CHAPTER 22

 
 
One long hallway, just like a runway. Two
beautiful, life-sized supermodels. What would happen when both hot
models had to share the same catwalk at the same time? A
competition, of course.
And that was what happened when Fern stalked
her runway, the hallway of the hotel, walking elegantly towards
Anton’s office. There she spotted another beautiful species, those
long legs glamorously nibbling away at the distance.
They glared at each other, two female hyenas
protecting their own territory, then swiftly turned their heads the
other way, as if finding the other was of no importance. Thus, they
briskly walked towards their destination again, not forgetting to
glide as they went.
Onlookers, especially Winton, who was once
again out and about running errands for Anton, couldn’t stop their
mouths from gaping in awe of the two women, gliding side by side as
if they owned the world.
One blond, with her hair piled high, letting
a few tendrils fall gracefully to the side, and her blue dress
leaving almost nothing to the imagination. Winton could only
describe her as a cool beauty that outshined all others. He was
sure this beauty would remain sketched in his heart forever, frozen
in time. Although Winton wasn’t sure who she was, he sure hoped she
would be his next muse to motivate him to lose those extra
pounds.
The other woman, Winton saw, was the fiery
redhead, Miss Fern, the one who was responsible for making him
lose his motivation to lose those extra pounds by sprouting
out that she was pregnant with Master Hunter, when in fact, they
were simply the best of friends.
Again, she was a sight to behold. Dressed
all in yellow, she was definitely the devil’s daughter out to rip
out his heart with her scythe. And he sure wouldn’t mind if that
happened either.
Side by side, red and gold, fire and ice, so
hot and so cold—one would burn his heart while the other would cool
him.
Winton felt all giddy inside. He couldn’t
decide which one should be his prize muse. He was like a little kid
in a candy store, having to pick the strawberry licorice or the
banana taffy when both were his favorites. But once again, his mind
was quick as he made haste to block their paths as both attempted
to once again infiltrate the headquarters of Silverton
Enterprises.
“I’m sorry, but no patrons are allowed
farther.”
Immediately, Fern wound her arms around
Winton and said, “But you know Fern, Winton. Fern isn’t some
stranger barging into this place.” Fern directed her comment at the
newcomer, clearly her competition. She hadn’t a clue as to who this
newcomer was, but with that blue skintight dress, that softly
styled hair, and that pale lipstick, she was sure this woman was a
monster in disguise. And Fern didn’t like monsters. She was direct,
yes, but she did not hide.
“You must be Winton,” the blonde said. Then
she stretched out her elegant hand to shake with him.
Winton turned his head to stare at the
beauty in surprise. He sure must be famous, he thought, smiling to
himself. Even a guest in the hotel knew his name.
“My name is Caroline Bass. I believe my
father is a great friend of Senior Clinton Silverton. I am also
Hunter’s friend, his very close friend,” she said, eyeing
Fern subtly through her thick lashes.
“Wh… wh… what?” Winton’s mouth gaped open
when the blonde announced herself, feeling his motivation once
again sinking to the bottom of the sea. “Miss… Miss Bass. The
daughter of Mr. Steven Bass, who holds shares in the new joint
venture with Silverton Enterprises?”
“Yes.” Caroline pretended to smile
pleasantly. “So I’m not a stranger at all, right?” she said, her
glare still on Fern.
“You said you’re Hunter’s friend. How come
Fern didn’t know he has a friend named Caroline?” Fern came to
stand in front of Caroline now.
“I am his new friend. We had a great
time in Queenstown. He took me there, you know.”
By this stage, all Winton could do was stare
at them, lost for words as his two favorite licorices fought each
other, not with hands and swords, but with words, sweet, gentle
words like knives cutting into each other’s skin.
“No, Fern didn’t know this, but maybe you
should know that Fern has been a friend of Hunter’s for so long now
that all his other friends pale in comparison.”
“I do admit that I pale in comparison to his
other friends, but at least I don’t shine to the point it hurts
Hunter’s eyes,” Caroline sarcastically retorted, running her eyes
along the length of Fern’s body, who was indeed so vivid today with
her bright-yellow dress. Combined with her coppery mane, Fern
looked like an elegant parrot on parade. “Does he often wear his
sunglasses around you?” Caroline feigned innocence.
