Chapter 10 [9] SURPRISE

(now)

"Why didn't Uncle tell me that?" The girl immediately greeted Tian who had just opened the door. Fathia had been waiting impatiently for the man's arrival before tonight. Fathia wanted to talk to Tian immediately.

Since the message from Tian came in, Fathia had been impatient to bombard the man who was still wearing his official suit with many questions. Tian wouldn't want to be bothered with trivial messages from him unless it was absolutely essential.

"What?" Tian asked confused. Fathia was still following him, also blinking excitedly in front of him. Just like a child welcoming his father home, asking for something in a hurry. How long has Tian not seen Fathia like this?

"Don't pretend you don't know!" said Fathia with a slight frown. "Why can Tian be a speaker at a seminar in two days at my campus?"

Tian shook his head in surprise and slightly moved away from the girl who still looked excited.

"Uncle," Fathia whined holding Tian's hand.

"Why?" It's been a long time since Tian heard Fathia's spoiled whimper. Was it because so much time was wasted which Tian should have used to be beside this lonely girl? Ah ... Tian suddenly regretted it.

"Answer my question first."

"Yes. Satisfied?"

Fathia pouted again, still following Tian's steps to her room.

"Want to come too?"

"Uncle!"

"What?" Tian felt like laughing but looking at Fathia who was already blushing because of being bullied was a rare thing. "I'll tell you later. Now I want to take a shower and change clothes first. Fathia can you make me coffee?"

The curious glint that had stopped in Fathia's eyes was replaced with a spark of enthusiasm. "But drink, yes. Don't not."

"Yes."

Before Tian actually closed the door to his room, Fathia's figure had indeed moved away and headed for the kitchen with a cheerful hum. Just like this, Tian already liked the atmosphere created between them. He closed for a moment. Remember when was the last time they joked around? It feels like they haven't done it in a long time.

Tian has no one else in the world. His parents died a long time ago. Struggling hard to live in the capital city is also hard to spur and hone himself to become a fairly successful person. Met Felice several times, did not deny that he turned out to have his own interest in a beautiful girl with a slender body.

Working under the auspices of the Claire Group, starting from an ordinary staff to serving as a manager at a fairly young age, Alvin is curious about the figure of Tian. Alvin also tested it and also tended to have an interest in Tian's expertise. When he met Felice, it made Alvin even more aware that Tian was compatible with his eldest daughter. It didn't matter what Tian's background was from an ordinary person. For Alvin, it is not a difficult matter. Tian is a responsible and dedicated man. And now, Alvin asks Tian to take care of Fathia? So that's what he will do up to now. Just like in the will.

And now his life is centered on Fathia. They both have almost the same background. Tian actually really cares about the fragile figure who might be destroying his kitchen right now. No problem. As long as...

"UNcle Tian!!!"

Without much thought Tian immediately came out of his room. He saw Fathia waving her hand while occasionally blowing it. The sound of falling objects sounded loud enough that Tian panicked even more. Tian forgot, that Fathia is sometimes very careless. Like this.

"Can you be more careful?" Tian asked with a piercing gaze. Making Fathia, who had wanted to complain to Tian, cancel her intention. But it can't be helped, his hand hurts so bad. He felt his hands scald from the heat that had hit him.

tsk!

"It seemed I was being careful, Uncle. But why did it slip when it was about to be poured? So I ..." Fathia immediately glared and screamed in pain as water poured down her hands. Tian immediately turned on the water tap and washed Fathia's hands immediately. "Sick." It felt like Fathia just wanted to cry.

"No more coffee."

Fathia was crying.

Tian doesn't care about Fathia's tears. He had suppressed the emotions that were ready to overflow because Fathia couldn't be careful at all. "Sit down," Tian ordered mercilessly. The roar of his breath was very obvious when Tian was trying to control his emotions. So that the words that filled his head and had been assembled, did not need to be said and hurt the heart of this girl who was still crying in pain.

