Chapter 187: Famous Foe

Zane could not control the annoyed expression that took over his face when he heard the name that Mina spoke. Carl Marsor was a repulsive old man who had gone through three wives, and apparently, he was looking for a fourth. The only good quality about him was that despite being divorced, he still took care of his ex's financial needs even though Pan's laws did not require him to do so. Other than that, the man was disgusting, and Zane felt useless to Mina in the situation.

Although Zane was the acting CEO, he had not actually been voted into the position, and Mr. Marsor was not someone he could afford to offend before the vote, as the man held sway within the company and his one vote was sometimes counted as two.

"Mina, we will have to tell Ian about this. He is the only one who can help you get rid of that man," Zane said. He was not expecting Mina to strongly reject his suggestion.

"Please don't," she begged. "If he finds out…" Mina trailed off. "Just please. If it happens again, I will tell him myself, but can you keep it to yourself for now?" Zane knew the details of Mina's 'deal' with Ian and he did not need to dig further to understand Mina's concerns. Zane tactfully changed the subject.

"Fine. Let's talk about something else. How did your job interview go?" He asked, but he was met with a confused look from Mina.

"I didn't go to a job interview," Mina said. Zane looked at Mina's clothing and indeed, she was not dressed like a person who was attending a job interview and he could not place how he had come to that assumption.

"If not an interview, then where did you go?" Zane asked.

"I shot a commercial today," Mina said. Zane gave her a skeptical look before casting his eyes back on the road.

"Stop kidding around," he finally said. Mina was above all things, shy, and Zane could not see her as anything other.

"I'm serious. I shot a contact lens commercial today. Who told you I had a job interview?" Mina questioned. Zane sucked in a deep breath. It was Ian who had told him, and he realized that he should have learned his lesson about taking the man at his word for anything involving Mina.

"Does Ian know?" He asked.

"Doesn't he?" Mina asked. Zane shook his head. Indicating to Mina that Ian did not know. In his heart he felt that the news could be good or bad; he would not get involved either way.

"Well then, how did your shoot go?" He asked and Mina shrugged.

"Did you make any friends?" Zane asked as if he were talking to a child about their first day of school.

Mina silence was an admission of guilt. Sensing that she was hiding something, Zane looked at the woman through narrowed eyes.

"What did you do?" He asked.

"I think I may have made a famous foe," Mina said, as she shifted down into the leather seats of the Lamborghini.

"Who?" Zane asked.

"Director Matthew Porter." Mina spoke quickly trying to make it sound like no big deal. Zane glared at the woman.

"I'm telling," he said, and Mina begged him not to say anything to President Lee, but he was too angry to care. It seemed like Mina had a flare for getting herself into trouble with ruthless men.

"Do you remember that actress who had nude photos of herself released?" He asked Mina, who signaled that she did not know.

"Of course, you don't. Want to know who released the photos?" Mina did not need to ask who; she could tell from the line of questioning that it was Director Porter.

"He was being so rude to some poor girl, I couldn't just say nothing,"

"Mina, when are you going to look after yourself? Ian already told me about those guards you helped, not to mention you covering for Lisa pushing you, now you're rescuing strangers?" Mina was taken aback by Zane's rebuke. With her head down, she spoke her reply so low that he could barely hear it.

"What happened with Lisa and those men was my fault, but as for that director, I have no regrets. You don't know what it's like to be treated…" Mina stopped speaking and shook her head. She leaned against the car door in complete silence and Zane regretted lashing out at her.

"I'm not asking you not to do the right thing. I'm only asking you to use caution while doing so," Zane said softly. He was afraid that Mina was becoming reckless in her behavior, and he made a mental note to run everything by Luna.

----

Maggie was cuddled in Paul's arms when both of their phones buzzed. There was only one group chat they both belonged to, and it was from their Alma Mater: Wayvair. The message was about a notice that the university had released regarding a 'system error' that had omitted the information of one of its past students.

The announcement also referenced a correction made to the commencement speech website and it contained a link to the updated video. Now, instead of Maggie, Mina Harlow's beautiful smiling face could be seen as the top female graduate. Within a few minutes the chat had exploded into gossip.

[Maggie what is going on?]

[I thought you said that after careful calculation they found that you were the real head of the class]

[Everyone, I am just as confused as you are about it. I will check into it in the morning.]

[Didn't they reach out to you?]

[Somebody add Mina to the group chat.]

[I do not have her number.]

[Has anyone seen her recently?]

[I have. I heard she works as a bar girl now.]

[Me too. I heard that she attached herself to a rich old man.]

[Such a pity. She was such a beautiful girl.]

[She still is.]

[Everyone let's talk about this after I contact Wayvair. If Mina used her connections to snub me, I will not rest until she is exposed.]

[Good idea.]

The chat slowly died down as the participants eagerly waited for morning.