Fern had realized Hunter had been wearing
his glasses when she first met him here in New Zealand, but that
wasn’t because of her. It was because he was hiding his dark
circles. This girl was really playing with her head. So what if she
wore her bright-yellow dress? She just wanted someone to notice
her, someone in particular.
“Fern will not waste her breath on the likes
of you. Fern has more important things to do.” And with this, she
swiftly turned and headed towards Anton’s office, only to stop when
a sarcastic comment was thrown her way.
“Some people only have words but no
substance. It’s like there’s a brain in that head somewhere, but
there’s no intelligence to be found. I understand now why Hunter
keeps begging me to call him.” Caroline lied through her teeth.
The fact was Caroline knew Hunter did
whatever he could to get away from her, but this girl in front of
her now was a threat to her goal of attaining Hunter. She admitted
when she had that blind date with Hunter at the Cambodian
restaurant a few weeks ago, she was so stunned that she couldn’t
utter a single word. She couldn’t believe her father would grant
her that wish. She had always loved Hunter, watching him from afar,
even in their university days. But Hunter had never known she
existed. She’d bumped into him a few times too, but he never looked
her way.
She told her father of her goal, of wanting
to marry Hunter. So her father schemed to do a joint venture with
Clinton Silverton. Both would gain an advantage because Hunter was
the heir to Silverton Enterprises. As for Anton, he was nothing but
a pathetic nephew who abided all the work of his uncle. He would
amount to nothing. So that was her plan. Once she got Hunter, her
father would also gain half of Silverton Enterprises’ shares, which
were worth billions.
And now she was staring at the woman who
claimed to know Hunter more than her, which unleashed a sudden
anger within her. Her hands itched to slap that woman’s cheek until
it turned as red as that hair on her head.
Oh, the sudden urge to do so was so strong.
But she controlled herself. She was, after all, the daughter of a
high-class businessman, so to do this would only taint her father’s
reputation and destroy the sensible façade that took her so long to
perfect.
Caroline smiled slyly, only for Fern to see.
For Winton, it was just an innocent grin, but Fern was sharp. She
charged all the way back and glared at her competitor.
“Are you saying Fern has no brain?”
“You said that yourself,” Caroline said,
lifting her eyebrow in mocking form. “I didn’t put those words into
your mouth.”
“Why you…” Fern was shocked to hear Caroline
say this. No one had ever insulted her before. Especially to say
she hadn’t a brain or intelligence. She so wanted to slap Caroline
right now, but she composed herself. To show she had a brain, she
would not succumb to violence.
“What, no reply?” Caroline walked closer to
Fern, forcing her back until she pressed against a door. Standing
in front of Fern like this, Caroline prevented Winton from seeing
her true actions. “Or is your brain so dumb you can’t seem to find
a simple word?” She snarled quietly only for Fern to hear.
“Fern has a degree in business,” Fern spoke,
seething while she tried to contain her fists by her sides. “You
look to Fern to be the one that has no brain cells and intelligence
in that skull of yours.”
“A degree in business, yet you speak like a
child, in third person. You are worse than a five-year-old.”
“I choose to speak like this,” Fern
said, eyeing Caroline sharply. “I can change my pattern of speech
anytime I wish.”
“A trait you must be so proud of,” Caroline
said sarcastically. “Are there any other traits you’re proud of?”
Then Caroline ran her eyes along Fern’s tight-fitting dress. “You
are very provocative, aren’t you? How many men have you slept with?
Oh wait, you must be in the hundreds now.”
“You!” Fern’s face grew red. “How dare you
accuse me like this?”
“You want to get physical, then?” Caroline
threatened.
Fern only looked on in shock as Caroline
pushed her backwards, somehow turning the doorknob behind her.
Having no hard surface to back her now, Fern fell slowly backward,
seemingly suspended in midair for eternity. She knew then that when
she hit that hard floor below, she would earn herself a concussion
or at least a huge bruise on the back of her head. How was she
going to look pretty for Anton if she had a bruise on her head?
 

 
Anton couldn’t seem to get any work done.
All his thoughts were consumed with that fiery red-haired woman who
dressed like a seductress. He tried checking the agenda of their
elderly program again, the one he’d asked Clarice to do her oral
health presentation for, but he still couldn’t concentrate.
What in God’s name had that woman done to
his peace of mind? All he could see was her stretching out on his
desk, her arms tightly winding around his neck and those kissable
lips asking him why he was so busy with his work that he couldn’t
spend a little time with her.
