[Complete] Invisible Chains- Chapter 14
Aiba didn't appear in the previous chapter but not to worry, he appears in today's chapter! Please enjoy!!
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Chapter 14
I kept a smile plastered on my face but my mouth twitched at the corner of my lips, like someone’s invisible hands wanted me to frown. I didn’t want to hear the words that were in the room, especially when they were talking about me. It felt like they had forgotten I was in the same room as them, almost like they were intentionally ignoring my presence. However with all the experiences I’ve gained over the years, I kept my smile up and my ears opened-carefully listening to every word. I kept a mental reminder of all the faces whom talked badly about me or made up rumors just because I was the only woman in the room that had the same power as them in the company. Even if they are stockholders of Nakashima Industries, they think that they can abuse their powers to make themselves almighty and powerful. They are just men with money and no brains. You wouldn’t believe how many rumors I’ve heard about them…
“I think we can come to an agreement that we feel that Nakashima Asuka-san is not fit to run this company as the next CEO.” A stockholder said. My eye twitched and then another stockholder added. “I too won’t allow this. I won’t risk the amount of money that I’ve put into this company if this GIRL becomes the next CEO. Who knows what she’ll turn this company into when she becomes CEO?”
Anger and frustration rose until I felt my face turning red with fury. Right there and then I wanted to get up from my chair and give them really strong slaps on their cheeks until there was a sore red patch remained. Why do they doubt my capabilities? Because I’m a woman? I bit my lower lip and remained silent. We’re living in the 21st century and these old geezers think they know what’s right for this company… They’re all big talk and no action. They probably don’t even know what products we have lined up or how much sales we made this month. Not to mention about the workers, do they know what kind of problems some of our workers have to face everyday?
“What do you think about this Nakashima-san?” A different stockholder asked. He turned his head towards my father who was sitting at the chair that had a clear view of everyone in the room. I too turned my head to look at him. He looked calm and expressionless. I didn’t know what was running through his head. Deep down in my heart, I prayed that he was against the majority. I wanted him to believe in me, that I would be able to raise the company to the top. “I think that-“ He said and I closely listened to every word that spat out of his mouth until there was a loud opening coming from the door.
A lady walked in, my father’s personal secretary, bowed herself to everyone in the room before she approached me. Then she whispered in my ear. “Nakashima-san, you have a visitor, Aiba Masaki-san has come to return your handkerchief and wants to invite you out for lunch.” My eyes flew open and my jaw dropped. I was sort of happy that he came to return my handkerchief but why did in the world he invite me out for lunch? I thought we already established-well not directly-a relationship that wouldn’t become more than just simply an employer and an employee.
I looked up at the secretary and she had a bright smile on her face. She looked happy for me, however I started to have a deep sinking feeling coming from my stomach. Even though she kept highly confidential information for the company to herself, I had a feeling that she was going to use this opportunity to her advantage and spread rumors among the staff members. I made a small smile at her before I whispered. “Tell him to leave the handkerchief at the reception desk. Also let him know that I must decline the lunch invitation because I’m in a meeting now.” She gave me a confused look and wondered why did I decline a lunch date with the popular Aiba Masaki. I was very close to shooing her away when my father directed his voice to us. “What’s wrong Asuka-kun?”
I turned my head to him and then I noticed that the other stockholders were looking at me, with displeased looks. I had a feeling that they thought I had messed up with something. I forced a smile again and got up from my chair. “It seems like I forgotten that I arranged an appointment with someone important. Please if you’ll excuse me.” I said and then bowed before I walked out the door. As soon as I was in the clear, I let out a sigh. I was so close to hear about my father’s opinions of me and now I have to deal with this… person.
Without taking a moment to freshen up like what girls would usually do when they meet a man, I went straight to the elevator to the first floor. I didn’t care how I looked like and likewise, I didn’t care how he thought of me. Slowly he became like a big thorn in my side, a big and prickly thorn that I couldn’t simply ignore. It would keep haunting me until I had to cut it off, permanently.
It took a few minutes to get to the first floor when I walked out of it to see many girls looking towards his direction. He was sitting at a couch near the big glass windows. He made no effort to disguise himself, actually let me rephrase myself; he took no effort to disguise himself so that he wouldn’t be recognizable. He could immediately stick out of a busy crowd. He wore a hat and a pair of big sunglasses. Everyone knows that celebrities would wear the combination whenever they would go out in public. Is he purposely calling for attention?
I sighed again and then I slowly walked up to approach him. I stood over him as I stared at him looking at his cell phone. He must have sensed my presence and turned his head to me. With a bright smile, he shot up from his seat as he quickly slipped his phone in his pocket. I folded my arms and heard him say, “Konnichiwa Asuka-chan.”
My eye twitched and felt like leaving him on the spot, however I knew he wanted to hand back my handkerchief and I wasn’t going to let him use my handkerchief as an excuse to see me again, like at this moment. “Konnichiwa Aiba-san. My handkerchief?” I asked and extended a hand out. He looked slightly confused for a second at my behavior. I guess he must have wondered why I said those words. However without any delay, he pulled my handkerchief from his jacket pocket. “Here you go. Ne, are you free for-“ Before I let him get a chance to finish his question, I interrupted him. “Gomenasai. I have a lot of paperwork that I need to look over and sign for our legal department. Maybe another-“ I extended my hand to grab my handkerchief from him when I heard someone calling my name.
I turned my head and my eyes immediately widened. Then eyes were all on us. My father walked towards us with a few stockholders closely trailing behind him. I bit my lower lip and wanted to run away, however it was already too late. Once a hawk has its eye on something, it won’t take his eyes off of it until its become disinterested with it.
