The Manipulated Villainess

The couple stood still in their places, their whole attention was on the door where the voice came from. They hold their breath wondering if they just made a mistake!

Then the door was pushed open. Who would have thought that only less than ten seconds passed ever since they heard the voice that made them froze?! Yet, it seemed like forever!

Making his way inside Nicole\'s office was none other than Alex Jo. Dressed in a grey suit, he walked inside and his gaze first landed on Aston Kang. He didn\'t seem to be flustered by the actor\'s presence.

Was this a disaster or a relief? Nicole wasn\'t sure. She didn\'t make any movement yet her gaze was fixated on her ex-lover who was now the man she despised the most!

With a surprisingly calm face, Alex Jo turned to Nicole and slightly bowed. Meanwhile, Aston was waiting for Nicole to speak up as he didn\'t know this man.

Reminding herself to be calm, Nicole walked towards Alex Jo. "What a surprise! That was so brave of you, Alex Jo. I never knew that you are capable of saying that." Her appraising facade slipped and it was replaced by a nonchalant one. "How long have you been standing near the door?" She halted when she was just two steps away from him.

"Ever since all the others left your office." Alex Jo narrowed his eyes at her. "I already warned you to be careful, Nicole."

"And I already warned you many times not to say my name with that dirty mouth of yours." Nicole snapped.

Aston still remained quiet but he keenly observed the two. There was a strange atmosphere between them but he didn\'t know what it was.

Alex Jo remained calm despite the harsh words that were thrown at him. "I don\'t know what you are planning but I can tell you her one weakness." He muttered, looking at Nicole straight in the eyes.

"What makes you think that I would believe you? You might even rush to your master and inform her about me and Aston Kang. Our conversation too." The Chairwoman\'s tone was full of sarcasm. When it comes to this man, she couldn\'t refrain herself. Maybe his betrayal and actions caused her too much pain!

"Nicole!" Alex Jo snapped and let out a breath. "I know that I\'m trash but... even someone like me knows how to repay my debt. At least, I won\'t return kindness with sins."

"You already did that."

"I know. It\'s due to ignorance and that\'s why I\'m regretting it like crazy. I won\'t ask for your forgiveness because that won\'t change anything but... I can at least repay you. I can\'t do much but I can be of some help."

Nicole remained quiet and she shifted her gaze to Aston. She knew that he was observing them but... what was he thinking? She had no idea.

Then Alex Jo spoke up again. "As long as your plan doesn\'t include harming the Minister of Justice, I\'m willing to tell you what you want to know." His voice was low in contrast to before.

"Who is he, Nicole?" Aston finally spoke up and walked to Nicole, standing beside her.

After much reluctance, Nicole finally replied by saying, "He is the right-hand man of my step-mother."

Aston narrowed his eyes at Alex Jo, observing him from head to toe. "Why should we listen to such a man? Is there some other reasons?" His question was directed to Nicole.

"Aston, can we talk about this later? Besides, I have no intention to listen to him." Nicole calmly said, grabbing Aston in his arm.

At her small gesture, he turned to her and slightly smiled. "Fine. It\'s good if you think that way."

Alex Jo narrowed his eyes at Nicole\'s hand that was clinging to the actor\'s arm. He was reminded of the time they were a couple. She used to be very calm and gentle to him, just like she was now. Though a few years had passed, seeing her like this still pained him somehow.

"You know that I can\'t expose you." He muttered, raising his eyes to look at her. "You still keep my biggest secret." Even if she didn\'t, he didn\'t think he would expose her.

She still didn\'t tell her step-mother that he was the guy from college. If she ever did that, the Minister\'s faith in him will be gone and the follow-up won\'t be that great! He was well aware of what kind of person Garcia Han was! That secret was worth his life!

"Just what do you want, Alex Jo? I can\'t understand you. You are loyal to Garcia Han! Why would you say this?" Nicole was too frustrated! Her step-mother was complicated and so was her right-hand man! Well, birds of a feather flock together! They were the living proof!

"I already know that you have some special connection with this Aston Kang. The way you look at his photos that day in the mansion, I can see through you."

Alex Jo was talking about the day when Garcia Han confronted Nicole with the photos of her with Aston Kang. He was staring at her when she picked up the photos and gazed at them for a while. He could sense her feelings for Aston that day. Then he realized that submitting to her step-mother was just an act yet he never talked about it.

"I don\'t know what you\'re planning but you wish to know the Minister\'s weakness, right?" Alex Jo uttered, briefly glancing at Aston. "The answer is right before your eyes but you never know it."

"What are you trying to say?" Nicole promptly asked. This Alex Jo was only confusing her more!

Alex Jo met Nicole\'s gaze, his expression remained firm. "It\'s you, Nicole. You are her weakness."

What?! Nicole barely resisted the urge to roll her eyes. What nonsense was this man talking?! Then she turned to Aston but what she saw made her blinked in surprise. Did Aston buy what Alex was saying?! What was he really thinking?!

"Are you playing with me?" Nicole grunted, turning her attention back to Alex Jo.

"No. I\'m serious. I work for her and stick to her all the time, so I know her the best. I can sense it when something is wrong with her, when things go well for her, when she like or dislike something or someone. I know her better than you do." Alex Jo said with all seriousness.

Nicole was about to argue but Aston outspoke her.

"Explain." That\'s the only word the actor said but he was as serious as Alex Jo.

Alex Jo wasn\'t that entertained by the actor but he still responded. "The Minister of Justice is an obsessive person. Once she took a liking to something, she rarely changed her mind or give up. Nicole might not be her blood but she raised her. Maybe that\'s why Nicole has quite an influence on her."

"Influence?" Aston mused.

"Yes." Alex Jo asserted. "As far as I could remember, Nicole\'s every action always changed her mood completely. Whenever she loses focus during work, the reason is always Nicole." He glanced at Nicole, noticing her confused face. "Even when you said that you will submit yourself to her, she told me that she will grant you anything as long as you mean it."

Aston recalled what Nicole told her before about her nyctophobia. "About Nicole\'s nyctophobia... "

"That\'s also one proof. When the Minister realized her serious trauma, she completely quit every action which required a dark place. I don\'t understand her either but I think it\'s some sort of obsession. Besides, she never tolerates any disrespect towards Nicole shown by other people. She always flew into a rage when that happens." Alex Jo explained.

Aston couldn\'t understand it either. Just what was on this woman\'s head? He looked at Nicole and realized that she was also confused just like him.

"You might not believe me but I already put my life on the line when I said those things to you. If you want, you can test it. Then you will know if I\'m telling the truth or not." Alex Jo said, fixating his gaze on Nicole.

Aston holds Nicole, bending down a little to match her height. "You can make a decision. I don\'t know him, so I can\'t decide if he\'s trustworthy or not. You seem to know him well, so it\'s up to you. I will accept whatever you decide."

Hearing this, Nicole slightly lifted her head and glanced at Alex Jo. Was he trustworthy?

The Alex Jo she knew in college was a reliable man. Of course, the best lover she could ever ask for! He was a good senior in college who used to help her out many times. They even enrolled in the same club and that\'s how they met. If he was still that same Alex Jo, she would instantly nod without any hesitation!

But things were different now. He wasn\'t that kind and reliable man she once knew. Now, he was one of her greatest nightmares, her biggest regret in life. The one who caused her indescribable pain.

Could she still trust him? She wasn\'t sure anymore.....