'This is how you should behave. Just like other men who get flustered and confused, lost for words when I speak to them. I knew you would fall for me once I speak to you' Zeya scoffed internally but she didn't expect to be thrown a question no one had dared to ask her before.

''I don't know you. Who are you? Am I supposed to know who you are?'' Josh asked as he looked at her with a baffled expression. As if someone who didn't know her genuinely. It made Zeya flush with embarrassment.

Zeya let out a soft gasp and forced a smile, ''I am Zeya…'' her expression showed that she expected Josh to explicitly know who she was and also for him to be lucky to have met her but Josh's gaze was nothing short of mockery.

''Miss, what would you like to drink?'' Josh asked her.

''I just told you I am Zeya?'' Zeya said, her voice coming out a little louder.

'Miss, I heard you the first time. Now, what would you like to drink?''

''Surprise me'' Zeya said and leaned closer, allowing her cleavage to show as she added, 'this is actually my first time here, so what do you recommend, Mr. JSC?'' Zeya realised he was playing hard to get but it didn't matter. Since she was here and he claims to not know here, she might as well leave an impression. No matter how principled he might be, he was still a man, a man who couldn't say no to a beauty like her.

''Coming up'' Josh said and moved away to make the dreams.

…..

''Take this. It's yours'' Mikael said to Natalie as he drove to a traffic stop.

''What's this?'' Natalie picked the small box and turned to look at him.

''Open it''

Natalie looked at him suspiciously before opening the box. She saw a chevron scarf and a pair of matching earrings inside. ''This…''

''I used your earrings the last time. This is my compensation''

''This… it was just a pair of earrings, I forgot of it already''

''I didn't forget. I couldn't forget. I went out to meet a director today and his wife gave it to me as a present. She said I should give it to the woman in my life. you are the only woman in my life''

Natalie's heart skipped a beat and her face became red. She turned to look at him as he drove them away.

''Don't you have a girlfriend?'' she asked.

''No''

''What about someone you like? There must be someone like that in your life, right? You shouldn't give this to me. Here, I can't keep it. It should be given to someone you like''

''Natie, keep it. I don't have a girlfriend. I don't have someone that I like in my life, yet. But, there is someone who has been making think a lot about her lately. But, I'm sure about what thinks of me''

Natalie's face changed slightly and she bit her lips. ''Then, you should confess your feelings to her. she would never know if you don't tell her'' even though she spoke those words, she couldn't help but become curious about the kind of woman he was talking about. She wanted to know the type of women he liked.

Natalie shook her head. She was thinking again. She turned and found him looking at her and she asked, ''why are you looking at me like that?''

''Don't you find me handsome?'' Mikael suddenly asked.

''Huh?''

''We are here, let's go'' Mikael leaned closer and undid her seatbelt for her before getting down. Natalie turned to her right and saw that they were at a fancy restaurant. she blushed when she saw Mikael opening the door for her.

''I realised I haven't taken you out to eat before, let's have something to eat first''

''First?'' Natalie got down and asked in a surprised tone.

''Yes. I planned for us to do a lot of things tonight. It also happens that tonight is the first day of the month and the night market will be opened. You've never been to a night market before, right?''

''Oh, I haven't. Thomas promised to send me there but he couldn't''

''That's good. We will go there after dinner''

''But, I still have work tomorrow and you will be going for a script meeting tomorrow. It's not okay for us to be out late. What if someone takes picture of us and post it online?''

''Everyone already knows our relationship, but just so you could be assured, I will take us to a store and we will get changed''

''Okay, let's go''

''This way'' Mikael held her hand and they walked inside. He led her to a private eating space and pulled out the chair for her to sit.

''What are we eating?''

''Your favourite. I called to order steak for us''

''I haven't had steak in a long time''

''You will be able to enjoy it today''

…..

Zeya watched Josh with a curious gaze as he served customers. Today he was there alone, so he was serving those in the open floor and those around the counter. She took in his every move and every time he smiled at the customers, she would feel her heart melting.

Even though she has known him for a long time, this was the first time they were in the same space together. The last time she saw him was at an inauguration and that was when she found out about his identity. She had developed a secret crush on him and had been following news about him since then.

She knew he was an extremely private person hence not everyone knew him except those in their circle. He was a mysterious figure which intrigued her even more. She was adventurous and loved to figure things out. She felt that getting to know him more would increase her chances. Just like tonight that she was here, to make him notice her.

When Josh returned to the counter, his phone buzzed and a picture of Alice showed on the screen but Zeya couldn't see because he was far from her. The picture of Alice was from her debut days as a newbie but he had kept it with him since then.

Nobody knew he had saved Alice's picture as his screensaver.

''Hello, brother. Yes, I asked for the agency to choose Alice so when the time comes, please take care of her. I'm a little busy now, can't come home. mm, greet mom for me, bye''

Josh placed the phone back into his pocket and heard Zeya asking him.

''The role of the brand ambassador for Black Horse Hotel; can't you give it to me instead? I have a lot of fan base who are also influential people. it will create a lot of buzz for the hotel once everyone comes to know that I am the one representing it. It will also improve the image of the hotel and there will be a lot of crowd around especially during the homecoming ceremony. Compared to Alice who is still getting into the industry, I have already established myself and won't bring you any difficulties''

''What do you mean?'' Josh asked as he looked at her. his question made Zeya more zealous and she started to state all the reasons why she was a better choice as compared to Alice.

''I just returned from the nomination ceremony for Golden Hill Top Awards and I stand the chance of winning the best actress award at the ceremony next month. It will be just in time for the homecoming documentary and party. If we work together and use the publicity well, it should be able to bring in more profit to the hotel. Alice just has a few followers on social media and most of them are high schoolers. Letting her become the brand ambassador will not bring in a lot of people and hence the value of the hotel is likely to drop. Right now, she is embroiled with a lot of scandal and is rumoured to be secretly dating Mikael Sun'' Zeya said confidently.

Josh chuckled when he heard the latter part of her statement. He nodded his head saying, ''indeed, you are quite eloquent and deserve to be chosen but you see, Miss Zeya. Alice wasn't chosen because of all those things that you mentioned right now''

''Miss Zeya, do you want to know the reason why I picked Alice over you and everyone else?''

''Why?''

''Because, even after working five years in the industry she hasn't changed at all. Not even in a little way. She is the same person she was five years ago. You…'' he scanned her thoroughly making her flush with embarrassment. ''You on the other hand… I am not so sure of that. I am not going to change Alice, so Miss Zeya, if this is the reason why you came here tonight, then I am sorry to disappoint you because I will always pick Alice over you and everyone else''