Chapter 44- Illusion

"It's official, your ex secretary is a cockblock"

"we are not telling him that though right? Juni called out just as she walked towards the door

"Who knows?"

Carmen stated as she walked towards the door, pressing the telecom button, she uttered a "coming"

She received him at the door

"Good morning, Mrs. Cartel "he said, neither of them heard Juni let out out a big stress sigh in the living room

"Almost was "Carmen replied with a smile in a sarcastic tone however leaving Mark in the dark on what the statement was all about. He however didn't seem a lot bothered by it as he gestured to the boxes in the hand resulting into carmen taking one from him "Ï brought this for Mr. Cartel, is he in?" he asked as he made his way in further while Carmen closed the door behind him

Minutes later, Mark made his way into the Cartel's sitting room with a bunch of boxes followed right by carmen with one box too only to meet an almost glaring Juni Cartel, she proceeded to go drop it in the extra room which was turning into a store for Juni's stuffs.

Mark smiled slightly noticing the little tense feeing in the air and just how red Juni's face was, after all he had never seen him in this state "Good Morning Boss" Mark said and dropped the boxes then pointed it "I believe those were the last of your things that you wanted me to bring over yesterday "Mark said dragging his tone slowly on the word "yesterday"

"Morning Beyoncé, how about you try calling first before coming over? "A sexually depraved Juni asked while Mark just stood there in a bit odd daze then his face lit up with a mischievous smirk and "then asked "Did I do something wrong or did I interrupt something? "he concludes with a smile still dancing on his lips then winked at Juni who in turn was still caught up staring at carmen as she turned to meet him while packing up the boxes all by herself and then sent a wink in Juni's way.

Mark let out a low chuckle just as Carmen was out of sight again and the glare Juni gave him was enough to kill thirty hired hardcore assassins. "Shouldn't you be on your way by now?" Juni asked him with a frown, however Mark just let out a sigh of relief and flopped on the couch beside Juni

"I'm not only here to drop off the rest of your things but also here to report for duty" He said while Juni's glare had soften, his look was now more of confusion and frustration.

frustration that Mark was still in the house while the confusion was about his ex-secretary 's last statement

"What do you mean?" Juni asked quite impatient o hear the explanation

"what do I mean what? "Mark asked right back, turning to face his boss while whistling on the low and feigning ignorance

Juni however was having none of that as, never one to beat around the bush, he dragged out with grit teeth "What do you mean you are here to report for duty, you have a job to get back to right?"

"Ohh, well, not exactly "Mark sated nonchalantly and so carefree like it was nothing important at all

Carmen stared at the two men as she grabbed the last of the boxes and walked quite slowly when exiting the room wondering what the tension was all about, she faced Juni almost trying to gain some information from him by just staring at him but her husband's attention was fixed on someone else who might have been the cause of the attention

"God, men are so much dramatic "she sighed as her feet echoed along with it while waling up the stairs

"what do you mean not exactly, Beyoncé? Talk now or get the hell out of my house" Juni threatened

"Wow, so I can actually still be fired "Mark replied slightly laughing trying to make a joke out of the situation but Juni face was having none of it as it still had the perfect hardened cold glare intact

"okay, okay boss. Thing is "Mark surrendered and proceeded to explain but the n paused probably for emphasis as he took a huge gulp before continuing "Thing is I RESIGNED" Mark finally concluded and for another first time, Mark saw a fast change in moods of his boss from anger to confusion to worry then to an expression he couldn't place his hand on

"Why?" Juni questioned, his voice as clear as day but the tone quite unknown, by this time though, Carmen had chosen to retired to her son's room to watch over him as the nanny directs him and all that.

Mark's laughter rang and echoed around the house as Juni stared at him in disbelief and sighed in relief right before a small smile appeared on his lips

"I do believe you will make a better Beyoncé than me since you are so much more dramatic than I thought. Gosh, did you see the look on your face?" Mark stated amidst laughter while Juni's small smile faltered a bit intentionally

"Technically, I can't see the look on my face since there's no mirror. two, I dare you to repeat that" Juni stated with a conviction while Mark came laughing however he didn't make any action to repeat his previous statement

"that was so funny still…" Mark 'inputted

You didn't resign, did you?" Juni asked in hopefully

"Of course not but Clara offered me a job as a stand in editor after all, I learned from the best" Mark said with a smile, his laughter had died down by now "Plus I got to hold your place till you get back, I promise boss" Mark added looking straight at his boss however Juni kept mute to the statement

"I don't want to talk about the past, I want to keep moving forward and that's just what I will do"

Juni stated and Mark smiled

Soon enough, it was noon and definitely time for him to leave after he had had a few refreshments which was of course provided by carmen for everyone in the house, He and Juni had talked about a lot of things but Juni at no stage mentioned anything about what he was going to do next, all he said was

"I'm going to do the next right thing "that's all he had uttered and after carmen joined in on the conversation, Mark had asked much to Juni's displeasure about the last night's event

"so why didn't boss become a legally missing person before he came home? "Mark asked with a chuckle, Carmen laughed lightly while Juni glared at his now ex secretary

"Don't you have to go now? Juni asked again for the second time that day but Mark was on a mission that day, a day to taunt the hell out of Juni Cartel, at least that's that's what Juni thought in his mind but none of them were not really expecting carmen's reply as she stated

"well, I couldn't just report him." Carmen paused and Juni smiled thinking she was about to say something quite sweet but that was not the case as Carmen added and concluded with a smile "I couldn't just report him right after I had bought a gun which I can only get a license for on Monday"

"whoa, that's a lot but I definitely do not blame you, I would have done the same "Mark replied and nodded his head mockingly in understanding earning him another glare from Juni while Carmen laughed

"So why isn't he a dead man yet? "Mark asked again as if it was the must normal expecting thing totally ignoring his boss's glare currently but Carmen just smiled and shrugged then replied

"well, he's lucky he's my husband "She replied

"Ohh he he" Mark exclaimed laughing now and was about to ask another when he got interrupted

"so…- "he was trying to say but another voice overcame his

"It's time to go, thank you and thanks for the visit" Juni said standing up and practically dragging his secretary after him who groaned slightly as he was being forced to move outside where his company car awaited him

"I still think I should have fired you when I had the chance" Juni said when they were outside letting go of Mark by then

"You could still be able to fire me now "Mark said laughing while Juni just let out a breath and directed him in a stern voice

"Get going already." He said

Mark smirked and replied while getting into his car quickly "really that eager to go and continue what I interrupted?"

Juni chuckled lightly for the first time that day "You are fired, Beyoncé"

Mark's laughter rang off the street as he drove off.

Juni went back into the house and noticed carmen was back upstairs with Derek, he wanted to go and join them but he just couldn't instead he dragged his feet towards the store where his office stuff was kept then closed the door behind him after getting in, he stared at the boxes as he leaned against the door letting go of his cheerful façade that he had kept up, he let out a sigh

"Keep moving forward huh?"

"What a illusion"

He muttered and the 31-year-old sacked editor slid down the doorframe with his head in his hands.