After printing the information in threefold at Alan's orders, Rachel made sure that she didn't leave any traces. Then she paid the shop owner before leaving. Her next destination was a pharmacy. She didn't know what kind of stomachache medicine Alan needed, so she bought three different types of them. Then she immediately returned to the hotel.
It had been fifteen minutes since Alan sent her. Rachel arrived at room 2089 precisely after that. She took a deep breath before ringing the room's bell. Seconds later, the door to the room swung open. The strong smell of cigarettes rushed over Rachel's nose.
She looked up and saw Alan, who opened the door. Rachel handed him the items the man had requested, "Mr Alan, here is the report and the stomachache medicine you asked for." She said.
Alan just glanced at the objects without taking them, "Come in." He shortly ordered.
Rachel froze for a moment. She had no intention of going into Alan's room at all. She just wanted to hand over the things and go to sleep. But Alan was the boss, and the boss's words couldn't be challenged!
Finally, Rachel entered Alan's room. But she deliberately held the door open. She didn't want to cause a scandal or misunderstanding with Alan.
The man's room was very spacious and decorated with expensive furnishings. Alan sat behind the counter smoking a cigarette and reading the report for tomorrow's meeting. The man was wearing a dark blue shirt and black pants, looking relaxed. He ignored Rachel's presence who stood transfixed in the center of the room.
Rachel stole a glance at the man, shifting nervously. She began to notice the fact that she was alone with her boss. If someone saw Rachel entering Alan's hotel room late at night… she might be fired for causing a scandal!
As Rachel's mind filled with the worst scene, Alan tapped his cigarette butt against the edge of the ashtray. He glared at Rachel as he said, "Why are you just standing there? Come over here and sort this data out!"
Rachel hurried over to the counter the man was sitting on, then began tidying up the documents that were scattered across the counter. Her movements were swift and well trained because she used to do this kind of work in her former company. As a high school graduate with no work experience or connections, Rachel could only rely on hard work to get a job.
Meanwhile, Alan was completely focused on his job and acted as if Rachel wasn't there. The man frowned from time to time. Sometimes he picked up his pen and made notes on the document. Alan's concentrating figure and seriousness looked amazing in Rachel's eyes.
The woman finished with her assignment and stepped back so as not to distract Alan's concentration. Yet she repeatedly stole glances at him. The man's body was so tall that Rachel couldn't reach over his head even with Alan sitting on the chair.
Rachel hardly ever met Alan at the office lately. The man was a shareholder, while she was just a new employee. Their status difference was like heaven and earth. If it weren't for this business trip, Rachel would never have had the opportunity to work alongside Alan like this.
From the start, she knew that this man was like a moon far beyond her reach. That's why Rachel didn't have any special feelings for Alan. She was well aware of her own position, so she simply admired the man's abilities.
But it seemed Rachel's gaze was too sharp. The man looked up and their eyes met. Although Alan didn't say anything, he looked uncomfortable with Rachel's lingering gaze.
"What are you looking at?" Alan asked curtly.
Rachel hastily lowered her head, "No, it's nothing, Mr. Alan." She said with a flushed face. She scolded herself for being too lost in her own thoughts.
Alan waved his hand, "Go." He said coldly.
"Well." Rachel turned and almost ran out of the room.
But her steps stopped in the doorway. Rachel turned, her face filled with doubt.
She was silent for a few moments before finally saying, "Mr. Alan, don't forget to take your medicine."
When Alan looked up, he only caught a glimpse of Rachel walking out of his room. The man's gaze fell on the medicine Rachel had left on the counter. He sighed and got up to take the medicine.
*****
That night, Lilia hadn't slept even if it was already half past twelve at night. She laid on her bed with wide eyes. The light of a pair of small lamps on either side of the bed lit up Lilia's face. The woman slipped her hand under the pillow and felt the smooth screen of her cellphone.
That thing was the main reason why Lilia couldn't sleep tonight. She had messaged Mellie via the Other app around nine o'clock earlier. But Mellie had not replied to her message until now.
Lilia continued to wait until Jean fell asleep. She muted her cellphone so as not to disturb the man's rest. Every few minutes, Lilia would take out her cellphone and check if there was a reply from Mellie.
Fifteen minutes before twelve o'clock, a notification finally appeared on Lilia's cellphone screen. Various mixed feelings filled Lilia's chest. She lowered the brightness of her cellphone before opening the chat from Mellie.
The answer Lilia had been waiting for was short, clear, and concise.
[Mellie]: "Sorry, I just finished."
Lilia smiled softly and typed a reply.
[Lilia]: "It's okay."
After sending that, Lilia started typing in another sentence. But she canceled her intention and deleted the sentence. She continued typing in something, then erased it back as if she wasn't sure what to say.
It seemed that Mellie also had the same doubts, because there was the words 'Mellie is typing ...', but no message was sent.
Lilia and Mellie were very similar, both in appearance and in behavior. But that's what made them even more awkward to start a conversation and close the distance between them.
After spending a few minutes moving back and forth like that, the two of them sent messages at the same time.
[Mellie]: "What are you doing?"
[Lilia]: "What are you doing?"
*****
At the same time, inside the derelict factory building, vines crawled on its almost collapsing walls. Weeds grew waist-high all around the place. This building used to be a glass factory, but the factory was closed years ago due to a terrible accident. Anyone in their right mind wouldn't want to visit this haunted building.
However, this building was suitable for Mellie and her subordinates, who needed a base for their operations. The first floor of the building was covered in thatch and various garbage, so they used it as a place to park the van. Mellie and her subordinates lived on the second floor of the factory.
A group of tents were installed in a semicircle. Behind the defensive line, there was their 'arsenal'. But the only weapons in question were plastic toy guns, baseball bats and axes.
Mellie, who was called captain by her subordinates, actually worked as a professional debt collector. She was hired by several companies to go after people who refused to pay their debts and 'persuade' them to pay.
The woman had no permanent job or family, but she survived by selling her martial arts skills. However, Mellie didn't want Lilia to know about this risky job.. She feared that the woman might resent her for doing menial work like this.
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