibble, and bite all over her body.


    "You better hide it better then." Ian said as he looked her in the eyes and took off her bra from her body. "This is mine, every inch of you is mine. Mike and all those men that want to be with you can go fuck themselves."


    "Yes, I''m yours." Jas moaned as Ian captured a nipple in his lips.


    He tugged and licked, making Jas cry out in pleasure. Ian had been with her for years, they had been together for so long that he knew everything that turned her on.


    Ian and Jas both had all of their firsts together, their first kiss, their first thought, and their first intercourse.


    Every moment they were together was just as pleasurable and just as satisfying as their first time. They loved each other with so much passion that it burned so strongly within them.


    "Ian, please." Jas begged.


    "No baby." Ian said with a deep laugh as he kissed her and trailed his hand up her leg, tracing his nail across her body. "We haven''t been together for so long baby, I want you to remember every moment. I want you to beg for release with every kiss and every touch."


    "Ian, I want you in me." Jas pleaded as Ian hooked his fingers on the band of her underwear.


    "What do you want, baby?" Ian asked as he retracted his hand and brushed it on the soft fabric that created a barrier between him and her opening.


    Jas simply moaned as his hand brushed against her.


    "Jas, use your words." Ian said as he looked her in the eyes.


    "I want you in me!" Jas screamed as Ian dipped a finger inside of her.


    "So wet baby." Ian told Jas as he kissed her on the lips, pumping a finger inside of her slowly and methodologically. Ian made sure to touch every inch of her inside, making Jas moan loudly onto his lips.


    "Ian, please, I need more." Jas begged.


    "Hmmmm, more?" Ian asked as he thrust another finger inside of Jas, making her scream out in pleasure.


    He began thrusting his fingers in her, slowly at first, but as her screams got louder, he moved faster and faster, adding another finger inside of Jas.


    Ian lifted his face from hers and trailed kisses down on her body, kissing every inch of Jas'' body. Claiming her as his again and again. Eventually his lips found its way to her dripping opening.


    It was clear that she wanted more and that she was ready to take him. But Ian wanted to remember this night forever.


    He began to lick her clit as he thrusted three fingers inside her wanting pussy.


    "Ian." Jas moaned as Ian continued his assault on her thirsty pussy.


    "Delicious." Ian said as he continued to lick her opening.


    "Ian, please." Jas begged as Ian continued to push her to her limit.


    With his free hand, Ian reached up and played with her breast. Squeezing it and running his fingers on her nipple. He pinched it and ran his thumb over her sensitive parts.


    "Ian!" Jas screamed as Ian felt her inside clutch onto his fingers as her scent flooded his nose.


    "Bad girl." Ian said with a laugh as he continued to finger Jas as he continued to finger her as she came.


    Feeling her orgasm subside, Ian released her and picked her up, carrying Jas to his room.


    "Don''t worry baby, this isn''t over." Ian said with a laugh as he kicked his door open and threw her face first on the bed.


    He lifted her skirt and tore off her panties, stiffing it and enjoying her musky scent.


    "So horny, baby." Ian said with a laugh as he placed her panties in Jas'' mouth.


    "We don''t want to wake up the neighbors." Ian said with a grin. He knew that there was no way that Camilla would hear them.


    The rooms at Solaire Towers were made so well that even an explosion in the other room wouldn''t be able to get through to the room next door.


    Ian lifted his hand and spanked Jas hard on her ass, making her yelp in the sudden pain.


    He watched as her pale skin turned red from his spank.


    As his hand came down, he brushed his hand on her pussy. Making her whimper, begging for more.


    "Such a lewd woman, you''re really a whore." Ian said with a chuckle as he spanked her again. This time, letting half of his finger into her pussy.


    Ian chuckled as Jas moaned and whimpered.


    "Whore." Ian hissed as he slapped her again this time, thrusting his finger into her fully.


    Ian could feel as her legs trembled in desire. She wanted him, she needed him, he knew that the moment his cock entered her pussy should explode in pleasure.


    "Jas, you aren''t allowed to cum unless I tell you to cum. Understood?" Ian asked, to which Jas nodded.


    "Who knew you could be a good girl?" Ian asked with a laugh as he slapped her again, inserting more than one finger into her pussy thrusting it multiple times.


    Ian laughed as he saw and felt how much Jas wanted him in her.


    "Do you want my cock, Jas?" Ian asked, to which Jas nodded vigorously.


    "I want to hear you beg for it." Ian said with a laugh as he took the panty off of her mouth.


    "Tell me Jas, what do you want?" Ian asked as he unbuckled his belt and slapped her ass again and thrusted his fingers into her once more and played with her clit, making Jas moan in pleasure.


    "I want you in me, I want your cock in me. I want you to spill your seed in me Ian." Jas begged.


    "Whore!" Ian shouted as he unzipped his pants and let it fall to his ankles. He placed his cock on her ass and spanked her hard on the ass.


    "Tell me, who''s whore are you?" Ian asked.


    "Yours, I''m your whore, I will be your whore forever." Jas moaned as Ian lubricated himself against her dripping pussy.


    "Good girl." Ian said as he placed his hand in front of her lips. "Taste how much of a whore you are Jas."


    On his command, Jas sucked on his fingers as she moaned as Ian rubbed his cock against her opening.


    Suddenly, Ian thrust his cock into her making Jas scream. Ian didn''t care, he knew she loved his cock.


    He pounded her as she came against his thick dick. He didn''t stop as she began to become sensitive against him.


    Jas gripped the sheets as Ian thrust into her non-stop.


    "I will not stop till I am satisfied." Ian hissed as he continued to fuck her.


    Jas moaned and eventually became aroused once more.


    "Such a whore!" Ian laughed as he felt himself coming close to his own climax.


    "Ian, more." Jas begged as Ian picked up his pace. "I want you to cum in me."


    "Are you sure baby?" Ian asked.


    "Yes." Jas said.


    WIth that Ian spilled his seed inside of Jas making her scream in pleasure as he spilled his seed in her.

 Chapter 123 - 123

    When Ian woke up, he felt Jas grip him tighter by the waist. He couldn''t help but smile. He missed this kind of intimacy between them, it had been way too long since they were last together this way.


    As he moved to take her arm off of his waist, Jas stirred and Ian''s phone began to ring.


    "It''s a Saturday morning." Jas groaned as she hugged Ian even tighter. "Who would be calling you so early on a Saturday morning?" She asked.


    "Work." Ian said with a laugh as he got up and searched the floor for his pants.


    Eventually he found them discarded in the corner with his phone ringing in the pocket.


    As he looked at who was calling he saw that it was Camilla, it was still thirty minutes before their self defence lessons. He found it odd that she would call so early.


    Ian knew that despite Jas thinking that Camilla and Seth were a couple, she wouldn''t be too happy to hear that Camilla had called him so early in the morning.


    So Ian put on some boxers and stepped out of the room before finally picking up the call.


    "I hope you weren''t too tired from last night''s activities." Camilla greeted him with a laugh.


    "Good morning to you too, Camilla." Ian groaned as he rolled his eyes. "I hope you didn''t call just to tease me."


    "Nah, I called to make sure you were awake." Camilla told Ian. "You can''t miss today''s training. It''s only our second session and you can''t be seen slacking off."


    "I don''t slack off Camilla. I''ll see you at the gym." Ian told her.


    "I guess I can''t have breakfast there." Camilla said in a sad tone.


    "You know that she''s insecure about you." Ian said with a sigh as he leaned against the wall, making sure that the door to his room was closed. He couldn''t afford having Jas hear his conversation with Camilla.


    As it stood their relationship was already on rocky ground.


    "I don''t understand why she would be jealous or insecure of me." Camilla said sadly.


    "Why don''t we talk about this later? We both need to get ready for training and I''ve got a sleeping girlfriend that will wonder why I''m gone for so long." Ian said with a frown.


    As much as he wanted to continue his conversation with Camilla, he needed to tell Jas that he would leave for training then be back right before she had to eat breakfast.


    "Wait, before that, do you think I could borrow clothes for Jas?" Ian asked.


    "I''m a bit bigger than Jas." Camilla said in a sad tone.


    "That''s fine, she just needs clothes to wear, maybe a dress?" Ian asked.


    "Sure. I''ll bring them over before we head down to the gym, is that fine with you?" Camilla asked as she waited over the phone for his reply.


    "Sure, just give me call and don''t ring the doorbell." Ian warned her.


    "Or I can just come into your place and leave it on your couch." Camilla pointed out.


    "No, I don''t want to risk Jas finding out that you have access to my unit." Ian explained to Camilla.


    "You''ll need to be honest with her at some point." Camilla warned. "We can''t keep pretending not to be friends or pretending that I''m dating Seth."


    "I just need to get through this bump in our relationship." Ian said with a sigh as he hoped that Camilla would understand him."


    "I understand. I''ll call you when I''m outside." Camilla told Ian. "Catch you later, bye." She told him in a happier tone as she dropped the call.


    Ian couldn''t help but laugh as he looked at his phone. He himself didn''t understand why he needed to keep his friendship with Camilla such a secret from Jas.


    It was obvious that as co-workers they would eventually become good friends, but Jas was just so insecure that she would try to attack Camilla if she got too close to Ian.


    He knew he needed to talk to Jas about this, he just needed to find the right time when they were in a better place.


    As he walked back into the room, he found Jas hugging his pillow as she peacefully slept.


    He walked into his closet and quickly changed into his workout clothes.


    When he stepped back out into his room, Jas was still sound asleep. As much as he didn''t want to wake her, he also didn''t want to startle her.


    He leaned in and kissed her cheek as he shook her awake.


    "Jas, darling." Ian whispered as he tried to wake her.


    Jas groaned and swatted him away. Ian laughed at her reaction as he shook his head and kissed her again.


    "Wake up my sleeping beauty, just for a moment." He told her in a tender tone.


    "What is it?" Jas asked as her eyes opened and she turned to face him.


    Ian smiled as he looked at her eyes, they were the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen and he loved the woman who had them.


    "Ian?" Jas asked, pulling him back from his thoughts.


    "Right, I forgot to tell you that every morning I have self-defense lessons with Camilla and Leon, one of the CEO''s bodyguards." Ian told Jas. "I''ll be gone for a bit, but I''ve borrowed some clothes from Camilla for you and the maids will cook any breakfast you want."


    "Oh." Jas said as she sat up.


    "You don''t need to get up, I''ll bring the clothes up." Ian told Jas. "I''ll also probably invite Camilla over for breakfast with us, I hope you don''t mind." Ian told her.


    "It''s okay, I guess." Jas said in a hesitant tone.


    "Jas, if you aren''t comfortable with it, I won''t invite Camilla. You are my priority, you will always be my priority." Ian swore to her.


    "It''s fine." Jas said as she shook her head. "Last night I realized that I was being unfair to Camilla. People can be friends without being romantically or sexually attracted. Plus she''s been nothing but nice to me." Jas said with a smile.


    "Perfect." Ian told her as he kissed her on the lips.


    "Oh, she''s there." Ian said as his phone began to ring. "I''ll be back with your clothes then I''ll leave for training. I love you Jas."


    "I love you, Ian." Jas said with a happy look on her face. "I wish I would wake up to you every day for the rest of our lives."


    "You won''t have to wait long, Jas. I''ll prove to your family that I can support you. Don''t worry, we will be together." Ian said as he closed the door to the room and headed down to meet Camilla.


    "I can see that you had a good night." Camilla teased as Ian opened the door for her and invited her in.


    "I had a very good night, so be jealous." Ian said with a laugh as Camilla handed him a dress and some sweats.


    "I just borrowed a dress." Ian said as he raised an eyebrow at Camilla.


    "You never know what she wants to wear." Camilla said with a shrug.


    "Thanks." Ian replied with a nod. "Jas also says thanks and she said she is sorry about reacting that way towards you." Ian said with a frown.


    "It''s fine, now shoo, go give that to Jas or else we will be late!" Camilla scolded as Ian ran back up to place the clothes in his room for Jas.

 Chapter 124 - 124

    Camilla noticed how Ian was in a much better mood during their morning training. It seemed that whatever issues he needed to settle with Jas had been fixed.


    It made Camilla happy since working with a partner that couldn''t focus could prove detrimental to them and their mission.


    "You seem to be in a much better mood." Camilla commented as Ian walked back to them after his session with the punching bag.


    "Last night and this morning fixed things in a way." Ian said with a grin as he grabbed a bottle of water and drank from it.


    "Last night?" Leon asked as he eyed Ian suspiciously.


    "He got laid." Camilla teased..


    She laughed as Ian''s face turned red, she was right, Ian had gotten laid the night before.


    "So sex cured your problem with Jas?" Camilla asked, turning an already awkward topic, worse.


    "No." Ian said as he glared at her. "We spoke this morning and last night I realized that she was just doing all of this for her family."


    Camilla frowned and shook her head. She didn''t want to say anything or meddle in her friend''s relationship. She knew it wasn''t her place, but she couldn''t help but worry about how clouded Ian''s judgment was when it came to Jas.


    "Aren''t you going to ask what we talked about?" Ian asked her.


    "Should I? I don''t think it''s my place to ask." Camilla pointed out.


    "I know you are worried." Ian said with a sigh. "It''s painted all over your face."


    "I''m worried, but I''m sure you can fix your own relationship, Ian." Camilla said.


    "Jas isn''t jealous or insecure of you anymore, by the way." Ian told Camilla. "She said she realized that people can be friends without any romantic feelings being attached."


    "That''s kind of obvious." Camilla said as she raised an eyebrow at Ian. "And why would she be jealous or insecure of me? If anyone should be jealous and insecure it should be me." She said with a sigh as  she returned her focus to the training at hand.


    "Camilla, Jas has never had to worry about sharing me with friends." Ian said with a sigh as he stood at the sidelines, watching as Camilla defended herself against several attacks Leon threw at her.


    "Don''t you think, it''s a bit unfair that she only stopped thinking of me as competition after she thought Seth and I were dating?" Camilla asked as she countered a punch, one that Leon was able to deflect.


    "Aren''t you going to scold her?" Ian asked Leon. "Tell her to focus or something?"


    "Nope, not really." Leon said with a laugh as he tackled Camilla. "In most fights you will be distracted, so this is good practice. You never know when another attack will come from another angle. Or if your enemy will use words to unhinge you."


    Ian shook his head in surrender.


    "My life has never been fair, Camilla." Ian said in an exhausted tone. "Sure, it all started good and happy, but as the years went by life went against me. I''m used to being at a disadvantage."


    "It''s time you stopped accepting being at a disadvantage, Ian." Camilla pointed out as she tried to kick Leon from his blind side.


    "She''s right, you know." Leon said as he caught Camilla''s leg and pushed her away. "You need to stop settling for the scraps people are handing to you and start taking what you deserve."


    "Whatever happened to being content with what the world handed to you?" Ian said with a laugh as he realized his friends were telling him to go against the most common advice he had heard over the years.


    "That was for the version of yourself that had nothing." Camilla told Ian. "And even then I think you should have at least picked your fights, challenged those that you could win."


    "I did." Ian said as he shook his head, remembering the times that he had to keep fighting.


    "Then, fight for Jas this time." Camilla pointed out. "You have the resources to give her a good life."


    "Will the Reyeses approve of me telling her family about our role?" Ian asked as he watched Camilla doge another attack from Leon.


    He was quite impressed with Camilla, he had seen how she had struggled at the start of their first day of training and now she was able to avoid, block, and counter attacks.


    "I think it would be best if you spoke to Mr. Reyes before telling her family." Leon advised. "There might be another way to show them you are capable without revealing who you are training to work for."


    Just as Leon finished what he was saying he landed a punch on Camilla that threw her to the other end of the mat.


    "That''s enough for today." Leon said as he walked up to the young woman and offered his hand to help her up.


    Camilla thanked him as she made sure nothing was injured or broken.


    "You should be fine. You fell properly and the punch wasn''t that hard." Leon said with a shrug.


    "Not hard? You threw her across the mat!" Ian pointed out.


    "It only seemed like I threw her far, but that was because she fell properly and she was trying to get away from another attack." Leon pointed out.


    "Oh." Ian said as he looked at Camilla who seemed to be alright.


    "You are both progressing quite well." Leon told Camilla and Ian with a nod. "I think Camilla can move on to strengthening herself soon and once she''s at least at an acceptable level, we can have intermediate lessons."


    "That''s not intermediate?!" Camilla asked in shock.


    "Of course not. That''s barely the basics." Leon said with a laugh. "Don''t forget who you will be protecting and how dangerous the people that might come after you will be. You will need to train your mind to assess the situation and decide between two things, protect the future CEO with your body, or help him escape."


    Ian and Camilla simply nodded as they both listened to Leon.


    "Ian, I highly suggest settling everything in your personal life." Leon pointed out. "I know that the training that you have ahead of you will be tough. There will be a lot of challenges and you will need all of your focus." Leon warned Ian.


    "We already know it''s not going to be easy, Leon." Camilla pointed out.


    Leon chuckled at the two of them.


    "Do you know who John is? Or how hard he has worked to prepare for his role in the future?" Leon asked.


    "No." Ian confessed. "I''ve been tempted to ask him about his past, but the opportunity never came up."


    "I suggest you ask." Leon advised. "People are not always as they seem. He might be an easy going guy to both of you, but trust me, he is much tougher than he seems."


    "He acts like a child sometimes." Camilla pointed out.


    "Just part of his charm. Don''t be afraid, ask." Leon said with a grin as he picked up his bag and bid them goodbye.


    "Now I want to ask Leon about his past too." Ian said, to which Camilla just nodded.

 Chapter 125 - 125

    Ian was surprised to hear laughing and chatter from the kitchen when he arrived back in his apartment.


    He followed the sound to find Jas smiling and laughing in the kitchen as she chatted with the staff.


    This caught Ian by surprise because he knew that Jas never spoke to the staff, even in her own home. It wasn''t because she was trying to be mean or aloof, it was just the way she had been brought up.


    "Jas." Ian said as he wrapped his arms around her waist as he tried to figure out why she was trying so hard to get on the good side of the people around him.


    "Oh, you''re back. And ewwwww, you are sweaty." Jas complained as she playfully swatted him away.


    Ian simply laughed and shook his head as he released her..


    "I''ll go up for a bath." Ian said with a nod.


    "Sir." The maid suddenly said, stopping Ian in his tracks. "Will Miss Camilla be having breakfast in her apartment or will she be joining you and Miss Jas?"


    Ian couldn''t help but smile. He was excited to finally have a meal with Camilla and Jas where Jas didn''t want to attack the other woman.


    "She''ll be joining us." Ian told the maid. "You know what she likes, right?" He asked.


    "Of course, sir." The maid said as she waited for Ian to leave before preparing breakfast.


    "Will you join me?" Ian asked with a sly grin as he looked back at Jas.


    "I already took a bath, and I''m still sore." Jas said as she blushed.


    Ian laughed and shook his head as he turned and went up to take a shower.


    As he took a bath, he couldn''t help but find it suspicious that Jas was speaking to his maids or that she didn''t want to take a bath with him. If last night was any indicator, she missed him as much as he did her.


    He found it oddly suspicious that Jas was behaving differently. He didn''t want to doubt her intentions, but he couldn''t help but think that she had an ulterior motive to all of her actions.


    As he turned off the shower, he heard a noise from his room. He decided to step out and switch it back on again.


    For a moment he questioned himself on why he was doing this instead of just calling out and asking who was outside.


    He quickly wrapped a towel around his waist and silently peaked through the small space between his bathroom door and the wall.


    Luckily he had left it slightly open and forgot to close it completely.


    Outside he could see as Jas walked around his room looking for something.


    As much as he wanted to trust her, the odd behavior she had recently made him question if he could trust her.


    At first he thought she was looking for something that she dropped. But what caught him by surprise was when she picked up his phone from the bed and instead of putting it away, she unlocked it.


    Ian never kept any secrets from Jas, as a matter of fact she knew all of his passwords and had access to all of his accounts.


    "Fuck, where is it?" Jas asked out loud as she scrolled through Ian''s phone as if she was searching for something in his messages.


    Ian was frozen where he stood. He didn''t know if he should confront her or just let her be.


    As Ian was about to make a move making his presence known, Jas suddenly cursed and sat down on the bed.


    "Could he have a separate phone for work?" She asked herself out loud. "He has to, it''s impossible that he doesn''t text or call his boss."


    With that Jas stood up once more and began to search the room.


    Ian glanced back as he spotted his phone in the bathroom. He had never felt so happy to have his work phone with him.


    For some reason he decided to go against his usual behavior and take it with him to the bathroom where it could get wet and break.


    He never thought that he would need to keep his things hidden from someone he had trusted and loved so much over the years.


    As he continued to watch Jas from the bathroom, he noticed her slowly getting frustrated as she threw the pillows and sheets everywhere.


    When she couldn''t find the phone on the bed, she began to attack his drawers.


    It seemed that she was still in the right mind, because she carefully piled his clothes in the same order they were arranged inside the drawer.


    As she pulled out each level she checked above and under, knocking on it to make sure that there were no hollow areas where Ian could keep the phone.


    When she found one, she smiled as if she had found her most prized possession which she had lost.


    But her smile soon turned into a frown as soon as she realized that the secret compartment was empty. Ian couldn''t help but smile since he didn''t even know that the compartment was there in the first place.


    Had he known, he would have probably stashed his phone there earlier thinking that it was a safe place.


    Ian found it odd that Jas knew where to look for hiding spots as she continued to check under tables and chairs, behind paintings and clocks, and at one point she even knocked on the wall.


    Ian knew she was probably looking for a hollowed out area in his room.


    He could feel his heart break as she continued to search for his phone, he never knew that the person he had trusted for the longest time would suddenly betray him.


    As he was deep in thought, Jas made her way towards the bathroom, catching Ian by surprise.


    He quickly took his phone, hid it, and jumped back in the shower, pretending not to know what she was doing outside.

 Chapter 126 - 126

    When Jas entered the bathroom, she pretended to be a concerned girlfriend lying to Ian.


    "Ian, I could hear a ringing sound in your room, but when I checked your phone no one was calling." Jas said innocently as she stood at the other side of the shower curtain.


    "Oh, that''s odd." Ian said as he tried to mask his anger and disappointment.


    Ian couldn''t believe that Jas was standing practically in front of him and lying to him just so that she could find his phone.


    "You sure my phone wasn''t ringing?" Ian asked.


    "No." Jas told him.


    Ian was so disappointed with how easily she lied to him. He couldn''t help but think about what else Jas had been lying to him about.


    "Do you have a phone for work?" Jas asked as she tried to appear as innocent as possible.


    Ian resisted the urge to pull back the shower curtain and confront her. They had known each other for so long, they had been together for years, how could she do this to him.


    Ian frowned and sighed as he turned off the shower.


    "I only have one phone Jas, you know I can''t afford to have more than one." Ian told her, sounding more hurt than he wanted to portray.


    "Oh, I thought the Reyes Group would have given you one of those custom numbers and unhackable phones since you work at such an important position." Jas said as she tried to praise Ian.


    The more Jas spoke, the angrier Ian got with her deceit. She was lying so flawlessly that he would have believed her if he hadn''t seen her in the act as she searched his room.


    "No Jas, I''m just an assistant." Ian said in a low tone. "I don''t get that kind of special treatment."


    Ian now placed up his guard against Jas, it hurt him that his girlfriend was lying to him and possibly using him for someone else.


    "That''s not so nice of them." Jas said in a small voice as she paced around the bathroom.


    Ian knew that she was now searching the bathroom, hoping that Ian had left his work phone in plain sight.


    "Jas, I''m going to step out now to get dressed." Ian warned her. "Do you mind stepping out?" He asked.


    "Oh, alright." Jas said as she moved to open the door.


    Ian watched as her silhouette suddenly stopped, making him worry that she would look where he had hidden the phone.


    "Do you want me to hand you your towel?" Jas asked as she reached for the towel above the toilet bowl.


    "Oh, um. . ." Ian hesitated as he prayed she didn''t accidentally make the phone sound.


    "Ian?" Jas asked as she began to be suspicious of Ian''s hesitation.


    "Yes, please hand me the towel, I was just worried that you might slip. You know I don''t like it when you get hurt." Ian quickly responded so that Jas wouldn''t have the chance to doubt him.


    Jas ignored his odd behavior and picked up the top most towel from the rack and handed it to Ian.


    "Thanks, I''ll meet you in the dining room. I''m sure Camilla will be over any minute now, you should go and try getting to know her." Ian said as he tried to get Jas out of his room so that he could warn Camilla.


    "Oh, alright. Don''t forget to brush your teeth and dry yourself well, you don''t want to get colds." Jas said as she slowly made her way out of the bathroom and towards his bedroom.


    Ian knew for a fact that she was trying to stall so that she could put his room back in order.


    He was going to give her enough time to fix things so that she wouldn''t suspect that he knew the truth.


    As soon as Ian heard the door close he dried himself and rushed to lock the door, he didn''t want to risk Jas walking in the bathroom as he fished out the phone and sent a message to Camilla.


    He could only hope that Camilla was still in her own apartment and hadn''t rushed over for breakfast.


    He lifted the lid to the toilet''s water tank, Ian was careful not to make a sound as he gently placed it down on the ground. Making a noise might alert Jas that he was hiding or moving something in the bathroom.


    As he placed his hand in, he felt around, looking for his work phone. It was a good thing that the phone the Reyes Group had given him was a waterproof one, making it easy to hide.


    He had been worried that Jas might push down on the toilet''s flush while she was reaching for the towel. That would have made his phone hit the insides of the tank alerting Jas that something was not supposed to be there.


    As he took out his phone he quickly dried it with his towel and switched it on.


    He had turned it off in case someone called.


    Ian made sure to flush the toilet then run the faucet to make sure any phone sounds would be drowned out by the sound of water flowing.


    He quickly sent a message and waited for a reply.


    It was a good thing that Camilla seemed to be holding her phone the moment he texted her because she immediately replied.


    All Ian said was that she should leave her work phone in her apartment and to refuse to tell Jas anything about work. He also told her that he needed to speak to her after work.


    Camilla didn''t ask any questions and simply agreed, telling him that she was headed to his apartment for breakfast in a few minutes.


    Ian knew that the timing would be perfect since it would make Jas leave his room.


    After finishing his conversation with Camilla he opened the bathroom door to find everything in order. He was impressed with how fast Jas moved, tidying up the mess she made.


    He was about to say something when the doorbell rang, telling them that Camilla was there.


    "I''ll see you downstairs." Jas said with a smile as she turned and left.

 Chapter 127 - 127

    Jas didn''t stay for long, as soon as they were done having breakfast she told Ian and Camilla that she had an urgent family matter and couldn''t be seen being dropped off by Ian.


    So instead Ian called for a cab. She didn''t want Ian accompanying her to the lobby either. Her excuse was that it was in case her family interrogated the driver.


    Ian simply nodded and agreed, as things stood he was already suspicious of Jas and didn''t want to spend more time than necessary with her.


    As she finally closed the door behind her Camilla gave Ian a suspicious look before finally asking him what was wrong.


    "You better start explaining, that''s your girlfriend and you asked me to lie to her." Camilla pointed out as a maid cleared the table.


    Ian and Camilla knew that the staff at Solaire Towers could be trusted, Leon himself had told them that he was the one that ran all the background checks.


    Everyone was clean and everyone had no ill intentions. Plus they were getting paid quite an impressive amount to serve and keep quiet.


    "I found Jas snooping around my room while I was in the shower." Ian said with a sigh as he shook his head.


    "So?" Camilla asked as she continued to look at him as if he had gone crazy.


    "You don''t understand." Ian said as he shook his head.


    "Don''t all girlfriends snoop around their boyfriend''s place, especially when said boyfriend has a hot female officemate living next door?" Camilla asked in a sarcastic tone as she laughed at Ian.


    "It''s not that." Ian hissed, he was already in a bad temper because of Jas, but Camilla kept pushing on his buttons making him angrier at her than he should be.


    "Calm down." Camilla told him as she rolled her eyes. "Then what? What is it?" She asked.


    "Jas wasn''t trying to find out if I was cheating on her. She was trying to get information about work." Ian said in a raised tone, catching Camilla by surprise.


    "What do you mean work? How do you know it was work information that she was after. You are doubting her too much." Camilla pointed out.


    Ian was starting to get frustrated with his partner. She was the one that pointed out that Jas shouldn''t be fake dating while they were still officially together, and now she was questioning how much he trusted Jas.


    "Okay, let me tell you what I saw and heard." Ian said with a sigh as he realized that he needed to tell Camilla the details.


    "I''m all ears." Camilla said with a nod as she leaned forward ready to listen.


    "My phone was on the bed, which she quickly found by the way." Ian explained.


    "Your personal phone?" Camilla asked to clarify.


    "Yes, not the work phone. For some reason I decided to take that one with me to the shower which I normally don''t do." Ian said. "She began scrolling through my phone and when she realized I had no work messages or emails there she got frustrated."


    "Oh. . ." Camilla reacted as she realized how Ian had found out that Jas was indeed looking for work related information.


    "Yeah, oh." Ian said with a chuckle as he saw how Camilla was embarrassed for thinking that Ian was over reacting.


    "So when she didn''t find it in your phone, what did she do next?" Camilla asked.


    "She searched my whole room, she opened all the closets, looked under everything!" Ian said as he raised his hands in disbelief. "As a matter of fact, she even found compartments that I didn''t know about."


    Camilla laughed at Ian''s story and his expression.


    "I don''t know if you should be mad or thankful." Camilla teased as she tried to calm Ian down and lighten the mood. She knew that they wouldn''t get anywhere if Ian was mad.


    "Of course I''m mad, anyway, when she couldn''t find it she went to me while I was taking a shower. She pretended to have heard a phone ringing and told me that it wasn''t my personal phone." Ian explained.


    "What did you tell her?" Camilla asked.


    "I told her that it might have been your phone." Ian said with a shrug.


    "How could my phone be heard in your room? The walls of this building are way too thick, especially on our floor." Camilla pointed out.


    "She doesn''t know that." Ian confessed.


    "Do you have any suspicions as to why she would try to find your work phone?" Camilla asked him.


    "Well, there are a lot of possibilities, I don''t want to think about them if we are being honest." Ian said with a frown. He hated the fact that he was now questioning his own girlfriend, but she gave him no choice.


    The fact that she was searching for something in his room already planted a seed of distrust in him. And when he found out that she was now using him because of his job made him furious, at the same time it also hurt him.


    He trusted her and now she was just using him.


    "How are you holding up?" Camilla asked as she gave him a concerned look.


    Ian couldn''t help but smile, he was thankful that he now had friends like Camilla, Seth, John, and Leon.


    He felt he could trust them even if he hadn''t known them for a long time yet.


    "To be honest, I''m in pain." Ian said as he confessed to Camilla how he felt. "But I have to protect the company''s interests first before I allow myself to fully feel that pain."


    "Ian, we both know the boss and Marco won''t accept this." Camilla reminded Ian. "You relax while I give Marco a call and tell him about your situation. Is there any particular reason she is most inclined to have for trying to get information about work from you?"


    Ian nodded, he had already thought about this, as much as he hated to admit it he may have caused his own relationship to crack.


    "What is it?" Camilla asked.


    "I warned her not to stay too close to Mike, I told her that she was treading on dangerous waters just by being around him and that caused a fight." Ian confessed.


    "Then we need to wrap this thing up with Mike before your girlfriend starts to get desperate." Camilla told Ian as she took out her phone and dialed Marco.


    "Stay, calm down, I''ll update you." Camilla said as she walked out of the dining room and into Ian''s office.

 Chapter 128 - 128

    Camilla entered Ian''s office, making sure to close the door behind her.


    She couldn''t help but be worried about him, after everything her friend had been through, life decided to throw him another curve ball.


    Camilla knew exactly what it was like to have the people you trust the most in the world betray you. Her own parents had left her, thinking she would starve to death or be killed.


    Luckily, the people who had rescued the older girl she was with showed her kindness rather than hate.


    They found her a home and even helped her get a good education.


    Camilla sighed as she dialed Marco''s number on her phone and waited for him to pick up.


    "Camilla?" Marco asked with a concerned tone. "Why are you using this number?" He asked her..


    "Something happened, it''s Ian." She said, her concern clear with the way she spoke.


    "Is he alright?" Marco asked.


    "Yes, but it''s something that has to do with his girlfriend." Camilla told Marco. "Do you know about her?"


    "Yes." Marco confirmed. "Jasmine Ortega, she comes from a well off family and she is one of his childhood friends. They''ve been together for at least four years."


    "Yeah, that one." Camilla said with a nod as she hesitated.


    What if she and Ian were simply assuming things? What if they had jumped too quickly into conclusions? What if Jas was just insecure about his relationship with his co-workers.


    "Camilla, why are you hesitating? You know better." Marco scolded. "Now tell me what''s bothering you."


    "Ian said that Jas was searching his room for his work phone." Camilla told Marco.


    "This sounds like a couple issue rather than a corporate one, Camilla." Marco warned.


    "No, Marco, that''s the thing. She  was specifically looking for his work phone and was looking for information about work." Camilla told the older assistant.


    "Camilla, I don''t understand how this is my concern." Marco hissed as his patience grew thin. "You know how valuable my weekends are."


    "Please, all you do is work, isn''t that why Marie won''t marry you." Camilla pointed out quite rudely angering Marco.


    "Young lady, if you do not behave I will be forced to call your uncles." Marco warned. "I know that you would die for them and their families but I will not hesitate to tell them how rude you have become."


    "You aren''t listening to me, Marco." Camilla complained. "We actually have reason to think that Ian''s girlfriend is involved in a plot against the Reyes family. Ian''s girlfriend is fake dating Mike, the same Mike we are working on catching."


    "Why didn''t you start with this?" Marco asked in an angry tone. "You should have started with this Camilla. We''ve wasted valuable time because you didn''t!"


    "Don''t scold me!" She answered back. "I''m not a child anymore!"


    "Fine." Marco grumbled as he calmed down. "Is there any reason for Jas to suspect that Ian knows something about Mike?"


    "Ian warned her last night about dating him, telling her that he was a liar and that his days were numbered." Camilla explained to Marco.


    "Fuck." Marco cursed. "The boy should have told us the moment he found out his girlfriend was dating Mike, even if it is all a ruse, there is still a risk that her loyalties might shift. Where is Ian now?"


    "In the dining room, I told him to calm down first. He was furious when we realized that she could have been trying to get information to help Mike." Camilla told Marco.


    "I''m not surprised that he is angry." Marco said with a sigh. "From what I know they have been friends for a really long time. I would be hurt too if a friend of mine betrayed me, much more if my long time girlfriend did while we were together."


    "Well he isn''t exactly handling it well, that''s why I was the one that called." Camilla told Marco.


    "Do you know where Jas is now?" Marco asked Camilla.


    "Yes, she told us that she had a family emergency and that she had to take a cab to where her parents were." Camilla explained.


    "Ian didn''t drop her off?" Marco asked as he already sensed something was off.


    "No, Ian was actually relieved that she didn''t let him. He would probably have gotten in a fight with her if he did." Camilla explained. "She decided to take a cab, she told us that if her family saw her with him, they would think she wasn''t taking this dating thing seriously."


    "Any chance Ian mentioned if that was normal behavior for her?" Marco further inquired.


    "No, but by the way he was reacting and the way Jas explained it, it seemed pretty normal for them." Camilla told Marco.


    Marco was silent for a moment as he thought of what to do next. He didn''t blame Ian for trying to warn Jas, it was only normal and the boy was just learning the ropes.


    He knew he would need to scold both Ian and Camilla, but that could wait, right now their priority was to make sure that Mike didn''t learn about Ian''s affiliation with the Reyes Family.


    Marco had negotiated with Emilio Reyes to let the boy tell his girlfriend, after all, he personally knew how much lies could damage a relationship.


    "Marco, are you still there?" Camilla asked as it had been a while since he had said a word.


    "Yeah, I was thinking." Marco said as the young woman''s voice pulled him back to reality. "The security team of Solaire Towers records all the details of cabs coming and leaving the building. Get those details and send them to me, I''ll have someone look into it."


    "Alright." Camilla said as she nodded.


    "Then I want you and Ian out of that apartment, have Leon do a sweep." Marco instructed. "We need to make sure that she didn''t plant any listening devices."


    "I doubt there were any in the kitchen. I guess it''s a good thing that''s where Ian and I spoke. The office is safe too since it seemed untouched when I came in." Camilla informed Marco.


