Date The CEO.com

Chapter 142: Pulled by Invisible Strings

Eve changed clothes once more.

She shredded off the crimson and took out the amber contact lenses. Her stylish clothing was replaced by a more comfortable one. Having borrowed Andie's wrap dress, the black fabric hugged her body and the A-line cut skirt ended around her knees.

When she pulled up her glasses, she felt her body relax. 

She finished off the outfit with a pair of white sandals.

"Well, don't you look fancy," Cale commented. They had stopped by the rendezvous point. Two different vehicles were parked outside the abandoned shed. Nanzie had hidden herself while another member of the security team stood by.

"It's a special occasion and Andie insists I dress up." Eve sighed. The good thing was how soft the dress felt on her skin. It almost seemed like a t-shirt. She reached for a hug. "I'll see you next week."

"I wish we could meet more when you're not wearing a disguise," her modelling manager lamented. He squeezed her shoulders once before pulling back. "I'd love to spend more time with you without raising suspicion. Are you sure you still want to be a secretary?"

Eve chuckled at his attempt of swindling her. "I'm sure. There's still a lot that I need to learn. It's not everyday that an average person gets to work with one of the country's top CEOs."

"Oh, yeah," Cale nodded in agreement. "I also heard dating him is even rarer."

She nudged his side playfully. When this was all over, one thing she'd never forget was his kindness. Maybe she could do something for him. It was a good thing that he was aware of her double identity. They could keep in touch.

He was a friend to both sides of her.

"Take care now, darling!" Cale waved as he slid inside a car. It left first to mislead anyone on Evangeline's trail. The rest waited for a certain amount of time. The perimeters had been double checked. They found no one for miles, green-lighting their exit.

Then, it was Eve's turn to go back to the civilization.josei

She switched to a standard taxi halfway back to her apartment.

"Hey! How was the shoot?" Andie asked, opening the door ahead of her. Her mint dress puffed at the sleeves which wrapped below her shoulders. It cinched at the waist and draped straight down her legs. White chunky heels covered her feet. 

"It was good. Are you ready to go?"

Eve checked the time on her phone. Her gaze glossed over the notification icons. None of them resembled what her subconscious hoped for. Her thumb unlocked the screen and pulled it down.

It still wasn't there.

Then again… did she even reply?

"Picking up my girlfriend?" A new voice flowed into her ears. Jarrett wore a gray suit over an open white dress shirt. He leaned against the doorframe, mischief dancing in his sky blue eyes. "Why? Is your boyfriend unavailable, love rival?"

She rolled her brown ones. "Put a sock in it."

"How about I just never bring French macaroons again?"

Her lashes fluttered at the threat. "Did you bring any today?"

"No."

"Then, I don't care." Eve fumed and gave him a sarcastic smile. "I am a strong independent woman. I can afford my own French macaroons. Or even better! My roommate can bake them for us to eat together while watching Netflicks on the couch."

Jarrett's lips stretched into a tight smile. His eyes squinted in the process. A loose strand of his medium blonde side bangs fell over his forehead, tickling the bridge of his nose. His silence spoke more volumes than his words.

Andie pushed him out and locked the door.

"Oh, would you two stop," she scolded them. Her keys rattled as she jabbed one into the keyhole. "This time, not just for my sake but also for the girls. They love you both and would love to have a peaceful time with you together."

Eve tilted her head sideways. "Since when did we not get along?"

Jarrett stood beside her and mimicked the movement. "I think you're seeing things, love."

"..." Andie gave up. She still couldn't understand it after all these years. Somehow they found their 'rivalry' enjoyable. In the same way, she still found herself slightly nervous when it dragged for too long.

The fear that she'd lose one or both would tickle the back of her mind.

She shook her head, tossing the idea out of her thoughts.

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The Magical Symphony rented out an auditorium for the last summer weekend. Families flocked in front of the entrance. The building had a dome roof and floor-length glass doors. Staff workers handed out pamphlets. It showcased the lineup for the recital.

The pages were divided into two. Each one had a photo of a student and a short description about their musical passion. The sepia filters added a vintage touch, seeming to have been taken from the peak of classical music.

