Hidden Horns

2. Stalkers

Early morning mist beginning to clear, sun rises casting orange and pink onto a thin layer of cloud, softs knocks with almost a whisper voice that can barely hear comes from the other side of door, awakened Chloe.

She rubbed her knuckles on her eyes, lazily and reluctantly, she dragged her feet towards her bathroom and did her morning ritual. After changing into a simple Rib knit cropped top and adidas navy blue track pants, she exited her room and down into the dining area where her parents are waiting for her, wearing her slippers that has fur around the upper vamp.

"Good morning Dad!" Chloe greets upon seeing her dad in loose Tee and jean shorts, newspaper in hand where three of the most influential moder in the header, stolen pictures in the airport are at it.

The old guy put aside the newspaper and he gets up in his feet, dragging his chair with loud screech from the hard tiled floor. "Princess!"

"Ooh.. You don't look sick at all?" Chloe teases her dad who immediately clutches his chest and grip the edge of the chair and groaned dramatically. "Oh please stop." The brunette rolled her eyes and engulfed his father into a tight hug.

"I've missed you so much, princess." Mr. Smith muttered against her daughter's head, closed eyes, arms wraps on Chloe's petite body and tears forming behind his eyelids. "I'm so glad that you're back."

"You can ask me to go home for a vacation, don't use your health to blackmail me." Chloe chaffed and slapped his dad's back playfully before they both pulled away from the hug.

"I'm sorry, but remember when I asked you to go home last year?" Mr. Smith reminds her, the day where Chloe was in a holiday season fashion show and she couldn't make it home to celebrate the Christmas with her parents.

"Dad.."

"I know, you are at work." Collin sulks and patted her daughter's head. "Let's just eat and let's catch up later."

"Where's mom?" Chloe asked as she occupied the chair on her dad's left side.

"She's at the company, didn't she told you that she's handling the company now after we found out about my–."

"Dad, being old isn't an ill, that's human nature."

"Even so, I still need to rest."

"Whatever." Chloe rolls her eyes and prepares her own breakfast. "Dad–."

"You'll stay, right?" Collin interrupts just before Chloe could say anything other than dad.

"No." Chloe said sternly.

"Please, you're my only child, you need to handle our company."

"That's your company, how many times do I have to say this? I'm not going to handle that big company."

Mr. Smith stared at his daughter with downcasts eyes. He thinks that her baby is now a really grown up woman who can stand in her ground, but he's getting old and so as his wife, they don't have any child other than Chloe. The Smith Corp. that he built with his own bloods and sweats are bound to pass to his daughter but Chloe doesn't want it.

His heart churns but still nodded at his daughter with downhearted feeling, the smile in his lips barely reaches his eyes.

"I'm sorry." Mr. Smith resigned and patted Chloe's hand softly.

"Good morning." Lev, who just got awake, greets. Collin snapped his head behind him upon hearing a man's voice and his gaze back to Chloe with his mouth wide open.

"He's my manager, he's not my boyfriend." Chloe explains with soft chuckles. "Good morning Lev, how's your sleep?"

"Majestic, I have never slept like that since I met you." The guy replied with a little annoying snort and offer a wide smile at Mr. Smith before occupying the seat next to his friend. "Your dad?" He whispers to Chloe.

"Yeah, Dad. This is Lev, my manager s***h friend, he came with me last night and he'll stay with me since we are going to apply for new—."

"Chloe, why don't you try to help your mom first? I know I've been nagging you since then about handling the company, because to be honest, we are not young at all and you know that."

"Dad..." The brunette pursed her lips and shut her eyes closed as she drew a breath. "Not in front of my friend."

"He needs to know, actually he could be your secretary–."

"Dad!" Chloe snapped, dragging the chair behind her as she stood and looked down at her father with full of disappointment in her eyes. "This is why I don't want to go back in here."

Mr. Smith smile sadly and nod his head one time.

"Can I have my breakfast now?" Lev asked coyly, not even minding the little argument in front of him.

