EXCLUSIVELY THE CEO'S (ECSTASY)

Aisshhh!...Nothing works out perfectly for me." Emily pouted her lips and threw the soju she was trying to open away.

"Hhsss..." She inhaled, propping herself up on her elbows.

She stared at the mirror and clicked her tongue. "tsk tsk tsk."

She let out a small smile. "You are such a failure Emily."

"Ahhh, it's a good thing I got dumped today." She nodded her head vigorously.

She stood up from the chair and grabbed a sweater from her closet, she wore her slippers, took her earmuffs, and took her last cash from her purse before walking out of her studio apartment.

She had decided to visit a bar for a cocktail shake.

At a certain corporation, the conference room was cold as usual, not because the air conditioners were on, but because the CEO of Empire World Corporation was not in a good mood as usual. He had never been in a good mood, but it seemed his mood that day was critically worst.

He had kept the officials in the room for four hours straight. Even though some of the officials were older than him, they dared not complain.

Considering the fact that the air conditioners were on and functioning perfectly well, everyone in the conference room was supposed to be freezing from excess cold, but the reverse was the case. The officials, Noah, the CEO's personal asisstant included, were sweating profusely like they were on the hot seat.

Lazily, Joel placed his left elbow on the arm of the office chair he was sitting on and raised his left hand slightly, in the air, from where he sat at the far end of the conference table. On the cue, Noah stopped reading.

'Thank you, Lord Jesus.' Noah cried inwardly.

He had been reading the week's agenda, non-stop, for hours.

"That's enough for today."

Even though Joel's voice sounded cool, it still made the officials shiver in their seats.

There was that cold aura his voice had. Even the whole of him.

Lazily again, he stood up on his feet, buttoned his well-ironed tuxedo and took long strides out of the conference room.

The officials stood up on their feet very quickly and bowed. They dared not look in his face even though he wasn't looking directly at any of them.

And even if they wanted to, his cold aura wouldn't let them.

They all had their eyes on their scripts till Joel left the room.

Swiftly, Noah arranged the blue scripts he had been reading and trailed after his boss.

Immediately the officials were sure that the CEO and his assistant had left the room, they immediately packed their documents and scrammed out, heading towards different directions.

Some of them had been trembling from starvation since they began the meeting.

As Joel walked made his way out of the corporation, the few people that crossed his path would bow their heads in fear as the cold aura emanated from him, making them fidget uncontrollably.

Joel got in his personal elevator and just when its doors were about to slide close, his assistant ran in.

'boss' legs are always too fast. oh! life is so unfair to me!.' Noah cried within himself as he rushed into the elevator.

Immediately the elevator reached the ground floor, Joel took long strides out of the building and headed towards his car, with his personal assistant run-walking behind him.

Something flashed through Joel's eyes and he stopped abruptly.

Noah who didn't know his boss was going to stop so suddenly, ran right into him.

Joel turned around and swept his cold gaze over him.

"I-am-s-sorry s-sir." Joel stuttered, breaking into cold sweats.

He bowed his head immediately.

Ignoring his assistant's stupid behaviour, Joel twitched his lips.

"Hand over my car key." He ordered, staring expressionlessly at his assistant.

"S-s-ss-sir?" Noah stuttered yet again, his face to the ground, as he dared not look at his boss, the CEO of EMPIRE WORLD, in the eyes.

Joel's face darkened. He hated repeating himself, and Noah knew it too.

Noah gulped.

Although he wasn't looking at his boss in the face, the sudden cold he felt through his spine told it all.

*DON'T MAKE ME REPEAT MYSELF*...

Noah brought out the car key in his pocket, fidgeting, and handed it over to his boss.

With a swift movement of his hand, Joel grabbed the key from Noah and got in the uniquely parked silver Benz.

"Good night boss" Noah bowed.

The screeching sound of the CEO's car moving out of Empire World Corporation, onto the tarred road of Seoul, replied Noah.

Noah raised his head and opened his mouth. He shook his head.

'my boss is....' he waved it off.

*

*

*

"Y-yo-you need to seeee t-th-the way he y-yelled at meee." Emily belched.

