Chapter 266: Playful Banter

By the time the women pulled in front of the restaurant Mina was filled with dread. Jessica had verbally slaughtered her during the ride and Mina was unable to defend herself.

In truth, Mina was planning on running. She had planned to leave her boss's phone in the restroom and sneak out the back. She was no longer completely without resources, as she had withdrawn cash when she and her boss stopped for breakfast in the morning.

What Mina did not expect was for Jessica to tear her plan apart line by line. Even more unnerving is that in her rant, Jessica had admitted to being sent to the place where Samuel and Bressaw had been. The way the woman spoke triggered Mina's guilt and the courage she had built up had shriveled into nothing.

"Mina I'm sorry if I overstepped, but it's not easy for women like me in this country. Please understand that if I could help I would." Mina flashed half a smile at Jessica before exiting the woman's car.

----

Cylus alighted from his vehicle the moment he saw Mina. She had not even made it inside of the restaurant before he came strutting up to her with a big smile. However, his smile was soon replaced with a frown when he saw how down and dejected Mina appeared.

"CEO Rue," Mina greeted.

"What happened? Are you okay?" The man questioned.

"I'll be fine," Mina replied. "Also, I'm sorry about my boss. I hope you know there is no obligation." Cylus scoffed.

"Let's go inside before you guilt yourself into depression. Also, drop the formalities. It's kind of erotic." Mina's eyes widened and she went to punch Cylus' arm, but he ran into the restaurant before she could catch him.

----

Mina sat at a table with Cylus, Connor, Oric and three other people she did not know. One of the two women was clearly interested in Cylus, and she kept giving Mina death glares, until Mina quietly offered to switch seats.

The evening moved on without incident, until Oric brought up a meeting he had with two Sclevanian businessmen. According to Oric, the men were rude and combative and often switched to their native tongue in the middle of a meeting.

Oric, unfortunately, did not speak their language, nor did his father and the men refused to use a neutral interpreter. Instead, they insisted upon bringing their own.

"Mina speaks Scleva," Cylus offered and Oric's eyes lit up like lights.

"Please come as my assistant," Oric pleaded. Mina tried to decline but Cylus spoke for her.

"Mina works, but I'm sure her boss will give her the day if she can pull in an additional investor." Oric shifted his eyes from Cylus to Mina, unsure of what the duo was trying to pull.

"How much do you need?" Oric asked. Whatever the amount was, it could not be more than what he stood to gain if he successfully signed a contract with the Scekv's.

"At current, the production is scheduled to go over budget by 75k," Mina admitted. "The return on the investment is 1.5 times the amount given."

"That is not a guarantee," Oric said and Mina nodded.

"Nor is whatever contract meeting you have with the businessmen you mentioned, and since that is the case you might as well cancel the meeting entirely." Oric smirked.

"A three-million-dollar deal cannot be compared to 75k," Oric said and Mina smiled brightly.

"Then I assume I can count on your investment?" Oric looked at Mina confused, and then he realized what he had insinuated.

"I will invest 50k. Get the rest from Cylus," Oric said bitterly. "And be ready tomorrow by 7AM." Mina nodded and sent Mr. Peter a text with Oric's contact details. Within minutes the transaction was completed, and the table resumed its playful banter.

----

Well into dinner, Cylus kept teasing Oric by calling him thirty seconds, which must have been an inside joke for the people around. Feeling lost, Mina mustered the courage to ask about the nickname. Her question was met with laughter so loud she turned beet red.

"Shut up!" Oric said to Cylus, who was almost doubled over in laughter.

"I'm sorry," Mina mouthed to Oric who was angrily massaging his brow. It was Connor who answered Mina's question, while Cylus and the other man Mina now knew was called Bastien, kept Oric in his seat.

"It all started when we were sixteen" Connor said and Oric flew out of his chair and covered the man's mouth. By this time, everyone was laughing so hard that Oric felt the need to defend himself, even though Mina did not know anything.

"Some stupid girl spread a rumor about me. That is all," Oric said and Mina nodded, she was content with the answer.

"Some girl?" Cylus questioned. "More like the love of your life." Cylus continued to laugh with the others, but Mina was feeling increasingly uncomfortable. She felt bad for Oric who was being ruthlessly teased, and although she did not know why, her heart went out to the man.

Mina reached out her hand and patted Oric's shoulder. She was trying to comfort him in the only way she knew how.

"Don't worry, not every relationship is meant to last long," Mina said, only to be startled into a small yelp when the table erupted further.

"That's right Oric, some last for years, others for thirty seconds." Mina tilted her head in confusion. She knew whatever she had said played into whatever joke was being told around her, and she was afraid to speak again.

"Did you say that on purpose?" Oric asked. His gaze was dark, and Mina held up her hands in surrender.

"No, no, no. I don't know what they are talking about," Mina said adamantly.

Thus, the night continued with a jab here and a jab there. Some were even thrown toward Mina, and when the people around her realized she was as thick as molasses when it came to anything between a man and a woman, their onslaught was unforgiving.

Mina left the restaurant with a red face and new knowledge of things she would never mention in public.

----

Jessica did not even give Mina a chance to decide if she wanted to run or not. As soon as she saw Mina exit the restaurant, she made her presence known and Mina quickly bid everyone goodnight before turning to leave with the woman.

"Is that her girlfriend?" Connor asked, but Cylus said nothing.

"She's cute," said one of the women, who made sure to speak loud enough for Jessica to hear, but she received no reaction.

"I thought you two were dating," Oric said, and Cylus finally replied.

"Not yet," he said. "But maybe soon."