UNTIL DAWN

Chapter Fourteen

Egzod & Maestro Chives 

- Royalty

I took the elevator down to the parking lot, but it suddenly stopped on the second floor. My jaw dropped when I saw who stepped in. I could barely recognize her! Camille had dyed her hair into an ash brown and cut it short, but she still looked stunning.

"Camille?!"

"Hazel! Oh my poor lost baby! Is it really you?"

"In the flesh!" I exclaimed, hardly believing my eyes after all these years. 

What a small world!

She pulled me into a tight hug, and I couldn't help but giggle. Camille had always been like that back in Uni—full of energy and caring. She was a few months older than me and never missed a chance to remind me of it.

"Where the hell have you been hiding? I couldn't find you after graduation!"

"And here we are!"

As we exited the elevator, I filled her in on bits of my life since then, including my new job at Don Corp, though I left out a few details. We used to be close, but I wasn't sure if she was still the same.

Blame my trust issues. 

Sometimes I can't help it.

"What about you, what are you doing at Don Corp?"

"You know Debbie Emerson, right? I am her manager, even though she never treats me like one." she said, rolling her eyes.

"I had a break today because she had personal matters to take care of, that's what her message read."

"Really?! That's awesome! I mean, working at the same company? We'll have to grab lunch together starting tomorrow to catch up!"

She nodded enthusiastically, clearly liking the idea.

"By the way, how's Mike? Are you two still glued together like back in Uni?"

Just then, Mike stepped out of his BMW, catching our attention. Camille froze beside me, and I smiled. It looked like they hadn't crossed paths since college.

"I see you've got company," Mike said, kissing me on the cheek.

"Do you remember Camille? She works here too! Can you believe it?"

"Oh, I see. How have you been, Camille?" he asked casually, extending his hand for her to shake.

She shook his hand and to my surprise, Camille excused herself, saying her Uber was waiting.

"Seems like she wasn't that excited to see you," I teased, trying to lift the mood.

"Looks like it," he replied, holding the car door open for me to slide into the passenger seat.

I shot one last glance where Camille had disappeared before getting in, I didn't think much about it.

Ace's POV

Some people are just born to be a pain, and Debbie was at the top of that list, right alongside the shareholders itching for Dad's position. Those who once claimed loyalty to him as well as the company.

When Mr. Emerson, Debbie's father, brought up the idea of overthrowing me using her; a few of the major shareholders joined hands with him for whatever he had promised if he was to take over as the new Chairman. That was one of the stupidest idea from a man who was once wise and later got blinded by greed. He was the one who was sending me those paparazzi taking my pictures. They'd messed with the wrong people.

Thanks to Lexus, I was able to know the mastermind behind it and I was satisfied with the resources I got on every single one of them. If they wanted to play games, I was ready to step into the field fully equipped.

That's what I did with those old geezers. They needed to know who was really in charge.

Earlier, Debbie had stormed into my office, saying that she was over her nonsense of quitting her job. She was amongst the top models at Don Corp but because of the stunt she pulled off unannounced time off, I should have told her to go for good. Instead, I decided to give her a pass, knowing her career would crumble if I fired her. 

She was upset about missing the coming fashion shows for Miu Miu and Balmain, but it was a lesson she needed to learn. She had to learn to take work seriously from what I was told.

As I pushed open the conference room door, Jace on my right, the room fell silent, and everyone sat up straight. Mr. Emerson with his accomplices were present but none of them dared to meet my eyes. I ignored them and went straight to the point. The reason I did call the meeting for.

"We're not here to waste time discussing my love life," I declared, my voice steady. 

"You all know why you trusted Don Corp with your money—the profits and returns were too tempting to ignore, and they still are."

The shareholders began to murmur among themselves, and I let them. They needed a moment to process the fact that I wasn't going to quiver at their whims. They had to snap out of their shock quickly; I had a busy afternoon ahead and I still needed to meet Lexus at Vortex.

"I called this meeting to inform you that my engagement might or might not happen due to personal reasons I'm not obliged to share. I also want to show you how the stocks are performing to emphasize that my team and I are working tirelessly to grow your investments."

Jace launched into his presentation, but my mind drifted. I was relieved to have the shareholders off my back, but the real issue loomed ahead—how would I bring up the topic with Hazel? I hoped I was making the right decision.

At the end of the presentation, Gerald, one of the shareholders who were always in the shadows of the major ones, chimed in.

"I understand you have everything under control for now, but how can we trust that the stability of our money will last if you're not stable yourself?"

I clenched my jaw, but before I could respond, Eduardo, a neutral shareholder, chimed in. "As the CEO said, he's not required to share his personal life with us. What matters is the rise of the stock, and they've proven they're capable."

"Gerald, you're right. You don't know that your money will keep growing, and neither do I. Do you know why? Because you can't predict the future, and neither do I. I've done my homework and found no link between my personal life and the performance of your stocks. Don Corp has shown you what we can do. You either trust us or take your money elsewhere. We are done for today's meeting."

As I stepped out of the office, I loosened my tie, making my way to the elevator with Jace trailing behind, updating me on the remaining client meetings before we headed to Vortex, Lexus's club.

****

As I approached the entrance of Vortex, the pulse of the city faded into a distant hum, replaced by the thumping bass that vibrated through the air. The doorman gave me a knowing nod, his eyes scanning me before allowing me inside. 

The moment I stepped into the club, a wave of heat and energy enveloped me. The dimly lit space was alive with laughter and clinking glasses, the air thick with the scent of expensive cologne and mixed drinks.

I spotted my brother across the room, effortlessly charming a group of women who hung on his every word. He was a true Casanova—always the center of attention. My own exhaustion weighed heavily on my shoulders. 

After a long day, the last thing I wanted was to navigate the chaos of his social life. I pushed through the crowd, trying to get his full attention. Luckily he noticed fast.

"Hey, Casanova," I called out, trying to mask my fatigue with a teasing tone. 

"Ready to leave your fans behind for a bit?"

He turned, a grin spreading across his face, and in that moment, I knew that he was in for the whole night. I wondered where he got that kind of energy from.