CHAPTER 12 - FLIRTING WITH THE CEO

I shook my head in response because it was the truth. I was not invited. Everybody in the company was not invited, and it seemed that the Salcedos were keen on blocking us from getting any scoops. “I am not invited,” I informed him.
“Lance must be mad at you,” he stated.
“Yeah, he could be.”
“I shouldn’t be helping you after you ruined my brother’s name, but I want you to catch a glimpse at him. He could be rude and brutal sometimes, but he is a nice guy.”
Suddenly, I felt bad for writing the article when I shouldn’t feel sorry about it. It has to be out in the open. Another reporter or I was bound to get the scoop! It just happened that my colleague has more information about Lance Salcedo, and I used it to my advantage.
“Aren’t you mad at me?” I asked Liam.
“Honestly? I don’t know. I mean, I used to like you. You seemed nice and cute when I took you to the island.”
“I can tell that you’re disappointed,” I said.
“A little bit. Follow me,” he said, and the representative of his family didn’t question my presence when I entered the function room with Liam Salcedo. Other reporters raised their brows at me because they probably heard that our company was banned from joining the press conference.
“Thank you so much,” I said to Liam before he could leave.
“Just behave,” he warned me.
When it was time to begin, the moderator took to the podium and welcomed the press first before introducing the guest and, of course, Lance Salcedo, as I had expected. I was prepared to witness the couple, but I wasn’t ready to be hurt again. I was devastated and broken! It shouldn’t be the case, but it just happened!
After the moderator introduced them as the future leader of the group, everyone in the audience gasped for air, and a cold sweat ran down my back as I realized the significance of the woman’s public appearance.
Every time the couple were asked to smile for the camera, I was hurting! There’s also anger, five years of pent up anger, and I wanted to go to the platform and announced my identity. I was tempted to inform the young woman that her fiancé had a one night stand with me.
Even if they were only talking about the collaboration, my mind went blank. It appeared to be a well-thought-out marketing strategy, but I had my doubts! They were so sweet to each other, and I could tell from Lance’s expression that he was overjoyed at the woman’s presence.
Well, who wouldn’t? After all, it was rumoured that the woman was an illegitimate daughter of a powerful man in the country.
“All right, ladies and gentlemen, it's time to get down to business. When the moderator said, "You can start asking questions now if you have any," someone from a competing newspaper company raised her hand and stood up.
“Are you dating?”
“Do you have plans to get married as soon as possible?”
“I heard that you came back from the island with a woman. Who was the lucky girl?”
Several questions were fired towards the couple, and Lance seemed to know that I was in the crowd because his eyes were searching for someone. As soon as he saw me in the audience, his eyes silently communicated with me.
The moderator thanked all of the attendees at the end of the conference. The woman didn't waste any time with small talk and exited through the backdoor, but the sudden kiss she gave to Lance before leaving gave everyone something to talk with. The kiss was mysterious, and so was she. It was enough to divert the attention of the press, especially when she was so pretty in her mini dress.
Dimitri mentioned an engagement, but nothing of the sort was discussed. Salcedo’s PR Team definitely knew how to sway the public’s opinion! I was ready to leave when Lance suddenly showed up in front of me. Immediately, I looked around to check if someone was watching.
"I missed you, Alexa,” he whispered.
With the help of his PR Team, Lance Salcedo was able to get away with the scandal. A few days later, almost every tabloid was speculating about his love life. The issues which were exclusively available in Dimitri’s paper was long forgotten.
In just a matter of days, they managed to sway the people’s opinion, and recently, they were more curious to the man himself. His face was viral on social media, as well as his accomplishments. He became the talk of the town, and it was frustrating!
If there was one thing I gained from publishing an article about my ex-boyfriend, I was invited to most press conferences! It was advantageous to my career, but I disliked the idea of bumping into him occasionally!
Since the press conference to salvage his reputation, Lance was present at every event I covered, and he was always a well-received guest. I was irritated by the fact that I had to force a smile on him.
“Can you tell me what you're doing?” I had a theory as to why he was at every event where I was. It couldn't be a coincidence, could it?
"Yes. If you answered my calls, I wouldn't have to resort to this shady method of meeting with you.” He confessed.
I couldn't believe he had the courage to be honest when he could have just as easily lied about his true intentions. “You're insane!”
“Yes, I'm completely enamoured with you!” Lance insisted.
When he has an empire to run, he was tenacious as if he had nothing better to do! I glowered at him and moved forward. I couldn’t stay any longer knowing that Lance was an important guest if I was covering.