    "Still, don''t be overconfident. Have all the rooms searched by Leon and his team." Marco told her.


    "I didn''t expect something like this to happen so soon." Marco said with a sigh. "Make sure Ian is in the right state, he can''t be losing control. He needs to practice that. I know he has a temper, but he needs to be beyond it."


    "Alright. I''ll keep you posted." Camilla told Marco as she dropped the call and quickly picked up the landline on Ian''s desk.


    She asked the security team to retrieve the plate number and to check if the guard on duty could recall where Jas was headed.


    They promised to take all the details up to her apartment where she planned to drag Ian while they waited for Leon to sweep the apartment.


    She also sent Leon a quick message, telling him about what they needed and asking him to come over as soon as possible with his team.


    It seemed that Marco had already given him a heads up, because as soon as Camilla made her way to the dining room to talk to Ian, Leon was already knocking on the door.


    Seeing as Ian was not in a good state, she let Leon in and led him to the dining room.


    "What''s Leon doing here?" Ian asked.


    "He''s going to sweep your apartment for bugs." Camilla explained as she grabbed Ian by the wrist and pulled him towards the door.


    "And where are we going?" He asked.


    "My apartment. I spoke to Marco, he is having people look into Jas and her family. Right now we need to be out of this apartment while Leon does his job." Camilla said as they exited the door.

 Chapter 129 - 129

    As soon as the security team of Solaire Towers was able to hand over the plate number of the taxi Jas had ridden, Camilla made sure to pass on the information to Marco.


    Ian had calmed down and was now drinking coffee in her living room as he tried to logically process what was going on with his girlfriend.


    "I can''t believe she did this." Ian said with a sigh as he heard Camilla approach.


    "It isn''t your fault." Camilla said as she tried to comfort Ian. "You aren''t to blame in any way."


    "I should have told Marco about Jas dating Mike." Ian said with a frown as he shook his head. "I thought this would be like all of her other fake dates. She would be with them for a month or two until a deal was made then she would tell her dad that she couldn''t be with that person.."


    Camilla sat down next to Ian and placed a hand on his shoulder as she tried to comfort him. She was at a loss for words, she didn''t know what to say or what Ian wanted to hear.


    All Camilla could do was to sit next to Ian and listen.


    "Things are different this time." Ian said as he looked at Camilla. "She never went as far as trying to help the person she was dating."


    "Ian, I don''t think you should be jumping into conclusions before we know the whole story." Camilla advised.


    She didn''t want Ian to hate Jas because of this. It was completely possible that their suspicions were wrong and that Jas was simply acting like a jealous girlfriend.


    "Tell me, Camilla, in what way could we be wrong?" Ian asked as he looked his partner in the eyes.


    "She was jealous." Camilla said.


    "If she was just jealous my personal phone would be enough, that''s where I message you anyway." Ian hissed.


    "She couldn''t know that." Camilla said with a frown.


    Just as Ian was about to argue back, the doorbell rang and Camilla stood up to check who it was. She hoped it would be Leon so that they could at least have some semblance of peace of mind with his news.


    Camilla opened the door and smiled when she saw that it was Leon.


    "I don''t think I have good news." Leon said in a low voice as he took a peek into  the room. "Is Ian alright?" He asked.


    "Well, not exactly, but come on in. The sooner we get over this, the better." Camilla told him as she held the door open.


    "Thanks." Leon said with a smile as he waved at Ian.


    Ian gave him a slight smile and nodded as he gestured for Leon to take a seat.


    A maid soon came out with refreshments for Leon before finally making herself scarce once more.


    "Please tell me you have good news." Ian said, practically pleading with Leon to tell him something good.


    "Unfortunately, I don''t." Leon told the pair as he placed a ziplock on the table.


    Inside the bag were several devices that Ian recognized as small voice recorders. He frowned as he looked at them.


    "Are we sure it was Jas that planted these?" Camilla asked as she wanted to give Ian''s girlfriend the benefit of the doubt.


    "Yes. We checked the living room camera and we saw her planting them there." Leon explained.


    "Where else did you find them?" Ian asked in an expressionless tone, making Camilla worry. She had no idea what was running through Ian''s head right now and that was dangerous.


    "Just in the living room and the bedroom, I don''t think she had the opportunity to plant it in other places in the apartment." Leon explained. "From what we saw, she was never alone in the kitchen. The staff are trained never to leave the kitchen if there is another person aside from the owner."


    "And my office?" Ian asked, he knew that if Jas had planted listening devices there, it may have picked something up from when Camilla was speaking to Marco.


    "I don''t think she knew that that room was your office, she completely ignored it." Leon said. "We checked all the rooms and those two rooms were the only ones with listening devices."


    "This was premeditated." Ian said with a frown as he realized that Jas couldn''t have done this if it wasn''t planned.


    "It was." Leon said with a nod. "I''m sorry Ian, I know she''s your girlfriend, but she planned this."


    "So meeting her last night at Hype was not an accident?" Camilla asked as she gave Ian a concerned look.


    She knew that Ian had been hopeful that things would improve between them because of how things had gone last night, but now it seemed to take a turn for the worst.


    "Do you think Mike could be behind this?" Camilla asked as Ian remained unresponsive.


    She assumed that he was thinking of a reason, any reason for Jas to do what she had done.


    "It''s not impossible." Ian said with a frown. "But why would he have her bug my apartment, he doesn''t know who we really are."


    "Jas could have told him." Leon suggested.


    "I doubt it." Ian said as he shook his head. "If Jas had told him then he wouldn''t have plotted to frame me and he would have started being careful around Jake and our other teammates. Nothing has changed in the way he acts."


    "It''s Marco." Camilla said as she showed her phone to the two men before picking up the call.


    "He must have already found her." Leon pointed out. "Marco''s people are very effective, not to worry, we are building our own team too to add to their skill set."


    Ian and Camilla were quite confused with what Leon told them so they both decided to simply brush it off and focus on the matter at hand.


    Camilla focused on speaking to Marco, while Ian continued to think about how foolish he was to think that Jas would risk being seen with him just to spend the night.


    "I hope Marco has had much better progress than us." Ian said as he heard Camilla say hello. "Because if we simply rely on what we have found, it doesn''t make sense at all."


    "Ian, she''s with Mike." Camilla revealed as she gave Ian a concerned look.

 Chapter 130 - 130

    "The listening devices -?" Ian began to ask, but Leon seemed to be psychic as he shook his head.


    The bodyguard seemed to know what Ian was about to ask.


    "They can''t transmit the recordings remotely." He told Ian. "I think Jas was planning on coming back to your apartment to collect them."


    "If that''s the case, she''ll probably ask to spend the night again." Ian said with a frown.


    "Tell her she can''t tonight." Camilla suggested. "I know you aren''t ready to confront her, I wouldn''t be if someone did to me what she is doing to you."


    "Won''t she find it suspicious?" Ian asked Camilla.


    "Not if you tell her you have to work. I''m sure she will insist on coming over, so just tell her that Marco will be in your apartment since that''s where we all decided to meet up." Camilla explained as she thought of an excuse for Ian.


    "Wow, women''s minds." Leon said as he shook his head. "I would never have thought of an excuse that quickly."


    "It''s because you are single." Camilla teased.


    "We need to update Marco on everything we found." Leon said in a much more serious tone this time around.


    "I''ll give him a call and ask if we should come over." Ian said.


    "I doubt he will want to deal with this today." Leon said as he shook his head.


    "Why would he want to delay this?" Camilla asked. "Isn''t this important? I mean if Jas knows who Ian is to the Reyes Group and she warns Mike, then our plan is in danger."


    Camilla was worried about Jas betraying Ian even more. She knew that if Jas could plant listening devices in Ian''s apartment then she could easily tell Mike about Ian''s true role in the company.


    "She won''t." Ian said as he lifted his head and looked at his companions. "She can''t prove it. She needed my phone or the recordings to prove to Mike that we aren''t just ordinary employees. Without the evidence it''s useless to tell him. He wouldn''t believe her."


    "So we just wait?" Camilla asked as she carried a worried look on her face.


    Ian nodded in response.


    "Since things will speed up on monday we just need to be patient and wait it out." Ian told Camilla.


    "You should still tell Marco, just in case he has other plans." Leon suggested. "Plus I think he is having people listen in on whatever conversation Mike and Jas may be having. It''s what Marco normally has his people do."


    "Alright." Ian said with a nod as he took out his phone and took a deep breath.


    "You alright?" Camilla asked as she sensed his hesitation.


    "I just feel guilty." Ian said with a frown as he dropped his head and closed his eyes. "If I had told Marco that Jas was fake dating Mike we could have avoided all of this. Then I messed it up even more by sleeping with her last night."


    "I think you did more than sleep." Leon said with a laugh.


    "Leon!" Camilla scolded.


    "What? They are adults, that''s normal. I''m not judging him." Leon said with a shrug.


    "Ian, don''t worry. It''s done." Camilla said. "I''m sure Marco will understand, you already made a big sacrifice for the Reyes Group, he should cut you some slack."


    "Yeah, and that sacrifice almost became worthless!" Ian shouted in his frustration.


    He wasn''t frustrated with Marco or Camilla or Leon, he was frustrated with himself. Ever since his family lost everything he learned to put up his walls, to never trust anyone.


    Anyone, but Jas and Damien.


    Ian''s heart broke as he realized that all those years together became worthless in the face of wealth and prestige.


    It was clear that Jas was doing this for her family, so that she could seemingly be with someone that was important. But everything that made Mike seem like a rich, powerful, and important person in the future was all a lie.


    Lies he had fabricated on the backs of the employees of the Reyes Group whose names he had smeared and careers he had ruined.


    "Ian." Camilla said in a worried tone as she reached out to him, pulling him back from his thoughts.


    "I''m fine." Ian said as he shook his head.


    "Just give Marco a call." Leon told him. "What''s done is done." He said with a nod as he urged Ian to call the older assistant.


    Ian took a deep breath and called Marco.


    It didn''t take long for Marco to answer, it seemed that he had actually been waiting for Ian to give him a call.


    "Finally." Marco said in a relieved tone. "How are you holding up?"


    Marco was clearly worried about Ian based on the tone of his voice alone, this puzzled Ian since he had made a mess.


    "Shouldn''t you be mad?" Ian asked Marco.


    "You are only human." Marco said with a sigh. "We already know that you are loyal, we never questioned that. You loved someone and that person betrayed you, we should be worried about how you are holding up."


    "Oh." Ian said, at a loss for words with concern everyone was showing him.


    He wasn''t as alone as he thought.


    "I don''t know how to feel." Ian admitted. "I''m hurt and pissed."


    "You want blood." Marco said finding the words Ian was looking for.


    "Yes." Ian admitted.


    "You''ll get it soon." Marco told Ian. "Right now my men are following Mike and Jas. It seems that they are only trying to close a deal between Jas'' family and his."


    "A business deal?" Ian asked, he knew that a deal could be marriage.


    "Yes, just business, no engagement or anything." Marco told Ian.


    As much as he wanted to let her go, he just couldn''t do it so quickly. He knew it would take time, and that was something he was willing to work with.


    "Ian, on Monday we will have Mike in our grasp, have faith that the Reyes Family and the Reyes Group will never abandon you." Marco said as he tried to comfort Ian.


    "I know, till Monday then. Thank you." Ian said with a nod.


    "So why did you call?" Marco asked Ian.


    "We just wanted to give you an update on what we found in my apartment." Ian informed him. "She planted listening devices all over my living room and bedroom."


    "Were they transmitting the whole time?" Marco asked.


    "No, she needs to retrieve them personally to get the files on them." Ian explained.


    "Don''t let her into your apartment until we have Mike and Armand in custody. Can you do that?" Marco asked.


    "Yes, Camilla already gave me an excuse." Ian told Marco.


    "Good." Marco said. "Did Leon sweep the lobby too?"


    Ian relayed Marco''s message, to which Leon simply nodded.


    "He did." Ian confirmed.


    "Very efficient." Marco said with a chuckle. "If that''s all, I think you should rest till Monday, you''ve had a very busy morning."


    "Thank you, Marco." Ian told him.


    "And Ian, I know it looks bad now, but you might also want to wait before you pass judgement on Jas." Marco advised.


    "As much as I would like to do that, she hurt me too much." Ian confessed.


    "I understand, I''ll see you on Monday then." Marco told Ian as he dropped the call, leaving Ian to think about his parting words.

 Chapter 131 - 131

    As everyone expected, that same night, Jas called Ian up asking to spend the night.


    "Ian, I got into a fight with my parents because of you." Jas said in between sobs as Ian told her that she couldn''t come over. "Ian, will you really not let me stay at your place tonight? My parents kicked me out because I defended our relationship."


    Ian fisted his hands, he was disappointed in the fact that Jas would use their relationship as an excuse for coming over.


    "Jas, Marco is here. My boss is here and we are working." Ian said as he gave the planned explanation. "I really can''t have you come over."


    "Your boss doesn''t even need to know that I''m there." Jas begged.. "I will be quiet, you won''t even know that I''m there."  Jas said.


    "Jas, you can''t come over." Ian said in a stern tone.


    "Then what am I supposed to do? I can''t go home, my parents told the guards at my apartment not to let me in!" Jas shouted. "They wanted me to know what life with you would be like without me being able to call on to them for help."


    "Jas, I don''t think your family would willingly kick you out like that." Ian said with a sigh.


    "What do you know!?" Jas screamed. "You have lived your whole life relying on the patronage of my family!" She accused.


    "I can''t believe you are saying that." Ian said as he tried to remain calm. "Jas, I never asked for anything. Your family offered and I always declined. You know that I''ve always wanted to make my own way in the world, why are you accusing me like that?"


    Ian was in disbelief, he never expected Jas to say such hurtful things. It was as if she had transformed into a person he barely knew.


    "Really, Ian? Really?" Jas asked. "When my father helped you get an interview at Island''s Inc. you decided to insult the man that would be your boss and put my father to shame. You are ungrateful!"


    "Jas, I think you need to calm down." Ian said as he took a deep breath. "Clearly you are emotional. Why don''t I book you a room at Maharlika Hotel and you can spend the night there?" He suggested.


    "What the hell, Ian?!" She asked angrily. "I''m not some mistress that can be stashed away in a hotel."


    "I never said  you were, Jas." Ian told her as he pinched the space between his eyes. "I was just thinking that staying in the nicest hotel in the country would be a good idea."


    "Well it isn''t and you aren''t helping!" She shouted.


    "Jas, I''m only thinking of what is the best option for us right now." Ian said with a sigh as he paced back and forth in the room. "I can''t have you here right now. I need to focus and my boss said we can''t have anyone over. We are talking about some very confidential things."


    "Confidential?" Jas asked, as she seemingly calmed down, giving Ian an idea.


    "Yeah, we''re ummm. . . sprawled out in the living room." Ian explained as he thought of a reason why they would be in the living room or his bedroom, places where she had planted her listening devices.


    "Why?" Jas asked.


    "There are so many documents and they are all CEO level confidential information. It''s just everywhere." Ian pretended to complain. "Marco has even taken over my bedroom for the night since we are predicting that we will be working until tomorrow." He explained.


    "That would be embarrassing if I walked in there and went straight to your room to find your boss there." Jas said as Ian could sense the gears turning in her head.


    "Embarrassing and awkward." Ian said as he agreed with her. "Imagine if you walked in there while he was speaking to the CEO or some high ranking official of the Reyes Group."


    Ian glared at Camilla who was seated on the couch as she tried to stop herself from laughing at him.


    "Right, right. That would be bad." Jas said.


    "So, why don''t you let me book you a room at Maharlika Hotel?" He offered again. "I promise to visit you as soon as I get a break from work. I will also pay for your hotel and have them send you your favorite food. What do you think?" He asked.


    Ian hoped that she would agree, he really didn''t want to have to ask the receptionist and guards to stop Jas from coming up or even entering the building. But if that was what it would take, he was willing to do it.


    "I guess that would be for the best." Jas finally said over the phone.


    "Yes, love, for the best." Ian said with a nod as he gave Camilla a victorious smile. "I promise to visit you if we get a break, but I hope you understand that I might be very busy until Monday. We have something big coming up in the Reyes Group."


    "Yes, yes, of course." Jas said over the phone, as she completely shifted her tune. She was now the understanding girlfriend that was more than happy to let her boyfriend work.


    Ian knew that she was only agreeing because she thought she would be able to get more information.


    That''s why he told her they were working in places where she had set up her listening devices. He needed her to think that not coming over would benefit her.


    "But Ian, I really miss you." Jas said in a sweet voice. "And last night reminded me of how much I need you." She added in a seductive tone.


    "What are you suggesting?" Ian asked as he cleared his throat, pretending to have been caught off guard by Jas.


    He knew that she would still need a reason to come over, so he wasn''t surprised when she began to say something related to the steamy night they had.


    "Well, maybe we can grab dinner at a restaurant, then I can give you a massage in the bathtub with nothing on." She said in the most seductive tone she could muster.


    Ian wanted to laugh as he heard how hard she was trying.


    "Oh, baby, you know I missed you too." Ian responded in a deep tone. "We can have dinner after and let''s see where it takes us." He said quite suggestively.


    "I know where it will take you." Jas responded.


    "Monday night then?" Ian asked as he badly wanted to end the call.


    "Yes. I''ll see you then. I love you." She told him as Ian ended the call.


    "And the best actor award goes to Ian Lim!" Camilla teased as she laughed at the act Ian had just pulled off.


    "Thank you." Ian said with a wink as he played along. "I was so worried that she wouldn''t give in." He said with a sigh.


    "To be honest, I wanted to march over to wherever she is now and punch her the moment I heard that she was using your relationship with her as an excuse!" Camilla said as her smile turned into a serious expression.


    "Yeah, I didn''t appreciate that." Ian confessed.


    "Please, you should be furious!" Camilla told Ian. "She is using your relationship when she is clearly using you to help someone else. Someone she claims to be in a fake relationship with!"


    "I''m at a loss for words with how disappointed I am with her." Ian told Camilla as he sat down on the couch right next to her.


    "Well I''m mad at her for you." Camilla said, making Ian laugh.


    He was happy with how protective Camilla was over him. He felt the same way, he knew he would do everything and anything to get justice for Camilla if anyone dared hurt her.


    In all honesty it confused him that he wasn''t attracted to Camilla the way most men were. She was beautiful, smart, strong, and funny, but to him she was just like a sister and nothing more.


    "Earth to Ian, where are you?" Camilla asked as she knocked on his head.


    "I''m here, I''m here. Just thinking about stuff." He said with a sigh as he sat up.


    "You shouldn''t worry too much anymore." Camilla told Ian with a smile.


    "What do you mean?" Ian asked as he gave her a confused look.


    "Wow you are really lost." Camilla teased. "I meant with the whole Jas and Mike issue, come Monday, when we finally catch Mike and Armand red handed, you can confront Jas."


    Ian simply nodded.


    "Something is bothering you." Camilla said.


    "Marco said something to me that kind of stuck and confused me." Ian admitted.


    "What was it?" Camilla asked. "Maybe I can help."


    "Marco told me that I should wait till I can really talk to Jas and ask her why she did these things. That I should give her the benefit of the doubt and not jump into conclusions." Ian told Camilla as he recounted his conversation with Marco.


    "The wisdom of the old." Camilla said in a pensive tone. "Who know, may be she had a good reason for betraying you?"


    "What ever is a good reason for betraying someone? After this, I''m ending it. She isn''t worth my time or my energy." Ian said in a devastated tone.


    "Just wait till you get to talk to her, Marco has a point, but that doesn''t mean you need to do exactly what he says. It''s still your choice." Camilla advised Ian.


    "Why does Monday seem to be such a long way away?" Ian said as he shook his head.


    "Hey, we normally hate Mondays! Now we have a reason to look forward to it." Camilla said with a chuckle, making Ian simply shake his head at her attempt at a joke.

 Chapter 132 - 132

    An uneventful Sunday was exactly what Ian needed.


    He was finally able to relax and unwind, he felt like a completely different person as they went back to the office.


    A day of doing barely anything was exactly what the doctor ordered.


    They came back to the office on Monday, fully refreshed as Ian attacked his remaining work before they needed to head down to Krisanta Land''s office.


    "Feeling better?" Marco asked Ian as he passed by the younger assistant''s office.


    "Yeah, much." Ian replied with a nod. "I just needed to relax and watch some shows over the weekend and I feel like a whole different person!"


    "Are you ready?" Marco asked. "The real work begins today.."


    "It''s just acting." Ian said with a shrug. "I can manage, don''t worry."


    "Good, good." Marco commented. "We will be here with the team, watching and tracing everything."


    "Are we sure that the Juan family will stick to their end of the bargain?" Ian asked.


    "They fear the Reyes Group and the Reyes family too much." Marco told Ian. "As it stands, even just using Jake will scare them. So I doubt they would dare betray us. Did something happen to make you think they might turn on us?"


    "No, it''s just I have a lot of trust issues right now." Ian confessed to Marco.


    "Ah, yes." Marco said with a nod as he took a step into Ian''s office. "The key is not to let your guard down, but to learn how to tell who is truthful from who is not. This job will attract people who want to use you. The sooner you realize that, the better."


    Ian simply nodded as he thought about the advice Marco had just given him.


    "Well, last ten minutes before you and Camilla need to head down, better finish all of that." Marco said with a laugh as he pointed at the stack of documents on Ian''s desk and left.


    Ian shook his head and smiled. He knew that the older assistant had almost ten times the workload he and Camilla were handed.


    Right now their only task was to learn and help with matters like that of Mike and Armand.


    Ian couldn''t help but wonder what life would be like under his future boss. He had met a lot of young rich future heirs, and in all honesty they were all huge disappointments.


    They were boys that became men without truly appreciating what they were about to inherit. They were so out of touch from reality that Ian was sure that if their companies didn''t fold in their generation, it would in the next.


    Ian focused on work while he waited for time to pass. He was thankful that he had his own office and that there were no outside disturbances.


    "Ready?" Camilla asked as she carried her bag on one shoulder and held her laptop in the other.


    "Yeah." Ian said with a nod.


    He was glad that he had made friends like Camilla, John, and Leon.


    By some miracle Leon had nothing to do on Sunday night, so the three of them decided to keep Ian company while he tried to cope with what Jas had done.


    It was nice being around people that weren''t constantly asking how he was. They were just there, having fun with him.


    "Yeah, I just need to put everything aside." Ian said with a nod as he filed all the documents left on his table in the correct folders and closed his laptop, stashing it away.


    Today they would be using a different one. It had been set up to record if anyone opened the laptop while he was away from his desk, as well as to trace all deleted emails, sending all the information over to Marco and the others.


    All he needed to do was to provide Mike with an opportunity to send the email with his laptop, without making it seem too easy.


    "So you are meeting with Jas tonight?" Camilla asked as they made their way down the hall of the CEO''s floor towards the elevator.


    "If we settle this whole Mike issue, yes." Ian said with a nod.


    "A big part of me is hoping that she didn''t have a choice, that Mike made her do this." Camilla told Ian.


    "Even if he did, I can''t believe that she would choose to help him and betray me." Ian said as he shook his head. "What she did was inexcusable."


    "You''re right." Camilla said with a sigh as she nodded.


    A huge part of her wanted to remain hopeful for Ian. Her family that had betrayed her, had betrayed her completely.


    She simply wasn''t their favorite child so they left her, abandoned her, willingly let a child almost die.


    The end that they met was sad, but it was what they deserved and nothing less.


    When they finally made it to the floor of Krisanta Land''s office, Mike was the first person to greet them when they entered the hall.


    "So, how was your weekend?" Mike asked with a grin as they were soon joined by Seth who gave the pair a silent knowing smile.


    He had arranged for someone to become an excuse for the police to search both Mike and Armand''s homes respectively. They were all simply waiting for Ian''s signal before they could act.


    "Relaxing." Camilla responded with a smile. She knew that Ian was not in the mood to respond.


    "Yeah." Ian said, giving his curt reply.


    "Well, Armand wanted to start the meeting as soon as possible, he''s been waiting for everyone to arrive." Mike told them as their group approached their assigned desks.


    "Right, I guess everyone should be here soon." Camilla commented with a smile.


    "I don''t think I''ve ever asked you guys where you grew up." Mike said, making Ian steal a glance at Camilla.


    They knew that there was a possibility that Mike would try to trick Ian into giving him the answers to Ian''s security questions. They had no plans on giving it up so easily, it would be way too obvious.


    "Why the sudden interest in our personal lives?" Ian asked in an annoyed tone.


    "I just thought since we are all friends we should get to know each other. Like I am capital born and bred." Mike proudly told them.


    "Same." Ian said with a nod.


    "I grew up on the outskirts of the capital, but I was born in one of the provinces up north." Camilla shared.


    "See, we are getting to know each other better." Mike said proudly.


    He proceeded to ask them several questions, some of which Ian refused to answer.


    "I need to send some emails." Ian commented as he set up the laptop while Camilla and Seth continued to speak to Mike.


    Camilla noticed that Mike kept glancing at Ian, clearly trying to figure out how to access Ian''s laptop.


    "Meeting time!" Jake announced as he approached his team, waving them over.


    Ian promptly got up, not even locking his laptop. Most employees didn''t lock their laptops anyway.


    He caught the smile on Mike''s face as the other man realized how easy it would be to send a fake email using Ian''s unattended laptop.

 Chapter 133 - 133

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    "Is it done?" Jake asked Ian as they walked away from Mike.


    He told them that he would follow since he needed to use the restroom first. Ian and Jake already knew that Mike was staying behind to send the email.


    "It shouldn''t take him that long." Ian said with a laugh. "I mean I didn''t even lock the laptop and my email is still open."


    "I informed Marco and the others before calling you over." Jake told Ian.


    "My men are ready too, and the police have been informed." Seth added as they entered the meeting room where the other members of the sales team were waiting for the meeting to begin.


    Ian''s group was the last to arrive and everyone had already gathered.


    Armand greeted them and began the meeting.


    Ian couldn''t help but keep glancing at the door and at his phone.


    He was waiting for Mike to join the group or for Marco to tell them that Mike had been taken into custody.


    Five minutes passed, then ten, then thirty. Ian noticed as Armand was also getting anxious. Clearly things were not going as they had planned.


    Armand looked at Ian, he must have sensed that something was off with the young employee.


    "Mr. Armand?" The sales manager that was reporting called out to him. "Sir?"


    Armand continued to look at Ian while Ian ignored him and pretended to have a conversation with Jake.


    "How much longer do you think this will take?" Ian asked Jake.


    "I''m not sure, but it''s taking longer than I expected. Didn''t Seth update you on anything?" Jake asked as he nodded towards Ian''s phone.


    Ian hadn''t checked it in a while, so when he did unlock it, he was surprised to find that Seth and Marco had both left him a message.


    The first one he opened was the one coming from Marco.


    Marco: Try to stall, Seth''s men found something, we need to know more.


    "Marco said to stall, they need time." Ian said as he relayed the message to Jake.


    Jake simply nodded before he taking a step forward as he began to complain that someone had been sabotaging his team, taking their clients.


    Ian wanted to laugh at how dramatic Jake was getting. He was drawing the attention to him as he tried to get Armand to stop looking for Mike.


    It seemed to work as Armand''s attention shifted back to Jake and to the meeting instead of on Ian and the meeting room door.


    Ian turned his attention back to his phone, checking his message from Seth.


    Seth: Ian we found something, and I don''t thing you will like it. I had someone take Mike into custody. My people are still investigating the matter. It was a good thing that there were a lot of police at the scene. Mike and Armand might be guilty of something worse than just corporate espionage.


    Ian was stunned by Seth''s message. It seemed that they had stumbled on something serious in Mike''s or Armand''s place, and that worried Ian.


    Jake was able to keep everyone distracted for ten minutes, before the doors burst open and the CEO, Emilio Reyes III, entered the room followed by Marco.


    Everyone was clearly shocked that he was there. The CEO rarely went down to join their meetings and for some this was the first time they were seeing him in person.


    Emilio Reyes was an intimidating man, just standing in his presence was enough to make a person quiver.


    Armand was shocked but he still placed his best foot forward as he rushed up to the CEO.


    "Mr. Reyes, to what do we owe this honor. You never join our meetings." Armand said as he approached.


    "Take him into custody." Emilio Reyes ordered Marco, who with a snap of a finger had several security guards grab Armand.


    "Sir, what is the meaning of this?" Armand asked as his face reflected the fear he felt. He knew he had done something wrong, he just never thought he would be caught or punished.


    "Really, Armand? You''re asking that question?" Jake said with a laugh.


    "What did you do?!" Armand asked as he glared at Jake.


    "May I?" Emilio Reyes asked Jake, stunning everyone in the room.


    "Of course, Uncle." Jake said with a grin, making Armand turn pale.


    "Ah, you''ve realized that you messed with the wrong person." Emilio Reyes told the man. "Jake isn''t a Reyes, but our families go way back. As a matter of fact, my wife is his godmother. Have you never heard of the Laurel family?"


    "No." Ian heard Fred, one of Jake''s team members say with a gasp. It was clear that they were aware of who the Laurel''s were, just not that Jake was related to them.


    "Jake is the heir to the Laurel family. He is here to learn, and we got lucky that you decided to cross him, leading us to discover that you have had so many employees fired just so that you and Mike could reap the benefits." Emilio Reyes revealed.


    Some employees were shocked, while others seemed to have known what was happening.


    "Take him away." Emilio Reyes ordered as Armand was dragged out of the meeting room, kicking and screaming.

 Chapter 134 - 134

    As soon as Armand was taken from the meeting room, the room went silent.


    No one was sure what to do or say next. The CEO was still there with his assistant and some bodyguards.


    "I want you all to take the rest of the day off." Emilio Reyes announced.


    Everyone in the room remained silent as they simply nodded, acknowledging what he had said.


    "I know you all have questions you are too afraid to ask." Emilio Reyes said with a sigh as he walked over to the head of the table, where Armand''s seat was.


    He looked at it and sat down, showing the employees that he was there to stay to talk to them.


    Despite this gesture of his, everyone was too afraid to speak up or ask a question. Ian knew that if Jake were to say something it would looked planned and unauthentic.


    There was an eerie silence that now took over the whole room as Ian could sense how nervous the members of the sales department were as their CEO sat before them.


    Deciding to take the lead, Ian spoke up.


    "What did Armand do?" Ian asked, pretending to be unaware of what was happening.


    He watched as Emilio Reyes'' lips curled into a smile. It seemed the CEO was glad that he had decided to break the ice and ask a question.


    "According to what we have found, Armand and another colleague of yours, Mike, have been targeting certain employees, taking their clients, and taking money from those clients." Emilio Reyes informed them.


    "It happened to me, sir." One employee suddenly said, speaking out.


    "The Reyes Family apologies for what you had to suffer in Armand''s and Mike''s hands. I have also been made aware that Mike has been claiming to be my apprentice. I would like to tell all of you that that is a lie." Emilio Reyes told the employees, causing them to whisper among themselves.


    When Emilio Reyes announced that Mike was involved in the matter, Ian  already knew that the other employees already had guessed that Mike was lying about being the CEO''s apprentice.


    But still, they chose to remain silent in case they were wrong.


    "I have three apprentices, and none of them is named Mike." The CEO added, surprising everyone including Ian and Camilla. This was news to even them.


    "The first one is my own son. I am grooming him to take over someday and he needs to have the right tools and the right perception of reality to be able to run the Reyes Group." Emilio Reyes explained.


    Ian was surprised that the CEO was even giving an explanation. He didn''t have to, he was the CEO and this was his personal business. It made Ian admire him even more.


    "The second and third apprentices are people that will be working closely with my son, they will be his Marco." He announced.


    Ian felt as Camilla suddenly grabbed his arm and gripped it. He knew she was just as shocked at the CEO''s announcement as he was and yet neither of them were allowed to react.


    The crowd once more erupted in conversation, this time with the employees becoming braver to speak in front of the CEO.


    "They''ve been chosen." Ian heard Fred tell Ash. "I can''t believe they''ve been chosen."


    "What do you mean?'' Ian couldn''t help but ask.


    "The CEO has been looking for people to be his son''s assistants for a long time now, everyone in the Reyes Group knew they were gathering names and applicants. People submitted relatives, friends, people they knew were capable, and yet no one ever got accepted." Fred explained.


    "No one, until now." Ash told them with a wink. She of course knew that those two assistants were Ian and Camilla.


    "Whoever they are, they will be the luckiest people in the country." Fred replied. "Learning from Assistant Marco is already a big deal, but learning from the CEO himself? That''s a once in a lifetime opportunity."


    "I''m sure they are amazing at their work." A member of the team, who''s name Ian had forgotten, added.


    Ian turned to see that Emilio Reyes had raised his hand, telling everyone to be quiet.


    "I understand you are all eager to find out who they are, but for the meantime, we will not announce it." He explained as he looked at the crowd in the room.


    When his eyes landed on Camilla and Ian, he gave them a very slight nod, one that you would miss if you didn''t know what was going on.


    "As for the future of the Sales Department of Krisanta Land, I will be replacing Armand, but we still need to look into the candidates." Emilio Reyes announced.


    "For those who had fallen victim to his and Mike''s schemes, we will be compensating you for your losses. Here at the Reyes Group, we never want people to suffer. We want everyone to experience fair treatment and fair pay. It pains me that you have lost so many opportunities because of Armand." He explained.


    Ian looked around and saw that a lot of people were smiling at the news, and yet there were others that seemed nervous as if they were waiting for something.


    "To those that helped Armand and Mike or were involved with their work in stealing and deceiving, you will face the consequences of your actions." The CEO informed everyone. "We will be launching a full investigation on the matter, so I hope everyone will cooperate."


    The members of the sales department nodded and said yes, making the CEO smile.


    "You may all go home now." He announced as he got up and left the room.


    As soon as the doors closed behind the CEO and his companions, the room erupted in chatter. Everyone had something to say and theories to discuss.


    "We should go." Camilla said as he tugged on Ian''s sleeve. "If we don''t beat the crowd, we will be discovered." She added.


    Ian nodded his head at her as they both left the room.


    They weren''t surprised to see Seth waiting outside the meeting room for them with their bags in his hands.


    "Let''s go, we need to talk." Seth said in a serious tone as he gave them their bags and turned towards the elevator.

 Chapter 135 - 135

    Ian, Seth, and Camilla all waited in Ian''s office for them to be called.


    According to Marco the CEO was arranging for something with a friend and that it involved what Seth''s men and the police found while they were in Mike''s and Armand''s respective homes.


    "Why can''t you tell us?" Camilla asked as she was starting to get impatient.


    "Because of how both of you might react." Seth repeated for probably the tenth time that morning. "I''d rather tell you in front of Assistant Marco and the CEO."


    Ian noticed how Seth''s expression would suddenly become worried as he glanced at him.


    "Come on Camilla, let''s just work." Ian told her as he handed over several documents.


    "That''s your work, you aren''t tricking me to do your work!" She complained.


    "Then get the stuff you need from your office and work while we wait. It will help with the nerves and will keep you distracted." Ian advised as he turned his attention back to the work at hand.


    "How can you even focus right now?!" Camilla asked in a hysteric tone. "Something clearly happened and they aren''t telling us. We need to know." She insisted.


    "Worrying about something that is outside of our control is worthless." Ian said as he kept his attention on the document in his hands. "Focus on what you can control, and right now, it''s work."


    "You''re just a workaholic, that''s different." Seth teased making Ian shake his head.


    "Although, you might want to keep yourself distracted and follow Ian''s lead." Seth said with a shrug. "Maybe go get some paperwork that needs to be done while waiting?"


    Camilla sighed as she marched out of the room.


    Ian and Seth thought that they had annoyed Camilla. So both of them quickly followed her, only to find out that she had taken their advice and they had gone to her office to gather her things.


    "What are you two doing?" Camilla asked, as she marched out of the office, past them and back to Ian''s room.


    The two men looked at each other and laughed. They both thought that she had gotten mad and had decided to walk out.


    Thirty minutes passed as Ian and Camilla continued to work, while Seth seemed to be continuously stepping in and out of the office to speak to people in the room.


    He told Ian and Camilla that it had something to do with Mike''s and Armand''s case, but that was all that he was willing to say.


    They were all startled when they heard a commotion outside, as if a large group of people had arrived in the office and were all arguing in the hall.


    "Should we check it out?" Camilla asked as she looked at her two companions.


    Ian nodded and got up and left the room with Seth and Camilla tailing behind him.


