Adrian swung open the heavy door, revealing the expansive room that served as the heart of the Building. Filled with anger, he strode forward, only to halt abruptly upon laying eyes on Nicholas. With a mix of frustration and determination, he spoke with fiery intensity.
"I swear, I'm going to make that man pay!" Adrian's words pierced the air, causing Nicholas to sigh wearily.
"You really should consider seeing a psychologist, Adrian. They might be able to help you," Nicholas suggested, his voice tinged with concern.
"Don't!" Adrian raised a finger, cutting off his friend's well-intentioned advice. Nicholas bit his lip, knowing how stubborn Adrian could be.
"You're dismissing them without even giving them a chance," Nicholas countered.
"Oh, I'm not that naive, my dear friend," Adrian hissed, striding towards his seat. "Those so-called psychologists in their white coats are just out to collect your money. They're nothing but frauds and cheats."
"You haven't even met with one," Nick argued.
"I don't need to. I know better," Adrian asserted firmly, sinking into his chair. Frustration radiated from his every pore.
"You nearly lost your position earlier. We managed to skillfully deflect the accusation about your insomnia, but we might not be so fortunate next time, Adrian," Nicholas calmly reminded him, observing his friend's reaction.
"I'll just have to hide it from them. It can't be that hard," Adrian began, his voice filled with determination.
"As if!" Nicholas scoffed. "Your uncle found your prescriptions... all thanks to someone who claimed they would be careful," he retorted, the weight of disappointment evident in his words. Adrian sighed, realizing the gravity of the situation.
"Please, Adrian... Just this once. I beg you," Nicholas pleaded earnestly. "NX Group is your life. I know how much this company means to you. One careless mistake, and there are people waiting to snatch it from under your nose, leaving you utterly helpless."
"Do whatever you want," Adrian hissed, standing up abruptly. With a sense of defeat, he stormed out of the office, leaving Nicholas to sigh heavily. Retrieving his phone from his pocket, Nicholas dialed a familiar number.
"Hey, Sarah. Have you made the appointment?" he inquired.
"Yes, sir. You'll be meeting her at the Pentagon Hotel tomorrow at 5 p.m.," a feminine voice responded from the other end of the line.
"Thank you," Nicholas replied, his voice laden with gratitude, before ending the call.
*******
"I can't believe he would betray me like this, Amelia," Izzy, Amelia's best friend, cried, clutching a pillow to her chest. Amelia rolled her eyes dismissively.
"I told you, they're all scumbags. Men don't deserve love. They should be played," she replied, her frustration evident. Izzy's crying intensified.
"Stop crying, damn it. He doesn't deserve you. Besides, you should be worrying about something else," Amelia said, almost whispering the last word.
Izzy abruptly stopped crying and looked at Amelia with seriousness. "Don't tell me..."
Amelia slowly nodded her head. "Tomorrow's the last day. They're going to kill me, Izzy."
"Holy s**t! How can you say that so casually!" Izzy exclaimed, horrified. Amelia let out a sigh.
"Those scums. They're so petty. They want to kill me for just 50 million dollars?!" Amelia exclaimed.
Izzy gasped. "Oh no, Amelia. When did you borrow that kind of money?"
Amelia bit her lip. "I was going to ask Daniel and-"
"f**k Daniel and your dumb boyfriends! Are they like your ATMs?" Izzy interrupted, glaring at Amelia.
She quickly stood up and rushed to Amelia's room, with Amelia following closely behind.
"What are you doing?" Amelia asked impatiently as Izzy pulled out her suitcase.
"What does it look like? You need to leave the city, now!" Izzy said, continuing to pack.
"But-"
"No 'buts'!" Izzy shot back, eyeing Amelia. Amelia sighed, and at that moment, her phone rang. She reluctantly left the room to answer the call. It was an unknown number.
"Amelia Morgan here," she said.
"Hi sis," a familiar voice came from the other side. Amelia furrowed her brow thoughtfully. "Aurora?"
"Can we meet? I'm in the country. Let's catch up, Amelia," Aurora said.
"Uhmm..."
"Don't refuse, sis," Aurora pleaded.
"Sure," Amelia agreed, and Aurora hung up. Amelia turned to find Izzy watching her.
"What?" Amelia frowned.
"Who was that?" Izzy asked.
"Aurora. She suddenly asked to meet tomorrow," Amelia replied.
"Your identical twin?" Izzy asked, and Amelia nodded. Then Izzy continued, "Your life is in danger... Why can't you..."
"Wait," Amelia interjected, staring at Izzy thoughtfully. "Maybe I won't be killed by those loan sharks after all."
"What do you mean, Amelia?"
Amelia grinned, fixing Izzy with a cunning smile. "Aurora is rich, way more than you can imagine, dear Izzy. I'm going to meet her and use her," she winked.
"Oh... wow," Izzy said slowly, processing the information.
"Why did she call me anyway? She hates my guts," Amelia pondered, rubbing her chin thoughtfully.
"Just go anyway. Your life is important," Izzy urged, and Amelia shrugged.
********
Amelia adjusted the floral suit she had carefully chosen for the occasion, making sure the short skirt and jacket were perfectly matched. Satisfied with her appearance, she entered the grand building where her meeting with Aurora was scheduled to take place. A sense of anticipation filled her as she approached the receptionist with a warm smile.
"Miss Aurora?" the receptionist inquired, cutting off Amelia before she could say a word. "Here's your card key," the receptionist continued, extending the keycard with polite professionalism. Grateful, Amelia nodded her thanks, silently acknowledging Aurora's popularity even in this luxurious hotel. She made her way down the elegant hotel hallway, heading towards the designated room.
As Amelia opened the door, her eyes fell upon a man sitting on one of the plush couches in the room. Startled, she took a step back, assuming she had entered the wrong room by mistake.
"Miss Aurora!" the man called out, causing Amelia to turn her attention towards him.
"Aurora?" she repeated to herself, perplexed by the situation.
"Um... sir, I believe I might be in the wrong room," Amelia stammered, ready to leave and correct her mistake.
"No, you're not Miss Aurora. We were supposed to meet today. We went through great lengths to secure an appointment with you. Please, don't let this opportunity slip away," the man pleaded, his eyes filled with desperation.
"Um... you must be mistaken, sir. I am..." Amelia tried to interject, hoping to clear up the confusion.
"I understand that you prefer to keep a low profile during your visit to the country. Your services are in high demand, and you understandably wish to avoid unnecessary complications. But this matter is of utmost importance. I assure you that you will be generously compensated," the man interrupted, his voice filled with urgency.
"Huh?" Amelia could only mutter, bewildered by the unexpected turn of events.
"We need your expertise as a psychologist for a VIP patient," the man explained. "We have limited time to cure him, and if we fail, it could have severe consequences for the NX Group. Please, Miss Aurora, you're our only hope."
Amelia's eyes widened at the mention of such a substantial sum. "What?" she exclaimed, unable to hide her surprise.
"Please, don't refuse me, Miss Aurora. We're willing to offer you 100 million dollars. The person in question is the president of the NX Group, and he suffers from debilitating insomnia. If we can't find a solution, he may lose control of the company," the man pleaded desperately.
Amelia took a moment to process the magnitude of the situation. "So... let me get this straight," she began, her voice measured and cautious. "You want me to become his psychologist for the promise of 100 million dollars?"
"Isn't that enough? I can increase the offer if needed..." the man started, eager to sweeten the deal.
"Stop!" Amelia raised her hands abruptly, her eyes fixed on the man before her. Nick observed her carefully, his expression betraying a hint of fear, as if he dreaded her next words.