Chapter 50 - Spill the Beans (1/2)
Olivia's decoy apartment
The sound of the doorbell brought the big and static apartment to life. Yana, who was busy in the kitchen seasoning the asparagus that lined up on the tray before it goes in the oven, glanced at the door with narrowed eyes and a single raised brow.
Who would buzz the door that early? It was only four in the afternoon and Olivia wouldn't be home until before six in the evening.
Yana stopped working on her dish and her eyes followed Secretary Gail, who walked from the hallway to the door with a poker face. The secretary had been her companion the whole day at Olivia's decoy apartment, cleaning and sorting stuff, making sure everything is even. Secretary Gail would give Yana instructions and pointers for the random occasions that Olivia would tag the little lass along in the future.
Now that Yana had an idea of what her day would be like, she downloaded a app on her phone, so she could read during her downtime.
”Look who's back,” Secretary Gail sneered when she peeped into the door's peephole before she opened it for their slightly expected visitor.
Yana had a hunch who that might be given at how many times the poor guy called Yana and Secretary Gail that morning.
”You looked like a dressed chicken, Jack,” Secretary Gail's comment earned her a puppy eye nod from the man outside the hallway. She gave the poor guy a once-over before letting him in inside Olivia's flat, patting his back in consolation.
This morning when Secretary Gail arrived just before Maxen and Olivia left the apartment, Jack looked like an esteemed butler — hair in place, uniform nicely ironed, and the air that he carried was upright and robust.
”Tell me about it!” Jack complained under his breath, afraid that the one who feeds him would hear his voice from a thousand miles away.
”Ever since my boss met your boss, it has been nothing but a series of crazies for me,” Jack whispered next to Secretary Gail's ear before he walked straight to the kitchen island where Yana waited for him.
Even before Jack stepped into the kitchen, Yana already knew he would be coming and so she handed her new comrade a piece of banana right away — which was his third for the day. ”Bring your own banana next time,” Yana's lips twitched as she warned Jack who didn't even flinch with her scalding tone. He accepted the banana and comfortably sat on the breakfast stool, his feet happily dangled as he ate the sweet tree-ripe fruit.
”Thank you so much for your generosity,” Jack said as soon as he finished devouring the fruit in his hand. He made his way to the compost bin and discarded the peel inside, washing his hands thereafter.
”His Highness, Prince Maxen, is on his flight back to the country and would be having dinner with Miss Olivia so you,” he pointed at Yana who pointed at herself too mouthing a 'me', ”yes, you, Miss Yana. You don't have to prepare a thing for tonight.”
”Excuse me, Jack,” Secretary Gail interrupted, her index finger pointed up in the air before continuing, ”but the president has a list of scheduled calls and meetings tonight. I'm afraid Prince Maxen has to move his dinner date to some other night.”
Since when did Jack call the shots in her turf? Secretary Gail couldn't believe what her ears just picked up that she had to inform him that Olivia's schedule had to be followed.
”Please don't say that,” Jack sprang up from his seat and pulled Secretary Gail's hands. ”They need to have that dinner date or else my boss would kill me with another list of laborious requests.”
The sudden attack of Jack took Secretary Gail by surprise. He was grasping her hands as if he was hanging onto her for his dear life. He pleaded with his eyes and his forehead creased three lines as he besought the secretary for mercy.
”Okaaay,” Secretary Gail freed her hands from Jack's constraint then continued, ”I guess I can move her last call so she could finish early. For your information, her meetings tonight would end at around ten in the evening.”
Even with Secretary Gail's warning on how late Olivia would be finished with her work, Jack looked seemingly more relieved as he took out his pocket square and wiped the beads of sweat on his forehead. 'Better to be late than never,' he thought as he mouthed a 'thank you' to Secretary Gail and went out and about to make the preparations for his boss.
”We're a team now,” Jack stated as he started to prepare his Hollandaise sauce from scratch. He saw Yana grilling asparagus earlier so he thought that the Hollandaise sauce recipe that he perfected would make the best dip for it. ”I'm not one to count one's chickens before they hatch but seeing how Maxen looked like a lovestruck fool, there's a high chance of the two marrying.”