    As expected there was a big group in the hall, some of which Ian recognized as friends of the Reyes Family. He saw the men who had been in the VIP room at Hype Bar as well as a few other people.


    "Ian, Camilla!" Marco said as he walked up to them. "It''s a good thing you stepped out, I was just about to get you." He told them.


    They followed the group of people as they entered the CEO''s office.


    "Who are they?" Ian asked Marco.


    "Don''t you recognize them?" Marco asked Ian, it was clear that he should have, but for some reason he just couldn''t put names to the faces in the hall.


    "No, I''m sorry, I think I''m tired and stressed and it''s messing with me." Ian admitted as they waited for everyone to get in before they entered as well.


    "It''s fine, it''s understandable for now. But I need to warn you, no matter what the situation is in the future, you need to be able to remember people you have seen or met in the past. It will be an invaluable skill." Marco told Ian.


    "I''ll work on that." He said with a nod as they entered the CEO''s office.


    There were a lot more people than Ian expected. He thought that there would have been only a small group of people.


    The CEO''s office was packed, as a matter of fact there was nowhere for people to sit anymore and Ian couldn''t help but wonder where they were supposed to stand.


    Those that arrived before them were clearly very important, they were just assistants. They were there to listen and help the CEO with what he needed.


    Marco led Ian and Camilla to stand at the front, slightly to the side of the CEO.


    It seemed that they were the last people that were supposed to arrive as the door slammed shut behind them.


    Ian spotted Seth standing with an older man, someone he assumed to be Seth''s father, as he observed how they interacted.


    "I called you all here because a small problem turned out to be bigger than we expected." The CEO said as he sat behind his desk. "Marco, the details please."


    Marco nodded and stepped forward.


    "What started out to be a sting operation to catch an employee that had been stealing from the Reyes Group has revealed an even darker story." Marco announced to the group. "With the help of the Dean Family we had led the police to their homes in order to enter them without a warrant."


    "You know that you could have just asked me for help on that, right Emilio?" A man that Ian recognized to be the Senator, Jose Sebastian said as he looked at the CEO.


    "There was no time." The CEO told him. "Go on, Marco."


    "It was not what we found in one of the homes that stunned us, but who." Marco announced in a grim tone.


    Ian noticed Seth''s eyes shift to him with a guilty look. He knew that this would mean that the matter somewhat involved him.


    "Get on with it, Marco." A man who was seated on the couch said.


    "We found a woman, tied, badly beaten and abused in Mike''s home." Marco announced. "From what we gathered, her name was Josephine Ortega."


    As Marco said the name Josephine Ortega, Ian went pale as the world around him vanished. Josephine Ortega was the name of Jas'' older sister, but she was supposed to be in France, not in the capital.

 Chapter 136 - 136

    "W- w- what did you say? Josephine? They had Josephine?" Ian asked as he stumbled on the words.


    "Yes." Marco told him with a frown. "I''m sorry Ian, I know you were furious with Jas when she betrayed you, but it seemed that they were threatening her with her sister''s life."


    Ian felt someone place their hands on his shoulders and try to comfort him. He guessed that it was Camilla, it was something she would do.


    "Did they have any other accomplices?" Ian asked.


    "It seemed like they did, or at least someone was telling them to use the Ortega family." Marco told Ian.


    "I need to see Jas.." Ian mumbled.


    "I know you do, we sent someone to fetch her and she''s on the way." Marco told Ian. "Don''t worry, the Reyes Group will always be on your side." Marco said with a nod.


    "What happened to Mike and Armand?" A young man asked as he leaned forward. Ian recognized him as a young politician that had been all over the news recently.


    If he wasn''t mistaken, this man was Alexander Sebastian, the son of the Senator Jose Sebastian. He had the same light brown hair and foreign looking features as his father.


    "We thought this would be a simple business matter at first." Emilio Reyes explained. "But when we found the young lady tied up, we realized that this could be bigger. So right now, they are being interrogated."


    "You will hand them over eventually, right?" Jose Sebastian asked Emilio Reyes.


    "We will, of course." The CEO said with a nod. "We just need to know how far and how deep this scheme of theirs ran. If they had one woman tied up, they could have others."


    "Just give me or Alexi a call and we will have the police wherever you leave them." Jose Sebastian said with a nod.


    "Who is doing the interrogation?" Alexander Sebastian asked.


    "People who work for the king of the underworld." Seth said as she stepped forward. "He sent some men to question Mike and Armand, his men are incredibly effective."


    "And you are?" The young politician asked as he eyed Seth carefully.


    "A messenger and an employee of the Reyes Group." Seth said.


    "It''s fine Seth, everyone in this room knows." Marco told Seth with a nod, giving him permission to speak freely.


    "Oh, right." Seth replied as he was clearly surprised. He thought less people knew who the king of the underworld was. "We sent them to Ray''s men. I''m the son of the head of the Dean Family Mafia."


    "So you are the next head?" Alexander Sebastian asked.


    "Depends." Seth said with a shrug and a grin.


    "Interesting." Alexander said as he nodded his head slowly.


    "My people should be able to get the information we need out of them." Ray Laurence said with a laugh as he leaned back on his seat. "I saw Mike and Armand, they don''t look like they will hold up against our methods."


    "You never know what desperate people can withstand." Ian said with a frown.


    "You''re right." Ray told him as he nodded at the assistant. "Luckily, the Reyes Group has a detailed file on all of its employees, so we know exactly what will get them to break."


    "Don''t worry, yours is filed separately." Marco said with a laugh as he sensed Ian''s concern. "Only the CEO can see those documents. It is dangerous to have our information out in the open."


    Ian simply nodded in reply as he remained silent.


    "Before I dismiss everyone, I would like to thank you all for you help." Emilio Reyes said. "This whole operation would not have been a success if anyone had failed to do their part. So thank you."


    With that the CEO let everyone leave including his friends, but he asked the assistants, Jake, and Seth to stay behind since he wanted to speak to them.


    The room took a while to clear and Marco had to escort some of the VIPs to the elevator despite their protests.


    When he finally returned, the CEO nodded at him and gestured for him to take a seat.


    "I feel like I need to thank each of you personally for helping out on this matter." Emilio Reyes began to say. "And I will not accept any of you saying that it was only a part of your jobs, because this is over and beyond that."


    Everyone in the room remained silent as they listened to what he had to say.


    "Jake, I know that you have refused this offer too many times, but this time I am asking you to take it." Emilio Reyes said as he looked at the younger man. "There is no one I can trust to lead the Sales Department of Krisanta Land other than you."


    "Uncle, I''m not sure I''m up for the job." Jake said as he tried to turn down the promotion.


    "Ridiculous! You grew up in this business. You were groomed to take over a company exactly like this and you will someday. Think of this as practice." He told Jake.


    Jake knew he would not be able to refuse the promotion this time, so he simply nodded and accepted the role.


    "See, not that hard." The CEO said with a laugh.


    "No uncle, it isn''t." Jake responded with a grin.


    "Seth, your family has provided immense help to the Reyes Group this past week. I have already offered your father several partnerships for your legitimate businesses." The CEO informed him.


    "Thank you, sir." Seth said with a respectful bow.


    "But, I want to personally thank you. I know that like Jake you would reject a promotion, so I simply upgraded your apartment in Solaire Towers." Emilio Reyese revealed, stunning everyone. "I told your dad and we''ve arranged for everything in your old apartment to be moved to a VIP floor."


    "Sir, you shouldn''t have." Seth said, shaking his head. "But thank you."


    Seth knew that he could no longer return that reward, so he humbly accepted it.


    "Camilla, Ian, you both placed yourselves at risk for this. I''ve asked Marco to increase your monthly pay as well as to transfer one property each to your name. You don''t have any say on the matter since it has already been done."  Emilio Reyes told them.


    "Sir, that''s too much." Ian told the CEO.


    "No, it''s not. That is all, you may go." He informed them, not giving them the opportunity to reject his gifts. "Marco, a quick word." He told his head assistant who stayed behind.


    Once everyone was out Marco walked back up to Emilio Reyes'' side.


    "Is it done? Is he in?" The CEO asked his assistant.


    "He didn''t even need any help." Marco said with a laugh.


    "Good, good." Emilio Reyes responded with a nod. "There is one more thing I want you to do."


    "Yes, sir?" Marco asked.


    "Make sure that none of Ian''s plans are stopped." He instructed with a sly grin. "You know our policy, we will always be on the side of those loyal to the Reyes Family and we will never abandon them."


    "Consider it done, sir." Marco said with a nod as he left the room.

 Chapter 137 - 137

    "Ian." John greeted as soon as the group stepped out of the CEO''s office.


    "John, the boss had jobs for you again?" He asked.


    "Yeah, actually it was for you. He sent me to pick Jas up. She''s waiting for you in your office." John told him with a concerned look on his face.


    It was clear that the trip back was not a pleasant one.


    "What does she know?" He asked.


    "I didn''t tell her anything, just that the CEO asked me to pick her up for you and that it was urgent.." John told him.


    "Alright. I got it from here." Ian said with a nod as he patted John on the shoulder and took a deep breath.


    "Do you need anything from us?" Camilla asked as she stood in between Jake and Seth.


    "Would it be alright if you guys avoided my office for a bit?" Ian asked them.


    "Sure, we''ll go grab a cup of coffee at the lobby." John said with a smile as she nodded at the others to follow his lead.


    "Thanks." Ian said with a smile as he made his way to his office.


    He knew there was a chance that he would find Jas searching his room for documents that she could use, and he understood why she would do it. From what she still knew Mike had Josephine in his custody.


    "I can do this." Ian told himself as he gathered the courage to speak to her.


    Ian knocked on the door to let her know that he was coming in, before pushing the door open.


    He caught a glimpse of Jas straightening the documents she had tried to read, but he chose to ignore it.


    "Jas." Ian said with a sigh as he walked over and pulled her into his arms. "I missed you." He said.


    "Well, you''re- you''re the one that sent me to stay at a hotel last night instead of at your place." Jas complained.


    "Jas, is there something you want to tell me?" Ian asked in a tender tone as he released her from his arms.


    He was hoping that she would come clean without him having to tell her that he already knew about the listening devices she had planted in his apartment.


    Unfortunately, he knew Jas well enough to know that she would do everything to protect her family.


    "No, why would I have something to tell you?" Jas asked as she gave Ian a confused look.


    "Take a seat." Ian gestured as he walked over behind his desk and sat down as well. "Are you sure there is nothing you want to confess?" He asked as he looked her in the eyes trying to beg her to come clean.


    "None." She insisted.


    Ian took a deep breath as he opened his drawer. He looked down at the white plastic bag inside and looked back up at Jas. He wanted to give her another chance to come clean.


    "Jas, are you sure?" Ian asked her one last time.


    "Why are you doubting me Ian?!" Jas asked in an angry tone. "When have I ever given you reason to question my loyalty to you? I have never cheated on you. I have never betrayed you. What is it with you today with these questions?"


    Ian refused to raise his tone or to get angered by her reaction, he knew what Jas was doing. She wanted him to feel guilty about questioning her, but he had the proof, and it was because of him that her sister was now safe, something she did not know.


    "Jas, aren''t you wondering why John picked you up?" Ian asked as he remained calm.


    "What the fuck are you going at Ian?!" Jas shouted.


    Ian took a deep breath and tossed the plastic bag on the table making the listening devices inside the bag spill on the table.


    "W- w- what are these?" Jas asked as she stumbled on her words.


    "These little things were found in my apartment." Ian told Jas as he picked one up and lifted it. "Do they look familiar, Jas?" Ian asked. He was hoping that she wouldn''t lie.


    "What? No." Jas was quick to lie as Ian asked her his question.


    "Are you sure?" Ian asked.


    "Are you asking me if I''ve seen them in your apartment before?" Jas questioned him back.


    "Jas, can you please just stop lying!" Ian said as he raised his voice in frustration. "The evidence is right in front of you and yet you choose to lie to me. Why, Jas?"


    "How sure are you that these are mine? That I planted them? Couldn''t these listening devices have been planted in your room and living room by someone else? You let Camilla enter freely, you have maids, there are so many other people Ian. Is the time we have been together worth nothing to you?" Jas asked as she was quick to question Ian.


    "Jas, I never said what these were or where in my apartment they were found." Ian said with a frown as he looked at Jas, his expression unreadable. "Are you ready to tell me the truth?"


    Ian watched as Jas turned pale and began to shake, soon she was sobbing from the guilt that was eating her up.


    "Ian, I had no choice." Jas said as she cried her heart out. "He has Josephine, he will kill her if he doesn''t get what he wants."


    "Does he know who I am in the Reyes Group?" Ian asked as he tried to get more information from Jas.


    "No, but he wanted to know if you were planning anything with a person named Jake, he asked me to check your phone and bug your house." Jas said as she continued to cry.


    "You should have come to me, Jas." Ian said with a frown, his face remained expressionless as he spoke. "I''m not as useless as I once was."


    "I''m sorry Ian, I''m so afraid. Plus my parents said I had to do everything he asked for." Jas said as her tears continued to fall.


    "I wish you had simply trusted me enough from the beginning to tell me about Josephine." Ian said with a frown as he took out his phone.


    He searched his gallery for the photo he had asked Seth to send. It was one of Josephine in the nearby Saints Hospital where the police and Seth''s men had taken her to be checked.


    "As I said, I''m not as useless as I used to be." Ian told Jas as he placed his phone on the table and pushed it towards her. "Your sister is safe. We got her out and she''s at Saints Hospital."


    "H- h- how?" Jas stuttered as she looked at the photo of her sister in a hospital gown. She was bruised but smiling.


    "I just told you, I''m not as useless as I used to be." Ian said with a shrug as Jas got up and ran to hug him.


    "I''m sorry." She said as she continued to sob. "It was Josephine''s life on the line."


    "I understand." Ian mumbled.


    "Are you still mad?" She asked.


    "I don''t know." Ian responded.


    "Where does this leave us?" Jas asked.


    "I also don''t know." Ian said with a sigh as he let Jas cry on his shoulder not wanting to worry about where their relationship stood.

 Chapter 138 - 138

    Ian and Camilla were about to go home when Marco asked them to join him at Nouveau to celebrate. The pair, although exhausted, happily accepted the offer.


    "The CEO will be joining us as well as Miss Ayanna." Marco informed Ian and Camilla, catching them off guard.


    "We thought it would only be the three of us." Ian told Marco.


    "I know, I intentionally let you think that. The CEO thought that if you knew he would be coming along, you might reject the offer." Marco explained as they got into the elevator.


    "Won''t it be counter productive if we were seen with the CEO? I mean everyone knows that he is selective of who gets to meet with him." Camilla pointed out..


    "Well, the plan has changed with regards to your training." Marco said with a smile as the elevator doors opened to a modern styled restaurant.


    There was a red carpet that led towards the entrance, where a silver podium was located.


    "Assistant Marco." The man who had been chatting with the waiter up front greeted as he made his way towards the trio.


    "You have guests!" The man said as he stood before them.


    "Not exactly." Marco said with a grin. "These two are Ian Lim and Camilla Montero, they are the new assistants to the CEO. We are training them to work for the Reyes Heir. They are people you must remember."


    Ian and Camilla were surprised that they had been introduced as assistants to the CEO. Marco and the CEO must have change their minds about keeping their identities a secret.


    "Oh my, oh my." The manager said as he quickly shook their hands. "If you need anything at all please call me, here is my card." As he said this he gave each of them a calling card with his name and number on it.


    "The CEO will be using the private room for dinner tonight." Marco informed the manager.


    "Ah yes, yes, I will have it prepared. Has the CEO given his preferred meal for tonight?" The manager asked as he took out a pen and paper, ready to take the CEO''s order.


    "He will have the usual, Miss Ayanna will be joining us as well." Marco informed the manager.


    "The usual for her as well?" The manager asked.


    "The Reyeses are creatures of habit when it comes to their food." Marco said with a laugh. "Yes, she will have her usual order. Same for me."


    "And Mr. Lim and Miss Montero?" The manager asked as he looked at them.


    "Well, what''s good here?" Ian asked.


    "We pride ourselves in our steaks." The manager boasted.


    "I''ll have one then." Ian said with a nod.


    "The same for me." Camilla told the manager.


    "And how would you like it done?" The manager asked.


    "Medium." The two assistants said at the same time, making them laugh.


    "Very well then." The manager replied with a nod.


    "I''ll give them a tour of the kitchen as well as the offices of Nouveau. But for the meantime, do you mind if I have a word?" Marco asked the manager as he gestured towards the side.


    "Of course, sir." The manager replied with a nod as the two men moved away from earshot.


    "It seems like people will look differently at us starting tonight." Camilla commented as she frowned at the thought.


    "You don''t want people to know who we are in this company?" Ian asked her.


    "I don''t know, I''m not sure." She said with a shrug. "It was kind of fun when people had no idea who we were. They say the dumbest things around us and they don''t even try to impress us. When they find out that we work for the CEO they will always put their best foot forward."


    "I''m sure we can trust whatever reason Uncle Emilio and Marco have for revealing our identities and jobs." Ian told Camilla as he smiled at her. "They will always have ours and the company''s best interest at heart."


    "I''m not exactly questioning it." Camilla said as she glanced over to Marco and the manager to check if their conversation was over. "I''m just worried about what will happen."


    "Hey, hey." Ian said as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "We''re in this together, alright. The two of us then someday the Reyes Heir himself."


    Camilla simply nodded as Marco and the manager of Nouveau returned to join them.


    "I''ll get the orders ready." The manager said as he waved a man by the door over. "This is the head waiter or Nouveau, he will give you a tour."


    "Thank you." Marco told the manager with a nod before he turned and left.


    "Shall we?" The head waiter asked as he took the assistants on a tour of the restaurant.


    They went from the dining area, where the waiter pointed out the most prized seats and how long it took to reserve them, to the kitchen where the head chef was busy preparing their meal.


    He had a short chat with them while his assistants did the prep work for the meal. He informed Ian and Camilla that they had a list of preferences of all the important employees in the Reyes Group. He would also now be adding their''s to the list.


    "Isn''t it a bit too much?" Ian asked Marco. "It''s not like we are executives."


    "You are and you aren''t." Marco said with a shrug as they went around the administrative offices of the restaurant. "Our work as the CEO''s assistants keeps the company running. Our job is to keep it running like a well oiled machine and to do our jobs properly we must do it without distractions or worries."


    Ian noticed that as he spoke, Marco kept checking his watch as if he were waiting for something.


    He assumed that the older assistant just didn''t want to be late for when the CEO and his daughter would arrive, so he ignored it.


    "We should go back or else we''ll miss the show." Marco said with a grin as he steered them towards the direction of the dinning area.


    As they entered through the kitchen, Ian spotted a familiar family seated at the center of the room.


    It made him stop in his tracks, he wasn''t ready to face the Juan family just yet. He knew that he would be embarrassed if he did.


    "Ah we aren''t late." Marco told them as he made them stop and sit by a table in the corner.


    A waiter quickly appeared with drinks and bread for them.


    "What are we waiting for?" Camilla asked as she sipped from the wine she was offered.


    "Something well planned that should have happened sooner." Marco told them as he leaned back and relaxed. "Keep your eyes on the Juans." He told the pair.


    Ian was puzzled as to what Marco said, but he ignored it and did as the older assistant told him to do.


    Suddenly a group of men in suits arrived and made their way towards the table where the Juans were seated.


    Ian found it odd that the restaurant guards didn''t even stop these men from entering. He had a gut feeling that something bad was about to happen to the Juan family in the most embarrassing way possible.

 Chapter 139 - 139

    "Mr. Juan?" One of the men dressed in a suit asked as he approached the family that was happily chatting amongst themselves.


    Ian could tell that they were celebrating something, probably the fact that Mike and Armand had been apprehended. With the success of the mission it was clear that they would get what they wanted from the Reyes Group.


    "Who is asking?" Manuel responded to the men as he glared at them.


    "Where are the security staff?" His mother asked as she looked around and waved at a waiter.


    "They let us in, madam, so will you let us know who Mr. Juan is?" The man asked again.


    "Yes, ma''am?" The waiter that Mrs. Juan had called, asked..


    "Please call for security, these men here are harassing my family." She complained as she pointed at the group of men in suits.


    "I will speak to my manager and see what we can do." The waiter said with a bow as he left towards the kitchen.


    The manager was there making sure that the CEO''s meal would be perfect.


    Ian glanced at Marco, he knew that the Reyes Group would never allow for their customers to be humiliated or harassed on their watch. Something was suspicious about the events that were slowly unfolding.


    "Do you have any idea about what is going on?" Ian asked Marco as he gave the older assistant a curious glance.


    "Ian, Ian, Ian." Marco said as he shook his head and placed a hand on Ian''s shoulder. "You should learn to sit back, relax, and enjoy the show." Marco said with a chuckle as he pointed towards the commotion at the center of the room.


    "Marco, you gave them your word that the Reyeses wouldn''t interfere with my grudge with them." Ian said with a sigh as he shook his head.


    "We didn''t interfere." Marco said with a sly grin.


    "What do you mean?" Ian asked, "It''s clear that these people are here with the approval of the Reyes Group. Add to that the fact that I have no power to go after the Juans. They are better connected and have more money."


    "Ian, you really underestimate yourself." Marco said with a laugh. "As the CEOs assistant you have more connections than they will ever have. Your word is enough to move mountains. You both need to realize that."


    "But I thought you weren''t going to get involved?" Ian asked, he was still confused as to what exactly was going on.


    "We didn''t. That''s why everyone you had contacted is still going to pull out from their partnerships with the Juan family." Marco said with a grin as the waiter returned in a rush.


    "The manager said we were not to interfere." The waiter said as he bowed and left.


    "Not to interfere?!" Mrs. Juan shouted. "What bullshit is this?!" She asked.


    "Mom." Manuel''s sister said as she began to blush. "Mom you need to calm down, we are in public, what if someone who knows us is here. Don''t embarrass us."


    "Don''t you know who these men are?" Mrs. Manuel asked her children and her husband.


    "Ma''am we assure you, we are nothing but honest businessmen that come to collect a debt that is owed." The man said in a professional tone.


    "What debt?" Mauel''s father asked. "We have no debt. Yes we have loans but those will all be paid off with the projects and partnerships we have lined up."


    "Sir, you have no projects or partnerships left." The man told the elder Juan.


    "What?!" Manuel''s father asked as he sat up. "That''s a lie, just this month we had at least fifty!"


    "All of them called to inform us that they have pulled out from their partnership with you because you are known for turning on your partners." The man informed Mr. Juan.


    As if on cue, Ian heard a commotion at the entrance of the restaurant.


    There was a man trying to push his way in as he began to argue with the waiters and security guards. It was clear that he would cause a scene, but the staff just let him.


    "I need to get to my boss! He needs to know! I''ll be quick, I promise." The man shouted as he tried to find a way through.


    Ian saw as the waiter shook his head and said something. He simply assumed that he was still rejecting the man''s request to enter the restaurant.


    "What do you mean the safety of your patrons?!" The man asked angrily. "My boss is in there potentially harassed and humiliated, is this the way the Reyes Group treats it''s customers?"


    Ian noticed that a smile had formed on Marcos lips as he waved a waiter over and whispered to him.


    If this wasn''t interfering then Ian didn''t know what was.


    The waiter walked over and whispered something to the guards. Upon hearing what Ian had asked him to say, the guards turned towards their table.


    Marco simply nodded and the man was allowed through.


    He quickly dashed towards the table at the center where the Juan family was seated.


    "Garcia." Manuel said as he was surprised at the sudden appearance of one of their employees. "Did I not tell you not to disturb us tonight?" He said in an annoyed tone.


    "I know, sir, but something terrible has happened." The man Manuel had called Garcia said as he panted.


    "Did you run here?" Manuel asked as he gave the man a disgusted look.


    "There was no other option." Garcia told Manuel.


    "Then what is it?" Manuel''s father asked as he ignored the men in suits.


    "Sir, all of our partners have pulled out, and for some reason all of our creditors have come knocking asking for us to pay them." Garcia said as he tried to get the whole sentence out.


    "Impossible, we have years left on those debts!" Manuel said in shock.


    "As I was saying, on top of all of your partners pulling out, a reliable source informed us that you would never recover from this slump." The man in the suit said. "Unfortunately for you, the people you owe money to, well they can''t wait. So either you come with us or we drag you out."


    Manuel turned pale upon hearing the news, it was clear that he thought this was the worst that could happen. Unfortunately for him, their misfortunes were only just beginning.

 Chapter 140 - 140

    As Manuel and his father were about to argue with the men in suits, several men in police uniforms entered the restaurant.


    Ian looked at Marco and raised an eyebrow at him, but it seemed even Marco had no idea on what was going on.


    "Mr. Juan and Mr. Juan?" A man in a police uniform asked as he looked at the father and son duo.


    "Yes, sir." Manuel quickly answered. He was hoping that with the police here the men in suits would leave.


    "Are you sure you had nothing to do with this?" Ian asked Marco.


    "I didn''t call the police.. I swear, the only thing the CEO and I did was nothing. We didn''t stop your plans and we didn''t order the staff to stop these people." Marco explained to Ian. "Whatever their problem with the police is already something beyond our control."


    Ian simply nodded as he took a sip of his wine and watched.


    It seemed that Manuel and his family finally spotted the assistants seated at the side as Manuel glared at Ian.


    Ian responded by smiling and lifting a glass to his old tormentor. He would enjoy every moment of their embarrassment.


    "Are you here to arrest the man that beat us up? Because I can point you towards his direction." Manuel hissed as he glanced at Ian.


    "You don''t look like you were ever beaten up, Mr. Juan." The policeman said as he observed Manuel. "As a matter of fact, you look like you just came from home, you''re so clean and well dressed."


    "Oh." Camilla suddenly said with a gasp.


    "What do you mean by oh, Camilla?" Ian asked as he looked at his fellow assistant.


    "I swear I did this a week ago." Camilla explained.


    "Did what?" Marco asked as he began to laugh at how stunned Camilla looked.


    "Remember the information that Manuel''s sister provided us with?" She asked Ian.


    "Yeah, you said you stored it away for future use." Ian replied with a nod as he tried to guess what Camilla might have done. If his guess was right then it was still impossible that the police would be here that soon to make an arrest.


    "Well, I sort of reported it to the police then the next day they asked me to send in the evidence which I did." Camilla said slowly as they watched Manuel stand awkwardly between the police and the men in suits.


    "Mr. Juan, you and your father are both under arrest for robbery, libel, and bribery." The policeman announced to everyone''s shock.


    "What?!" Manuel screamed. "This is bullshit! I demand my lawyer!"


    "You and your father need to come with us, sir." The policeman said. "If you refuse to come with us peacefully then we will be forced to cuff you and drag you out."


    Ian watched as Manuel''s sister had turned pale as the charges against them were read. It was clear that the evidence she had given Camilla aligned with the charges that had been read.


    "Son, cooperate." Manuel''s father said as he got up and raised his hands in surrender.


    "You can''t be fucking serious dad!" Manuel shouted as his head suddenly turned to look at Ian.


    Ian froze as Manuel turned unpredictable. He couldn''t figure out what the other man was about to do.


    "You!" Manuel hissed as he glared at Ian. "This is your fault! You had us arrested, you had our partners pull out! We had a fucking deal with the Reyeses!"


    With that Manuel suddenly ran and charged towards Ian, Marco, and Camilla.


    The two younger assistants quickly moved to stand up to avoid Manuel, while Ian remained seated as he sipped from his wine and watched as Manuel tried to attack them.


    Out of nowhere a man suddenly appeared and tackled Manuel to the ground, making Camilla scream in surprise.


    Soon several other guards appeared and they quickly cuffed Manuel''s arms behind him.


    "Where do we take him?" The guard asked Marco who was still calmly seated.


    "Police or Mafia?" Marco asked Ian who was standing and a little bit to the side.


    Ian shook his head as he gathered himself, he was so stunned by the sudden appearance of the guards that he wasn''t able to immediately process Marco''s question.


    "What do you mean?" Ian asked.


    "Your choice, who gets first dibs on this bastard." Marco said as he pointed at Manuel.


    "The police." Ian responded.


    "Very well sir." The guard said with a nod as he handed Manuel to the police while his father came with them peacefully.


    "You two are coming with us." The men in suits told Manuel''s mother and sister as they roughly grabbed them by the wrists.


    "No, please." Manuel''s sister begged.


    "Will we help them?" Camilla asked Ian.


    "Do you think I should?" He asked his friend as he carried an emotionless expression.


    "No." Camilla said, much to Ian''s and Marco''s surprise.


    "No?" Ian asked, making sure he had heard her correctly. "You know that the Mafia will make them work their debt off."


    "They aren''t innocent in all of this. You deserve your revenge and your justice." Camilla said with a nod as they watched the family being dragged out of the restaurant.


    As if it were planned precisely, Emilio Reyes and his daughter, Ayanna Reyes, suddenly appeared at the entrance as the Juan''s were being dragged out.


    Just as Ian expected, Manuel began to call out for the CEO.


    "Mr. Reyes, you promised not to interfere! You said the Reyes Group would not help Ian!" Manuel shouted in a loud voice that was carried across the restaurant.


    "I did promise that. Yes." The CEO said with a nod.


    "Then why are we being dragged out by the police and Mafia, we thought we had your protection." Manuel dared to demand.


    "You asked us not to interfere, and this is us not interfering." Emilio Reyes said with a grin as he and his daughter walked past them into the restaurant.


    At that point Manuel was already kicking and screaming, accusing the Reyes Group of betraying them after having helped.


    "Well, the show''s over. Dinner time." Marco told them as he got up and led them towards the direction of the CEO and his daughter.

 Chapter 141 - 141

    "Ah, Ian, Camilla, did you enjoy the show?" Emilio Reyes asked as his daughter discreetly laughed next to him.


    "It was good Uncle Emilio." Ian said with a smile as he glanced back. The Juans were still being dragged out of the restaurant, kicking and screaming.


    "We didn''t break our deal with them, you know." Emilio Reyes told Ian. "We didn''t do anything."


    "Yeah, you didn''t stop the plans that Ian started." Ayanna Reyes said as she entered the private room ahead of the group.


    The entrance to the Reyes Family''s private room in Nouveau was actually hidden in the walls. It was to avoid anyone from accidentally accessing the room and to stop people that planned to eavesdrop on the conversations going on inside.


    Inside the room was opulent, with velvet walls and a table at the center was simple, but it looked quite expensive.


    "We normally don''t eat like this." Emilio Reyes explained with a laugh. "This place is for impressing people."


    "We understand." Camilla said with a smile.


    From what they knew about the Reyes Family, they rarely did anything opulent or to impress people. Even the desk in the CEOs office was a simple one, not one lined with gold.


    The plates on the table were white with black and gold accents, clearly it was real gold and not simply painted gold.


    "The table is Agrawood, one of the most expensive materials to have a table made out of." Marco told Camilla and Ian as he gestured for them to take their seats.


    Ian and Camilla simply nodded and sat beside Marco.


    "I asked for you to join me and Ayanna for dinner tonight, to thank you." Emilio Reyes said as the door to the private room opened and a waiter entered.


    "Please serve the food." Marco told the waiter, who quickly did as he asked.


    "Tell them not to disturb us and to bring one of our finest wines." Emilio Reyes told the manager who quickly went out to get the wine.


    The man was quite effective and seemed to have come prepared. In less than five minutes, the wine was served and the room was empty. Only the assistants, the CEO, and his daughter remained.


    "I never thought that trusting my son''s instinct will give us an even more loyal employee." Emilio Reyes said with a laugh as he cut up the food in front of him.


    "You need to cut my brother some slack. He is a good judge of character." Ayanna told her father as she took a sip of her wine.


    "Yes, and that''s why his girlfriend''s family is like that? I''ve never even met the girl and I already dread that she is like them." Emilio Reyes scoffed.


    Ian was quite confused as to what they were talking about, he simply assumed that the Reyes Heir was dating someone his father didn''t approve of.


    "Sometimes, dad, the apple does fall far from the tree." Ayanna reminded her father.


    "When did you get so wise, little girl?" He asked his daughter with a smile.


    "Anyway." The CEO said as he turned his attention back to Ian and Camilla. "I''ll be honest, Ian, you weren''t exactly the front runner for the other assistant role."


    "I''ve been told." Ian said with a smile as he recalled his conversation with Marco in the past. This wasn''t the first time he was hearing that it was the Reyes Heir that chose him and not Emilio Reyes.


    "No one else fit our requirements, if I''m being honest with you. We were ready to settle with just one assistant, but then last Christmas, when my son came to visit he suggested you." Emilio told Ian. "I was hesitant at first, but since I knew your dad and your whole family I trusted my son."


    "Sir, I can''t help but wonder, how did your son know about me?" Ian asked. "I don''t recall meeting the Reyes Heir, ever."


    "Ah, that''s the beauty about being such a low profile family, our faces aren''t plastered on every magazine and gossip column in the country." Emilio Reyes commented with a smile. "You have met my son, you''ve met him many times, but I doubt you would remember him."


    "My brother loves playing ordinary." Ayanna said with a laugh. "Not that there is anything bad with that, it''s just entertaining to watch how well he can blend in with the crowd."


    "Thank you, I know how hard life has been for you, Ian. It has not been a walk in the park." Emilio Reyes told him as he looked the assistant in the eyes to show his sincerity.


    "Those people were horrible to you and your sisters." Ayanna added. "I am sorry I didn''t do anything to help your sisters, I was simply too removed from the world."


    "It''s fine, Ayanna. My sisters knew that you had your own struggles as well. Before I even took this job my eldest sister, Samantha, told me about how nice you were but everyone painted you to be a bitch." Ian told Ayanna.


    "Please thank her and apologize to both of them for me." Ayanna told Ian with a gentle smile.


    "I will." Ian responded with a nod.


    "I know that Manuel and his father going to jail is not enough to pay for everything they did." Emilio Reyes told Ian as the aura in the room felt heavy and turned dark. "This time we will interfere."


    "What do you mean, Uncle Emilio?" Ian asked as he gave the older man a confused look.


    "I am giving you the freedom to let out your anger on both the father and son without touching them." Emilio Reyes explained. "After dinner, take several of my men and your friend''s men to the precinct. They will be waiting for you."


    Ian was stunned, he didn''t know how to reply. It was true that Manuel and his family had caused his family way too much pain. But did he have it in him to physically hurt Manuel and his father? Was his anger enough?


    "Oh, and before you go, we also did not interfere with what the Mafia planned to do with Manuel''s sister and mother." Emilio Reyes explained. "I think you know the fate that will befall them?"


    Ian nodded slowly.


    "Which family took them?" Ian asked.


    "The Dean Family.." Emilio Reyes revealed.

 Chapter 142 - 142

    The rest of the dinner was quite peaceful as Emilio spoke about his son, Ian''s and Camilla''s future boss.


    From what they could pick up, the Reyes Heir was a humble and simple person who did not like being in the spotlight.


    When they asked where he was at the moment, the CEO simply replied that he was studying, so Ian assumed that he had been sent abroad for his education.


    It was also possible that the Reyes Heir was working for international companies in order to learn what they were doing right. Based on how Ian observed the way the Reyes Family managed the company this seemed to be the most probable explanation.


    When they finally parted ways Ian remained silent as he and Camilla got into his car and drove out of the R Tower parking lot.


    "I half expected Jas to be here." Camilla commented, breaking the silence.


    "Why?" Ian asked as he kept his eyes on the road.


    "Well you guys spoke earlier and I''m guessing you made up." Camilla explained.


    "Yeah, we spoke." Ian said with a nod.


    "But you didn''t make up?" Camilla asked slowly.


    "To her we did." Ian responded.


    "She didn''t betray you because of selfish reasons Ian, she wanted to save her sister." Camilla pointed out.


    "Wow, you''re on her side now? Remember, this is the same person that hated your guts and thought I was cheating on her just because we work together." Ian said as he glanced at Camilla.


    "Yes, Ian, because I understand why she did things!" Camilla bravely answered back.


    "She wanted to save her sister, yes, but think about it Camilla, she knew who I was. Jas knew I worked for the CEO and still she chose not to tell me. Where is the trust there?" He asked her.


    "It is not easy to be brave Ian, it''s never easy." Camilla told Ian as she turned her back on him and looked out the window.


    Ian took a deep breath and sighed.


    "I''m just processing things, alright?" He told Camilla. He knew she was right, it wasn''t easy to be brave, if things had gone wrong Josephine might have died.


    "So aside from that, what is bothering you?" Camilla asked.


