Life is really not that easy.

Chapter 11

Katarine was reading reports at her desk when Sonia knocked and entered her office. She was accompanied by Monica. She asked Katarine about her decision to hire a contract artist, which was a good choice. Katarine was reading and signing documents while her secretary was standing a few feet from her desk. Sonia was holding the contract and was about to hand it over to Katarine secretary when Monica asked them to leave as she wished to talk to the president alone on a private matter. The two dints moved until Katarine raised her hand and gave a gesture for them to exit the room. As they left, Katarine and the mall director were finally able to discuss the private matter at hand without any interruptions.

Monica was concerned about her random choice of hiring an unknown artist who has no previous experience in the industry. Katarine, while reading and shortening the documents on her desk and signing them, took out a piece of paper that she had printed out and slid it in Monica's direction.

On the paper was a rough sketch of the design, and it was simple but elegant. Katarine assured Monica that the artist's fresh perspective and unique style would bring new energy to the project. And for not having a name in this kind of industry she does not mind; the fact this unknown artist was able to give her what she needs without even having a well-known reputation speaks volumes about their talent and potential. Monica felt hiring him was too soon.

"Huh! What do you mean, him?"

"So do you know the artist who made this sketch?"

Monica realized that she had assumed the artist's gender and felt embarrassed for making that assumption. She decided to ask for the artist's name and give credit where it was due.

"I assumed it was a guy, based on the manner in which it was created."

" I actually don't know, Monica, anyway; whether it's a guy or a girl, it does not matter,"

"The fact that I like the design, regardless of who created it,"

Monica nodded in agreement, realizing that the artist's identity should not affect her appreciation for the artwork. She made a mental note to be more mindful of assumptions in the future. She nearly and openly gave out too much information and details..

"You're fine with it, so it's ok for me."

"So why do I have to worry about the artist's gender?"

Katarine concluded. This question took Monica by surprise, causing her to reflect on her answer and act like she was just concerned about something else, the fact that the artist will soon hire somebody she was closely monitoring .

"anyway, hope everything works out for you," Monica replied, trying to steer the conversation away from the artist's gender.

"Thanks; I appreciate your concern,"

Katarine responded, still unsure about Monica's true intentions.

"So anything else?"

"If you have something more to say, please proceed with the other matter I mentioned before." Monica's attempt to change the subject only made Katarine more suspicious, wondering if Monica was trying to hide something.

"Actually, there is one more thing I wanted to discuss,"

Katarine spoke cautiously, sensing there was more to the situation than met the eye.

"But I think it can wait."

"I understand,"

Monica replied, her eyes darting nervously.

"Let's focus on the matter at hand for now."

Katarine couldn't shake the feeling that there was a hidden agenda behind Monica's attempts to deflect the conversation.

As Monica left the room, Katarine saw that the remaining document was the proposed allocated budget for the four major projects lined up that year, leaving her to wonder if Monica's reluctance to discuss was tied to potential budget constraints. Despite her curiosity, Katarine decided to prioritize the immediate task at hand and delve into the budget details later.

Katarine was far from the truth. How does she know Katarine was about to call her father? A message came it was an invitation for a new high-end club opening in the city, sponsored by one of the major competitors on the projects on her budget list. This unexpected coincidence piqued Katarine's interest even further, leading her to suspect that Monica's silence may have been due to a conflict of interest rather than budget constraints.

Misunderstandings and strained relationships are frequently the result of assumptions based on incomplete information. However, how could Katarine find out? Everything pointed to this unexpected coincidence, and it is still true. This gave Katarine the chance to look into it more thoroughly and acquire more data before drawing any conclusions.

"Hello, prepare the car, and I just need a driver this time."

"Where is the designated location, ma'am?"

"To club phantom ,"

"Ma'am, that place is owned by the Romanov family."

"Anyway, I need to go there to meet some important clients."

" Thank you for letting me know."

"Of course, ma'am. I will make the necessary arrangements."

"Sigh, this is going to be another matter my lawyers need to handle."

"Hello, yes, it's me; inform them of my expected visit to Club Phantom later,"

"I trust you will handle it with your usual efficiency."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Thank you; I appreciate your assistance."

"No problem, ma'am, I will ensure everything is taken care of like we normally do."

"Great, I know I can rely on you to handle everything smoothly."

"I'll see you later then."

"Wait, I need somebody to accompany me to Club Phantom, just for added security."

"Of course, ma'am, I'll arrange for someone to be with you during your visit."

"I need a driver and another person."

"Ah! Just call Lush Coco and tell him to meet me there."

"Consider it done, ma'am; I will make sure Lush Coco is informed and ready to accompany you to Club Phantom."

"Thank you,."

While this was happening, Ethan was delivering all the parcels that were supposed to go out that day. It wasn't much but it was something that made him feel productive and accomplished at the end of the day. He was about to enter the warehouse parking lot when he saw Mr. Ross waiting for him outside the warehouse. The old man smiled and waved his hand, and as soon as he was close enough and rolled down the van glass window, Mr. Ross asked him if he could help him with a small favor.

Ethan smiled and told his boss that he was happy to help with anything he needed. Mr. Ross then explained that he needed help with driving his client. The moment Ethern heard the word client he took a moment ut understood he couldn't refuse, so he agreed to drive the client wherever they needed to go.

