"Yes. My company is losing. The employees are slowly leaving, and I feel their dissatisfaction over the management. A friend advised me to correct the situation by addressing the internal issues between the management and the workers. After all, a happy and healthy workforce is a good tool towards productivity."
"Sorry to hear that. I guess you also have to investigate the cause of their dissatisfaction. Remove those who are toxic to the environment. Training needs time, and if you keep on hiring new ones and train them, you'll indeed end up on the losing side," Zed replied.
"That's why I need you to help me change the workers' mindset."
"I'll try my best. Now, let's discuss the topics you want me to present."
I pulled out a deep sigh. My guilt indeed made me paranoid. But what if Mr. Virgil would eventually spill our secret? I had to remind Kim about this. Feeling the need to see him right away, I left after the attendant served my drink.
I parked in the basement parking lot since the sun was already scorching when I arrived at the company. And the moment I stepped out of the elevator, I saw Kim standing by the reception desk, leaning one arm on the marbled bar.
He suddenly turned in my direction and our eyes locked for a moment. Then, just as he was about to walk towards me, a female's voice coming from the main entrance made us look up.
"Hon, I've been calling you a lot of times, but you're always out of reach. Have you just arrived from Japan?"
"Maezy, why are you here?" I heard Kim ask. He threw me a side glance, and I froze.
"What kind of question is that? I'm your wife. Is it surprising if I'd come looking for you? You haven't come home for a long time already!" Maezy then threw her arms around his neck and tiptoed to kiss him.
I couldn't dare to look at them. Even if I knew who Maezy was in his life, I still felt a pang of pain wrapping my heart. I hurriedly took up the stairs, but I could still hear Maezy's voice.
"Is that Yen?"
I felt my heart skipping a beat at the mention of my name. So, it meant she didn't know yet that I was working here.
Kim was indeed right that she didn't hear him offering a job to me at that time when we had dinner together. Instead, her entire attention was on Tim, and perhaps she was too agitated at that moment.
Who wouldn't be? Ara was there with Tim, and Kim was there. Even if Ara wasn't a threat to her, Kim was a mighty strategist who might notice their silent reactions.
I hurried my steps and went straight to my office, locking the door behind me. I dropped myself on my swivel chair, feeling more troubled than I was when I escaped from Zed and Mr. Virgil. I placed my elbows on the table, holding my face with my two hands.
I began questioning myself. Did I love Kim more than Zed? Why am I hurting?
And I was hurting more when I imagined him being intimate with her. Even if Kim said, they had it once only, knowing his hunger during our lovemaking couldn't convince me that he could stand without it.
I replayed those moments I had with him, and my tears started falling like a deluge. I couldn't accept him sharing such moments with someone else, even in my mind. I couldn't imagine it, especially when I thought about how I gave my all to him, even my whole mind. I couldn't accept it when I thought how I screamed and moaned with no restrictions, responding naturally without feeling any guilt or shame. My conscience may have urged me to refuse, but Kim always took me to the highest peak of sexual pleasure, making me melt right away in his touch.
I didn't know how long did I cry for him. I only got back to reality when I heard knockings from the door. I didn't stand up to open it, nor answered the phone when it started ringing. To my relief, it stopped after about twenty rings.
I called Zed at about five in the afternoon, telling him that I planned to work overtime. As expected, Zed agreed without any question, but to my surprise, he suddenly called after an hour.
"I'm here at your company's lobby," he said from the end of the line.
"Why?" I got startled. This was not our agreement.
"You may work overtime, but you need to have dinner first. So come down, let's go to the nearest restaurant."
I hurriedly washed my face to conceal my reddened eyebags. With slight patches of concealing cream, topped with pressed powder, I already looked fresh. There may be traces that I cried, but I guess it wouldn't be obvious anymore.
As I waited for the elevator to open, I saw Kim coming towards me. He pulled up his brows and stared at me, perhaps wondering why I cried. I knew he was about to say something, but another employee came.
"Good evening, Mr. Mori and Miss Ramos. May I take the lift with you?"
"Sure," I smiled at her but earning a glare from Kim.
When the door finally opened, I turned to Kim with a poker face.
"Mr. Mori, please excuse me. My husband is waiting for me in the lobby."
He didn't reply, but his expression darkened. I didn't mind his lethal gaze -- I stepped right away into the elevator. The door then closed, and I sighed in relief. I wasn't in the mood to see him nor explain why I cried.
I turned to the employee who joined me and smiled at her. She also smiled back. I could feel that she also felt relieved from the awkwardness of having to ride in an elevator with her big boss. However, my sense of relief ended when the door opened again, and Kim stepped inside.
I felt like fainting. What would Zed think once he sees us exiting together from the lift? And how would Kim react when he sees Zed with me? I knew this wasn't their first time, but ever since I knew the truth, the tension between us had also gone worse.