"I'm sorry." Mr. Smith said and he offered a small smile at the guy and bow his head before he stood up and walked away, leaving his daughter and Lev with heavy heart.

"You ok?" Lev asked cautiously and the brunette nod her head to assure her friend but, clearly contrary with the scowl in her face. "You angry cat, why do you hate staying here?" The guy asked again but continue to reach for the food.

"I came home because my mom not gonna stop bugging me about my dad's illness which is not true." Chloe said with her fingers playing above her head with two peace sign. "But seeing him how strong he is and forcing me to handle his company, I regret going back."

"Sis, you're already here, why not give it a try?" Lev said, eyes bore at the mouthwatering omelette that he was devouring.

"Lev, you know how much I love modelling, right?"

"I know, but I was just suggesting only." The guy replied with a shrug of his shoulder.

"It's still a no." Chloe insist firmly. Lev lifted his shoulders, agreeing to her friend. He know that no one can change the brunette's decision, once she said no, it's always a no until the end.

The breakfast ended peacefully without having another word at the diner. Chloe was the first to stand up and looked down to Lev.

"You need to get ready, Ivy and Charlene will wait us in their company building so we need to go the Vouge."

"Go on, don't interrupt me here. I'll finish my food first." Lev said with his hand waving at the brunette.

Chloe left the guy as she instruct and went to her room to change her outfit, wearing a white Celine crew neck classic T-shirt paired with white joggers and Alexander Wang B-ball soccer and slid her arms inside the cropped denim jacket.

She stared at herself through the whole lenght mirror, turning left and right. She's so into herself and admiring herself is one of her preparation before going out, but when she looked up to her face, she saw a silhouette standing outside her balcony.

Chloe snapped her head toward it, in haste but she sees no one. Just the shadow of the curtains hanging in a pole attached in the entrance of her balcony. She sighs in relief and continue what she was doing, which is admiring herself through the reflection of the mirror. She grabbed her phone and sneak it inside her purse and retrieved her coat from the rack and took her car keys on to the hook near her door.

Chloe smiled at that, after long years she was gone, her things are still in the place wher she left them, nothing changed, thinking that she should thank their maids for not moving her things to its own places.

By the time she reached the bottom of the stairs, Lev slammed his occupied room door and gave Chloe a small smile.

"Ready?" Lev asked as he made his way down.

"You done eating?"

"Well, I asked the maid to pack sandwiches for me to eat on the road." Lev replied which made Chloe to snort a laugh and shook her head in disbelief.

Lev was on Chloe's heel as they walked into the garage. Chloe remove the cover of an old model of a sports car. A bloody red 2016 Porsche Cayman. The car sits as if it were formed from flowing metal, aquatic, yet feminine with its curves.

Lev whistles seeing the car and released a soft chuckle. "I can see a f*****g spoiled kid back in 2016." He said as he trace the hood of the car.

"We're rich, couldn't blame my parents." Chloe said smugly and open the door in the driver's seat.

"Aren't you gonna let me drive?" Lev asked.

"I don't let anyone drive my car."

Chloe smiled as soon as she sat inside the car, but when she smells the familiar scent that's lingering inside her car, she climbed off immediately, scrunching up her nose disgustingly.

"What happen?!" Lev asked worriedly.

"Who the f**k sprayed Hanbin's perfume inside my car?!"

"Your ex's perfume?" Lev asked amusingly. "Wow, it was almost 6 years and his scent still inside your car?"

"Yes!" Chloe yelled and walked back explosively to their house. "And it stinks."

"You know what? Let me have your perfume."

"For what?" Chloe asked confusedly.

"Just give me your damn perfume." Lev said impatiently, tugging Chloe's sling bag. The brunette furrowed her brows but still obliged and handed her Chanel Paris- Deauville perfume to the guy.

Lev opened Chloe's car and sprayed an excessive amount of perfume inside and shut the door. "Now we'll wait."

"You didn't—."

"I did." Lev interrupt her, giving back the bottle of perfume and smiled.

