"Could you please stop clicking your pen?"
Kate's whisper barely broke the silence that enveloped the office, her voice tinged with a hint of exasperation.
Her polite plea is nothing against the grating sound of my pen's incessant clicking, clearly showing my restless nerves. Sitting idly with no tasks from Nathaniel, an unsettling unease lingered in the air, leaving me with nothing but the repetitive tap of the pen for company.
The unusual absence of instructions from Nathaniel had raised eyebrows among my colleagues, who were accustomed to his unrelenting stream of orders, no matter how trivial. My own confusion mirrored theirs, amplifying the sense of unease that had settled over the office. I can feel what they are all feeling... all because I have experienced those before.
In a moment of uncertainty, I turned to Kate for reassurance, my voice was full of emotions that churned inside me. "Do you think he holds a grudge against me?" I asked, my words quivering with the weight of uncertainty.
With a blend of empathy and perspective, Kate responded, underlining the unexpected reprieve I had been granted from Nathaniel's usual demands.
"You are lucky because you do not have to do so many things all at once. You should be thankful he is not throwing multiple orders on you." She whispered.
Her whispered words carried a subtle reminder amid the pervasive silence, coaxing out a silver lining from the disconcerting stillness of the office.
Well, it is because she does not know what happened between me and Nathaniel. If only she knew that I had spent my time in his bed and I had sex with him—she would think differently. Either one way or another, I know that these things are happening because of me.
I was resting my chin on my desk, bored and lost in thought, when all of a sudden, someone approached me. He was a man wearing a suit, and I was sure he was one of Nathaniel's trusted employees. His presence jolted me out of my daydreams, bringing me back to the stark reality of my situation.
"The boss has requested your presence," he said, his voice firm and serious, radiating an air of importance.
"Is that so?" I asked, seeking confirmation. I glanced at the clock and realized it was already lunchtime. His request must be for me to grab his food, a routine task I was all too familiar with.
"Yes. He said it was urgent, so he is expecting you there now," he whispered, his tone implying the gravity of the situation.
I immediately stood up from my seat, my heart pounding. I dashed out and headed to Nathaniel's office, setting my mind not to mess things up again. I needed to make sure I wouldn't get smitten with him again and make another foolish decision.
As I walked, I couldn't help but replay the sudden turn of the tables of the past few days in my mind. The memory of our night together was still fresh, memories of pleasure and regret that haunted me.
I knew Nathaniel had already forgiven me for what happened, but I needed to maintain my professionalism. Another apology wouldn't be appreciated, and I couldn't afford to put his life—or my job—on the edge again.
When I entered his office, my eyes widened in surprise. Nathaniel didn't look like he was about to assign me a heavy workload. Instead, he was sitting at a long dining table, an unexpected sight that threw me off balance.
"Good afternoon, sir," I greeted him, trying to keep my voice steady. "May I know why you asked for me? How can I help you?"
He looked at me with his brows furrowed, his expression a mix of confusion and annoyance. "What the heck are you saying?"
"I called you because we are going to have lunch. I've seen you on the surveillance camera; you're not doing anything at your desk, so I figured it's best you come here and eat," he said, gesturing for me to join him at the table.
Why is he doing this? Why is he inviting his secretary to eat with him?
I've never heard of such a thing. In fact, those are just scenarios I see in movies and read in novels. I have never heard of a boss taking care of his personal assistant, much less inviting them to lunch. Who falls in love with someone who isn't even on the same level?
He is making a mistake. It is unreasonable for him to make decisions that don't resonate with his standing.
"I don't understand, sir," I said, forcing a smile. It was a wry smile, designed to make him realize I didn't like what he was doing.
'I don't understand why you are inviting me for a meal. What are we?'
He looked at me, and a slight curl escaped his lips. I expected him to be mad at what I said, but instead, he seemed pleased.
"This is one of the reasons why I have come to like you. You always act naive in things you should have known," he whispered.
"After what happened between us, I cannot let you go," he said, his eyes serious, reflecting a much bigger plan ahead of him.