So as he parked the van and went inside the warehouse for temporary living quarters to clean up and get properly attired, he was thinking deeply about what if,

"Nah! The possibility of it being her is too slim; I must be overthinking it."

He had no alternative but to drive the customer, nothing less, even though he was wearing a clean shirt and only a jacket to look casual. It was the only shirt in the bag Mr. Ross provided him. As he re entered the warehouse, he couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the back of his mind. Despite his doubts, he knew he had a job to do and couldn't afford to let his suspicions get the best of him. Mr. Ross handed him a piece of paper and a key to a sedan car and told him it was parked at the Siegert Mall third underground parking lot, reminding him to stick to the plan and not draw any unnecessary attention. With a deep breath, he pocketed the key and headed towards the mall.

As soon as he was there, he asked around, and the security guards were nice to him, as they mention they were already advised to be on the lookout for him. He made his way to the third underground parking lot, feeling a mix of nerves and excitement as he searched for the sedan car.

As he pressed the remote car key , he heard the familiar sound of the car unlocking. With a sense of relief, he quickly got in and started the engine, ready to move out to pick up Mr. Ross's client, and just to be sure he wore a face mask to hide his face, knowing that he needed to maintain a level of anonymity for this job. The client he might encounter could be the same person he does not want to face yet, so Ethan was just covering every possible scenario now.

As he drove to the designated location, Ethan waited silently and waited until a four men down down and stood beside the car he was driving, One of the guards knocked on the window and when he saw him, he asked a very strange question,

"Who sent you here?"

He recalled the piece of paper. There was something written on it. Ethan hesitated for a moment before responding,

"I was sent by the one who reads the tea leaves."

The guard nodded and motioned for Ethan to follow them inside. As soon as he stepped into the east wing entrance of the hotel, five staff members from the mall were already waiting for him, they were holding different suits for him, each tailored to perfection. Ethan was taken aback by the level of detail and preparation that had gone into his arrival. One staff member told him that everything was already arranged for his fitting and that they were ready to assist him in any way necessary.

And another staff member told him the person she was about to accompany and drive was not an ordinary person, and he needed to be in his best professional look , as she was a high-profile individual. Ethan felt a surge of nerves, hearing he was going to drive for a woman,

"Could I leave the facemask on?"

"why?"

" I have a light symptom of the flu, just to be safe."

"Yes, you may leave the face mask on."

Ethan quickly adjusted his appearance, making sure he looked presentable for the high-profile individual. He appreciated the staff member's attention to detail and felt grateful for their understanding of his health concerns.

As he went out of the car he was driving, there was no longer there, and the guard told him, that the car provided for him was insufficient and not up to standard , so they relocated the car and changed it into a Rolls-Royce Sweptail. Ethan was taken aback by the unexpected upgrade. As he was given the key and asked to be extra cautious with their boss, "

this luxury vehicle is just a car, nothing more, "the guard told him.

"The young lady who will sit inside this car is far more important than this tin can "

"If it were me , I would never allow an unknown person to drive the young Ms."

" but, this order came from the young Ms. herself,"

"So you were highly recommended, do not make us hunt you down"

Ethan nodded in understanding, feeling the weight of responsibility as he stepped into the driver's seat. The guard's words echoed in his mind as he carefully maneuvered the Rolls-Royce Sweptail out of the east wing and into the front hotel entrance door. And after a while the car door opened, and as I stepped in front of the car, I saw a young woman dressed in elegant attire, With her was a noisy, flamboyant man that Ethan remembers seeing.

As the woman politely asked him to drive and give them privacy, Katarine stared into his eyes and said, "I trust you'll keep our destination confidential."

Ethan nodded in understanding, feeling a sense of responsibility settle over him as he began to drive towards their destination. Hat was to Club Phantom; Ethan was no longer surprised, clamly talking to himself.

" I knew it; it was her."

"Excuse me, but can you give us privacy?"

Ethan quickly searched for the switch for the screen. As it slowly came up, Ethan's eyes were focused on Katarine's beautiful face, as he turned around to drive out, Katarine also looked at the driver and felt a sense of recognition wash over her. She couldn't shake the feeling that she knew him from somewhere, but she couldn't quite place it. As they drove in silence,

In a few minutes, the drive was smooth and comfortable, with the only sound being the soft hum of the engine. Ethan finally broke the silence by asking,

"We have arrived at the destination, ma'am."

But unexpectedly the man with her was calling to him, saying he needed to open the car door so they could exit the car with dignity and grace. It was Lush Coco. So Ethan once again had no choice because it was the proper thing to do, so he politely opened the car door for Lush Coco and her companion, allowing them to exit with grace.

As they stepped out of the car, Ethan couldn't help but notice the air of elegance that surrounded Katarine as she stood there in front of the club as dozens of people saw her and instantly recognized her. The paparazzi immediately began snapping photos, capturing the moment for the world to see. Lush Coco told him to wait in the car, so with just a nod he walked back toward the car while the two entered the club without looking back. The flashing lights and excited chatter of the crowd faded into the background as Ethan silently waited for them to come back.