Eve walked ahead of the couple and scanned the crowd. 

"Aunt Georgie!" She yelled, waving her hand in the air. The old woman turned at the sound of her voice. She and her companion headed over. Eve greeted them with a wide smile. "How are the twins? Are they nervous?"

"Not at all!" Georgie beamed. Fuschia pink pigment coated her thin lips. Pearl droplets hung on her earlobes. She picked out a floral-patterned periwinkle dress for the event. "I can't wait for you to hear the results of their hard work!"

"While I can't wait to have my peace and quiet back," the teenage boy grunted behind her. His rusty brown hair stuck up in different directions. The color matched the freckles around his fair nose. "If you didn't suddenly need me every other minute, I could have blocked them out with headphones."

Georgie hit the back of his shoulder. "Gin!"

His face scrunched in pain. Rubbing the sore spot, he proceeded to defend himself. "What? I'm just telling the truth. You told me I should always be honest."

"But I also taught you to not be rude."

"Well, the truth hurts sometimes."

"Gin!"

Gin averted his stormy blue eyes. They landed on the only other male party of the group. He let go of his sore shoulder and lifted his arm up for a pound hug. "Hey, Jarrett. How's it going?"

Jarrett kept his left arm around his girlfriend's waist and returned the handshake—minus the one-arm hug. "Good. I'm surprised that you're not wearing your pajamas out today."

The teenager went red in the ears. "I have outgrown that habit!"

Georgie laughed heartily. She remembered those days. The boy disliked pants, claiming that the denim fabric was uncomfortable. Anywhere he went, he'd use his pajama pants. If possible, he'd wear them underneath jeans.

She cherished those memories.

"Did you now?"

Gin groaned. Head snapping towards his right, he pointed an accusing finger at Jarrett. "Sis, what do you see in this guy?"

"I don��t know." Andie snorted. Then, her gaze narrowed into a pointed look. "What do you see in him? You always ask about him whenever I—"

"I do not!"

"Yes, you do."

"Do not!"

"You do."

"Children," Eve interrupted. She positioned herself in between the two siblings, raising a hand towards each of their faces. "Don't argue in front of your mother. Other people might see her as a bad parent when she is the sweetest one around here."

The old woman chuckled beside her. "Thank you, Eve."

"Don't mention it, Aunt Georgie."

"Kiss-up," both Andie and Gin muttered.

Eve widened her eyes at them. She pinched her fingers together and pretended to zip her lips. Andie recovered quickly, completely aware that it was only an act. Gin, on the other hand, crossed his arms over his chest and huffed.

His scrawny frame made him seem younger than he looked. 

The screech of a megaphone caught everyone's attention.

Mila stood on top of a podium. Like the rest, she opted to wear her Sunday's best. Her curly ginger hair parted above the head of her eyebrow and framed on either side of her face. She chose a classic blue V-neck that reached below her knees. Gold hoops dangled on her ears.

"Good afternoon, everyone!" She spoke through the megaphone. It distorted her voice so she emphasized her enunciation. "I hope you had a good lunch. We'll be starting soon. The pamphlets contain your seat number. Please do not lose them. We follow a 'first come, first serve' approach so those who arrived first will be seated near the front row."

"VIPs, please use the side entrance. The rest please follow the ushers at the front. Hope you enjoy your time!" Mila concluded, hopping off the podium. She let the rest of her team implement their protocols.

Eve checked her pamphlet. They were part of the last ones to arrive. She guessed that they'd either have seats near the back or up on the second floor. Since Georgie and Gin arrived before them, they would have to split.

As the crowd fell into two lines, a black Mercedes-Maybach S650 rolled into a secluded parking lot, followed by a few sedans. Valets on standby approached the vehicle and opened the passenger door.

Silver heels stepped out of the car. 

Unlike most of the ladies present, this woman chose a wide-leg jumpsuit in marsala.

"Seems like we arrived just in time," Avery remarked, staring at the building. 

Ambryan handed the keys over to the valet. "We would have been here sooner if you had started getting ready when I told you to."