C8 A Face-Time

Chapter-8: A Face-Time

Aria Anastasia

Yesterday was indeed a rough day for me, but a new day was a new beginning. With that motivation, I was sitting on the chair in my cabin.

I couldn't meet Lance after he left the room, and I felt bad for not having a proper meet-up. So I collected his number from Zaiden, deciding to text him when I had some free time.

Being indulged in work, I was distracted up until my phone chimed. I took a look at it, only to find a text from Kael.

Kael: Hello, my daughter. I am glad that you know it all. Now I don't have to feel guilty for hiding an important part a family should know.

A smile formed on my lips as my fingers moved rapidly to reply to his text.

Aria: Hey, Kael! I hope you are enjoying your vacation with Mrs. Storm.

Kael: Brisa made me massage her legs a few minutes ago. She is torturing me for no reason :(

I chuckled at the text.

I texted Kael some more until it was time to attend a meeting. I was supposed to handle the meeting on my own because everything was finalized. So I went to the meeting and concluded it after an hour.

Soon, after sending the documents to Zaiden, I decided to finally call Freja since it was lunch break. I haven't contacted my mom or Freja ever since I learned about Zaiden's secret.

I gave a face-time call, knowing I would get an earful from the two of them. In the first ring, Freja picked up the call. Her first words were, "What the hell is wrong with you, Aria Anastasia?"

"Is that my foolish daughter?" Mom asked, trailing behind Freja and looked at the camera. "Were you drinking for these few days, Aria?"

I shook my head with a chuckle. "I have been busy with work, Mom."

"You are unbelievable," Mom let out with a sigh. "I have been worried sick. Is work more important than your family?"

"Leave it, Amora," Freja interrupted. "It's high time you should adopt a new daughter. Besides, with your looks, none would believe you have a big daughter like that." She pointed her index finger on the screen, which was me.

I rolled my eyes. "Stop instigating my mom just because she looks young."

"I am young," my mom reminded me. "Looks like you are in your office. Y—"

Suddenly the door of my cabin opened. I heard the familiar voice say, "Aria, did you have lunch yet?"

I looked at Zaiden, my eyes growing wide in fear when I realized I was still on a call. I was afraid because if Mom and Freja saw Zaiden, they would tease me forever. They just need a male friend's name of mine to tease me.

"Aria, who is there?" Mom asked, and when I didn't respond, she further said, "Turn the phone towards him. I heard a male's voice."

"I think that's her boss, Zaiden Storm," Freja chimed in. "I saw that Greek God only in interviews. Let me see him live. Come on, turn the camera to him."

"Umm..." Zaiden was confused about what to do about the situation, whereas I wanted to bang my head on the wall. "Shall I go?"

"No," I uttered. I closed my eyes and sighed, before getting up from my seat. I walked towards Zaiden and leaned closer to him so that we could fit on the same screen. "Mom and Freja, this is my boss, Zaiden Storm. And Zaiden, that is my mom and Freja."

"Hello, Ms. Anastasia and..." he trailed off, not knowing Freja's surname.

I was about to say Freja's surname, but Freja said, "Call me Freja."

"Okay, Freja," Zaiden said and then looked at me. "You didn't tell me that Ms. Anastasia was so young. She looks like she and Freja are best friends."

"Actua—" I was interrupted by my mom.

"Oh, son, call me Amora. No need to be so formal." Mom further spoke, "Also, thanks for the compliment."

"No, really, Amora. You look so young. Are you sure Aria is not adopted?" Zaiden asked as I narrowed my eyes at him.

Just because my mom was young, how could he say I was adopted? Or did he mean I looked older than my mom? Did he indirectly call me old? Why was it bothering me in the first place?

"Not at all. Don't you see she has got my beauty? We almost look the same, especially with the same ginger hair," Mom commented, flipping her ginger hair back in pride.

"Mom, don't forget he's my boss," I reminded her. It was weird that she was indirectly trying to make him say that I looked beautiful. That seemed so unprofessional.

As if a boss talking to the family of an employee was professional!

Shut up, subconscious.

"So what?" Mom retorted. "Freja, don't you think Aria and Zaiden look nice together?"

"Mom," I breathed out.

Zaiden raised his eyebrows in amusement, not uttering a word. He was indeed liking this drama.

Freja looked at the screen after my mom asked her a question. Then she answered, "Of course, they look nice together. In fact, they look like they are made for each other." Freja added, "I heard that Zaiden is single, Amora."

Mom gasped. "Really? Son, can I have your num—" before she could complete her sentence, I knew it was my cue to cut the call, which I did.

"Why did you do that?" Zaiden asked, putting his hands in his pocket, as he looked at me.

I took a few steps back, avoiding the closeness with him. "I had cut the call because Mom and Freja would try to ship us together and even sail that ship. They really have nothing else to do other than tease me. If they learn any of my male friend's names, they would ship me with that person."

"But I found it amusing," Zaiden informed me. "Amora and Freja, they seem nice."

I rolled my eyes. "Anyway, tell me. What brings you here?"

He started speaking, "Well, it's lunch break so I wanted to ask whether you had lunch or not."

I arched an eyebrow. "And if I hadn't...?"

"Then we could have it together," he suggested.

I shrugged my shoulders. "I hadn't had my lunch yet. Let's go and eat together then. Let me grab my bag." I was about to go to take my bag from the couch, but he stopped me by grabbing my arm.

"Hey, you don't have to take your purse. Just take your phone," he told me and twitched his lips.

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. "The money is in my bag. Or shall I just take my card?"

He retorted, "That won't be needed as well."

His short and unclear responses were confusing me more, so I questioned, "Why not?"

"Because I am your boss and you don't have to pay when I am with you," he answered simply as if he took the responsibility of raising me.

"That's okay but I believe in paying for my lunch. I don't like to be dependent on someone else," I said with a smile.

He didn't have to bother to pay on my behalf. I was financially stable so I could pay for myself.

"I know you can pay, but I just want to pay today. Come on, don't flaunt your money, Aria." With that, he entwined my hand with his and walked out of the door.

I tried to wriggle free from his grip, but it tightened. I knew it was pointless to argue with him now, but it was awkward to hold his hand in public. People might think we were dating.

Wait, Zaiden wanted to pay for my lunch. He offered to pay most of the time but never forced me to not pay for my food. He respected my decision every time I paid it myself. But when a man insisted on paying, was it a sign of something else?

Were we going on a date indirectly?

I shook my head, trying to shove away my thoughts.

It wasn't a date. It was just two friends eating lunch together. Since I knew his secret now, he was definitely my friend.

I should really stop overthinking. It wasn't a date.

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