When she arrived at the bar earlier on, she had been attacked by a gang who wanted to harass her. But luckily, a guy had saved her from them.

Since she was drunk, she had then taken her time to tell him about her breakup, since she had no one else to tell.

Her lifesaver shook his head. "Oh...such a loss.."

"Ani...na??" She stared drunkenly at the guy.

"I don't mean you. I mean the guy. . . He lost such a pretty lady." her lifesaver smiled.

"Yeah ..heee e-ev-even called m-meeee ugly...tsk tsk tsk." Emily clicked her tongue.

"Hmph. He's blind." her lifesaver grinned.

"Exactly!..even t-the blind ma-man can see that I am very-very beauti-ful!" Emily stated, propping herself up on her left elbow.

Her lifesaver raised his brow as if listening to something and then stood up.

"I have to go now miss." He smiled down at drunk beauty.

"Ahhh...arasso." Emily nodded her head.

"May I know your name miss?" her lifesaver asked as he made to take his leave.

"Emily." Emily smiled.

"Thank you, Miss Emily, bye." her lifesaver smiled and walked out of the bar.

After her lifesaver left, Emily drank more liquor for a while before she decided to take her leave.

"Ahhh. . I better s-sstart going tooo." She staggered to her feet, and blindly, she found her way out of the bar.

Emily hadn't walked ten steps into the middle of the road when she felt a very stinging pain around her arm and slumped on the road.

"What the fuck." Joel cursed softly under her breath.

He stepped out of his car and checked his bonnet and wing to see if they had any scratch on them. After he was satisfied that his car had no scratches on it, he heaved a sigh of relief.

He looked down at the body on the ground and squatted beside the girl. He noticed that she was already unconscious and then, he carried her in a bridal style, opened the backdoor and placed her in the backseat. He then hopped in the car and drove off.

After driving for a while, he found a hospital by the roadside. He pressed on the brake and parked the car. He stepped out of the driver's side, opened the backseat and carried the girl out of the car.

Joel took long strides into the hospital and handed the girl over to the first nurse that came his way.

The nurses at the front desk opened their mouths, drooling as they stared at Joel. They'd never in their life imagined seeing their city's sweetheart, the CEO of Empire World Corporation in their hospital. They couldn't help but keep gasping and whispering amongst themselves.

Ignoring the drilling gazes of the nurses, Joel took out a lighter and a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. He tried tearing the pack when he saw the 'No Smoking' poster on the wall. He threw the pack of cigarettes and lighter away in a trashcan closest to him and sat on the bench in the corridor, paying no attention to any of the nurses.

After a while, a male doctor walked towards the nurses at the front desk and said some things to them. One of the nurses pointed at Joel and the doctor nodded his head and walked towards Joel.

As he neared Joel, he got a full view of Joel's face and shook in fear.

'MR JOEL?! THE CEO OF EMPIRE WORLD?!!' he trembled.

He quickly bowed. ". . . Sir"

"The girl, how is she?" Joel asked coldly.

"She-she is-ss okay. J-just a broken leg and dislocated arm. She only p-passed out from shock." the doctor gulped nervously.

Joel nodded his head.

"Good. Noah will settle you." He stood up on his feet.

"Yes Sir." the doctor bowed.

Who didn't know Noah, the handsome personal assistant of the extraordinarily handsome CEO?

"Good night Sir." the doctor bowed his head again.

"Take me to her." Joel's mouth twitched.

"Sir?" the doctor stared at him bewilderedly.

Joel's face darkened.

"Ah, yes." the doctor quickly bowed his head.

(A/N: in this case, ye meant yes sir.)

"This way sir." He said and led the way to the girl's ward.

The doctor halted in front of a door and was about to turn the knob when Joel stopped him with his cold voice.

"Leave," he ordered dismissively.

"Ahh, ye." The doctor bowed and quickly took his leave.

Joel's eyes scanned the door for a while before he creaked it open. He closed it behind him and took long strides towards the girl lying on the hospital bed with her left hand and leg bandaged. He stared at her for a while before taking his seat, watching her as she breathed softly... the girl looked so fragile and naive.

