Janet’s POV
It was almost noon when my 3rd meeting finally finished and gave me a minute to rest. I let out a yawn, stretching my arms wide and laying back on my chair. I’d been keeping myself unnecessarily occupied because I thought that, since Paxton doesn’t remember anything, everything would be just as before, but turns out, I was wrong. Since morning, I can’t help but feel drown to him. All I could think about was kissing him once again. It’s like he’s done a spell on me or something. I closed my eyes and let my body sink into my chair. A pleasurable comfort taking over me and giving me a smile on my lips.
“Charlotte?” An Italian accent called. My eyes shot and heart lurched into my mouth when I heard my real name. I whipped my head at the source of the sound but as soon as I laid my eyes on the person, I grinned, “Non mi crederai quanto sono felice di trovarti qui, tesoro?” He says with a huge happy smile. I got up from my chair and threw my arms on his. He let out a chuckle of disbelief, “Whoa, è qualcosa di nuovo!”
Translate- (1) You won’t believe me how happy I am to find you here, darling! (2) Whoa, it’s something new.
I slapped his arm playfully, “Shut up and hug me back!” He laughed and returned the hug with the same love. Antonio is my aunt’s son, but he’s more like a friend to me. The last time I met him was on my engagement night. I pulled away but my hands were still on his biceps, “Oh, Antonio. I missed you. Where were you?” He narrowed his eyes and I quickly raised my hands in surrender, ”Yeah, yeah. Questa dovrebbe essere la tua domanda. Scusate!”
Translate- Yeah yeah. This should be your question. Sorry!
“Destra. Ora, potresti dirmi cosa fai da anni a New York?” He asked in his thick sexy Italian accent. His eyes were full of curiosity.
Translate- Right. Now, could you tell me what you are doing in New York?
“Ah, the more important question is how did you find me?” I inquired. He replied, “For your information, finding you here is a coincidence!”
“Oh, if it is a coincidence, then what are you doing here?”
He frowned as if I’d said something very stupid. I lifted my shoulders and he said, “I’m a businessman, Charlotte. What do you expect?”
“Firstly, call me Janet-
“Why-
“And secondly,” I kept speaking, “What business do you have here?”
“Hey, I’m the one who is supposed to be questioning you right now, Char!” He retorted, “So, tell me, is that true that you’re getting married to that pompous fiancé of yours in a few days?” My eyes slightly widened after hearing him. I was surprised.
“How do you know that?”
He smirked, “Rick is not only your friend, Char- I mean, Janet!”
“That bastard,” I muttered, “I told him not to tell this to anyone!”
He chuckled, “Yeah, but he told me anyway. So, if you’re done being angry, can I know the whole story?” I took a deep breath and told him my entire situation.
“Fuck, your life has gone upside down!” He said, a frown of pity and shock between his brows. I nodded. A bundle of files were in our hands as we were making our way to my desk, “You should have killed him that night!”
“Yeah, but for some reason, I couldn’t,” I muttered. He jumped in ahead of me and halted me. My eyes grew a little wide with his sudden move. He says, “You love him, don’t you?” I didn’t respond. He grabs my arms and snapped the staff’s attention at us, “Charlotte, you can’t be in love with him. You deserve better!”
“You’re misunderstanding, Antonio,” He removed his hands and I walked past him. He followed, “It’s true that the reason I couldn’t kill Valentino was love, but not the kind of love you’re thinking!” I placed my files on my desk and turned to him, “And after the grave sins I’ve committed, I don’t expect anything better!”
“Hey,” He grabbed my wrists and looked me in my eyes with a small comforting smile, “Charlotte probably doesn’t deserve anything better but Janet Reyes does!” I slightly frowned, “Of course. Those grave sins were committed by Charlotte, not you. So, chill. You’re not going to be punished for something she did!”
I smiled, “I appreciate your efforts, Antonio, but Charlotte and Janet are not different!”
“Yes, they are!” He said, “Charlotte is arrogant, mean, full of pride and merciless, but this one is humble, sweet, kind, polite and respectful! You’re not her, Janet. Not at all!” I smiled.
Antonio has always been like this. He’s so cool and fun. Motivating and supportive. I find that his best qualities are that he is a good secretive, and a wonderful counselor when a person encounters any problem and needs advice. He’s a good listener also. When you talk to him, he listens to you with concentration and does not move from a topic until you finish discussing it, and gives full attention and respect to whoever is speaking, and does not comment in any way that makes you upset. And if he disagrees with you in opinions, he argues with you in a good way until he convinces you of his idea, or you convince him of yours.