    Ian sighed as he shook his head.


    "It''s nothing." Ian told Camilla as he continued to drive.


    "If it were nothing, it wouldn''t still be bothering you." Camilla said with a shrug as she leaned back and watched as the road went by.


    It was silent for a time, leaving Ian and Camilla to their own thoughts until Ian decided to speak.


    "How did you know that it wasn''t the thing with Jas that was bothering me?" Ian asked.


    "I thought it was at first." Camilla confessed. "But when I asked you, your mind seems to be made up about how you are taking this whole dilemma with her. And well, you''re screaming, confused and torn."


    Ian laughed at Camilla''s analogy. He never thought he would hear his expressions described that way.


    "Okay, yeah something else is bothering me other than my fight with my girlfriend." Ian said as he rolled his eyes.


    The traffic outside was now quite bad, letting Ian glance at Camilla only to find her laughing at his reaction.


    "If you don''t behave I''m kicking you out of my car." Ian grumbled.


    "You wouldn''t." Camilla said with a gasp.  "Now, what is it?"


    "It''s the CEO''s offer for me to head down to the station and physically extract my revenge." Ian confessed.


    "But you told him you wouldn''t, well at least you said you would give him a reply tonight if you wanted to beat those men up." Camilla told Ian.


    "I''m not the bigger person, Camilla." Ian said with a sigh as he gripped the steering wheel tightly. "It''s taking everything in me not to accept his offer. The Juan''s are the reason why all the doors shut on my family, my sisters are still suffering because of them. How can I let an opportunity like this just pass?"


    "Ian, I think you are forgetting something here." Camilla said with a sigh as she shook her head.


    "What?" Ian asked.


    "You aren''t the only one that has been affected by what the Juan''s did." Camilla reminded him as the traffic began to move. "Remember, your sisters also suffered, maybe it will help to speak to them."


    "My sisters will discourage me from going there." Ian said with a frown.


    "And you don''t want to be discouraged by the looks of it." Camilla pointed out.


    "No, as I said, a part of me wants to march on over to the police station and have them beaten to an inch of their lives." Ian hissed as the car began to speed up.


    "Let''s say you do go there, and you do beat them up. How will you feel after? How will it make your life better?" Camilla asked. "How do you think your sisters will see you if they find out that you did this?"


    "My sisters will hate me." Ian replied. "Sam, maybe not that much, but my youngest sister, Karina, she has always been the least vengeful among us, the most forgiving. She''s the one that will tell me to be the bigger person."


    "Then call them, talk to your sisters, maybe they can help." Camilla advised Ian as they pulled up to the driveway of Solaire Towers.


    "What if it doesn''t make me feel better?" Ian asked as Camilla opened the door to step out.


    Camilla took a deep breath and looked at Ian.


    "Ian, it''s regret and guilt that will eat you up." She said, "It''s the worry that you missed out on an opportunity or the guilt that you acted without talking to your sisters or weighing all the consequences first."


    "What if I choose wrong?" Ian asked. "What if even after speaking to you and to my sisters I still do the wrong thing?"


    "Ian, I have faith in you, your sisters have faith in you. You will do the right thing." Camilla told her friend with a smile.


    "I''m not a forgiving person." Ian said.


    "I know." Camilla replied with a nod. "You are vengeful and that just makes you human. Forgiveness is something we work towards and we can''t do it alone. Go to your sisters, talk to them. I''ll see you tomorrow."


    Camilla then got out off Ian''s car and entered the building, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

 Chapter 143 - 143

    Ian found himself aimlessly driving around the city.


    Right now he was parked outside of his old university. He couldn''t help but look up at the imposing structure outside his window. It''s white walls and Grecian pillars stood as a symbol of the university for generations.


    He couldn''t help but feel conflicted about this place.


    It was the place that freed him from his poverty and yet it was also the place where he suffered the most.


    He parked his car at the empty lot near his old university and started to walk, maybe that''s what he needed, fresh air.


    Ian glanced around and nodded at the two men that followed him at a distance. These were his bodyguards, they had become a constant presence around him and Camilla when they were outside of the Reyes Group grounds.


    Even if it was an invasion of his privacy, Ian welcomed it. After the attack on him by some of the Dean family''s hit men, he was relieved to have people protecting him.


    It also helped that he knew that the Dean family would never send people after him now since he and Seth were friends.


    The empty lot was only a block away from the University, as he passed by the old shops he used to hang around, several of the clerks waved at him.


    "Well, if it isn''t Ian Lim, working now?" One of them called out, making Ian smile. He was glad that they still remembered him.


    "Yeah, I finally found a job." Ian announced.


    "Where?" The man asked. "I hope it''s in a good company, we are all rooting for you to make it big someday." He said proudly.


    When Ian was still studying, he could only afford to eat one meal a day at most. Sometimes only half a meal. It was at these small restaurants where he would eat and study while waiting for his next class.


    As he came to frequent these places, the staff became his friends, and soon enough they were giving him free food and letting him stay the whole day. Most students would be chased out after they finished their meals, but not Ian.


    At one point when Ian didn''t have the money to go to an internet shop to finish his schoolwork the restaurant owner suddenly had wifi installed.


    The man said it was good for business, but he overheard the staff chatting about how they would convince their boss to install free wifi so they could help Ian.


    When he had finally graduated, Ian came over and thanked all of them. It was a teary goodbye since he knew that he would rarely be able to visit.


    Since landing his job he had been planning on coming over and giving back to the people who had helped him. Unfortunately life had other plans and he had ended up becoming busy with work and all the schemes that existed in his new reality.


    "Yeah, I work at the Reyes Group." Ian told the man who was shocked to hear the news.


    "Wow, we knew you would be amazing! As what?" The chef said as he came out with food in his hands. "Come, sit, for some reason I decided to make your favorite and here it is." He said proudly, making Ian smile.


    It was a local breakfast made out of marinated beef served with garlic rice and eggs.


    "I remember when you would cook this for me on my birthdays." Ian said happily. "Thank you."


    "Well, tell us, what do you do?" One of the female staff asked.


    "You might look down at this but in the Reyes Group it''s a really important job." Ian said as he glanced back at the bodyguards standing outside of the small restaurant.


    "Well?" The chef asked.


    "I''m being trained to be the assistant of the future CEO of the Reyes Group." Ian announced proudly, much to the delight of the restaurant staff.


    "That''s amazing, Ian!" One of them praised.


    "Yeah, we''ve never even dreamed of stepping foot in R-Tower, let alone working there." Another staff said.


    "It''s a miracle you came to visit us, I''m sure you are extremely busy. You should be earning quite well now, your hard work and suffering will finally be paying off!" The chef praised making Ian smile again.


    "I actually wanted to come and visit sooner, but I couldn''t find the time." Ian told them. "Things got busy with work and my personal life."


    "Please don''t tell us you are still dating that brat?" A waitress asked as she handed them all plates to eat.


    "Hey, he loves her." Another scolded.


    "He might love her, but she wasn''t the right girl for him. Ian deserves better. This kid has suffered enough and he has worked his ass off. He deserves someone that will appreciate him." The waitress said.


    Ian didn''t know whether he would be mad or he would laugh at her words. Many of the employees treated him like a younger sibling that they wanted to protect and he knew most of them hated Jas.


    They didn''t just dislike her, they hated her.


    Jas rarely came with Ian to this place, she didn''t like being seen here because it would pull down her family''s value.


    "Then who do you suggest he date?" The chef asked.


    "Remember that drunk girl he saved once?" The waitress asked as Ian recalled the distant memory.


    He did remember, there was once a girl that he had found in a bar, several men were planning on taking her so he pretended to be with her till they got away safely.


    "Do you remember her name?" The waitress asked Ian.


    Ian simply shook his head.


    "Well she was the sweetest thing. She was clearly quite rich with her clothes and bag and shoes, but not once did she complain and she was kind even if she was drunk." The waitress said.


    "She was drunk of course she wouldn''t complain." The chef said as he rolled his eyes.


    "Well a person''s true attitude comes out when they are drunk so she is clearly a good one." The waitress argued.


    Ian couldn''t help but laugh at their discussion. It was taking him back to the years when he had nothing.


    Back when he couldn''t afford the fare to school and had to walk most days. Despite all the hardship he had lived through back then he wouldn''t want to change a thing.


    Those days shaped him and made him a better person. It was part of who he was now and he was happy with who he had become.


    After they reminisced about some good memories, Ian told them that he had to leave to work on some things. He left them his number and set a plan to have dinner with them soon, his treat.


    "I also have something for you guys." Ian said as he took out several envelopes from his pocket. "You gave me food when I was hungry, and a place to study when I thought everything was lost, so I owe you at least this."


    "No. This is too much." The waitress said as she shook her head. "We didn''t do it for money. We did it because you are a good kid and we have faith in you."


    "Whether you take it or not, I''m leaving it here." Ian said in a stern tone as he placed the envelope on the table. "It''s your money now, you decide where it goes.." Ian said as he got up and left.

 Chapter 144 - 144

    After visiting the shops around his old university, Ian stood outside the gates of the school. Despite it being after office hours the university was still open and there were still classes going on.


    He couldn''t help but sigh at the sight. The university was truly beautiful, it was one of the best institutions in the country and was well known for educating the future business leaders of the country.


    With this came the steep price of education, just to study in the university for one year was equivalent to two years wages of the ordinary employee. That was an amount that was way too high for the fallen Lim clan to pay for their eldest son.


    As much as they wanted to send Ian to this university they simply couldn''t afford it.


    Despite all of that Ian and his parents strived to get him the opportunity to get the best education possible. They knew that it was the key for him to have a better chance at life, one better than what he was facing with their family''s fall.


    Ian tried everything to get a scholarship while his mother sold off all her jewellery and most of the Lim family''s ancestral processions.


    "These are material things." He recalled his mother saying one day as he watched her wipe the tears from her eyes as she handed her wedding ring to a buyer. "Someday you''ll be able to buy back material things, but the opportunity you are getting from your education, that cannot be so easily bought. Once you miss the opportunity it is gone and it may never come back."


    Ian didn''t even realize that he was tearing up from the memory as he felt the warm tear roll down his cheek. He wasn''t a sensitive person and he preferred not to show emotion, but whenever he remembered his family''s sacrifice it made him vulnerable.


    He stood outside the school till the bell rang and the last class ended.


    The students quickly came out, some to chauffeured cars, others hailing cabs to get home.


    There were a few that got on the nearby bus, but Ian knew that only a few of them were truly unable to afford their own cars.


    He watched as several luxury cars passed with young men and women lowering the windows to wave at their friends, bidding them good night.


    Ian took a deep breath as he thought of how lucky these kids were. They had the world at their feet, some would go on to conquer it, while others would take what they had for granted.


    Such was life with the rich and powerful in the capital.


    "Did you go here too?" A man asked as he stood next to Ian.


    "I know you." Ian said as he looked closely at the man standing next to him. "I bumped into you in the R Tower lobby, you were rushing to get to an interview."


    "Yeah." The man said with a laugh. "I was almost late for that one. My girlfriend would have scolded me if I had missed it."


    "How did it go?" Ian asked.


    "I got the job, but it''s not exactly for the Reyes Group, but still it''s a job. I''m glad I got it." The man said with a smile as he combed his hair back.


    "So we went to the same university?" Ian asked as he remembered the man''s question.


    "Yeah, I guess we did. I graduated last year and finding a job has not been easy." The man said as he shook his head. "All these sons and daughters of rich families are snapping up work because of their connections. It''s made it harder for me."


    Ian tossed his head back and laughed, he sympathized with this man, he had the exact same experience.


    "You''re not alone." Ian said as he shook his head. "So what company will you be working for?"


    "A newly acquired one by the Reyes Group, it''s called Mor Co. I''ll be working as an assistant." The man said with a shrug. "My girl''s family will hate it, but what can I do, a job is a job."


    "A job is a job." Ian said with a nod, agreeing with the man. "Sorry, I forgot your name, what was it again?"


    The man smiled and shook his head.


    "Don''t apologize, I have one of those forgetful faces, my sister says I blend in too much with the crowd." The man told Ian.


    "No, I remember you quite well." Ian replied with a nod.


    "It''s Cedric, Cedric Reyes. And you?" Cedric asked Ian.


    "Ian Lim, nice to meet you again." He replied as he offered his hand for Cedric to shake. "Good luck with working at a Reyes Group company with your surname." Ian teased.


    "It''ll be fine, it''s not even publicly known to be a Reyes Group company. My job just requires me to know." Cedric said with a shrug.


    "Anyway, I need to go, I have to meet someone." Ian said as he turned to leave. "See you around, I guess."


    "See you!" Cedric called out as he waved at Ian.


    As Ian walked back to his car, the memories continued to flood his mind. He remembered how one day he got so sick because he had to walk home from school as a typhoon raged.


    He had no choice, he either braved the rain or remained stranded at an unsafe area. He knew that if he stayed till night time he could be mugged or murdered.


    When he finally got home he had a fever and could barely stand. He collapsed on the ground the moment he made it home.


    He recalled his mother crying so much because they couldn''t even take him to the hospital.


    They lost everything and when they tried to get back up the Juans were there, ready to push them back down.


    With every new business venture that his father would attempt, Manuel Juan would be whispering to the ears of the investor''s son. He would tell them how Ian had been sent to jail, how he was a bad person of bad stock.


    Every single attempt his parents made to find a job Manuel''s sister would be gossiping with the president''s daughter, spreading rumors that Sam or Karina sold their bodies to make ends meet.


    Ian clenched his fists at the memory. It was a painful one, something he never wanted his family to suffer.


    Everything led back to how the Juan family had suppressed them.


    Everything had the Juan name smeared across it.

 Chapter 145 - 145

    After going to his old University, Ian decided to finally speak to his sisters. He knew that Camilla was right, he needed to take into account what his sisters wanted.


    It was never just about him, it was always about all of them.


    As he pulled up to the old Lim Mansion, he was surprised when one of the bodyguards got out of the car and rushed to the gate.


    "I could have done that." Ian called out.


    "Sir, we have instructions to help you as much as we can." The bodyguard replied as he opened the old and rusty gate.


    Ian made a mental note to have that gate fixed and maybe modernize it a bit.


    Inside, the Lim Mansion was just like the other houses in the area. It had a long driveway and an elegant entrance to the large home.


    Ian sighed as he looked at the sad state of his old home. He knew that it had been years since the house had last undergone a renovation, unfortunately they didn''t have the money to do it for years.


    He knew that there were some things he could pay for and others that were still too expensive for him.


    "Ian?" Someone called out as he stepped out of his car.


    "Sam!" Ian happily greeted with a smile as his sister ran over and gave him a hug.


    "Dad said you were busy with work that''s why you haven''t been able to visit." Sam told her brother as she dragged him into the house.


    "I have. I''m sorry." Ian confessed with a sad look.


    "It''s fine, we understand." Sam said with a nod. "Everyone is out, it''s just me and Karina. Have you eaten dinner?" She asked her older brother.


    "Yes, I have. Have you guys?" Ian asked.


    "We did." Sam said with a nod.


    "Ian!" Karina called out as she rushed to her brother and hugged him as well. "Wow, you have time to visit us?" She teased.


    "Yes, and I need to talk to you about something." Ian admitted. "Let''s go to my room." He told his sisters as they climbed up the stairs.


    "You sound so serious. I don''t like it when you are serious." Karina pointed out as she eyed her brother suspiciously.


    "I have good news, but there is something I need your opinion on." Ian told his sisters as they walked down the hall to his room.


    As they went in, Ian was shocked to find his room just as he had left it months ago when he moved in to live with Jas.


    He decided that he would start staying here with his family every weekend whenever he could. If there was anything that their poverty had taught him, it was to treasure his family.


    "Mom said you might want to stay here whenever you visit. She has us clean this room every week." Sam said with a frown as she walked over and sat on his bed.


    "I''ll try to come over and stay more often." Ian said with a nod as he sat down next to Sam.


    "Perfect, you can clean your own room next time." Karina teased as she joined her siblings on the bed.


    "I missed this." Ian said with a sigh. "Just the three of us bonding."


    "Well, life happened." Sam said with a shrug. "We understand that your work comes first."


    "It shouldn''t." Ian said with a frown.


    "But it does, so stop being a sentimental asshole and tell us what you wanted to talk about." Karina said with a laugh as she shook her head.


    Ian laughed at his sisters'' reaction and shook his head.


    "Do you remember the little fight I got into with the Juan siblings a few weeks back?" Ian asked them.


    "Little? I wouldn''t call that little." Sam said. "That was like you making him look stupid in front of a lot of important people." She pointed out.


    "Are they coming after you because of that?" Karina asked with a concerned look on her face. "Can''t the Reyes Group do anything to protect you? I mean you are an important employee."


    "They aren''t coming after me, Karina." Ian said. "As a matter of fact they are in places they never thought they would be right now because of me and because the Reyes Group backed me up."


    "That''s good then." Sam said confidently with a nod.


    "What kind of places?" Karina asked with a look of concern on her face.


    "Don''t tell me you are worried about them, Karina." Sam hissed as she looked at her sister. "Karina, we have suffered so much because of them."


    "Yes, but I don''t want to give back to people what we have suffered. What we went through, that was just too much." Karina said as she shook her head.


    "Well, where are they?" Sam asked Ian.


    "Manuel and his father are in jail, while his mother and sister were taken by the Dean Mafia Family to pay off their debts with their bodies." Ian told his sisters.


    "Serves them right." Sam said in a bitter tone.


    Among his siblings Sam was the one that was most like Ian. She craved revenge but not to the same extent as Ian.


    "Sam, they are being made prostitutes, that''s just wrong." Karina scolded her sister.


    "They made us look like prostitutes, Karina!" Sam argued with her sister. "Didn''t they make us suffer enough? How many boys at school approached you and asked you how much a night was worth? How many?" She demanded to know.


    Karina remained silent as she frowned.


    "The CEO of the Reyes Group, Uncle Emilio also made me another offer." Ian said as he hesitated.


    "What? You will hurt them even more?" Karina asked her older brother.


    "Ian, that''s too much." Sam said as she agreed with her younger sister. "Isn''t it enough that they are in jail and being whored around?"


    "No." Ian said in a determined tone. "After what they did, no."


    "What was his offer?" Karina asked with a worried look on her face.


    "I can take some men to beat them up. Both the father and son and mother and daughter. They need to pay Sam, Karina." He told his sisters as he tried to convince them that that was what he needed to do.


    "Why are you asking us, Ian? You already know our answer. That''s enough, what they are suffering is enough." Karina told her brother.


    "Ian, are you asking us because you want to know what we want, or do you simply want us to approve of what you want?" Sam asked. "Ian, you need to show them you are better than this. You are too vengeful." Sam told her brother as she placed a hand on his.


    "Sometimes, you need to let go and live your life." Karina said with a nod.


    Ian sighed and nodded.


    He got up without a word and left, confusing his sisters.

 Chapter 146 - 146

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    Ian drove his car to his destination and turned off the engine. He took a deep breath and gathered his courage as his phone began to ring.


    He quickly picked it up to find that it was Marco calling.


    "Yes?" Ian asked as he answered the call.


    "Are you here yet?" Marco asked.


    "Yeah, I''m just not sure if I can do this." Ian said with a sigh as he unbuckled his seatbelt and stepped out of the car. "For some reason I feel like I''m betraying people."


    "They aren''t the ones that will have to live with your decision, Ian." Marco said as he approached the younger assistant. "They aren''t the ones that will have to live with regret. Trust me, I know."


    Ian took a deep breath and nodded as he dropped the call and placed his phone in his pocket.


    Marco was right, he was the one that would have to live with the consequences and the regret of not doing anything.


    As he approached the entrance of the police station, the elder assistant nodded at him.


    "Are you ready?" Marco asked.


    "I''m still questioning myself if this is the right thing to do." Ian admitted. "Should I be the bigger person or should I take my revenge."


    "Being the bigger person is sometimes a luxury not everyone can afford." Marco told Ian quite frankly.


    To be honest, Ian was quite surprised that Marco was not bothered by his desire for revenge, nor was he trying to get Ian to back down.


    What Marco was telling him was the exact opposite of what everyone said.


    All his friends and his family were on the side of him letting go, of him being satisfied with the fact that the Juan family were now either in prison or being sold on the streets.


    But something in Ian told him that it wasn''t enough. Something in him couldn''t be satisfied by the mere knowledge of their pain. He wanted to see it first hand, and if possible inflict it himself.


    He couldn''t deny that a part of him was also afraid, afraid that after all this the Juan family would still be able to get up again and come after him.


    Ian wanted them to fear him, he wanted them to never even consider going against him.


    If possible, Ian also wanted to completely take away their ability to get back up. People like the Juans not only inflicted pain and suffering on Ian and his family. There were others too, people who were once rich but managed to fall.


    Those that were seen as threats to the Juan family were also disposed of in the same bitter and disgusting methods.


    "The sooner you get this done, the better." Marco said with a nod as he went ahead and entered the police station.


    Ian gathered himself and took a deep breath. Marco was right, the sooner he got this over with the sooner he could move on with his life.


    He quickly walked up the stairs and pushed the doors open to join Marco inside.


    To Ian''s surprise the police station was empty, there was only one man in uniform speaking with Marco in a respectful tone.


    "We have thirty minuets." Marco informed Ian as several men entered the police station after them. "This is the captain of this police station, he has sent everyone out for the time being."


    "Captain." Ian said with a nod.


    "Anything for the Reyes Group, I owe you for helping my brother after that Mike guy practically ruined his career." The police captain said.


    "Rest assured that Mike and his associate will be tried and punished." Marco told the police captain as he placed a hand on the man''s shoulder.


    "I heard he was arrested for kidnap and torture." The captain said.


    "Yes, it was with Ian''s help that we were able to finally take him down." Marco informed him as he pointed at Ian.


    "Then I owe you as much as I owe the Reyes Group. Feel free to call me if you need anything." The captain told Ian.


    "I''ll make myself scarce now." The captain informed Marco. "You have thirty minutes before my men and I return."


    "That''s more than enough time." Marco told the police captain who bowed and left.


    "I hope you have already dealt with your doubts." Marco told Ian as he gave him a concerned look.


    "I have, mostly." Ian said as Marco led their group into the cells.


    It was empty and the only people inside were Manuel and his father.


    As the two men spotted Ian and Marco they glared at them.


    "I never thought the Reyes Group would break their word." Manuel shouted as he gripped the bars of his cell and shook it.


    "We never broke our word." Marco reiterated. "It''s your fault for getting caught, we didn''t interfere."


    "You were supposed to protect us!" His father called out.


    "That was not the deal you made." Ian said as he joined in on the conversation.


    "Who is Ian for you to care so much, he is scum, the worst of the worst. You are attracting misfortune by protecting that man!" Manuel shouted as he tried to convince Marco.


    "You still haven''t figured it out?" Marco asked with a grin, he was going to enjoy this.


    Manuel''s and his father''s expressions were one of confusion, it was clear that that wasn''t the response they were expecting from Marco.


    "He was with me when I had dinner with the CEO and his daughter, doesn''t that sound odd?" Marco asked. "He is on a first name basis with Jake Laurel, the heir to the massive Laurel Fortune, don''t you think you are crossing the wrong person?"


    Manuel and his father remained silent, unsure of what to say or how to react. This wasn''t the answer they expected to hear from Marco at all.


    "He is probably the third or fourth highest ranking employee in the Reyes Group. His opinion matters almost as much as mine or the CEO''s daughter." Marco said as he looked at Manuel and his father in their cells.


    "You are both lucky that you aren''t suffering a fate worse than what you are facing." Marco told them as he gestured for the guards to drag them out of their cells.


    "Whe- where are you taking us?" Manuel stuttered as he tried to stay as far away from the  men that were trying to drag him out of his cell.


    In the other cell his father was dragged by his feet as the older man tried to get away, he was kicking and screaming demanding for the bodyguards to let go.


    "We don''t want to make too much of a mess here." Ian told Manuel after remaining silent for so long. "Things will be easier to clean in the showers. We only have thirty minutes."


    With that Ian and Marco led their group to the police station showers that were there so that the police officers could clean themselves after a long day.


    "The blood should wash off easily here." Marco remarked as he looked around the tiled room.


    Ian simply nodded in agreement as both father and son were made to kneel in front of him and Marco.


    "Do you know what you did wrong in the past?" Ian asked them.


    "Shut up idiot." Manuel hissed as he glared at Ian.


    "Punch him." Ian ordered a bodyguard who did as he asked.


    "Are you really so worthless that you need someone else to deliver your revenge?" Manuel''s father asked with a laugh.


    "Of  course not." Ian said as he grinned at the two men, looking down at them. "I just don''t need to get my hands dirty to deal with the two of you."


    "Is that all you''ve got?!" Manuel screamed as he challenged Ian.


    "You are so stupid." Marco said with a laugh as he looked at the two men. "Can''t you see your disadvantage?"


    "They are blinded by their arrogance." Ian told him.


    "Take off their clothes. There should be no evidence of blood." Ian ordered the bodyguards who quickly did as he asked.


    "This is for everything you''ve done, for every pain you have made my family suffer." Ian hissed as he gestured to the bodyguards to come closer.


    "Beat them up until they cannot move, make sure it will be covered by their clothes." Ian ordered.


    To which the men nodded and began to execute his order.

 Chapter 147 - 147

    The men that Emilio Reyes sent to Ian and Marco did not hold back when they beat up Manuel and his father. They didn''t stop when Manuel begged and cried.


    Ian and Marco watched as the men kicked and punched their torsos.


    "You really messed with the wrong person." Marco said with a chuckle as he watched the men beat up the Juans.


    Soon, Manuel was coughing up blood as his body started to show patches of black and blue on his body.


    "Check him." Ian shouted as a medic ran over to check on Manuel''s status.


    "Is he still breathing?" Marco asked as he looked over to see Manuel''s condition. He was on the ground as the medic slowly lifted him to check his vitals.


    "You -" Manuel''s father said as he struggled to speak. "Fucking- Assholes-."


    The older man struggled to speak as he too was now coughing up blood.


    The white tiles were now red as their blood was everywhere.


    Ian shook his head as he walked over to the older man and gave him a disgusted look.


    "You do not have the right to say that." Ian hissed as he glared at the man. "You have ruined more lives and this is only a fraction of what other people have suffered in your hands."


    "Asshole." Manuel hissed as he slowly regained consciousness as he tried to get up.


    Ian shook his head and laughed.


    "You deserve to suffer a hundred times more than this." Ian screamed as he glared at Manuel. "The damage you have done to the people of this world is nothing compared to his."


    Manuel''s father coughed and spat blood on the ground as he lifted his head and looked Ian in the eyes.


    "We will be back, and we will never forget what you''ve done." The man responded as he glared at Ian.


    Suddenly Marco suddenly laughed behind Ian and shook his head.


    He looked down at the Juans as if they were the most disgusting creatures on the face of the earth. He spat at the two men and shook his head.


    "Do you really think we will allow you to get back?" Marco said as he continued to walk forward.


    His next action shocked Ian, he suddenly kicked Manuel''s father in the jaw knocking the older man back.


    His head hit the tile floor.


    "Marco." Ian said with a gasp as he was shocked by the older man who was knocked unconscious.


    "You fear the Laurels but not the Reyeses? You are stupid." Marco said quite bluntly as looked at Manuel who tried to get to his father as he was held back by the guards.


    Ian gave Marco a look and the elder assistant gave him a shrug as a response.


    "This is part of our job, Ian." Marco said with a sigh as he looked at the father and son on the ground. "People need to learn to respect the people we work for. We need to make sure that everyone knows that so the Reyeses have one less thing to worry about."


    "You killed him!" Manuel howled as he began to cry as he tried to reach out to his father who was still lying on the cold tile floor.


    Ian looked at the medic who moved from father to son.


    "He isn''t dead." Ian declared by simply observing the doctor''s reaction as he checked the older man.


    "Clean them up." Marco ordered as he looked at his watch. "Be out in the next ten minutes."


    The men nodded in response as they dragged the two men under the shower.


    As Manuel''s father was doused in the cold water he suddenly woke up, kicking and screaming.


    "Make sure they know to keep their mouths shut." Marco called back to a guard, who nodded.


    Ian knew that they would have their own ways of keeping the two men quiet, it would probably be a threat to the family. He couldn''t imagine what else the men would threaten the Juan''s with.


    They had taken everything at this point, their wealth, their properties, their reputation, even their women. They had been stripped of almost everything that made them human, what else had the two men left to lose.


    "Let''s go." Marco told Ian in a stern tone as he walked out ahead of Ian.


    Ian on the other hand snuck a final look at the father and son before finally turning his back on them and following Marco out the door.


    "There are times we don''t need to see everything to the end." Marco told Ian as they walked down the steps of the police station. "We have people to handle these things, but I won''t lie, there are certain situations where in we need to see things to the end."


    Ian nodded as he listened to the older assistant.


    "These things will be too much for Camilla, not because she is a woman, but because of her past experiences." Marco explained as they walked to their cars. "You will have to take on these tasks for the Reyes Heir some day."


    "I understand." Ian said with a nod.


    "Being the CEO''s assistant means more than just helping him with his work." Marco told Ian as he stopped along the way. "It means making sure that everything that needs to be done is done. That you go beyond what people see in public. It requires us to work the back channels as well if needed."


    "I know." Ian replied.


    "Good." Marco said as he smiled. "I was worried that both you and Camilla wouldn''t be able to handle this kind of life. It requires a lot of unorthodox methods."


    "I was prepared." Ian informed Marco.


    From the very beginning he knew that being the CEO''s assistant meant more than just office work, that it also required for them to handle other matters.


    "All the people you will meet in this job will not just be for show." Marco informed him. "Keep who they are in mind and make sure to remember everything about them. The Reyeses don''t like being in the dark about the people they will work with. You will need to be prepared for that."


    "Why are you giving me instructions as if you are already leaving?" Ian asked with a laugh as he gave Marco a confused look.


    "Just some things that you need to learn from the very beginning." Marco said with a shrug.


    Ian wordlessly nodded as the night sounds of the city blared through the silence.


    "Well, we should get going." Marco reminded Ian as he took a look at his watch again. "We only had thirty minutes, I don''t want us to be seen by any of the police officers. We represent the Reyeses and if we are seen here people will assume that the Reyes family is involved with whatever happened here."


    Marco unlocked his car and got in.


    "Drive safe!" He called out to the younger assistant who also made a move to ride his own car.


    "Same to you." Ian said with a nod as Marco started his car and drove away.


    Ian did the same and found himself back at the Solaire Towers quite quickly.


    He was shocked to find Camilla pacing around the lobby as Seth sat down on the couch prepared for guests.


    "What are you two doing down here?" Ian asked as he entered the lobby.


    "She was worried." Seth said as he pointed at Camilla who had a very worried look on her face.


    "You were gone for so long." Camilla said as she looked at Ian. "I thought you. . ."


    She was unable to finish her sentence as Ian slowly nodded.


    "I came from the police station." Marco told her.


    "Are you at ease?" Seth asked his friend.


    "Let''s talk about this in my apartment." Ian told them as he gestured for his two friends to follow him to the elevator.


    The ride up was silent as Ian knew that the two were quite eager to ask him questions.


    When the door finally shut behind them, Ian was dragged from the door to his couch and made to sit down.


    "Are you at ease?" Seth asked Ian again, this time the concern was quite evident in his face.


    "I feel better, yes." Ian said with a nod.


    "You do know that the mother and daughter are with us, right?" He asked with a worried expression.


    "Yes, what are you looking worried about?" It was Ian''s turn to ask the questions this time.


    "I guess I just don''t want you to look at me any differently." Seth said with a frown. "My family isn''t exactly on the right side of the law."


    "As if that''s ever bothered us." It was Camilla that responded this time, shaking her head.


    "We''ve known for days now what your family does, it doesn''t bother us." Ian told Seth with a nod hoping to ease his friend''s worries.


    "Any special requests when I deal with them?" Seth asked with a wide smile on his face.

 Chapter 148 - 148

    "I can''t believe you would offer that!" Camilla said as she gave Seth a disappointed look.


    "What?" Seth asked as he looked at his friend and co-worker. "These people have done horrible things to Ian, it is only natural that he will want revenge."


    "They are already in the worst place possible, being sold and used against their own will, how dare the two of you?!" Camilla asked angrily as she looked at both men.


    "Some things need to be done." Ian told Camilla as he carried a worried look on his face.


    "What do you mean some things!? Some things?!" Camilla shouted at Ian. "What you two are planning is vile and despicable."


    "Camillia, they deserve this." Seth said in a low voice as Camilla glared at him.


    "I''m out of this." Camilla said as she raised her hands in the air and marched out of Ian''s apartment.


    "She doesn''t understand." Ian said in a low voice. "She doesn''t understand what it is like to lose everything and become hopeless because a few people decided that it was fun to toy with your life."


    "So is there anything you want me to do?" Seth asked as he gave Ian a look.


    "No, I think Camilla is right in this one." Ian told Seth as he sighed and took a seat on the couch next to his friend. "This is enough, no one deserves to suffer that fate, but it is the rule of the underworld, something I will not interfere with."


    "You know, you could always tell us not to do it. I would if you asked." Seth told Ian as he sensed his friend''s discomfort with the fate that the mother and daughter were about to face.


    "And how would the people they owe money get what they owe back?" Ian asked as he considered his friend''s suggestion.


    In his mind, to Ian getting beaten up was better than being taken and sexually abused against your own will.


    He knew that Manuel''s sister was in no way innocent in the case of his sisters'' but he couldn''t help but worry if he was actually crossing a line with this matter.


    "There are other ways, I can give them a choice." Seth suggested. "Do you mind if I get coffee?" His friend asked.


    "Yeah, go." Ian said with a nod as he followed his friend to the kitchen.


    "Want one?" Seth asked, to which Ian nodded.


    "What do you mean by giving them a choice? I thought selling them as prostitutes was the only way for them to pay off the debt?" Ian asked.


    "Well, that''s how the people that they owe money want them to pay their debts, but there are many odd jobs I could have them do." Seth suggested as he started up Ian''s coffee machine.


    "Like what?" Ian asked as he leaned forward, curious to hear the other options.


    "One, is for them to work as maids for several families, to be honest those maids are more like slaves paying off their debt rather than maids." Seth suggested as he thought of the other options he could offer his friend.


    "I would prefer that, but I don''t think they will accept it." Ian replied to Seth as he carefully considered the personality of each member of the Juan family.


    "Why not?" Seth asked. "It''s the lightest I can give them, the others are much worse."


    "It would ruin their names." Ian explained. "To the Juan''s their name is everything. It is what determines who they are. They would rather be paraded around as prostitutes where people may not recognize them than to work as servants for someone they once mingled with."


    "I was actually going to offer them to someone who would use them as servants publicly." Seth said with a grin as Ian brought up his concern.


    "Let''s keep it as an option, I doubt they would take that one." Ian said with a nod.


    "There are a few more, but they are just as bad as selling them as prostitutes around the city." Seth said as he hesitated to tell Ian his ideas.


    "Just tell me and we can figure out what they would probably accept." Ian said with a nod as Seth sighed and finished making their coffee.


    "Unfortunately I cannot go too far from what their creditors wanted." Seth told Ian. "As it is my I''m already going against our laws."


    "You don''t have to do that for me." Ian said with a sigh. "The Juans are simply reaping what they have sown."


    "I have one idea that may end up satisfying both their creditors and may keep the Juan''s pacified." Seth told Ian as he handed his friend a drink and sat down.


    "I''m listening." Ian said with a nod as he took a sip from his coffee.


    "The creditors wanted them sold to pay for their debts. So there are three ways I can go about this." Seth said as he took a deep breath. "First is the obvious, use them as prostitutes across the city, something you are uncomfortable with."


    Ian nodded in response as he listened to his friend.


    "The second is to sell one of them as a personal sex slave." Seth suggested.


    Ian frowned at the thought, he didn''t want that, it still felt too much to him.


    "There is a third one, which I think they might be more inclined to take." Seth said as he hesitated.


    "What''s wrong with the third idea?" Ian asked.


    "There is no guarantee that it will keep them in line or if it will keep them down. But it will definitely break them temporarily." Seth said.


    "Just tell me what your idea is, Seth." Ian said as he was now growing impatient with his friend.


    "Sell Manuel''s sister for marriage." Seth finally told Ian.


    The answer caught Ian by surprise, this was not what he was expecting Seth to suggest, he was thinking that the man from the mafia family had something darker and more sinister in mind.


