"I said these flowers aren't from me." Joe repeated. Chun's eyes darted from him to Ariel and back again.

"Oh God." Ariel said in a whisper. She bolted out of the door with the bouquet of flowers in tow, leaving her food behind. The two can't do anything but stare at her retreating back.

"You got some competition, man. You better confess soon." Chun teased.

"Shut up." Joe hissed. "What about you? When are you going to confess to my sister?" He retorted. Chun's jaw dropped.

"What are you talking about?" He played innocent.

"Oh, come on! We practically grew up together. You think I didn't know?" He narrowed his eyes. His friend was as devastated as Ella was when Joshua discovered her relationship with a French model. The guy turned out to be the biggest scum that ever walked the planet. The guy knew Ella's heir to the St. Regis hotels despite her efforts to hide her identity. Their father had the model investigated and learned that he was married with a couple of children and was recently involved with the widow of a rich wine magnate. Chun was displaying a happy facade but deep inside Joe was sure that he was hurting. Chun has harbored feelings for Ella since they were kids. But Ella chose to ignore him. Until they developed a certain animosity with each other.

"I don't know what you're talking about. And why it's suddenly me on the spotlight?" Chun glared at him.

"Stop playing dumb. I heard from the staff that her ex-boyfriend's in town. Ooops. Her good friend, I mean." He beamed. The stupid man in front of him needed some push and he had to lie about Aaron's real er, preference. "And don't you dare teach me what I have to do. I have everything under control." He hoped so. He stood up and left Chun in awe.

********************************************************************************

"This is the most embarrasing day of my life! I want to die!" Ariel was talking to herself while unlocking the suite that she had to clean. They have to tidy up the presidential suites twice a day unlike the ordinary suites that they visit only once a day. "Arrrrghhh!" She made a gluttural sound while messing her hair up.

"You are too pretty to die early." A voice said and she jumped up in terror. "I am sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." She totally forgot that the guest might be at the room! She closed her eyes tight and turned slowly around. She bowed her head.

"I am very sorry, Sir! I didn't mean to disturb you! I am so sorry! Please don't report me to the admin." She was panting after her speech. She's not ready to lose her job yet.

A hand straightened her bent body and when she looked up, Ariel found herself staring at the most tantalizing brown eyes that she ever saw. Those eyes smiled with the owner and she knew she's saved.

"Don't worry about it. But I do hope you don't usually talk to yourself like that." Ariel knew he was joking but she turned red just the same.

"I didn't know girls still blush." He laughed. "By the way, I am Mike." He offered a hand and Ariel just stared at it, dumbfounded.

"I am Ariel, Sir." She found her voice at last! She shook his hand, almost a second too late. "Sorry about that."

"I said don't worry about it." He smiled once more and she was hooked. Handsome, rich, friendly, considerate. Ah, a mirage! "So, did you like the flowers?" Ariel blinked twice. She liked what?

"E-excuse me?" She stuttered.

"I thought I saw you carrying the flowers earlier so I suppose you already know it's yours." He looked confused for a second. He was not talking about the stargazers, is he?

"You're the one who sent the flowers?" She asked for the obvious.

"No other." He replied nonchalantly. Her jaws dropped. She can't bring herself to talk. She also forgot her original pupose of entering the room.

'W-why would you do that?" He's not a psycho, is he? God, he's too gorgeous to be a psycho!

"Because I want to know you better, Ariel. Do you have a boyfriend?" He asked point blank.

Ariel gathered her composure. She'd been asking for this, yes but still! If this one's playing some sort of a prank, she'll definitely wack him in the head. "I am sorry Mr. He." She went out of the room ignoring him calling after her.

*****************************************************************************

"You told Ariel what?" Ella didn't say what he thinks she said, right? It's preposterous!

"I told her we're siblings." She replied without looking at him. She was relaxing at her brother's penthouse office after a tiring day. She accompanied Aaron and they raided the malls for some serious shopping.

"You didn't!" Joe almost knocked her out of the easy chair when he approached her. His almond eyes were bulging out of its sockets.

"I did." Ella placed her Kindle aside, keeping it out of Joe's reach. She can't afford to wait to finish what she was reading and her brother looked like he was about to smash the gadget into her face. "And will you please calm down?"

"How can I when you turned me in!" He shook her shoulders, trying to knock some sense into her head.

"I didn't tell her who we are, okay?" She shook her head in disbelief. "You can't keep our relationship forever so you should be thankf--"

"Thankful!" He cut her off. "Thankful my ! What exactly did you tell her? I am warning you Jia Hua, I am strapping you in a seat of the next flight to Paris if you don't tell me everything! I mean everything!"

Ella sighed in annoyance. "Look, it's difficult enough for you to pretend you can really carry heavy suitcases and now you also have to pretend that you don't know me?" She said mockingly. "I just told her that we are siblings. The hotel won't employ relatives anyway so that gave as an excuse. That's it. Though I wanted to tell her much more than that." She added the last sentence drily.

Joe sighed in relief and irritation. "Why didn't you tell me? Don't I get a say in the matter?" He was piqued to the highest degree. And his sister don't even look like she was ruffled.

"Did you honor my opinion before you dragged me into this mess?" She asked in return, her tone impetuous. "You have to thank me I didn't reveal your ultimate secret."

Joe didn't have an answer to that. He just gave her a menacing look.

"Now, can I get back to my reading?" She asked in acid tone.