Can\'t stand her up

"Joey on my 70th birthday, coming up next month, I will announce your engagement with Mu Xin to the public”. Grandpa Jang declared. Mu Xin smiled shyly and looked at Joey who wore a poker face. Mrs Jang held Mu Xin affectionately.

“Do what you have to do to dispose of that trash before the day” Granda Jang concluded and relaxed against the seat. “Grandpa I will not have anyone call her a trash, she's my woman and as for my relationship with her, it will last forever” Joey corrected.

“I am a man of my words, I had already got you engaged to Xin long ago and now, you can’t back out or make me fail in the promise I had made to her parents. You must get ready to be married to Mu Xin as soon as possible” grandpa Jang declared authoritatively.

“Mu Xin is a high class girl, the daughter of the CEO of the Mu group. She matches the expected kind of girl you should be with and you can’t stand her up for that girl!” Mrs Jang Coax her son. Joey stood up and walked away. He saw Lara and beckon to her. They both left the old manor and was driven back to the company by Lee.

Lee was Joey's assistant and very fond of Lara too. He knew the pressure mounted on his boss on the issue of his marriage to Mu Xin. Long before Mu Xin returned, her parents had reminded the Jang family about their promise to them. He knew how much Joey loves Lara and how Lara had made a great sacrifice to protect the prestige and reputationof the Jang family.

On their way back, none of them spoke to each other. Lara was quiet, what could she probably have to say anyways. it was up to Joey to either follow his heart or follow his family’s choice. Whatever his choice would be, she will respect it.

Joey was silent, giving an aura of powerful compression. When they returned to the company Lara got down without waiting for him, she took the elevator. Seeing that Lara left him behind; Joey took few strides and caught up with her as the elevator closed. He embraced her from behind holding her waist, as he turned her to face him, without waiting for her to vent her anger, his lips closed on hers as he kissed her. She refused and hit his chest with her small psalm but he ignored her protest as if he did not feel the pain of her hitting, she bit his lips, but he kept kissing her until they both started feeling the taste of blood. after some time, he let her go as he stared at the slightly swollen lips of Lara.

Lara looked at him with a sneer and saw his lip red from her bit, but pretends not to see it. She raised her index finger at him, but before she could say anything, the elevator opened and Joey stepped out arrogantly and Lara cursed him a million times in her heart and hurriedly followed behind. Joey was like that, he behaves like a rascal with her and the next minute, he looks like he had not stepped on an ant.

Lara went to sit on her desk. she sighed heavily, she would have loved to work among the other staff but Joey insisted that her desk should be at a corner in his office. She looked at Joey with her split vision and saw that he was already working on a file with full concentration. She closed her eyes, in a relaxed position. She wondered how Joey was still able to concentrate on his work. He must have a unique make-up

As Lara closed her eyes, she was not sleeping.Actually she was thinking. Was Joey really going to marry that rich girl? His mother and grandfather seemed to be pleased with Mu Xin. She had lost her first time to Joey, just to save him. He should be responsible for her but she can’t force him if he doesn’t want to. She knew he loved her but business alliance and benefits were more important to the rich than love. And that, she cannot offer him because she’s poor.

“I will not marry her” she heard Joey’s voice and snapped her eyes opened. “So you shouldn’t think too much” Joey added as he raised his head to stare at her. Was this Joey a mind reader? how could he have guessed her thoughts?.

Joey dropped Lara off before going to his villa. On reaching home, he saw Mu Xin in the sitting room with her legs crossed, reading a fashion magazine. He stared at her, ready to question her when he heard footsteps coming from the kitchen, turning…