    "I think they were already doing that." Ian pointed out. "The Manuel''s would have definitely tried to pawn off their daughter to a rich and powerful family."


    "They would, but I''m thinking of someone darker, someone under my control." Seth informed Ian. "She would not be a happy wife, he won''t love her and he won''t even touch her. They would only be married for show while the man would go on with his mistresses."


    "This is a way out they might consider." Ian said as he thought of the option.


    "Well?" Ian asked.


    "Let''s see what they have to say when we approach the mother and daughter.." Ian said with a nod as he thought of what would happen next.

 Chapter 149 - 149

    Ian had arranged for Seth to keep Manuel''s sister and mother locked up until they could give them their options.


    Seth also promised to show Ian who he was planning on selling Manuel''s sister''s hand in marriage too. According to him it was a vile man who was involved in a lot of shady business who was looking for a wife that would make him sound a little bit more respectable.


    Since the Juan''s case was still not yet public knowledge, their name was somewhat intact. It was only in those small circles that news of the bankruptcy and arrest had traveled.


    On the other hand, Ian was also eager to speak to Camilla, he wanted to clear things up with her.


    He didn''t deny that his hunger for revenge made him somewhat of a monster, he knew he was wrong to want it so much and it was something he tried hard to control and change.


    Ian struggled as he didn''t want his friend to think of him as such a horrible person.


    The past two days, Ian and Camilla only spoke for work. As a matter of fact, Camilla had made it a habit to take her own car to the office, avoiding Ian at all costs.


    Her cold treatment of Ian did not go unnoticed which led to Marco calling them each to his office.


    Ian knew that Camilla had been called into Marco''s office to talk and he guessed that it was related to their unresolved argument. So when he too was called in after Camilla was sent out, he wasn''t surprised.


    "You know how important your relationship with Camilla is to your work, right?" Marco asked as soon as Ian closed the door behind him.


    "Of course I do." Ian said with a sigh as he walked closer to the older assistant who was seated behind his desk. "Camilla doesn''t approve of our errrr. . .methods." Ian said as he tried to come up with the best word for what their disagreement was about.


    "Trust me, I know, I got quite an earful from her when she came in." Marco said with a laugh as he shook his head. "I swear at that moment I didn''t know who was the boss, her or I."


    "She can be quite intimidating." Ian said with a weak smile. "I plan on talking to her. I agree with her, having the Juan''s sold as prostitutes might not be the right way to do things."


    "The Mafia changed their policy for you?" Marco asked as he found Ian''s situation quite interesting.


    "Seth said that he would find a way around their policies for us, yes." Ian said with a nod.


    "It''s not unheard of, but it''s rare. Don''t ask Seth to do this too often." Marco warned Ian. "The underworld has its own set of policies and honor codes. We don''t want to put the Dean family in a position that will be detrimental to them."


    "I would never." Ian told Marco as he looked the older assistant in the eyes.


    "Right, the reason I actually wanted to talk to you." Maroc said as he opened a drawer and pulled out some files and pushed them towards Ian.


    Ian picked them up and saw that they were documents regarding several companies all over the world.


    "In a week we will be flying to Hong Kong for a tech conference." Marco explained to Ian. "These are companies that the current President of Mor Co., a company that the Reyes Group secretly owns, has provided as priorities for partnerships. I want you to review them."


    Ian nodded as he scanned the notes.


    "Of course you won''t learn everything from their publicly available files, we have some industry insiders in certain countries, their numbers are there too." Marco explained. "While we are at the expo, I want you to try to get whatever gossip you can about them."


    Ian nodded as he listened to Marco''s instructions.


    "The president of Mor Co. will be there with his people too, but it''s different when it''s a small company like theirs and a big one like ours. Even if in essence we are the same company." Marco told Ian.


    "Why is the Reyes Group keeping it a secret that Mor Co. is owned by the Reyes Group?" Ian asked as he looked at the documents in his hands.


    "To protect the company from vultures that want to attack it." Marco explained. "Being a company like the Reyes Group has its pros and cons"


    "I''m guessing that the pros are the already established partnerships and the name of the Reyes Group, that basically guarantees that it will be a success." Ian replied.


    "Sometimes, but not always." Marco corrected the younger assistant.


    Ian nodded in response as he listened intently to Marco.


    "The technology sector in our country is young, it''s something that the Reyes Group has never entered before and our footing in the industry is not good enough." Marco explained. "The Reyes Group has a lot of enemies, and the Reyes Family even more."


    "If they find out that the Reyes Family has decided to invest in this new industry they will attack it just to get the company and the family to bleed money." Marco further explained. "The Reyes Family wants that company to grow and survive on its own merits and not on the merits of a company that is generations old."


    Ian nodded as he understood what Marco was explaining to him.


    "I want you to settle your fight with Camilla before we leave as well as to settle everything concerning the Juans by then." Marco told Ian.


    "I''ll try to patch things up with Camilla later and finish everything concerning the Juans by tomorrow." Ian said.


    "Good, the CEO wants to announce who you two are before we leave for Hong Kong, hopefully by then everything will be much better." He said with a nod as he dismissed Ian.


    Ian quickly left the office and placed the documents away on his desk before finally going over to Camilla''s office.


    He knocked softly, but no response came. He decided to push the door open and call out to her.


    "Camilla, can we talk?" Ian asked as he looked into the room, only to find Camilla busy with work.

 Chapter 150 - 150

    "Camilla." Ian called out again, but he was ignored as he walked into her office.


    Camilla was still looking down at the document in front of her as she continued to ignore Ian.


    "Camillaaaaaa." Ian called out as he stood in front of her.


    She continued to ignore him as she kept her attention elsewhere, annoying Ian.


    "Damn it!" Ian shouted as he walked up to her and grabbed her by the wrist. "Can you please stop ignoring me? This is getting annoying and I want to fix things between us."


    Ian wanted to laugh at himself as the words left his lips, he sounded like he was in a fight with his girlfriend.


    "Ian, what the hell?!" Camilla asked as she glared at him. "What are you doing in my office?" She asked as he took off her earphones.


    "Oh." Ian said as he was suddenly embarrassed by his actions. "I thought you were still mad and ignoring me." He explained.


    "I''m still mad, but I won''t ignore you if it''s related to work." Camilla told him as she turned her attention back to the document she was reading.


    "It is related to work, so pay attention to me." Ian said as he pulled on her arm again.


    "You sound like a needy girlfriend right now." Camilla teased as she sighed and turned to face him. "What is it? Did Marco give you work that we need to do together?"


    "Not exactly, but he noticed that we aren''t friends at the moment." Ian said with a frown as he pulled a chair so that he and Camilla were at each other''s eye level.


    "What does that have to do with work?" Camilla asked as she made a move to turn back around to focus on work. "I have a lot to do and you are just bothering me right now, get out." She hissed.


    "It has everything to do with work." Ian told Camilla. "Our working relationship is very important with how we work, at the end of the day if we are fighting then no work will get done properly. We both know this is true so give me a few minutes of your time, let''s talk."


    "We aren''t not friends right now, Ian." Camilla said with a frown as she turned her attention back to him.


    Ian was somewhat relieved to hear her words, it meant she wasn''t that mad at him.


    "I know you and Seth think that I am against the whole prostitution idea because I''m some innocent and sheltered child, but I''m not Ian!" Camilla said as she began to tear up.


    "No, no, no. Don''t cry Camilla." Ian said as she pulled his friend into a hug. "You were right. The whole prostitution idea was too much, but you need to understand, they have creditors that hired Seth''s family to do something."


    "Are you guys planning on faking it?" Camilla asked. "Will it risk Seth''s position in his family? Or will it risk his family''s relationship with their clients? I know it''s wrong but all of a sudden I feel so selfish for thinking that it was all under Seth''s control."


    "No Camilla." Ian said as he released his friend from his arms. "Seth still needs to meet the demands of their client, but this time Manuel''s mother and sister will have a choice. They will choose their punishment."


    "What do you mean?" Camilla asked as she gave Ian a confused look. "If the creditors demanded that they sell their bodies, doesn''t it mean that''s it for her?"


    "There are other ways." Ian said. "It was Seth that came up with it although I doubt that they would choose some of the options."


    "You must be angry at me." Camilla told Ian with a frown.


    "Why would I?" Ian asked, confused by what his friend had just said.


    "The Juans were horrible to you and your family, they ruined yours and your sisters'' futures. I love your sisters, they are so nice, and yet here I am stopping your chance at revenge." Camilla told Ian.


    "Camilla, my sisters were against this too." Ian said with a sigh as he shook his head. "As a matter of fact I''ve already gone against what they asked me not to do. I don''t know how I will even face them after this."


    "They didn''t want you to go to the police station that night, did they?" Camilla asked as she gave her friend a worried look. "If they told you no, why did you still go?" She asked.


    "Because I needed it." Ian told Camilla as he gave her a sad look, one that broke her heart to see.


    "I''m a monster." Ian said with a sigh. "I''m a monster for wanting the worst things from the people that tore down our family."


    "You aren''t Ian, no, you are far from being a monster." Camilla told him.


    "What kind of person wants another to suffer more than they already are?" Ian asked.


    "They deserved it, Ian." Camilla told him as she tried to comfort her friend.


    "You know what makes it worse?" Ian asked as he suddenly started to laugh hysterically. "I don''t regret it. As a matter of fact I feel at ease because they are now in a place where they cannot harm other people. I''m just as bad as them, Camilla, just as bad."


    "Don''t say that!" Camilla shouted. "The fact that you are doing this for revenge and not just because you like it makes you a better person already, messed up in some ways, but somewhat better." She told him.


    "I''m sorry, Camilla." Ian said with a frown.


    "You don''t need to apologize to me." Camilla told him. "This is your matter, not mine. I just don''t want you to lose yourself in this whole revenge."


    "I won''t." Ian said with a nod.


    "Then what were you saying about the options for the Juan''s?" Camilla asked.


    With that Ian told her their options, slavery or sold off for marriage.


    "I don''t see how that is better." Camilla said with a frown. "But I guess them having an option is better than having none."


    "So are we friends again?" Ian asked.


    "We''ve always been friends, silly." Camilla said with a laugh. "Can I be there?"


    "Where?" Ian asked her.


    "When you give them the choices, I want to be there for you and Seth. Moral support." She said with a laugh.


    "I''m pretty sure we won''t be the ones that need to be supported." Ian pointed out.. "But sure, we''ll got tomorrow."

 Chapter 151 - 151

    Ian and Camilla were given the afternoon off by Marco. He told them that he would be able to manage everything, he just needed Ian to settle his matter with the Juans before they left for Hong Kong.


    "When do you plan on telling your siblings?" Camilla asked Ian as they waited for Seth''s men to pick them up at the driveway of Solaire Towers.


    "Before we leave, probably." Ian said with a shrug.


    "Don''t leave without settling things with them, you never know what could happen." Camilla reminded Ian.


    "I know." He replied with a nod.


    "What about Jas?" Camilla asked. "Are you two still not talking?"


    "Things have been busy, I haven''t had the time to actually sit down and give her a call to talk about our relationship. For now it seems that we are still together. I just want to give her time to settle things with her sister, what happened to them was not easy." Ian told Camilla.


    He was no longer bothered by all the questions she asked, he knew that Camilla was just worried about him, that she asked all of these out of genuine concern.


    She was his third sister, one that he knew would always have his back, no matter what.


    "Is that the car?" Camilla asked as a simple black car approached them.


    Ian checked his phone and read Seth''s message, the car''s make and model matched as well as the plate number.


    It''s windows were tinted so dark that you couldn''t see the people inside.


    "It is." Ian said with a nod as the car stopped in front of them.


    Ian took the initiative and opened the door to the back seat.


    "The boss sent us for Ian and Camilla." A deep voice said coming from the front passenger''s seat.


    "That''s us." Ian told the man.


    "Get in, quickly." The man told Ian.


    Ian quickly did as he was told and gestured for Camilla to quickly follow.


    As soon as they closed the door behind them the car sped off to their unknown destination.


    "This is odd, I hope you both understand that." The man in the driver''s seat said as they entered the busy streets of the capital.


    "Yeah, this is our first time picking someone up without having to blindfold them." The man in the front passenger seat said in agreement.


    "We know your boss." Camilla told him in a cold tone.


    Ian wanted to laugh at the persona she suddenly adopted. He noticed that she often took this one on in public, especially if she didn''t want people to question her.


    "Calm down lady, we didn''t say anything wrong." The driver told Camilla in a nervous tone. "Don''t tell the boss we disrespected you, he''d have our heads for that."


    "We understand what you meant." Ian told the man as he placed a hand on Camilla''s shoulder, as he tried to keep her calm.


    "I won''t tell." Camilla whistled.


    The rest of the trip was silent as the men drove them around the city, making sure that they weren''t followed.


    Ian had expected this, he knew that each Mafia family''s hideout was often kept a secret. The home of its leaders were well known, but not where they conducted their operations.


    After an hour of driving around in different directions and towards random locations, Ian finally sensed that they were headed towards the hideout of the Dean family.


    "We''re almost there." The man in the passenger''s seat said as he checked his phone. "I don''t know who you are to the boss, but he has been nagging us non-stop about your location."


    Ian and Camilla both laughed at the man''s comment and shook their heads.


    "We are nobodies." Ian replied as he noticed them entering the basement parking of a seemingly abandoned building.


    He took note to tease Seth about how cliche the hideout''s location was. It seemed like they were in some action movie where the villain hid his lair.


    "I doubt you are nobodies." The driver said as they stopped next to a wall.


    "We''re here." The man in the passenger''s seat said as he got out and opened the door for Camilla and Ian.


    The two assistants followed his lead and got out of the car as well.


    Just as when they had ridden the car, the driver drove off as soon as the closed the door.


    The other man led them towards a seemingly normal wall, before finally tapping a hidden panel which revealed a number pad and a biometric scanner.


    Ian couldn''t help but think to himself how funny the situation they were in seemed to be. It really was like an evil villain''s lair.


    Once the man had provided the code and scanned his hand on the biometric pad, they heard a hissing sound as a wall nearby parted, revealing the hidden entrance.


    "This way, the boss is waiting for you." The man told Ian and Camilla as he led them through the wall that turned into the entrance.


    As they stepped in the door automatically closed behind them and they were greeted by the cold air of the hideout.


    "Through here." The man gestured as several people passed them, eyeing their group suspiciously.


    Ian guessed that they normally didn''t get guests.


    They were led to the end of the hall and through two large oak doors that didn''t seem to fit in the cold interior of the place.


    Inside, Ian wanted to laugh at the sight that they saw.


    Seth was sitting behind a large table as several men with scared expressions, it seemed as if they feared that Seth could order their execution at any moment.


    "Sir, your guests." The man that had accompanied Ian and Camilla announced as soon as he saw an opening.


    Seth looked up at them and grinned.


    "Everyone, out." He ordered, sending all the men scurrying out the door as they bowed when they passed Ian and Camilla.


    When the doors finally closed behind them, Ian laughed and shook his head.


    "Who knew you could be this scary?" He asked his friend with a grin as he made himself comfortable on the couch.

 Chapter 152 - 152

    "Sure, go make yourself comfortable." Seth said as he rolled his eyes at Ian, making Camilla laugh.


    "Who knew people were this scared of you." Camilla said as she joined Ian on the couch.


    "Thank you for having so much faith in me, you really are my friends." Seth said in a sarcastic tone as he rolled his eyes.


    "So is this your dad''s office?" Ian asked as he looked around at the lavishly decorated room.


    "No it''s mine and it annoys me." Seth grumbled. "It''s way too lavish and way too formal, it doesn''t belong in this place at all!" He complained.


    "Yeah, this place looks like an evil villain''s hideout." Ian teased.


    "That''s what I thought too the first time dad sent me here!" Seth said as if it was the first time someone was agreeing with him.


    "I got the same vibe too." Camilla joined in as she laughed at the coincidence.


    "So why did you even accept this place to be your hideout? Or is this where the Dean Family really operates from? I''m quite confused." Ian pointed out.


    "My family operates differently from others." Seth explained. "The heir apparent and the family head both work at different locations. This is supposed to protect us from potential threats."


    "So is this place like one that you inherited when you accepted the role?" Camilla asked.


    "I haven''t accepted it." Seth told them with a grin. "My dad simply dumped this place and the people in it with me. He didn''t leave me an explanation until I finally asked around. In the eyes of everyone I am taking over when dad steps down."


    "Did you tell them that it isn''t what you want?" Ian asked.


    "No." Seth told them as he shook his head. "When I had finally gathered the courage to tell people that I wanted out, I spoke to you, and you managed to convince me that I needed to understand why I wanted to give this place up."


    "Is this what you want now?" Ian asked Seth as he looked around the elaborately designed room, it didn''t seem to fit his friend at all.


    "It''s not perfect, but most aspects of being where I am now is what I want." He explained to Ian. "I don''t like how everyone needs to fear me."


    "You can change things when you are in charge, right?" Camilla asked.


    "I''m not too sure." Seth responded as he shook his head. "Even Ray rules through fear, it''s simply how the underworld works."


    "I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way around it." Ian said with a nod as he encouraged his friend.


    "Anyway, enough about me." Seth said as he cleared his throat. "Let''s get down to why you are here."


    "The Juans." Ian said with a nod. "How do you plan on going about this?" He asked.


    "I''ll have them taken here. I just need to prepare the both of you, they aren''t in the best state." Seth said as he gave Camilla a worried look.


    "I''m not as fragile as the two of you think." She hissed as she glared at the two men. "I''ve been through difficult times too."


    "Sorry about that." Seth said with a frown.


    "They will be shocked to see us." Ian pointed out. "I don''t think they realized that we were somewhat involved with the Mafia."


    Seth nodded at Ian''s words, even Seth sitting behind the large table was a sight no one would have expected to see.


    In public he was just an ordinary person, yes Seth was fit and quite tall, but nothing about him told you he was involved in any illegal businesses.


    As a matter of fact, you would think that he was a law abiding citizen, an ordinary employee that had the potential to make it big in the corporate world.


    It just showed how you could never judge a book by it''s cover, people always had their secrets, come bigger than others.


    "So we keep quiet while you make the offer?" Camilla asked.


    "Yes." Seth said with a nod. "And I would prefer if you both sat over there." As he spoke Seth pointed to a couch almost next to his desk.


    "So you are trying to make us all look intimidating?" Ian teased.


    "Basically." Seth replied with a grin, making Camilla laugh. "My men will be in here with us, so I highly suggest you act a little bit more formal towards them."


    "Sure, no problem." Ian said with a nod as he got up and moved to the couch Seth had indicated.


    "You know that I''ll be acting the part as a son of the mafia, right?" Seth asked his friends. "That''s not the real me."


    "Why are you so worried, Seth?" Camilla asked. "We know who you are, however you act will not change that fact."


    "People have gotten scared of me when they''ve seen this side." Seth said with a frown.


    "Technically, you should be scared of us too." Ian teased.


    "Hah, you''re right." Seth said as he shook his head. "Even my dad is wary around Marco."


    "Yeah, and you just hangout around him like it''s nothing." Camilla pointed out.


    Since they started plotting against Mike and Armand, Seth spent more and more time with the three assistants, joining them for lunch and sometimes helping out with work.


    "The assistants to the CEO of the Reyes Group are people that not even the Mafia can mess around with, at least not unless we have a death with." Seth said, shaking his head.


    "And yet you decided to piss Camilla off." Ian pointed out.


    "It wasn''t just me, it was you too." He grumbled.


    "Enough horsing around boys, shouldn''t we get on with this Juan Family matter?" Camilla asked as she gave them a serious look. "The soon we get this settled the earlier we can actually relax."


    Seth nodded as he pushed a button on his desk.


    The man that picked them up immediately entered and bowed to Seth.


    "Boss?" The man asked.


    "Bring the Juan''s over, we''re ready to make the offer.." Seth ordered, to which the huge man quickly followed as he rushed out of the room.

 Chapter 153 - 153

    Manuel''s mother and sister entered Seth''s office with their heads down as they kept looking at their feet.


    "Hurry up, bitches, the boss doesn''t have all day." The guard behind them hissed as he pushed them forward, making Manuel''s mother stumble.


    "Bitch." The guard hissed again. "Get up!" He ordered in a gruff tone that almost made Camilla flinch.


    If a man like this feared her friend Seth, she wondered how scary he could actually get.


    In her mind Seth was kind but somewhat twisted, just like Ian. They were somewhat the same but with different drivers.


    To Ian it was his revenge that fueled him, it drove him, it gave him reason. While Seth was driven by his loyalty to his people and his family in the Mafia.


    Sometimes she couldn''t help but wonder what they would both be like if they had been born to different situations, places where they had the opportunity to simply be kind.


    Sadly, that''s not how the world works, people are molded by everything around them. All the people and events that happen make people who they are, this was the undeniable fact of life.


    Camilla watched as the mother and daughter stumbled to get up and sit on the couch. They kept their heads down and refused to look up.


    "Are they the latest recruits?" Seth asked in an abnormally cold tone, one that sent goosebumps up Camilla''s spine.


    It was no wonder that the people here feared him, just by his tone she already felt like he was plotting murder and torture.


    "Yes, sir." The large man said in a much more subdued tone compared to when he was ordering the Juans around.


    Camilla could see that he feared Seth, that he was genuinely afraid of offending the Mafia boss'' son.


    "Good. Get out." Seth hissed.


    The man bowed and quickly rushed out, he seemed relieved that he didn''t need to stand in Seth''s presence for long.


    As the man left another three entered, two stood by the side of the mother and daughter and another stood by the door.


    "Look up." Seth ordered.


    The mother and daughter quickly did as he demanded and raised their heads.


    Camilla heard a gasp as she assumed they saw her and Ian. She wasn''t sure if they knew Seth, so it was possible that he was a complete stranger to them.


    "It seems you recognize my friends." Seth said as he leaned back and looked between the mother and daughter sitting on the couch across from him. "Just to be sure, I''d like to introduce you to two very important people, Ian Lim and Camilla Montero, assistants to the CEO of the Reyes Group."


    Seth''s men who were standing guard were somewhat caught off guard as well, it seemed that they didn''t expect Ian and Camilla to be that important.


    It made the pair realize even more how intimidating their roles in the Reyes Group actually were.


    Most people would brush off the position of assistant, but these people knew the truth, within the Reyes Group they were important.


    "You see, your son and daughter were way in over their heads when they offended Ian and Camilla, Mrs. Juan." Seth continued to speak as if no one was surprised by his first statement.


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    Ian and Camilla watched as Mrs. Juan''s hands shook vigorously, she was clearly nervous and worried about the fate that they were facing.


    "Normally, offending someone like them would cost you your life and your dignity and sometimes even beyond that." Seth explained. "But, fortunately for you Ian is much more forgiving."


    "W- w- what do you mean?" Mrs. Juan asked as she glanced at Ian, who was calmly seated and observing their actions and reactions.


    "I don''t know how aware you are of this Mrs. and Ms. Juan, but your husband and son owed a lot of money to people they will never be able to pay back." Seth revealed in a serious tone.


    Based on their reactions it seemed that the mother was unaware, while the daughter knew exactly what Seth was talking about.


    "Ah, it seems that your daughter knew about this." Seth said as he looked at the younger woman. "Is that why you were at Solaire Towers, looking for me?"


    "Y- y- yes." She mumbled. "My brother said I needed a suitable match to protect us and to pay off what we owed. But at the time things seemed to be more promising. We had a lot of partners and the business was growing, I don''t know what happened."


    "How were you supposed to find me when you had no idea of how I looked?" Seth said with a laugh as he shook his head.


    "We were hoping you would be easy to spot." Manuel''s sister admitted.


    "And you ended up meeting you end." Seth told them with a grin.


    "I don''t know what happened, mom." Manuel''s sister told her mother as she turned to the older lady. "Everything was going really well. Dad and Manuel managed to get new clients and new partners. Things were going just as we planned."


    "I can tell you what went wrong." Seth said as he inserted himself into the conversation.


    "Sir, please, I don''t know how my brother''s and my father''s hard work suddenly turned into nothing." She begged. "I''m innocent in all of this."


    Camilla and Seth heard Ian suppress a laugh. Clearly he wanted to react but was holding himself back.


    "Go on Ian, I don''t want to even stop you." Seth said as he looked at his friend with a grin.


    "You''ve never been innocent when it came to all of this." Ian hissed.


    "Do you want to know why all those partners pulled out of their deals?" Seth asked as he looked the young woman in the eyes.


    She and her mother slowly nodded.


    "Because you offended these two." Seth said with a grin.


    "But the Reyes Group promised my father they wouldn''t interfere." Manuel''s sister said in a shaky voice. "Plus your man said we had the Dean family''s protection."


    "You had that man''s protection, that man who is now dead by the way. We do not let traitors live." Seth informed them.


    The mother and daughter turned pale at the news, it seemed they had underestimated the Dean family and what lengths they were willing to take.


    It made them worry about how horrible their fate was about to be.

 Chapter 154 - 154

    "You are lucky Ian is nothing like me." Seth hissed as he repeated his words, making the Juans look towards Ian.


    They seemed hopeful that Ian would be able to get them out of their predicament.


    Camilla was confused with why these people thought that someone who''s life they had ruined would help them. Did they really think that people were that kind? Most of the world did not have the luxury to be kind or forgiving, that was the truth.


    "You owe a debt, that''s not something we can change." Ian told the mother and daughter in a cold tone. "But what we can give you is a choice, it''s not much, but it is still a choice."


    Manuel''s sister nodded slowly as she processed Ian''s words.


    "This is stupid." Her mother hissed as she snapped. "I''m sure we can speak to our creditors and come up with a way out of this. It can''t be the end."


    "You are being delusional, woman." Camilla suddenly spoke up, catching everyone by surprise.


    It wasn''t just because she had been silent the entire time, but also because she was normally the calmer and meeker member of their circle of friends.


    "What did you just say to me?" The mother asked as glared at Camilla.


    "It seems she doesn''t respect your position, Camilla." Seth said with a laugh as he waved a guard over.


    The large man pulled the older lady to her feet and threw her to the floor, catching everyone by surprise.


    Camilla wanted to stop Seth''s orders but she knew this was all part of the image he needed to portray, it also may help in breaking the stubborn woman.


    "Kneel to her." Seth ordered in a booming voice.


    "She''s just an assistant." The woman said.


    "Mom, you know that''s not how it works." Her daughter said in a quiet voice. It was clear that the daughter now understood their situation.


    "She is nothing compared to us!" The woman shouted. "She is scum, her family is nothing!"


    "I might be scum, but I''m not the one that is on my knees in need of help to protect my child. You really are blind, woman." Camilla hissed, standing up for herself. "If it weren''t for me these two men would have let you be whored out on the streets!"


    The woman and her daughter looked at Seth and Ian, both men nodded, it was the truth. Even if Ian wasn''t for the whole prostitution idea, he wouldn''t have stopped it if Camilla hadn''t spoken up.


    "You have her to thank for your opportunity to make a choice." Seth pointed out.


    "Sorry." Manuel''s mother said as she knelt and bowed to Camilla.


    "Better, pick her up." Seth ordered.


    One of his men quickly and roughly pulled the older woman to her feet and pushed her to sit on the couch.


    Camilla sighed and sat back down, relaxing against the soft velvet cushion of the couch.


    "Are you ready to hear your options?" Seth asked. "Will there be no more arguments?"


    "Yes." Manuel''s sister answered for her and her mother.


    "Good." Seth said with a nod as he took out three folders from his drawers.


    Seth looked at both women and observed their body language. It was clear that they were both nervous and anxious. From the mother he could sense some disdain on her end, apologizing to Camilla was something she didn''t want to do but had to.


    "As we mentioned earlier your debts are too high for you to do anything, so your creditors have asked us to make you work for that payment." Seth began as his eyes continued to watch their expressions.


    "The first option that has always been what our clients ask is for you two to sell your bodies for sexual favors every night on the streets." Seth explained quite casually sending a chill up Camilla''s spine.


    It seemed that Seth was used to dealing with these kinds of things, something that should not have come as a surprise to Camilla.


    "I refuse to let my daughter be sold like a whore." Mrs. Juan declared as she heard the first option.


    "Not like a whore, Mrs. Juan." Ian said with a light chuckle. "As a whore."


    What he said made Seth''s men laugh. He was right, she was not going to be sold off in the streets like a whore but as a whore, a common prostitute, a life that the Juans would never have imagined for their daughter.


    "And it''s not just your daughter, Mrs. Juan." Seth added as he grinned maliciously at the older woman. "You as well."


    His statement made the older lady gasp in shock. It seemed that she hadn''t realized that there was a market for older women in the prostitution market.


    "And what if we reused, what if we fought off any attempts for men to use us?" Manuel''s sister asked.


    "There are ways to break you." Seth said with a shrug. "But if you still remained uncooperative, we would kill you and sell your parts."


    At first Camilla thought Seth was joking, but when she got a glimpse of his expression she realized that he was serious, that was how they dealt with people that refused.


    Camilla was in shock that her friend could be so brutal, so cold, so heartless. She knew it was the way things were done in the underworld, but couldn''t he do something to change it.


    Ian sensed her distress from the other end of Seth''s desk. He gave her a worried look, before finally signaling to Seth that they might need a break for him to speak to Camilla, to calm her down.


    The other man nodded and Ian got up and spoke to her in a low voice so that others could not hear.


    "Are you fine, do we need to take a break?" Ian asked as he checked up on his friend.


    "No, I was just taken by surprise." Camilla told him as she shook her head.


    "I told you, you don''t need to be here." Ian told her.


    "I want to be here, we can continue." Camilla said with a nod as she glanced at Seth.


    Seth''s face remained expressionless as he continued to mask what he truly felt.. Camilla hoped that her friend was still there and that he would be willing to speak once they were in private once more.

 Chapter 155 - 155

    "The second option we have for you might be something you will not like." Seth said as he pushed the second folder forward.


    Inside each envelope were the details of where they would be sent and how they would make up for their debt.


    Seth and his men had worked on it beforehand and he had even consulted with Ian on what the details should be.


    "I doubt anything can be worse than prostitution." Mrs. Juan said as she looked at the folders on Seth''s desk.


    "I suggest you listen to your options before saying anything." Camilla commented from the side. She knew that Ian had warned Seth that some of the options may be worse than prostituion in the eyes of the Juans.


    Mrs. Juan remained silent after Camilla warned her.


    When Seth was sure that she had nothing left to say he continued to explain their other options.


    "As I was saying, the second option would be to serve a certain person or family until you pay off your debts through service of some kind." Seth explained.


    "Do we get to choose who we work for?" Manuel''s sister asked as she gave Seth and Ian a worried look.


    "No." Ian said, answering for Seth.


    "This will be the fastest way for you to pay off your debts if I am being honest with you." Seth added. "We can send you off to work for  multiple families, so that when you are not needed by one you can work for another."


    "Can you at least guarantee that we won''t be seen by people we know?" Mrs. Juan asked Seth.


    "That is something I cannot control." Seth said as he glared at the two women. "As it is I am extending to you a courtesy I have never given anyone in the past, you have options. Do not push it or I might just decide for you."


    Seth looked down at the folders, he already knew what he would choose if he were given the chance. He would pick the one that would do the most damage to them, he owed at least that to his friend.


    He might not have the best background, but at least when it came to the dirty work, he could be reliable.


    "Do not give Seth an answer yet." Ian suddenly spoke out as he noticed that the Juans were about to make a decision. "There are still two more." Ian told them.


    The women simply nodded and returned their attention back to Seth who pushed forward a third folder.


    "I''ll be honest, this one is not the best, but it is an option." Seth said with a sigh. He normally didn''t even consider this option since to him it was quite cruel.


    "We would like to see our options." Manuel''s sister declared.


    Seth could see that she was nervous, none of the previous options seemed to suit what they were comfortable with, then again, none of the options were meant to be things that they liked.


    At the end of the day they were still offenders, they had borrowed money that they would never be able to pay back. If they hadn''t pushed Ian over the edge their family could have been richer than ever before, but they chose to mess with the wrong person.


    "This option is nowhere near nice." Seth said as he looked at the two women. "It is a mix of option one and option two, where only one of you would need to suffer."


    "Suffer in what way?" Mrs. Juan asked a little too eagerly for Seth''s comfort. She seemed to be either willing to sell herself or sell her daughter.


    "There are men, and some women, that don''t like sharing or having the off chance of someone finding out about their sexual desires." Seth explained as he introduced the third option.


    "What are you suggesting?" Manuel''s sister asked, wide eyed in shock. It seemed that she already had an idea of that illegal trade.


    Seth wasn''t shocked that she knew, after all she did live among many of the clients that wanted that kind of service.


    "I think it''s something you are both familiar with." Seth told them.


    He was getting an odd vibe from the mother as she remained silent, it was as if she was seriously considering this option.


    "With this third option you will be able to settle your debt immediately, but the servitude is for life or until the person that has purchased you chooses to let you go." Seth explained. "As you know they will use you for anything and everything they desire, and we will have no control over that."


    "And only one of us needs to go?" Mrs. Juan asked as she gave Seth a serious look.


    "Yes, only one." Seth said with a nod.


    "I''m assuming they prefer younger women over matured ones." Mrs. Juan stated.


    "Yes, although there is still a market for women your age, you just don''t last as long." Seth said quite casually, worrying both Ian and Camilla.


    "Mom, you can''t be considering this one?" Manuel''s sister asked her mother as she gave her mother a painfilled look.


    "Whoever goes will be there forever or until the person sets them free. I won''t lie it is slavery." Seth reminded them.


    "As if your other options are not slavery." Mrs. Juan hissed. "You are giving us the false sense that we can control our lives when the options just keep getting worse and worse. You are simply toying with us Mr. Dean."


    "You are lucky you even have options!" Seth shouted. "Do not test my patience woman or I will send you to the one I know you and your family will despise the most. I will make sure you never see your family again."


    "Sir, please, I''m sorry about my mom." The daughter began to beg as she burst into tears.


    "I suggest listening to the fourth and final option." Ian said calmly as he glanced at his friend.. He knew this one would be more acceptable to them.

 Chapter 156 - 156

    "I hope this fourth option gives us a better way out." Mrs. Juan commented.


    "Mom!" Her daughter complained.


    "What? We need better options, so far to me the third is the best." Mrs. Juan told her daughter.


    "You have got to be kidding me." The young woman groaned.


    "Don''t worry, we will be giving you time to discuss your options, we know that you can''t decide on this lightly." Seth said in a much calmer tone.


    "The fourth option?" Mrs. Juan demanded.


    Seth sighed and shook his head.


    "Your fourth option will not guarantee that you can pay off all of the debt you owe, but I think this is the option you will be more inclined to choose." Seth told the Juans as he clasped his hands in front of him and waited for their response.


    Seth knew that they would have something to say. It seemed that the Juans always had something to comment or add. It annoyed Seth, but in a way it was also entertaining for them to watch.


    "Well, what is it?" Mrs. Juan asked, making Ian laugh.


    "This man has your life in the palm of his hands and you have the guts to be rude to him?" Ian asked as he looked at the older lady. "You are either brave, crazy, or just plain stupid." He commented.


    "He is nothing but a thug, a low life. All that matters is the money he gets." Mrs. Juan scoffed. "And you, you and your family are nothing but worthless scum in our world, an eyesore. Your parents sold off your sisters just to maintain that mansion you live in. And I am aware of the rumors about you Ian Lim."


    "Mom, please stop." Her daughter begged.


    It suddenly dawned on Ian that Mrs. Juan had no idea about all the malicious rumors her children had been spreading throughout the years.


    Ian grinned at the thought, it was leverage he could use against the siblings, if he got the chance. Based on how things were going it seemed that everything was set in stone for them already and there was no way out.


    Manuel and his father would eventually be sentenced and thrown into jail for quite a long time. While the mother and daughter pair in front of them were still deciding their own fates.


    "It''s true, we shouldn''t have to be dealing with people like them. Just wait till your father and brother both come to get us." The older woman said proudly, making Camilla laugh.


    "Yes, young lady?" Mrs. Juan asked. "Is there something amusing with what I said?"


    "Yeah, you are speaking as if your son and husband are walking around freely." Camilla pointed out.


    "They were taken by the police, something that can be easily fixed." Mrs. Juan boasted.


    "Right, but the people in the government already know that they are going up against the Reyes Group." Camilla pointed out. "I should know, I gave the evidence."


