The Devil's Good Girl
Chapter 108: It’s a metaphor

Chapter 108: It’s a metaphor

"Valerie. I’d appreciate it if you stopped coming by my office. It’s not a public place for anyone to come in."

"What did you say?" Valerie looked back at Marcus in disbelief. "Brother Marcus, I get it that you didn’t take my side this time. But —"

"I’m saying, save the little dignity you have left," he clarified, bearing coldness in his voice and gaze. "The next time you come in here, my security will not let you in the building. Don’t embarrass yourself."

"Brother Marcus." She scoffed. "Why are you — why are you doing this to me?!"

"Because your brother is right, Val. We’ve always seen you as a young kid, but you’re no longer young. In a few months, you’re old enough to drive a car and party in the club without using a fake ID. You know what’s right and wrong, so I assume you are also old enough to understand boundaries," he explained in a more rational argument. "I can’t tolerate this behavior anymore. Go home."

[People don’t like you, they just tolerate you.]

Suddenly, Fil’s remarks earlier today rang in Valerie’s mind. She stared at Marcus listlessly, heart sinking.

"Brother Marcus," she called, her lips quivering. "Have you... ever liked me?"

Marcus arched a brow.

"Or did you just tolerate me all this time?" she continued, waiting for his response.

Marcus leaned back and sighed. "You used to be cute and innocent," he remarked quietly, staring at her up and down. "It didn’t cross me until now that you’ve already grown into a young lady."

In other words, he liked her when she was a little kid. But now that she had grown, he was having second thoughts. So, all this time, in their eyes, she was just a kid? Valerie laughed in ridicule, shaking her head in dismay.

"You’re unbelievable," she spat out, laughing. "I didn’t — never mind. You won’t believe me, anyway."

Valerie hissed as she turned her back on him. But she paused once more just as she grabbed the knob, walking back to pick up her bag.

"I hate you," she remarked as soon as she got her purse. "I hate Filomena, but I hate you more! You and my brother are a jerk!"

After screaming her last sentiments, she stormed out just the same way Vincent left. Marcus stared at the door coldly.

"She only figured that we’re jerks?" Marcus smirked. "I never thought she’d ever get on my nerves like this."

After a minute, a deep exhale escaped him. He reached for the drawer, picking up his personal phone. Marcus unhesitatingly rang his friend, whom he wanted to ask a favor to. The phone rang a couple of times, furrowing his brows before the line was picked up.

"What?!"

"Woah," Marcus leaned back leisurely. "Did I call at a bad time? You sound like you’re not in the mood, Anton."

"The hell I am!" Anton hissed, busy maneuvering his car in the traffic while containing his anger. "I’m angry, and the traffic makes it worse. Damn! Let’s talk later. I haven’t moved on from that brat from the Hale Family. ."

Marcus furrowed his brows. "Valerie?"

"Yes, that brat. So, whatever you’re going to say, save it for later. Otherwise, I’m just going to bitch about it."

"Anton, where are you?" Marcus inquired out of plain curiosity.

"Tsk." Anton clicked his tongue. "I’m on my way to check, Fil."

"Why are you going to see her?" This time, Marcus peeled his back from the chair. "Don’t tell me, you...?"

"Oh, for fuck’s sake! Is seeing a friend of the opposite sex that unnatural to all of you guys?!" Anton grumbled, irritated as this was the second he heard this today. "Fil is my friend, and thanks to her, our budget for the music video is enough to make one! But that brat Valerie almost ruined everything! Tomorrow is our shoot and I have to see if she can go, so I can make arrangements while it’s early."

Anton huffed, a little calm now after venting. "Now, if you have nothing else to say, will you give me some slack? I had enough of Vincent’s nonsense today. I don’t want to hear another of your lectures."

With that being said, Anton hung up on Marcus. The latter slowly gazed at his phone, brows knitted.

"She agreed to shoot the video?" he wondered, remembering that Anton invited Fil to his music video.

However, before she could answer properly, Vincent jumped in. Even so, Fil still told Anton she would try. Knowing Fil, even if it wouldn’t fit her schedule, she wouldn’t disappoint a friend. She was like that, after all.

"I see." He rocked his head, glancing at his phone again. He clenched his teeth, hissing as he placed the phone back into the drawer. "Anton is going to see her already. She doesn’t need another friend to check on her."

Marcus might’ve said that, but deep in his heart, he was doing this for himself. He knew he shouldn’t do anything else. This was for his own good. Meeting her and seeing her would only fuel the longing he had been barely suppressing.

"God," he breathed out, burying his face in his palms. "Why do things like this always happen to her? She’s making me really worried."

******

Meanwhile...

"Fil, what did you and Mister Sisson talk about?" Elise immediately scooted over to Fil’s desk when the latter came back to the office. "Did you apologize? Or did he? Don’t tell me he got angry and threatened you?"

Fil let out a deep breath, looking a little more exhausted than rested.

"Is everything okay?" Elise asked once more, knitting her brows as she assessed Fil. "You look tired."

"Because I am." Fil raised her brows briefly. "Mr. Sisson is not someone to threaten people."

"Calling someone to kill someone doesn’t sound like a threat to you?"

"It’s a metaphor."

"Heh." Elise forced an ugly smile, holding whatever criticism she got for Jackson. "So? He didn’t threaten you? Was he really angry that the lead engineer for his building got into a small accident?"

"I apologized to him and he accepted it," explained Fil, picking up her phone as it lit up. "Anyway, I only came back to pick up my things. I’m going home."

"Oh." Elise nodded, squinting her eyes on the phone while Fil was busy on it. "Who is that?"

"Anton."

"Anton — the celebrity?" Elise quickly moved closer to Fil, only for the latter to move away while clasping her phone closer to her chest.

Seeing Fil’s action, Elise squinted her eyes even more suspiciously now.

"Fil, don’t tell me..." Elise trailed off to whisper the rest of her words. "... are you seeing him now? Fil, I heard that someone picked you up in a sports car the other day. Was it true? Was the guy Anton?"

"He came by, but I don’t remember riding his sportscar. And we’re not seeing each other." Fil asserted.

"Are you sure?"

"I’m helping him in his music video. So, I had to tell him what happened to me." Fil shrugged nonchalantly, pushing Elise’s armrest away. "Don’t worry. He is not my type."

"Really??" Elise pouted. "But why not? I think it’s a good revenge to date your ex’s friend. Not to mention, he’s a celebrity."

"Which is another reason why I wouldn’t date him." Fil laughed, shaking her head. "Oh, Elise. I’m going. If you need me for anything, just call me."

"Olivia would kill me if I did."

Fil raised her brows at Elise and then smiled. "Yes, she would. But if it’s really really important —"

"Yes, yes! I’ll call!" Elise grinned. "Don’t worry about anything here, just go."

"Alright." Fil rocked her head, got up from her seat, and then walked away. On the fourth step, she stopped and squinted her eyes. Looking back at Elise, Fil stressed, "I’m not going on a date, Elise."

"I didn’t say you’d go on a date. Haha!" Elise teased. "You don’t have to convince me, duh? I believe you!"

"Goodness." Fil shook her head, knowing Elise’s was already concocted Fil’s ’adventure’ in finding love, when Fil wasn’t even looking for one in the first place.

’If only she knows,’ Fil thought as she walked away. ’Should I tell her about Jack?’

The thought instantly disappeared from her mind. ’Elise and Jack... I don’t think they’re a good combination.’

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