"Mask club?! What the hell Alex?! I'm not going in there." Ryan glared at Alex. Alex had told him that they were gonna have dinner somewhere not some stupid club?

"Ryan can you chill for a moment? Put these on first." Alex handed two masks to Ryan and Layla.

"Are you sure this is a good idea Alex?" Layla was sure that Ryan would flip.

"Don't tell me you're backing out. Where's the fun Layla I know? Don't tell me this grumpy man is already infecting you with his boring attitude." Alex pulled Layla away from Ryan.

"Alex, whatever you're up to, just stop it. You can't expect me, dressed in suit to be found in a club like this. What do you think they'll think of me? What if someone recognizes me?" Ryan is about to walk out but Alex stopped him.

"Wait. That's why I got these." Alex dangled the masks in front of Ryan's face. "No one's gonna know it's you." He grinned.

Layla looked around the dim club. It wasn't that bad. Alex might be right. "Babe, it's not that bad. Let's stay for a while." Layla collected a mask from Alex and wore it over her eyes.

"You see, that's why I love her." Alex smirked at Ryan. "Let's just forget everything, only for tonight."

Ryan groaned... "Give me that." Ryan snactched the mask from Alex's hand. "You better make sure this place has tight security Alex." He wore his mask.

"Let's get drinking!!" Alex led the way.

Ryan pulled his jacket as he sat next to Layla in the VIP section. It wasn't as noisy as the other place. From the VIP section which was upstairs, they could see whatever was going on at the down part of the club through the glass demarcation.

"We need drinks please!!" Alex yelled out.

"My goodness Alex, behave yourself." Ryan shunned him.

"Both of you are starting to kill me with all your protocols... Are we here to have fun or what?" Alex frowned at them. "Fuck protocols!"

"Okay okay." Layla chuckled. "We'll do whatever you want." Layla rested her head on Ryan's shoulder. "You know I've missed you right?" Layla grinned.

"I know." Alex nodded. "Yo waiter!" He waved at the waiter.

"This guy is driving me crazy." Ryan said to himself.

Mia, Andrew and Danny sat by a corner, enjoying their drink. They too wore masks.

"Mia, when are you gonna get your own man?" Danny asked Mia.

"I have other things to be worried about." Mia shook her head.

"Don't you wanna plan your own wedding sooner?" Danny took another shot of her tequila.

"There's still time." Mia chuckled.

"What has gotten into you?" Andrew asked Danny.

"She's 29. She's getting old, I'm only concerned." Danny shrugged.

"I don't look 29." Mia sipped her drink.

"You still have to get your own man. Look around, there are hundreds of guys!" Danny said to her.

"I think you've drank too much Danny." Mia smiled.

"You know, how come you haven't introduced me to your boyfriend." Danny was beginning to slur. Mia was right, Danny was already drunk.

"Andrew, talk to your friend. She's talking too much." Mia poked Danny's nose.

"Ouch." Danny rubbed her nose. "You know it's true."

Andrew laughed... "You look ugly Danny. Shut up." Andrew rolled his eyes.

"Don't start with me... Even you, don't you have a girlfriend?" Danny asked him. She too didn't know Andrew's status.

   Mia grinned as her friends argued. She looked up and her eyes caught someone. He was laughing, he had a dimple and he was wearing a necktie and white shirt.

    How odd? She thought but kept on gazing at him and soon she was caught by his eyes. Mia gaped but didn't break the eye contact, it was like a staring contest.

"Mia are you listening?" Danny brought back her attention and Mia looked at her.

"What?" Mia looked confused.

"I was talking about my boyfriend." Danny laughed drunkly. "Andrew said he's got more abs than him, in his dreams." Danny hicupped.

"Oh." Mia nodded but she looked up again but she couldn't find anyone there. Not the guy or his friends.

"What's wrong?" Andrew noticed her eyes, like they were searching for something.

Mia looked at him... "Nothing." She shook her head. "I want to use the restroom." She suddenly had the urge to pee.

      "Sure." Andrew nodded.

Mia got up, shouldering her way through the crowd before she could get to the restroom. She adjusted her dress before leaving the restroom, Mia walked carefully to avoid being hit by someone. As it was dark and dim, she almost trips over a foot but luckily gets saved by someone who had his hands on her waist.

"Sorry... I-I mean thank you." Mia stuttered at the sudden moment. She wasn't expecting someone to have seen her almost stumble. Mia stood firmly, trying to keep herself steady after the hands left her.

"Are you okay?" He asked her in his husky masculine voice.

"I think so." Mia couldn't see who she was talking to but then a little light gave her a glimpse. It was the same person she was staring at before. She looked shocked.

"You think so?" He stressed on the 'think' as he wasn't sure what she meant.

She cleared her throat quickly. "What I mean is, I'm okay now." Jeez he smelt so good. Like cinnamon mixed with a particular cologne she couldn't understand. It was alluring.

"What?" He sensed her intense stare.

