19 Hanky-panky? Kissy-wissy?

Sara was trying to talk to Lucas comfortably even though she was feeling very awkward. Lucas, contrastingly, seemed lost in his own thoughts - answered when questioned but quiet throughout. Sara is an introverted person and it was such a big deal for her to make the first step to break the ice. Especially when the person she was talking to is a person of higher status in the institution and comes with a reputation.

Thankfully his personal assistant came to his office to give him the daily schedule. Sara decided to excuse herself so she could go back to work. Lucas let her go but not before leaving an instruction to have someone send her safely.

'I don't understand what is going on. I wanted to seduce her and yet she just friend zoned me!' The sudden realisation that he was dumped even before the relationship began hurts his pride. But he needs to learn to swallow it if he needs Sara to be by his side.

There was a ruckus when Sara reached her office. Almost all of the third floor employees crowded into the Accounting Department and it was an ugly sight. Adam could not handle the throngs by himself and called security over for their professionalism.

When asked, Sara clarified nothing happened to her inquisitive colleagues.

"Are you sure there's no hanky-panky going on?" Adam asked with tone full of doubt.

"It will be so weird if Lucas didn't. I mean, I'm not saying it's YOU but that's Lucas!" Jia Yu blurted out.

"Do you both even know Lucas personally?" Lisa questioned Adam and Jia Yu disapprovingly. She had to intervene as their superior particularly when all the information they gathered were from rumours.

Both of them looked sheepish and pretended to find the carpet floor interesting. Lisa rolled her eyes as if this has been a repeated circumstance.

"Whatever it is, take heed of these comments to guard yourself Sara. There is no loss in doing so. But you might need to be prepared physically, mentally and emotionally because now you will be the centre of attention.

I'll suggest you try to find a way to be able to work remotely. Otherwise, get a friend who can help you out," Lisa advice was akin to a mother's advice in her ears and she felt touched and thankful for her concern.

Fortunately after work - on her way back to Bonington Hall, there was no need for Sara to be cautious as what Lisa said did not come true. By eight in the evening, she received a message from Harith asking if the rumours were true.

Clueless, she messaged him back 'What rumours?'

Harith : I heard that the CFO came to find you and even brought you to his office.

Sara : Yes.

Harith : Why?

Sara : Why what?

Harith : Why was he looking for you?

Sara : Silly! He was not looking for me. He came to the Finance and Accounting Department for a random sudden visit.

Harith : So why were you in his office?

Sara : How in the world am I supposed to know?

Ring ring.. Ring ring…

Sara's phone rang, the display showed Harith is trying to make a call.

"Hey woman!" Harith greeted loudly, with background noises of people chattering by and the sounds of vehicles zooming can be heard.

Sara could barely hear him and found herself shouting in reflex. "Hi! Where are you right now? It's so noisy!"

"I'm outside!"

Sara rolled her eyes hearing Harith's response. 'Could he be even more straightforward?' she wondered.

"Anyway, I heard that Lucas brought you to his office."

"Yes, we've established that in our message and…?"

"Why did he bring you to the office? And I heard you were even escorted back."

"What an exaggeration. You should really learn not to believe in rumours. It was only one person who accompanied me back."

"Exactly the reason why I am contacting you, D-U-H!" His tone sounded more annoyed as the conversation went by.

"I did follow him to the office but we were just talking, nothing much." Sara tried to respond gently, knowing she was at fault when Harith just wants some explanation.

"No… hanky-panky? Or kissy-wissy?" Harith delivered, quite transparent that he was trying to choose his words carefully.

"I'm getting bored with this now. No, there is no hanky-panky or any kisses involved. No physical touch whatsoever," Sara just wanted this to be over and done with. She disregarded Lucas carrying her as a physical touch; it was not the definition Harith was looking for anyway.

"Do you think he likes you? Do you even know him at all? Or met him before?"

"No, no and no. Can we hang up now?" Sara asked but he had already hung up after the three No's.

* * * * *

Just before he made the phone call, Harith was doing some work errands when he overheard an interesting story from the two girls walking the opposite direction of him.

"I think Lucas already targeted her as his new plaything now. Apparently she is in the same division as him," says the woman with blonde hair.

"What's her name again?" asked the brunette lady with high ponytail.

"I'm not sure. It was S something. S-Samantha? No, doesn't sound right. S-Sarah! I think that's her name."

"She's so lucky! I would love to be the next one!" said the brunette dreamily.

Harith was not sure whether they were referring to his friend, Sara. He assumed there must be another Sarah with a H under Lucas' division but the next person he heard of the rumours in the early evening was much more specific. This time, they specified Sara was from the Accounting Department.

Based on Sara's words, she mentioned there were only four people working in the Accounting Department and he has met two other of her colleagues on the day they reported she was missing.

In conclusion, that is three people including Sara, his friend. Now if the last person has the same name as Sara, he would remember since Sara would definitely see it as something worth mentioning. But she never did state there was two Sara in the Accounting Department.

That was when he decided to give her a text.

'If Lucas is as what they say he is, a playboy then all I need is to confirm of one thing. Once confirmed, this can help to get the ball to start rolling,' he mulled over and a sinister smile appeared on his face.