One Wild Night

Chapter 300 Morning-after Reaction

”Are you sure you don’t need me to help you carry your stuff to your office?” Tom offered, and Lucy rolled her eyes as she arranged her stuff in a box.

”Why will I need the CEO to help me carry my stuff when I can have my secretary help out? I’m sure you have a lot of things to attend to. Don’t mind me and go about your business. Let’s meet after work…”

”After work? Nah. We are having lunch together,” Tom objected, and Lucy laughed softly.

”Oh, yeah. I forgot that I broke up with my broke driver boyfriend who usually delivers my lunch,” Lucy said, and Tom grinned.

”And in exchange you got me,” Tom said, spreading his arms.

”Yeah. I couldn’t have asked for a better replacement. Now excuse me,” Lucy said as she returned her attention to the box.

”But I’m missing you already,” Tom said, sticking out his lower lip and making a cute face.

”I’m only going to another floor within the same building. We will meet during the lunch break, and…”

”How about I include a breakfast break and a brunch break before lunch?” Tom interjected, and Lucy giggled.

”Can you be any more obvious?”

”I could be actually. I could choose to shorten the working hours of the fashion unit to maybe two hours a day. That way you have more than enough time to spare.”

”That’s why I’m thankful you have someone like Harry to stop you…”

”Did I just hear my name?” Harry asked as he completely opened the partially open door and walked into the office, “Where are you going to Lulu? Did you both break up already because you recently discovered how boring Tom is?”

”Very funny,” Tom said with a toothy smile, and Lucy giggled.

”I’m returning to my office now that I know you both fooled me into coming here. Or are you going to threaten to fire me if I don’t stay here?” Lucy asked Harry with a slightly raised brow.

”I’m actually on your side. From the beginning I told him that his entire plan was stupid, believe me,” Harry said with an earnest expression as he picked up the box.

”What are you doing with that?” Tom asked with a scowl.

”Helping Lulu take her stuff back to her office, while you get back into your office and do all the stuff that CEOs do. Your playtime is over,” Harry said, and Lucy flashed him a smile as she picked up her handbag which Amy had helped her drop here earlier.

”Haha!” Tom exclaimed, and Lucy giggled.

”Very funny,” Harry muttered as he walked out of the office, and Lucy kissed Tom’s cheek before walking away with Harry.

”Thank you,” Lucy told Harry as they walked into the elevator and she pressed the button for the third floor where her unit was located.

”What for?” Harry asked, turning to spare her a glance.

”For stepping in earlier at the lobby. I didn’t know what to do with them,” Lucy confessed.

”Did they all give you a hard time last week?” Harry asked curiously since he had not really considered that the employees would be harsh on her over a piece of unconfirmed news. He had thought that the lady whom Tom had fired was an exception.

Lucy bobbed her head before letting out a sigh, “Yeah. It was terrible having to walk around with everyone whispering. So thank you for handling it,” 

”It’s nothing, Lulu. Don’t hesitate to let me know if you need me to handle anything else you can’t deal with,” Harry offered as the elevator bell dinged and they both got out.

”Thanks,” Lucy said with a small smile as they walked down to her office.

”I mean it. I’m hoping we will get along since we both will be sharing Tom,” Harry said, just in case she thought he was making an idle offer, and she giggled as she glanced at him, wondering how he could be such a sweet person to those he considered his friends yet so cold to employees that everyone was scared when his name was mentioned.

”So you knew that I was lying about my fiance that first day, huh?” A blush stained her cheeks as she asked, and Harry chuckled as he turned to look at her.

”I wouldn’t have known had Tom not told me beforehand that you would be late. You are a pretty good liar, you know? I should take lessons from you,” Harry said, and Lucy giggled.

”Did you possibly expect me to tell my mean boss who has the reputation of firing employees that I was drunk the previous night and woke up late?” She asked, and Harry shook his head.

”I’m curious about something though. Did you come up with the lie at that moment, or you rehearsed it beforehand?”

Lucy laughed softly, “It was a spur of the moment tale. I had other stuff I had planned to say, but the moment you mentioned my name it all evaporated from my brain,” Lucy confessed, and Harry laughed as they both stopped outside her office door.

”Thank you for forgiving Tom, and being with him. I was very worried that everything would blow up in our faces once you found out the truth,” Harry said, and Lucy gave him a nod. 

”You must like him a lot to be so loyal to him,” Lucy observed.

”Sure. I’m not just saying this because he’s my best friend. He’s a great guy. Just don’t tell him I said so,” Harry pleaded, and Lucy grinned.

”Thank you for helping me bring the box,” Lucy said as she extended her hands to take the box from him.

”Can I ask you a question?” Harry asked hopefully, still holding on to the box.

”Sure.”

”Do you usually remember everything you say or do when you were drunk?” 

Lucy cocked her head to the side as she considered the question, and then she shook her head, “I still don’t remember most of the things that happened between Tom and me that first night we met. I think there are people like me who do not remember stuff,” Lucy said remembering how she had even thought they had sex when they didn’t.

Harry gave her a nod, “Alright. Thank you. Don’t forget to let me know if anyone gives you a hard time,” Harry said as he returned the box to her, and Lucy smiled at him.

”Thanks, Haha,” she said, and Harry chuckled as he watched her go into her office.

Once he turned around the smile disappeared from his face and he sighed as he returned to his office. A part of him hoped that Jade wouldn’t remember the kiss, especially since he didn’t know if she had done it under the influence of alcohol or because she wanted to. He didn’t want things to become awkward between them. He had left the house without waking her up because he was avoiding her and didn’t want to face her. He hoped that she would leave before he returned from work, and he wouldn’t have to face her until she travels back.

While Harry agonized over their kiss, Jade opened her eyes that morning, and she smiled to herself as she sat up on the bed. Unlike most people, she wasn’t one to suffer from severe hangovers apart from the feeling of lightheadedness and dehydration she had once in a while.

She slowly got off the bed, and the first thing she noticed was her shoes which he had taken off. Although she had been asleep when he took off the shoes, she had known the moment he held her ankles to take off the shoes. 

She had a wide smile on her face as she walked out of the room, curious to see how he would react to seeing her this morning. 

The smile soon disappeared from her face when she walked into the living room and she didn’t see any sign of him. She walked over to the kitchen and although she could perceive the light aroma of coffee, there was no sign of him either. 

Thinking that he was probably in his bedroom, she turned to leave but her eyes fell on a packet of ibuprofen, and a sticky note on the dining table so she paused to pick it up.

’Good morning. I’ve left for the office and I might be too busy to see you before you leave. Take the medicine for your handover and you can help yourself with anything in the kitchen or refrigerator. Take care of yourself. Bye’

Jade scoffed as she read the note. So this was his morning after reaction to the kiss? He was going to start avoiding her? She couldn’t believe that he thought she would leave without seeing him with or without the kiss. 

The kiss had mostly been for her to test the chemistry between them and to see if he would respond to it, and she had gotten the confirmation she needed. Seeing how he was backing away from her, she had to admit that pretending to be that drunk had been a very good idea. At least now she could pretend like she didn’t remember anything and things would go back to the way it was until she is done with her case and is ready for him. With that thought in mind, Jade smiled to herself as she returned to her bedroom to prepare for the day ahead. She needed to stop by I-Global and have a good look at the place she might be working soon.