He grabs my wrists and says, “Also, even if you are both, you’re not the one to suffer. It has to be your Dad who put in that mess in the first place!” I smiled. He lifted his hand and tugged my swirls behind as he continued, “So, never say you don’t deserve better because, trust me, Janet Reyes, a person like you deserves all the happiness in life!”
“JANET REYES?!!” Our smile vanished and head was snapped at Paxton. I frowned. He was enraged, but not at me. I glanced at Toni who was staring back at Paxton without an ounce of worry on his face. Charlie also dashed out of the cabin after him and threw me a weak smile.
“In. My. Cabin!” Paxton shot a glare at me and adds, “Now!” I nodded and quickly followed him.
God, what happened?
Paxton’s POV
“So, you’re telling me that last night you guys kissed again?” Charlie asked, a frown between his brows. My staff standing up and bowing at us as we made our way towards my cabin. I nodded, “Are you sure that it’s not your dream or something?”
“What do you mean?”
“Paxton, when a person does something that he doesn’t want to, he gets embarrassed about it!”
“Yeah, she was embarrassed!”
“Embarrassed? But you just told me that she helped you with your tie, cooked you breakfast, talked very nicely with you and all!”
“Yeah, so?”
“So, an embarrassed person does not do any of these, you idiot!”
“It was all an act, Lee,” I said and walked inside my cabin with him. I took my seat and grabbed a bunch of files from my drawer and placed them on my table, “She pretended to be all cool and normal because she thought that, just like everything else, I don’t remember our kiss as well!”
“What makes you so sure about it?” He questioned with squinted eyes. I replied, “My heart, Lee. My heart makes me sure about it!”
He grimaced, “Lame,” I chuckled, opening the file and going through it. He shook his head and took his seat opposite me on the chair, “You should ask her about it!”
“No, I won’t!”
“Why?”
“Because she doesn’t want me to know,” He knit his brows together and stared at me in complete bewilderment, “I mean, if she wants me to never know that we kissed last night, then I’m never letting her know I remember!”
“Cool. But if she keeps behaving this way, then how will you guys get together?”
“I don’t know. But what about you?” I asked, not able to keep it in anymore. Charlie’s expression turned flat, “What do you mean?”
“I mean, when are you getting back with Liv?” He didn’t respond and looked down, “You should talk to her, Lee!” I suggested, snapping his eyes back on me.
“You think I didn’t try?” He retorted offensively, “She doesn’t want to be with me, Paxton. Not anymore!”
“What makes you say that?”
“She’s seeing someone else!”
“What?” I was shocked. He nodded, a mock smile on his lips, “Are you sure?”
“Are you kidding me?” He was annoyed, “I’ve seen her with him many times!”
“Mean you’re not sure,” I muttered. He opened his mouth to say something but couldn’t when I said, “Do you want to get back with her?”
“No,” I shot my brows up and he quickly said the truth, “I mean, yeah! But, she doesn’t want to be with me anymore.”
“Oh, shut up, Lee. Your head is creating these stupid misunderstandings so that your ego won’t be harmed!”
“It’s not true,” he said in his defense, “I’m just afraid of being rejected by my own girlfriend!”
“Oh, then you are a coward, Lee!”
“Cowa- His jaw clenched, “You know what? I’m done talking to you!” I opened my mouth to say something but couldn’t when my phone rang and snapped our heads on it. It was a call from Mr. Martinez. I raised my index finger at him, “I have to take this,” I talked to Mr. Martinez for a couple of minutes and after the phone was disconnected, I looked at Charlie with a huge smile, “Guess what?”
He smiled back, “He’s agreed to work with you!”
“Finally!” I said happily and made him chuckle, “You don’t know how much I wanted this, Lee. His resorts are extraordinary and are going to be very beneficial to us!” He nods, agreeing with me. I glanced at Janet’s place and recalled she was attending a meeting, “I need to tell Janet about it,” I dialed her number but my smile vanished and eyes ignited when I saw her walking towards her seat with a guy I’d never seen before. My jaw clenched and grip tightened around the phone. Charlie frowned and followed my gaze, “Who the fuck is this guy?” I asked through gritted teeth. They were talking as if they’re very close to each-other.