    Mrs. Juan''s jaw dropped at the news. She had somewhat ignored Camilla next to the two men and yet here she was declaring that she was behind the arrest of Manuel and his father.


    "If I''m not mistaken, Mrs. Juan, your son and husband will both be sent away for a really really long time." Camilla said with a grin as she watched Mrs. Juan''s confident expression vanish.


    "I think that was enough to get her attention." Ian said with a grin as he looked at Camilla.


    "And get her to listen, hopefully." Camilla responded as she rolled her eyes.


    Seth waited for the older woman to speak, but she remained silent, presumably pondering her situation.


    "The fourth option is this, a paid marriage." Seth said as he looked Manuel''s sister in the eyes. It was her and only her that could engage in this deal.


    "Who would he be?" She asked.


    "Someone who is not kind, someone with a horrible background that needs a cleaner name to be attributed to it." Seth explained.


    "And how will the debt be settled in that case?" She asked.


    "He will pay a fee for your hand, and for your cooperation in producing a family for him." Seth told Manuel''s sister. "It should total to about 75% of all of your debt after he pays."


    "And what about the remaining 25%?" She asked.


    "You have two options, your family could sell what it has left or you can ask your future husband if you agree to marry him." Seth explained.


    Manuel''s sister remained silent as he weighed her options.


    Camilla knew that for a woman like her it was a tempting offer. Her family would not be embarrassed any further and she would at least have control over her body as long as she produced children for the man.


    "What else should I know about this man?" Manuel''s sister asked as she looked at Seth.


    Ian was quite confused that she was asking so many questions, based on how he had known the Juan family, this option was the best for them and they would have quickly accepted it.


    "I''ll be honest." Seth said in a serious tone. "You won''t be the only woman in his life. He will have mistresses and possibly a sex slave. This man does not have a good reputation."


    "But he is rich?" She asked.


    "Very." Seth said with a nod. "He is rich but new rich, he needs an older name to further establish himself."


    Manuel''s sister simply nodded in response as she thought silently of her situation and the options at hand.


    After a few minutes of silence Seth spoke up once more.


    "You will have a few days to decide." He announced. "Talk it over with your mother then tell my men what option you have chosen."


    The women nodded as they were lost in their own thoughts.


    "Take them back to their cells.." Seth ordered his men who quickly did as he asked and roughly pulled both women away from his office.

 Chapter 157 - 157

    "What do you think they will choose?" Camilla asked the boys as they piled into Seth''s car.


    He had decided to forgo the cloak and dagger method for their return back to Solaire Towers. It was highly unlikely that anyone would follow them from the hideout back home.


    "I think they will choose the paid marriage." Ian said as he considered what the Juan''s valued.


    "Are you sure?" Camilla asked. "It seemed to me that the mother wanted to pick the third option." She pointed out.


    "The third option is the worst." Seth hissed as he rounded a corner that would take them back to Solaire towers. "I don''t know why they would even consider that, but I''ve seen really despicable people and I think the Juans might just fall into that bucket."


    "By the way, I''ve been meaning to ask, who are the people you plan to send them to in option two, three, and four?" Camilla asked as she gave her friends a concerned look.


    "For the second option where they would basically be indentured servants, I gave Ian a list of people involved in that trade." Seth explained.


    "I picked out several that I''m sure they know." Ian told them with a grin. "Most of them were friends, others were their enemies. Nothing hurts more than having to server someone you once looked down at."


    "Your family included?" Camilla asked her friend.


    "No." Ian said as he shook his head. "My family doesn''t engage in that kind of practice. Plus we are way too poor for that."


    "That would do them the most damage, won''t it?" Camilla asked Ian.


    "Depends on what they value." Ian replied with a shrug. "If they value their name more than they value their own bodies, then yes."


    "I actually see that being the worst torture for them." Seth said with a nod as he pulled up to the driveway.


    Camila sighed and frowned.


    She knew that the Juans were having it better than anyone else that crossed paths with the Mafia. She just couldn''t help but feel bad for them.


    "Do you guys want to hangout or something?" Seth asked as a valet took his keys so that he could park the car.


    "Sure, I have a few hours to burn until dinner with Jas'' family." Ian said with a shrug as they entered the building.


    "Camilla''s place!" Seth volunteered as he ran over to the elevator like a child.


    Camilla and Ian laughed at him as they shook their heads. Right now he was the total opposite of the powerful Mafia boss they had seen earlier.


    "Wait, you guys are talking?" Camilla asked as they got into the elevator


    "Somewhat." Ian said with a shrug. "I don''t know where our relationship stands, but until then I guess I''ll attend all of these family events with her."


    "Isn''t that the same family that wants her to date other people?" Seth asked as he gave Ian a confused look.


    "Yep, same people." Ian replied with a nod. "She told me that before this whole Mike drama she had managed to convince her parents to let us be. I''m working for the Reyes Group now and that at least counts for something to them."


    "Yeah, but I''m sure they look down at the fact that you are just an assistant. Most people would." Seth said in a frank tone.


    "They do, but there is nothing I can do about it." Ian said as the elevator doors opened and they stepped out, making their way to Camilla''s apartment.


    "I just hope you aren''t making a mistake with that one." Seth said with a frown as Camilla unlocked the door and pushed it open. "Based off of what I have seen, she isn''t exactly the best person to be with." He commented.


    "She''s different." Ian said with a nod as they found their own spots on Camilla''s couch. "I know this is just a bump in the road for us because we''ve been through worse."


    "We know she was there for you when you had nothing, Ian. But shouldn''t you consider that the dynamic is different now?" Camilla asked as she came over with some snacks and drinks.


    "This is why I prefer hanging out in your place!" Seth exclaimed as he grabbed a bag of chips and placed it on his lap.


    Camilla laughed at him and shook her head before returning her attention back to the conversation at hand.


    "What do you mean it''s different? We are still the same person. I haven''t changed nor has she, if any of us have changed it''s for the better." Ian said in a defensive tone.


    "Ian, you have to acknowledge it." Seth said in a more serious tone.


    "Acknowledge what?" Ian asked. "You two are confusing and speaking in riddles, it''s annoying."


    "You don''t need her or her family to support you anymore Ian." Camilla pointed out. "That changes a person."


    "Yeah, if anyone changes it will be me, because I have some financial freedom now, I know what you are getting at." Ian said as he looked at his two friends. "Do you really think that a small amount of money would change who I am?" He asked.


    "Ian, that''s not what Camilla meant." Seth said as he hesitated to speak up.


    "Then what?" Ian questioned.


    "Ian, we know who you are, you won''t be blinded by money or become over confident." Camilla said in a calm tone. "You''ve known what having money is like and you''ve known what it''s like to lose it."


    "What are you trying to say?" Ian asked as he glared at his friends, he had a guess as to what they were insinuating, but he hoped it wasn''t that.


    "Ian; some people like being needed." Seth told him. "Aren''t you worried that your relationship with Jas will change just because you don''t need her anymore? Aren''t you worried that she and her family will change?"


    "I can''t believe you would accuse my girlfriend of something like that!" Ian said angrily.


    "She has done worse to you." Seth reminded Ian.


    "She didn''t have a choice!" Ian shouted.


    "And what about the first few times?" Camilla asked. "We are just looking out for you."


    "You''ve known me for a month! A month!" Ian shouted back. "I''ve known Jas for years.. You have no right!" He said as he got up and left, slamming the door behind him as he walked out.

 Chapter 158 - 158

    The dinner Ian had been invited to was a big event to Jas'' family, the Ortegas.


    Publicly, they had announced that the party was to celebrate the fact that Jas'' sister, Josephine, had finally finished her studies in Paris and was finally home.


    But, Ian knew the truth. They were also celebrating the fact that Josephine was now free from Mike''s and Armand''s clutches. He was yet to hear how she had ended up in that situation since he hadn''t spoken to Josephine yet.


    Ian wondered if Jas'' family knew that Josephine was safe and free because of him.


    "Ian." Jas shouted as his car pulled up in front of the entrance of the hotel where they were hosting the event.


    "Hey." Ian said with a smile as Jas ran up to him and kissed him passionately on the lips.


    He decided not to make an issue out of it and to simply kiss her back. This wasn''t the time for him to act all confused and unsure about their relationship. They were in public and the image of their strong relationship was important.


    "I missed you." Jas told Ian as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "All you do now is work." She complained.


    "I don''t exactly have a lot of free time now." Ian told her as he planted an innocent kiss on her forehead.


    "Come on, I want to introduce you to some people." Jas said with a smile as she pulled Ian towards the event hall where the party was already in full swing.


    In the past Jas didn''t introduce Ian to their guests, or if she did she would simply call him her childhood friend.


    It was because it would look bad on her if she was dating people while others knew that she had a boyfriend.


    Ian didn''t know if she would introduce him now as her friend or as his boyfriend, he decided it was best if he didn''t expect. After all, Jas'' family was still under threat by the people who didn''t like the Lims.


    Oddly enough, those people knew that Jas and he were dating, so maybe there was a chance that she would actually admit that they were together in front of others.


    "I think you''ll enjoy tonight." Jas said with a smile as she searched around the room.


    When she finally found the people she was looking for, she quickly dragged Ian across the events hall.


    "Who is this Jas?" A man Ian recognized as the son of a rich businessman asked as they approached.


    Their table was filled with people that Ian recognised to be sons and daughters of businessmen and politicians, all coming from reputable and rich families.


    Unfortunately they were all from new rich families, families that had only made their fortune in the past twenty years at most.


    They wouldn''t have known about the Lims or about Ian''s past.


    "This is my boyfriend." Jas boasted as she hugged Ian by the waist, catching him by surprise.


    "Boyfriend?" A woman asked as she looked at Ian from head to toe. "He isn''t even wearing anything branded." She pointed out.


    "Jas, won''t your parents be shocked when you introduce him to them?" Another girl asked Jas in a low tone, making sure that none of the guests overheard her.


    "Yeah Jas, don''t your parents want you to date some rich heir that can help bring your business to new heights?" One of their male companions asked as he carefully observed Ian.


    "No, no, they know about Ian." Jas said proudly. "We''ve been friends since we were kids, we live in the same neighborhood." She explained.


    "He lives in the old city too?" The first man asked as he looked Ian over again.


    Only old rich families had properties in the old city, it was rare for a newer family to purchase property in the area since the land and homes there had been handed down over generations.


    And now, with the clamor to protect the historic heart of the city it was getting more and more difficult to purchase property in the area.


    As a matter of fact, Jas'' family was one of the newer ones. They had been one of the last to snap up property in the area before everything ran out and it became more difficult to sell.


    The Ortegas were in no way a new rich family, they had owned their company and the property where the family home was located for at least three generations. They were just younger than the other families that called the area their home.


    "Ian Lim, meet some of my friends from the country club." Jas said as she gestured for Ian to meet them.


    Ian simply nodded and smiled at everyone. He knew that this group would not accept him, at least not until they thought they were on the same level.


    "Ian!" Josephine greeted as she passed by them. "Is Jas finally introducing you to her friends?" Josephine asked as she gave her sister a suspicious look."


    "She is." Ian said with a laugh.


    "Please tell Mr. So and Mr. Reyes next time you see them that I owe them so much." Josephine said as tears began to form in her eyes.


    Ian knew it was a tough topic for her to talk about so it confused him that she would even mention it.


    "I will, Josephine." Ian said in a serious tone as he nodded at Jas'' sister.


    "Mr. So? Mr. Reyes?" One of Jas'' friends asked as he gave Ian a confused look.


    "Yes, Ian works at the Reyes Group." Josephine said with a nod.


    "Yeah, but why would you ask him to tell such important people that?" The man asked Josephine. "I''m sure that Mr. So and Mr. Reyes have much more important things to do than to speak to an ordinary employee."


    "He''s not -" Josephine was about to say something when Ian''s phone began to ring.


    "Sorry." Ian said in an embarrassed tone as he pulled his phone out and checked who was calling. "It''s work." He grumbled.


    "Mr. So?" Josephine asked, to which Ian nodded in reply.


    "If it''s really Macro So, you should be able to pick that call up and put it on speaker. We all know what the CEO''s assistant sounds like." Jas'' friend demanded.


    Ian hesitated, he didn''t know if that would get him into trouble.. He didn''t want to accidentally let company secrets loose just to prove he was important.

 Chapter 159 - 159

    Ian decided to simply risk it and just explain and apologize to Marco later. He was honestly tired of people walking all over him and assuming that he was no one.


    He knew that he could get Marco to understand why he did it eventually.


    "Marco?" Ian asked as he picked up the phone, earning him shocked stares from Jas'' friends. People didn''t call Mr. So by his first name. Doing that could get you in a lot of trouble with the Reyes Family.


    "Ian. Are you out?" Marco asked.


    His voice was familiar to everyone since most of the Reyes Family statements were made by him. He was also the person people spoke to if the CEO needed something signed or arranged.


    He was someone feared and respected by people. He not only held a huge influence on the Reyes Family but he was also from a very powerful family himself.


    "I am, wait, sorry, I accidentally placed the call on speaker. Give me a moment." Marco told Ian.


    "No need. If you are out, I''ll just call Camilla. Either of you can handle it and it''s not a rush. The CEO simply needs something." Marco said.


    "Alright. Camilla shouldn''t be too busy." Ian told Marco.


    "Enjoy your night then, see you at the office tomorrow." Marco told him as he dropped the call.


    Ian looked up and saw the expression of shock on everyone''s faces. It seemed they believed him now.


    Josephine was laughing behind him when she too saw their expressions. It was silly, they had been looking down at the person they should have been sucking up to.


    "Ian, can I speak to you in private?" Josephine asked him in a meek tone.


    "Ummm. . . yeah, sure." Ian said as he scratched his head.


    "I can borrow him for a moment, right Jas?" Josephine asked her sister.


    Jas hesitated for a moment, but later on nodded, allowing Josephine to drag Ian to the other end of the hall in a much more quiet area.


    She looked around and made sure that no one nearby could overhear their conversation. When she was convinced that their conversation would be private, she took a deep breath and prepared to speak.


    "Mr. So told me that you were crucial in saving me." Josephine told Ian as she gave him a thankful look.


    Ian nodded in response. As much as he wanted to play humble, now was not the time.


    "He told me that you put aside your revenge plans on the Juan family just to trick Mike." Josephine told Ian. "Is that true? I know what they''ve done to you. How could you just let it go so easily?"


    "It''s true." Ian replied with a nod. "But the Reyes Group and the Reyes Family takes care of its people. They have given me the tools to get the revenge I''ve long sought after, and this time all I needed was my name and some very good friends."


    Ian couldn''t help but think back to how had stormed out of Camilla''s apartment earlier. It was quite rude and ungrateful of him.


    Both Seth and Camilla had helped him so much and he knew that they were only worried and concerned about him.


    The points they raised were valid, they made sense, he just didn''t want to hear them.


    "My sister has been unfair to you." Josephine said with a sigh as she shook her head. "She is way too lucky to have you. My family is lucky." She said with a nod.


    "Your sister and your family have been with me through my hardest times. It''s I that owes them, not the other way around, Josephine." Ian reminded her.


    "You''re wrong there, Ian." Josephine said as she bravely corrected the older man.


    She was a small woman who only reached till Ian''s shoulders. Her long brown hair made her look even younger.


    "Josephine, you don''t need to make me feel better." Ian said as he shook his head. "I know how much of a burden I have been to your family in the past years. You guys are being targeted because of my relationship with your older sister."


    "We might have suffered for the past two years, but my family has benefited by association to yours for years before that. We grew to this size because you and Jas were friends." Josephine told him. "Plus what she did you, rich or poor, you don''t deserve that."


    "Which one?" Ian asked as he pretended not to know.


    "Don''t pretend to be stupid, Ian. It doesn''t fit you." She said as she shook her head. "We both know she has been seeing other men because of our family for years."


    "They never went past dates." Ian reminded her. "Don''t speak ill of your sister." He scolded.


    "Yeah, that''s what she tells you, just dates." Josephine scoffed.


    "Enough, I trust your sister, what you are telling me is just hearsay." Ian insisted.


    "Ask her yourself." Josephine told him. "Consider this my thanks, you deserve to know the truth. It''s stupid for my family to keep things from you, especially things that could affect your relationship with my sister."


    "I''m not sure if what you have given me is a gift, Josephine." Ian told the younger woman.


    "Trust me, the truth is what you need to hear." Josephine told him as she finally managed to walk away.


    Ian took a deep breath and shook his head. He trusted Josephine, but he also trusted Jas not to lie to him about these things.


    He knew that he was being an idiot by choosing to believe Jas when she had lied to him in the past. But he loved her, why wouldn''t he trust her.


    "Ian!" Jas called out when she spotted him returning to their table. "What did my sister want?"


    "Oh, nothing, she just wanted to thank me for my involvement in that matter." Ian said with a shrug as he brushed it off as no big deal.


    "Thank you, again." Jas said as she went on her tip toes and kissed him on the lips. "Why don''t I give you a little thank you gift tonight? We can go home to your apartment early.." Jas told him with a seductive smile.

 Chapter 160 - 160

    "I have work tomorrow." Ian said in a cold tone as he wrapped his arm around Jas'' waist.


    He didn''t want her to feel like he didn''t love her anymore, that was quite far from the truth. But until he could find out the truth behind what Josephine had warned him about, he decided to keep his distance.


    "Oh, but didn''t you miss me?" Jas asked.


    "Of course I missed you, but you know how much the Reyes Group demands from me and Camilla." Ian said, hoping she would understand. He knew Jas would want to play the role of a supportive girlfriend at the very least.


    "I understand." Jas said with a sigh as she nodded. "I just miss you, a lot. And I want to talk about things. I want to know how you really feel."


    "Maybe we can talk about it when I get back." Ian said as he held Jas'' hand.


    "Get back?" She asked as she gave Ian a confused look. "You''re going somewhere?"


    "Right, I haven''t told you. I just found out the other day." Ian said as he scratched his head. "The Reyes Group is sending us to Hong Kong for a conference. We need to go there with Marco and the CEO."


    "When?" Jas asked.


    "Next week." Ian replied.


    "And you are telling me about this now? Couldn''t you have told me sooner? How long will you be gone?" She asked one question after the other, wanting to know details about Ian''s trip.


    Ian took a deep breath as he tried to control the annoyance he could feel building up. He wanted to tell her so badly that she shouldn''t be mad that he was a few days late in telling her the news.


    As a matter of fact what difference would it even make? They weren''t exactly on the best terms as a couple at the moment. There was still a lot they had to sort through and she was giving him this attitude.


    It took Ian all of his strength not to snap at Jas.


    "I''m only telling you this now because we haven''t seen each other in days, I haven''t had the chance. As for how long, we will be there for a week, unless the CEO decides to extend the trip or cut it short." Ian explained.


    "Why so long?" Jas asked with a pout.


    "Jas, you know I can''t control this." Ian said in an irritated tone.


    "Jas, Ian!" Jas'' father said as he waved at the couple.


    "Uncle." Ian responded with a respectful nod.


    "There are some people I want to introduce you to, Ian." Jas'' father told him. "Can I tell them what your role is at the Reyes Group or is that still a secret?" He asked.


    Ian looked at Jas, he hadn''t told her parents what he did in the Reyes Group, he couldn''t help but wonder what her parents knew and if she had told them the truth.


    "Dad, Ian''s job is actually quite different from what you know." Jas said as she tried to explain things to her father.


    "Oh, I thought he worked as an assistant for one of the executives." Jas'' father said as she gave Ian a confused look. "What''s the truth?" He asked.


    "Uncle, I do work as an assistant, but I''m being trained to be the future personal assistant to the next CEO of the Reyes Group." Ian revealed, much to the older man''s shock and disbelief.


    "Wait, so that means. . ." Jas'' father said as his voice trailed off.


    It seemed to Ian that he was in shock at the news. People didn''t really expect Ian to rise this high so fast, after all his family had lost everything and it was as if the whole world was against him at one point.


    "Uncle, yes, it means that right now I work with Marco So. I help him with everything and anything the CEO needs and I get sent to the different subsidiaries under the Reyes Group to study them." Ian explained.


    "Marco So is second only to the members of the Reyes Family." Jas'' father managed to say.


    "I guess you could say I''m either third or fourth." Ian teased as he recalled the reference Seth had made earlier that day.


    "Is this public knowledge?" Jas'' father asked. "Why didn''t we know about it? Why didn''t you tell us Jas?"


    "It''s not Jas'' fault, uncle." Ian said as he shook his head. "The CEO didn''t want people to know since he wanted us to learn about the companies in secret, but things have changed and he will be announcing us tomorrow."


    "Tomorrow?" Jas asked. "Is that why you aren''t free tonight?"


    "Yeah, it''s a big day and I can''t be falling asleep or yawning on the stage. Can you imagine how embarrassing that would look?" Ian said with a laugh.


    "That''s big news." Jas'' dad said as he began to consider the implications. "Is that why you were able to help with Josephine''s case?" He asked.


    "Yes, we didn''t know about Josephine, but Mike was already someone that was stealing from the Reyes Group and hurting many of its employees." Ian explained. "I didn''t know that he was using the Ortegas as well."


    "It''s a good thing then. Josephine told us that you had a crucial part to play but she wasn''t allowed to disclose the details, not even to Jas." Jas'' father told Ian as he glanced at his elder daughter.


    "It was nothing." Ian said, brushing it off. "I was simply doing my job."


    "Dad, didn''t you want to introduce Ian to some people?" Jas asked as she tried to change the topic.


    "Right, right, this is the perfect opportunity, I want to introduce Ian as your boyfriend to some of our business partners." Jas'' father said as he led them through the crowd.


    As much as he wanted to deny it, Ian had a gut feel that he was about to be used as leverage by the Ortegas, even if they had planned on introducing him before they knew his true role in the Reyes Group.

 Chapter 161 - 161

    "This is Ian Lim, my eldest daughter''s boyfriend." Jas'' father excitedly introduced.


    "Is his family involved in any businesses we know?" The guest asked as he shook Ian''s hand.


    "My family built much of the townships in the south." Ian said with a nod. "My grandfather is also known as the father of local export, he was the one that propelled it to new heights."


    "Wow, then you are a promising young man." The guest said with a nod.


    In all honesty, Ian didn''t like it when his family was used to reference how great of a future he had before him.


    He wasn''t his family and it was not what determined the person he would someday become. If that were the case then he should have stopped fighting for a better life for himself a long time ago.


    Unfortunately this was not the place nor time to make a scene so Ian simply nodded and smiled.


    "He is actually on his way to make a big name for himself." Jas'' father boasted.


    Ian gave the older man a weak smile as he felt Jas hug his arm and lean her head on his shoulder. It seemed she was trying to show the people around them that he was hers.


    "Really? Wow!" The guest praised without even knowing what Jas'' father was about to say.


    "Yes, he currently training under Marco So, the CEO of the Reyes Group''s assistant. You know how they work there, the assistant is basically his VP for everything!" Jas'' father exclaimed, much to the guest''s shock.


    "Mr. So is retiring?" The guest asked as he gave Ian a sceptical look.


    Everyone knew that Marco was quite young and was far from the age of retirement. It was true that the CEO''s assistant was always busy and always worked extra hard, but it still was too early for Marco to retire.


    "No, we are being trained for the next CEO." Ian explained. "It''s a long path but right now we are helping Marco with his tasks."


    "Oh, wow." The guest said with a nod. "Then you''ve met the Reyes Heir."


    "Not yet." Ian responded as he shook his head. "The Reyes Heir is still studying to eventually take over. We were told that we would meet him when it was time for him to come out to the public."


    "You must be a very promising young man then." The guest praised Ian. "The Reyes group is known for having the highest standards and hiring only the best of the best."


    "I can only hope to match those requirements, sir." Ian said as he didn''t want to sound too proud or boastful.


    "Ian!" A familiar voice shouted, making Ian turn.


    He was surprised to find his cousin Jade standing behind him with a man in tow.


    "Jade!" Ian greeted as she stretched his arms, allowing Jade to come over and give him a hug.


    "Ian, my god we missed you last week, we all went on a beach trip but auntie and uncle said you guys couldn''t go." Jade said with a frown as she was careful not to let people know that Ian''s family had not come along because his parents couldn''t afford it.


    "Huh? Mom and dad didn''t tell me about a trip, we could have gone." Ian said, catching Jade by surprised.


    "It''s it, errr. . . too much for you guys?" Jade asked as she tried to avoid mentioning the part where Ian and his parents were now too poor to afford joining the annual family trip.


    "No, no, it''s all good." Ian said with a smile. "Next time, tell me too. Mom just doesn''t want to bother me with these things." He said with a sigh.


    "Miss Jade!" The guest said as he greeted Jade.


    "Ah, Mr. Daniels." Jade said as she shook the man''s hand. "I didn''t know you were acquainted with the Ortegas." She said.


    "I just met Mr. Ortega a few days ago and he said they were having this party, so I said why not. You know Mr. Lim?" Mr. Daniel asked.


    "Yes, he is my cousin. He is the son of my eldest aunt." Jade said with a nod.


    "Then we should be doing business with him then, I didn''t know I was in front of the next family head." Mr. Daniel said as he bowed to Ian.


    "No." Ian said as he shook his head. "I''m not."


    "Ian. . ." Jade told her cousin in a weak voice.


    "Excuse me, I need some air." Ian told them as he turned and left.


    This was a topic that would always be a debate between his aunts and uncles.


    In his grandfather''s original will, it was his mother that was appointed as the next family head, but when his grandfather died, that version of the will vanished.


    It wasn''t Jade''s fault, but she was aware of what had happened and was powerless to do anything.


    It was a matter of the older generation, not theirs.


    Ian found a secluded area in the parking lot, he leaned back against a tree that was hiding him from the view of others and took a deep breath.


    He just needed to get out of there. He didn''t like it when that matter was discussed and he knew exactly where the conversation was headed.


    "Ian!" He heard his cousin Jade call out.


    "Jade, he''s gone, he left." An unfamiliar male voice told his cousin.


    "No, Ian doesn''t have a car. He might walk home." Jade said in a shaky voice.


    "Jade, didn''t you hear what Mr. Ortega told his guest?" The man asked. "Your cousin the next assistant to the CEO of the Reyes Group, do you know how wealthy those people are?"


    "You clearly don''t know my cousin." Jade hissed. "He would have told me if he was now that rich."


    "What if he has been too busy to tell you?" The man said. "Let''s go, there are people we need to talk to, that''s why your dad sent us over, remember?"


    "But, Ian. . ." Jade said as he voice trailed away.


    "Think of your black sheep of a cousin later. Your family needs you now, more people need you now." The man said in a stern tone.


    "Alright, but I''ll look for him later.." Jade said in surrender as Ian heard their footsteps get further and further away.

 Chapter 162 - 162

    Ian was caught in a dilemma as he leaned back against the tree, trying to process what he had just learned.


    His mother''s family was not the best, they had abandoned the Lims in their time of need, but not everyone was part of that.


    Ian''s cousins were innocent to their parent''s crimes, they simply couldn''t do anything. They were brought up in a family where children were meant to be seen not heard. It was only Ian and his sisters that had been allowed to be involved in the business.


    They were only involved because Ian''s mother was set to inherit the business in a few years when his grandfather died, making Ian next in line after his mother.


    She insisted that all her children be brought up knowing what it was like to run a company, she wanted them to be prepared for the future.


    Ian and his sisters would spend their summers working in both of their grandfathers'' companies, learning what it would take to run both.


    On the Lim side, the siblings were the only heirs, but on their mother''s they had cousins.


    When their mother''s father passed away, Constance Lim''s family was quick to push the Lims out of the picture.


    At that point the wealth of the Lim family was already dwindling and they had no resources to fight back.


    When his mother didn''t get the position as CEO or President of her father''s company, she had at least expected some help coming from her siblings.


    What happened next shocked her. It seemed that she had been cut off based on the new will that had appeared out of nowhere.


    This left the Lims struggling to survive.


    Ian decided to simply head home and rest for the night. Too much had happened, first Josephine had challenged him to question Jas, and second his mother''s family seemed to be in dire need of help.


    As he drove home, his phone began to ring, it was Jas.


    Ian wanted to ignore the call, but he knew that if he did she would simply drive over to Solaire Towers in search of him, so he decided to pick it up.


    "Jas." Ian said in a downtrodden tone.


    "Ian, where are you? Everyone is looking for you. You''ve been missing for a while now." Jas nagged, not giving Ian the opportunity to speak. "Is it your cousin, did she upset you? She''s talking to people now with her boyfriend, I doubt she would notice you if you came back."


    "Will you let me talk?" Ian grumbled as he turned a corner.


    This call was not a good one to have while driving. He quickly found an area where he could stop his car and took a deep breath. Jas was still speaking, it seemed that she hadn''t heard what he said.


    "JAS! CAN YOU JUST LISTEN!" Ian shouted, unable to hold back his temper. He hated it when Jas was like this, she acted as if only her voice mattered.


    "What?!" Jas asked in an annoyed tone.


    "Really? You''re the one that''s annoyed now?" Ian asked as he tapped on his steering wheel. She was testing his patience.


    "Just say what you have to say and tell me where you are or just get back here." Jas hissed.


    "First of all, I''m not at the hotel anymore, I left, I''m on the road home." Ian told Jas.


    "What?" Jas asked in shock. "You left without saying goodbye or telling me? What will I tell my dad? What will I tell the guests? Dad wanted to introduce you to so many people, Ian. Isn''t this what you wanted, for our relationship to be public?"


    "What use is our relationship being public if I can''t trust you?" Ian asked.


    "What did you say?" Jas said, stunned by Ian''s question.


    Ian hadn''t realized that he had just told her that he was having trust issues. By the time he realized what he had said it was too late.


    Jas had heard it and now he had to explain himself.


    "Look, it''s just the whole betraying me for Mike part, I just need to cope with it." Ian came up with an excuse as quickly as he could. He knew it wouldn''t hold water, but it was the best he could give on the spot.


    "He had my sister." Jas said in an angry tone. "He had her tied up and beaten, I had no choice!" She said.


    "I understand that, Jas. I just need time." Ian said with a sigh as he placed his head on the steering wheel.


    "You are being unreasonable." She pointed out. "And dad? And the guests? What should I tell them?" She asked.


    It seems that the way others would perceive them mattered to Jas more at this moment than their relationship, something that disappointed Ian.


    "Just tell them that I got called for work, they will believe that. I mean it''s the CEO of the Reyes Group, they need to believe it." Ian grumbled.


    "Oh yeah, that''s good." Jas said in an excited tone, something that disappointed Ian. "They will even praise you for being such a dedicated employee, yes yes, that''s good." She said over the phone.


    "Can I keep driving now?" Ian asked.


    "Ian, if you think I don''t care about our relationship, you are wrong." Jas suddenly said, catching Ian off guard. "I just think some things need to be discussed in person rather than over the phone."


    "So do you want to speak in person? Not tonight, but on a different day, maybe this weekend?" Ian said, hoping that every doubt and fear he had with their relationship would be pushed away.


    "Yes, I''d like that." Jas said in a kind tone. "I''m sorry if I sounded like a brat that didn''t care. I love you, drive safe." She said as he dropped the call.


    Ian took a deep breath and sighed.. It seemed that things might not be as hopeless in their relationship.

 Chapter 163 - 163

    Before driving off, Ian decided that he needed to speak to his mother. He felt like there was something he needed to discuss with her.


    He checked the time and was happy to see that it wasn''t too late in the night. She would probably still be awake, washing the dishes or doing some house chores.


    Ian dialed her number and waited for her to pick up.


    She seemed to be quite busy since it took a few rings before his mom finally picked up the phone and Ian heard her happy yet tired voice.


    "So my independent and successful son decided to call." Constance Lim greeted him over the phone.


    "Hey mom, sorry I haven''t called or been over for a while, things have been, ummmm tough and hectic." Ian said.


    He actually felt quite guilty for rarely calling home and not being able to visit. In the past he would spend most of the time with his family. He was quite close to his siblings and his parents and they were the rock that helped him endure all the hardships he faced.


    "It''s okay, Ian, your father and I understand." Constance Lim said in a tender tone.


    Ian could hear how tired his mother sounded, she wasn''t born into a life like this. She lived her younger years being the pampered daughter of a rich family, having only to think about the business and her studies.


    When the Lims lost it all, Ian was shocked with how his parents reacted.


    Where most would crumble, fall, and give up, his parents didn''t. They kept fighting, and that''s what inspired Ian never to give up.


    They never refused a job, no matter how low. They sold all of their personal belongings just to give Ian and his sisters a good education as well as to put food on their table.


    "Ian, are you still there?" Constance called out, pulling her son back from his thoughts.


    "Yeah, mom, sorry, I got distracted." Ian said as he leaned back on his seat.


    "I guess you didn''t hear my question, why didn''t you wait for your dad and I to get back?" She asked her son. "Your sisters said you stormed out after the three of you spoke, they wouldn''t tell us what you spoke about but it seemed serious."


    "Hey mom, can I come over on Friday night?" Ian asked as he carefully thought of his schedule. He was hoping that Marco and Uncle Emilio wouldn''t have something important for them.


    He really did miss his family.


    "You know you are always welcome at home, Ian." Constance told her son in a loving tone. "We like having you at home. If it weren''t for the apartment the Reyeses gave you, your father and I would have prefered if you stayed at home."


    "Mom, even when I was job hunting I stayed with Jas." Ian pointed out.


    "That''s different, you were with her in her place because the commute was cheaper from her apartment than from our house." His mother reminded him.


    Before Ian had landed his job at the Reyes Group, he needed to make every cent count. So even if the savings were so little, he decided to move.


    "Mom, for dinner on Friday, I was thinking we could have it at Maharlika Hotel." Ian told her. "I would be just like when we were kids, we would have dinner there on Friday nights before going to our weekend house."


    Ian''s family back then alternated living in three or four houses, their main home was in the old city, and they had a weekend home outside of the capital.


    Their weekend home had long been sold in order to make ends meet, but it wasn''t enough. The money they had made from the sale went to paying off debts and to settlements to his grandfather''s illegitimate children.


    Those children now lived in good homes, never having to think of how to put food in their stomachs, while Ian''s family barely managed to eat three meals a day.


    "Isn''t that too expensive?" Constance asked.


    Ian knew his mother would be worried about his financial situation, but with the Reyes Group providing for practically everything, he hadn''t spent much since starting work.


    "Mom, I can afford it, don''t worry." He reassured her.


    "Alright, if you say so. I''ll tell your dad and your sisters." She told her son.


    "Mom, are the Ongs in trouble?" Ian said as he finally gathered the courage to ask.


    "My siblings?" She asked back.


    "Yes mom, are your siblings in any trouble?" Ian asked in a clear tone. It was obvious that his mother was trying to deflect the question, so there must have been some truth to it.


    "Why would you ask that? Did you hear something?" She asked her son.


    "I saw Jade earlier at a party that Jas'' family was hosting. She mentioned a few things to me, but no details. I also overheard her discussing something quite vague with her boyfriend." Ian confessed to his mother.


    "They have mentioned that times are tough, but that''s the same excuse they''ve always given me, so I didn''t mind it." Constance said. "Plus they just went on this ultra expensive and ultra exclusive beach trip, it doesn''t seem like they are having any financial issues."


    "Yeah, Jade mentioned that too. Why didn''t you tell me about it?" Ian asked.


    "Because we can''t afford it." Constance replied plainly. It was the truth, Constance and Richardo couldn''t afford it, but with Ian it was different.


    "Mom, we can afford it now. You should have told me." Ian grumbled over the phone.


    "Why don''t we talk about this on friday, over dinner? I don''t want to ruin your night." Constance told her son in a sweet and concerned tone.


    "Alright mom." Ian said as he surrendered to his mother''s request. There was no point in pushing the issue. He just wanted to know the truth.


    "Good night Ian. We miss you." Constance Lim told her son.


    "Good night mom.." He said in response as he dropped the call.

 Chapter 164 - 164

    Ian was too exhausted from the night when he got back to Solaire Towers, but it seemed that the night was not done with him.


    He was surprised to find Seth and Camilla waiting for him at the lobby when he got back.


    "What are the two of you doing here? We have work tomorrow, it''s late." Ian told them.


    "We wanted to apologize and to talk." Camilla told him as she kept her eyes looking at her feet. It seemed that she was quite embarrassed by their earlier argument that she couldn''t even look Ian in the eyes.


    "You don''t need to apologize, you might be right." Ian said with a sigh as he walked up to the elevator and pressed the up button.


