CHAPTER NINE

“Armin,” I yelled, breaking through the security and rushing to give him a hug.

“They're bullying me!” I complained bitterly, pulling away from the hug.

Armin frowned and held out a card and showed the security guards.

“Can we settle this quietly?” He said.

***

“What happened?” The officer asked.

“I met a stalker, this guy here..” I started, pointing to Mickel, “He approached me and said he was a fan of my I*******m account, honeypie03.”

“You didn't tell me you had a I*******m account,” Armin cut in.

I sighed and showed Armin my pouty lips, “I was going to tell you but I didn't think it was important. It's just social media anyways.” I turned to the indignant officers. “By the way, officers, he introduced himself to me and asked if we could eat breakfast together. I agreed and we ordered our meals. Everything went well untill he called me a whore, that's defamation!”

“Then she slammed the tray of food I ordered into my face, I was only trying to get justice for myself when she did this to my face.” Mickey pointed to the swollen side of his face. It was pinkish and it looked like it hurt.

The officers sighed,

The older one among them said plainly, “Why don't you two just apologize to each other and get the issue over with. You stalked Armin Dean Hunter's wife here and insulted her. That's not a light issue but since she retaliated, then there's not much we can do.”

Mickey eyes widened, “Armin? Armin Dean Hunter?! Is that really you?”

Mickey stood on his feet and scrutinized Armin's face. “Y-you're not as old as I thought you were.” He said in surprise.

A chilled expression emitted from Armin, “So you know me?”

Mickey nodded, “My father told me stories of what business genius and inventor Joonse Christian Paul was since I was a six. Then a new genius emerged and took his place, taking the business structure he laid down to create something long-lasting in the world. His name is Armin Dean Hunter. Even though he's been rarely seen in public, his mark is everywhere in the business world. He's taken business to the next level and re-created the concept of business.”

I winked at Armin, proud of him.

He simply stared back and looked at Mickey without an expression on his face.

“Armin Dean Hunter is one of the most influential man in the world although many aren't even aware of that because he rarely makes public appearances. 

Even from the shadow, your presence is very strong, I.. I wish to be like you. You've been my idol ever since I found out about your good job.”

“You cured a poor 78 year old man of cancer without asking for a penny. Instead you gave him a medium to study medicine and cure other people of the disease. You brought his dream to life Armin! How amazing you are!”

I felt goosebumps appear on my skin from his words. I'd never really heard of this sort of stories but.. it touched my heart and I was freaking proud of how far Armin had gone in his life.

He wasn't only well-versed in business, he also made really good art.

“You also invested in charitable organisations to ensure orphans future, without you many kids would be lost.”

“Enough fawning,” Armin stated, “I won't be swayed.”

“How do you intend to settle this mess?” Armin changed the topic.

Mickey stuttered, “T-the incident with your wife, sir?”

“Exactly what I meant.” Voiced Armin.

The officers glanced among themselves.

“W-well,” Said Mickel, “She did fight me and injured my face so let's call it even.”

“I do not agree.” Armin announced.

The officers sighed, but preferred not to speak and lighten the flame.

Mickel cracked a smile, “Then what do you suggest, sir?”

“I shall give you a chance to land a punch on my wife's body. If you win, I'll give you a chance to get to know me. If you lose, apologize to her.”

I looked at Mickel and he give me a side wink before his face turned serious again.

“B-but Sir, I can't possibly do that to your wife. It's disrespectful!”

“What's even disrespectful is women laying a finger on a man.” Armin fed Mickel's ego.

I could see the look of satisfaction settling into his face and it was disgusting.

The police officers looked stunned at the sudden change of Armin's mind.

“Sirs, it is not ideal to punch a woman,” a officer tried to say but he was interupted by his colleagues.

“If you insist sir,” Mickel said with a sly grin.

“Punch the idiot as hard as you can, on his right cheek specifically so it can match his swollen left cheek.” Armin voiced in my head.

“As you wish, husband.”

I turned to Mickel who was warming up his fists. “Do it,” I said boredly.

He let out a loud scream, his right fist pointed towards my face.  Without much effort, I caught it. Humans were too slow.