“Wait!” He called, but I refused to stop and wait for him. However, when I was almost at the door, someone blocked my path, and I assumed it was just a mistake, but when I tried to move to the other side, he blocked me.
“Excuse me, but do you have a problem with me?” I confronted him with a vehement question.
"It's no wonder everyone thinks you're a lunatic," he said, and I had to wrinkle my brow to understand what he was saying.
“Take care with that tongue, mister, or you'll pick it up off the ground.” I had warned him. First and foremost, I had no idea who he was, and he had no right to assault me verbally.
“Who do you believe you are?”
“Will you kindly allow me to pass? If you must know, I am a busy person!” I pushed him out of my way, but he stood firm and grabbed my arm. “Let me go this instant!” I whined, but Lance arrived at precisely the right time to assist me, but he didn't have to punch the jerk!
I felt bad because, despite my disdain for him, he came to my aid and was always courteous and gentle with me. I couldn't stay with him any longer because I was afraid of doing something stupid…again!
“Do you think you can hide from me forever?” Lance asked before I was able to get inside my vehicle.
I arched my brows at him and gently pushed him out of my way. Before leaving the vicinity, I glanced at him to check if he was alright. After seeing that he was good, I drove away and never looked back.
When I got home, my mother was waiting with my comfort food; fried chicken with spicy dipping sauce. “Heaven,” I said after taking a bite.
“I noticed that you’re so stressed lately. Why don’t you take a break, Alexa? Go to a place where nobody knows you, and enjoy.” She suggested.
While listening to her advice, I squinted my eyes at her. “Perhaps, are you planning to send me away to bring someone here? Wait, do you have a lover?” It was only a jest, but my mother took it seriously, and in a split second, one of her slippers hit my head.
“Don’t you dare talk to me like that again!” She nagged at me.
“Mama, it was only a joke!” I reasoned out.
“Well, it wasn’t a nice joke,” she responded before leaving me alone with a bucket of fried chicken.
When my mother stormed off towards her bedroom, I could only shake my head in disbelief that she took it seriously. I just assumed that she was probably stressed from her recent trip to the province.
In the end, I chose to ignore it and focused on my favorite food! Then, my phone rang, and I furrowed my brows after seeing Dimitri’s name on the screen. “I hope this isn’t about work,” I told him after the call was connected, and Dimitri laughed on the other line.
“What if it’s about work?” He responded.
“I think I may have to quit as soon as possible. You know, I’ve been working hard for five years, and I just realized you didn’t increase my salary.”
“I am glad this isn’t about work. Are you free tomorrow? If you have nothing to do on Saturday, maybe you can come with me.”
“Where?”
“To the beach,” he replied.
“Well, it’s not a bad idea,” he said.
“Good. Please get ready at four tomorrow morning,” he instructed.
“Sure. I will do that,” I assured him that I’d be ready at four.
“All right, I'll see you tomorrow.”
After the phone call ended, I returned to my room and packed some essentials into my backpack. I went into my mother's room after packing to ask for her permission. I may be of the right age to go anywhere, but she deserved to know where I would go.
I smiled at her hopeless romanticism as she flipped through her romance pocketbooks. “Why don't you join an online dating app, Ma?” I suggested that it would be more beneficial than reading a book.
“I'm not on the lookout for a man.” When she replied, I sat beside her with a pout on my lips.
“I'm going on a trip tomorrow,” I told her about the unexpected trip, but I kept Dimitri's name out of the conversation to avoid any misunderstandings. When it came to my boss, my mother despised him in every way, and I know why.
“Do you want to go out with a guy?” She was interested in learning more.
She only raised her eyebrows when I replied, "With friends."
"All right, be careful.” She kissed my forehead as if I were a little girl before saying, "Have a safe trip in the morning and enjoy."
“Of course! Goodnight, Mama,” I said as I kissed her on the cheek before leaving her bedroom.
I was already in my bed, trying to get some rest, why my eyes refused to cooperate. I tossed and turned, but sleep remained elusive to me. If I wanted to wake up early, I had to sleep before nine in the evening.
When I checked the time, it was past nine, and yet my mind remained active, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t sleep. Frustrated, I sighed deeply before getting up and turned on the television to watch a cooking show. Well, I loved to watch any cooking show, even if I lacked in the kitchen. Yeah, that’s right. I wasn’t talented in the kitchen.
I was engrossed in the show when my phone rang and assuming that it was Dimitri to confirm our trip, I accepted the call without checking the caller’s ID.