    "Wait, what!?" Seth asked in shock as he observed his friend. "Did you just say we might be right?"


    "Yeah, come on, I''ll tell you in my apartment." Ian said as he waved his friends over.


    They quickly followed into the elevator and went up to Ian''s apartment.


    "Is that why you''re back early?" Camilla asked.


    "What do you mean?" Ian responded.


    "Seth and I expected to wait for you till much later, as a matter of fact we already planned our bathroom breaks and snack breaks." Camilla explained.


    "I think you can get people to bring you snacks, and there is a bathroom in the lobby." Ian pointed out as the elevator ascended quickly to their floor.


    "There is a bathroom there?" Seth asked, confused by what Ian meant.


    "Oh right, there is one for guests and one for staff. I completely forgot." Camilla told Seth as she scratched the back of her head making Seth glare at her.


    "You wanted me to go back up to either your or my apartment just to take a piss when there was a bathroom on the ground floor?" Seth asked in an irritated tone.


    Ian and Camilla simply laughed as the elevator doors opened and they stepped out ignoring Seth''s complaints.


    When they were finally settled in Ian''s apartment, he began to pace back and forth across the room as he tried to figure out how to explain things to his friends.


    "Josephine told me something about Jas and their family." Ian began to say as he continued to pace anxiously across the room.


    "Ian, can you not do that?" Seth grumbled.


    "Do what?" Ian asked.


    "Pacing, it''s getting annoying." Seth pointed out.


    "I can''t help it." Ian told Seth as he was starting to get annoyed with his friend. "You guys were somewhat right, or could be right, I don''t know."


    "Can you stop speaking in riddles and just tell us?" Camilla asked Ian as she leaned forward in her seat.


    "I hope you guys aren''t mad at me." Ian said as he sat down on the couch across Seth and Camilla.


    "Why would we be mad? You were defending your girlfriend. It isn''t exactly our place to comment on your relationship. You''ve known her longer than you''ve known us." Seth pointed out. "We made a mistake."


    "No, no, it''s fine. Whenever I''m in my right mind I honestly don''t mind you pointing these things out to me." Ian said with a sigh as he placed his head in his hands. "Sometimes love clouds our minds and our judgement that we don''t see certain things."


    Seth and Camilla looked at each other and gave Ian a concerned look. Just a few hours ago he was shouting at them for their opinions on his relationship and now he was telling them it was alright.


    "I''ve known Jas for years, and that is probably the reason why I so badly wanted to blindly trust her." Ian said with a sigh. "But I''ve known her sister for just as long and the young girl has never had any motives or ill intent."


    "Ian, what did Josephine tell you?" Camilla asked as she was starting to grow more and more worried about Ian and his situation.


    "She basically confirmed what you and Seth told me before I left for the party." Ian admitted with a frown.


    "How are you feeling?" Camilla asked, catching Ian off guard.


    He had expected Camilla and Ian to ask more questions about what Josephine told him, and yet here they were more concerned about how he was taking things.


    "Ian, we never wanted to be right, or even possibly being right." Seth told Ian with a frown. "We know you love Jas. I mean you have been together for so long."


    "Maybe since it''s all done you and Jas could move past this." Camilla said as she looked at him worriedly.


    "I don''t know." Ian said with a sigh as he closed his eyes and thought back to all the good times he had with Jas.


    "Do you need water? Beer? Tequila?" Seth asked as he got up and made his way to Ian''s kitchen.


    "First of all, I do not have beer or Tequila." Ian said with a laugh.


    "Actually, you do." Seth said as he came out with more than just beer and Tequila in hand. He also had a bottle of Whiskey and Wine.


    "I don''t plan on drinking my sorrows away, put that back!" Ian scolded.


    "Fine, your loss." Seth said with a shrug as he went back into the kitchen.


    "We still have work tomorrow!" Camilla called out as she laughed at the disappointed Seth.


    "I guess he is used to drinking his problems away." Ian whispered.


    "I heard that!" Seth shouted from the kitchen.


    As Seth made his way back, Ian and Camilla continued to laugh at his expense. Suddenly his phone began to ring, making him excuse himself for a while.


    When he got back Seth had a more serious expression on his face. It seemed that something had happened involving the Dean Family.


    "What''s wrong?" Ian asked his friend.


    "I got a call from my men. The Juans have made their decision and have asked to speak to us." Seth explained.


    "Tonight?" Ian asked. In all honesty he was way too tired to go to the Dean Family hideout to speak to Manuel''s sister and mother.


    "We will make them wait, maybe tomorrow after work we could head over." Seth told Ian.. "For now, I suggest we call it a night, we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow."

 Chapter 165 - 165

    "Ian, Camilla." Seth greeted them as they met up at the lobby of Solaire Towers. Since they would all be heading to the hideout after work, they decided to take just one car and use Seth''s as a decoy later.


    "Last three days." Ian said with a sigh as they walked over to the waiting car in the driveway.


    Without fail, the valet at Solaire Towers would always drive Ian''s car right on time. They were incredibly efficient and it pressured Ian.


    He knew that this meant that the same expectation was placed on their shoulders as they worked for the CEO and the future CEO.


    Ian and Camilla intended to make the most of their last week as ordinary employees. They knew that the moment news got out about them being the assistants to the CEO things would change drastically.


    Among the members of Jake''s team it was only Ash that knew who they really were.


    It was also the last week that Jake would be a manager at the sales department as his promotion would be announced on the same day as Ian''s and Camilla''s real roles would be announced.


    As a result, Jake decided to invite everyone over for lunch at the Reyes Family''s private room in Nouveau Restaurant.


    They would take advantage of the privacy to inform the team ahead of time.


    "I won''t be seeing you around Krisanta Land anymore, will I?" Seth asked with a sigh as Ian drove.


    "We''ll still be around." Camilla said as she tried to comfort her friend. "Plus you''re always welcome on the CEOs floor." She pointed out.


    "I''ll be different." Seth said as he shook his head. "And not just for you guys and me, it''ll be different for anyone and everyone that has been seen around you."


    "What do you mean?" Camilla asked.


    Ian frowned as he glanced at Seth, he knew exactly what Seth meant.


    "Anyone that you consider your friend will have your ear no matter what, and we all know how important the two of you are to the Reyes Group." Seth explained.


    "Those employees that want something will try to influence our friends." Ian explained plainly. "They won''t be ordinary employees anymore either. They will be a level above the others just because they know us."


    "Oh." Camilla said as she processed what Ian and Seth had just told her. "Seth won''t have a problem adjusting to that." She teased.


    "What do you mean?" He asked as he looked at her from the front passenger seat.


    "Well, before we came into the picture, everyone thought that Mike was the CEO''s apprentice." Camilla said with a shrug. "And you were friends with him."


    "That was different," Seth pointed out. "It wasn''t a confirmed fact so people hesitated. A lot still avoided us just in case Mike was spreading fake rumors, which he was."


    "Many still approached you with favors or at least tried to get on your good side." Ian pointed out.


    "That''s true, but this time they will all know that you guys really do know the CEO since he himself will be announcing that he and Marco are training the future assistants." Seth pointed out.


    "I hope things won''t be too difficult for you." Camilla said with a frown as they entered the basement parking of R Tower.


    "Nothing I can''t handle." Seth said with a chuckle. "I think you are forgetting that I''m still the heir to one of the largest mafia families in the country."


    Ian shook his head as he parked the car and they all got out.


    They took the ordinary elevator since they wouldn''t need to go to the CEO''s floor before heading to the Krisanta Land office.


    When they arrived, Jake was already happily chatting with the rest of his team. It seemed everyone had arrived early today.


    "Ah, we''re complete!" Jake said with a smile as he saw the trio approaching.


    "See you guys later." Seth said as he made his way to his own desk which was at the other end of the floor.


    "Join us for lunch?" Jake asked as Seth passed him.


    "I don''t think it would be proper." Seth said in a cold and dismissive tone as he continued walking past Jake.


    Ian couldn''t help but give Camilla a confused look as he tried to tell her that there seemed to be something that Jake and Seth were hiding from them.


    "Right." Jake said as he waved Camilla and Ian to hurry up and place their bags down. "So, today''s agenda, there won''t be a Sales Department meeting since we still don''t have a boss, but I know most of you have administrative stuff to handle so I suggest you complete that." Jake told them.


    "What time do we head to lunch?" Fred, one of Jake''s team members, asked.making Jake laugh.


    "You are way too excited for lunch." Ash said as she rolled her eyes.


    "Let''s get all the paperwork done and filed before we head to lunch, okay?" Jake asked.


    Everyone simply nodded in agreement.


    "Oh, another thing. You might see some of the old employees slowly coming back. That''s because the Reyes Group has slowly started to reinstate the employees that lost their jobs because of Mike and Armand." Jake told them before letting his team go and do their tasks.


    "Even our old boss?" Fred asked with a worried look on his face.


    "Are you really worried about your old manager coming back? Did you do something to him?" Jake teased.


    "No, but what will happen to you?" Fred asked Jake. It seemed he was simply worried about Jake losing his team.


    "Don''t worry about me. The Reyes Group has plans for everything. All you need to do right now is to focus on the work at hand." Jake said with a smile as he left to sit at his own area.


    The rest of the morning was quite peaceful as Ian and Camilla helped the members of the sales team file all of their closed deals adding them to their quotas for the month.


    Ian could already see how much the sales of Krisanta Land had increased and sped up just because Mike and Armand were gone.


    He never thought that the impact of their corruption would be this vast.


    "Lunch!" Ash said with a grin as she dragged everyone to the elevator.


    Ian took a deep breath as he braced himself for the revelation to come.

 Chapter 166 - 166

    "This way." Ian said as they approached the manager.


    "Mr. Lim, Miss Montero." The manager greeted with a slight bow.


    Ian glanced at his companions, it was clear that they were confused with what was happening. The manager of Nouveau was known as a cold and unmoving person so seeing him act so kindly to Ian and Camilla was a shock to most of them except Ash.


    "Is Jake here already?" Camilla asked the manager.


    "Yes, Mr. Laurel is with Mr. So waiting for you." The manager told them.


    "Oh, Marco too. Okay, thanks." Ian said with a smile as he waved for their companions to follow him.


    "Allow me." The manager told Ian as he led them towards the Reyes family''s private room in the restaurant.


    "Where are we going?" Fred asked Ian as they passed all of the vacant tables.


    "A special table." Ian simply said as they finally reached the hidden entrance.


    The manger opened the door and gestured for them to enter.


    Ian and Camilla could hear the gasps of their companions as they entered the opulent room.


    Inside, Jake and Macro were chatting at the head of the table where Jake sat.


    "You''re late." Jake said as his team members noticed that he was seated at the head of the table with the CEO''s assistant seated next to him.


    "It was Ian and Camilla. They enjoy working too much." Ash complained, to which Jake and Marco laughed.


    "Trust me, they won''t be doing anything but work for the next few years." Marco commented in a friendly tone, one that the employees have never heard.


    "I think you''ve broken them." Jake said with a laugh as he waved for everyone to come over.


    Ian, Camilla, and Ash all moved to take a seat, but the others remained frozen where they stood.


    It was clear that they were still trying to process what was happening and were still hesitant to trust that this wasn''t some sort of trap.


    Ian understood their hesitation, it was odd to find Jake and Marco sitting so casually around the table and chatting as if they had known each other for a while.


    "This doesn''t make sense." Fred finally spoke as Ian sat down across Marco with Camilla taking the vacant seat next to him.


    "What doesn''t make sense?" Jake asked as he grinned at Fred.


    It was clear that he just wanted Fred to say his doubts out loud and that he was enjoying everyone''s shock and confusion.


    "I swear Jake, you are making things harder on them." Camilla commented as several waiters entered the room with wine and food in hand.


    "Why don''t you guys take your seats so that we can explain things in a calmer and more organized manner." Marco suggested as he returned to his old calm and distant demeanor.


    The sales team members looked at each other, there wasn''t anything else they could do so they all took their seats as Marco suggested.


    "Do you know what''s going on?" Fred asked Ash as he took a seat next to her.


    "Just listen for once." Ash said with a laugh. "And relax, no one is in trouble."


    Fred simply nodded in response as a waiter served him food and a glass of wine.


    "Isn''t it too early for this?" One of Jake''s team members asked as she pointed at the glass of wine in front of her. "Is this some sort of trick to catch if we drink during office hours?"


    "First of all, it''s not office hours, second, you''ll need it." Ian told them with a grin as he drank from his own glass to show that it wasn''t a trap.


    "If you say so." The woman said as she tentatively reached for the glass in front of her.


    When no one said anything she proceeded to take a sip.


    Jake and Marco waited for the restaurant staff to exit the room before speaking again. When the door closed behind the waiters Ian cleared his throat and looked at Jake.


    It seemed that the older man was rehearsing his speech in his head.


    "Right." Jake said with a nod as he looked at the different members of his former team.


    "Today is the last day that I''ll be your manager." Jake announced as everyone whispered amongst themselves guessing why Jake was leaving them.


    "Relax, don''t worry, you will all be in good hands." He said in a loud voice making sure that everyone in the room heard what he had to say.


    "What do you mean?" One of his former team members asked as he gave Jake a concerned look.


    "Your old manager, do you remember why he left or was made to leave?" Jake asked them.


    "There was an investigation where they discovered that he was stealing money from the company and taking bribes from clients." Fred answered as he recalled what had happened to the old manager of their team.


    "Right." Jake responded with a nod. "He wasn''t guilty of any of that." He told them.


    "We knew." Ash spoke up.


    "Good." Jake said as he once more tried to read their expressions. "Your old manager and some of your former teammates were victims of Mike''s and Armand''s schemes and plots. They were pushed out once they showed promise or once they became a threat to Mike and Armand."


    Everyone remained silent, it seemed that they all knew that this was happening but were powerless to stop it.


    Ian sighed at the injustice that had happened because of Mike and Armand. They had caused people to suffer just for their own greed and ambition.


    "Your old manager will be coming back and taking over my role." Jake explained. He noticed that some people wanted to speak up and ask questions, but he decided to continue what he was telling them. "Some of you will be moved to different teams, but don''t worry, everyone will be made aware that you were all victims."


    "Add to it the fact that everyone will want to be their friends." Ash commented in a low voice that not everyone heard.


    "Ash." Camilla scolded her.


    "It''s true." Ash said with a knowing grin.


    "And what about you?" One of the team members asked. "Are you leaving us?"


    "No. He''s getting a promotion." Macro said with a laugh as he shook his head.. "To a role that should have been his the moment he was hired."

 Chapter 167 - 167

    "Not the moment I was hired." Jake told Marco with a chuckle. "You''re exaggerating things." He said with a sigh as he looked down and frowned.


    "Right, cause you shouldn''t even be in this company in the first place." Ian said as he pointed at Jake. "Your dad is only letting you work here because he thinks you need to get this whole working to learn out of your system."


    "No way." Someone said with a gasp. "Impossible. Are you. . . are you. . ." The woman stuttered as she tried to say her theory out lout.


    "No, no, I''m not him." Jake hissed as he shook his head. "My last name isn''t Reyes."


    "Although you are related to them." Camilla scoffed, shocking everyone who didn''t know.


    "Only by law." Jake responded in an angry tone as he glared at Camilla.


    "Wait, are you related to the Laurels that competes and partners with Krisanta Land?" Fred asked as he pieced the puzzle together. "One of their daughters was supposedly married to a member of the Reyes clan."


    "Ding, ding, ding, give him a raise!" Marco said with a smile. "I''m serious, that guy deserves a raise now." He said as he noticed Ian''s and Camilla''s shocked looks.


    "I''ll arrange for it." Jake said with a smile. He was more than happy to give Fred a raise.


    The man was one of his best salespeople who constantly lost deals because Mike and Armand had ruined his name.


    "Jake isn''t just related to them." Ian said, answering for Jake. He knew that the man would try to play it low key and simply tell people that he was related to them and not the full story of who he actually was.


    "What do you mean?" Another team member asked.


    "Jake is the heir of the Laurel company. Where we have the Reyes Heir, they have Jake." Ian said simply, catching everyone by surprise.


    "What are you doing here?" Fred asked. "S- s- sir." He added as it registered in his mind that Jake was technically someone higher than him and someone who would normally ignore him.


    Jake sighed and shook his head as he glared at Ian. He was not happy with what Ian did but he didn''t have a choice. The truth was already out and everyone knew.


    "You don''t need to be so formal towards me Fred." Jake said. "You''ve known me for years now. Just Jake is fine."


    "But you''re way above us." Fred said as his voice shook. Clearly he was nervous.


    "If you were worrying about all the stupid stuff you''ve said and done around me, it''s useless." Jake said with a chuckle as he tried to ease the tension. "I never wanted to be this boss that you all looked up to just because of my last name. Look at how all of you are reacting now!"


    "Yeah, but your last name technically gives you permission to fuck around with us." Ash said, unbothered by Jake''s position.


    She had known for weeks now and had come to realize that Jake was still the same person before and after she found out the truth about him.


    Nothing had changed except she now understood why Jake seemed to live quite a lavish lifestyle despite his salary.


    She also now knew why he rarely ate with them. It was because he spent most lunches with his cousin or with Marco since the three men were quite close in age.


    "You don''t seem shocked." A different member of the sales team said as he pointed at Ash. "Did you know?" He asked.


    "I knew a few weeks ahead of you guys, yes." Ash said as she nodded.


    "And you two?" Fred asked Camilla and Ian.


    "They''ve known from the start." Ash said, answering for them. "Those two were key in taking Mike and Armand down. We actually owe them everything."


    "We were just doing our jobs." Ian replied.


    "Please, what you did was beyond the requirements of your so-called job." Jake said as he rolled his eyes at Ian, making Camilla laugh at his reaction.


    "It''s true." Camilla said as she noticed Ian looking at her angrily.


    "As we were saying." Marco said as he drew the conversation back on track. There were just too many commentaries and questions coming from everyone that they almost exposed the second news they were going to break.


    "Right, right." Jake said with a nod as he allowed Marco to make the announcement.


    "Jake will be moving up as the Vice President for Krisanta Land''s sales department." Marco announced, to which everyone clapped and celebrated.


    "Wait, wasn''t Armand''s role just a Department Head?" Fred asked. "I mean, yes, Jake super deserves that role, no questions there. But it''s a promotion of the role itself?"


    "Uncle Emilio wanted to give him the role of VP for Krisanta Land but he refused." Ian said absent mindedly, unaware that he had somewhat exposed himself.


    "Uncle?" Fred asked, wide eyed as he looked at Ian. "You''re a Reyes too?!" Fred shouted.


    "No I''m not." Ian said. "But, later, we''ll explain. For now, congratulations Jake!" He said as he stood up and clapped as he desperately tried to divert the attention from himself.


    Clearly he failed as everyone continued to eye him suspiciously.


    "Is she a Reyes too?" Fred asked as he pointed at Camilla.


    "They aren''t." Ash said as she shook her head, saving Ian and Camilla from any more embarrassment that people would think they were related to the Reyes family.


    Not that it would have been embarrassing to be related to the powerful family. It would simply be embarrassing to claim to be one if they actually weren''t.


    "I''m actually here for them, not for Jake." Marco confessed. "The only reason Jake and these two have to come clean to all of you is because what they have to say today will be announced to the public in two days, on Friday."


    All eyes were on Ian and Camilla once more as Ian slowly sank back into his seat.


    "Well, we haven''t been entirely honest with you guys.." Camilla said as she bit her lower lip and took a deep breath as she prepared herself for the news they were about to drop.

 Chapter 168 - 168

    "When we first joined the Krisanta Land team we were brought over to do two things to learn more about Krisanta Land and what it is about and to help catch Mike and Armand." Ian confessed. "We told all of you that we were management trainees coming from the HR department."


    "You guys aren''t, are you?" A member of the team asked.


    "No, but our goal was still the same. To learn what we could, but the purpose was very different." Ian said as he looked around, observing everyone''s reactions.


    It was clear that they were mostly confused and curious. What Ian was telling them didn''t exactly make sense, but it wasn''t without logic.


    They knew that it would lead to something big, they just weren''t sure what it was.


    "We told you that we were trying to figure out what Krisanta Land needed in terms of Human Resource support. The truth is that we were there to learn more about the company to support our boss and our future boss." Ian glanced at


    "Wait, what?" Fred asked as he spat the wine he was casually sipping on his plate.


    "Gross, Fred." Ash complained as she looked at her co-worker.


    "No, really, what? And why aren''t-" He began to ask before he recalled Ash''s words earlier. She had known about Jake before the rest of them, so it was only natural that she would know about Ian''s and Camilla''s secret before everyone else as well.


    "Yeah, I knew." Ash said with a nod.


    "So the trap you set for Mike and Armand was your sale?" Fred asked.


    "Yes." Ash confirmed.


    "And you two are?" Fred asked as he looked at Ian and Camilla.


    They were sure that he already knew the answer to his question, it seemed that he simply wanted them to say it out loud.


    "Ian and Camilla were hired to be the assistants of the Reyes Heir when he finally inherits the CEO position." Marco revealed. "Right now, they are training, learning what it takes to do their future job."


    Everyone simply stared at Ian and Camilla after Marco made the announcement. It seemed they were in utter disbelief as they tried to process Marco''s news.


    "Right now, they are working with me, helping me with managing the CEO''s schedule and other work that the CEO''s assistant must do." Marco further explained.


    Ian could see that his co-workers were still trying to understand what Marco was saying. It was normal for them to be in shock.


    "So why are you telling us this now?" Fred asked as he slowly recovered.


    "The CEO will be announcing who they are to the public on Friday together with the news about Jake''s promotion." Marco explained.


    "Your lives will change, they will be so different to what it is now, people will no longer look down at you." Camilla told the members of the sales team.


    "Yeah." Ash said with a nod. "If in the past they bullied us and thought of us as the weakest performing team, people will want to be our friends."


    "They will want to use us." One of the salesmen said.


    "Sadly, yes." Ian replied with a frown. "You will need to be able to tell who is truly your friend and who just wants to use your connections."


    "What connections? You''ll be too far up for us to even reach." A female member of the team asked as she shook her head. "Will you even remember us?"


    "Of course." Camilla reassured them. "We are still the same people you know. And we really appreciate the fact that despite not knowing who we actually are, you were our friends."


    "You guys welcomed us with open arms and didn''t even question the fact that we had no experience in sales." Ian added.


    "We did talk about it behind your backs, you know." Fred confessed.


    "It''s only natural, but you never treated us differently, Fred." Camilla explained.


    "And you guys will still be able to talk to us." Ian told them. "I will definitely try to come down to crash your team lunches. Plus I''m sure Camilla and I will continue to have lunch in the cafeteira."


    "In the executives'' area." Another team member said.


    "You are always free to join us, if that''s allowed?" Camilla asked as she glanced at Marco.


    "Of course that''s allowed." The older assistant assured her. "The executives rarely eat there and the CEO will be happy to see you so involved with the rest of the company."


    "You guys are also forgetting that aside from knowing us, your former manager will be a vice president in the Reyes Group, a position rarely granted to outsiders." Ian explained.


    "I''m not exactly an outsider." Jake said.


    "You deserve that role, you worked hard for it. Uncle Emilio didn''t give you that position just because you are a Laurel, he gave it because he knows you are capable." Ian told Jake.


    "Right, what''s with calling the CEO uncle?" Fred asked Ian.


    "Ian''s family used to be one of the oldest and richest in the country, they could stand side by side with the Reyeses at one point." Jake explained.


    "That was in the past, now we are nothing." Ian said as he shook his head. "Uncle Emilio knew my father from long ago. He only found out about what happened to us when I was considered for this position."


    "We just have one request from you guys." Camilla said as she looked at their former teammates.


    "What is it?" Fred asked.


    "Keep what you know a secret for the meantime, at least  till the announcement is made. We want to enjoy our last few days of being normal employees as much as possible." Camilla told them.


    "After that you can just brag to everyone how you had lunch in the Reyes Family''s personal room at Nouveau." Ian added as he laughed at the thought.


    "Wait what?" Fred said as he looked around. "This is. . ."


    "Yup, the boss let us use it for today." Marco told them.


    "Can we?" A member of the team asked as she raised her phone.


    "Go, knock yourself out." Marco laughed at how silly they were for wanting to take photos in that specific room. People didn''t know what the inside looked like or where it was located.


    "Can you be in the pictures?" Another employee asked. "As proof."


    Marco was shocked but he nodded.


    "At least we got that part out of the way." Camilla whispered to Ian.


    "Yeah, now we just need to deal with the second part.." He said with a sigh as he mentally prepared himself for his meeting with the Juans.

 Chapter 169 - 169

    "Ready?" Seth asked as he found Ian leaning against his own car in the parking lot.


    "He''s been anxious since lunch." Camilla pointed out as she joined them. She, unlike Ian, had been waiting in the air conditioned lounge nearby.


    "My men have already prepared them and we will talk to the Juans in my office." Seth told Ian.


    Ian simply nodded as he made his way to the car''s driver''s side and got in.


    Seth looked at Camilla who simply shrugged in response before getting into the back seat of the car.


    "I forgot to mention." Ian said as he started the car. "Marco and I got the government to let Manuel and his father see his sister and mother one last time before they are sent away."


    "Don''t they still have to stand trial?" Seth asked.


    "They do, but there is a chance that the mother and daughter will not want to see either of them once they have made their decision." Ian told Seth as he backed the car up and drove out of the basement parking.


    "Alright. We can take the mother and daughter to whichever police station they are being kept in. That will probably be easier logistics wise. I can''t have the police anywhere near the hideout." Seth told Ian as he thought about their options.


    "Another option would be to meet on neutral ground, but that would be risking too much since we would have separate groups in danger and it will require more security." Ian pointed out.


    "I don''t think anyone will want to help them escape now." Camilla said with a scoff from the back seat.


    "No one will want to save them, but a lot of people will want to hurt them." Ian said as they drove around. He was using the same technique as Seth''s men.


    He didn''t want to risk the chance of someone following them to the Dean Family''s hideout. There was just too much at risk for them to go about it lightly.


    "I''ll ask Marco if the prison can be emptied out again like last time." Ian informed Seth. "Just have your men ready to transport them once we have the go signal. It could be planned ahead or happen at a moment''s notice."


    "Alright." Seth said with a nod.


    The rest of the drive was silent as Seth and Camilla helped Ian by making sure that there were no suspicious vehicles or individuals around.


    When they were sure that they weren''t being followed, they finally made their way to hideout.


    When they arrived, someone was already waiting to take Ian''s car away.


    "You can trust him." Seth said with a nod as he got out of the car and greeted the man waiting for them.


    "Are they in my office?'' Seth asked.


    "Yes, sir." The man responded.


    "Good. Park my friend''s car. We shouldn''t be long." He told the man as he passed him and headed for the entrance.


    "Here." Ian said as he tossed the keys and quickly followed where Seth had gone.


    Despite having been there once before, Ian and Camilla still weren''t sure where the entrance was or where the keypad that would grant them access was placed.


    Seth however was very much familiar with his own place and quickly accessed the pad and opened the door.


    They were quick to follow as Seth went in and the entrance closed firmly behind them.


    "That was my addition." Seth explained in a much more serious tone than what they normally heard from him.


    They knew that his personality and demeanour changed whenever they were around members of the mafia.


    As a matter of fact when they were at Hype Bar, Seth was a different person. He was the type that women would line up for and swoon over.


    Camilla had teased him non-stop about it when they got back, making Seth conscious about the way he conducted himself around his friends.


    "This used to be a run down hideout, it was old and everything was quite traditional. I decided to modernize it." Seth explained as they finally made it to the large doors that led to his office.


    Several men stood guard outside, bowing as they saw Seth and his friends arrive.


    "They are inside, sir." A man informed them.


    "How long have they been in there?" Seth asked without looking at the man.


    "Around two hours." The man promptly replied.


    "Good." Seth said with a nod. "Bring us some refreshments." He ordered.


    The man quickly left and did as Seth ordered.


    Seth pushed the doors open and walked in closely followed by Ian and Camilla.


    Inside, Manuel''s sister and mother sat anxiously. It had been two hours so they had no idea if Seth would see them or not.


    "Miss Juan, Mrs. Juan." Seth greeted in a cold tone as he let Ian and Camilla settle into their seats before sitting down on his own behind his large desk.


    "Mr. Dean." Manuel''s sister said in a small voice.


    "Sir." The man from earlier said as he entered the room, handing Seth, Ian, and Camilla a glass of wine each.


    To the side he placed the wine in a bucket and stood beside it.


    Two bodyguards also entered and stood next to the Juans in order to ensure that they wouldn''t harm Seth or his guests.


    Ian was sure that this was an intimidating time for the two women.


    "I was told you have made a decision." Seth told the Juans as he took a sip from his wine glass and observed them.


    "Y- y- yes sir." Manuel''s sister stuttered as she tried to speak. "My mother and I discussed it and we came to a decision."


    "Very well, let''s hear it then." Seth said with a nod.


    Ian relaxed against the chair''s armrest as he casually sipped his drink. He knew that in a few minutes everything would be over.


    All the torment and all the pain that the Juans had made him and his family suffer would be paid in full and he would never have to bother with them again.


    Manuel''s sister closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Something told Ian that she was hesitating.


    He leaned forward and observed her. After a while she suddenly spoke up.


    "We''ve decided to work as indentured servants." Manuel''s sister suddenly said, shocking everyone in the room, including her mother.


    The elder woman suddenly turned to her and slapped her across the cheek. The contact made a loud sound that echoed through Seth''s office.


    "Ungrateful bitch." Her mother hissed.


    "Pull them apart.." Seth quickly said as he noticed the older woman lunge at her daughter to attack.

 Chapter 170 - 170

    "I refuse to be used!" Manuel''s sister shouted as tears began to fall from her eyes. "You might want to sell me off to some sick man that only wants me for sex but I don''t!"


    "You would rather that our family name be dragged through the mud?" Mrs. Juan asked her daughter. "What do you think all of those people will say when they see you serving at a party? What will happen to the name your father and grandfather worked so hard to build?"


    Ian couldn''t say that he was surprised with Mrs. Juan''s decision to sell her own daughter. What shocked him was the fact that she would rather have her daughter be a sex slave than to marry someone for money.


    "What name? Dad and Manuel already ruined it the moment they decided to take out those loans and break the law!" The daughter screamed. "Manuel and I made it even worse by going against the wrong person."


    With that Manuel''s sister slowly snuck a glance at Ian, who simply chose to ignore her.


    "I won''t lie. I made a mistake there. I should never have bullied the Lim sisters nor should I have spread those rumors, but mom, who encouraged me?" She asked as she looked her mother in the eyes.


    "What?" Mrs. Juan asked as she tried to get out of the bodyguard''s hold.


    "Really mom?" Manuel''s sister asked her mother. "Did you really think that I wouldn''t remember? Weren''t you the one that was jealous of Constance Lim for having such a perfect life? Weren''t you the one that told me to ruin the lives of her daughter?"


    "Lies!" Mrs. Juan hissed as she glared at her daughter. "I have no idea what you are talking about?" She said as she denied ever having said such things about Ian''s mom and sisters.


    "You knew my mother?" Ian asked Mrs. Juan.


    "She didn''t just know your mother, she tried to come between her and your father." The daughter said as she explained things as best she could to Ian. "She has always been so bitter that your mother got to marry Richardo Lim."


    "That is not true! I love your father, I have always loved him!" Mrs. Juan claimed as she continued to thrash against the guard''s hold.


    "Love dad?" Her daughter asked as she laughed at her mother''s words. "You guys got married because you couldn''t get Richardo Lim''s affection! You wanted him to be jealous and when that didn''t work you picked a man that was rich enough, but you still lost in the end mom."


    "That''s not how you speak to your mother, you ungrateful bitch!" Mrs. Juan screamed as she spat in the direction of where her daughter stood.


    "Me a bitch?" Her daughter asked. "Weren''t you the one that was fucking the gardener and his son just before we were arrested?"


    Mrs. Juan was in shock at what her daughter had just said. She was speechless as she looked at the younger woman across from her.


    "You didn''t expect me to know, huh?" Her daughter said with a laugh.


    "Shouldn''t we stop them?" Camilla asked Seth and Ian.


    Seth looked at Ian to see what he wanted to do, but Ian simply shook his head telling them not to interrupt.


    "This is fun." Ian said with a grin as he took another sip of his wine. "It''s quite entertaining and I''m learning things I never knew before."


    "You''re worse than me." Seth said with a grin as he shook his head.


    "You guys are both sick, why am I friends with you?" Camilla grumbled.


    "You''re too pure for this Camilla, that''s why I didn''t want to involve you." Ian tried to explain.


    "No, I need to be able to handle this. This will be part of our job. If I can''t then what kind of an assistant to the CEO would I be?" She asked Ian.


    "You know I can always handle these things and you can handle the stuff I can''t, like events and design." Ian replied with a laugh.


    "It''s best if we can both do it all." Camilla said in a determined tone as she returned her attention to the mother and daughter that were still attacking each other with words.


    "You think you''re so perfect mom? You think all of those women in your bible group liked you? They all knew you were a whore!" The daughter continued to throw accusation after accusation, not letting her mom speak.


    "They knew that you slept with their husbands, but guess what they also slept with dad!" The daughter said as she laughed.


    Mrs. Juan had a shocked expression as she heard of her husband''s infidelity. Ian was sure that Mr. Juan cheated on his wife, most rich men kept mistresses. It was an accepted practice.


    He simply assumed that Mrs. Juan was shocked by the fact that her husband would cheat on her with her so-called friends.


    "Your father was in love with me! He would never sleep with one of them!" She told her daughter.


    "Right, that''s why he was spotted coming out of a hotel with Mrs. Garcia or Mrs. Lopez?" Her daughter said with a knowing grin. "You knew he was already having affairs with several of the maids, why does this seem so shocking to you?"


    "It''s not the same." Mrs. Juan said as she began to tear up. "Those maids were nothing but holes for him to fill. They were just there to appease his sexual appetite."


    "He loved some of those maids more than he loved you mom! Accept it!" The daughter said in a victorious tone.


    "Take the mother away, put her back in a cell." Ian ordered one of Seth''s men.


    The man quickly looked to Seth who simply nodded, telling him to do as Ian had asked.


    Soon Mrs. Juan was dragged out of the room, kicking and screaming.


    "It''s my life too! You must give me a choice! You can''t let my daughter choose for me!" She shouted.


    Ian raised his hand, telling the guard to stop.


    "Then choose for yourself, which would you rather. A life as a prostitute on the streets, a life as a man''s sex slave, or a life as a servant?" Ian asked.


    Seth leaned forward eager to hear what the older woman would choose now that it was her own body on the line.


    "I want to sell my daughter!" She screamed.


    "It''s her life, she gets to decide how she pays for the debts. So now you choose, or I will choose for you." Ian said as he glared at the older woman.


    "She''s already a whore, she can be a whore for the rest of her life." Manuel''s sister said, to which Ian motioned for her to keep quiet.


    "You will receive your own punishment, do not interfere." He warned the younger woman. "What you did was still unforgivable, you ruined my sisters and for that you will have to pay."


    "Isn''t it enough that you have taken -" She said.


    "Shut up, bitch." Camilla spoke, cutting her off mid-sentence. "This isn''t a negotiation, you are lucky Ian and Seth let you choose. You should be kissing their feet by now."


    Everyone was shocked by Camilla''s sudden outburst rendering everyone in the room speechless.


    Ian and Seth both smiled proudly at their friend. They never expected the meek Camilla to speak that way to this woman.


    "What''s your choice?" Ian asked Mrs. Juan as he returned his attention to her. "Don''t think I''ve forgotten. I''m waiting. You''re lucky my father and mother aren''t here, or else I would have made them choose for you."


    "Your parents are too weak to deal out this kind of punishment." Mrs. Juan suddenly said. "That''s why your family fell, because you trusted too much in your grandfather''s cousin Rene. We all knew that man was bad news, he had made the worst deals and was involved with the worst people."


    "Are you really trying to annoy me?" Ian asked. "If you don''t choose I will decide then."


    Ian stood up and crossed the room to stand in front of the older woman.


    He looked down at her as she was forced to her knees by the guard that was escorting her out of Seth''s office.


    "You hated the thought of being a servant, but that was just because your daughter could have suffered for you." Ian said. "I honestly thought you would choose to marry her off to some man, but I was wrong. You are worse than I expected."


    Mrs. Juan glared at Ian as she looked up at him.


    "Normally I don''t hit women, but. . ." Ian said as his voice trailed off and he lifted a hand to slap her.


