[39]
Leonel caressed his face roughly. He still couldn’t contain his anger over Ester’s behavior tonight. How could she act so recklessly? Not considering the risks that could occur to her? But finding her sound asleep next to him, he couldn’t bear it either. Sofi, who was in the front seat, occasionally glanced in his direction. Leonel noticed that. Meanwhile, Rio, whom he recognized as Ester’s driver, was driving at a steady speed.
“Thank you for taking care of Ester,” he felt the need to say that to both of them. Who knows what fate would befall her if it weren’t for the two accompanying Ester? It wouldn’t just end up in one hotel bed; there could be nosy journalists who would write news about her. Leonel couldn’t do much to stop it because Ester was at the peak of her career now.
Didn’t this woman think ahead?
“Yes, sir. We’re also glad you responded to my message quickly,” Sofi grimaced slightly. It was a bit rude to disturb the man, but Sofi did need his help. Otherwise, who knows what that rude man would do to Ester? Sofi couldn’t imagine that happening.
Leonel didn’t say much. He enjoyed the night they spent on the way to Ester’s hotel. Occasionally, he adjusted her position to make her comfortable in her sleep, even though he had to sit up. Several times, Leonel lovingly stroked the side of her head. He never expected Ester to do something foolish like this.
After all, Ester was a model; she knew the industry well. How long had Leonel known Ester? It could be said that almost half his life. From college until now, Ester had been by his side. She was balancing his every move and behavior. Leonel wasn’t always able to control his emotions, and Ester always calmed him down and made them disappear. Ester also provided him with a lot of support. That’s why he fell in love with this beautiful person. It’s a shame his extended family disapproved.
“I hate you, Leonel,” Ester murmured, causing him to turn his head. His previous reverie vanished, replaced by a saddened smile upon hearing Ester’s words.
“I hate you so much.”
Although her eyes were closed, her mouth could still utter those words. It was amusing. But if it could make Leonel laugh, he would have been laughing since earlier. What he felt now was the same pain. But he had made up his mind. The image of Chloe loomed stronger in his mind until now. Why couldn’t they be together? Didn’t Chloe previously accept that they would eventually get married? But why was divorce being proposed now?
Divorce was what Leonel wanted. He didn’t know about it now. His feelings were confused.
“You have every right to hate me, Ester.” He gently stroked Ester’s head once again. “I was the one who was wrong.”
“Cruel!” Ester said again. “What do you take me for, huh? Your plaything? My feelings are real, Leonel! Real!”
Leonel chose to readjust Ester’s sitting position. He was holding her slightly and letting her vent her frustrations while half-asleep. He needed to determine if his actions were right or wrong. But his desire to make amends with Chloe was strong. What he feared now was that Ester would wreck herself. And whose fault was that?
Leonel.
“Sir, we’ve arrived,” Rio informed as the car he was driving entered the hotel’s parking area. That also made Sofi prepare to assist Ester to her room.
“Show me Ester’s room, Sofi,” Leonel ordered promptly. He slipped his hand between Ester’s body and knees. He was holding the woman wearing a tight dress tightly and carefully.
“Alright, sir.” Sofi hurried to show him the designated room. Walking slightly faster because she knew Leonel was overwhelmed by Ester’s weight. It might not be evident on the handsome man’s face, but Sofi had to hurry nonetheless.
It took them only a short time to reach Ester’s rented room.
“Sofi, find some medicine for Ester and ask the hotel staff to prepare a warm drink.”
“Yes, sir.” Obediently, Sofi stepped aside after showing which room Ester was sleeping in. It seemed she also knew Leonel wanted her to step aside for a while, as was his habit in Ester’s apartment whenever he visited. Sofi probably spent her time at a coffee shop or browsing a bookstore.
She does not want to intrude on her employer’s privacy.
“Oh, you’re not accompanying Miss Ester?” Rio asked as he crossed paths with Sofi in the corridor. In Rio’s hands, Ester’s bag and shoes were held. “I wanted to give you these. They were left in the car.”
“There’s Mr. Leonel, right? You know how it is.”
Rio nodded in understanding. “Better for her to be with her boyfriend than that guy earlier. Who was he anyway? I suspect he wanted to trap Miss Ester. I’m also afraid of journalists, Miss.”
“Me too, Rio. But did you see anything suspicious?”
“No, not really.”
“Thank goodness.” Sofi gently patted her chest. “Come on, accompany me to find medicine for Miss Ester.”
“She’s asleep because she’s drunk, Miss,” Rio chuckled.
“Oh, you. How about some coffee then?”
“Sounds good!”
***
One by one, as he looked at the photos, it filled his heart with satisfaction. Especially one picture where the angle of the shot was just right. It created an impression of chaos more intense than reality, not to mention the CCTV footage he quickly obtained.
