Ending September

The room was too quiet and was filled with too much tension. September Thorne sat as he keeps on tapping his finger on his lap. He's waiting for the culprit to finally show himself right before he acts on it. This is his only way of giving chances to those who had enough courage to break his rules and play cat and mouse under his nose.

"Come on, still won't admit? Shall I drop your name then?" he asked no one in particular.

Everybody on the long gray table exchange scolding looks with one another.

Who the hell offended this big shot? Everyone was suspicious of one another, they just wanted this torture to be over. They've been here for quite long already and yet, September just patiently waits for that someone to man up to his own mess!

September Thorne is a name to be feared and complimented in the whole city.

At a very young age, he was able to beat old and experienced businessmen. His empire just keeps on growing and growing as time goes by. He's just plainly unstoppable. It was like someone handed him a dull and rusty knife and now he was able to use this as a sharp and fear-consuming sword.

He can just take down any business around the city, and almost everyone was aware that his connection outside the boundaries of the city also should never be underestimated.

"I'll count. Ten counts, and if you won't voluntarily show yourself, there's no way I'll leave you with any leeway after this."

The board members then started to shiver in fright. They were almost ready to toss anyone in front of the man with an angelic face but a demonic mind.

"Ten," he started as he solely focuses on tapping his finger, this time at the top of the table. The sound he was making are not helping to ease up the tension among the members.

"Nine,"

"Eight,"

"Seven,"

"Six," by the time September counted up to four, the already panicking board members almost stop breathing.

"Two," September's head rose and his gaze fell directly at the guy who was silently sitting at the other end of the table.

"One," September said in a cold and menacing voice that made almost everyone from the room shiver.

"Leave the room," he announced and almost everyone hurriedly stood up and almost run towards the door of the conference room just to escape the wrath of the devil.

"Mr. Smith, why such in a hurry?" he called out when he saw the man trying to blend in with the crowd.

The man stopped in his tracks and realized how futile his attempt of escaping the beast is. He sighed in defeat before he turned around to face September.

"I told you after those ten counts there would be no leeway for you. I don't want to see you again," The man in front of him started to shiver after hearing what he said.

"Mr. Thorne, please! Just give me another chance! I won't do it again--"

"Leave the city," September said ruthlessly as he stood up from his chair and grab his coat. He was about to walk out of the room when he suddenly felt someone hugging his thigh.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Thorne! I won't do it again! Please don't send me out of the city, my family needs me here!" he pleaded but September was just staring at him. His face blank and very unresponsive as he watched the guy who seems to be two to three decades older than him kneeling on the ground while hugging his left thigh.

"You should've thought about them before you sold the company stock without me knowing,"

"I won't do it again! I swear my life---"

"Your life's already ruined," September said menacingly, making the older man's eyes bulge in fright.

"Falcon," he called out, and a man with a large frame entered the conference room.

"Take this trash away from here. I don't want to see him around the city, ever." He then, without any care tapped the old man's arms away from his leg and made his way towards the door.

"My daughter! You can marry my daughter!" September's steps halted. One of his hands held the knob as he turned around and faced the old man, his eyebrow spiking up.

"What made you think I'll let you be just because of your daughter?" He asked curiously. The old man's voice sounded so confident earlier.

"I'm not talking about Hillary, Mr. Thorne," the old man said confidently and full of air as he moved away from Falcon's hold. He gave the stoic butler a glare before he faced the great manipulator with a taunting smile.

"Maeve. Maeve Miller is my daughter, Mr. Thorne,"

September felt his heart skipped a beat. And it makes him furious that she can make him feel that way. Even the mere mention of her name sets him on the edge.

He took a step closer to the old man and smirked. He put both of his hands on his pockets as he faced the old man.

"Your daughter? Mr. Smith, how can you claim that woman to be your daughter?"

Maeve Miller is the heiress of the bank he was eyeing for some time. That bank was still out of his hand because of that woman.

The only woman who didn't succumb to his charms.

"I am Maeve's father." September squinted his eyes towards the old man, suspicious.

He then redirected his attention to his butler who was quietly standing behind the old man, waiting for his orders.

"Check the authenticity of his claims. You know what to do if ever it was a lie." September said before he turned around and went out of his office.

Everybody just can't stop staring at this head-turner lady boss. Her appeal was over the top, and her long semi-sheer red puff-sleeve dress just added to her already oozing effect to the crowd.

Maeve Miller, was then, still oblivious to her surroundings. She was too busy wracking her brain in maintaining the stability of the very business her useless father had passed unto her.

If only her mother was still alive, MBC Bank and Finance would never be easily trampled on the ground like it is now.

She was busy studying and working her ass off overseas. Not caring a bit about her estranged Dad who had caused her mother's pain for years before she finally died.

