Chapter 5: She Did What?

"Where were you all night, Crawford?" Nathan sank back on his sofa chair, lifting his legs to the table.

In front of him was a bottle of champagne remaining so little and his eyes were slightly red.

He has not been sleeping all night.

Pursing his lips in a thin line, Crawford stepped forward to sit on the opposite sofa and switched on his iPad.

"What is this, my Lord?" He gave him the iPad and the headlines including the breaking news was of him.

'Nathan Blackmark was found in a local club with a girl.'

Scoffing he spoke, "Really?"

"Yeah, really? This is what you were doing when I was around you, my Lord…" Crawford spoke in a low yet respectable tone.

"Crawford, this woman is getting on my nerves…" he pointed to the left side.

Crawford turned his neck to the left side and back to his boss then asked, "What woman?" 

"The one sleeping in the next room…" Nathan stood up to rest both of his hands on his waist and breathed deeply.

"What? You have a woman in your house?" Crawford blurted out like an insane person.

His brows knitted in confusion, he raised a question, "You brought the girl home. What have you done? Was any paparazzi following you?" 

"No...Crawford. Of course, not. I have guards."

"Yeah, I can see that. Even if you had guards you are still on the breaking news this morning."

"Well, Crawford. Please see if the girl is up. Send her home. I don't want any more trouble."

Before Nathan could walk out of the study room, he was stopped by a voice.

"My Lady is here…" he mentioned carefully.

Nathan took one quick look at the bodyguard and turned to leave.

He did not comment on it, meaning he is still annoyed by the woman.

Putting both of his hands on his waist, Crawford scratched his forehead, thinking of something important.

Genevieve woke up to find herself in an unknown place, the interior of the room was lavish and the bed she was sleeping in was a large one.

It was nothing like the bed and the room in the old woman's house. 

She had a very terrible headache, guess she drank a little too much last night.

A woman dressed in a maid's uniform came with a cup of coffee and presented it to her.

"Good morning, Miss…" she greeted politely.

Genevieve smiled nervously to speak, "Thank you. Am I at Nathan Blackmark's house?"

"Yes…" she simply nodded.

The flashbacks of all the things that happened last night were slowly coming in front of her eyes. 

Closing her eyes she took a deep breath, she was in a total regret and right now she cannot face her boss.

"Thank you for the tea...I gotta go!" she grabbed her handbag to speak in such a hurry when the maid uttered confusingly, "But this is coffee…"

"Yeah, yeah. Sure. The coffee was amazing," she smiled nervously before rushing out of the bedroom.

Walking out, she looked around and found the stairs, she slowly stepped down the stairs when she heard a loud roar...the man was in a deep rage.

"Crawford! I said no!" Nathan was hurrying out of his magnificent mansion...it was quite a sight to behold.

When Nathan had stopped shouting on his bodyguard, he stepped out of the house and Genevieve heaved in a sigh.

After last night how can she just face her boss? And the things she has been saying to him….

Maybe it's time for her to just resign.

She strode out of the mansion and took a local cab to her house. 

On the way, she stopped by at her friend Abbey to have some coffee.

"Girl, what?" Abbey presented the coffee and doughnuts to the best friend.

"Please, don't ask the details…" Genevieve was already very embarrassed.

Thinking about how she troubled her arrogant boss last night by calling him all the unnecessary names and…

She. Even. Kissed. Him.

"You did what?" Abbey asked astonishingly then she clapped in amazement.

"Stop it, Abbey…" ashamed Genevieve managed to speak when coming back from the moment of shame.

Genevieve felt so humiliated so she decided to take a day off and went home instead.

The trees in the forest were malady brown. Genevieve crushed a thin dried branch of the tree under her feet. It caused a prolonged sharp grating sound, the leaves rustled in the trees on a breezy night. 

The decaying air and stifling atmosphere provided the perfect abode for those who worshipped the darkness rather than the light. The forest was soundly silent.

It made the hair on her skin somewhat stand. 

Genevieve felt someone was following her, it was too dark to see.

Walking a few steps ahead she was now standing in a not so big circle and a rope attached to the tree was hung in a century-old tree.

Then, the sharp sound of someone walking on the dried rusty leaves made her turn around just to see a figure...dressed in a black hood.

The moment he lifted his head, his twinkling red eyes were directly focused upon her.

She became shocked, her face became pale from fright. 

Next moment she opened her eyes and looked around to her surroundings, she noticed she was in her bedroom.

In a small apartment of Mrs Johnson, she heaved in a sigh.

Genevieve had never seen any kind of a horrific dream...or a nightmare. This was the first time.

She stood up to step out of her room and peeked through the door...the old woman was sitting on her armchair, eyes closed.

She opened the door slowly and went in tiptoes...she grabbed the warm shawl and was about to put it on the old woman when the armchair began to move suddenly.

It made a low gasp release from her mouth when the old lady opened her eyes to see the terrified girl.

