Chapter 381: Rumors-3
Matthew scanned the venue looking for Mina. In the past, he had wanted nothing more than to exploit the girl's beauty, but now he saw the woman as a valuable asset that needed to be protected. Jay on the other hand was expendable, and he was not going to allow her to continue to use his employee as a stepping stone.
"Is that Mina?" Peter called out, not really sure if his eyes were deceiving him, but based on the woman's proximity to CEO Rue, he was sure he had his answer.
Matthew was also unsure if Peter had spotted Mina. It was only because of the odd grouping of people around the curvy woman that he gained confidence to continue. He made his way in Mina's direction knowing that if he found her, he would also find Jay. He collected himself as a professional and approached the chatting party with a smile as he did.
"Miss Mina, you have truly outdone yourself," Matthew said. He was also sure to compliment Miss Lisa, who wore a haughty smile.
"Thank you sir, I didn't expect to see you here," Mina replied. She noticed that her boss seemed to be looking for someone, although he made it appear as though he were staring at her.
Matthew scanned his eyes around the room, and as expected he caught sight of Olivia Kent. He excused himself and headed straight for that direction. As he approached, his steps slowed; he realized that standing right next to Olivia was not an unknown woman. It was Jay.
Matthew stopped in his tracks, not knowing if he wanted to continue with his plan, but as soon as he saw her smile, his resolve returned. He rudely interrupted the women and asked Jay if he could have a private word with her.
Thinking that he wanted to address the rumors that were circulating, Jay agreed. She wanted to escort Olivia back to her cousin, but Peter Twan appeared like a magician and agreed to 'stay by the lady's side'. Jay nearly fainted with how cheesy the line was.
"Her cousin is right there. If you try anything, he will hurt you and I'll get rid of the evidence." Peter smiled at Jay who was wise enough to subtly remind him of the beating he received. "Will you be okay?" Jay asked, and Olivia nodded. She was not so much afraid of Peter, but she did not trust him. Someone had drugged her that night, and her cousin had yet to discover who.
----
Matthew's original plan was to make Jay feel so uncomfortable that she left the event, but from the moment he saw her, his mind was changed. He no longer wanted her to leave, he wanted her to be seen with him, that way every other man, including Chris, would know that Jay belonged to him.
Matthew allowed Jay to lead him to a place where they could speak with relative privacy, but they could also be clearly seen by anyone passing by. It was a smart move on her part, but Matthew wished she would have taken them to a more secluded area, so the imagination of those watching could fill in the blanks.
"Director Porter, if this is about the rumors, I'm sure you know I wouldn't destroy my own name for the sake of entertainment. If and when I find out who is behind the spread, I will send their information your way. If there is nothing else, I would like to rejoin my friend." Matthew heard half of what Jay was saying, because he was too busy scanning her body, wondering why he had never realized how perfect it was.
"You think that your name is the only one being ruined?" Matthew asked. "Do you know how many projects have been affected?" He lied. Jay blanched, then furrowed her brows in anger.
"You think I care about your job?" She asked incredulously. "I still have to find a husband who doesn't believe that Mina, Olivia, and I were sucking on your toes." Matthew laughed. He did not mean to offend her, but that rumor was so ridiculous that anyone would find it funny. Jay went to walk away but Matthew followed her apologizing for not taking her seriously.
----
Olivia nervously watched Jay and Matthew chat in a nearby corner of the room. Jay looked annoyed and offended, and she wondered what the man could have been saying.
"He likes her," Peter said. "He just won't admit it. She is all he can think about lately." Olivia made a condescending noise in response.
"Director Twan, if you think I'm going to repeat that information back to Jay like they do in the movies, think again." Peter smiled, that was not his intention, but he could see how Olivia's mind would go down that road.
"Have you always been this quick witted," He asked, finding himself more taken with Olivia than he was before. The woman rolled her eyes without responding, but Peter did not mind at all.
----
Cylus had found Mina chatting alongside Lisa and President Lee. He hurriedly made his way in her direction, cupping her shoulders; asking why she had walked away while completely ignoring the man and woman behind him. It seemed that Mina had only just realized how her actions appeared.
Mina assured Cylus that she was fine, she was not angry with him, and she hoped he was not too hard on Olivia, who she had thrown under the bus. Cylus took a reassured breath, that was interrupted by the nagging voice of a woman he once loved.
"I know you have heard the rumors about her. Someone has already approached with intentions. If I had not pulled Ian to figure out what was going on, there is no telling what might have happened." Lisa tried to make her tone sound concerned, but Cylus glared at her, wondering why she had mentioned the rumors he was trying to keep from Mina.
"Don't worry," Mina said to Cylus. "I already know about them. Is that why you have been so weird tonight? Were you trying to keep me from finding out?" Cylus gave her a guilty nod and Mina smiled warmly.
Mina thanked Cylus, wishing once again that his face did not mirror her father's. She did not understand how Lisa could have let go of such a good person, but then again, she was glad the woman had. Cylus deserved a woman who would cherish him, not someone as self-absorbed as Lisa.
Ian stood there watching Mina and Cylus interact with one another, and it literally took everything within him not to explode. He wanted nothing more than to pull the pair apart and drag Mina out of the venue, but part of the reason they had been pushed closer together had been him. If he had not given Mary the fuel, there would be no fire.
Ian could not pull his eyes off of Mina, who looked so amazing that every man, including himself, young and old had been watching her for most of the night. She was simply perfect, and black was a color that suit her well. The makeup she wore made her eyes appear even more unearthly, and if Ian were honest with himself, those amber orbs were one of his favorite things about her.