“Uh, sorry to disappoint you, but I have no idea!”
I ticked my jaw. My palms rolled in a strong fist as I glared at the guy she was laughing with, “I’ll fucking kill him,” I snarled and dashed towards them but Charlie jumped in front of me. His hands on my chest, “Get out of my way, Charlie!” I snarled, jerking his hands.
“Whoa, what the hell, Paxton? You can’t be serious!”
“I am fucking serious. He can’t touch her like that!”
“Who the hell are you to stop him?” That statement hit me hard. I looked at them and then back at Charlie, “She’s not your fucking girlfriend, man. Relax!” I inhaled a breath of fury and looked away. That’s true indeed. She isn’t my girlfriend. I’ve no right to be angry if she’s with some guy. I calmed my rage and was about to turn around but when I saw that guy tugging her swirls behind her ear, all I could see was red. I pushed Charlie aside and jerked my door open, “Janet Reyes?!!” My tone didn’t only snap their heads at me but everyone else’s too, “In my cabin!” I switched my glare from him to Janet and added, “Now!”
Janet's POV
“What were you doing?” He asked right after I closed the door. His eyes shooting daggers at my way. I gulped, not getting what had I done to make him so angry. Wait! Did he find out that I was the one who called his ex and ruined his image at his father's eyes? I gulped, the minor thought giving me goosebumps, “I ask, what were you doing?” He repeats himself more angrily.
“Um, actually, I was just-
“You just what?” He cut me off arrogantly, “I pay you to work here, Ms. Reyes. So, instead of chit-chatting with people, it’s better that you just do +what you’re hired for!” Oh, that's the reason? I rolled my eyes. "Did you just rolled your eyes at me, Janet?" He questioned. I quickly shook my head. He clenches his jaw, "Now, you're refusing to admit it?"
"No, I mean," I looked down and murmurs, "I'm sorry!"
"For what exactly? For rolling your eyes at your boss or for chatting during work-time?"
"For both!" I murmured.
"Speak louder, Janet!" He yelled, snapping my head at me. “I haven’t done anything to be scolded this way!” I yelled back.
He shot my brows up, “Oh, you mean talking unnecessarily during working time is appreciable to you?”
“He’s my brother!!” I told him aloud. He opened his mouth to scold me more, but when he registered my words, his anger flew away and he frowned, “Wait, what?” I pressed my lips together and looked away worried cause I wasn’t supposed to say that, “Ms. Reyes?” I looked at him in response, “Did you just say he is your brother?” I gulped. Not a single word was coming out of my mouth, “Ms. Reyes, I’m asking you something!”
Speak up, you idiot!
“Uhm, yeah! Yeah, he’s-he’s my brother but not real!” I let out a nervous chuckle but he stood there all confused, “I mean, I’m his soul sister. You can see we don’t share the same surname!”
“What’s his surname?” He was quick to ask. I replied, “Black, Antonio Black!”
“He’s Antonio Black?” He repeated, confused. I nodded. “Okay, Dad told me about Mr. Black earlier. He said collaboration with him is going to be beneficial for both of us,” I nodded again. He walked towards his desk and took his seat on the chair, “By the way, how come do you know him?”
“I met him in an orphanage. He was donating a huge amount. Obviously!”
“And what were you doing there?”
Crap!
“Umm,” I kept my mouth open until I came up with a good answer, “I was playing with kids!” I let out a chuckle, “I often visit them. They are sweet and I love spending time with sweet kids!” Big fat lie. I’ve never been to an orphanage in my entire life.
“That’s really kind of you,” He was pretty impressed to know that. I smiled, greatly relieved that he was buying every lie of mine, “Anyway, postpone all my meetings for this week. We are going to Italy tomorrow!”
“Sure,” My smile vanished and eyes widened, “Wait, Italy?”
He frowned, “Why, any problem?” My heart stopped and I couldn’t breathe anymore, “Ms. Reyes?”
“Yeah! I mean, no! No, I-I don’t have any problem,” What could I possibly say?
“Well, good to hear that,” He picked up a file from his desk and carried it forward to me, “Here. This file has everything that you must know about this meeting. Take a look and let me know when you’re done!” I bit my lower lip and took the file from his hands, but as soon as my eyes read Mr. Lorenz Martinez on it, they widened like tennis balls and my mouth hung open.
Fucking hell!

