EMBERIf Ember didn't find him unpredictable, she would've definitely categorised him as being mad. He looked mad, his body language screamed that out loud.He stood in front of her apartment, blowing the horn and staring right at her window till she notices. Ember gasped at that sight, mouth opening and closing with confusion. She had to stop him before people start complaining."That's him," she muttered, wide-eyed. "I have to go.""Wait.. who?" Ruby asked but Ember was long gone.She rushed down the stairs, in her pajamas and hair tied up in a bun with a distressed look on her face. What would bring Zaire to her house without any prior notice? When will she even be able to predict his next moves when he was always that strange? She prayed that it wasn't because she didn't let him drop her. Ember didn't know what to think as she rushed out of the building and only stopped when she reached him. Zaire's eyes shifted to Ember standing awkwardly at a distance and it trailed down her app
EMBERShe had made people look back at her, she was turning heads too. They walked inside the hall, through the crowd and into the event. Ember could feel her anxiety creep up but it didn't feel that hard to suppress. She looked around herself, beautiful women with gleaming dresses and painted smiles. She had never seen an atmosphere like that up close.The hall was huge and the chandelier reflected a bright pattern on the floor below that was also the dance floor for couples. The decore was golden and glass, it looked like anything but a business event. But she wasn't complaining. The only thing she couldn't wrap her head around was the man who stood beside her, talking to every other people and building bonds. She had almost heard him talk in at least 5 languages and won over whoever he talked to. He was so bold and confident, every demeanour left her staring. And not just her, every other girl in the room. They would kill to be in Ember's shoes at that moment, she could tell just
EMBER"Zaire Langston Hughes, the CEO of Sarte group, confirms dating rumours with the supermodel Selene Hudson."It felt like a joke. Like her eyes were tricking her into seeing things, that's how shocking it was for her. And it threw her down the spiral of denial immediately. "Hey.. you okay?" Ruby placed a hand on her shoulder, concerned. But Ember did not stop skimming through the internet for more and more news to show up. None of them defied what she had read in the title. The internet had blown up with the news, people acting like wishes had finally been heard.Ember placed the phone away, disappearing to her room. She stared into the mirror and focused on herself. It was still unsettling to think she was led on like that, for no reason, only to bring her to stand there contemplating everything. Zaire Langston Hughes was always someone with hidden behind his words and she always found it strange. But why her? Why would he pretend to be interested into a commoner like her only
EMBERShe completely froze. He had lifted her easily and was holding her up to his eye level, waiting for her to do her thing but her eyes never moved away from his face. She felt like holding his gaze would somehow undo everything that was the reality."Are you gonna do it?" He said with a low voice and she immediately snapped out of it. Her hands rose to his hair and her fingers entangled in them, slowly combing it back. She slicked his hair back to perfection and looked back into his eyes who was already staring at her. Then only did he put her down.Ember backed off to look at him and it was perfect. He looked like the Zaire Langston Hughes the world knew, polished and gleaming."Mr. Langston? We are waiting for you," she receptionist chimed in through the door with a smile. Zaire nodded and glanced at Ember one more time."You can still go home," he proposed but Ember rolled her eyes at his uncountable attempt to drive her away. She hadn't lost the determination.. yet."No way, I'
EMBER"We.. who told you you can get a servant to do things for you?" He said, making his words come crashing down on her."But sir, I was just-", Will attempted to somehow calm him down but they all knew it was of no use. Zaire just shot him an amused look with a smile of disbelief."And who told you to help her disobey my orders? It seems like you don't really like this job of yours, don't you, Mr. Thompson?" He continued, making her repeatedly provoked to feel worse and worse about it. Ember knew that him helping her would lead him directly into trouble."I had no such intentions to-""It's alright! He'll leave," Ember said, stern, walking up to Zaire and lowering her voice so that only he gets to hear what she has to say. "He doesn't deserve this treatment. He doesn't have to be a part of whatever game you're playing with me.""Why? Has he already become so important to you that you're ready to take his blame?" His eyebrows shot up in a mocking way. Ember found it obnoxious, the wa
EMBER"I am Mr Langston's assistant...", Ember said, already expecting the worst. A small tricky smile appeared on his lips."If you're my assistant it should be clear where you are getting the orders from, isn't it?" He said, making it a point that everyone knows where exactly she was. Everyone looked over to find out where she stood. "You're not taking part, you're my assistant.""But I.. I want to participate. I'm an employee too, I should get this opportunity, don't you think?" She said, loud and clear. She knew it would just attract more attention than she needed but it was already done. And then she noticed his eyebrow shot up, it was just how he reacts when he was challenged."The whole auditorium heard the last word about this topic, how could you not? You won't be a part, is that clear?" He said, completely shutting her down. "Yes sir," she said because she knew it would be nothing but a waste of time and self humiliation if she spoke further. Her head was down, the disappoin
EMBERShe watched them kiss and when they parted, they looked at each other. She was saying something and he was saying something, his mood did not look like it was bad at all. He looked like a completely different person.Ember felt the pangs in her chest at how easily his mood can lift just by her sight. And it felt guilty to be jealous because she had no rights to do that. Neither was he obligated to keep her in mind. She looked down at her feet.She had to wrap her head around the fact that he was actually dating someone and that was the truth. After this, no matter how much he confused her, it shouldn't affect her even the least because she would take it.To save herself from the spiral he was pushing her further into, she needed to stop letting it get to her. It was the best for her. She needed to go back to focusing on what she actually wanted.That's when she watched Selene get back into the car and Zaire followed. Ember walked towards the car before it could drive off to know
ZAIRE"Sir, just one question sir! Please, sir!""What's the actual reason you are agreesing to collab with the Iris group? Even after that huge public scandal?" "Mr Langston, is it because of Ms Selene Hudson? Was that the reason?""Is there still any bad blood between you and Mr Prescott?"The questions were bold and the answers to them will be even bolder. But some things should be better left unsaid. They did not need to know that even before the dispute, the bad blood or the scandal, there was a friendship. A friendship that was lost just like that, in an instance.Just because Travis Prescott never trusted Zaire Langston Hughes the way he thought.Zaire stepped into his house at last. It had been a long day and the press only drained the life out of him. The things they said were intrusive, they got to him sometimes. And today was one of those days when those words made him walk down the memory lane.He sighed as he placed himself on the armchair, squeezing his temples and clos