"Geni?" she asked, unaware.

"What's keeping you awake at this time of an hour?" 

"Grandma, I had...a nightmare," she spoke sheepishly.

"Give me your hand…" asked the old woman.

She was some sort of a palm reader...and whatever she has been saying proved to be true.

"Child…" the old woman gazed at her with so much fear in her eyes.

"What is it?" the naive girl asked with knitted brows.

"The darkness...the darkness is coming over to get you."

"What?" 

"You have so much negative darkness around you. Like a…"

"A shadow?" Genevieve blurted out and she gave a certain nod.

"Grandma, I saw a shadow and...and I saw standing in the circle. I don't…" the old woman cuts her off saying, "This is the warning...my child, you have to be very careful."

"What do you mean? What kind of the darkness, grandma? Do you mean...the ghost or something?" innocent Genevieve asked attentively.

"No. Something eviler than that" answered her.

"But how am I going to save myself from it?" yawning Genevieve asked terrified.

"You have to fight it...overcome the darkness so that it won't affect you. And you are brave enough for this, my child."

They talked for a few when Mrs Johnson tried her best to make her fear go away then she went to bed.

Waking up in the morning, she had breakfast and got ready for the office. 

Meanwhile, at NBM Corporations, Nathan was being forced to listen to the venting of the girl who was dressed in a business suit.

"What do you mean I can't live with you at all?" she asked, resting both of her hands on her curvy waist.

"I said what I said...Raya. Do not force me to do more to you."

Nathan was as calm as the sea but this woman was getting on his nerves.

He stood to walk towards the window when she was down on his feet, begging for his attention.

"Nathan, you can't do this to me…" she pleaded helplessly.

It took him one second from calm to come in resentment, a hard-line came across his face when he crouched down to grab both of her arms to utter, "Raya, babe. Don't make this hard for us."

He tucked the strand of her hair behind her ear and wiped the tear which was falling from her eye.

Her tone was low yet threatening that she swallowed her sorrow.

"Nathan, I am helping with what you want. Please don't brush me aside." pleaded the helpless woman.

"There...there...my love. Stand up and be a Blackmark." He spoke with a click of his tongue then stood up as he shrugged his coat, walking a few steps away from her.

Raya stood up and sat on the sofa, putting a hand on her chest she regained all of her confidence and maintained her personality again.

"My Lord, I got to know that only two people are working for you...however you need more than two people," Raya mumbled with a smile. 

"This is enough for now, Raya. Thank you for the concern," his answer was neutral.

"My Lord...is there anything else I can do for you?" she asked like an obedient servant.

"Stay loyal to me, Raya. You are at my mercy until I get what I am looking for…" his wry smile was somewhat satisfied.

There was one thing he was thinking about…

His assistant and that...kiss.

"You may go now," he spoke to the beautiful woman and asked Crawford to come in.

"My Lord…" the devoted bodyguard showed curtsy to his master and stood patiently to listen to his orders.

"Genevieve Harper…" Nathan had just spoken her name when the bodyguard immediately blurted out, "She already left when I went to check up on her."

"No...find out where she lives. And what happened to her parents. Will you?"

Not getting any answers from the loyal servant, he lifted his head just to see a questioning look on his blank face.

"What is it, Crawford?" he asked with a narrowed eyebrow.

"My Lord. Curious about an ordinary assistant, are we?"

"It's unusual...she's been shady. That's all…" he shrugged his shoulders casually.

Crawford was definitely not a child. He is aware of what his boss has been thinking.

"And about the paparazzi, my Lord. Should I silence them all?"

"Yes, Crawford. Please handle the matter. Raya is already upset by my behaviour. I don't want any trouble."

"Of course, my Lord. Your work will be done by tonight…" before stepping out the right-hand man assured his master.

Nathan picked the intercom and presses the button as he spoke, "Please send Ms Harper in my room."

When he got a reply from the assistant manager Lucy he took a deep breath and disconnected the line.

While scratching his eyebrow and placing the other hand on his waist, he twitched his lips and thought of a plan.

"What did my Lord say, Crawford?" there stood the woman looking gorgeous in a business suit, her light brown hair shone perfectly under the light.

Her purple eyes moved to focus on the bodyguard who bowed down before speaking.

"My lady… he is not in a good mood lately."

"Tell me when is he in the good mood? Never!" she spoke in a low yet annoyed tone then continued, "What is happening?" 

"The paparazzi issue, my Lady. He is disturbed."

"Poor soul. However, he was the one giving the pathetic news reporters the possibility," she spoke shrugging her shoulders, a disarming smile on her face.

Nathan who just had come out of his cabin heard everything, gave a not so appreciative expression and informed, "Raya, get your shit together. We are going out." 

He without saying any other word walked away leaving her to jump utterly excitement. 

Crawford went to the IT department and asked all the news reporters to take down the pictures and news of Nathan Blackmark with the girl.