14: PARTY

The rose pink and white tiles in the washroom under a yellow dim light give the space an elegant shine. The lukewarm water with fragrant oils of jasmine and ylang-ylang fills the bathtub with it's a sweet scent that gives a relaxing feeling to Wang Xiu's bare body while humming herself to the tune of music from her mobile phone resting on top of a wireless speaker behind her.

As the music begins, the woman sings along to the lyrics while rubbing her body with a soft silicone brush on her hand.

Suddenly, the music stops, and the phone rings with a familiar name flashing on the screen.

HONEY

Wang Xiu picks up the video call while still in the bathtub. She doesn't mind if the woman sees her half-naked, they both saw each other more intimately before and never have any malicious intent. They stay best friends, telling each other their naughty escapades and keeping each other out of trouble.

"Hello!"

"Hey! What's up Xiu!" 

Honey waves her hand from the other side of the screen. Sitting on the table along with a coffee in a tall plastic container. The shop has a lot of people coming in and drinking coffee and Wang Xiu can hear the noisy chat in the background.

"This is a surprise."

"The surprise is Li Jun calling me if you slept at my place last night."

"I told him I stayed at your place."

"Which is impossible because I'm not there, I'm still here in Singapore."

"I know, so what did you tell him?"

"You have keys to my apartment which you don't have."

"Thank you for backing me up."

Wang Xiu laughs at the woman who curls her lips to pout at the unwanted inquiry from Li Jun. They know each other too well not to bother themselves to question why the woman used her to lie against the man.

"Why is your perverted cousin checking up on you like a boyfriend?"

"Stop it! If someone hears you…"

"I'm telling you, don't let yourself get drunk when your cousin is around, or it's "Sweet Home Alabama" to you girl."

The woman references the song, not for the catchy country type lyrics but its modern meaning of incest. Staying in other countries for too long makes Honey absorb the culture of foreigners and it also made the woman vulgar with her words. 

"When are you coming back?"

"Why you wanna FUCK?"

"NO!!!"

"Ohhh...The resisting NO sounds like you just got laid."

"You don't want to know."

"That makes me want to know more."

"Call me when you get back."

"Sure, Xiu."

The call ended fast and Wang Xiu set her music back on her mobile phone. She has a lot of things to say to her best friend but she rather says it in person.

Wang Xiu dips herself back to the water and relaxes her body. She has a date tonight with director Ang Lim and has to show her most radiant self for someone she has longed to see.

π - π - π

The Hotel Jeni in the heart of the central business district boasts its city skyline and best amenities. The club Barrel Smith holds one of the largest bars, hosting various famous events in the country and one of them is the National City Broadcasting Corporation's CEO Yang Fei Hong's birthday.

The event is exclusive to those who are only invited with security personnel checking everyone at the entrance of the club. CEO Yang has many detractors and she makes it certain that none of them will ruin her special day and that her guest will feel secure at the event. The personalities getting in is composed of famous actors and actresses from local and foreign countries. A few politicians who like social gatherings and known veteran or new directors and producers that the CEO has hired before in her television showcases.

"You look very beautiful." Ang Lim smiles, whispering compliments to Zhang Wang Xiu standing beside him and holding his arm tightly with her delicate hand.

The woman's elegance is glowing with pinkish skin enhanced by the white long sleeves satin dress with a deep V-neckline that shows the middle of her chest and reveals the side of her breast. The flowing skirt reaches an inch above her ankle with a slit on the right side that starts from her thighs down to her legs and with her glittering 3-inch heel shoes, she towers over her date. Her hair is styled in loose curls with a white star-shaped diamond pin over her left ear to make her look neat and at the same time, enticing.

"Thank you director, you look handsome today." Wang Xiu turns her face and smiles to flatter the man beside him.

Director Ang Lim wears a navy blue suit that makes him larger than what he already is. The white shirt and blue tie look smaller from his wide body and he would often move his neck to let air get in. His thin black hair is brushed up and wet from the gel that makes him look slimy than clean however his expensive black leather shoes are elegant on his feet.

At least he got one thing right, Wang Xiu thought.

"Just for today." The director replies, cackling at his features that make Wang Xiu smile.

When they enter the club, a woman in a black suit greets them, offering a glass of their expensive champagne. The center of the club has a high ceiling with spotlights for the live band playing in the middle of a round stage. On the left side are the stairs leading to more lounge chairs for guests to sit in. Opposite the door is the long wooden bar table where twelve large barrels are adjoined at the wall behind it, making the club look like a large storage room of wines and beers.