I knew once I looked at my father’s eyes that his new target was Aiba-san.
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Chapter 14
I kept a smile plastered on my face but my mouth twitched at the corner of my lips, like someone’s invisible hands wanted me to frown. I didn’t want to hear the words that were in the room, especially when they were talking about me. It felt like they had forgotten I was in the same room as them, almost like they were intentionally ignoring my presence. However with all the experiences I’ve gained over the years, I kept my smile up and my ears opened-carefully listening to every word. I kept a mental reminder of all the faces whom talked badly about me or made up rumors just because I was the only woman in the room that had the same power as them in the company. Even if they are stockholders of Nakashima Industries, they think that they can abuse their powers to make themselves almighty and powerful. They are just men with money and no brains. You wouldn’t believe how many rumors I’ve heard about them…
“I think we can come to an agreement that we feel that Nakashima Asuka-san is not fit to run this company as the next CEO.” A stockholder said. My eye twitched and then another stockholder added. “I too won’t allow this. I won’t risk the amount of money that I’ve put into this company if this GIRL becomes the next CEO. Who knows what she’ll turn this company into when she becomes CEO?”
Anger and frustration rose until I felt my face turning red with fury. Right there and then I wanted to get up from my chair and give them really strong slaps on their cheeks until there was a sore red patch remained. Why do they doubt my capabilities? Because I’m a woman? I bit my lower lip and remained silent. We’re living in the 21st century and these old geezers think they know what’s right for this company… They’re all big talk and no action. They probably don’t even know what products we have lined up or how much sales we made this month. Not to mention about the workers, do they know what kind of problems some of our workers have to face everyday?
“What do you think about this Nakashima-san?” A different stockholder asked. He turned his head towards my father who was sitting at the chair that had a clear view of everyone in the room. I too turned my head to look at him. He looked calm and expressionless. I didn’t know what was running through his head. Deep down in my heart, I prayed that he was against the majority. I wanted him to believe in me, that I would be able to raise the company to the top. “I think that-“ He said and I closely listened to every word that spat out of his mouth until there was a loud opening coming from the door.
A lady walked in, my father’s personal secretary, bowed herself to everyone in the room before she approached me. Then she whispered in my ear. “Nakashima-san, you have a visitor, Aiba Masaki-san has come to return your handkerchief and wants to invite you out for lunch.” My eyes flew open and my jaw dropped. I was sort of happy that he came to return my handkerchief but why did in the world he invite me out for lunch? I thought we already established-well not directly-a relationship that wouldn’t become more than just simply an employer and an employee.
I looked up at the secretary and she had a bright smile on her face. She looked happy for me, however I started to have a deep sinking feeling coming from my stomach. Even though she kept highly confidential information for the company to herself, I had a feeling that she was going to use this opportunity to her advantage and spread rumors among the staff members. I made a small smile at her before I whispered. “Tell him to leave the handkerchief at the reception desk. Also let him know that I must decline the lunch invitation because I’m in a meeting now.” She gave me a confused look and wondered why did I decline a lunch date with the popular Aiba Masaki. I was very close to shooing her away when my father directed his voice to us. “What’s wrong Asuka-kun?”
I turned my head to him and then I noticed that the other stockholders were looking at me, with displeased looks. I had a feeling that they thought I had messed up with something. I forced a smile again and got up from my chair. “It seems like I forgotten that I arranged an appointment with someone important. Please if you’ll excuse me.” I said and then bowed before I walked out the door. As soon as I was in the clear, I let out a sigh. I was so close to hear about my father’s opinions of me and now I have to deal with this… person.
Without taking a moment to freshen up like what girls would usually do when they meet a man, I went straight to the elevator to the first floor. I didn’t care how I looked like and likewise, I didn’t care how he thought of me. Slowly he became like a big thorn in my side, a big and prickly thorn that I couldn’t simply ignore. It would keep haunting me until I had to cut it off, permanently.
It took a few minutes to get to the first floor when I walked out of it to see many girls looking towards his direction. He was sitting at a couch near the big glass windows. He made no effort to disguise himself, actually let me rephrase myself; he took no effort to disguise himself so that he wouldn’t be recognizable. He could immediately stick out of a busy crowd. He wore a hat and a pair of big sunglasses. Everyone knows that celebrities would wear the combination whenever they would go out in public. Is he purposely calling for attention?
I sighed again and then I slowly walked up to approach him. I stood over him as I stared at him looking at his cell phone. He must have sensed my presence and turned his head to me. With a bright smile, he shot up from his seat as he quickly slipped his phone in his pocket. I folded my arms and heard him say, “Konnichiwa Asuka-chan.”
My eye twitched and felt like leaving him on the spot, however I knew he wanted to hand back my handkerchief and I wasn’t going to let him use my handkerchief as an excuse to see me again, like at this moment. “Konnichiwa Aiba-san. My handkerchief?” I asked and extended a hand out. He looked slightly confused for a second at my behavior. I guess he must have wondered why I said those words. However without any delay, he pulled my handkerchief from his jacket pocket. “Here you go. Ne, are you free for-“ Before I let him get a chance to finish his question, I interrupted him. “Gomenasai. I have a lot of paperwork that I need to look over and sign for our legal department. Maybe another-“ I extended my hand to grab my handkerchief from him when I heard someone calling my name.
I turned my head and my eyes immediately widened. Then eyes were all on us. My father walked towards us with a few stockholders closely trailing behind him. I bit my lower lip and wanted to run away, however it was already too late. Once a hawk has its eye on something, it won’t take his eyes off of it until its become disinterested with it.
I knew once I looked at my father’s eyes that his new target was Aiba-san.