"Ah, it's okay. I've just been feeling a bit unwell lately. Besides, how could someone as crazy as me fall ill in such a miserable state?" Jonatan tried to cover it up, although he was a little afraid that Madelin would find out. Because it was visible in Jonatan's eyes, Madelin's gaze seemed so sharp as if she was peeling him apart.
It couldn't be possible, could she know about the argument between me and Mrs. Lily back then? Jonatan thought anxiously. It's impossible for Madelin to know about that argument.
"You seem fine, why do you look anxious?" Madelin still observed Jonatan closely. "Are you nervous because I'm watching you? This doesn't seem like your usual self," Madelin remarked.
Jonatan laughed awkwardly, unsure how to cover it up. But it would be very dangerous if Madelin were to find out about it.
"Maybe it's just your feeling. It’s nothing, have you decided what you’d like to order?" Jonatan tried to divert Madelin’s attention.
"Of course I have." Madelin pointed to the menu item she wanted. She smiled, but her smile looked a bit odd and insincere. Jonatan himself did not realize how subtly Madelin was mocking him.
***
"See you, Jonatan." Madelin waved at Jonatan as she got into Micel's car.
"Good sir, I’ll be leaving." Micel politely bid farewell to Jonatan.
"Take care," Jonatan said quietly.
Micel nodded, then he got into his car and drove off.
Jonatan continued to watch Micel suspiciously, feeling a bit uneasy about his personal assistant being so close to Madelin. Yet Jonatan knew that it wasn’t jealousy but rather excessive anxiety.
***
"You?" Mark’s eyes widened as he saw Mr. Luke walking past him. His hand instinctively clenched, ready to punch.
Mr. Luke stopped and stared at the person who seemed to recognize him. For a moment, Mr. Luke looked as if he was trying to recall the figure in front of him.
"Do you forget me?" Mark bit his lip in frustration, trying to control his surging emotions.
"It makes sense that I almost forgot you. You’re nothing but a home wrecker, a cheater, and a wife-stealer." Mr. Luke looked down on Mark.
Mark threw his drink can, nearly hitting Mr. Luke. "Even your words are still disrespectful, despite your now elevated status. I wonder where you get such high confidence? Honestly, if I were you, I’d be embarrassed to be living off a rich woman’s wealth. You’re more like a kept man."
Mr. Luke grabbed Mark’s collar. "Your mouth still sounds like someone who hasn’t been educated. You can never leave your origins, no matter how high you think your level is. You’re still a scoundrel," Mr. Luke cursed.
"Hahaha ... your style is always the same, scoundrel!" Mark pointed to his own cheek. "Punch me, come on, show me your elegant fighting style."
Mr. Luke was about to punch Mark, but Mark quickly dodged.
***
Nike smiled broadly as the stylist directed him to pose. The young man posed effortlessly. This job had become a part of him, so there wasn't a hint of stiffness suitable for him.
Madelin herself was amazed at how effortlessly Nike posed. And as she was busy watching Nike, she didn’t realize that it was her turn to be called. This time, she had to pose with Nike to promote couple’s clothing.
Nike wrapped his arm around Madelin affectionately. "Don’t be nervous," he whispered.
Madelin smiled. "Of course. And you, don’t fall for me," she replied confidently.
Nike was slightly taken aback, but quickly refocused on his job. It seemed Madelin was not just any woman; he was nearly enchanted by her charisma, as if she had a strong allure that bound men to her just by looking into her eyes.
Afterward, Madelin and Nike had several romantic photo sessions to showcase their individual charms, especially since they were promoting couple-themed clothing for Valentine’s Day.
After the shoot, Nike, planning to invite Madelin for lunch, was surprised to find a neatly dressed office man suddenly approaching her.
"Madelin, let’s go for lunch together." Jonatan suddenly appeared.
"Ah, alright. Come on Nike, you must join us," Madelin invited Nike.
"Wait, this was supposed to be just the two of us!" Jonatan insisted.
Madelin frowned. "Then maybe some other time."
"No... alright, he can come." Jonatan pointed at Nike. "Who is he?"
Nike, understanding Jonatan was possessive, smiled mischievously. This was going to be fun for him.
"Madelin, could you buy me a canned coffee outside? I’m very thirsty," Nike whined sweetly.
Madelin nodded. "Sure. I also want to go out to buy some cold milk." As Madelin was about to leave, Jonatan suddenly held her hand. "What’s wrong?" asked Madelin.
Jonatan shook his head. "Let me go or I’ll come with you."
"No need. I'll be back quickly. Just wait here with Nike. Besides, you should get to know my coworker. Oh, he's a good kid, and great at socializing; you should get along well with him." After saying this, Madelin immediately left, leaving Jonatan with Nike.
Nike smirked mischievously. He approached Jonatan and deliberately bumped into him, making the man uncomfortable.
"Don't you have other work to do, other than bothering people?" Jonatan tried to restrain himself. It wasn't possible for him to make a scene in a public place like this. Moreover, he didn't want to come across as a man lacking manners.
"I'm sure you're not the type of man who likes to hold himself back. I believe people like you are more accustomed to using force to make those around you uncomfortable. Am I right?" Nike taunted.
Jonatan's eyes glared sharply at Nike. Indeed, he was holding back his anger.
"It seems my guess was not wrong. You're the type who can't control himself. You're like a bull that's been shown a red cloth, ready to charge at its opponent easily." Nike then burst into laughter, really wanting to see Jonatan lose his temper.
"You little devil!" Jonatan hissed angrily.
"You just swore. How could a woman like Madelin like a man with a foul mouth like you? I'm sure Madelin has better taste than that. I don't mean to offend you, don't take it to heart," Nike quickly said. "But if you do want to vent your anger on me, that's also fine. It's better than holding it in and bottling it up like holding waste in your stomach." Nike continued to provoke Jonatan.
Jonatan was almost about to explode. Luckily, Madelin soon appeared, walking quickly and now she stood between Jonatan and Nike. "Have you two been talking to each other? It's hard to believe you both would just keep quiet the whole time I left you."
"Of course, we've been chatting nicely. You can trust me. I'm sure my words just now entertained him enough. You can see his face is even turning red from laughing so much. Isn't that right?" lied Nike.