Trapped in the boss's embrace (by Katrina A) novel Chapter 101

Chapter 101 Heart to Heart

Damian gave a faint smile. "If it's too forced, forget it."

"..."

Beatrice took a deep breath and said again, "Mr. Crowley, I want to pin your location because you're very important to me."

There!

Happy now?

That enough for you?

Damian's smile finally broadened. "I can tell you're being sincere."

He pulled out his phone, unlocked it, and handed it over.

Beatrice quietly took it, lowering her head to operate it.

Scarlett, standing nearby, cupped her hands to her face and squealed with excitement, "He's so in love! Completely head over heels!"

Ethan, with his usual cool-guy look, grinned like an idiot as he stared at Damian.

A real man speaks his mind and goes for it.

Who cares about looking stupid?

Beatrice set up the two-way location sharing and handed the phone back.

Damian took it and said lightly, "Since you're being real with me, don't hesitate to reach out if you run into any trouble. We're all about heart-to-heart now, right?"

"...Right." Beatrice replied, her voice unsure.

As if I had a choice.

Only then did Damian turn back around.

Even from behind, Scarlett could sense how pleased he was.

Ethan's gaze burned with even more admiration.

Meanwhile, Beatrice nervously chewed on her nails.

These two are having the time of their lives with all this drama.

Have they forgotten why we're even here?

If I asked Scarlett right now what we're doing, she'd probably blink and say, "Uh... shooting an episode of Heart-to-Heart?"

*****

The Whitland Building was a good distance from the hotel.

After Beatrice casually said, "Can you go a little faster?", Ethan slashed the usual 30-minute drive down to just fifteen.

And that's with red lights slowing him down—he could've gone even faster.

With one last dramatic drift, both girls screamed, their faces pale as sheets.

"Fast enough for you?" Ethan glanced back with a smug grin.

Beatrice slapped a hand over her mouth, legs wobbling as she leaned on the car door and stumbled out to puke.

Scarlett smacked him with her purse, voice a mix of annoyance and affection. "Are you insane?"

Ethan dodged, still grinning from ear to ear.

Damian gave him a cold side-eye and flicked his forehead with a knuckle.

"She said faster, not airborne. You can handle your own speeding tickets."

He grabbed a bottle of water and handed it to Beatrice, who was squatting by the roadside.

"I'm fine, really," Beatrice said as she rinsed her mouth and headed straight for the building.

It wasn't tall—maybe twenty stories.

The outside looked old and worn, and the inside was even worse.

Most of the stores were empty, with just a few hanging on.

The location ping only gave them the building—not the floor.

They still had to search.

They first went to find the building manager—a chubby man in his fifties.

Ethan approached him with a friendly grin, offered a cigarette, and said casually, "Dropped my wallet earlier. Mind if I check the security footage?"

The manager squinted at him, then glanced at the trio—clearly well-dressed, clearly not locals.

Who are you trying to fool?

"Be straight with me," he said. "If you're not honest, I'm not helping."

"We're looking for someone," Ethan replied, cracking his neck slightly.

The manager's eyes suddenly locked on her wrist. He hesitated, clearly holding something back.

Ethan caught it. He clapped the guy's shoulder. "Out with it. Don't play dumb."

"Oh—right. I heard this gentleman mention shutting off phones, then I noticed this young lady's bracelet. It reminded me—we've got a... special tenant upstairs."

"Bracelet? Special tenant?"

They all turned to stare at him.

Under their collective gaze, the manager nervously swallowed. "Yeah... there's a master upstairs. Her name's Ms. Celestine."

"She has a rule," he continued, "anyone going in has to leave phones, necklaces, anything like that outside. And once you're inside, it's all silence."

"She's kind of famous, too."

Scarlett scoffed. "Famous and still renting a dump like this?"

The manager looked miffed. "So what? It's the kind of atmosphere she's into. It vibes with her energy..."

"Just tell us what floor she's on," Beatrice cut in.

"Eighteenth floor."

They didn't waste a second.

As soon as the elevator doors slid open, they were hit with red light and a blast of thick smoke.

The smoke thinned—revealing a monstrous-looking mask.

"Ahhh!"

Scarlett, closest to the door, shrieked and instinctively grabbed someone's arm.

Ethan chuckled, pulled off the mask, and waved it in front of her face.

"Chill out! It's just a mask."

"A mask?" Scarlett gasped, then suddenly paused, turning to look at him.

"Wait a minute, what's with that tone?

"You think I'm a total chicken? Ugh, you're such a pain!"

Scarlett shoved him hard.

She looked delicate, but the push nearly sent Ethan flying into the wall.