*Alejandro*
I couldn’t bring myself to look at Anna for long, fearing that I may want to pull her up, so I treated her a bit cold. Not because I wanted to but because I had to. I tried to keep my work life from my personal life as I have always done.
How did she suddenly start working here? The last time we spoke, she never mentioned looking for a job.
She was slightly startled by how I treated her, but I’ll have to apologize afterward, just not now.
I pushed the file I was reading to the side. I couldn’t concentrate anymore. I bent down and massaged my template. I raised my head when I heard a knock on the door. Slowly, the door pushed open, and Anna stepped in.
She walked gently towards me, and I had to force my head to keep looking down. I only raised it when she stopped in front of me.
“Sir, there’s some…”
The door opened abruptly, shutting her up. She swallowed and turned. Their heels clicked sharply on the floor. And she stepped in, Clara. I stood.
“Honey,” she called and walked towards me. Before I could wrap my head around what was happening, she hugged me, pressing her body into mine.
My hands were on her side.
Anna wanted to say something, but she stopped and walked out. I pushed Clara away from me. The confusion in Anna’s eyes haunted me as I watched Clara’s face.
“What is the meaning of this?” I asked her. I couldn’t hide the annoyance in my voice.
Clara used to be like a bedding partner after I divorced Nora. But we had ended all we had years ago before I left the country.
“I missed you. Thought I should be allowed to come say hi,” she said. I stepped back.
“And you have been in town for some time now and didn’t think it was right to come over. Don’t you miss me? I did so much.” She said.
I was speechless.
How did I never know this girl was shameless? How did I get myself entangled with her? She wasn’t always like this. She is one of the company’s major shareholders.
When we first met, I had been so surprised she was the one who owned so many shares as she had remained mysterious for so long. We clicked immediately and had to leave after sitting to have dinner two days later.
She was well-traveled and educated. We had more dinners together and texted regularly, and soon; we found ourselves entangled together without clothes in a hotel.
Whatever we had didn’t last.
“Don’t sound as if we are friends; I have no reason to tell you about anything,” I said, my voice as sharp as I intended it to be.
“What happened to us?” She asked sadly, then pouted.
If it had been before, this would have worked for me, and I would have started to feel guilty. But I knew all her tricks now. Two months into what we had, she revealed who she indeed was.
A manipulator who wanted me to dance to her tone, but she got the wrong man.
“Why are you here?” I asked.
“To see you, of course,” she said and walked to the sofa at the side. She sat, crossing one leg over the other.
“What do you want from me this time?” I asked her.
“Can’t I come without wanting anything?” She asked, and I shook my head before taking a seat. She knew that was unlike her. “When have you ever?”
She smirks. “This was why I liked you then, and trust me when I say I still do very much,” she said.
She brought her finger close to her face and started long at her well-manicured fingers.
“What do you want?” I asked again. She doesn’t come to visit me without a purpose. She turns to look at me.
“Well,” she took a deep breath, unlike her. She has always been one to go straight to the point. “I have a business…” there was a knock on the door, and she pursued.
Anna stepped into the room. “I’m sorry to interrupt,” she said. She avoided looking at Clara, who frowned at Anna for interrupting us. Anna walked to me.
She hands a file to me. “I scheduled a meeting with the CEO from S&D Foods; he wants you to review this file. A representative will arrive soon to get it back. Would it be possible to discuss it over dinner with them?* She asked.
I flipped through the file, my eyes scanning it within seconds. I was about to reply when Clara interfered and said, “Isn’t that your job as the personal assistant? Who hired this fool who doesn’t know how to plan a schedule,”
She eyes Anna, “She just knew I hadn’t sent her before.” She said.
Her comment takes Anna aback, but she keeps her face straight.
“And how dare you interrupt us? It’s not even something important,” she says, her rage getting the best part of her.
“I’m sorry,” Anna said and stepped out.
“Who do you think you are to speak to my assistant in that manner?” I asked.
“Well, she doesn’t know her job; it wouldn’t hurt to teach her,” she said.
“And you think you are in the best position to do so?” I asked.
“Well, I just wanted to be of help. I wouldn’t say I liked the fact that she interrupted and took all your attention for herself. You were so focused on her that I wanted to grip her hair and pull her out of the room…”
I banged the table, and she flinched.
“Shut the fuck up, Clara,” she stopped talking.
“Who do you think you are to lecture my assistant?” I asked.