I couldn't explicitly say that I remembered it well enough. Yes, I wanted to play naive because I knew how dangerous it was to associate myself with a man who was out of my league.
During the time I got lost in my desires and lust, I forgot that I was doing it with him. I regret it now… I don't want to work where I would always see him.
"Sir, I am not sure I am following. Nothing happened between us. Maybe, after you almost died from the flowers I gave you as my apology, you mistook my gestures as affection and hallucinated," I said, offering a reason even I couldn't believe.
"Are you implying that I am out of my mind now, Cassandra?" he asked, giving me a backlash to make me redeem my words so he could trap me into this meal with him.
He is relentless, and it is driving me insane. What does he see in me? Because I don't even know if I am lovable enough for him to be obsessing.
"I did not say such a word, sir. Now, if you may excuse me, I would like to go out. Please, enjoy your meal," I cut through his lengthy words, not wanting to hear any of his manipulative tactics. I am tired and just want to go home now.
As I turned to leave, my mind swirled with a mix of confusion, frustration, and a hint of fear. Why was Nathaniel so insistent? What did he truly want from me? I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being drawn into something far more complicated than I had ever imagined.
I reached the door, my hand on the handle when his voice stopped me once more. "Cassandra," he called out, his tone softer, almost pleading. "Please, sit down. We need to talk about this. I don't want to lose you, not just as an employee but as someone I care about."
I paused, my heart pounding. The sincerity in his voice was disarming, and for a moment, I hesitated. Could there be something more behind his actions, something genuine? But then, the rational part of me took over. This was dangerous territory, and I needed to protect myself.
"I'm sorry, Nathaniel," I said, my voice firm. "But I can't do this. We need to keep things professional. Anything else is too risky."
The memories still haunt me, and I despise myself for them. His mother's messages, warning me to stay away from him if I want to keep this job, echo in my mind. Why did I make the mistake of falling in love with him further? That text was a clear warning. I can't afford to lose the one thing I can be proud of.
"What? Wait!" Nathaniel's voice called out.
I dashed through the door and was stunned to see someone standing in front of me.
"Killian?" My eyes widened at his gaze.
"Oh my, Cassandra?" Joy filled his voice. "Why are you here? Aren't you supposed to be on your lunch break?"
I scratched my head and tucked my hair behind my ears. "It was an urgent meeting. How about you? Have you eaten your lunch?"
"No, not yet," he said. "Your boss actually called me in."
"Do you want to eat lunch together?" I smiled as I invited him.
"I mean—"
His words were cut off when the door behind me opened. My eyes met Nathaniel's darkened gaze.
"Killian?" Nathaniel's voice echoed in the room. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"I brought the papers from the marketing department as you requested," Killian answered.
Nathaniel immediately took the papers, his eyes landing on me. He glanced through them and whispered, "This one is wrong. Take this back downstairs and have them revise it." He threw the papers at Killian without a single glance at him, his gaze glued to me.
"Is it okay if I just give them these papers later? Cassandra and I are going to have lunch," Killian asked for permission.
"Lunch? The two of you?" Nathaniel's voice rang in my ears, laced with huge disbelief.
"Yes, lunch. We were just heading out," I interjected, trying to diffuse the tension.
Nathaniel's jaw tightened, and his eyes bore into mine with an intensity that made my stomach churn. "Cassandra, a word. Now."
I glanced at Killian, who nodded at me and followed Nathaniel back into his office. The door closed behind us with a heavy thud, and the atmosphere became so heavy that it was hard to talk.
"What is this, Cassandra?" Nathaniel's voice was low but charged with barely contained anger. "You're going to lunch with Killian?"
"I… he invited me. It's just lunch, Nathaniel," I stammered, trying to maintain my composure.
"Just lunch?" His eyes flashed with something I couldn't quite decipher—jealousy, perhaps?
"You are going out with him on a lunch when I prepared you a whole lot fo feast here?"
"I did not ask for it."
His eyes pierced my soul as I saw his fist clenched.
"Then maybe you should start being appreciative."