“Sir,” his assistant called, momentarily distracting him. There was a hint of displeasure on his assistant’s face, but because the assistant brought the documents he needed, he could soon delay his enjoyment of the newly acquired photos.NôvelDrama.Org owns this text.
“Do they agree?” the man, Josh, asked his assistant, Emir.
“They agree, sir. Everything went smoothly. Mrs. Ester didn’t make many changes to the agreement. The value offered is good, so Mrs. Ester didn’t object,” Emir replied.
“Even if she objected, you know which allocation to draw from,” Josh nodded.
Emir quickly nodded. “I’ve also emailed them the draft agreement, sir.”
“I don’t think I need the draft, Emir. I need to know whether they approve Ester as the new brand ambassador.”
“Alright, sir.” Emir nodded again. “Oh, by the way, sir. I was asked if we should release the news now or how. I’m not quite sure about the social media and Ester’s plan. Isn’t Ester herself an asset?”
“You’re right, Emir. Ester is a precious asset. Take good care of her. Do you know why? The scandal is not meant to bring Ester down. It’s meant to garner sympathy from the public.”
“How?” Emir didn’t understand his boss’s thinking this time. After what he did a few months ago, life was almost lost, but it turned out that Josh knew precisely what he had calculated. Emir truly felt that Josh always thought about organized things like this. Very neatly. Emir didn’t expect what he gleaned from the events a few months ago would lead them to this point.
“You’ll find out after this news is published,” Josh grinned with satisfaction. “And tell the journalists that this news is exclusive to them. I have no intention of selling it to anyone, including their side. You know how I work when things go wrong, right?”
“Understood, sir. I don’t think they would dare to do anything with such big news.”
“It’s not just big news, Emir,” Josh chuckled. He used his hands to support his chin. “News about Ester and Leonel’s affair has been suspected for a long time. But Leonel has a lot of money and many media connections.”
Emir chose to remain silent and listen carefully to his boss’s words.
“Unfortunately, I will open a news portal that will hold everything back this time.”
“But won’t it make Ester fall?” Emir asked.
Josh shook his head slowly. “What if we change the headline? Knowing his wife is disabled, a high-class businessman seduces a model who once worked for his company?”
Emir was taken aback but also smiled, realizing the cunning idea that Josh had. But he quickly realized that there was one victim here who, from the beginning, in Emir’s opinion, did not deserve to be mistreated; Chloe Delilah.
“What about Miss Chloe? Won’t that make her even more sad? As if all the blame for the affair falls on her, who is experiencing semi-permanent blindness?”
“Is it true, Emir?”
Josh’s assistant furrowed his brow, still confused about the grand plan that Josh had put together. “I still don’t understand, sir.”
“I don’t have to explain everything in detail, do I, Emir?” Josh asked with a slightly displeased tone. Perhaps hearing his previous statement made Emir nervously swallow his saliva. He immediately bowed his head. “Just enjoy what I’m going to do, Emir. Besides…” Josh started to push his oversized chair back. He stood up, taking off his glasses that perched on the bridge of his nose. He put his hands in his pockets and strolled towards the window near his desk.
The view of tall buildings around his office served as a backdrop. His eyes stared intently at them and the noise that accompanied them. The sounds of vehicles passing by and the honking added to the noise. But Josh was enjoying his days in New York City now.
Especially since his goal was becoming more evident. Chloe. Yes, only Chloe was what he wanted.
“Leonel will present the real show at his company’s anniversary party.”
Emir didn’t respond; his eyes were now focused on his boss’s desk. He looked at each photo where one man was seen hitting another man. Emir recognized one of them as Leonel Grisham Djaya. The other person he didn’t know, but seeing how his boss orchestrated the plan, that person must be Josh’s henchman. Then there was a woman dressed quite revealingly with a tall and slender figure whom he had met several times. Ester Gisela.
Then his eyes shifted to another photo where Leonel was carrying Ester. They entered one of the hotel units in Cattle Village. The reservation was made under Ester’s name, but Josh’s company covered all the expenses. Regardless of the photo’s angle, if Emir didn’t know that this was all planned, he might have been consumed by anger if he were Ester’s partner or even Chloe, who was Leonel’s wife.
“Prepare our meeting with Jana Group. They don’t mind an online meeting, right?”
“No, sir,” Emir blinked slowly. “I will prepare it.”
Josh let Emir leave his office. The smile still lingered on the corner of his lips. His heart was filled with joy because his well-crafted plan was going well and according to his desires.
“We’ll meet soon, Chloe. Do you still remember me, don’t you?” Josh chuckled. “Don’t worry. We have so many memories together, right? You won’t easily forget. I’m sure of it.”