The Trap Of Ace

Chapter 11

Read The Trap Of Ace [by Eva Zahan] Chapter 11 – A knock on the door put a break on my non-stop rejecting and selecting the designs from the heap of catalogues. I needed to deliver the final samples to the head designers for the new collection of OC Textiles.

Liza’s blonde head poked through the door.

“Sorry to disturb you, but the meeting is just about to begin. And your presence is required there.”

My brows furrowed. “But I’m just an employee. What’d I do in a board meeting?”

His shoulders lifted. “No idea. The boss’s order.”

Why’d Caleb need me in a board meeting?

Sighing, I nodded. “Alright! I’ll be there in a few.”

“Great! See you there!” With that, she closed the door behind her and left.

I didn’t even have any idea what the meeting was about. Nor did I know what to do there or say. Whatever happens, I just hoped he wouldn’t be there. After yesterday’s confrontation, I’d tried my best to avoid him. But his being the freaking owner of this company didn’t make it easy.

Since Tobis’s revelation about it, I still couldn’t get over the shock. The irony! I’d to work in his company under his orders. And here I was trying to escape him at any cost!

Now i’d this doubt that whatever happened to my job and transfer, he had something to do with it. Maybe it was his influence that Caleb put me in here?

I let out a huff.

I just couldn’t make out what was brewing in his head. It was all so inarticulate.

When I entered the conference room, all entities in three piece suits’ eyes trained on me. The head chair was still vacant and there was no trance of Caleb yet. Flashing a professional smile towards those mostly unfamiliar faces, I found an empty chair right next to the head of the table.

All the other seats were occupied other than the one I took and the one at the other end of the table. And the big bald man seated beside it with a creepy face didn’t encourage me to go there.

Once I took my place, my eyes kept flickering to the door, waiting for the boss to arrive. Because the curious glances those people inside the room sent, made me fidget and uncomfortable.

Though their reactions were legit as it wasn’t a regular thing someone who’s not one of the board members joining the board meeting.

When the door opened, only then did everyone take their interest off of me and stood up as someone…

Achilles Valencian walked in, followed by Caleb and Liza.

I sucked in my breath when his gaze landed on me immediately. Those powerful dominating stormy eyes. The whole room went silent: an effect of the commanding aura he carried with him.

Averting my eyes from him, just as I expected Caleb to come and sit at the head of the table, he changed direction and went to the chair beside that creepy big man. And thus, the head of the table was occupied by the devil himself.

Of course! He was the king of this kingdom. What was I thinking? Now I was regretting not sitting beside that bald man.

Caleb sent his regular sunny smile from across the table which I couldn’t return. I’d just ask him later why he called me here.

At the king’s curt nod, everyone sat down.

“Everyone, I’d like to introduce you to someone who’d be joining in our every board meeting from now on,” spoke his deep voice, when I played with the emeralds of my bracelet. A way to ignore him and the irrational fast beats of my heart due to his close presence. “Meet, Miss. Emerald Hutton, a very special friend of mine. I’d like you all to welcome her in our company.”

My gaze snapped up to him, eyes wide open. What the h**l? I’d be joining board meetings with them? I was just a newcomer employee!

“Welcome aboard, Ms. Hutton! It’ll be a pleasure to get to work with you!” I turned to the woman next to me who greeted me with a kind smile.

I barely could show her my enthusiasm in return. I was too perplexed for that. What the h**l was really going into his head?

While some of the members welcomed me with professionalism, most of them remained quiet. They seemed to share the exact bewilderment like me.

When they didn’t respond well and expressions of displeasure etched onto their faces, great Achilles Valencian barked out, “Any objections?”

The shake of everyone’s heads was immediate.

“N-no objections, Mr. Valencian. I’m sure there must be some reason behind the decision you took and we respect it. We’re just… a little surprised, that’s it,” said the man opposite of me, on the right side of him once his sharp gaze fell on that poor man.