After a few minutes of waiting for the perfume to linger inside Chloe's car. Lev claps his hands two times before opening the door on the driver's side and sniff long.

"You're crazy." Chloe chuckles and shook her head in disbelief before hopping inside her car.

"I'm your manager, I don't have time for drama because of your ex boyfriend." Lev said as he run to the other side of the car and climbed inside.

Chloe turn on the engine and put it in neutral before stepping on the gas, smiling at the silent roar of her car. "I missed this." She murmured before hitting the rear gear and starts driving.

They arrived at the said company based on Charlene's given address. Medias, that's waiting outside the building, stopped from checking their stuff when Chloe's car stopped in front of the building, taking all the attention.

"This is some huge company." Lev said while eyeing the 50 floors building through the window car.

"What do you expect? That's Vouge for you." Chloe scoffed before unbuckling her seatbelt and just before she could open the door, she froze upon sensing that someone is glaring at her. She look around to see if that person is one of the media, rather than curious look and confuse look, she couldn't see anyone glaring at her.

Despite of having that weird feelings since she left the New Zealand airport, Chloe push the door open and she stepped out. The press gasped upon seeing Chloe Smith, they're rattling to set up their cameras and a massive flashes of cameras almost blind her as she walk towards the lobby.

Lev immediately called the guards to protect his talent, even though they're confuse as why Chloe needs to protect and who is Lev, they still obliged and build a path for the brunette.

Another car approached when Chloe reached the main entrance, she halts and look over her shoulder.

"Chloe!" Charlene yelp when she saw her cousin. She run to Chloe and jumped, engulfing the brunette into a hug, as if it's her first time to see her cousin.

"Urgh stop." Chloe grumble but she hug back the tall blonde girl.

"You're early, are you excited to be one of our team?" Charlene asked teasingly.

"I'm just not the type of person who comes late." Chloe said and looked behind Charlene, seeing Ivy arrives not too long after Charlene's car drove away from the drop off. "You girls are the ones who's excited."

"Actually no, I'm late and I f*****g hate my driver for that." Ivy huffed, combing her hair through her hairline until the back of her head where she could reach it. "Anyways, I received a call from..." Ivy trails off and looked at Chloe.

"From my mom." Chloe continues and rolled her eyes. "What did she say?"

"Well, she's asking me if I could try to convince you not to sign a contract and let you handle your dad's company instead."

"The more they try to stop me for what I want, the more I'm so eager to piss her off."

"That's rude, Chloe." Charlene scolds with light slap in her arm. "Let's get in, I still have pictorial later."

As the four of them went inside, leaving the crowd still busy taking pictures of the three moat popular model in industry, there are two girls standing behind the huge crowd of media. Looking at them with devilish smirk on their lips.

"I found her." One of the girls said before she turn her heels, giving one last glance at the brunette.

"You really followed her from New Zealand to New York? And for what?" Her friend asked sardonically.

"You were with me all along, does it make you tired?"

"No, not at all. My life is in your hands, who am I to disobey you?" The other girl scoffed, rolling her eyes coyly.

"Let's just eat first and wait for them to come out and plan our first move." The doe eyed girl said and open the car door.

As they both drove away, Chloe, who's been aware of their presence smirk at the thought of finding out who's giving her deathly glares all along, while staring at the car who just left through the glass elevator up to where the boss office located at.

"What are you smirking for?" Charlene asked as she noticed her cousin.

"Nothing." Chloe replied as she turned to Lev and Ivy who've been talking about boys since they saw some of hunks model on their way to elevator.

____

The signing of contract between Vouge and Chloe, the top model in New Zealand went smoothly, as Lev stands as her manager, they finally got the contract easily. And since that her arrival became viral, lot of modeling agency tried to reach out for her but she rejected every single one of good offer.

Chloe's father owns one of the biggest company in New York, she doesn't need money and she does have her own for being a model, for her, money has never been a problem even once. So rejecting good offers won't harm her.

Ivy and Charlene excused themselves because they still have pictorial for new collection for winter. And Chloe will start tomorrow, after the conference that the Vouge's bosses held for her to announce that she's the new model of their huge company.

