Chapter 7 Brotherhood

• After reading Serena’s text, Yasmin gave it some thought and decided to go and see Lionel. She didn’t understand the reason behind his flirtatious actions earlier, but she wanted to at least get her glasses back.
• However, when she got to the door of the president’s office, the luxurious sight before her got her chickening out a little.
• The twenty-eighth floor belongs exclusively to the president, and not many in the company are qualified to come up here... There’s a desk for the president’s secretary as well, but she got fired before Mr. Holloway arrived, and nobody knows why... I thought that I could approach him with the excuse of getting my glasses back and take the opportunity to apologize to him for calling him a scumbag, but... I’m just a nobody with a lowly position in this company, while he’s the freaking president! What right do I have to just barge in and see him like this? On top of that, he strikes me as one who would hold a grudge, so I’d just be signing my own death warrant by going in there! Forget it, I’ll just get myself a new pair of glasses after work...
• Yasmin turned around to push the button next to the elevator, only to be horrified when she saw the level number already going up. Wait... The only ones allowed to use this elevator are the president and his assistant! Should I hide somewhere?
• Ding!
• Yasmin glanced around frantically when she heard the sound of the elevator, but there was nowhere for her to hide at all.
• “Ms. Jones?”
• Yasmin turned around when she heard a familiar voice call out to her and saw Matthew coming out of the elevator with a stack of documents in hand.
• “Mr. Collins?” She was a little surprised at first but quickly remembered that it was normal for him to be here as he had called Lionel his boss.
• “What are you doing here?” Matthew asked as he glanced at her hand that was covered up by her sleeve.
• “I-I came here to get my glasses back...” Yasmin looked around and let out a sigh of relief when she saw that no one else was around.
• “Your glasses?” Being Lionel’s trusted assistant, he knew better than to let her into his office without consent. “Mr. Holloway isn’t in right now. Shall I ask him about it on your behalf when he gets back?”
• “Yeah, okay! In that case, I’ll be on my way now!” Yasmin agreed in a heartbeat as she didn’t dare to see him in person. She was even starting to regret her reckless actions the previous night. Now that Lionel was in power, he could fire anyone at any time, and she didn’t want to lose her job just yet.
• “Wait!” Matthew called out to her when she was about to leave. “Are you free to have dinner tonight, Ms. Jones?”
• Yasmin stared at him in confusion. I thought that they had bad intentions when they were being so nice to me last night, but now that I think about it... I might have been thinking too highly of myself... I mean, what could someone that successful and powerful want with a nobody like me?
• “Do you think that I’m a bad guy, Ms. Jones?” Having dealt with all sorts of people for many years in the corporate world, Matthew was able to read Yasmin’s mind like a book. “I suppose I should tell you that you look a lot like my little sister, which is probably why I’m so friendly toward you.”
• “Ah, so that’s why...” Yasmin let out a sigh of relief as she chuckled to herself. “I think I should treat you to dinner instead. You know, as a thank you for sending me to the hospital last night.”
• Matthew didn’t shy away from her offer. “I’ll see you outside the office after work, then.”
• Yasmin nodded. “Sure!” She kept looking back at the elevator during their conversation earlier, afraid that Lionel would suddenly appear behind her. Now that they had agreed on a time and location to meet up, there was no reason for her to stay any longer.
• Matthew shook his head and chuckled when he saw her nervously jabbing at the elevator button and fleeing the scene.
• The door to the president’s office was suddenly opened, and Lionel was seen leaning against the door, dressed in a black shirt and slacks. “What are you doing standing there?” he asked with his arms folded.
• “Nothing at all!” Matthew stopped smiling as he got back to work at his desk.
• As Lionel was about to shut the door, Matthew called out to him, “By the way, Lionel, she said that you took her glasses.” Matthew then adjusted his glasses and flashed him a cheeky grin, asking, “Are you interested in her?”
• Bang!
• Lionel slammed the door shut in front of him. With a smirk on his face, Matthew whipped out his phone and sent a text message in a WhatsApp group called “Brotherhood”: Is anyone online?
• After waiting for about five minutes without getting a response, Matthew decided to send another text: I think that Lionel has a crush on someone! It’s only his first day at Miller Corporation, and he’s already taken something very important from a girl!
• He then put his phone on airplane mode, setting it aside as he got back to work.
• Meanwhile, the Brotherhood WhatsApp group was flooded with text messages shortly after.
• Something very important? Do you mean her virginity? Did Lionel force himself on a girl on his first day?
• No way! I thought that Lionel wasn’t interested in women?
• I know, right? I’ve always thought that he was into men!
• Oh my god! I want to see what this girl looks like! She must be an absolute beauty, given that she was able to steal his heart!
• No, Lionel is mine! I don’t believe this! I refuse to believe this!
• What...
• Where the hell did Matthew disappear to? Hey, Matthew! Come back here!