-

Back at a certain villa, Little Pumpkin kept walking back and forth, continuously checking through the window as if waiting for someone to drive in. After checking the driveway through the window for the umpteenth time, he climbed down from the chair and walked towards his father.

"Dad..." he called out.

"Huh?" Michael looked up at him from the settee he was sitting on.

"Is Uncle JJ not coming back home tonight?" Little Pumpkin asked keenly as he sat down next to his father.

"I don't know." his father groaned.

"How can you not know when you are his brother?" Little Pumpkin pouted.

"Arghhh, I don't have any supernatural power." his father rolled his eyes.

"Besides, it's my day off today and I didn't go to the company. There's no way I would have known he wasn't coming back home tonight." Michael explained frustratedly.

"You should sleep, you're going to school tomorrow." he quickly added.

"Ani." Little Pumpkin shook his head negatively.

(A/N: Ani is one of the shortened forms of "no")

"I want to wait till Uncle JJ comes back." he pouted stubbornly.

"Uwa!" Michael facepalmed himself as he stared at his son.

(A/N: Uwa means "wow")

There he is, stubbornly waiting for his brother, but he wouldn't wait if it were to be him- his father... Maybe Joel gave birth to the boy.

Michael sneered.

"Dad, why don't you call him?" Pumpkin stared eagerly at his father.

"Ok..." Michael groaned as he picked up his phone and dialed Joel's number.

Joel was still studying the girl on the hospital bed when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He brought it out and checked the caller's ID before swiping up the answer icon.

"Are you still coming home tonight?" Michael asked as soon as he had placed the phone on his ear.

He didn't bother with pleasantries. He knew his younger brother too well. Joel didn't like pleasantries.

"No," Joel replied.

"Why?" Michael asked.

Joel stared at the girl on the bed for a second before looking away. "Busy."

"Ok then, g'night." Michael yawned.

The phone went 'beep'. Joel hung up.

Michael turned to face his five-year-old son, who, to the best of his knowledge, was too intelligent for his age.

"So?..." Little Pumpkin stared keenly at his father.

"He isn't coming." Michael broke the bombshell.

"Awwwwwwww..." Little Pumpkin pouted in disappointment and sank into the couch.

"Let me take you to your room. You'll see him when you get back from school tomorrow." Michael stood up, and gently, he carried the fragile boy on his shoulder.

He felt sorry for the boy. Ever since the incident happened, Little Pumpkin had grown so fond of Joel since he usually spent so much time with him. He had grown so close to Joel that he shared with Joel a bond he didn't even share with him- his father. Little Pumpkin loved Joel just as much as Joel loved him.

"I hate school." Pumpkin muttered silently as he rested his head on his father's shoulder.

Michael sighed as he headed towards Little Pumpkin's room. As soon as one of the maids opened the door to Little Pumpkin's room for him, he walked in, to the bed, and lay the little boy, who was already fast asleep, on it. He kissed his forehead, switched off the light, and walked out of Little Pumpkin's room.

Michael walked into his room and fell flat on his bed, his eyes to the ceiling. He entwined his hands slightly above his head as a tear escaped from his left eye and streamed down onto the pillow.

🏥🏥🏥

After watching the girl for a little while, Joel picked his phone from his lap and dialed his assistant's number.

#Beep

Noah yawned into the mouthpiece of his phone. "Hello."

It was pretty obvious that he was already fast asleep before he answered his phone.

"Tomorrow morning, come to the hospital. I'll text you the address now." Joel stated bluntly and hung up, giving no room for Noah to talk.

Noah, who was already very sleepy, widened his eyes immediately he heard his boss' voice. The sleep vanished from his eyes, and he hastily digested everything his boss had said. He knew his boss never repeated himself a second time.

After a short while, his phone dinged-a message from his boss.

Very quickly, Noah opened the message and saw that it was the address of the hospital his boss had mentioned. He stayed awake for a short while, and after confirming his boss wasn't going to call back, he went back to peaceful slumber.

🏥🏥🏥

After he sent the message to his assistant, Joel returned his phone to his pocket and spent the whole night watching the girl on the hospital bed without blinking an eye.