"Where to next?" Lev asked as he buckled his seatbelt in the shotgun seat.

"To my parent's house. I need to talk to Dad." Chloe said as she starts the engine and maneuver the car.

"For what?"

"I need to buy my own house, I'm not going to stay there while I'm working, I don't want them to nag me everyday about handling the company."

"Didn't you resigned in Elle to came home because your dad is sick?" Lev raised her left brow accusingly.

Chloe spare him a glance before looking back at the road, releasing a lungful sigh and became silent for a few seconds before opening her mouth to speak. "Look, Lev. That's my real reason, because even if I denied, I got worried about him, but since I was so sure that he's fine and not dying, I change my mind."

"Then why did you signed a contract—!"

"I changed my mind of staying in my parent's house. I'll buy my own house and live alone, of course you'll be with me, you know no one here."

Lev's mouth fell in mock surprised and released a throaty chuckle. "You are really now a grown woman, Chloe."

"We've been together since the day I set my foot in New Zealand, thanks for wiping my tears back then."

"I can still vividly remember that time when you are silently crying on the plane but you sniff so hard trying to catch my attention to console you." Lev started to reminisce their first encounter at the plane. He smile softly and lean back his head. "You were so cute and small."

"Calling me small was really necessary, Lev." Chloe said sarcastically.

"I swear, you were so cute back then that I couldn't help but to ask you what happen and gave you my hanky, but look at you now Chloe, you are fierce and untouchable woman."

"Life changed me a lot, Lev, and you became a big part of my change, you practically my big broth–."

"Sister, yeah I'm you super gorgeous sister." Lev cut her off and they both shared a good laugh inside the car while driving their way home.

Little did they know, there's a car who's been following them since they came out from the building and cautiously tailing them to not gain any attention from the two person in the car in front of them.

Chloe take the left turn as they enter the exclusive village where her parents lives. The guards inside the guard shack salute to her when they see her and open the gate. Chloe lived her sixteen years inside the exclusive village that the guards already know her and they don't need to check her ID.

The car behind Chloe and Lev didn't get it all easy as one of the guards blocked their way after Chloe's car went ahead. The oldest guard knocked at the window of the driver's seat and the woman inside rolled it down.

"I'm sorry ma'am, but I'm afraid to tell you that you don't have the pass to enter this exclusive subdivision as you don't have the stickers pasted in your car, are you going to visit someone?" The guard politely said and take a glance at the other woman in the shotgun seat, then to the backseat and back to the woman in front of her.

"Oh uhm, I'm sorry about that, but I was planning to meet one of the real state inside coz I'm planning to buy a house." The woman explained, flashing her cute smile at the guard, who seems got hypnotized when their eyes locked into each other and his eyes became dull, staring into nothing. "Can you please tell your compatriot to move back?"

"Yes ma'am." The guard said hypnotically and stood straight. "You, get out of the way, let them in."

"O-ok." The other guard confusedly obliged as he's confuse for the sudden stern order from his OIC.

"You may go inside, ma'am." The old guard said and bowled over to them, removing his guard cap.

"Thank you." The woman said and she rolled up the window before continuing the drive and since there are few humps inside the subdivision, Chloe's car still in sight and they followed it again up until Chloe took right turn, then left again.

As Chloe honks in front of their gate, she got a glimpse of the car that passes by on their back through the side mirror. Chloe smirk again seeing the car before driving inside after their personal guard let the automatic gate to open itself.

"What's running in your mind?" Lev asked when he noticed Chloe's silence after they got out of the car.

"Nothing." Chloe replied quickly and continue her way to the main door.

"Anyways, what might be the reason that changes your mind? I'm not buying the things about your Dad." Lev said.

"I just found something interesting."

"Like?" Lev pressed, side eyeing the brunette.

"I'll let you know once I made sure that they are really aiming for me." Chloe said as she make her way up to the stair to her father's office and left Lev in confused down the stairs.