    He could see as she shook in fear of what was to come.


    Ian''s hand came down and landed squarely on her cheek, turning it red.


    "You are the worst mother I have ever seen." Ian accused. "You will be sent to work as a prostitute. I wouldn''t dare risk selling you to a man you might be able to trick. You will spend your life pleasuring other men and when your husband finally comes back he won''t even touch you."


    With that Ian nodded to the guard and allowed them to finally drag Mrs. Juan out of Seth''s office.


    Ian''s lips curled into a smile, he never thought of how satisfying that would feel. All this time he thought that he had settled his anger with the Juans, but it seemed he wasn''t quite done with them.


    "Don''t feel so confident, missy." Camilla said as she looked at Manuel''s sister. "You''re next and trust me your punishment will not be any lighter.." She declared with a grin.

 Chapter 171 - 171

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    -- Rise of the Disgraced Heir is exclusively published on Webnovel--


    If you are reading this and are wondering if my other novel, Never Judge, is related to Rise of the Disgraced Heir, the answer is yes.


    Ian Lim is a character in Never Judge as well as many of the others you will read about here in Rise of the Disgraced Heir.


    --------------


    "What do we do with you?" Ian asked as he walked around Manuel''s sister.


    "Please I just don''t want to be sold to some man." She begged as tears began to fall from her eyes. "I''m willing to do anything else. I still have my pride and I know I don''t deserve your kindness Ian, not after what I did to your sisters."


    "First, I will need you to answer some questions and there are some things you will need to do." Ian told her as he looked down at the woman that was seated alone on the couch.


    "I''ll answer all your questions with  the truth and I''ll do what you ask." She said as she continued to sob.


    "Good, what do you know about my parents and your mom? What happened in the past?" Ian asked her.


    "Well, from what I heard from my mom and her friends, she was once in love with your father, Richardo Lim." Manuel''s sister began to explain.


    "Go on." Ian encouraged as he sat back down and took a sip of his wine. Who knew that revenge was so dehydrating?


    "Unfortunately for mom, your father was already in love with someone else." She explained.


    "My mother." Ian said, thinking out loud.


    "Yes, your mother." Manuel''s sister nodded. "So my mom thought hard about a way to split them up. From what I know, it worked for a while and there was a conflict between your parents, but as they say, true love cannot be kept apart."


    "And they still got back together and your mom got dumped." Ian said as he completed the sentence for her.


    "Yes." She said with a nod. "But your parents never figured out that my mom was behind their first breakup so they stayed friends with her. Your father even felt sorry about them having to break up because he loved your mom."


    "Where does your father come into the picture here?" Ian asked.


    "Your father and mine were friends. They weren''t best friends but they hung out sometimes." She explained. "So my mother decided to set her eyes on him in the hopes of getting your father jealous."


    She coughed a little, making Ian realize that she probably hadn''t had water in a while.


    "Ask someone to give her some water." Ian told Seth who nodded and waved one of his men to his side.


    "You make it sound like it was so easy for your mom to get her claws on your dad." Ian pointed out.


    "Because it was." She said with a nod. "My father had long been in love with my mother. As a matter of fact when your father dated her it caused a fight between them."


    "So she exploited that?" Ian asked.


    "Yes." Manuel''s sister responded. "She didn''t realize how much your parents loved each other. I don''t know if it was for the best that my father and my mother ended up together." She said with a frown.


    Ian was silent for a moment as the guard returned with a glass of water for Manuel''s sister.


    "Drink." Seth said in a serious tone as he maintained his intimidating and cold demeanor.


    "Thank you, Mr. Dean." She said as she took the glass from the guard and drank thirstily.


    "What do you want to do now?" Seth asked Ian as he glanced at his friend who was deep in thought.


    Ian was silent for a little while longer before he lifted his head and looked at Manuel''s sister.


    "I will let you have the punishment you chose, but there is one thing you will need to do first." Ian said as he looked her directly in the eyes.


    His eyes burned with anger and hatred, the Juans had caused his family so much pain. Apparently it didn''t just start with him and Manuel, there was already a rift starting with their mothers.


    It simply ended with Ian, here tonight, he was going to make sure that the Juans would never be able to get back up.


    He knew what it would take for a family to recover, he had spent years studying it and working towards his own family''s return  from disgrace.


    This was the first step.


    "I want you to make a public apology to my sisters." Ian finally explained."You will tell everyone how you had spread malicious rumors about them."


    "What about you?" She asked as she gave Ian a look of genuine concern.


    "None of the rumors your brother spread actually stuck, and the people that matter believed my side, so I don''t care." Ian told her. "But my sisters have had to suffer for years because of you, and you will make it right."


    "I''ll do as you ask." She said with a nod.


    "As for your future work, we have people picked out for you to serve already." Ian announced as Seth handed him a folder. "Even before you chose your punishment we already chose the people who would take you. Why don''t we go through them one at a time?" Ian asked with a grin.


    Manuel''s sister nervously nodded.


    If looks could kill she would have long been murdered by the one Ian was giving her right now.


    "I think it would be much more fun if we showed her the options she didn''t choose and then her mother''s fate before her own." Seth suggested as he leaned back on his seat and gave her a nasty grin.


    "That will be fun." Camilla said as if she were innocent to all of this, but she wasn''t entirely. She had helped Ian and Seth come up with the list of worst options for the mother and daughter pair.


    "Let''s start with what I thought you and your mother would have chosen." Ian said with a grin as he took out the first piece of paper from the folder. "I really thought you and your mother would choose to sell yourself off as a bride."


    "My mother wasn''t too keen on the idea since it wouldn''t settle our debts completely." She said with a frown as she looked away from the three people in front of her.


    "Too bad." Ian said as he lifted a photo of a fat balding man who looked like he didn''t own a shower. "This is the man you would have married. Alberto Delos Santos."


    Manuel''s sister gasped at the image of the man, it was one of the fates that she had managed to escape.


    "He needs a wife with a good name to enter certain circles and to look reputable." Ian explained.


    "Of course, he isn''t." Seth commented on the side.


    "He just needs a wife that can produce him an heir, but of course, he has multiple mistresses that will entertain him." Ian said with a shrug.


    "He isn''t even afraid to flaunt them." Seth said with a laugh. "Before his first wife died he would parade his mistresses in front of her. He would arrive in the same car as his mistress while his wife would arrive in a separate one."


    "He also lavished his other women with gifts while making his wife live on a minimum wage allowance." Ian said with a grin as he placed the image down. "Dodged a bullet there, didn''t we?"


    Manuel''s sister silently nodded.


    "Next, the fate your mother would have preferred for you." Ian told her. "Let''s just name him as man X, I can''t say who he is, but he is infamous for brutally abusing the women under his ownership. According to rumors some have already died in his hands."


    Ian could see as panic began to spread on the face of Manuel''s sister, her mother was more than willing to risk her life just to pay their debts.


    "Shall we go on and see where your mother is going?" Ian asked as he held up another piece of paper.


    "You should know that you will not be able to save her even if you wanted to." Seth explained. "She has sealed her fate and there is no going back on what she has chosen."


    "Oh please, just tell her, it''s not like you won''t." Camilla said as she rolled her eyes at the two men.


    Ian and Seth simply laughed at her, they knew what she just wanted to get it over with already and to go home and rest.

 Chapter 172 - 172

    "This is a secret whore house near the business district." Ian explained as he lifted a photo for her to see. "A lot of people who you know or worked for your family in the past actually frequent this place."


    "You are sick!" Manuel''s sister hissed as she glared at Ian.


    Ian laughed and shook his head.


    "You call me sick when your mother was willing to sell you to a man for his sexual pleasure just so that she could be free." Ian pointed out. "Do you know how messed up that is?"


    "Shut up!" She shouted.


    "Wow, you''re suddenly brave." Camilla said as she looked at the younger woman. "And stupid." She added in a disgusted tone.


    "It''s not just your mother that''s messed up but your whole family." Ian pointed out as he got up once more and walked over to her.


    "I think she''s mentally unstable." Seth said as he observed the woman.


    "Will this affect our plans in any way?" Ian asked, not happy at the news his friend was giving him.


    "No, it shouldn''t. Her mental state doesn''t matter. Although she might end up hurting the people she will be working for." Seth said as he continued to observe Manuel''s sister.


    "I really don''t care about them." Ian replied as he waved off Seth''s warning.


    Most of the people on the list where Manuel''s sister was set to work were people that also looked down and threw some punches at Ian''s family both literally and figuratively.


    He wouldn''t mind her attacking them due to her mental instability and he had no plans of going out of his way to help her or them. To him this would be the perfect revenge.


    Hitting two birds with one stone, saving him time, effort, and resources to go after them.


    "Where were we?" Ian asked as he looked back at Manuel''s sister.


    Ian was now standing directly in front of her, looking down at the woman as she balled her hands into fists, grabbing the hem of her now soiled dress.


    She had been eating, sleeping, and relieving herself in the same clothes that she was wearing when they came in.


    "You disgust me." Ian told her as he slapped her across the cheek.


    The force was so strong that she was thrown down, her face hitting the couch as she tried to get back up.


    "You truly are your mother''s daughter." Ian said as he turned and walked back to his seat.


    He picked up the final document which held a list of families where she would be working. Ian couldn''t help but smile at the list of names on the list. He knew that these were her friends, people who her family tried to impress as well.


    "I wonder if I should tell you about where you are going or if I should just watch as your life crumbles away?" Ian asked to no one in particular as he turned back around and considered the list.


    Manuel''s sister remained silent, afraid of offending Ian again. She knew that speaking would ruin her chances at having at least a respectable way of paying back their debts.


    Of all the options Ian was well aware of what she disliked the most, and even if he didn''t want to seem like a spiteful person, Ian was tempted to send her there. He wanted her and the rest of the Juan family to understand his message clearly.


    They messed with the wrong people in the past and now it has returned to haunt them ten times over.


    "I think it will be quite entertaining for you to find out who you will be serving when you get there." Ian finally decided with a grin. "But I will give you an idea of who we will be sending you to."


    Ian watched as she began to shake, visibly afraid of the clue Ian was about to give.


    He was sure that she had an guess as to where she would be sent, but of course that was still quite different from hearing it from Ian himself.


    There were very few places that a vengeful person would send you, so she knew that Ian would send her to one of those.


    But in the end this fate was still better than any of the others. At least with this one she wouldn''t have to spread her legs for men and women the she might or might not know


    "Just like the other punishments, this one is much more than it seems." Ian began to say. "If I were you I would think hard and well about who among your friends, clients, classmates, and co-workers had indentured servants. You''ll be sent to people and places that are just too familiar to you."


    "No, please, no." She begged as she started to cry again


    "It''s the fate you chose. We didn''t choose it for you." Ian said with a shrug.


    "Take her back to her cell. She will make the statement tomorrow morning and in a few days she will be sent to the first family she will need to serve." Seth ordered.


    The guards were quick to act on Seth''s commands, they quickly detained her and dragged her out of the room.


    She was clearly unhappy with Ian''s decision as she had to made silent as she screamed profanities at people in the room.


    When the door finally shut behind the guards, Ian and his friends were finally able to relax. The act was over.


    "So their anger with you goes further than just you punching her brother?" Camilla asked.


    "Apparently there is a past with my mother. I''ll talk to them about it when I visit home this weekend." Ian said with a nod. "I owe all of them an apology and explanation after what happened last weekend."


    "You aren''t to blame, Ian." Seth told his friend. "I''m sure the emotions you felt were just too much and Camilla and I didn''t help. We just nagged you."


    "I appreciated it." Ian said with a thankful nod. "You guys weren''t wrong and because of what you said it helped me realize that I will not always be right. That my gut feel isn''t always right."


    "What are you saying?" Camilla asked.


    "If it weren''t for you guys talking to me, scolding me even before I heard hard truths, I would have had a harder time accepting them." Ian admitted.


    "That''s right, when you came back from that party hosted by the Ortega family there was something you wanted to tell us." Seth said as he recalled the night before.


    Ian nodded and took a deep breath.


    He could feel the hesitation, the doubts, all of the fears coming forward as he prepared to explain.


    Just the thought of what Josephine had said already pained him, how much more would it hurt when he began to investigate.


    "Ian?" Camilla asked.


    "I''m fine." He said as he let out a breath he had been holding.


    "Josephine told me that I shouldn''t trust what Jas and her family told me long ago." Ian told his friends. "It seems that she had been lying that those relationships were just so that her family could build partnerships."


    "So they were serious?" Camilla asked.


    "I''m not sure." Ian frowned as he looked at his friend and shook his head. "The only way I can find out the truth is if Jas tells me and comes clean." Ian explained.


    "You''ll need to confront her." Camilla realized as she thought of Ian''s situation.


    "I do, but I''m not sure if I''m ready." Ian told Camilla. "My relationship with her was just about to start healing and yet here we are now, being torn apart again. I don''t want to doubt her anymore but she keeps giving me reason to."


    "You do know that the longer you sit on this, the worse it will get." Seth pointed out.


    "Of course I know that." Ian said with a sigh.


    "So are you ready for Friday?" Seth asked as he changed the topic. "Your lives will be completely different on that day."


    "I don''t think anything can prepare us for it." Camilla said with a chuckle, lightening the mood.


    "I''m pretty sure people will start to look at us differently and the expectations will be high." Ian told his friends as he thought of how their lives would change starting that day.


    "Add to that the fact that we won''t even know who we can trust anymore. Everyone will want to either hate us or be our friend and use us." Camilla told Ian and Seth her worry.


    "You two will always have me." Seth said with a wink as he gave them a kind smile. "I understand how you feel. The same thing happened to me when my dad revealed to everyone who I actually was."


    "How did you end up trusting people again? I can''t help but worry that everyone that approaches me has an ulterior motive and I''m afraid of that." Camilla confessed.


    "It took me a while. In the Mafia, trusting the wrong people could mean death, so I had to learn how to figure out what people''s ambitions are. I''ll admit to both of you, it wasn''t in any way easy." Seth explained. "Until now, I don''t trust people like I used to. Don''t worry Camilla, I''m sure you and Ian will both do well."


    "Thanks for the vote of confidence." Ian said with a grin.. He was glad that he now had friends like Seth and Camilla, it truly felt like life was changing for the better.

 Chapter 173 - 173

    Friday came faster than Ian had anticipated.


    He had been anxiously waiting since he knew that things would be much more different after they were announced.


    The day before Marco had sent out invites to all of the employees of the Reyes Group for a company wide town hall.


    It was set to happen at the famous Maharlika hotel closeby.


    Most employees could simply walk to the hotel from their office, others had opted to hold their meetings with clients earlier in the day there as well in order to avoid being late.


    On the CEO''s floor Ian and Camilla were actually drowning in paperwork as they hurried to finish what had already piled up over the past few days.


    "Well this is a good way to get rid of any anxiety or worry." Camilla joked as she scanned the document in her hand.


    "Most employees are taking today easy while we are drowning in work." Ian grumbled.


    "It''s better than you pacing in your office." Seth said as he stood at the doorway of Ian''s office.


    "Shouldn''t you be at the hotel by now?" Ian asked his friend.


    "Just came up to say hi and good luck. I told my teammates to meet me at the lobby. We all planned to go there together." Seth explained.


    "Thanks." Ian said with a smile. He may have pretended to be annoyed by his friend, but in fact he was glad that Seth had passed by to say good luck. He truly appreciated it.


    "Are you still hanging out with Mike''s friends, your old group?" Camila asked as she lifted her head and raised an eyebrow at Seth.


    "Of course not." Seth told her as he shook his head. "I never wanted to be friends with them in the first place. Mike''s arrest helped me finally distance myself from them. But I won''t lie, they''ve been trying to get me to spend time with them, which is just annoying." He grumbled.


    "Just keep using work and your family as an excuse." Ian suggested.


    "That''s the plan." Seth winked as he looked at the watch on his wrist. "Well I should go. See you later, good luck, and I''ll be cheering in the audience."


    "Thanks Seth!" Ian and Camilla both called out as they waved goodbye.


    "Do you think Seth will still hang out with us publicly when the other employees know who we are and what our role is in the company?" Camilla asked as she placed down the documents on the table.


    "I honestly don''t know." Ian shook his head as he focused his attention on his friend. "But I''m sure that he will want to be as low profile as possible, or at least I think that''s what Seth wants."


    "I guess it''s also possible that his family will push for him to be seen publicly with us. It would help legitimize their wealth and reputation, even though the Deans don''t really need it." Camilla thought out loud.


    "Whatever his choice will be, it will be fine with me." Ian said as he returned his attention back to the overwhelming amount of work in front of him. "He has been there for us even if we''ve only known each other for a short time. I''m sure we can trust him."


    "Of course I trust him. I just wanted to know what the plans were." Camilla said as she too returned to work.


    An hour later, Macro came knocking on the door of Ian''s office, he knew he would find the two younger assistants there.


    He was sure that both were anxious and nervous about the new future that they both faced.


    The older assistant couldn''t help but be amused at the sight of his two juniors hard at work. They were about to become the most popular employees of the Reyes group in the next few minutes.


    "We''re going soon. You don''t need to bring anything." Marco said as he finally interrupted their work.


    "Already?" Ian asked as he looked at his watch.


    "Time flies when you''re having fun." Marco teased. "Or stressing out too." He said with a chuckle.


    Ian and Camilla shook their heads as they began to pack up their belongings.


    "Once the two of you are ready we can inform the CEO and we will all head down to the parking lot." Marco told them. "John will drive you in Ian''s car. By the time we arrive all of the employees will be inside the hall but there will be media outside of the hotel."


    "What? Media?" Ian asked in surprise. "This is a company event, why is the media involved?"


    "We told them that there will be big news coming from this townhall." Marco explained. "It will get out eventually so might as well get ahead of the gossipers. The might end up calling you guys illegitimate children of the CEO."


    "That''s crazy and stupid." Ian said as he rolled his eyes at Marco.


    "Let''s go, I''m ready." Camilla said as she gave Ian a nudge on the shoulder. "Slow poke." She teased.


    "I didn''t need to prepare anything." Ian said with a shrug.


    "Alright you two, let''s go." Marco said as he laughed at the pair.


    They quickly informed the CEO that it was time to head to the hotel.


    Emilio Reyes seemed to be prepared to go, because he quickly stood up and picked up his coat.


    "Wait, before we go." He called out to his assistants, who quickly stopped and turned to face him thinking that there was still some work he wanted done before they left.


    "Here." Emilio Reyes said as he handed Camilla and Ian a leather box. "A gift from my son."


    Ian and Camilla looked at each other before finally taking the box in the hand in front of them.


    "He wanted to be here to wish you luck and to hand these, but unfortunately, he can''t." The CEO said with a frown. It didn''t seem to be a small matter based off of his reaction. It seemed like he was genuinely heartbroken about wherever his son was.


    Ian and Camilla both slowly opened the small boxes, they were shocked to find two extremely expensive watches inside as well as a pair of cufflinks for each of them.


    "Sir, this is too much." Ian said in a shaky voice as he looked up at the CEO.


    "No, no." The CEO said as he shook his head. "I think this is actually too little. You are both about to embark on one of the most tiring and stressful journeys in your lives. Being the CEO''s assistant is not easy, it''s a tough job."


    "Yup." Marco said loudly from behind the two, making Emilio Reyes laugh.


    "See, even Marco agrees." He said as he shook his head. "Take the gift." He urged.


    "Thank you." Ian and Camilla both said as they took the watches out of the box and replaced the ones they were wearing with the gift.


    "Let''s go." The CEO said with a nod as he marched out of his office ahead of them.


    The drive to the hotel was quick, in all honesty Ian and Camilla would both have preferred to walk, but according to both Marco and John they needed to make an impression.


    So their car trailed loosely behind the CEO''s Maserati as it moved through the city, surrounded by armor plated security vehicles.


    "Do they really need this much security or is it all just for show?" Ian asked John.


    "The Reyes Group and the Reyes family are both very old fixtures in the country." John began to explain. "They have gathered so many enemies over the years that it isn''t exactly safe for them."


    "But the Reyeses are kind and fair, or at least they are based on what we have seen." Camilla commented.


    "The reason they have enemies is because they rarely do corrupted things. They would rather do things the right way rather than break the law. Although, of course, they aren''t saints, they have crossed the line a few times as well." John told the pair as the car slowed down when they approached the hotel.


    From his car''s window, Ian could see the flood of journalists that stood outside, waiting, as they snapped photos of the CEOs car as well as it''s convoy.


    "Well, now everyone will know this car." John teased. "Use Camilla''s car if you want to travel unnoticed."


    "Finally, my car will get to see daylight." Camilla laughed, making the two men shake their heads.


    "The sales of this model will increase for sure." John pointed out. "Anything associated with the Reyes Group and it''s inner circle usually sells like crazy. Everyone wants to be like them, well not them, us."


    Ian and Camilla shook their heads to John''s comments. Unlike them, John was an inner circle employee that remained unknown.


    "Are you guys ready?" John asked as the CEO''s car stopped in front of the hotel entrance.


    "Is anyone ever ready?" Ian asked as he pushed open his car door to a barrage of camera flashes.

 Chapter 174 - 174

    "Mr. Reyes! Mr. Reyes!" Ian  could hear as the journalists called out to the CEO.


    Emilio Reyes stood tall as he kept his eyes forward trained on the door as he walked ahead of everyone.


    The CEO was known to rarely answer questions from the media, that''s why he had an entire public relations department and Marco.


    "Mr. Reyes, why have you called for this town hall? We were informed that something important was going to be announced today?" Some of the reporters shouted as they tried to get their voices heard above the noise of the crowd.


    "Mr. Reyes, give us an answer." Some pleaded.


    Ian guessed that these reporters knew that Emilio Reyes would not answer their questions, but there was still no harm in trying.


    The CEO and his assistant, Marco So, seemed to be used to these kinds of events. Bodyguards cleared a path for them while also keeping the reporters at arm''s length.


    "Mr. So, Assistant So! Will you give us a statement?" The others asked as they tried their luck with Marco. The assistant was often much more willing to give a statement on behalf of his boss or the company.


    Emilio Reyes suddenly stopped in the middle of the red carpet that led to the hotel entrance, prompting the entire entourage to stop as well.


    He waved over for Marco to come over, which the assistant did without delay.


    Ian could see as Marco nodded while he listened to Emilio Reyes'' instructions. After a few seconds Marco left the CEO''s side as the man walked into the hotel with several bodyguards.


    Marco had gestured for everyone to stay put as the CEO walked in ahead.


    When he was finally inside, Marco turned to face one group of reporters.


    "I have a statement from the CEO." He announced.


    The crowd suddenly stopped talking and the only sounds that could be heard were those of notebooks being opened and cameras clicking as photographers took photos of Marco and his group.


    Clearly it had not gone unnoticed to them that there were two new additions, and whenever there were new people added to the CEO''s entourage it often was big news.


    "Today''s townhall is of great importance to the future of the Reyes Group as well as towards the direction the company is headed." Marco announced. The reporters were quick to jot down his words, making sure that they captured everything that he said.


    "There will be a few announcements, the media will get a copy of what was said in the townhall from the public relations department of the Reyes Group." Marco informed them. "For now, all we ask is for everyone to conduct themselves in an orderly manner and please do not disrupt the operations of the hotel. Thank you."


    With his final words, Marco turned back to face the doors and led the group into the hotel, following after the CEO.


    The interior of Maharlika Hotel was the grandest in the capital. It''s ceiling had an elegant mural and the walls and floor were made of marble and granite.


    All around the lobby, the fixtures were either gold or silver with some precious gems embedded in them.


    Ian couldn''t help but sigh at the sight. He had actually grown up visiting this place often.


    He closed his eyes as he took a deep breath and recalled a distant memory.


    ------


    Eleven Years Ago


    Ian Ages 13


    "Ian Lim, what did I tell you about running around the lobby?" Ian''s mother, Constance Lim, scolded as she caught her son by the wrist as his sisters, Samantha and Karina, zoomed past them.


    To Ian''s surprise his sisters suddenly stopped and turned back to give their older brother a confused look.


    "But mom, it''s fun." Ian complained.


    "You are thirteen, stop acting like a child. Plus you might break something. Do you think you can afford to pay for that vase?" Constance asked her son.


    Ian took a good look at the vase that was delicately placed at the center of a table. It looked old and was not Ian''s taste, it was shiny though so it might have been something that the adults liked.


    "I have my allowance." Ian confidently answered.


    "That costs way more than your allowance, Ian." His mother said in an amused tone. "To pay for that we would have to leave you here to wash the dishes and clean the rooms. Do you want that?" She asked her son.


    "It can''t cost that much mom." Ian grumbled. "It looks older than grandpa and he is very old."


    "Who called me old?!" Ian''s grandfather asked as he appeared behind his daughter-in-law.


    "Your grandson thinks that vase is cheap." Constance Lim explained.


    "Ian, you need to learn that the value of things aren''t always based on what you see on the surface." His grandfather said as  the man in his sixties crouched down and looked his grandson in the eyes.


    Seeing that her father-in-law was dealing with her son, Constance Lim moved her attention to her two daughters who had found their way to their usual table, with their maids watching over them.


    "What do you mean, grandpa?" Ian asked.


    "Sometimes things are more important than what they look like. Take that vase for example, it looks old and worn out, right?" He asked Ian.


    The young boy simply nodded in response as he looked at the vase that his grandfather had pointed at.


    "But that vase is the most expensive one in this room, because it is old and because of the stories it can tell." His grandfather explained as Ian turned to look at the vaise once more.


    "What stories?" Ian asked.


    "Well, that vase traveled from China with a group of poor farmers who were seeking a better life." His grandfather said as Ian took a step closer to the vase.


    "What happened to the farmers?" Ian tilted his head to the side as he studied the paintings on the vase as well as the shape of it.


    "When they landed in the country they discovered that they might have a different calling aside from being farmers. They soon moved to become landowners, slowly developing the land they arrived in." His grandfather said as Ian noticed that the painting on the white vase was that of a small town.


    "Who were they grandpa? Why do you know about them?" Ian asked as he gave his grandfather a curious look.


    The old man smiled and shook his head.


    "That vase is on loan to the hotel from our family." The old man said with a chuckle. "The story I told you is the story of our family." He said as he shook his head.


    "That''s amazing grandpa!" Ian said as he continued to observe the vase.


    --------


    Present day


    Ian smiled they passed the same white vase with blue paintings on it. Even when they lost everything his grandfather refused to take the vase back and sell it.


    He told Ian that it was a symbol of their past, a reminder of no matter how bad things get, they could always reinvent themselves for the better.


    These words stuck with Ian, giving him hope and reminding him that all was not lost and that he could always bring his family''s legacy back.

 Chapter 175 - 175

    "I know what that vase meant to you." Marco told Ian as they entered the backstage VIP room.


    "The vase his family lent to Maharlika?" Emilio Reyes asked as he overheard what Marco had told the younger assistant.


    "Yup, one of the most prized possessions of the hotel, it''s not even theirs." Marco said with a laugh as he shook his head. "They even boasted about it in a magazine feature. They credited the Lim family, which was nice."


    "We got offers from buyers after that." Ian said as he shook his head. "Grandpa didn''t want to sell it, neither did my dad. So it stays with the family."


    "Would you have sold it?" Camilla asked as she suddenly spoke after listening to their conversation.


    "At the time I was a selfish little brat that thought only of himself, so of course I would have sold it back then." Ian replied confidently.


    His family had gotten into a fight about that vase, he wanted his father and grandfather to sell it. In his young and naive mind it wasn''t worth keeping, but his father and grandfather insisted that it was worth more than just money.


    "And now?" Camilla asked her friend.


    "I''d be like dad and grandpa, refusing to sell." Ian said with a chuckle. "They were right, it means more to us than it will to anyone else. No amount can equate it''s true value."


    Camilla, Emilio, and Marco simply smiled and nodded at Ian.


    "Sir." A female employee asked as she peeked through the door that separated the VIP area from the stage.


    "Yes?" Marco asked as he walked over to the female employee.


    "If the CEO is ready, we will start." The woman informed Marco as she tried not to take a good look at who else was in the room.


    No one knew what the announcement was going to be about, not even the employees who had arranged it.


    The members of the PR department were also in the dark as they would only write the statement after the announcement was made.


    For some reason the Reyes Group was keeping the topic of this townhall a secret and it truly intrigued the people that were normally in the loop for big news.


    "They can start." Emilio Reyes told Marco as the assistant glanced back to get his answer.


    "The boss said you can start. Have someone call us when it''s time for him to speak." Marco instructed.


    He told them this at every event where Emilio Reyes was expected to take the stage. It was the standard procedure and yet he felt the need to remind everyone of what they should do.


    The woman nodded and left, Marco listened as she heard the music begin as the town hall started.


    "They should call you in a few minutes." Marco told Emilio Reyes.


    "Good, I don''t think this will take long. It''s just a few big announcements, nothing fancy." The CEO said as he fixed his coat.


    Approximately three minutes later the woman was back and she informed Marco that the CEO would be introduced soon so that he could take the stage.


    Even if Emilio Reyes didn''t need an introduction it was all part of the formality.


    "When I introduce both of you, come up to the stage for all the employees to see." Emilio Reyes instructed.


    Both Camilla and Ian nodded as they signified that they understood what he had said.


    "Good." Emilio Reyes told them as he walked out of the waiting room, tailed by his three assistants and several body guards.


    "Mr. Reyes." The Vice President for Public Relations greeted with a bow.


    "You know the news, right?" Emilio Reyes asked.


    "Marco told me, yes." The Vice President responded.


    "You can tell your team now, but they are not to release the statement we have left the hotel. Is that clear?" The CEO said in a cold and intimidating tone.


    "Yes, sir." The vice president said as he gestured for the CEO to follow him up the stairs to the backstage.


    "Great, now that you are all awake, let''s all welcome the CEO and President of the Reyes Group, Mr. Emilio Reyes III!" The host said in an annoyingly energetic tone.


    Camilla and Marco laughed as they noticed Ian''s expression. He was clearly not amused with the theatrics that the host just pulled off.


    "Keep that face straight later." Marco warned. "You don''t want them to think you are biased."


    "Them?" Ian asked.


    "The employees." Marco explained. "They all know how influential the CEOs assistant truly is."


    Ian nodded wordlessly as he focused on keeping a straight face, but his efforts seemed to just make Camilla laugh.


    "What''s wrong now?" Ian asked as he heard the claps from the other side of the curtain slowly die down.


    "You look like you want to take a shit!" Camilla exclaimed.


    "Oh shut up." Ian said as he rolled his eyes and focused on listening to what the CEO would say.


    "Good afternoon!" Emilio Reyes greeted with a booming voice. "I''m sure you are all curious as to why I have called you over."


    Ian could hear as the employees mumbled a yes. He assumed that some were simply nodding.


    "I won''t lie, we kept this announcement a secret from almost everyone." Emilio Reyes told the employees, his tone still remained quite formal as he spoke on stage.


    "Let me make the first one then." He said as he cleared his throat. "As many of you know, someone has been going around in the past claiming to be my apprentice. I don''t have an apprentice and this man as well as the department head for Krisanta Land''s sales team has been arrested."


    Ian could hear as some employees gasped at the news. The arrest may have been done publicly but most of the employees simply chose to keep their mouths shut.


    As a result no one knew about what had happened.


    "Luckily, that position as the leader of Krisanta Land''s sales team can be easily filled by someone who has long earned the role." Emilio Reyes said. "The Laurel group has been a long time partner of the Reyes Group, and with that I am taking under my wing it''s heir."


    Even backstage Ian and Camilla could hear as the crowd erupted in whispers. Most of them knew the Laurel family.


    "This is what Jake didn''t want." Marco said with a sigh as he shook his head.


    "I am proud to introduce to all of you, the new Vice President for Krisanta Land''s Sales, Mr. Jake Laurel." Emilio Reyes announced to a stunned crowd.

 Chapter 176 - 176

    Jake slowly made his way up to the stage with a humble smile. This was way too much attention for him.


    He had always been someone that liked working in the shadows, he liked being treated as an ordinary member of society. He was sure that after today that would practically be impossible.


    "Jake." His cousin''s uncle, Emilio Reyes said as he shook the younger man''s hand.


    "Thanks Uncle Emilio." Jake said with a nod as he did his best to seem happy.


    "You know that after this your dad might change his tone about things, right?" Emilio asked Jake.


    "I do, but I''m not sure if that''s what I still want." Jake said with a shrug.


    As a young man he had been conditioned to believe that his goal in life was to inherit the family business and run it someday.


    When he had made the bold decision of working as an ordinary employee at the Reyes Group after he had graduated from University, his father was furious.


    The current CEO of the Laurel Group, Jake''s father, quickly cut his son out of annoyance.


    He had long wanted to announce that his only son would be taking over the family business after him, but with the young man''s choice to work, that announcement needed to be delayed.


    But because of today''s events things would change. Emilio Reyes had managed to get the young man to do what his father couldn''t, to come out in the open as a member of the Laurel Family.


    "For those that are wondering, a cousin of mine married the head of the Laurel family''s younger brother." Emilio Reyes said as he quickly glanced at Hank who was seated next to Marie, his niece. "Jake came to us with the hopes of learning the business the way everyone did, and we welcomed him with open arms."


    Jake smiled at the memory of him handing his resume to his cousin Hank and begging him to get him a job.


    The Reyes Group was one of the few companies that would hire him and not fear his father''s retaliation.


    "Jake has managed to prove to everyone in this company that he is a capable employee and I have faith that he will do well." Emilio Reyes added as he gave his seal of approval on Jake. "Let''s all give him a round of applause and welcome him to his new role."


    Everyone clapped, most of the employees actually liked Jake, especially those that worked in Krisanta Land.


    He had always been quite a visible employee since he was so hard working and now that his real identity had been revealed to the public it confused people why he had worked so hard. As someone related to the Reyes Family in a way, he should have had to.


    Most companies promoted employees that were related to the owners quite quickly, but Jake''s case just showed everyone how fair the Reyes Group was.


    "Speech!" Someone shouted from the crowd.


    Normally the employees of the Reyes Group didn''t act so relaxed around the CEO, but this time he had an oddly friendly smile on him. Maybe because of Jake, or maybe because of the other news he had.


    "Go on." Emilio Reyes said as he encouraged Jake to take the mic.


    Jake simply nodded and walked up to the podium and looked around.


    "First of all, I would like to thank the CEO of the Reyes Group, Mr. Reyes, for trusting me with such an important position. It is one that I never truly wanted nor did I feel that I deserved." Jake said as he looked at the CEO who nodded.


    "Second, yes, what the CEO announced is right. My father is the current CEO of the Laurel Group, and just to set the record straight, I''ve neve been involved in any deal with them while I was an employee of Krisanta Land." Jake quickly declared.


    He knew how office politics worked, he may be related to the Reyeses in a way, but that will not stop people from spreading malicious rumors about him.


    "I know another one that people will think is if I am in a relationship with any member of the Reyes Family. I will tell you now that I am not." Jake announced. "I am just a simple employee and I have not made a decision about my return to the Laurel Group."


    Jake couldn''t help but smile widely as he felt like a weight had been lifted from his chest. It truly felt good to nip all those rumors from the bud as well as to announce to the public that he might not even work for his family company.


    He knew that his father would come after him, the only question that remained was if it was to disown him completely or to announce him as the next CEO.


    Of course he would prefer it if his father discussed this with him, but it would be most likely that his father would just jump and make an announcement.


    "The Reyes Group has always been like a home to me." Jake announced. "I have learned so much while working here and the Reyes Group will always have my loyalty. The people here are the best and the brightest and to be honest I am overwhelmed with this promotion."


    Suddenly the employees of Krisanta Land all began to clap as they stood up and applauded their now boss.


    Jake smiled and thanked them.


    "I will do my best for this company, that I will promise you." Jake said with a determined look on his face.


    He turned to see Marco signaling to him, it meant that the CEO had meetings the rest of the day that couldn''t be delayed and he needed to wrap up his speech.


    "I know that this feels like big news to you all, but trust me, there are bigger ones to come." Jake announced with a grin, making Emilio Reyes chuckle. "Mine is like a very tiny one compared to the other bit of news the CEO has for you and it involves the company''s future."


    The crowd began to whisper amongst themselves, wondering what could be bigger news than a new VP.


    "Did I build it up too much, Uncle?" Jake asked when he was far enough from the mic.


    "No, it''s perfect.." The CEO said with a grin as he watched his employees gossip.