Chapter 80
Asher’s POV
I woke up to the soft chime of Gemini’s phone which was very close to where she had placed her head. She must have slept off while texting I concluded, picking up the phone to set it aside. As soon as I picked it up, the phone came alive, displaying Gemini with a bright smile, something that I only ever experienced once.
It was 4:42 am which meant that sleep was still lingering in my eyes. But all the sleep vanished thanks to the thoughts that infiltrated my mind the next second.
Gently, I picked up her finger and placed it on the finger print sensor, causing the phone to unlock. The first page that came into sight wasn’t exactly what I expected, causing me to freeze momentarily.
“Lucky is a very difficult guy, but I assure you that I would get him to hear your company out. You are one of my best students and I can take the risk for you.” The message read.
And the sender- Professor Flora.
The response got me scrolling downwards to read the beginning of the conversation. My mouth involuntarily fell open, shock evident
my eyes as I read through.
I still found it hard to believe the extent to which Gemini had gone. Was it because she genuinely wanted to help me out or because she felt guilty?
Her eyes flickered and she stirred as if to wake up. With a Jolt of speed, I set her phone down and pretended to be asleep as well.
*Much later into the day*
“So do you mean we aren’t leaving here until we’ve got a chance to speak to the CEO?” Gemini’s words were filled with frustration but it wasn’t enough to make me change my mind, especially after what I had seen earlier.
But her resistance made my hope begin to waver. “Did he refuse to meet with us?” I blurted out, unable to hide it anymore.
Gemini crossed her arms, “What are you talking about?” she asked, her brows knitting together in confusion.
I cleared my throat, preparing myself for the speech. “I… I saw a message from one ‘Professor Flora‘ on your phone this morning.”
Her eyes widened, “You went through my phone?” she said, her tone half incredulous, half defensive.
I maintained a cold demeanour, refusing to feel guilty for my actions. “You should know by now that with me, there are no secrets.”
My words caused Gemini to scoff in disbelief. “Oh really?” She said, rolling her eyes.
“But why didn’t you tell me you were doing something about it? Why keep it a secrèt?” I interjected, keeping the tone a little more serious.
She sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly. “I didn’t want to raise your hopes too high, your majesty. After all, you were the one who said to me that these guys are usually so choked up at work. They barely even have time for anything outside of their schedules. I mean, you’re a living example.”
I leaned back against the wall, frustration bubbling inside me. “So what was the outcome? Were you able to get a date to meet?” My voice was sharper than I intended.
Her expression changed in an instant, the colour draining from her cheeks. “He’s all booked,” she said quietly, almost as if she were afraid to say it out loud.
The words hit me like an unexpected punch, I had put a high percentage of my hope on this project because I believed that they could give me even triple what any other firm had to offer. This could have served as a crazy boost to my Kingdom’s economy. My head fell back against the wall, and I let out a long sigh, feeling the weight of disappointment settle in my chest. Or should I have gone with Brandon Tech when I had the chance? I thought.
But they had little to nothing to offer, compared to what CyberPlus Innovations had to offer. Coupled with the fact that my father wanted to use them as a shade to extort from my kingdom.
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12:48 PM
Chapter 80
I sighed almost in resignation, I can’t let Israel get an edge over me. South and West regions are the most competitive, being that we have so many things in common and I can’t imagine being under him after all I have done to maintain this position. A thick feeling of dejection settled over me as I thought through. I closed my eyes, picturing the faces of my people, and the hopes I carried for them, and felt the familiar sting of failure. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was letting them down.
Then, a warmth spread against my chest. It was a gentle pressure, a soft contact that broke through the cloud of my despair. I opened my eyes to find Gemini standing close, her arms wrapped around me in a hug.
The gesture took me by surprise. I remained stiff, unsure how to respond. Physical affection wasn’t something I was accustomed to, especially not in such a vulnerable moment. But as she held me tighter, a strange sense of comfort began to seep through my defences.
The tension in my shoulders began to ease, the knot in my stomach slowly loosening. I found myself relaxing into the hug subconsciously, drawing strength from her silent support. I didn’t hold her back, but I didn’t pull away either, I just let myself drown in the steady rhythm of her breath.
The warmth of Gemini’s hug was a stark contrast to the cold dread that had been gripping me just moments before. Her simple gesture was more potent than any grand speech or empty promise could have been.
But as I stood there, enveloped in her embrace, another, more unsettling thought began to creep in.
I stiffened slightly, unease rippling through me. This closeness, this shared vulnerability, it was dangerous. It was exactly what I had wanted to avoid. Yet, as I felt the steady beat of her heart against my chest, as I breathed in the faint scent of her hair, a part of me, a traitorous, rebellious part, didn’t want to pull away. It craved more of her.
What is happening to me? I wondered, a silent battle raging within. This wasn’t part of the plan. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be.
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