Anton shook his head again, trying to break
away from his fantasies. Cursing himself for feeling this way about
that woman, he settled back into work mode. Except this time it
wasn’t his wayward mind corrupting his work, but the noises outside
his door.
What in God’s name is going on? he
thought, standing up. He could hear shouting, then whispering. Who
was outside his door? Didn’t they know not to interrupt him when he
was working?
Anton had enough and stormed to the door,
about to confront whoever it was that had dared to break his
concentration, when he saw the door miraculously open on its own
accord. In fell the woman that had his mind turned into a puddle of
soup, landing right in his arms.
They had their eyes locked and… and… My God,
she was bright. What in God’s name was she wearing? It hurt his
tired eyes. Maybe he should start wearing those sunglasses Hunter
had bought him.
“Junior Silverton?” Fern uttered when she
saw his upside-down face gazing at her from above. “You saved
me.”
“Uh…” Anton was speechless. What did she
say? And did she just speak in first person?
“Anton!” Caroline cried out innocently when
she realized it was Anton’s office Fern had fallen into.
Drat! She failed. She knew Anton
hated to be interrupted when he was working. Though, right now, he
didn’t look mad as he stared at that parrot woman. She knew she
must say something to hide her true motive.
“Miss Fern here accidently opened your door.
I tried to tell her you were surely busy, but she wouldn’t listen.
I know how you hate to be interrupted while working.”
“What?” Fern was flabbergasted at that
accusation. It was that Caroline woman who had turned the doorknob,
shoving her like a petty schoolgirl. She’d had about enough of this
woman playing innocent, the sly fox, so Fern jerked her head
forward, in turn banging into Anton’s forehead, which led to Anton
stumbling over backwards, falling onto his butt.
But the train didn’t end there as Anton
gripped onto Fern’s arms as he fell, leading to both being
sprawled, tangled with the other, ending with a growl and a whine
of pain from Anton and Fern respectively.
“What in the pickle just happened?” Winton
asked, coming in at that precise moment. “Are you making out with
Miss Fern, boss?” Winton asked stupidly.
“Winton, you… Arrgghhh!” What to call his
brainless fool of a secretary? He wasn’t making out with this
woman. He was in fact being crushed. Good God, she was heavy.
“Get off me,” Anton yelled when he began to
feel the niggling sensation running up his groin. Oh God, oh God.
What was wrong with him? He was getting turned on. And by none
other than this fiery woman he swore was not his type.
“Fern is crushing you?” she asked
innocently, wiggling her body more, trying to get untangled.
“Please, just get off me.” He gritted his
teeth in frustration, trying to suppress his desire, which was
about to burst in his pants.
“Fern is sorry,” Fern said when she crawled
off him. “Fern didn’t mean to make Junior Silverton mad.”
When Anton was able to contain his desire
again, he stood and confronted the two women and Winton.
“Why are they in my office?” Anton shouted
at Winton, which just sent his poor underling into shock.
His boss… Master Anton Silverton had never
raised his voice before. Why was he behaving like this?
Anton questioned himself too. What in God’s
name was wrong with him recently? He couldn’t understand it.
“I… I…” Winton couldn’t reply. He was
shaking in his shoes.
Caroline too was shocked to hear Anton
shouting like this. She had accompanied him to Queenstown, and he
was fine. Always calm and soft spoken, never like this. She was
starting to see a little potential in him, something she didn’t see
before. Was he becoming a man now, not be overshadowed by his
uncle’s name? If that were the case, then she must get rid of him
too. But then again, there was no way he could become the heir of
Silverton Enterprises.
It was Fern who didn’t react to the beast
since she’d never known Anton’s behavior before, so she was the one
that answered his question. “Fern is looking for Hunter. Where is
he?”
It was like a spell was broken when Hunter’s
name was mentioned. Winton stopped shaking and Caroline recovered
herself. Anton, on the other hand, immediately turned to his
wristwatch and cursed under his breath.
He’d totally forgotten about Clarice. She
was supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago. They were supposed to
have their meeting on her presentation. And he was supposed to ask
her out to lunch too. Just the two of them. But now… Anton turned
his icy glare on Fern, and a shock of electricity ran through his
body again. That woman, she’d really corrupted his mind. He needed
to see Clarice. Now! Clarice, the smart and sensible woman, would
calm down his heart.