The family lawyer from her mother's side was the one who took the initiative to contact her and disclose the pitiful state of the company. It is now on the verge of bankruptcy and currently on the line to be under the hands of the 'manipulator' in the city.

"Yeah, manipulator my ass." she hissed to herself as she saw September Thorne sitting comfortably on her swivel chair.

Irritation immediately crawled up into her as her brows furrowed before she entered the room to let her presence known.

"What are you doing here?" she asked her supposed to be 'guest'. She sounded rude but the hell she cares! This guy was the manipulator who had his eyes on the company her beloved mother worked hard for.

September rose up from her chair and signaled Falcon, who was silently standing by the door. The butler immediately left the office as per his order.

A playful smile immediately appeared on his face as he faced the poker-faced beauty in front of him.

"Hmm... what do you think?" he asked playfully.

Maeve can't seem to wrap her head around this guy. Everyone told her that this guy was dangerous, manipulative to be exact. But she can't see that scary guy but instead, all she can see was a flirty and pretentious man.

Just what does he want from her?

"I don't have time to play with you, Mr. Thorne," she said dismissively.

September held back the irritation since he knows that he needed to gather all the patience he could have to woo this girl.

"Then maybe you have time for lunch?" he insisted.

Maeve, losing her patience put down her bag on the leather couch before she took her time to walk towards him.

It was a normal stride, however, to September's point of view, Maeve's walk seems to be in slow motion. He can't help but to gasped as he realized once again how deeply infatuated he is with this woman.

"You know what Mr. Thorne?" Unconsciously, September gulped multiple times as his gaze fell towards Maeve's cold eyes.

"I really don't have any free time when it comes to you. Go find another pussy to bang. I'm not up for any hangouts with you, Mr. Manipulator." She said in a whisper type of voice. Their faces inches away from each other.

September hated how she looks so unaffected with their short of personal space while he, himself felt like his breath was being taken away.

Just what type of sorcery is this?!

"Why?" He asked huskily after a while, he finally succeeded in gathering his wits together and decided to take the upper hand in the conversation.

He took a step closer and held her waist as he pulled her closer to him. Their body against each other. But Maeve's facial expression didn't even shift a bit.

The corner of Maeve's rosy thin lips lifted into something near a smirk as she raised her hands and touched his hair. September felt the hair on his neck stood up upon contact.

"You see, Mr. Thorne. I'm not really interested in you, not with your money, your activities, or anything that involves you. I'm just really not into you." She said it so sweetly but then it caused a sharp hit on September's heart.

Right. The only woman he wanted doesn't want him back. How great is that?

"What do you exactly hate about me?" Maeve stifled a laugh after hearing his question before she used her right hand to push him away to get some comfortable distance.

"I hate everything about you. Especially that you're now eyeing my business? It just made me hate you more." She said as she crossed her arms while facing the guy who seems to be the nightmare of the city.

"Then, how should we change that?" He asked as he leaned back a bit to the table and crossed his arms challengingly as well.

"There's no changing that." She said with finality. But to her astonishment, September Thorne chuckled without humor before he stood up properly, inserted both of his hands inside his pockets as he leisurely walked towards her.

"Aww...too bad. You're already Mrs. Thorne on the making." He whispered to her ears before stealing a swift kiss on her cheeks.

Maeve's not one to dwell too much on that action. Staying overseas for years had long accustomed her to such actions. However, what bothered her was his words.

What Mrs. Thorne? Has he lost his mind?

"What do you mean?" She asked cautiously. She remembered how her mother's lawyer reminded her about this manipulator. And she doesn't have any intention of being manipulated.

Instead of answering, September displayed an overjoyed expression as he shrugged his shoulders as if to say 'who knows', before he left her office, completely bagging the victory.

Maeve watched September's car leave the building through the floor-ceiling window of her office.

She can't seem to shake off that nagging feeling that there's something with that asshole's words.

Mrs. Thorne?

There's no way she'll marry that jerk!

But just after that statement formed in her mind, her phone started ringing. She took a deep breath before answering her father's call.

"What is it?" She asked in an exasperated manner.

This old guy just never stops giving her problems. She's been long wondering what her mother loved about this useless bum.

"Free up your schedule on the twenty-third of the month." Mason Smith, her biological dad which she wishes wasn't, ordered.

"Why? My schedule was crammed with meetings for---"

"You're getting married." Her eyes widened. She shifted her phone from her left ear to the right.

"Just what the hell are you talking about?!" She yelled.

"You're getting married." He repeated which infuriated her even more.

"It's the only way to save the company." He added as if that would change everything.

Her eyes went back to the large window as she remembered September's words.

Mrs. Thorne in the making huh?

"I won't do it. I'll save my mother's company without being under the mercy of that man," she said in a confident voice before she finally hangs up.

As expected, that old man never fails to give her headaches every goddamn time!

