I didn’t think Mr. Shawn could have the guts to touch me, and tell me he had some feelings for me. Fine, there was no big deal about his feelings. It wasn’t a crime for him to like me. However, his approach wasn’t nice. Also, I didn’t think I could give him a chance in my heart. Everyone knew he was a Playboy, a guy almost every woman liked. Between, he had no respect for women.
Seeing Sherri walking out of Ryan’s office, I looked away. I didn’t want to encounter her craziness. Mr. Shawn had ruined my mood, so I really couldn’t let her crawl to the list.
Ensuring she had stepped out, I arranged my table, ready to head home. Taking a bunch of files from the table, I made my way to Ryan’s office. Before knocking on his door, I took a deep breath. After he had yelled at me, I had ensured we didn’t get to see each other. He had really scared me earlier.
“Come in.” His thick voice sounded from his office.
I turned the door knob, stepped in, and shut the door behind me. To my surprise, he wasn’t on his laptop. He had his back on me, seeming as if he was buttoning his shirt. I rolled my eyes, knowing that he and Sherri had probably been smooching each other before I came in. At the office? So disgusting.
“Hello, Mr. Arthur.” I cleared my throat so I could get his attention.
Slowly, he turned to me. He was done with whatever he had been doing. The moment his eyes caught mine, he looked away. What the heck? What was with this sudden change of attitude? I had thought he was changing to a good man.
“You need something?” He grabbed his keys from his table, turned back to me. He had that stern look on his face, and I knew he wasn’t interested in speaking with me.
“I, um, wanna drop these files. You haven’t gone through them today,” I announced.
He sighed. “You know what? I can’t check them tonight.”
I knitted my eyebrows, pulling a concerned look. “But sir, we’ll need them for the meeting. You’re to sign some documents before tomorrow. We’ll have no time for—”
“Fine. Bring them to my place tonight. I’ll stay up late to check them out,” he prompted.
I huffed, totally dazed. “Sir, I can’t come to your house. This is seven. I need to go home, and have some time for myself. And, since you’re leaving, you should just take them with you.”
“Oh, gosh,” he mumbled. He ran his fingers into his hair, exhaled hard. “Woman, I’m not going home now. Can’t take the files with me. Come to my place. That shouldn’t take too much of your time, right?”
“This isn’t nice.” I shot scowls at him. “I have things to do with myself. You can’t just ask me to do things I don’t wanna do. I’m a human like you. You aren’t just mean, now you wanna…”
I stopped speaking, realizing he was still my boss. Good Lord, why had I said those? Did he even care about my complaints? But seriously, this man was such a crazy person. How could he ask me to come to his place? So annoying.
He twitched his neck sideways, pursed his lips, moved closer. Standing in front of me, he frowned. “All I’ve asked you to do is to bring the files. Nothing else. Is that too much?”
“But, you have a car,” I retorted, not resisting the dirty look rambling on my facial expression. “I have plans for tonight. Take the files with you. Would you gain anything from stressing me out? It’s not fine, Mr. Arthur. You shouldn’t keep ordering me around this way. I’m sick of it. The night I followed you to that dinner, I realized how dominant you are. No one treats his secretary that way.”
“Keep quiet, please,” he requested, but it felt so much like he was warning me.
I scoffed. I was so furious. “Please, stop this. If you keep acting this way, I’d have no choice but to request a new boss. I can’t keep working this way. I’m sick of it. Stop being mean. It won’t cost you a thing. I really feel like a slave, not like a secretary. Sometimes, I can’t help but wonder if I’d once done something bad to you.”
He flared his nostrils, nodded reluctantly. “You’re done, right? Once you’re ready, come over to my place to drop the files. If tomorrow’s meeting gets ruined, it’ll be your fault.”
“I hate you!” I snarled. I knew these rants cost my job, but I couldn’t contain my anger.
He snorted. “I don’t like you either. Have a nice time.”
With that, he walked past me, walked out, and slammed the door behind him.
I bit my lip hard, squeezed my face, whined like a crying baby. Working with that man was a great mistake. When was I going to get rid of him?
