Sign Here for Vengeance

Chapter 36: He Knows My Little Secret

OLIVIA

"Hmmm. What to do. What to do." I massaged my temples and mumbled to myself. Judah's so unfair. Giving me both a great task and a greater distraction. I kept touching my lips, damn it! It's already been a couple of minutes since I took my break and left the building to work on the Investor's Meet, but my head just can't get around it yet. It's still on that kiss!

That jerk.

"Okay, Olivia. Brush it off. Brush it off." I breathed steadily, curling my hands into a meditation sign. I tried to observe the cityscape to relax but it instantly passed and blurred on the car window. Arthur was a bit of a daredevil when there's no traffic.

"Where to, Liv?" Arthur asked in a neutral manner. Judah and Arthur were the only ones who knew of my identity in this city. For some reason, he still chooses to call me Liv despite knowing that my full name is Olivia and my current alias is Via.

"Uhm... is there a nearby Kings' Place around here?" It's the name of Kingston's chain of luxury restaurants.

He shrugged, "About twenty or so blocks ahead."

"Okay. Let's go then."

He silently nodded before sipping from his usual coffee cup and turning right. I smiled in return before I leaned back in my seat. Come to think of it, I've never actually a real interaction with Arthur. In the past few months I've been married to Judah, we never really got to know each other to the point that I can call him a friend.

He's driven me to places before, but whenever I tried to start a conversation with him, he immediately erects a wall. He kept his sentences short, his answers straightforward and his gestures subtle. Whenever I tried to invite him to dinner or coffee, he always declines, which is weird considering he drinks coffee everyday whenever he drives.

I feel like he doesn't want to talk to me at all. I've never even seen him smile. I guess it's just who he is, but I really want to befriend him. He looks reliable and trustworthy, like a close uncle or an elder brother. I've always wanted someone like that.

"Eh. I'll think about that later." I turned my focus to the task at hand, which was the short stack of papers on my lap. I was able to finish reading this file Judah gave me. It was a summary of all Kingston's current assets, services, products and business.

My mission: to come up with a new product or service for the Investor's Meet.

It's the most prestigious and most important event in the business world, especially for city brands. Sure, companies like Kingston or the goddamn Harrison are big, bordering on a national scale, but not a global scale. And the Investors' Meet can give them that kind of scale. It's where the world's largest brands come together for potential partners from those below the business hierarchy.

"We're here." Arthur announced. I never even noticed the car park in the lot. Arthur was immediately there holding the door open for me.

I took out my bronze-colored mask and put it over my face. I can't have anyone recognizing me, though the special treatment I'll receive inside might give it away. Arthur walked me to the door of the restaurant. The staff know him, so his presence tells them that a VIP is coming. Maybe it's because of my trademark blonde hair, but the staff immediately figured out who I was. The gold and black clad staff bowed like butlers and addressed me as Mrs. Kingston.

"I'll be waiting in the car." Arthur said, making his way back to parking. But I grabbed his sleeve just before he was out the door.

I don't know why I'm doing this, but I just need to break his wall down. Arthur was one...well, is Judah's most trusted person. So, I need to win this man over. I want him to recognize me as Olivia and not just as Judah's wife. For all I know, he hasn't even accepted me as the latter yet.