He nodded. “Good. The sooner you’ll get over your surprise, the better. Now, you all may proceed with the meeting.”

My eyes kept shooting daggers to him as he leaned back in his chair, listening to whatever the members were saying one by one. And when his hand slowly slid to where mine were placed on the table, I jerked my hands down.

The slight crease between his brows told me his dissatisfaction.

He was trying to touch my hand in front of everyone? The nerve of him.

My features formed into a scowl in disbelief.

Sensing my glare, his fleeting eyes met me for a second. And then the twitch at the corner of his lips made my fists into b***s.

My attention wasn’t on the meeting as I was too busy showing my displeasure. But a certain topic caught my ears.

“This is a matter of concern of how they seemed to have better plans than us in every presentation we’re making in our recent deals. It seems like they exactly know what will be our deficiency and they will work right on there,” stated the bald man beside Caleb, a frown set between his joined brows.

They were talking about a rival company of ours, some AR industries who were competing in every deal this company approached.

Ace cocked his head at the side. “What do you have in your mind about this?”

That man shifted in his chair, clearing his throat. “Umm, I think…”

“That we’ve someone between us leaking information out?” He finished for him. It wasn’t more like a statement than a question. His jaw ticked as the bald man nodded his head. “Did you try to find out who it is yet?”

The man visibly gulped. “Uh, we thought to discuss it with you first. And we were not sure how to find out the culprit.”

His lips curled into distaste. “You weren’t sure? Is that how you all have been running this company with Mr. Cooper? Now I see why this company was going down in the market day by day!”

The board members’ avoided his furious eyes, keeping mum.

I cleared my throat. “If you all don’t mind, I’d like to suggest something.”

Nervous flutters erupted across my tummy when everyone’s gaze turned to me once again. I’d given interviews and presented presentations before the teachers and students back in the college, but talking here before all of them experienced business men professionally, was another thing.

His sharp glare softened as he gave me his sole attention.

“You don’t need to ask permission to speak up, Em. Say whatever you want to say,” Caleb encouraged me from the other side of the table.

Wetting my lower lip, I started. “To find out who’s behind this, we can do a discreet research of the backgrounds and recent activities of the people who’re working directly with these projects? Because irrelevant stuff won’t be able to know much of the presentations to disclose.” When no one said anything and listened to whatever I’d to say, I continued. “That way, if we find someone suspicious, we could easily replace them with someone more reliable and take legal actions against them once we get solid proofs regarding their offense.”

An older man laughed out. “Good idea there, Ms. Hutton. But we can’t just go and start searching everyone’s full history and recent activities. It’ll be too time consuming. And whoever is doing it isn’t a fool, once they’ll find out about the investigation, they’ll get more careful with their moves.”

“That’s why I said the word ‘discreet’. Yes, it might be time consuming, but it’ll be for the well-being of the company. Otherwise, I don’t think there’s any way to find the culprit out.”

“Of course there’s a way,” he argued. “We could just change the whole team instead and appoint only the trustable ones.”

I shook my head. “Finding them out is an utmost need for us right now. Because if we let it go and don’t do anything about it, it won’t be difficult for the rival company to buy someone else again. An example of what happens to a traitor needs to be set before the others.”

That man snorted. “We know what to do or not right now in this situation. You don’t need to point out anything. You’re just a newcomer in here…”

“Didn’t you hear what she said, Mr. Brooks?” snapped Ace. “I’d like you to start working on this as soon as possible without wasting anymore time!”

“But, Mr. Valencian…”

“Enough! No more discussions. You’ll do what my… Ms. Hutton says!” He sneered, cutting Mr. Brooks with his icy gaze. “And from next time, keep your attitude in check while talking to her.”

Swallowing, Mr. Brooks nodded his head, shifting into his seat.

Though it was good that he supported me, but what’s with the rage? Belongs to (N)ôvel/Drama.Org.