🌄🌄🌄

As soon as it was dawn, Noah drove straight to the address his boss had sent him the previous night. Without introducing himself, the nurses already knew who he was and who he came for as soon as they saw him step into the hospital.

Who didn't know the CEO's cute personal assistant NOAH WILSON?

Immediately, one of the nurses led him to the ward Joel was in.

Noah didn't know why his boss was in the hospital.

"Did he have an accident..."

"Did one of his enemies attack him..."

He wondered worriedly as the nurse led him to the ward. Since his boss was a successful businessman and the richest businessman in the country, and as much as he had a lot of people who loved him, he also had a lot of them who hated him.

Noah thought one of his boss' enemies had laid an ambush for him the previous night.

The nurse brought him to the ward and opened it for him to enter before closing it after him and leaving for the reception.

Noah walked further into the ward and saw a very beautiful lady lying on the bed. Even the blind would know she was beautiful. He stared at the lady before starting at his boss.

He walked quickly and stood beside his boss. He bowed to him and turned back to look at the lady, whose left arm and leg were bandaged. He furrowed his brows, trying to figure out what had happened. Since he was a very intelligent person, he easily deduced what had happened- his boss had hit the lady with his car.

Noah looked down at his boss and saw that he was staring at the lady on the bed.

🌅🌅🌅

Around 10 am that morning, Emily opened her eyes slowly. She looked up at the white ceiling.

'huh?...when did I repaint my room?' She twitched her lips to a side.

She racked her brain but didn't remember repainting her room. Then it occurred to her that the room she was in wasn't hers. Hastily, she turned her head to the left, and lo and behold, an extraordinarily handsome man was sitting next to the bed she was lying on. She raised her head a bit, and a handsome man was standing right next to the handsome man. Although the man wasn't as handsome as the other one, he wasn't bad either.

Emily trailed her eyes back to the very gorgeous man and stared at him for a while longer.

'There's something about this man, his expression hasn't changed since I opened my eyes...' Emily blinked her eyes rapidly. 'No smile, just a straight static look.' The thought of it sent chills down her spine.

She made to sit up and rest her back against the wall when she felt a sharp pain around her hand.

"Siiiii..." She hissed in pain.

"Sorry," Noah pouted as he watched the pretty lady hiss in pain.

Emily looked up at him and smiled. She then stared back at the handsome man and noticed his face still had the same cold expression as before.

"Errr, how did I end up here?" She asked, staring intently at the handsome man.

"You got hit," Noah quickly replied.

Emily diverted her eyes from the handsome man and stared at the other man standing nearby.

She squeezed her eyes shut as she tried to recollect what had happened. A few moments later, she opened her eyes. She didn't remember a thing.

"By who?" She asked.

Her eyes darted back to the 'man' as if she was expecting him to reply.

"By..." Noah choked on his words as he sensed his boss's body go stiff beside him. His body was always stiff, but now it got even stiffer.

"By?" Emily raised her brows and looked up at him, not sensing that the atmosphere in the room had gotten even colder.

"Errr...," Noah stuttered and pointed his index finger at his boss.

Emily followed his hand and stared at Joel.

"You hit me?" She asked.

No reply.

"Yah... I'm talking to you," she frowned.

(A/N: Yah means hey)

Still, no reply.

"Erm, is he deaf and dumb?" She looked up at Noah.

"Hurgh, hurgh, hurgh," Noah coughed nervously, his whole body suddenly paralyzed in fear.

'...if only this lady knew who she is talking to...' he gulped.

"Yah!" Emily stared back at Joel.

"Are you really blind?" She waved her right hand over his face.

"Uwa! Even if you are, are you deaf too?" she stared at him in all seriousness.

"Errrr, Miss..." Noah called as he stole a glance at her finger, noticing no ring.

"Mwo?" Emily asked, not looking away from the mute man.

(A/N: Mwo means what)

"Errr... do you not know us?" Noah asked keenly.

Judging from the way the lady was talking, it was either she didn't know them or she was pretending-everyone in the country knew them.