I slammed a punch into the right side of his cheek and he stumbled back, almost falling. He tried to maintain his balance but I landed another slap in his face and he fell on his knees.

“You have lost,” Armin announced and I walked towards him, excited. It was nice to let out some steam.

I held Armin's hand and without another word, walked out of the small office.

“That was so fun!” I chirped.

“Give me your phone, What kind of photos did you post on I*******m that made you attract a weirdo like that guy? He even accepted punching you in front of me?! Humans are becoming incredibly dumb every single year, it's quite alarming.”

“My phone is in our room,” I said, “By the way there's something weird about the guy, he started out so sweet but when he asked of my profession and I said I was a teacher, he started acting strangely. Ordered food for me as though I was hungry and started being disrespectful.”

“What's even stranger is he tried to retaliate right in front of my eyes. That says a lot about his personality.”

“You should stay off social media for some time.” Armin said after some thinking.

“But I just started yesterday.” I pouted.

“I'll worry about you if you keep posting on social media, so many creeps these days. What about we enjoy each other's company? Just the two of us.”

I sighed, “I'll only post just this week, I promise I'll stop after that.” 

Armin caressed my hair, “Don't promise anything yet, let me see your social media. Then we'll decide if the danger outweighs the fun or not.”

I squealed and hugged Armin tight, “Yayyyy”

Armin laughed but then someone cleared their throat in front of us.

It was a blonde with long legs, wearing a red dress with a fashionable slit that stopped above her right thigh. She was wearing fierce makeup with red lipstick. She was incredibly pretty. I think her most noticeable feature were her long straight nose. She could honestly pass as a model due to how skinny she was.

“Ashley,” Armin smiled, slowly detangling his arms from around me before opening his arms for her.

With an astonishing smile, she entered his embrace and cried, “I missed you so much, dear.”

Dear?

I immediately cleared my throat and they detangled from the hug, “Jasmine, this is an old friend and business partner, Ashley.” Armin said kindly. 

“Ashley, meet my wife, Jasmine.”

Ashley smile fell, “Really?”

She forced back a smile, “I didn't know you got married,” She said, trying to calm her breathing. “Why didn't I hear about it?”

Armin sighed, “You see, it was quite unexpected even my wife's relatives couldn't attend. Only her father and mother were present.”

“I would've found a way to attend even though you sent the invitation letter one day to the wedding.”

“You're a consistent one, aren't you?”

“That's why you hired me.” 

Armin bit his lip, “Yeah but your consistency with work is what prompted me to hire you, if I knew you could be so nosy in my personal business, I wouldn't have hired you.”

Ashley jaw dropped, “But.. I came here all the way from Germany! Aren't you the tiniest bit happy to see me?”

“Of course I'm very happy to see you but as you can see, I'm on a honeymoon with my wife and I don't want any more interruptions.”

Ashley pouted her lips, trying to coo Armin. “Is it a love marriage, Armin? I know you, you're not the type to commit into a relationship with just anyone..”

“Jasmine is not just anyone!” Armin fired back. “She's my wife and I love her.”

I felt a tiny feeling in my chest.

“But,” Jasmine bursted into tears, “I loved you first and told you but you didn't say anything about it and now—” She wiped the hot tears that streamed down her cheeks angrily, “And now, you're married to someone else without a care about my feelings.”

That was getting personal.

“Armin,” I said through the mindlink, “You should handle this personally, meet me in our room soon.”

Armin looked at me and nodded.

I let go of him arm and started to leave but I somehow stood by the corner, listening to their conversation.

“Jasmine you are a very smart and attractive woman but I'm not attracted to you, I never was. Not to mention, I don't feel comfortable opening up to you or anyone else but when I met Jasmine, my heart fully opened and I felt like I could tell her everything on my mind and that hasn't changed. She's my comfort zone and she makes me a better person.”

Angry tears rolled down her cheeks and yelled, “Enough! Enough! Don't say any more about her.”

She placed a finger on Armin's lips, “Just look at me.”

I wanted to charge in and break them apart but I had faith in Armin.

I closed my heart and exhaled to calm my racing heart before looking back at the scene.

Except.. I didn't expect Ashley to forcefully plant a kiss on Armin's lips.