Chapter 8 TEA AS IN THE BEVERAGE

ADAM'S POV

"Sir, we've finally found some information about the girl... er, I mean your bride." the man said, a slight tremor in his voice. I took a sip of my coffee, savoring the moment.

"Go on," I said, my voice icy and controlled. The man fumbled with his tablet for a moment before speaking again.

"Her name is Althea Ruiz, and she's 24 years old. She's of Italian descent, and her hobbies include drawing, cooking, and doing charity work. She's a practicing Christian who graduated from Harvard University and has a PhD in business administration from the University of Bologna. Her family consists of her sister, Bella, her mother, Melissa, and her father, Daniel, and her brother, Matthew...deceased. She works for the MKT Group of Companies." the man said, looking at his tablet.

After he finished speaking, he let out a long sigh of relief. I remained silent, sipping my coffee slowly. Finally, I spoke, my voice cold and measured. "Is that all, Mr. Maxwell?"

He visibly flinched at my tone, his shoulders hunching in fear. He didn't speak, merely nodding his head slowly.

"The reason I hired you and put you in this position is not for this," I said, taking a sip of my coffee. "Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir," he said, his voice shaking. "I'm so sorry, sir. Please, don't fire me."

I turned to face him. "I didn't say I was going to fire you," I said, my voice calm but firm. "But you need to understand that you are here to do a job, so do it properly!" I uttered as I stood up and walked towards a window, looking outside of it.

"Sir, I have some more information that might be useful," Mr. Maxwell said, his voice trembling.

I turned to face him. "Go on," I said, my voice even and emotionless. "It might save you...and your job."

"Well," he said hesitantly. "Her nickname is 'Tea.' Does that help?"

I raised an eyebrow, considering the information. I cocked my head to one side in confusion, trying to make sense of what Mr. Maxwell had just said. A slight smile appeared on my lips, as I was completely baffled by his words.

"Tea? As in the beverage?" I asked aloud, the smile growing slightly wider.

"Yes, sir," he replied. "It's just a nickname, I'm sure it doesn't mean anything."

A long moment passed before I said anything. I stood in silence for what felt like an eternity, and Mr. Maxwell waited anxiously for my response. Finally, a burst of laughter escaped my lips, filling the room. I was clearly amused by the girl's nickname.

"Is everything alright, Mr. Adam?" Maxwell asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.

My laughter abruptly ceased, and my expression became cold and unreadable. I walked towards Mr. Maxwell, setting my mug down on the table and staring at him directly in the eyes. "Maxwell," I said, my voice quiet but firm.

Mr. Maxwell's body trembled as he looked into Adam's eyes. He knew that when his boss stared at someone like this, it usually meant they were in for some bad news.

He racked his brain, trying to remember if he had said something wrong. But he couldn't think of anything. He simply returned his boss's gaze, his heart racing.

The two men stared at each other, their gazes as cold as ice. But they were very different in nature. One was filled with a deadly intent, while the other was fueled by pure fear.

Finally, Adam broke the silence. "Mr. Maxwell, I thought I made it clear that you are never to address me by my name, no matter what the circumstances," he said, his voice low and menacing. "It seems you are rather disobedient, aren't you?"

Mr. Maxwell's heart sank. He knew he was in serious trouble now. He had no idea what to do or say next. He stood there, frozen, waiting for Adam's next move.

After a few tense moments, Adam spoke again. "I'll be honest with you, Mr. Maxwell," he said. "You're not the first person who's made this mistake. But you may be the last."

A chill ran down Mr. Maxwell's spine. What did Adam mean by that? Was he about to lose his job? Or worse? He felt the blood drain from his face as he stood there, trembling.

"I'm sorry, sir," Mr. Maxwell said, his voice shaking. "It was an honest mistake. I didn't mean to call you by your name. I just got scared when you started laughing."

Adam smiled, a sly twinkle in his eye. "Don't worry, I'll let it slide this time," he said. "But don't let it happen again."

Mr. Maxwell let out a long breath, his shoulders sagging with relief. "Thank you so much, sir," he said. "I won't make that mistake. But if I may ask, what was so funny about our conversation? Why were you laughing earlier?"

Adam, who had been watching Mr. Maxwell the whole time, let out a small smile. "I must admit, I found the nickname rather amusing," he said.

Mr. Maxwell returned the smile, feeling a bit relieved that the tension seemed to have lessened. He waited for Adam to speak again, not wanting to say anything that might upset him further.

After a moment, Adam turned away from Mr. Maxwell and looked out the window, a sly smile on his lips. The silence lingered in the air, heavy and uncomfortable. He had no choice but to bow his head down, even though Adam wasn't looking.

"Maxwell, book me a flight to Italy. I need to arrive by tomorrow morning." Adam said, still gazing out the window.

"Certainly, sir," Mr. Maxwell replied, his voice calm and professional. "Do you need me to pack any of your belongings for the trip?"

"No, that won't be necessary," Adam said. "Just let me know what time the flight leaves."

Maxwell knew he was venturing into dangerous territory by asking questions, but he couldn't help himself. "Sir, why are we suddenly going to Italy?" he asked. "We don't have any appointments or business dealings there that I know of."

Adam turned to look at him, his gaze was like a dagger, piercing into Maxwell's soul. "You don't need to know," he said, his voice low and threatening. "Just do as I say and make the arrangements...and make sure to call my father."

"For what exactly, sir?" Maxwell inquired politely.

"Tell him to postpone the wedding until tomorrow," Adam said. "I'll be attending."

Maxwell's jaw dropped. "But, sir," he stammered, "you said you wouldn't be attending, no matter what. What changed?"

Adam turned to face him, his expression unreadable.

"Well, I've decided to change my mind," Adam said, a slight smile playing at the corners of his lips. "I think I'd like to attend the wedding after all. I need to see my bride before we're married. I find her nickname rather pleasing. It's unusual, but it amuses me." He chuckled softly, his eyes glittering with amusement.

Maxwell was stunned. He had so many questions, but he knew better than to ask. Instead, he turned and left the room to make the arrangements for the flight, his mind whirling with questions and possibilities. What could Adam's sudden change of heart mean? And what was so special about the bride's nickname? There was something mysterious going on, and Maxwell couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding.

Alone in the room, Adam turned back to the window and smiled. Then, he started to laugh, a mischievous laugh that echoed through the room.

"Tea...I'm coming for you," he said, his voice calm and collected "I have to get ready. There's a wedding to attend!"

He walked up the stairs, an unknown purpose in his heart. What did he have planned for the wedding? And what did it have to do with the bride's nickname?