   "N-nothing." Mia could see a flash of blue in his eyes. Was the color of his eyes blue? "Have we met? Before?" He looked so familiar. It was like she'd meet him somewhere before now.

He blinked, he wasn't expecting that question. "I don't think so." That was definitely a capital NO. In a club? Hell no.

"But I'm wearing a mask, you wouldn't know." He said again. Was he really having a conversation with a woman he just met?

"Good point. Then take off the mask, I want to see your face." Mia felt something familiar about the person.

"Excuse me?" That wasn't what he expected her to say again.

   "I want to see your face." Mia told him without mixing her words.

"Why? I don't think we've meet, and even if we did, it would never be in a place like this." He told her plainly.

"How sure are you?" She raised a brow.

"100%" He nodded.

"Well I'm not a regular here either. We might have met elsewhere, it's possible." She saw his eyes flash blue again. "You have blue eyes?" She asked to confirm.

Ryan frowned at her question. He had seen her staring at him from where he sat and he even saved her from stumbling, now he was having a conversation with the same woman? She didn't even seem flirtatious or shady, she was just... Just confident and too curious.

"We shouldn't be having this conversation." Ryan sighed. He is about to leave but Mia holds his arm.

"Wait." She stopped him. Ryan looked at her with a frown. She leaned closer to him, standing on her tippy toes and stretched out her hand to the top of his hair.

"What the -" Ryan is absolutely taken by surprise.

  She leaned away. "It was a feather." Mia showed him the tiny feather. "What?" She noticed the way he was gawking at her.

   "Did you think I was gonna kiss you?" Mia scoffed sarcastically after getting rid of the feather. "You're not my type." Mia said to him, patting his shoulder before walking out.

   Ryan stood impassive as he watched the lady walk away, he's too shocked to say anything else. It was just like deja vu!

  "Babe?" Layla snapped her fingers at his face.

Ryan looked at Layla and is brought back to his senses.

"What are you staring at?" Layla asked him.

"Nothing. Where's Alex? I think I wanna leave now." Ryan gathered his thoughts together.

"Alex is still having some more drinks. Is everything okay?" Layla asked him. She noticed his uneasiness.

"Don't worry about me. You can stay if you want to." He didn't mind.

"No, I'll come with you." Layla felt concerned.

"Are you sure? You were enjoying your-"

"Ryan. I'm coming with you. Okay?" She said to him. "I'll just tell Alex we are leaving."

"Suit yourself." Ryan proceeded for the entrance.

Ryan sat in his car, he couldn't get what happened awhile ago off his head. Most of his memories of Sophie were still fresh in his mind and what the lady did, triggered nostalgia. He hated himself for thinking about Sophie, she was gone and yet she still haunted him, reminding him of what he did to her.

After Sophie passed away, he had tried committing suicide a couple of times and also, he had terrible nightmares and it was Alex that saw him through his toughest times. It was much worse than when his mother died. He coped with the guilt and sadness of her passing, Alex never gave up on him. Everything he had been through was like a scar that would never disappear because no matter how times he tried making peace with himself, it didn't change the fact that Sophie died.

He had to isolate himself from everyone as he was afraid to hurt another, afraid to fall in love, afraid to be free... He always had sadness written all over his face and there was never a time his smile was original and heart warming but he tried as much as possible not to allow his emotions interfere with his work. He was hurting from the inside, on the outside, he was confident and bold, he was able to conceal his hidden emotions. That's how strong he was.
......................................................

Tuesday was always more busier than the rest of the weekdays.

"You and Archu have been planning a very important wedding. This client is a really big shot and it is gonna be good for Van's Events." Van told the two ladies that stood across her desk.

"Boss, shouldn't it be fair I get to work on my own? I did get us this client." Archu said to Van.

"Don't be selfish Archu." Van rolled her eyes. She was used to Archu's tales.

"But boss, I don't see any use of her being there. I do most of the talking and-"

"But she has the brightest ideas." Van interrupted.

"I refuse to believe that." Archu shook her head. "All she does is contradict my efforts, she slows me down."

"Can we not argue about this? At least, for now, pretend you like each other. Archu you can't screw this up, we've come this far already." Van said to Archu. "So, how are preparations?"

"Good so far. Everything's set for Saturday." Mia answered.

"Good. Remember, this client is our one ticket in getting us more A-list stars. Don't forget okay." Van nodded her head.

   "Yes boss." The girls answered.

"Alright, you can go." Van dismissed them. Archu walked out but Mia stayed behind.

"Mrs V, I was hoping I would get off early." Mia said to Van.

"Oh, is everything okay?" Van asked her.

"Yes. Well you see my friend is having his exhibition tonight and I was hoping I could go." Mia pinched her nose.

"What time is the exhibition?"

"Let's say 6 or 7?" Mia closed an eye. She had a baby shower to plan at that time.

"Isn't it the Evans' baby shower? You're not planning on ditching it are you?" Van frowned at her.

