CHAPTER TWO: TARGET LOCKED - THE MAN BEHIND THE HOUSE OF KINGS

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Exposé Magazine is one of the most controversial magazines and it is headed by the smartest and scariest bosses in the industry. The magazine publishing company is not only known for its controversial celebrities and personalities content but it is known better for its trademark—publishing only the in-depth facts about the latest showbiz scandals.

That’s what Luis has been used to—working with celebrities and personalities’ scandals—and that is also his current actual problem. The challenge he has accepted despite all the second, third, endless thoughts he has does not involve a scandal. It involves a man… He hopes he could say it simply involves “just” a man but it doesn’t.

Juan Miguel King.

The name everyone knows about but knows nothing about the actual man himself. A mere name that is enough to make anyone tremble—especially him. Now, that’s his whole challenge. Provide everyone everything they can know about the man.

His phone rings, reminding him that he has to get all the files ready now.

“Here, it is, Sir Luis. It’s quite easy to find since it went really viral.” Erika grins and sends him the link of the video he asked for.

Luis smiles and thanks to her. “Sorry to bother you for this, Miss Erika.”

One thing he's most thankful about this situation right now is having Erika with him. This isn't part of her work anymore but she has told him that she is happy to help him with anything.

“Oh, it’s not a bother at all! I must say though, I really love replaying that video because damn! Who wouldn’t want to just spend their time staring at such a fine man? It would have been more perfect if he just knows how to smile.” Erika even giggles dreamy. “If you still need anything that involves that gorgeous man, don’t forget to tell me, Sir Luis, okay?”

He thanks her again and continues his initial research.

Of course, he also watched this before. A countless of times, too, that he needed to block it from his social media accounts so he wouldn’t see it again. That his reason why he needs his officemate’s help in finding it again now.

Exactly six months ago, this particular video crashed the internet and went viral the moment it was posted and involved non-other than his “target”.

Juan Miguel King's first-ever public appearance in an event. Dangerously dashing in his Burberry jet black coat and pants with a customized 'The House of Kings’ white satin shirt with its intricate embroidered crest on the collar. The satin shirt was opened three or four buttons which highlighted the gold necklace he was wearing. Plus, his slicked-back hair and his unnerving, intimidating look… There isn’t a single question why this man catches anyone’s—everyone’s—attention. The man is a walking model out of a magazine with his perfect features that are too good for a single man to be that blessed with.

But all of those were just the additional details on why the video went viral. The main reason was the man himself.

Juan Miguel King, the man behind The House of Kings, has never attended any fashion shows, any public events, and any events at all, even his own company’s public and promotional ones. Rarely has any official photos on the Internet. No information available except for the fact that he is the twenty-eight-year-old CEO of the famous clothing company, a mysterious god in his office.

That single video of the CEO walking and actually posing for the cameras in the red carpet of his company’s annual charity ball rose speculations and heightened everyone’s curiosity about him since then. Why did he attend that specific event and not the main events and runway shows? The fact that the CEO wasn’t with any woman served as added fuel to everyone’s need to know more about the man.

Labeled as “the sex god hiding in his office”, “mysterious ice king who never smiles”, “ruthless, irresistible CEO”, and many more that almost sound ridiculous but still serve as headlines about the man. Just headlines with its repetitive contents, and not a single actual informative article. Even paparazzi have given up on getting anything from the CEO.

All these explanations and replaying of what actually ignites the fascination with Juan Miguel King are still not enough for Luis to be sure of how he will actually do this challenge.

Again, and first of all, this doesn’t involve a scandal. Second, he will have to actually go undercover without going undercover.

The House of Kings, like what Ma’am Tin has emphasized for him, is looking for a new social media manager and an interview for it will be held five days from now. That gives him less time to prepare himself and prepare all the initial information he needs to have for this challenge that would go all according to his plans and goals.

Also, what’s with the going undercover without actually going undercover? Luis will be applying for the said position by his real name, his real self. No spy-like cover identities to be used, he will have to do his best to get that position as Luis Ashley Manalo—as himself.

That would be the safest and most legal way of accomplishing this challenge.

When you’re working with Exposé magazine, the writers do use their pen names and their real identities are kept confidential. It’s a way of protecting and providing the writers their utmost freedom in their ways of finishing their challenges. Technically, Luis Ashley Manalo is just a freelance writer who supports his mom and not Louanne Margaux, his pen name, who works at the company.

His initial preparations are almost done and all he really does need to accomplish now are his plans on how he will start this challenge.

If there is one thing that their evil lady boss has carved into their writer’s heart, it is that second options and Plan Bs are never allowed. In whatever they do, never do it if it will not succeed on the first try. There are no rooms for failures and options. It has to be perfect the first time. How was it possible for them to be just like that? They don’t know, too. But Luis has already lived and breathed that motto all his career.

Staring at the blank cheque Ma’am Tin has given him made him sigh.

It’s too late to back out now and much too late to refuse the offer he could never have again.

A blank cheque doesn’t mean you can put any amount on it. It means something even better. This is the very first thing the company will explain to the newbies once they are hired as writers. When a blank cheque is given along with the challenge, it means that if that challenge was successful, the company will grant the writer anything he or she wants. Anything.

It’s a once in a lifetime challenge and Luis could wish for his mom—he could be with his mom again and all he has to do is finish this challenge successfully.

“You’ve been staring awfully long at that cheque, Luis. Tell me, what seems to be holding you back?”

“Sir I…”

Ion looks at him with that same kind smile but intense eyes. His boss is looking at him as if already knowing the answer to his own question.

All his preparations and papers are ready for the interview. He has got almost everything—from the viral video, photos, and all the articles—for his initial information about his target. If this is a normal challenge, he would have been already on his way because everything is already laid down in front of him. This should be a piece of cake for him now.

What seems to make everything not enough? What seems to be holding him back?

Ah, yes.

For the countless of times in his head that he said this, Juan Miguel King himself is his main problem.

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[Flashback...]

“You’re that guy from the library!”

Luis takes every strength and effort he has to run and hide but damn this persistent boy who, without even breaking a single sweat, still catches him. Literally catch him by his arm.

This is Juan Miguel King and not a single student in this university doesn’t know who he is. Of course, Luis, being not an exemption to that, knows who he is and knows exactly why he shouldn’t associate himself with him.

Fixing his eyeglasses, he doesn’t really know what to say. He can’t even take his arm back from him.

As if sensing his distress about his arm, the boy releases him then chuckles. “I didn’t mean to scare you away but please don’t run away again. Running is not that easy, you know.”

It doesn’t really seem to be the case because he swears even running looks easy when it’s this guy who’s doing it. Damn. If he wasn’t the clumsiest human being in the library yesterday, he wouldn’t have to be awkwardly standing in front of this guy now.

Has anyone told this guy that he has the brightest smile there is yet? Good thing that he can’t even smile so he isn’t affected by how contagious it is.

“I’m Miguel, you are?”

Forever awkward he is, he just stares at Miguel’s hand, unsure if he will accept and shake it. He doesn’t even know if he’ll tell him his name.

“I’m getting a little tired holding out my hand like this, just so you know…”

Panicking, he immediately takes his hand and shakes it. “I-I’m Luis Ashley Manalo.”

Miguel smiles even wider; he’s eyes are showing how amused he is. “Nice to meet you, Luis Ashley Manalo. I don’t mind if you take me to lunch because I caught you yesterday when you fell.”

Not actually sure if he heard that right but there’s one thing he could hear loud and clear—it’s his heart beating loudly against his chest.