Chapter 5: Enemy

Sandra tilted her head as she stared at the closed door in confusion. "Seriously?" she mumbled disbelievingly.

She was expecting it to happen, but it still hurts her ego that it actually happened. Sighing, she shook her head. Her eyes then lingered on the door for a few more seconds before turning her heels around to leave. But she abruptly halted when she saw who was standing just a few steps away and watching her.

"That was quiet a show," Carmina chuckled. Amusement was very evident in her face as if she'd just witnessed a crime scene that she could use against her beloved enemy.

Sandra rolled her eyes, hiding the embarrassment she suddenly felt thinking someone had to see it. And of all people, she couldn't believe as to why it has to be the one she loves to hate.

Just great.

She grunted inwardly. Her eyebrows arched as she looked straight into Carmina's eyes who was staring intently at her, studying her reaction while one of the eyebrows arched up to the ceiling. She then flipped her hair then rolled her eyes. There will be no way she'll ever give that woman the satisfaction to see how affected she was by being caught in the middle. That was her very first rejection, and of course, it does hurt, but she wouldn't show it especially to someone whom she couldn't trust.

"What is the Crown Entertainment's future CEO doing here anyway?" Carmina asked as she tilted her head.

"None of your business," Sandra retaliated with her infamous smile.

Carmina's brows furrowed then looked at Phoenix's studio and something clicked to her. A worried looked flickered in her eyes, but she was able to hide it immediately, afraid that Sandra might noticed it. Shaking her head, she smirked instead, making the latter raised her eyebrows once again.

"Who would have thought we're going to see each other again at the most unexpected place?" Carmina chuckled.

"You came back earlier as I expected, Carmina. Welcome back," Sandra grinned, then walked away, completely ignoring her trying to make a conversation.

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"I thought you've forgotten!" Bammie exclaimed when she arrived at her shooting location for her new music video.

Sandra beamed at her best friend, then told Mr. Hwang, her driver, to leave their foods on the table.

"I was panicking here thinking you're ditching me! Why didn't you call me?" Bammie queried, arms crossed over her chest whilst glaring at her.

"I was in a meeting,” she chirped, “Don't be paranoid, Bammie, you know that despite of my hectic schedules, I will never miss your music video and commercial shoots," she stated as sat on Bammie's chair in front of a huge vanity mirror.

“Right,” her best friend quickly chortled as if she didn't believe her. She peeped outside her dressing room and smirked at Sandra after checking over something. “You didn't bring someone. Did he somehow.. reject you?” she chuckled.

Sandra rolled her eyes and didn't respond. However, her sudden silence didn't escape from Bammie's sharp intuition, which caused the latter to stop chuckling and arched her eyebrow.

“Does your silence means.. yes?” she asked slowly.

Sandra cringed and rolled her eyes once again. She could see her best friend gasping as her eyes widening in disbelief at the fact that someone just had rejected her invitation. And she completely understood her, for no one have ever refused her be it for business or personal. Unbelievable, indeed.

“Oh my gosh! He actually did?!” Bammie exclaimed. Her eyes danced in amusement and mischief as if she's more than glad to know that her best friend have finally found her match, than feel worried about her feelings.

‘This woman,’ Sandra thought upon seeing her reaction through the reflection in the mirror.

It was her first ever rejection yet Bammie seems ecstatic about it. Clicking her tongue, she scoffed, "You're supposed to be mad, but you're showing me otherwise”

Her bestfriend chuckled in response, “I'm just thrilled," she chirped. “No one could ever resist your charm, Sandra, and you always have your way to make everything possible. That's why it feels refreshing to know that someone had the guts to refuse you.. That Sebastian Lee is something, huh”

“I know right,” she shook her head. “That guy didn't give me a chance to show my charms on him. He immediately closed that freaking door in front of my pretty face! Can you imagine that, Bam? That was so embarrassing, I don't think I will be able to sleep tonight!” she whined as she scrunched her nose then stared at her reflection in the mirror.

Sighing, she just put a light make up on her bared face and stood up to choose a dress to change.

After hearing her complaints, its Bammie's turn to whine over how impossible it was and called Sebastian blind and rude and a big jerk for doing such things to her best friend. It made Sandra felt better for she knew that her best friend might celebrate over her embarrassment, but she still cares and would be the first one to be mad and fight in the front row for her.

Grinning, she pulled out the dress she liked and walked in the fitting area. “By the way, I saw Carmina," she stated, stopping Bammie from calling names for Sebastian.

“When did she came back?”

“Of course, I don't know. I just saw her earlier after Sebastian closed the door,” she stated lightly, though, there's a bitter taste on her tongue upon remembering the scene that someone had to witness it.

Oh, she's never gonna forget that. And it will remain in her memory that Sebastian Lee was the first guy to ever refuse her.

“She's in Empire?” Bammie scowled, “Does that mean, she already signed a contract there? How about Crown?”

“We have nothing to do with her after she left without telling us. She breached the contract and she's lucky Papa didn't sue her”

“Because of you..” Bammie added.

She could feel her grinning meaningfully, but just ignored it and didn't say anything anymore.

Someone like Carmina wasn't worth talking about. She's the topic that should be ignore for she only meant bad news.

_______________________________

Days have passed, but Sandra doesn't feel like days were actually moving since the papers she needed to sign and review didn't seem to decrease even a bit. Plus, the stubborn investors who were always insisting of having urgent meetings frequently added the burden she's weighing on her shoulders, making her head throbbed.

"Jamaica, until when my schedules will be finally clear?" she queried whilst reading some emails.

Jamaica, her trusted, efficient and very reliable secretary with a void emotion that made her look like a robot more than a human, immediately grabbed the planner and scanned it carefully. “After five months, Miss Sandra”

"Five months?" she huffed.

She closed her eyes, then, pinched the bridge of her nose. She didn't know how will she be able to survive that freaking five months being stuck in her office or meeting rooms. Just thinking about it already exhaust her.

"Is there any day offs within the five months?"

"Yes. One per week," Jamaica quickly replied with a nod making Sandra let out a sigh of relief.

She's hardworking, yes. But a continuous work with only a day of rest was too much for her. She's not that workaholic just like her father, who was actually just forced to have a vacation trip with his wife, and probably having the time of their lives.

“Miss Sandra..” her secretary cut the silence, “Mr. Park wanted to meet you as soon as possible,” she stated while looking at her impassively.

"Empire?" she frowned as she tilted her head.

She haven't checked the status of their big project with them yet, since it wasn't in their top priority as of the moment. And she didn't want to pressure the producers to make a good song for she knew how hard it was to compose a quality one. But then, Phoenix was there. Her trust for his works was on the roof.

Tilting her head, she asked, “Did they already finished the song for Bammie and Levi?”

However, her amusement gone instantly when Jamaica shook her head, “He said that Sebastian Lee is backing out as one of the producer of the project”