And so without looking in Fern’s direction,
ignoring her completely, he strode past her and headed towards the
elevator, when suddenly he was bombarded by the two women on either
side of him, both winding their arms in his.
“Caroline, what are you doing?” he
asked.
“Are you not going to go find Hunter?”
Caroline asked sweetly. “I’m looking for him too. Let’s go find him
together.”
“Fern will go as well. Junior Silverton will
take Fern to see Hunter. Fern will not be the last one
out.”
Winton trotted along like a dog following
its master, but Anton shouted for him to stay behind and prepare
the meeting room. Like a good dog, he raced away to please his
master, all the while grumbling under his breath about how once
again his boss had managed to snatch away his prize motivation for
losing those extra pounds.
Back in the confinement of the elevator, it
was as if America’s Next Top Model broadcasted live before
Anton’s eyes. The competition was between the two women as they
posed this way and that to see who could be more seductive,
alluring, and captivating to their judge—Anton.
When the two women stood in their many
fashionable poses, the “arms stretched out” pose, the “tilting of
the chin” pose, and the “staring over their shoulder” pose, both
were quite astonished because they could not detect any reaction on
Anton’s face.
It was Caroline who gave up first. Fern,
though, was reluctant to let it go. There was no way she was losing
Anton to that woman. What both women didn’t know was Anton had his
“hiding his inner feelings” skill mastered to perfection. He’d
learned ages ago that showing his emotions wasn’t going to benefit
him in anything.
When his parents died at a young age, he had
to grow up fast. He knew he didn’t have his parents to rely upon,
so he learned to do everything himself. His uncle had saved him and
he was thankful for that. Yet he still didn’t express his desires,
thankful enough that his uncle had brought him into his household
and raised him like a son.
To Anton, his uncle was his father and
mother. He was his everything, and Hunter was more than his cousin.
He was like a little brother that he cared for very much. He knew
ages ago that even if he had been named the CEO of Silverton
Enterprises, achieving so much at this young age, in the
not-too-distance future, the new heir would take his place and he
would be willing to step down. Everyone was just waiting for Hunter
to grow up, Anton included. And when that time came, he would then
marry Clarice and live with her. The sensible couple, they were a
pair matched by fate.
But why then did his heart thump when he saw
Fern posing herself in one corner? This elevator was too small. He
struggled for air. And Caroline, what had gotten into her? He
understood Fern acting this way since she was a bit weird, what
with speaking in third person and all that, but to see Caroline,
the quiet and sensible girl, posing like some seductress, somehow
it just didn’t fit.
Finally, the bell dinged, the door slid
open, and both women wound their arms around his again. Just as he
was about to step out, Caroline said something to Fern, which made
her cheeks leap into a full pink blossom, and before he knew it,
they were both shouting at each other again.
He was sick of this. He was only trying to
get to Clarice, who might be waiting for him down in the lobby,
when these two women decided to follow him like two hens fighting
over a rooster.
As he was about to make his escape to the
main foyer, he was pulled back into their bickering again.
Suddenly, a sweet, sensual voice floated their way, nudging through
the fight, and at once they all turned. And the sight before them
almost had their eyeballs dropping to the floor. Hunter, his
Casanova of a cousin, was carrying a woman in his arms.
Anton’s heart sank to the pit of his
stomach.
Clarice!
“Oh shit!” Hunter muttered under his breath
when he saw Anton, Fern, who was dressed to impressed, and—shit,
shit, shit—Caroline, the stalker.
“Are we there already?” Clarice asked again,
turning her face to look at Hunter. “I need to see Anton.”
Hunter’s eyes snapped back to Clarice.
Anton! Anton? Which Anton? His cousin
Anton, or someone else named Anton? How many Antons did they have
here in the hotel? Only one. There was only the Anton he knew, his
own cousin. Unless she planned to meet some old grandpa named
Anton. Yeah, that would make more sense.
Except reality didn’t make a lick of sense
when Anton approached him and then called out Clarice’s name, which
made the once sickly pale girl brighten up once again.
“Anton.” Clarice lifted her head from
Hunter’s chest and smiled, then turned to him again. “Please, put
me down, Hunter.”
He didn’t like the idea of another Silverton
knowing his avocado. In fact, he felt quite possessive over this
woman, so he just continued carrying her. His excuse was, “You have
blisters on your feet. I’m not letting you walk.”
“Hunter, let her down,” Anton demanded.
“I’ll take over from here.”