It's useless to scold Fathia at a time like this. He contributed to the wrong. He thought, Fathia's carelessness could be reduced considerably. Tian regretted his request for a cup of coffee earlier. He immediately took the burn ointment. Fathia's hands look red and Tian is sure, Fathia is in a lot of pain.

"Slowly," Fathia whispered while occasionally rubbing her eyes. "Sick."

"Sorry."

Fathia looked up and looked at Tian who only briefly returned her gaze. The man chose to be busy taking care of Fathia's hands. "For?"

"If I didn't ask you to make coffee, you wouldn't be scalded." Tian wanted to curse himself. Out there, Tian tried his best to take care of Fathia. While in this apartment? Which should be the safest place Tian could give, instead Tian was harmed just because of a cup of coffee.

Unlucky!

"But I want to make Uncle coffee."

Their eyes met at last. The eyeballs as beautiful as dolls were still wet from those tears, Tian wiped them slowly. "Nope. I'll do it myself later."

Instead of stopping, Fathia started crying again. Makes Tian quite confused. "Why?"

"Isn't there anything I can do to make Uncle happy?"

***

Tian stood not far from the edge of Fathia's bed. Making sure the girl sleeps comfortably without being disturbed at all somehow has become his obligation. His eyes stared straight at the figure who was already covered in his comfortable blanket. Fathia's breath rose and fell regularly, a sign that the owner of the body had really fallen asleep.

Tian's activities just stopped when the cell phone in his pocket vibrated. Once he ignored however, but this was the third time. That means the phone is really important. Immediately he saw who was the intruder of the night.

Vino.

Without further ado, Tian immediately left Fathia's room. Turned off the main light in the girl's room and replaced it with a more dim night light. "Why?"

"Sir, sorry to interrupt."

Tian was silent waiting for Vino to speak.

"For the seminar later, we have made sure nothing has been missed. All corners of the auditorium are safe and I make sure people are on guard around."

"Good. Make sure without making anyone suspicious."

"Okay sir."

Tian was just about to hang up Vino, "One more thing, sir." So Tian chose to just wait.

"Saylendra won the tender again. Our representatives lost badly. The submission of the proposal is almost exactly the same. I'm lucky, there's an insider playing. The most significant difference, the benefits they offer are more lucrative."

"Your calculations?"

"We can, it's just that we need more funding. Saylendra is too brave."

"He's not brave because the luck is small. Saylendra knows, Claire is participating in the tender auction. Our goal. You have to understand, Vino."

"Okay sir. What's the next step?"

"According to you?" Tian opened a small gap in the balcony door. Feel the night breeze blowing. Tonight, the wind was blowing quite hard. Her hair must have been a mess.

"I... don't know yet, sir."

Tian nodded slightly. "Well that's that then. Take a rest. Our days are getting longer and harder." It took several minutes before Tian finally decided to close the glass door. The gust of wind stopped for a moment, replaced by the air conditioning breeze that greeted the surface of his skin. Also the scent of air freshener that automatically turns on from one corner.

"Saylendra. When will he be satisfied?" Tian squeaked annoyed. He dropped his body on the soft sofa which immediately received Tian with a small creak. His head looked up, his eyes stared as if they could penetrate the white internite that now filled his view, then he used his hands to massage his temples from the unbearable dizziness that was whacking.

He's been trying really hard. The pressure he received was not a joke that could be underestimated.

"At this rate, Claire could go bankrupt." Tian knew, sooner or later Claire's collapse would come to him. It can be avoided as long as he has a large enough injection of funds, no longer in the form of a loan. But more so for high-end projects whose nominal zero digits can buy luxury apartments up to several units.

"What should Tian do, Uncle?" softly. The rush of responsibility that he bears, suffocates him even more. If it weren't for the debt of gratitude, maybe he would have flatly refused the request of an Alvin Mehram Clairine.

Not yet finished with the pressure that Tian had, a message came in that made him even crazier.

Vino : Sir, the board of directors asked for a meeting related to the tender yesterday. I think they are starting to prepare to leave Claire. And the other Claires started to protest loudly about your leadership. They want, Claire's rightful owner in power.