"No of course not Mrs V! I was thinking, what if I left earlier for the baby shower. I could still decorate and later meet up with the exhibition." Mia suggested after opening her eyes. It was a bad idea but she couldn't miss Andrew's exhibition.

   "Are you sure?" Van wasn't sure of the idea. "What if Mrs Evans doesn't want you to decorate earlier than planned?" Van asked her.

"My plan always works, I just need your go ahead signal." Mia pressed her lips together.

Van shook her head... "I don't know how you're gonna pull that off, but do not ditch Mrs Evans baby shower." Van said to her.

"Never! Thanks Mrs V." Mia smiled before walking out of Van's office.

   Mia sat on her desk, pulling out her laptop from her bag. Her screensaver was a picture of the famous Korean actor Lee min-ho. Yes, he was her celebrity crush and like every other girls, she had the fantasy of being his dream girl. She had tons and tons of pictures of him on her phone, her laptop and even a hardcopy of his photo in her room here in NewYork and back home in Italy.

   She'd been in Italy for as long as she could remember, she lived with her mom and her Godfather before she had gotten a job in NewYork City. Mia might be a carefree, charming, beautiful lady who looks like her life is without worries. 

   "Julia, are you free today?" Mia asked a ginger haired girl who sat beside her.

       "Yes." Julia nodded.

"Do you mind if I borrow you for this evening?" Mia turned to Julia.

    "What for?" She asked.

"Can we go to my client's place together?" Mia asked her. Apart from the service team, Mia needed someone competent to fill in for her in case Mrs Evan needed something.

   "Sure." Julia shrugged.

"You're sure a life saver! I owe you one." Mia fist bumped the air happily.
✴✴✴✴✴

    Completely worn out of sitting in the board room for almost five hours talking about problems of the marketing department and fresh strategies, Ryan walked out of the room heading to his office with Olivia by his side holding different files.

"Sir, you have a meeting with Brent limited. Thirty minutes from now." Olivia informed him.

    "Okay." Ryan nodded.

"The sale's department need your signature on some important paperworks, I already dropped it in your office. You also have a meeting with the sales representative of B.O groups tonight."

"Reschedule that." Ryan said to her.

"Sir, that's the fourth time we're doing that." Olivia reminded him.

"They need me, I don't need them." Ryan told her.

"Okay. You still haven't given a clear answer to Supreme and co. proposal sir." She said adjusting her glasses.

"We'll get back to them." Ryan waved the topic.

Olivia nodded quickly. "Sir, you also have to visit The Webster foundation before the exhibition at-" Ryan raised his hand and she became silent.

  He stopped walking and turned to her. "What time's the exhibition?" He asked her.

She opened a file, searching for something which she found quickly. "Ah!" She looked up at him. "Exhibition starts 6pm sir."

Ryan looked at his wristwatch, it was already 1:05pm.

"Fine." Ryan nodded as he resumed walking.

"Another thing sir," Olivia tells him and he hummed. "You have a visitor."

"Visitor?" He was closer to his office.

     "Yes. She's waiting in your office." Olivia smiled.

    "She?" Ryan knitted his brows, he wasn't sure who it was. He approached his office only to see a teenager seated on his desk.

She was dressed in black booty shorts and black boots, her brown hair packed in a messy ponytail and a spaghetti strap backless blouse. She was playing a game on her phone that she didn't see Ryan walk into the office.

"Bee." He could always recognize that face anywhere. His 17 years old cousin who claims she's a big girl.

Bee looked up at her cousin and smiled. "Do you like my surprise?" She asked in a cocky manner.

"I told you to stay put in the house. What are you doing here? And what in the world are you putting on?" Ryan wasn't comfortable with what she was wearing.

Bee smirked... "Don't get all daddy with me dear cousin."

"Could you not see a chair to sit on other than my table?" Ryan narrowed his eyes at her.

Bee chuckled, standing up. She sat on a chair. "So what's up? Tell me you're done for today." The rebellious look on her face made Ryan roll his eyes.

     "You shouldn't have come here. You know you're a huge distraction." Ryan picked up some files from his desk before taking his seat. "Another thing, if you're to come here at least let me know. And please, don't ever come here dressed in those," He waved his hand at her dressing. "I don't want my male staffs prying their eyes over you."

"Chilax Ryan. I'm a big girl, I can handle myself." Bee scoffed.

"And Dony? Where's your sister?" Ryan gave her a look.

"The favorite?" Bee shrugged. "Oh, She's fine. She's at The Webster foundation." Bee informed him. Ryan had a small smile on his face and Bee noticed.

"Not that you heard it from me, but she now has a little crush there." Bee smiled. Ryan frowned immediately.

"Crush? Who?" He demanded to know.

"I don't know." Bee rolled her eyes.

"Bee." He called her name and she snickered.

"Okay fine fine. I guess his name's Jacob, not too sure." Bee answered.