CHAPTER 12

Jace loosened his tie as Reynolds gathered the files from the huge mahogany table. The board meeting had went on for hours. Another hostile company takeover secured, another empire crumbling at his feet and he couldn't be more happier.

Mila lingered by the huge floor to ceiling windows, her silhouette looming against the city lights.

Reynolds clears his throat and said croakingly. "Sir, I will finalize the Tokyo agreement drafts." He bowed slightly and exited.

But Mila didn't move an inch.

Jace looked up from his tablet and tilted his head. "Any problem?"

She turned to face him with her arms crossed tightly and replied wonderingly, "You haven't said a word about Ethan's dinner invitation."

Silence. Then Jace laughed loudly as he poured himself a shot of bourbon, then he said incredulously, "Ethan? Cheat? Please. Six years of watching that bastard grovel at Stella's feet taught me one thing…he is obsessed with her." He slid a glass of gin towards Mila. "But he is also a drowning man. And drowning men clutch at anything in order to stay afloat."

Mila's long red nails tapped her glass repeatedly. "So you think he knows I work for you?"

"I think Montgomery Medical is bleeding, and you are the Band aid." Jace scoffed in reply. His smile didn't reach his eyes. "Go. Be careful. And if he asks about me or anything work related…"

"I will lie, ofcourse," Mila downed her drink. "I still feel this 'dinner' is a total waste of time."

The penthouse elevator doors slid open to reveal Ethan leaning against the marble foyer wall holding a glass of amber liquor in his hand. His tailored navy green suit strained across his shoulders, looks too tight, like he had dressed in a hurry.

"Mila." He said cheerily as his smile didn't reach his eyes. "You actually came."

"Your message was…incessant." She nodded.

"Oh I am a very persuasive man." He chuckled. His fingers brushed the small of her back as he guided her towards the dining room.

Mila stopped short at the sight of the table…candle light casting long shadows over china plates and red roses. "You set this for two."

Ethan laughed loudly and replied, "Stella is at her spa night. I thought we could maybe talk privately."

"About?"

"About…different things." He replied cheerily as he poured champagne and the bubbles fizzled violently. "Your new job. Your mysterious boss. How you have been…avoiding me."

Mila accepted the glass but didn't drink and added sourly, "You are engaged to my best friend."

"Oh come off it," he replied absentmindedly. "That wouldn't stop us from being friends now will it?"

Dinner was all smiles and fake laughter as the servants arranged the table with Lobsters and steak.

"Actually, you are so unlike Stella's other friends." He slurred as he sipped his champagne with his eyes resting on her cleavage. "I have always admired your loyalty."

Mila playing dumb, twirled her wineglass and asked amusedly, "Admired from where? Your fiancées shadow?"

Ethan's jaw tightened for a minute, but was soon replaced by the smiling mask and he replied calmly, "Stella and I have an understanding." He leaned in, lowering his voice. "But you are mysterious and I like that."

"And you are transparent." She replied sternly and pushed her plate away. "What do you want Ethan?"

Before he could answer….

"DARLINGS!"

Stella waltzed in, looking Lila blonde hurricane in a shiny black gown and Ethan jerked back like he had been burned.

"Hello Mila," Stella chirped. He smile was sharp as a blade. "We had missed you at brunch."

Mila stood up abruptly and said, "No need. I was just leaving,"

"Nonsense!" Stella rushed over and pressed her back into the seat, her grip firm like steel. "Ethan insists."

Ethan jerked back, champagne spilling onto his collar. "Stella! I thought you were—"

"Getting my nails done? So did I." She trailed a manicured finger along the table's edge. "So imagine my surprise when Claire texted that she saw Mila entering our private elevator."

Mila kept her face neutral and said calmly, "Ethan invited me to discuss the wedding postponement."

"Did he?" Stella plucked a rose from the centerpiece, shredding its petals one by one. "Because he told me he was working late." Her eyes lifted to Ethan's. "Lying to both of us now sweetheart?"

Ethan's Adam's apple bobbed as he replied squeakily. "I wanted Mila's perspective. As your friend."

"How….considerate." Stella slid into the chair between them, her perfume clashing violently with the floral arrangements. "Then let's all talk."

The air crackled with trepidation as everyone adjusted to the new development for it was not only unnatural, it was uncomfortable.

Stella poured the wine in everyone's glasses herself…a rare, poisonously sweet vintage like the mood of the table.

"Let's make a toast guys," she chirped devilishly. "A toast to old friends." She clinked Mila's glass with her eyes locked on Ethan and he flinched under her burning stares.

"So let us start with why you really postponed our wedding. Was it the board's pressure….or her?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Ethan replied as he wiped his lips with a shaky hand. "Mila and I have barely spoken since—"

"—since you stood me up at the Cafe Laurent last month? Oh wait, that was Stella's birthday brunch."

A vein throbbed in Ethan's temple.

"Oh my poor fiancé." Stella purred. "Trying so hard to be clever while Parkinson dismantles your family empire." She turned to Mila and added, "tell me, does the CEO laugh when he signs the acquisition papers? I imagine he is the type to savor it."

"He doesn't talk about Ethan at all." Mila replied as she raised her head to meet her gaze while sliding her untouched oysters towards Stella.

"Oh? Then what does he talk about during those…late nights at the office?" Stella curiously whispered.

Mila sipped her drink silently, watching the silent war unfold before her… Ethan's sweating collar, Stella's too bright laugh. The unseen tension coiling tighter.

Then—

"So Mila." Ethan blurted, obviously trying desperately to steer the conversation. "How is your boss? Parkinson right? You must really enjoy working with him for you look really good."

"He is fine." Mila replied curtly, without glancing up from her steak.

"Busy man I hear. Buying hospitals, crushing rivals…" he said squeakily and leaned in. "Tell me…what is he like? How old is he? Does he have a girlfriend?" He smirked at her. "It must really be unsettling working with a beautiful lady like you."

Stella's glass slammed down and she turned to look at him coldly. "Ethan Darling." Her voice dropped to a hiss. "Are you interrogating my best friend or flirting with her?"

The silence that followed was deafening.

Ethan cheeks paled under the candle light and Mila grinned inwardly.

Then Stella laughed shrilly, high pitched and brittle. "Oh relax! I am just teasing." She stroked Ethan's pale cheek slowly. "I know that you are a good boy. You will never betray me right sweetheart?"

"Wh—what?" He replied and cleared his throat nervously. "Of course sweetheart, why will you say something like that? That's unthinkable!"

"By the way…this dinner…whose idea was it?" Stella asked sweetly as her eyes shot daggers at Ethan who was still pale as sheet. "I know you can never come up with something like this."

Then Mila stood up abruptly and said sternly, "I will see my self out."

And this time, no one stopped her.

Mila's phone buzzed in the elevator and she answered almost immediately.

"So how was dinner?" Jace asked amusedly. "Enjoyed your meal?"

"That was the most uncomfortable dinner I have ever had. Never to repeat such again." She mumbled as she massaged her temple consistently. "Stella crashed it and Ethan was terrified. Also, you were right…he had invited me for Buisness information, but wasn't successful because of Stella's intrusion."

There was a pause. Then….

"Good." Jace laughed. "If he wants information this badly, let just feed him a wrong one."

Mila smiled. "That will be fun to watch."