Chapter 17: First Mission
2236words
Before long, the door to the room opened, and Hunter stepped in. His figure looked cold as usual, but when his eyes fell on Ramona, his steps slowed down for a moment. He let his gaze sweep over the woman's appearance. Elegant, polite, but still charming—so so fascinating that for a moment his mind almost wavered.
Hunter immediately regained his senses, hardening his expression that had softened. "Just go to Bainchi's company," he said, his voice full of authority. "Apply for a designer position. With your reputation in Los Angeles, getting a job there is not difficult."
Ramona did not respond immediately. He looked at Hunter with a sharp, hateful gaze that he couldn't hide. "When can I see my son?" he asked, his voice low, but full of pressure.
Hunter's gaze turned dark. He moved quickly, gripping Ramona's neck firmly, forcing the woman to look directly into her eyes. "Carry out my orders first, then you can see your son," he said coldly. "Never ask for a reward before you finish your work."
Violently, Hunter threw Ramona back into place. The woman gasped, yet said nothing. He just swallowed his saliva with difficulty, trying to calm himself down. All he had on his mind was one: making sure that his son was okay.
Hunter let out a long sigh, as if calming his own emotions. He reached for his phone from his pocket, his fingers typing quickly before he pressed it to his ear. "Liam," he said briefly, his voice sounding serious.
Meanwhile, Ramona remained silent in her place, but her teary eyes never escaped Hunter. He knew, for the sake of his son, that he had to put aside his fears and hatreds.
Hunter looked at Ramona with eyes full of determination, his voice echoing full of pressure. "Where's the boy?" he asked, his flat voice containing an unspoken threat.
Ramona was silent for a moment, her gaze sharp, trying to contain her emotions. However, without giving a chance to answer, Liam switched the phone to a video call. Hunter threw his phone on the bed near Ramona's side. Quickly, Ramona picked up the phone and looked at the screen.
On the phone screen, you can see Esther, who cheerfully calls out, "Mommy!"
A big smile instantly formed on Ramona's face, her eyes feeling watery. She felt longed for her son, but Esther's smile seemed to make him endure. "Mommy, where? Is Mommy okay?" asked Esther, her face full of concern.
Ramona could only nod, even though the pain and longing were so deep. He wanted to say more, but the words were stuck in his throat as he could barely hold back the tears that were about to come out.
Hunter who was standing by the balcony, staring at them with a flat gaze, chose to distance himself from the conversation.
"Is this uncle Mommy's friend?" asked Esther innocently, turning her gaze to Liam who was beside her.
Ramona looked at Esther lovingly. "Yes, baby. Mommy has a job. Can you wait a little longer for mommy? After Mommy is done, Mommy will pick you up," Ramona replied, even though her heart was broken.
Esther nodded with a bright smile on her face, as if she didn't know how heavy her mother's feelings were. Ramona held her breath, swallowed her saliva before speaking again, trying to advise in a soft voice, "Please take good care of your attitude dear? Don't trouble Uncle Liam."
Esther nodded again with enthusiasm, her wide smile making Ramona almost unable to hold back her tears.
"Oh yes, mom, is Uncle Rafle coming?" asked Esther, as if wanting to ask more things.
Ramona glanced at Hunter who was still standing on the balcony. He took a breath, trying to control himself. "Uncle Rafle is busy, baby, so he can't see you for now," Ranona replied, trying to smile even though her heart ached.
Esther nodded, as if understanding. However, before Ramona finished speaking, Hunter suddenly approached and took his phone from Ramona's hand.
Liam immediately greeted in a soft voice, "Liam, call him."
Gently, Liam said to Esther, "Mommy is in a hurry to get to work, so this call should end now. Mommy will see you soon."
Esther just nodded, her smile still bright even though she didn't fully understand. The video call just ended.
"Yes, sir," Liam replied briefly to Hunter.
Hunter looked at his phone, then said to Liam, "I've sent you an email. Forward it to the company later."
Liam nodded, and their call ended.
Ramona feels empty, her heart seems empty, but she still tries to survive for the sake of her son, hoping that one day she can be free from Hunter's clutches.
Hunter stared flat at Ramona who was wiping her tears with trembling hands. "What are you waiting for?" his voice was stern and full of pressure, "Hurry up and go to Bainchi's company."
Ramona just stared at Hunter with a sharp gaze, but without saying anything, he immediately stood up from the edge of the bed, grabbed his bag, and walked out of the room with a quick step. He knew that there was no room for resistance, and the only way to protect his son was to follow Hunter's orders.
After the door of the room closed, Hunter contacted Liam again, his voice still sounding firm.
"Yes, sir?" replied Liam from the other side of the phone.
Hunter stared at the closed door with such a fixing, calculating gaze. "Take care of the child and don't let anyone get close to him," he said in a tone that could not be negotiated anymore.
Liam didn't have time to respond, Hunter had already turned off the phone quickly.
On the other side, Liam frowned, his confusion clearly illustrated. "Is he okay?" he muttered quietly. "He hated his own son so much, but on the other hand he was so protective of him."
Liam could only shake his head, confused by Hunter's increasingly elusive attitude. However, behind it all, he knows that Hunter is someone who cannot be predicted and always has a reason behind his every action.
