Chapter 264 - Biting The Flesh

"Excuse me," Mimi said after clearing her throat. It was enough to snap Elsa from her stupor.

Taking a side step, Elsa bowed and apologized to every pair of legs that passed by her. She was simmering with anger that she didn't notice the elevator doors opening.

She felt a tap on her shoulder, and when she peered up, all she saw was the retreating backs of whom she guessed were big bosses in the Yang Corporation.

Boarding the elevator car, she pressed button number seven, so she could go down the seventh floor where the smoking area was.

From the elevator to her way outside, she was grumbling curses under her breath and it was evident that the entire time she was snaking her way out to get some air, Elsa was simmering with rage.

Earlier, she just came back from the loo when she saw the IT team hovering in her workstation. As she stepped closer, she saw them confiscating her computer.

She begged the pair of spectacled lads if she could get an important file but was met with cold shoulders.

Virus was a virus they said, and they didn't want to compromise the rest of the computer stations, leaving Elsa no room for argument.

Elsa blamed herself. She was a bit excited that she forgot to save an extra copy of the article she wrote in a flash drive.

To make matters worse, her workstation was the only place she saved the article, photos, and clippings she dug up in the past days.

It was a rookie mistake of her by putting all her eggs in one basket. She could make another article, but it won't make it in time before the Hope Gala when it was her target date.

She had an inkling that Olivia Lin and Prince Maxen would attend the Hope Gala. That was why Elsa intended to have that article posted before the event to create enough buzz and entrap the two into admitting their relationship.

None of what Elsa had in mind mattered now after all her hard work was locked away in a dark room with blinking green and red lights. And Elsa's chance of being the person to spill the first scoop about the two was turned into dust.

Kicking the innocent trashcan in the corner, Elsa dug her cigarette and lighter up from her pants pocket. She was halfway through the stick when she felt an overbearing presence beside her.

"Would you mind if I bum one?"

Elsa almost dropped her cigarette stick. Her eyes opened wide in shock. Standing in front of her was her idol, a multi-awarded news anchor known around the globe.

"Sure sure sure sure," Elsa stuttered. She offered a stick, and held the zippo closer to the tip so her idol can light it up with ease.

"Don't tell others you saw me smoking," her idol warned, to which Elsa replied with a triple nod.

Elsa stood guard as if her life depended on it. She never left her spot even when she was done smoking, afraid that someone might see her idol smoking.

She didn't bother to make small talk. It was obvious that her idol wanted some peace and quiet, so she just stood there like a good guard dog.

When her idol was done, she trailed behind as they sn.a.k.e.d their way back inside the building.

Stopping by the elevators, Elsa noticed a casting call glued on the wall which she failed to see earlier when she passed by.

'Integrity above all else.'

Elsa ran her fingers along the slogan, and she felt something ignite in her heart. It was her dream to become a news anchor that was why she applied at Yang Corporation right after university.

Her heart raced like a speeding bullet train, pushing away her devastation earlier for losing her article.

It had been a while since they posted an opening in the news room, and Elsa was hell bent to covet the position by hook or by crook.

"Interested? You can apply. You have the looks anyway," her idol commented, eyeing Elsa from head to toe.

Elsa bit her bottom lip and bowed to hide her blushing cheeks. "Thank you for your compliment," Elsa responded.

The elevator dinged and the two boarded it. A soft jazz music played in the background as they were lifted higher above ground.

Else peeped at the digital counter and knew her chance of speaking with her idol was getting slimmer the closer they got to the News Team's floor.

S.u.c.k.i.n.g in a deep breath, Elsa took the opportunity to ask for some pointers that would help her in the casting call.

"I hope you don't mind me asking, but is there anything that I should prepare myself with?"

A smirk painted her idol's face as if the question was offending.

Elsa wrung her fingers, and even when she wanted to cower and bow, yet again, she maintained eye contact with her idol.

"Prepare to whore yourself, not just once, but as many times as they ask of you. As long as you can stomach that, you'll go a long way… just like me."

Biting the flesh inside her cheeks, Elsa remained calm. She swallowed the sob that threatened to escape her lips.

"Thank you. I'll keep that in mind," she responded with a blank face.

Jamming a finger on level button five, which was Elsa's real working level, a corner of her lips then quivered, and she had to look up the ceiling to prevent her tears from falling.

Arriving at her department's floor, Elsa checked her reflection in the steel doors, and smiled. Just before the door split apart, Elsa made her up her mind to do whatever it takes to climb up the ladder.

...

Hours later, the sun was sliced in half by the horizon, and burnt orange and grey splashed the sky.

After sitting inside the shareholder's meeting, Tristan was ready to call it a day; however, he remembered to share a news to Olivia.

"Where are you?" he asked as soon as the call went through.

"Hello to you too, Mr. Yang," Olivia greeted. "I'm at The Pond."

"Okay. I'll meet you there. Wait for me." Without waiting for Olivia's reply, he ended the call.

He didn't want to speak more during a phone call, especially if there were other people present around him. Tristan also hoped that Olivia would get the hint.

...

Initially, The Pond was a ten-minute walk from Yang Corporation. But because of a certain royal couple dating in the vicinity, the place was closed to the public, and Tristan had to orbit around to the designated entrance and exit point of the royal secret service.

By the time Tristan reached the fork road that would lead to it, the top two buttons if his dress shirt was open and his suit jacket was hanging on his folded arm.

Shadow snapped in attention upon seeing Tristan, and jutted her thumb towards the pond where Maxen and Olivia were.

Shaking his head, Tristan couldn't believe how the couple acted as if their matching outfits straight from the 90s would make them appear like an average joe.

Even with the eye-popping neon geometric windbreakers and Maxen's hideous orange cap, the two still stood out like models from a magazine.

He was a few steps closer to the couple when Tristan rolled his eyes upon seeing Maxen and Olivia liplocked, as if there was no tomorrow, out in the open for everyone to see.

"Go get a room guys," Tristan tsked in disapproval. He wasn't surprised when Maxen deliberately dove for another kiss. "Okay. That's enough, Maxen. Seriously?"

"I'm kissing my wife. What's wrong with that?" Maxen raised a brow at Tristan, caging Olivia in his embrace.

Up until now, he couldn't erase the image of Olivia and Tristan almost getting married months ago that's why he had to make sure to mark his territory.

"How about someone writing an article about you and Olivia which you have to thank me for shredding before it blew out of proportion?"

"Oh? So she still wrote an article?" Olivia mused, smiling as she traced her finger on the muscled contour of Maxen's forearm.

"You knew it was a 'her'? And you let her do it? You could have silenced her with money, you know." Tristan huffed as he sat on one of the benches. "Anyway, that's not why I'm here. I'm here because I heard something about the headmistress."