***
Okay, despite the fact that I had ranted so much, I ended up coming to Ryan’s house. This was past eight already. First, I had gone home, and had ensured I had taken enough time to rest. And then, I had debated with myself before coming to his place.
Getting to his condo, I pressed the doorbell, patiently waiting for him to open up the door. I hoped he was home already.
A bit nervous, I heaved. I glimpsed at my outfit, felt stupid for having to do that. It wasn’t like I was trying to look good for him, right? Well, I was in denim jean pants, a dark hoodie, and white sneakers. My hair was in a loose ponytail, just comfortable for me. I guessed I looked good enough for… myself.
Soon, the door opened up, opened like one of those elevator doors. To my surprise, it was a middle-aged woman who was walking out of his house.
“Oh, hi there.” She gave me a warm smile, her face wrinkling a bit. She looked quite exhausted, but that didn’t make her less pretty.
I smiled too. “I don’t know if I’ve come to the wrong place. But, um, I’m here to see Ryan.”
“Oh, my nephew.” She grinned, which kind of displayed her complete set of old teeth. “He’s in there. I’m on my way home. I don’t know where he went, but I know he’s in there. Are you his… girlfriend?”
I laughed weirdly, and scratched the back of my neck. “No, no. I’m his secretary. I came to drop a couple of files. That’s it.”
“Okay then.” She stepped out, still smiling. “Go in. Goodnight, okay?”
I nodded. “Thanks. Goodnight too.”
As soon as I walked in, the door automatically shut. I couldn’t help but adore his house. The living room was very big, its walls white in color. There was a kitchen close to the bar by my right, and a long staircase which was clinged to the wall. The windows were really tall, holding black curtains.
Slowly, I walked into the living room, moving my eyes around, searching for him. “Mr. Arthur,” I called. The place was so silent to the point I could hear an echo of my voice.
I turned to the eighty-five inch TV, admiring how beautifully it was placed on a well furnished, white, TV cabinet, which had a couple of flower vases, old photos, and books. I spotted a photo on the rectangular, glass table at the center of the living room, but didn’t attempt to look at it. I didn’t want him to yell at me for a second time.
“You’re here already?” I winced when I heard his thick voice coming from behind me.
I turned to him, feeling quite uncomfortable Noticing his naked chest, my eyes jutted out of their sockets. Oh, wow, he had a good body. That was cute, but well, whatever.
I gasped. “Mr. Arthur! You aren’t supposed to be half naked, knowing that I’d come around.”
He wiggled a brow at me, and just dug his hands in the pocket of his sweatpants. “What? I’m in my house, not the office.”
“But, can you try to be a little professional? I’m your secretary, sir.”
He laughed weirdly, starting to saunter towards me. “What? Are you falling for my body? Do you wanna touch my chest, and drool for me?”
“Sir, I’m your secretary,” I repeated.
“So what?” He kept stepping close, smirking like an idiot.
Okay. This closeness was getting too much, and getting scary. What could I do? Nothing. So, I just had to step backwards. I hoped the wall wasn’t going to clash against my back.
“Why are you running away?” His smirk was really intimidating. “I’m not gonna hurt you, okay?”
“Go— Oh my gosh!” I had wanted to yell at him, but I tripped on something, and almost fell. But, before I could fall, he grabbed me by my waist, towed me to him. Well, too bad for us, we lost our stability, and fell to the three seater couch beside us. Like one of those romance novels, he was on top of me.
“You’re okay?” He asked, staring intently at me.
I groaned. “Get your body off me, then I’ll be fine.”
He was silent for a while. And then, that stupid smile crawled to his lips. Gosh, he was going to do something crazy. Why was he smiling?
“You look pretty, huh?” He winked. “I like staying close to you. It makes me—”
“Get. Your. Body. Off. Me.” Oh, that was harsh.
“Okay. But well, you should—”
Abruptly, I yelped and flinched. Something crashed against the floor, sounding as if a glass had just broken. Ryan and I snapped our necks in the direction of the sound, and fear gripped me immediately.
It was this woman, Sherri. She had her hands tightened in a fist, her nostrils flared, nothing but rage cooking up around her as she panted.
“What is going on?” She demanded.
Now, what would happen? What would she think? This was Ryan’s fault!
—