As the meeting went on I again went back to silence, twirling my bracelet, only spoke when needed. Even that was difficult with his intense gaze on me most of the time. As if he didn’t come to join the meeting, but to stare at me!

I literally sighed in relief when finally a clerk interrupted the long a*s meeting in the middle for a coffee break.

With a large tray of mugs, he started distributing them around the table. And when my turn came, I shook my head at him with a polite smile.

“No thanks! I don’t drink coffee.”

“No worries, Miss! I got some tea for you,” he replied, handing me the cup of steaming tea.

I sent him a surprised look. How did he even know that I preferred tea over coffee?

“How do you know that I like tea?” I queried.

The smile of his face threatened to fall as his eyes flickered around. “Uh, I…”

“You may now go, Gabe. Thank you for these drinks,” Ace said, cutting him off; his eyes not moving from me. And Gabe didn’t waste a second before hurrying out of the room away from my question.

Casting another glare at him, I sipped on my tea. And again, I was surprised. It was the same way I liked it. Less milk with no sugar.

How did he even know about how I take it?

I looked over Caleb. Did he tell that clerk of my preference? Maybe he found out from Tess? But I didn’t think she even knew that I didn’t like coffee in the first place.

Weird.

***

“G*d! I’m so tired! Liza, why don’t you ask someone to help me with these report sheets? Because I’m running up dry here now. I need some help with it,” said Sierra, a girl from the finance department.

After the meeting, Liza took me on another tour around the office. This time, to introduce me personally to everyone. And when we met Sierra, a good friend of Liza, at her desk, she started complaining.

“Everyone is busy, Sierra. I can’t just tell anyone to push their work aside and help you out. I’m sorry!” Liza apologized.

Sierra’s shoulders slumped at that.

“I can help you with that if you want. I’ve some experience of working on the sheets with my brother,” I offered.

Her eyes widened as she sat straight. “No, no! It’s alright, Emerald. Thank you so much for your offer, but I think I’ll manage.”

“No worries, I’m free right now anyway. I’ll be happy to help.”

I have been free since the meeting. Because no one was literally giving me any work to do. Even choosing those designs in the morning, I’d to request Liza to let me do that. Well, I told her to give me something and she handed me those catalogues. It didn’t seem to even a work for me, but I took it anyway. At least I’d something to do.

When I figured out how to do things yesterday, I figured the stuff they gave me to do wasn’t even that important. I understood that I was new, but that didn’t mean they wouldn’t give me any serious job.

Even the other employees. They seemed to be too careful and polite around me. And I couldn’t make any sense out of their treating me like a VIP and not one of them.

“But I can’t just trouble you with my work…”

“Please, I insist,” I said, pleading her with my eyes. My hands were itching to do some real work.

She glanced at Liza behind me with uncertainty, and then slowly nodded her head. A hesitant smile slowly spread across her face.

“Oh, thank you! Tell me, where do you exactly need my help?”

***

Once it was lunch time, only then we were finished with the work. Sierra was a fun person, so working with her was easy and comfortable. I was glad that apart from Liza, I found another easy to go along person in this office.

“You ready?” Sierra asked, getting up from her desk to go down to the canteen.

Looking up from Beth’s messages, I nodded my head. “Yeah, let’s go.”

And just when we were about to get into the elevator, a voice stopped us.

It was Carter, Ace’s assistant. A red head with a slim figure. The dark patches under his eyes were the proof of his tiredness. Though I just knew him from yesterday, I pitied him. Due to some unknown reasons, his boss remained in this office all the time. And he, being his assistant, had to run back and forth between Valencian Corp and OC Textiles for him.

“Yes?”

“Miss. Hutton, I’m sorry to stop you. But Mr. Valencian requires your presence in his cabin,” he said.

I frowned. “Why? What does he need now?”

He shifted on his legs, pushing the specs up his nose. “Uh, he wants you to have lunch with him.”

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