“Why are you getting so worked up?”
I scoffed, “I think I’ve entertained enough of your nonsense for today,” I said.
“I haven’t even started talking,” she said.
“You should have done that when you stepped in. You wasted your time yourself,” I said, and she understood what this meant. She protested.
“No, I won’t leave without saying what I want to say; it’s important,” she said.
“Save it; I don’t want to listen to whatever you have to say,” I said, and I meant it.
“I have a business proposal,” she says.
“Talk to my PA. She’ll schedule a meeting,” I said. She closed her eyes for a while and took quick, deep breaths. “You want me to speak to the girl who just left?” She asked.
“Yes.” I gave a straight reply.
“And if I refuse?” She asked.
“Then don’t bother coming here. I’ll talk to the security, and you will not be allowed into this company without a schedule,” I said.
“You can’t do this, Alejandro,” she yelled.
“Watch me,” I said.
Her chest heaved up and down, “don’t let the door hit you on your way out,” I said.
She stood up. “Fine.” She said and walked out grumpily.
She is such a hassle. I cursed the day I spoke to her. She should have remained mysterious.
I called Anna. “I’ll meet with them over lunch tomorrow,” I said.
She nods. I could have said this over the phone, but wanted to see her. “Anything else?” She asked.
I contemplated explaining and telling her that I scolded Clara for what she did, but I didn’t. “No,” I said. She bowed slightly and walked out.
I tried to convince myself that I didn’t react that way because it was Anna. I’d have done the same thing for any other person. I won’t stand still and allow someone to disrespect my employees.
Never.
I called Anna into the office more than I should.
Once, I asked her how to make coffee. And then go print out some documents. She also had to give a file to the head of the legal team on the last floor. And all through, she didn’t complain.
She seemed to understand that I wanted to keep work separate from my personal life, and she answered with Sir and other formal words that made her sound distant. I wouldn’t say I liked it, but I had to put up with it.
Maybe I should invite her for dinner.
I miss Anna, who talked about wine and painting. But I don’t want to seem desperate.
The day soon came to an end. Anna gave me a quick rundown of my schedule for the next day.
I nod my head in approval.
She started the job about six hours ago but acted like she had been doing it for years. She is meticulous and intelligent, just as I like my assistant to be.
Whoever thought she did well, I could not support commending her (though I didn’t say it out loud). Not even when she bid me goodbye I allowed her to leave.
Anna left the company before me.
I kicked myself internally, watching her leave the company through the window. Maybe I should have stopped her and offered to take her home.
Maybe I should have told her to stay behind. I flipped the phone I was holding. Or should I call her?
That sounded too extreme. What would I say?
I should probably send her a text.
No. I’ve ignored her all day. I ran my hand through my hair. This was frustrating. I needed to do something, but what?
I was done for the day or should be done for the day. But there was a pile of files by the side of the table which I had to read. I have been so busy organizing my thoughts since she entered my office.
I stayed in the office for over two hours, my head buried in my work. I stopped when my stomach rumbled. I need to eat something. I took my suit jacket from the hangar and walked out.
Few people were staying over to complete whatever project they had.
I had my driver reserve a table for me at a nearby restaurant. Anna should have done this, but I had let her off on time.
I made a mental note to not allow her off like this again.
After dinner, I asked my driver to drive around the city. I looked out of the window, which was wound down, taking note of everything, from the people who walked briskly in the walking lane to those who were old or with kids and were struggling to walk through the crowd.
A few new buildings had been set up, and I recognized a few that my company had done.
I secretly wished Anna was here with me; maybe we’d have gotten something else we shared in common. We got to a red light, and the car stopped behind a black BMW.
The window is still wound down.
I noticed a girl walking fast at the side. She was trying hard to get away from a group of people, which was comprised of a few guys and a girl. Her hair was styled familiarly. There was something about that girl that made me keep looking.
She kept looking behind her, but these men were still behind her.
Were they bullying her? I wondered.
I wanted to look away and continue, but I couldn’t.
Without wasting much time, I opened the door. “I’ll be right back,” I said as I stepped out.
I walked to the small crowd as the girl had stopped walking and she had been surrounded by these people.
My eyes rested in the middle, and I furrowed my brows when I saw the girl with red cheeks.
What was Anna doing in the middle, and who the fuck had laid a finger on her.
I felt a strange rage run through me. I don’t understand why, but I felt obliged to do something.