Ramona sat tense in the waiting room of Bainchi's company, her eyes occasionally glancing at the clock on the wall. It had been almost fifteen minutes since he had completed the interview stage, and although he tried to calm down, anxiety still haunted him. He knew very well how big the stakes were at stake this time—it was not just a job, but a way to ensure his son's safety.
He wiped the sweat from his forehead, waiting patiently. Although some of the other suitors seemed more confident, Ramona couldn't contain her anxiety. Various thoughts cluttered his mind, but he still tried to focus.
Suddenly, the door of the waiting room opened, and a woman dressed in neat clothes from the HRD team approached her. "Miss Ramona, you are called by Mr. Sevano to go to his room," he said in a formal tone.
Ramona immediately stood up quickly, trying to maintain her appearance even though her heart was pounding. "Thank you," he replied quietly. He nodded and followed the woman to Mr. Sevano's room. Every step he took felt so heavy, but he knew it was a step he had to take.
Arriving at the front of the room, the HRD woman opened the door and politely motioned for Ramona to enter. Ramona took a deep breath and stepped in, ready to face what was to come next.
Ramona stepped into a room that looked magnificent, with the inscription "President" on the door leading directly to a large and comfortable chair. Behind a table made of dark brown wood, a handsome and charismatic-looking young man sat casually. The man was wearing an elegant black suit, his smile looked full of confidence as his eyes greeted Ramona.
"Ramona?" Mr. Sevano confirmed the name, his voice sounding full of curiosity.
Ramona nodded politely, slightly lowering her head, although in her heart she was uneasy. Mr. Sevano got up from his chair and stepped closer. She invited Ramona to sit on the sofa located on the side of the room. Ramona sat quietly, but her eyes couldn't get away from Mr. Sevano who was still smiling at her.
After the two sat down facing each other, Mr. Sevano started a conversation. "I've seen your performance," he said in an admiring tone. "It's amazing. It turns out that you are a prominent designer in Los Angeles who recently won a major award. It's an honor for me to work with you."
Ramona was a little surprised by the compliment, although she tried not to show any expression too much. However, Mr. Sevano continued with a more surprising question, "But what makes me really curious is, how do you know if our company needs a designer position? You came all the way from Los Angeles just to work with our company. What prompted you to do that?"
Ramona looked at Mr. Sevano sharply, the question made him ponder for a moment. He knew that there was more hidden behind this meeting, but he could only smile faintly.
Ramona looked at Mr. Sevano with a confident look, then replied calmly, "Who doesn't know about Bainchi's company? This giant company has been heard abroad, no wonder I am one of them who is interested in joining your company." He paused for a moment, confirming his words. "Seeing how the media always reports about this company makes me feel very interested in working here. After all, I'm originally from Malta. Going to Los Angeles is just to study design. Now, I want to go back to my homeland and make use of my abilities in a better way."
Mr. Sevano smiled at Ramona's answer, a sense of satisfaction clearly drawn on his face. He was flattered to hear such a sincere and respectful explanation. "You know very well how to present yourself," he said in a tone of admiration. "We are always looking for someone with passion and ambition like you. I'm sure you'll be a great fit to work here."
Ramona smiled faintly, feeling happy with the warm welcome from Sevano. However, in his heart, he knew that he had come to this company for other purposes, not just to apply for a job.
Sevano looked at Ramona again with curiosity, this time the question was a little more personal. "Are you married, Ramona?" she asked without hesitation. Ramona was silent for a moment, judging whether to be honest or not. However, he finally nodded and replied, "I have a son."
Mr. Sevano was a little surprised to hear that answer, but he just nodded softly, seemingly digesting the new information that Ramona had given. "What is your husband's job?" asked Sevano again, wanting to know more.
Ramona smiled faintly, a smile that looked a little bitter. "My husband has been gone for a long time. He died in a car accident," Ramona replied calmly, without showing excessive emotions. His voice remained steady and smooth, as if there was nothing extraordinary in the answer.
Sevano felt a little uncomfortable after hearing the story. He bowed his head for a moment, feeling a bit guilty for asking a question that evoked bitter memories for Ramona. "I'm sorry, I didn't intend to make you remember that sadness," he said in a voice full of regret. "I just want to make sure if you can work all the time near me. You know for yourself how a designer works, they have to work hard all the time, almost forgetting time and everything. If I knew you had a son, maybe I could manage your work hours so that it wouldn't be too excessive."
Ramona smiled softly, gratitude painted on her face. "Thank you for your concern, Mr. Sevano," he said politely, feeling appreciated. He knows that this is a great opportunity for him, and even though there are many unanswered questions, he tries to stay calm and focused on his goals.
"But in Malta, the biggest company and the most targeted by the media and the public is not Bainchi's company," Sevano said, making Ramona look at him confused.
Sevano was silent for a moment before he continued, "But Hunter Gideon Scott's Moreti company, have you heard of it?" Ramona swallowed her saliva, what was the right answer to give to Sevano.
Ramona nodded with a smile and replied, "Yes, I've heard of it, but many rumors say that the leader of the company is not a human, but a demon. It doesn't seem like the place is appropriate for me who is this good. The Bainchi company is a very good choice for me." Sevano smiled at the compliment.
Sevano shook his head and then looked at Ramona intently.
"You came as a spy?" asked Sevano making Ramona speechless, all the blood in her body really seemed to freeze at this moment, her throat choked on something and her lips were tightly closed.