Just a few seconds after the call ended, her phone rang once again. She just gave it a short glance before tossing it on her chair after seeing the same caller.

It rang a couple of times before it completely stopped. She thought that the worst was over but then, her phone once again produced a beep sound, a notification that someone sent her a message.

She grudgingly walked back to her chair to pick up her phone.

'How unfilial of you! Your father would be sent out of the city! And aren't you smart? Just how does that smarty brain of yours work? You'll get a hold of the city's renowned billionaire! What's so bad about that?! I'm actually giving you a perfect road to the top!'

She can't help but sigh after reading her father's message. This old guy is really the main trigger of a massive migraine.

She took a deep breath and dialed her half-sister's number.

"Hello?" a sweet voice answered.

"Hillary, it's me," she said as she sat on her chair and opened her laptop.

"Oh! Maeve?"

"Obviously," she answered in a sarcastic voice which just earned a chuckle from the other end.

"So what graced me to receive a call from the lady-boss?" her sister asked playfully.

"Your dad is going crazy. He wanted me to marry September Thorne."

"What?!" Maeve had to distance her phone from her ear to save it from an earful of cusses.

This is Hillary Smith, her half-sister. Born from evil parents but then, they just hit it off. Both of them think that their father was going crazy and not to add up, Aria, Maeve's step-mother, and Hillary's mom who seems so fond of taking matters on her own hands.

Hillary moved out from her parents' house after reaching the legal age and started living independently.

"Dad's really going overboard this time!"

"Oh tell me about it," Maeve answered in a sarcastic tone.

"But why would Mr. Thorne send him outside of the city? Did he do something to piss that lover boy of yours off?" Hillary asked, not forgetting to add a little teasing to tip off her sister.

"Loverboy my ass!" Maeve hissed in irritation which just made Hillary laugh.

"Oh come on, sis! You're not even attracted?! That manipulator is one hell of a beauty!"

"Don't you think we're being sidetracked here?" Maeve asked, trying to get away from the topic.

September Thorne was good looking. Alright, she'll give him that. But beauty is just not everything. She was against everything else about him, his principles, his practices, and just everything about him.

"Right. Sorry," Hillary apologized which was then followed with a series of short giggles.

"Hillary," she called out in a warning voice, which was then easily pick on by her sister. Hillary cleared her throat before she took the talk seriously.

"I'll try if I can get something from him. I'll be going home tomorrow anyway. Mom's been bugging me to date this 'Mr. Right'." It was now Maeve's turn to tease her younger sister.

"Oh really? What is it this time? A third-generation heir from an old rich family? A son of a senator?"

"I don't even want to know," Hillary answered in a voice filled with grief which made her chuckle.

"Alright. Update me if you ever get to stumble into something." After the call ended, Maeve turned her attention to her work and ended the day being buried in a mountain of paper works.

Maeve stared around her suspiciously. It's been a week and it's eerily serene and quiet. Not even the manipulator's shadow was seen around her and that bothers her.

She knows there's something going on. That guy was up to something, she's sure of that. He's not labeled as the manipulator for nothing.

"You can stop playing detective now." she was about to get inside her car when she heard that dreading voice again.

She sighed as she closes the door of her car before turning around to face September.

"Did you missed me?" he asked as he leaned towards her car.

"Guess what," Maeve replied as she also leaned on the other side of the car. They were now facing each other.

September eagerly smiled back as if excited about what she was supposed to say. It somehow amuses her of how this guy reacts to everything she does.

"I'm actually hoping to never see you again," September frowned with her response.

"But you kept on asking if I was ever around." Maeve's left brow raised in suspicion.

"You seem to have someone check on me, Mr. Thorne,"

"Oh, not really. It just so happen that I know the people you've been asking around," he said without any hint of guilt.

"Figures. You're not the great manipulator for nothing after all," she said nonchalantly. Clearly unaffected by his actions.

"You're not mad?" he asked as he leaned away from her car. She did the same before she shrugged her shoulders.

"I'm already aware you have someone on my tail. This doesn't surprise me at all." September shook his head in amusement.

This lady was really something. Other people would probably be mad for prying with their businesses, although some people may be over the moon if given the attention he gives to this woman.

"Get in." his eyes widened when he heard her order. He was just about to ask if he heard her right but she already boarded the driver's seat so he immediately rode the passenger's seat.

"Where are we going?" he asked as he buckled his seatbelts.

"I'm going to kidnap you." September's head immediately flew in her direction. He caught her peeking on her side mirrors as if checking something before she turned around to face him with a playful smile before winking playfully.

"Let's see how skilled your big butler is," she said as she swiftly left the parking area, not giving the others the chance to chase after them.

Falcon, along with his bodyguards immediately went inside their cars to follow in alarm. Little did they know that their boss was actually having the biggest thrill of his life.