Jia exhaled deeply, with her fingers resting on her temples. "How?" She said, staring into empty space, she was totally confused. "Who was that man?" Her phone buzzed and she took the call.
"Hello? Anna?" she said.
"Jia? Jia... Are y-you o-okay?" Arianna asked, worried to death.
"Yes...."
"Oh, thank God you're alright" she was breathing heavily "I.. I saw the news and I thought... something must have happened to you" she began to cry "you didn't die..."
"Anna, I'm okay. You don't have to cry"
"Why shouldn't I cry? I know how you like working overtime. What if you had died? How do you think I would be able to hold it?" she sobbed.
"Really, I didn't die. So stop crying alright? It's okay" Jia tried to comfort her, but the girl won't just stop.
"No, it's not okay. You would've died and i would lost you forever"
"Anna, listen. I'm very much alive and kicking. So there's no need for you to cry. Alright?"
Arianna sniffed, wiping her tears away "Alright. Where are you now?"
"I'm home. But I'll go to the restaurant soon"
"Okay. Uhm... Did you get a scratch?" it was obvious she was still worried.
"Anna, I'm okay" she assured.
"Okay, I understand" she said between sniffles.
"Bye"
"Hmm..." Jia hunged up and Ari let out a sigh. What if she really died. No, no, no... Don't even think of that now. Jia is alive, she didn't die.
*....*.....*.....*.....*.....*
Ryan sat in his study after having breakfast. He was on a phone call, with his seat backing the door.
"Hello?" the other person said when the call went through.
"Baek Do-hyun..." Ryan spoke slowly "it's been a long... while"
"M-mr. Han? You?" Do-hyun stuttered.
"Of course, it's me. You didn't have my number?"
"No. Good morning, sir" he greeted.
"Save it. I don't need your greetings" Ryan said and Do-hyun's jaws clenched. So much for being higher than him.
"You must be wondering why I called so suddenly, aren't you?"
"Y-yes, sir. Is there any problem?" he asked.
"I must say, you and your family are getting on my bad side" he said and Do-hyun's eyes grew wide, his heart slowly creeping to his throat.
"W-w-what have we done, sir?" he asked.
"Your daughter.... have done something no one should ever have the guts of doing...."
"My daughter?"
"Of course. What do her friends call her?" he kept quiet for a little while as though he was thinking "Sally" he said.
"Your daughter publicly insulted 'my woman' and made her cry. Do you know how embarrassing that is?"
"Mr Han, I am...."
"How dare she?" Ryan cut him off "How dare she insult my woman in front of her bodyguard and so many people. My! Woman!" he roared.
"Mr Han, please... Forgive her. Do not mind what she said. Please" Do-hyun begging, already sweating and shivering.
A lethal chuckle escaped Ryan's lips "Forgive? Did I hear you say forgive? I am a man who 'forgive' is never in his dictionary" he said "But I'll let it slide because Aria begged. The next time it would happen, you'll see a side off me that would wipe you and your family off the face of the earth. But I'll first start with that thing you call a company" he spoke through clenched teeth. Do-hyun's eyes had grown red and his heart seemed to no longer beat properly. He had turned pale already. Yes, the devil has spoken.
What has Sally done? Because of her, their growing company would definitely be crumbled to nothing if Mr Han gets angered too much.
"Thank you, sir. I'm very sorry" Do-hyun apologized and without another word he hung up. He turned his seat and face the door, a satisfying smirk creeping to his. OMG! You were so so cool, Ryan. Baek Do-hyun is such a scaredy-cat. He could perceive his fears from here. It feels so good to threaten those on his bad side.
*Knock, knock, knock*
He was lost in the thrill of feeling Do-hyun's fears that he had to ignore the knock on the door. His eyes caught a file and he picked it up. The knock came again, this time louder.
"Come in" he said and the door opened. Aria walked in with a bowl of popcorn. She took a seat and sat beside him, keeping the bowl on the table. She cupped her cheeks, stuffed her mouth with the popcorn, while gazing at him.
He moved his eyes to her, and she blinked a few times. He turned away, clenching his jaws. He was still a little mad that she ate without him. She kept gazing, not saying anything, but stuffing her mouth over again. Her gaze got deep and intense.
"What is it?" Ryan asked, without sparing her a glance.
"I want to go out" she said. So all those gaze and blinking of eyes, is because of this?
"I'm busy" he said, and her shoulders dropped.
"Please.... You promised"
"I'll take you out if I eventually finish which with is important right now"
Tch! She pulled a sad face, her lips pursed "Okay" After a few seconds, she came with another. "Ms. Jung went shopping"
"So?"
"She went shopping to get clothes.... for the party"
His brow raised "So?"
"I... I want to go" she said with a big smile.
"To where?"
"The party. I want to go to the party too" she blinked in anticipation. Ryan looked at her, and then a solid "No" came out of his mouth.
"Why?"
"Because I'm not going"
"Why?"
"I don't want to, because I don't like parties."
"But, I really want to go. Please....." she made puppy eyes at him.
"No"
"Please....." Her voice sounded like she was about to cry, but he wasn't moved.
"No, aria"
She frowned. Even with those eyes he wasn't moved? "Fine!!" She stood up and stormed out of the room.
"Aria" Ryan called out to her, but she was already gone. He tilted his head to the side "Is she angry?" he asked himself. "Nah!..... But what if she is?"
You'll say sorry a million times.
He cursed and stood up abruptly, dashing out of the study. He got to his room, she wasn't in. He went to her room, she wasn't in either. "Aria?" he called, no reply. He checked the bathroom, she wasn't there. He went downstairs, calling her repeatedly, but he couldn't find her anywhere.
Where the hell did she go? He searched the whole huge mansion, but not even her shadow could be seen.
"Aria... Aria, where are you?"