Chapter 9

The decision was by no means a simple one. Raiden never found himself this pensive regarding such a trivial matter. However, the choice was clear. For this last-minute business meeting, he was resigned to bring Ivory with him to take short-hand notes. Felix usually accompanied him but he felt this alteration was best. Felix was the one person he trusted in this company, his presence in it while Raiden was away would be beneficial.
He called Felix into his office. "At the Bradford meeting, I hope you don't mind Ivory accompanying me in your stead." Raiden gazed at his most loyal employee.

"Bradford?" Felix was clearly stifling a laugh. He’d obviously seen the schedule; hell he was the one to make it. But he was surprised that Raiden was entertaining the notion of attending. Raiden glared at him incredulously. Sometimes he felt as if Felix had no real fear of him, that was worrying.

" Do you find something particularly amusing?" Raiden questioned, feigning ignorance.
Felix shrugged. " I never thought I would see the day you entertain any business with the Bradford's." He was blunt, clearing his throat to distract from the bubbling laugher rising up.

"The Bradford's are a prominent name; it would be unwise to reject their invites without first hearing them out." Raiden defended casually. He had sense enough to know where Felix was trying to carry this conversation but he wasn't in the mood to rehash his past. He had moved on and so should everyone else.

"Naomi is likely to be front and centre," Felix said, waiting for a reaction at the mere mention of her name. He knew Raiden considered himself somewhat a man of the present but Felix didn't believe that he had fully recovered from the past. Not when gossips were still spreading like wildfire, despite the fact that both parties had no contact since their break up.

"I expect nothing less. Her husband..." he stressed the word, "made her partner from the time they got married." Raiden responded dismissively.

"I don't care for either of them, they are overrated." Felix experienced a bitter taste in his mouth at the thought of the Bradford’s.

"Then it's a good thing I am taking Ivory and not you. At least she won't give me an earful.” Raiden’s voice lowered sardonically, “Advise her on what would be expected of her when she gets here." Raiden retorted. Felix rolled his eyes, he couldn't be sure if the reason for Raiden choosing Ivory was to keep an eye on her as opposed to leaving her alone where a vengeful Emery might attempt some underhanded tactic or whether it was to show off his new item of interest to his past flame. Both options were giving Felix life to invest into this unpredictable office romance.

"She would if she knew the history." Felix gave a final comment and exited knowing he would not be granted a response for Raiden.
Raiden uplifted his eyes as Felix closed the door behind him. He really would prefer Ivory not knowing about his sordid past with the Bradford’s. It was embarrassing and a mark on his reputation. Till now he hadn’t been able to get Naomi’s claws out from under his skin. There were too much rumours staring them as it stood. He’d hoped that civil conversation with her and her husband would help keep such ridiculous gossip at bay.

***
Ivory felt revived after her day of rest, the usual sense of foreboding absent as she made her way to her office. Her steps purposeful and lively. She was simply unbothered today. Braylen had attempted to meet up with her yesterday but he had cancelled. Some urgent work emergency he's said, promising to make it up to her. For the most part, she wasn't disappointed nor was she hurt. She didn't know why, but her faith in him began waning and broken promises didn't seem to startle her anymore. Hence, part of the reason for her feeling fresh and renewed.
Felix appeared in Ivory's sight magically. She blinked three times consecutively to process his image. His smile incandescent and infectious, she unwittingly smiled back. “Good Morning, Felix.” She said, sensing he had something to tell her.

“And to you, my lady.” He bowed theatrically, "So..." he sang treacherously, his eyes mirroring his tone.
Ivory’s smile faltered immediately. "No." She moved past him making her way to her office. Felix instantly followed suit.

"I haven't said anything yet." he protested almost child-like.

"No to whatever evil scheme you want to involve me in." She said, looking past her shoulder at him.

"Mr. De Ville’s orders." he blurted and she paused any further movement, her hand gripping the door's handle. So close, she thought, speculating whether this actually had anything to do with Raiden.

"What is it?" she turned around, gazing at him distrustfully.

"You will be accompanying Mr. De Ville to a business meeting today across town." He smiled at her, a strange glint in his eyes.

"The hell I will!" She knew her blissful morning was too good to be true. There was no fucking way! Her eyes searched for the exit, was it too late to call in sick?

"Keep your voice down!" Felix half-whispered, pulling her away from the door and out of Raiden's range of hearing.

"Across town, that's at least half-hour." She protested. She didn't want to be in such close proximity to Raiden for that long. Just the thought of it made her palms sweat and her heart race. That would not be good for her health.

"Actually forty-five minutes to an hour, depending on traffic." Felix corrected, finding much more humour than there ought to have been in the colour draining from her face and her flaring nostrils.

"Can't you go?" Ivory questioned, her nervousness increasing by the second. Her relationship with Raiden had been changing, he had been more kind to her and she was grateful. However, she was by no means ready to be that close to him for that long in such a tiny space. What would she even say? Was talking even necessary? Mandatory? This was stressing her out too much.

"Nope. The boss is taking you. The decision has been made.” He replied earnestly, “It's a great learning experience as well to be out in the field to see how those big wigs think." Felix attempted to ease her mind, the educational guise was a legit excuse. He had also learnt a lot from accompanying Raiden.

"Isn't it already obvious?” she asked rhetorically, “They think about money and how to make more money. What else is there to their thinking?" She pushed back. This outburst clearly startled Felix. He didn't know she had a hidden fire inside of her. She was always reserved and holding back and yet she had depths he didn't know existed. Interesting…

"Stop being such a negative Nancy." he flung his arms dismissively, his eyes traveling from her head to her toe.

"You'll need to change, though" Felix muttered under his breath, his gaze searching hers.

"What's wrong with my clothes?" Ivory was equal parts appalled and infuriated. She was decked out in a black pantsuit with a buttoned-up white shirt on the inside. She thought she looked very professional.

"They'll all be wearing black! You need to walk in there with some colour,” he advised her, a far off expression on his face, “and maybe switch to some heels?" Felix was giving great consideration to her fashion choice, that Ivory begun to feel insecure.

"It's a business meeting! Not an auction for female assistants." Ivory retorted and Felix appeared disheartened.

“A dazzling first impression is never a bad thing,” he rolled his eyes at her. "Heels...at the very least," he begged, pressing his palms together.
Ivory paused. Heels would give her that look of confidence and a bit of height. "Alright, heels it is." she conceded, particularly because she kept a pair under her desk just in case the occasion arose.

"Great! So while you agreed on the heels how about....." he began his attempt to further sway her.

"Nooooo!" Ivory silenced him, instantly turning on her heels and entering Raiden's office without another look in his direction.

"I'll email you your duties!" Felix shouted to her as she disappeared behind Raiden's door. Catching a glimpse of Raiden’s furious glare at the ruckus before the door slammed in his face.

Felix knew it was a tad petty on his account but he couldn't help but smile at Naomi and Ivory coming face to face. Ivory, unwittingly, would be in a bit of a triangle.
It was clear that Raiden felt something towards her and Felix felt it time he moved on. And what better way than sticking it to Raiden's ex by showing off his new, beautiful and lively assistant? It was time Naomi knew Raiden wasn't a quivering mess without her, contrary to the gossips she spread among her friends and close associates. She had created this image for herself as a highly coveted woman and yet this was far from the truth.
Felix knew Raiden often pretended the gossips, that he was hung up on Naomi which is the reason he is yet to be single, didn't exist. However, it was high time they ceased altogether.