Chapter 13 Enemies on Sight

Friday came.

The whole company announced a half-day of work today so employees and everyone else can have enough time to prepare. They are going to hold the party at a prestigious hotel. A bit far from the office, and everyone might need time to arrive there if they will have to head home to get ready. Unknown to Bianca, someone in the crowd is paid to harm her, sent by her old childhood friend who hated and envied her so much for having everything.

Sue Jin.

Sue is a greedy woman, just like her father. She is the daughter of Sangho Jin, the Vice-Deputy of Han Food Corporation owned by Bobae "Bobby" Han. They wanted to take over all of Bianca Han's family property, but they only have forty percent of company shares while the Hans, who founded the business two decades ago, has fifty percent, and the ten percent left is divided into four other minor associates.

"Make sure to put this medicine in her food or drinks," a woman gave orders over the phone to one of the waiters they were able to bribe before the party started.

"Yes, Ma'am," the waiter Sue came all the way here to watch how Bianca is going to get ruined in front of many people. She will make sure to get good footage of Bianca's shameful episode so Bianca won't have the face to come home and claim whatever rights she has as the daughter of Han Food Manufacturer and Distributor, Corporation, Inc.

"She should stay here and never set foot in South Korea again!" Sue clenched her teeth. She really hates Bianca's guts. She is thankful Bianca doesn't have an interest in their family business, but Sue also despises Bianca for being so ignorant. Why would she choose fashion design when her family's business is a food corporation?

Sue isn't aware that she hates Bianca because she wants to have a competition with her. But since Bianca isn't interested, it made her win by default, not having the chance to show everyone how she is way much better than Bianca in the business. She didn't have to compete. For Bianca, Sue can rule in the business of a food corporation while she ventures her path to success in fashion. But Sue has a twisted mind, she hates Bianca for nonsense and outrageous reasons only she can understand.

The two, Bianca Han and Asher Collins, arrived a bit earlier at the party venue. He came home early to bring Bianca to his reserved hotel room and ask for a makeup artist to assist Bianca. The latter didn't even know his plans, and so she had been asking him where they were going until she realized they were at the hotel where the party was to be held.

"I'm not ready yet. What are we doing here? I should be preparing," Bianca panicked.

"Just follow me, okay?" Asher chuckled at her horrified "I'm-going-to-be-late" face wide-eyed looking at him as he helped her get out of the car.

"Asher, girls need time to get ready, and you are terribly delaying me, right now," she complained, but she accepted his hand as he lent it out to help her out of the car.

"How are you going to be late when you are already here?" Asher teased her more. He cannot help enjoying her worried face. "Besides, you won't need to do more than put your dress and shoes on. You are already beautiful. I don't think I will be able to hide you if you enhance your look even for just a bit more," he added as he held her hand on his arm, secured by his other hand. "Now, let's go!"

"You better not be fooling around, mister. I am not going to look good even in a dress if you keep pissing me off!" Bianca warned him.

"Okay, okay! I am going to bring you to a hotel room where a makeup artist is going to assist you, then we can hang out somewhere if we still have time to kill since you claim girls need time to get ready," Asher gave his car key to a hotel valet and asked for his luggage to be brought to his room then headed to the elevator with Bianca's hand still in his arm.

A view that made them look like a romantic couple as they waited for the lift with a slow voice of the lady expressing annoyance while the man was heartily enjoying about something only the two of them knew and understood.

Asher stayed in the room with her while she was being assisted with her makeup. He sat comfortably on a plushy sofa chair while checking things on his schedules, hoping he made everything well according to his weekend plans starting today.

An hour passed, and she was ready. She came over to walk before Asher and show her how she looked.

"Wow! I loved the beauty I saw last yesterday, trying the dress out for a fit, but I also love this beauty I am looking at right now," Asher closed his laptop when he saw her walking over to him.

Her hair had half of it in a small bun with a glittering pin clipped around it while the rest of her long straight hair was laid down to her back with a few strands cascaded down her chest area from both sides of her shoulders.

"Well, thank you. For the dress, and for all of these!" Bianca smiled genuinely. Then she turned around to say her thanks to the makeup artist. "And thank you, too! How much do I owe you?"

"I am glad to be of service, and I believe Mister Collins already had it covered," the man in feminine looks and outfit blinked his eyes, looking at Asher flirtatiously. "Have a good time, both of you, darlings. I'm outta here!"

That was all he said with a bright smile before he swayed his hips, walking out of the hotel room, leaving Bianca and Asher alone, bursting with their suppressed laughter when the artist was gone.

"He's good," Bianca looked at the full-length mirror in the room again.

"I'm glad you like his work, he's famous for this kind of thing, and he happens to be a common friend of mine, so I was able to make an appointment for you," Asher stood up from his seat and went to get dressed in the bathroom. He was worried the same crazy thing might happen again after seeing her in that dress like last time. To his relief, his buddy down there was behaving at its best that he did not have to stay in the bathroom for so long. He came out to see Bianca sitting on the chair across from where he was sitting earlier.

"We still have time. I didn't know you would be done preparing very shortly. Would you like to eat something for a snack at the bar?" Asher asked.

She didn't need so much makeup to be applied that the artist was done so quickly with his never-ending praises about her having healthy good skin, soft like a baby and radiant. And Bianca was helpless as she didn't know what to tell him other than her regular skincare products and good sleep.

The two of them headed to the hotel's bar to hang out with some snacks.

"Ohhh, was that Sue Jin?" Bianca took a halt when she thought she saw someone familiar, but the woman had already gotten into the lift on the other side of the hall where she was with Asher.

"What? Who?" Asher asked when he noticed Bianca stopped. He looked sideways at her to check on her for anything wrong.

"Maybe I mistook her for someone else," Bianca answered. There was no way she could chase the person to check if she was right or wrong, so she ignored it and walked with Asher wherever he was leading her to go.

"Hey, Mister Collins, fancy meeting you here!" A guy in a black and white suit greeted Asher. Then turned his eyes to Bianca. "Hi! My name is Cedrick!" Then he extended his hand for a shake towards her.

Bianca did not know what to do, so he looked at Asher as if giving him a questioning look of what she was supposed to do. She didn't like the approach and how the guy looked at her with what seemed like sarcasm or contempt.

"You are free to do whatever you want, honey," Asher winked at her. "As my fiancee, I will be on your side."

"Are you sure, honey?" Bianca asked, clearly emphasizing the endearment he just used as she said it back to him. "You know I am not very kind with rude people," she glared at the man who said his name was Cedrick.

"Fiancee?" Cedrick laughed. "Did he promise you that?" he asked Bianca while pointing at Asher.

Bianca was starting to get annoyed and irritated with this obnoxious man standing on their way to the bar that she wanted to dismiss him right away.

"Yeah, and so what? Will, you get out of the way and go find yourself your own fiancee instead of whatever the hell you are doing laughing in front of us," Bianca held Asher's right wrist and intentionally bumped Cedrick's shoulder as she passed by him. The guy had to take a few steps back to get his balance back. He was surprised to realize she was damn strong and tall. She bumped his shoulder without any difficulty.

Cedrick glared at Asher and Bianca's back with so much hatred.

"I will make you regret this!"