"I mean...do you not know him?" Noah pointed at his boss.

At least, if she didn't know him, she'd know his boss. Everybody knew his boss. Everyone.

"Anyo." Emily shook her head negatively.

(A/N: anyo is another shortened form of no)

"Y-yo-you truly don't?" Jude stuttered.

"Ani." Emily shrugged her shoulders.

'Oh my, which planet is she from?' Noah blinked his eyes rapidly.

"But...." Emily pursed her lips.

"But?..." Noah stared at her with rapt attention.

'Maybe she finally recollects.' he thought.

"I think I've seen him somewhere before..." Emily narrowed her eyes and placed her right hand on her chin as if thinking deeply.

"Hmmmmm....." She hummed thoughtfully.

"Think deep..." Noah cheered her on.

"Ahhh!...Now I remember!" Emily grinned and snapped her fingers.

"So?.." Noah grinned at her expectantly.

"Hmn...I think I've seen him at Quick Wash before." Emily clicked her tongue.

"Quick Wash?...what is Quick Wash?" Noah stared at her bewilderedly.

Joel arched up his brows.

"It's a laundry." Emily grinned.

"You work there, right?" She turned to face Joel.

"Hurgh hurgh hurgh." Noah coughed in astonishment as his heart got shattered into pieces.

He stole a glance at his boss as he felt the room go cold from his boss's static body.

"Why is there so much cold?.." Emily asked rhetorically, looking around.

"The fan is not on..." she twitched up her lips and wrapped her right arm around her body.

Noah bit his lower lip, staring awkwardly at his boss as his aura grew even colder.

"Does boss look like someone who works in a laundry?" Noah quickly asked.

"...." Emily pouted and stared at the god...

'He looks so handsome. His tuxedo, well-ironed,... broad shoulders. Hmmmmm, he doesn't work in a laundry.' Emily shook her head.

"Hmmn, so if he doesn't work there, who is he then?" She looked up at Noah.

"Boss is the C..." Noah's voice trailed off as he noticed his boss's body go stiffer.

'Does he not want me to tell her?...' He rubbed his sweaty palms.

"Errr..., I'll go ask the doctor when you can be discharged." Noah quickly walked towards the door, excusing himself from the very tense atmosphere.

He wasn't ready to get beheaded by his boss.

Emily returned her gaze to the handsome mute god and continued to stare at him.

'Is he deaf and dumb?' She thought as he also watched her with keen intent.

"You are free to go home," Noah announced, grinning as he walked back into the ward.

"Really?" Emily raised her shaggy brows at him.

"Yeah. The doctor says you can come back after a few weeks to get rid of the bandage and the crutch." Noah replied, smiling sweetly at the pretty lady.

"So, umm... how do I get home?" Emily stared blankly at him.

"Your family members," Joel spoke up for the first time, his face expressionless.

"Uwa!" Emily wowed, turning her head to him.

"Di-di-did he j-j-jus-just talk?!" She looked up at Noah.

"Uhn." Noah nodded his head.

"Uwa!" Emily smiled.

"But my family...they don't live around here." She pouted, her smile suddenly vanishing.

"He'll take you home as compensation then," Joel spoke up calmly but coldly.

"But... that's not enough compensation..." Emily scratched her head, feeling uncertain.

Joel snapped his fingers at Noah, indicating that he should take care of it. Understanding his boss's intent, Noah swiftly left the ward and returned shortly with a checkbook and a pen in hand. He filled in some details, tore out a check, and handed it to Emily along with the pen.

"You can fill in any amount you want," Noah said with a smile.

"What?!... any amount?" Emily blinked rapidly, staring at the blank check.

"Yes," Noah confirmed, clasping his hands together. "Boss here is a very generous man."

"Ah... so, if I fill in thirty billion won, he won't be affected?" Emily asked, pointing at Joel.

"No, that's not possible," Noah grinned.

"Huh?" Emily's mouth fell open.

"Well, how about... one trillion won?" Emily asked, her eyes fixed on the check.

"Can I write that?" she inquired, licking her lips as she eyed the check.

"Um... yes," Noah replied hesitantly.

