Raised Him Up.

This time Steve did not even took a pause to let his words sink in. "If anyone offers you anything to drink-"

"Kindly refuse them?" Ashley asked.

Steve met her eyes through the mirror, "Take it but don't drink it."

"Why must bother taking in that case?" The man on the driver's seat snorted.

Exactly! Ashley completely agreed with him.

"The higher-ups are going to hold a strong opinion on the prospective wife of their future head. You need to exhibit the correct aura and confidence to match our boss."

"So she can't even quench her thirst?"

"Mineral water would do."

"..."

Ashley could only nod. The hands of her mindclock once again rotating to think of the reasons. Why was she supposed to do all of this?

No.

The question should be, why Michael needed all of this to be done?

"That's it for now." Steve finally finished and simultaneously a long sigh of relief was heard in the car.

No need to mention who could it be.

When they pulled in the parking lot reserved for the VIPs in the Mystic Bar, another car was already parked there.

Steve got down first and went to that car. Within a minute, a long leg stretched out and eventually the body.

A man decked up in black tuxedo, looking as handsome as he could, was now walking towards their car. Even if his face had not been visible, Ashley would have still recognised him.

Michael Clark.

His walk was full of confidence, as if he owned the place. Maybe he really did but he made it certain that everyone else knew it too.

Just then, her brown eyes clashed with his cold ones.

Icy, infact.

They held no emotion, it was almost as if the depth in there was hollow.

And Ashley suddenly wondered. Had he ever cried? Did he have the reason to even cry?

For her, she had cried for two things only.

Parents and Money.

And he had both.

What could he have cried for then? He must have gotten everything at the call of his thoughts.

"Miss Parker." Ashley was brought out of her thoughts and looked around. The man on the driver's seat had pulled his seat back and made himself comfortable.

His intentions were quite clear, he was not following them inside.

Steve stood outside the car, waiting for her to be out. She took a deep breath in and got out.

Here they go.

Ashley had a quick look around to see if she needed to straightaway get into the act. There seemed to be no spectator around for now.

Michael threw a single glance at her but not to check how she was looking but to see if her look met his standards. The corner of her lips twitched as she stepped forward, not saying a word.

Ashley linked her hand in his extended arm. They headed to the elevator and eventually to the top and VIP floor of the Mystic Bar.

"I am telling you, he must be announcing something!" A man slurred, his words indistinct as his fingers moved in front of his drunk face.

He was telling that to his subordinates who had been trying to stop him from the next shot.

He was no good when drunk!

"Mr Sinclair, we got you but please calm down!" The boy who was the youngest among them, grabbed his arm and tried to politely sat him down.

It was until his gaze fell upon the couple who just came out of the elevator. "B-boss?"

The drunk man did not notice what was wrong. Mr Sinclair shook his hand out of the grasp and once more, pointed his fingers towards them.

His body naturally leaned over them.

"Boss! Exactly, that boy, you know was just a day old when I held him for the first time! Now look at him, such a personality!"

Mr Sinclair, a man in his mid-fifties and married with two children had his belly protruding more than the tummy of a nine-month pregnant woman.

All the higher-ups in the room sat straight. No matter whether they liked him or not, it was hard to avoid the aura that Michael Clark brought with himself.

He demanded respect!

Just his piercing gaze was enough to raise the goosebumps.

Mr Sinclair, however, was the exception. He noticed no such change in the environment. "I am t-telling you." The alcohol had gotten to his mind, making it hazy yet he did not cower away from saying more.

"That kid, it feels, was in my arms just yesterday." His lips wobbled, as if he was on the verge of crying. "And look at him today, ordering me around with that murderous gaze of his!"

But next second, his voice had changed, complaining.

Ashley's brows raised, what a scene!

She had not expected to meet with that. From her peripheral vision, she tried to grasp his emotions.

No expression, as expected.

"He is so-so scaryyy!" Mr Sinclair had just lamented that and turned around to face another group of listeners when his eyes went to a couple, standing silently by the entry gate.

His eyes squinted and he leaned his face to see if he was imagining it. The icy gaze pierced him once more and in no time, his wrist itched.

F***!

Mr Sinclair melted under that gaze, his expressions crumbling down to cry. Had it not been for the quick instinct of the person sitting by, Mr Sinclair would have fallen down right then and there.

Except for Michael and Ashley, everyone in the room fiddled nervously.

It's so awkward!

Although Mr Sinclair did not say anything inappropriate, it was not exactly appropriate too.