8 Chapter 8

Lena immediately approached the newcomer and took care of her dog. When she looked up at Ace's stand, the man was no longer there.

Her heart hadn't returned to its normal rhythm. The pulse was very strong and very fast.

Why? Maybe because her father said that kissing a man was only for a married woman. But here she is and almost kisses again the same man who stole her first kiss.

Was she breaking her Daddy's rule for her? 'Oh, God. Dad will scold me non-stop when he finds out.'

Lena turned her attention back to the dog being treated. After giving the dog first aid, she X-rayed it to see if there was a broken bone. When the result came out that there was nothing and only a scratch on the dog, she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Ma'am, your dog is fine. Just don't walk too much so that the scratch on its foot doesn't hurt." She gave the woman some ointment. "This will help the wound to heal immediately."

"Thank you very much, Doctor." She accepted the ointment and paid her for her treatment of the dog.

When the woman left, Lena washed her hands, and her daddy called correctly.

"Hello Dad," she greeted her father enthusiastically. "Do you need anything?"

"Just hello, daughter," said her father.

"I'm fine. I eat and sleep at the right time. I don't read magazines but I read educational books before going to bed. I don't soak in my laptop or cell phone and I'm careful," she said with a smile to the father, who laughed at it.

"Good girl. You've got to get your daddy, huh? I'm just worried. It's only been a few months since I let you go there to New York, build a clinic and let you live alone. I can't help but to get worried that someone might take advantage of you."

It warmed her heart that her father worried too much about her. "Daddy, I'm fine."

"Good. How are you there?"

"It's okay, Dad. Now that I'm in New York, I'm always able to help animals. I joined Animal Welfare and I'm enjoying it."

"Thanks God." The father seemed to be breathing easily. "Anyway, is there a man hanging out with you?"

Lena was stunned and turned her gaze to the three boxes of moon cake. She approached it and picked up the note Ace had left placed on top of the box.

"Lena? Are you still there?"

She read the contents of the note—'I'll collect the payment some other time. If you want, call me.'

A number was written below the message. The wide smile on her lips could not be erased. She felt so giddy. Is she nervous?

"Lena? Daughter?"

She blinked when she heard her father's voice. "Yes, Dad. I'm still here and there aren't any men hanging around here in my clinic. If there are any, I'll call the police…"

"Lena," the father interrupted her. "I mean if a man is already flirting with you. It's not a man hanging around the clinic who should report to the police."

"Oh." She laughed softly. "I'm sorry, Dad. And to answer your question, no one is flirting with me."

"Good. You're too young for that wild. Do everything you want to do first, then go astray. I want you to experience the world that we tried to hide you from."

"Yes Dad."

"That's my girl. All right, goodbye then. I'll call you again next week."

"Yes Dad."

When the father disappeared on the other line, Lena stared at Ace's note she was holding. He was not flirting with her.

…..

Ace was busy troubleshooting the delayed flights in Malaysia when his secretary barged into his office.

"Boss, one of the board members wants to talk to you," he said.

"Tell them to fuck off. I'm busy," he replied.

"But, Boss, he's angry at the delay."

Annoyed Ace got up from sitting in the swivel chair and walked out of his office. And true his secretary's words, Mr. Del Liam was outside his office.

"Mr. Jordan Steele…"

"Shut up." The irritation he felt got worse. "If you're here to fucking scold my ass, save your fucking breath. Why, am I the one responsible for that lethal storm? No, I'm not, you fucking moron. And FYI, I'm troubleshooting this fucking delay so shut the hell up and leave me fucking alone!"

[FYI—is an abbreviation for the phrase "for your information."]

Mr. Del Liam's lips were just pitiful while looking at him.

"Leave. Now," Ace hissed and was about to leave when Mr. Del Liam spoke.

"That was rude. That shouldn't be the behavior of a Jordan Steele…"

"I don't give a goddamn fuck." He gave him a death glare. "If you're offended by what I said, leave my company. I won't die if you leave. I could easily replace you. Remember, you're the one who needs my company, not me. I'm just letting you in because Daddy asked for a favor. I could kick you out for all I fucking care. So, if you don't want to leave my company, leave me alone!"

He entered the office then slammed the door shut.

"Bester!"

"Boss?"

"Call the HR Department and told them to cut Mr. Del Liam's investment. Damn him!" He angrily went back to what he was doing before. "And tell them to freeze his account that's connected to my company 'til further notice."

[TIL. abbreviation for today I learned]

"Boss? Can't that back fire on us?"

"No." Ace's eyes widened. "Unless, he wants his stench to come out."

"Yes Boss."

"Good. Now move."

Bester quickly obeyed his command and just grinned. That old man was going to taste his evilness.

His anger was not the only for the Russian and Spanish. He was also annoying to people who suck and fuck.

Ace was still fuming mad when he received a message from an unknown number. He intended to scold whoever texted him, but when he read the content of the message, he immediately felt relieved and secretly smiled.

'It's Lena. Thank you for the moon cake. Looks like I owe you.'

Ace shook his head in disbelief when he caught himself smiling like a lovesick fool.

This is a disaster in the making.

He tugged at his own hair when he caught himself replying to Lena's message to her. He quickly deleted the message he was supposed to reply to in its text.

'No! I am fucking corrupting an innocent woman. It's a fucking crime. Lena is so innocent, very, very innocent.'

And it was scaring the shit out of him.