Chapter 2: Second encounter
"Noah, let's sit here. We can get a closer look at the stage from here." said Natalie while tugging at Noah's arm.
Noah smiled faintly. "You and Mary may sit down first. I'll join you after the toilet."
"Oh. Sure."
Today is the day where the company banquet will be held which will be attended by shareholders and high-ranking superiors. Noah couldn't help but feel anxious because he was afraid he'd run into Lucas.
'I think Lucas probably won't mind about that day. I've tried to serve him as best as I can though.'
Noah walked while thinking without paying any attention to his surroundings. He walked into the toilet unzipping his pants and started peeing.
"You?"
Noah turned his head to the side when he heard someone speak.
"You work for the Trevillion company?"
Noah Gasped. He quickly zipped up his pants and headed for the sink.
"Hey! Are you listening to me?"
Noah bit his upper lip while washing his hands hastily without answering the question that kept popping up.
'IT'S LUCAS !' Noah thought.
Lucas immediately followed to the sink and insisted on talking to Noah even though there was no answer from him.
"HEY!"
"Wash your hands after peeing" said Noah calmly.
Lucas looked at his hands then obeyed Noah's advice obediently. "Oh. Right."
While Lucas was busy washing his hands. Noah immediately took the opportunity to run away.
"HEY, YOU!"
"DON'T FOLLOW ME! AND REMEMBER TO DRY YOUR HANDS!" Noah put all his strength and ran as fast as he could without even looking back.
"TCH. BASTARD! HE TRICK ME!"
Noah ran frantically until he lost his way. He stopped in the middle of the way and was confused to choose the right or left direction. While he was busy deciding, suddenly two men in black suits approached him. They each flank Noah's arm, one on the left and one on the right.
"Wait. Who are you guys?" Noah looked at them in turn.
They didn't answer him but immediately dragged him back into the banquet hall.
There, Noah was placed at the bottom of the stage while still flanked by the two men in suits.
"Hello sir. Can you let me go? I'm innocent." said Noah carefully. Noah waited for a few moments for them but he still got no answer.
Noah thought no matter how skilled he was, he still shouldn't act recklessly by trying to get rid of them, since there are too many pairs of eyes watching so he decided to relax and let them carry him like a sack.
Suddenly a figure stepped onto the stage. He pulled out the microphone and mumbled something.
"Good Afternoon. I'm Lucas Trevillion. I'm a newcomer to be assigned as Director for the South branch."
When he heard Lucas' voice echo through the hall, Noah quickly recovered from his fatigue. He could see Lucas clearly from where he was standing.
Noah could see Lucas speaking with confidence and managed to capture all the attention of the audience in the hall. From there Noah could tell how well-educated Lucas was.
'But. The problem is, is this the same guy I met before? Why do I have the feeling that he got a bit of a bad-temper than the last time I met him?' Noah imagined Lucas's face from the night they first met and compared it with his current grumpy face. 'THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE RIGHT!'
"Sir. Can I ask you a question?" Noah looked at the guy on his right side.
After a few moments. "What is it?" When he finally answered, Noah was relieved.
"Has any of your director's cars been taken to the repair shop recently?"
"No."
Noah was suddenly happy. 'Maybe not him.'
"Then did you guys visit or maybe pick up the director in an area near Chinatown about a week ago?" ask Noah carefully.
The man in a suit turned towards him and looked at him in disgust. "Just stop trying. He is the person you met that day. The car was not delivered to the repair shop because it only ran out of gas. And for the wheel, it was later replaced by us."
'Run out of gas??' Noah sighed. "So it's him." He lowered his head but suddenly rose again.
"Say. Why do I feel that the person I first met was so different from him who was now giving a speech on the stage? Are they really the same guy?" Noah asked..
"About that. You should ask him by yourself."
After the conversation with the two men in a suit was finished, Noah did not see Lucas on the stage anymore. But the three of them remained standing there for almost an hour. When one of the men standing to his left received a call, they brought Noah to a room.
Noah waited for almost half an hour in the room alone until someone opened the door of the room.
"Fucking old-man!"
Noah was shocked. It was Lucas who had just entered the room while kicking the door open. He pulled off his tie and threw it on the sofa. But when he was about to vent out again he saw Noah sitting there, he then shut his mouth and slowly walked to the sofa to sit opposite Noah.
By looking at Lucas's behavior just now, Noah is now trembling.
"Why..." Lucas began to say something but was cut by Noah.
"Please don't fire me. I have a family to feed. I won't say anything about you to the press. I promise." Said Noah in Fear.
"I'm asking why are you try to run away!"
"Because.."
Lucas looked at Noah in confusion but after a while he suddenly jolted.
"Wait. You are married?"
"No. But I have three children who need my support."
"YOU HAVE CHILDRENS ??" Now Lucas looks like he's about to get angry.
"No. They are orphans who live next door with their grandmother. They had no one to depend on, only their grandmother so I decided to support them."
Noah can see Lucas let out a long sigh then lean on the sofa.
"I can't help but think that you probably are a person who can quickly decide on people's behalf based on your own opinions. Don't be misunderstood by what I said, just do you ever try to listen to others first before you jump on your wild thoughts?"
"I'm.. Sorry?" said Noah in confusion.
"There you go, apologize again. I said I wasn't mad at you." Lucas looked tired.
"So what do you want from me?" ask Noah.
"I only want to ask what your name is. That day, I am telling you my name because I want to know your name in return. But you just go and make your own point of view."
"Ah.." Noah finally understands and now feels too shy to look at Lucas' eyes.
"You don't have to worry. I separate work from personal life. So if you do your work properly, I won't fire you. But since you have seen me during my lowest point, I have to keep you close by my side. "
"Did you mean your innocent side??" ask Noah carefully.
"WHAT??" Lucas widened his eyes in anger.
"I'm sorry." Noah quickly apologized.
Lucas sighed. "It's my mental illness. I have extreme mood changes of highs and lows. Someday I come with this shitty bad-temper or just skip the day when I'm feeling at my lowest."
"I'm sorry to hear that." Noah suddenly felt bad.
Lucas realizes Noah is uncomfortable. "Now. Tell me your name."
Noah looked at him and extended his hand. "Noah Reece. Nice to meet you, Director."
Lucas smiled faintly. "Nice to meet you too, Noah."
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