Chapter 348: Where Do I Meet The Chairman?
"Why are you still following me?"
Raka glanced at Lucian, who had gotten out of the car alongside him. Disdain was written all over his face as he dusted off his sleeve.
"Hey, I know I’m an important person around here, but don’t even think about leeching off me," he warned out of nowhere. "I can’t vouch for you. I don’t even know you!"
Lucian merely looked at him. "I won’t."
"Tsk."
Raka clicked his tongue and ignored him.
He straightened his blazer before raising a hand to his mouth, breathing in and out to check his breath.
"Hahaha!" he laughed loudly. "Yes, yes, Chairman! Hahaha! Thank you for recognizing my work! Hahaha!"
Lucian blinked as he watched Raka rehearse conversations with thin air.
"I wonder," he murmured, "how many people have practiced something like this in this parking lot?"
The thought had never crossed his mind before, but after seeing Raka, he couldn’t help it.
Shaking his head, he watched Raka continue his imaginary conversation.
"Haha..."
Raka’s laughter gradually died down. Satisfied, he nodded to himself and started walking.
Lucian lingered for a moment, debating whether he should follow.
"He’s very determined," he muttered. "He might be disappointed if I don’t meet him properly today."
Besides, Lucian was a little worried about his wife.
He trusted Ashley could handle both Dominion and the company. However, after several days of his absence, the workload might overwhelm her.
With that in mind, Lucian followed after Raka.
This time, however, he stayed several steps behind until they entered the elevator.
Standing behind him, Lucian quietly studied Raka’s back.
"Don’t be nervous," he commented.
Raka nearly jumped. He spun around and frowned.
"You’re still here?"
"I came in with you."
"..."
Raka’s face scrunched up as he sized Lucian up from head to toe.
As he’d said before, he neither liked nor disliked Lucian or Ashley. Sure, he was helping them, but that was more of a moral decision than anything else.
At the end of the day, saving lives was part of his duty.
Besides, Lucian’s case was valuable research material.
"Never mind," he grumbled, turning back around. "Just walk faster so the sick don’t catch up."
Lucian heard every word.
He simply shook his head and waited for the elevator to chime.
The moment the doors opened, Raka hurried out. Lucian followed at a more leisurely pace.
Once they entered a busier section of the building, Raka naturally slowed down, reducing the distance between them.
As they walked through the hallways, an employee stepped aside and bowed.
Raka blinked. "Huh?"
He glanced at the employee before noticing another person on the opposite side doing the same. His steps slowed even more.
"Good morning, sir," another employee greeted respectfully.
The lines on Raka’s forehead deepened. A second later, however, they disappeared beneath a smug smile.
"Did they already send out a memo about me?" he wondered aloud, scratching the back of his head.
He was practically blushing.
Trying and failing to hide his pride, he rubbed the tip of his nose and nodded graciously at everyone who greeted him.
Little did he know, Lucian—walking several steps behind—was watching his confidence skyrocket.
Earlier, Lucian had casually waved at the employees greeting him.
But when he noticed how much Raka was enjoying it, he began subtly signaling people from nearby departments to greet them.
Without a single word from him, employees continued approaching to offer greetings.
"Hehe." Raka sniffed and cleared his throat before glancing over his shoulder.
His mood was so good that he no longer questioned why Lucian was following him. If anything, it was nice having someone around to witness his greatness.
"You’re probably shocked, huh?" Raka laughed, shrugging arrogantly. "What can I do? The man of the hour is none other than me."
Lucian smiled in satisfaction. He even started clapping.
"Hahaha..." Raka kept laughing as he listened to the applause.
Then his laughter abruptly stopped.
"Stop clapping," he said, turning around. "Do you think this is a show?"
Lucian immediately lowered his hands.
"Goodness. Ignorant people really are the happiest," Raka muttered before continuing down the hallway. "If I were you, I’d stop following me. Otherwise, don’t blame me if security escorts you out. I’m not letting anyone use me to build connections."
With that, he marched toward the reception desk on the executive floor. The last time he had visited, he’d met Gustav—the chairman’s closest aide.
"Hello." Raka leaned against the desk. "I wanted to ask—ah!"
He nearly jumped out of his skin when someone suddenly appeared beside him.
Turning around, he found Ashley standing there. Or rather, what looked like Ashley.
A dark cloud seemed to hang over her head, and exhaustion was written all over her face.
"Who the hell—" He almost choked when she spoke.
"Why are you only arriving now?" Her voice was so low it sounded haunted.
Raka’s face twitched as he finally recognized her. He almost hadn’t.
"Why in the world are you here?" he gasped.
Then a light bulb seemed to switch on above his head. "Wait. Do you... work here?"
Raka’s jaw dropped as he whipped his head toward Lucian.
"You didn’t give me a chance to explain," Lucian said calmly. "I work here."
For a second, Raka forgot how to breathe.
Meanwhile, Ashley slowly turned toward Lucian. The moment she saw him, her eyes watered.
"Boo..." Her tiny voice trembled.
The next second, she launched herself into his arms.
"My baby!" She wrapped her arms around him tightly. "Why didn’t you tell me your job is torture? My poor baby! Working like a dog to support our family!"
Ashley sniffled dramatically.
"I’ll take care of you, I promise! I’ll become so rich you won’t have to work anymore! Nobody will ever make you their slave again!"
Raka opened and closed his mouth. His brain stopped functioning.
"What the hell?" he breathed.
Ashley sniffed before looking at him.
"You work here?" he asked weakly.
Ashley blinked.
"No," she pointed at Lucian. "He works here."
"Then what are you doing here?"
"Because my husband’s sick." She sniffled again. "And somebody has to do his work."
"Huh?" Raka’s face twisted.
This was the first time he’d heard any of this. Does this company allow a relative to do their employee’s job?
He stared at the couple as if they had escaped from an asylum.
Then, suddenly, a nearby office door opened. The moment Raka saw who stepped out, he immediately straightened.
Instinctively, he moved a few steps away from the crazy couple.
"Mister Gustav."
"Mister Raka. I see you’ve arrived."
Gustav approached with a polite nod.
"Ah, yes!" Raka checked his watch. "I’m trying to find out which room I’m supposed to meet the chairman in. The only instructions I received were to ask at the reception desk."
Gustav blinked. "But you’re already with the chairman."
"HUH?!"
Raka’s face twitched violently.
Time seemed to slow as he watched Gustav’s gaze shift elsewhere. Following it, Raka slowly turned toward the couple.
Ashley and Lucian, on the other hand, looked at Gustav briefly before shifting their attention to Raka.
"No..." Raka whispered.
His knees were shaking until they gave out.
A second later, he found himself sitting on the floor, shaking his head, eyes wide at the couple.
"No way."
