ENIGMA

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

　

"It appears Mr Marquez has already charmed the majority of his staff members." Amelia observed the suddenly high-spirited staff as they exited the boardroom. Whatever worries or fears they once had, were now diminished.

"And you're one of the minority who hasn't fallen under his spell?" Juan smirked as his old, wise eyes glinted with mischief.

"Get your dirty mind out of the gutter old man." Amelia chided playfully. "I was only making an observation."

"Of course you were." Juan's smirked broadened into a smile.

"So what exactly is your opinion on the guy?"

"The guy?" Juan seemed to be once more, amusing himself at Amelia's expense.

"Is he an Earl, then? A minister, the president? You know pretty well I still wouldn't care any less even if he were some kind of king of some sorts."

"He's not bad. You seem to have forgotten we've already met before so it's not really a question you should be asking of me at this point in time." Juan's playful gaze dropped as he now adopted a more serious approach towards Amelia.

"Oh yes, how could I have forgotten? Please don't mind me. My mind has been completely scattered all over the place for the past few days. Heavy workload, I guess."

"Amelia . . ." Juan sighed heavily. He paused immediately in his tracks and turned towards Amelia. "I've been really worried about your recent behaviour."

"I'm sorry, I don't follow." She racked her brain trying to think of any irregular behaviour in the recent past, but couldn't seem to pinpoint anything. No one had complained about her behaviour as far as she could remember.

"Jonathan says you've been really stressed lately. A little more than your usual. Then there's also his worry of you seemingly being often unfocused." His worried eyes probed within Amelia's sea blue one's, trying to reach deep within her and locate any reason for her unusual behaviour recently.

Still, try as hard as he may, Juan couldn't get past the steady wall she had constructed around herself. It irritated him to no end that she felt the need to hide behind those walls, but even if he tried he couldn't be angry at her for that. After-all, it's not the kind of life she wished to have in the first place. 

"He did?" Amelia questioned, suprised.

"Yes. I must admit that I have noticed it myself. You're usually two steps ahead of all things work related, but you've been slacking behind quite often recently." Juan worried.

"I'm fine, Juan. It's just . . . " The thought alone as to why she felt this pressurized drained any last energy resources she had left in her body. "Philip, Dina and Gerrard wants to spend the holidays with mom and I. Or well, atleast that's what Gerrard said"

Juan was perfectly aware of Amelia's background and houehold situation. Perhaps not every detail, but definitely enough to know she hadn't had the easiest of upbringings. Gerrard and Juan were once close college friends before they went their own seperate ways. Juan had been pleasantly suprised to find Amelia was his old friend's eldest child, but even more, he was appalled that the once seventeen year old girl had had to shoulder the responsibilities her father should have taken care of and at such a tender age. Instead, he chose to walk out on his wife and daughter to start a new family. It was then that he decided to hold a protective hand over the young girl and support her further on.

"You don't want them to visit?" he enquired.

"It's not that . . . It's just . . . The house owner wants us to evacuate within the next two months and so far, I haven't been able to find a place for mom and I to stay, never mind Philip, Gerrard and Dina altogether."