"Ah..." Emily nodded slowly.

"What about one thousand trillion won?" Emily dipped the pen in her mouth and chewed on the lid.

"Pardon?" Noah grimaced, astonished at Emily's audacity.

Joel stared blankly at Emily while she stared intently at Noah.

"Yes," he replied in a low, nasal voice.

"No?" Noah quickly turned to his boss, disbelief evident in his eyes.

"He can give you that amount if you want," Joel said, his gaze unwaveringly fixed on Emily, paying no attention to his assistant's astonishment.

"What?!!!" Noah turned to his boss in disbelief, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets.

"He must be very, very, very rich!" Emily thought, assessing Joel with her eyes.

Deciding to test him further, she blurted out, "So... what if I want all the money in your bank account?" She stared intently at the handsome man before her.

"Huh?... ah, you can't," Noah stuttered, wondering if Emily was a gold digger.

"It's bank accounts, and you can have all the money," Joel replied, his gaze still fixed on Emily.

"Huh?... but with an 's'?" Emily almost choked.

"He must be incredibly wealthy!" she bit her lip.

Emily stared at Joel for a moment, sighed, and said, "I was joking."

"You didn't disappoint me," one side of Joel's mouth curled up in a smirk.

He knew she was joking all along, merely playing along with her.

"Aigoo," Noah breathed a sigh of relief.

"I don't want any money," Emily tossed the check aside.

"Huh?" Noah stared at her in astonishment.

"Not interested," Emily shook her head.

"Why?" Noah pouted, wondering why anyone would refuse money.

"Why do you rich people think money is everything... Tsk, tsk, tsk," Emily clicked her tongue.

"What do you want then?" Noah asked, genuinely curious.

"I live alone, and like this..." She paused, gesturing to her bandaged arm and leg. "...I can't manage on my own, it won't be convenient," she sniffed.

"So... you're saying that..." Noah began.

"Go live with your family," Joel interjected, cutting Noah off.

"I can't," Emily vigorously shook her head.

"Then?" Joel arched his eyebrows, his gaze coldly fixed on Emily.

"Let me live with you until I'm fully healed," Emily licked her lips feverishly as she stared at the statue-like man with the piercing gaze.

"As compensation..." she added slowly.

"Who?" Joel fur

rowed his brows.

"Um, me," Emily stammered, pointing to herself.

"You can't," Joel dismissed her.

He looked up at Noah and said, "Take her home and give her money if she changes her mind."

Joel took a glance at his dazzling wristwatch, stood up, and made his way to the door with confident strides.

Emily stared earnestly at his back and pleaded, "Please."

Without looking back or pausing for a second, Joel reached for the doorknob, turned it, and walked out of the ward.

Noah bit his lip as he watched the pitiful woman on the hospital bed. He helped her get down from the bed and handed her the crutch by the bedside.

"Thank you," Emily let out a faint smile.

She twitched her lips as they walked out of the ward. "Um, but I don't know your name..."

Noah smiled. "Ah, I'm Noah."

Emily returned his smile with a broad one. "Emily. I'm Emily."

🚗🚗🚗

Noah broke the silence as he drove away from the hospital. "Please don't be mad at Boss."

Emily shook her head. "No, I'm not mad at him."

"He's always like that. It's his personality," Noah sighed.

"I see..." Emily nodded thoughtfully.

Noah spent the rest of the drive taking directions from Emily while she provided guidance.

Emily pointed at a junction just ahead. "You can drop me off here. I'll find my way home."

"Why? Let me drop you off at home," Noah protested.

"No, it's fine here," Emily smiled hesitantly as Noah parked the car by the roadside.

Noah opened the door for her and watched as she struggled to get out of the car.

"Be careful," he smiled, concerned.

"Yes," Emily smiled and closed the door with her right hand.

"You don't want the money?" he asked.

"No," she replied, still smiling.

Noah pondered for a moment before nodding. "Okay."

"Thank you," she bowed repeatedly as Noah drove off, waving at her.

She waited until the car was out of sight and sighed, "Whew..."

She turned around and headed to one of the places she worked, Hot'n'Chilly.