A famous band plays with hip music where most guests dance to the tune of the beat. The celebrant stood in the middle of the crowd, clapping her hands and laughing loudly with friends and guests around the woman.

Chief Executive Yang Fei Hong is one of the biggest shareholders of the National City Broadcasting System, the leading media group in the country with cable affiliation internationally with a reach of a billion viewers worldwide, making her the top female CEO in the nation.

Yet, the woman is known not only for her vast wealth but for her tenacity and candor. She speaks her mind and no one dares to fight her. They called her Silver Fox or Yin Hu for her all-white long pixie haircut, elongated face, and slender figure. Turning fifty doesn't make her look older but more elegant with a fierce charm that anyone would not dare say no.

"Happy Birthday CEO Yang!" Ang Lim greets the woman as they approach the celebrant. The wide smile on the woman's face is fixed for anyone who introduces themselves to her.

"You are getting fatter!" Yang Fei Hong shouts at the man tapping both of his arms and making a wide eye gesture.

The band playing music makes it hard for them to hear each other in a normal tone so they shout to make the message clear for each other.

"This is Ms. Zhang Wang Xiu, from Long Construction." Ang Lim announces holding the woman's waist while introducing the CEO who's smile suddenly gets wiped away noticing the man's gesture.

"Ms. Zhang, it's been a while." Yang Fei Hong made a cheek to cheek kiss, holding her waist with both hands to push away the director's grip on her body.

"CEO Yang, I didn't know you already knew Ms. Zhang." The director flushes his cheeks and sweats his forehead learning that Yang Fei Hong knows the young woman he tries to take advantage of.

"How's Min Ah?" The silver fox ignores the director and stares at Wang Xiu, wrapping her hands around the small waist of the woman.

"We haven't been in touch." Zhang Wang Xiu whispers in the woman's ear while the CEO holds her body close, making them smell each other's scent. The crowd masked the woman's advantage to touch her waist but she didn't mind.

Zhang Wang's sole purpose is to meet the celebrant, CEO Yang Fei Hong, and let the woman see how beautiful she has become. Far from the naive girl that Park Min Ah took in her wings. She wants the woman to smell her, entice the Silver Fox to let her know she's on her way to make herself the CEO.

"I'm glad you are." Yang Fei Hong mumbles in the woman's ear before another guest disrupts their conversation. She untangles her hands out of Wang Xiu's body and pulls away to meet the people who came in to greet her.

Wang Xiu walks away from the crowd and sets her hands back on the director's arm. She didn't take a glimpse of the CEO again.

"Let me introduce you to one of the best actresses here." The director says guiding her to one of the corners of the bar where a group of people stand to take a picture with a beautiful woman.

The celebration continues with the presentation of the CEO's enormous cake made by a famous pastry maker in the country. A five feet tall cake with five layers made out of edible gold decorated with real pearls is one of the most expensive cakes made in a country and the CEO now holds the record of it.

Wang Xiu escaped the director's company by making an excuse to go to the lavatory. She went to the second floor at the corner of the hall with a glass of champagne in hand, scanning the entire vicinity for the celebrant, but the woman is nowhere to be found.

"Were you looking for me?" A woman's voice made Wang Xiu's skin shiver. She assumes it is the Silver Fox that she is searching for in the crowd below.

"Why do you think that I'm looking for you, CEO Yang?" The young woman asks without turning her head. She leans over the glass railing of the hall and lets herself focus on the people around them.

"You wouldn't date that sleazy Ang Lim if you are here just to meet some celebrity." The CEO replies, walking in her direction and standing close to her spot.

"He's a promising director and I'm working with him on a project" Wang Xiu defends herself, trying to hide the purpose of her choosing the director. 

"Have you thought of becoming a CEO?" Yang Fei Hong inquires, gazing at the young woman from head to toe, scanning the elegance that Wang Xiu shows that makes her bite her lip from anticipation.

"I'm only a niece." The young woman answers. Wang Xiu wants to use the same words the CEO uses against her. She takes a sip of the champagne on her glass and turns her face to stare at the Silver Fox.

"I'll give you my full support when you become a CEO." Yang Fei Hong offers, reaching inside her white coat to get a black card with an embossed gold logo of the hotel and the number of the room "....but I require something before that." The CEO added.

"What is it?" Wang Xiu raises her brow and gazes at the woman's eyes.

CEO Yang Fei Hong put her index finger on the bottom of Wang Xiu's exposed chest, sliding upward between her breasts with the black room card still in the woman's hand and giving it to her after the intimate gesture.

"My offer only stands until midnight. I am only generous on my birthday." The CEO whispers directly into her ear and walks away with a mischievous grinned on her face.