The Billionaire's Promise
Chapter 187: Another Love Rival

Chapter 187: Another Love Rival

Katherine Lustre officially became an employee of the Gaeya Corporation the following Monday. The HR director who interviewed her highly recommended her. Of course, that director knew that she was the only daughter of Lucio Lustre, a major shareholder of Lee Holdings.

However, Katherine was not happy when she learned that her office was not on the same floor as Erik’s. She also discovered that Aryana’s workstation was beside Erik’s office. She needed to find a way to become Erik’s assistant very soon.

She went to Erik’s office to report to him on her first day of work. When she went out of the elevator she was stunned to see Erik and Cassie come out of the elevator together.

’Did they arrive together? It is only 9:00 am. Are they living together?’ Katherine pursed her lips. A lot was going on her mind as she watched the couple walk side by side to Erik’s office.

"Erik," she called out in a sweet voice.

Both Erik and Cassie looked back. Erik frowned while Cassie clearly showed a displeased look on her face.

She approached them while keeping a pleasant smile plastered on her face.

"This is my first day so I thought I should report to you as my direct superior," she said sweetly.

Erik acknowledged her with a slight nod. He gestured for her to follow him into the office.

Cassie glared at Katherine. How dare she disturb her time with Erik? While she and Erik had breakfast together, Erik only treated her as a business colleague and he seemed to be keeping a distance from her. She really missed the loving and gentle Erik that used to love her back then.

The man she was currently with, was a stranger to her. He was not her Erik and she was angered by this fact. It was Aryana’s fault. And here was another woman who was blatantly seducing Erik. She looked at Katherine and she was irked when the other woman gave her a provocative smile.

Camille greeted the three people and opened the door for them. When they were settled on their seats, Camille approached them.

"Would you like to have coffee or tea?" She courteously asked the two ladies.

Coffee.

Coffee.

Cassie and Katherine spoke at the same time. They looked at each other and shrugged their shoulder indifferently.

Make it a latte for me. Katherine spoke before Cassie can open her mouth.

"Is it also a latte for your Ms. Lopez? The last time you were here you preferred latte over cappuccino." Camille said.

Cassie just nodded her head and then focused her attention on Erik. Erik had already opened her laptop and was checking his emails.

Camille met Aryana at the door. She was holding a coffee mug. Aryana’s first task every morning, when Erik was around, is to give him a cup of coffee.

Today, Erik had a breakfast meeting with Cassie so he left the Penthouse ahead of Aryana but he told her that she should be back at 9:00 am.

Aryana was surprised to see the two visitors sitting in front of Erik. It took a lot of effort for her to appear professional and not tease him. The corner of her mouth curved upwards.

’What a coincidence. Erik was surrounded by beautiful women who were linked to him. Cassie who was his first love, Katherine who is being match-make by her grandfather, and me, who is Erik’s wife.’

"Here is your coffee Mr. President. If there is nothing else, I will take my leave." Aryana gave him her sweet smile and Erik smiled back.

Cassie was frozen in her place for some time. In the past, she was the only person who could see Erik smile like that. But from the time she came back, Erik has never smiled at her. He always looked serious and treated her the same way he treated any of his female friends.

Katherine’s gaze was fixed on Cassie. She was amused by how her expression changed while watching Erik interact with Aryana. ’This woman sure changes her facial expressions very fast.’

Aryana cast a furtive glance at the two women before she hurried out of the office and return to her own workstation.

She sent a message to Erik. ’It looks like this is your lucky day considering the beautiful ladies that surrounded you and that included me.

Erik: ’What do you mean?’

Aryana: ’You know what I mean.

Erik did not reply to Aryana but focused on his two guests.

"I assume you know each other? Erik asked in a business-like tone.

"I just came from abroad so I don’t have any friends or acquaintances here Erik." Katherine again beat Cassie into answering Erik.

"Cassie, this is Katherine Lustre. She is the daughter of Lucio Lustre. I am pretty sure that your grandpa should know Katherine’s grandfather." Erik paused and waited for Cassie’s reply.

"I see. Nice to meet you, Katherine Lustre. I am Cassie Lopez, Erik’s business partner in Timeless Beauty." She extended her hand and Katherine accepted it without hesitation. "Since you don’t have friends here yet, then why don’t you consider me your friend?"

"Yeah, why not? Let’s add each other’s contact." Katherine tapped something on her cell phone then reached out and show a QR code to Cassie.

Cassie scanned the QR code and Katherine’s contact was added as a friend in her social media account.

Erik was impatient. He has a lot of work to do and these two women are causing him trouble.

"If you don’t have anything else, I need to review some documents so you can leave first."

Katherine and Cassie felt embarrassed because it was obvious that Erik was driving them away.

The two of them reluctantly stood and went out of Erik’s office.

"Are you free this lunchtime?" Cassie asked. "We can get to know each other over lunch."

"I know your intention of getting close to me, Cassie Lopez. Don’t think that I am a fool or someone who is naive." Katherine Lustre said in a sinister voice.

They were standing in front of the elevators. Cassie stepped back unconsciously stepped back. But she soon regained her composure. "What are you trying to say? I don’t understand you. I just want to make friends with you." Cassie sounded innocent.

Katherine regarded her for a few seconds. She scanned her from head to toe before smiling broadly. "Sure, I would be happy to be your friend. So where are we having lunch?"

’What a fake woman. I should be very careful around her.’ Cassie thought to herself before pressing the elevator button.

...

In the next few days, Aryana was busy. The progress of the Galaxy Theme park was fast-paced. Erik decided to build it by section so that when half of the theme park was completed, they can open to the public at fifty percent ticket cost.

She was also busy with the expansion of CoChi. They were preparing for the opening of their first physical store. They needed a store in a good location before they can start selling their luxury brand which Aryana called Prestige by CoChi.

Rex who was one of the major shareholders of CoChi agreed to become the deputy CEO and Aryana was relieved. He also agreed to oversee the renovation of their store which will be completed in the next three weeks.

While Aryana was preoccupied, Katherine tried to get closer to Erik but he find ways to reject her. During meetings that she was able to attend, Erik was so serious. On a few times wherein they were left alone together, Erik only discussed business matters.

On one occasion, Katherine went to Erik’s office only to find Aryana inside having a casual conversation with him. She has to admit that Aryana was really beautiful. She has a unique hair color. Her fair skin, her hazel eyes and her being tall and curvy, made her stand out in the crowd.

Katherine considered herself tall, but when she stood beside Aryana, she was taller by a few centimeters than her. From then on, Katherine always wore a ten centimeters high heel.

One time, she invited Erik over lunch on the pretext that she had a proposal to present to him. Erik was thinking that Katherine was forced to do that because she cannot find an available time for them to discuss during office hours.

Of course, Erik has informed Arayna about it. Aryana no longer doubted Erik, so whether he has dinner with Cassie or Katherine, her heart was at peace. She did not feel threatened. She has full confidence in her husband.

Katherine dressed well on the day she will have a lunch meeting with Erik. She was wearing a black pencil skirt with a high slit that part of her thighs was exposed. She wore a black, spaghetti strap, low neckline blouse and put over a green blazer.

While having their lunch, Katherine noticed a ring on Erik’s finger. It was a plain platinum ring, the ones used for wedding vows. Katherine wanted to ask him about the ring but restrained herself. From what she learned, Erik was still single.

However, she was bothered by that ring. Was it a wedding ring?

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