Max POV
I woke up quite early this morning and went to check on Alicia after I got dressed for the office, but she was still sleeping, and I didn’t want to wake her up. She was so sad yesterday that we ended up not sleeping together in the same room.
Walking down the hallway minutes later, I stop in front of Ariel’s room and stare at her closed door.
‘What about your wife? Do you not love her?’ her words replay in my head, and I sigh briefly before I proceed to walk away. I have been asking myself that since yesterday, I have been trying to think of what to do but nothing has been coming through. Everything is just so messed up.
Arriving at the dining minutes later, I hurry with my breakfast before I leave for the office afterward. I have a board meeting to attend in the company at 9am, but I have to be there earlier so I can arrange everything before my clients arrive, to avoid Alex coming late again like last time.
Arriving at the company after being stuck in a traffic jam for almost forever, I proceed to my office and start working on the files I’ll be needing in the meeting later.
Barely twenty minutes that I started working, the knock on the door pulls my attention, and I raise my gaze to see Ariel outside my office. My heart skips a beat, and I gulp down nothing nervously.
“Come in,” The door opens afterward, and she walks in, looking so beautiful in her corporate dress. She has been adding weight lately, and I think that it’s a result of the pregnancy.
“Good morning, Sir,” She bows her head as soon as she walks in, and I quickly turn my gaze away from drooling at her.
“Good morning. Did you sleep well?” I ask her, and she slowly nods her head.
“I didn’t know when you came home yesterday. I wanted to ask of a favor from you. Are you free to talk now?” She asks, and I raise my eyebrows confusingly, wondering what she wants to talk about.
“What do you want to talk about?” I ask her curiously, and she bites her bottom lip.
“Uhm… I was thinking if you can pay my salary in advance. I need to do something with it,” Her voice is low that I almost didn’t get what she said, but I still heard her anyway.
“Alright. I will process the payment later. Expect it later in the day, or tomorrow morning,” I reply to her, and she beams with the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen. That sweet smile that always makes my heart melts softly.
“Thank you so much, sir. I appreciate it,” She squeaks excitedly, and I nod my head as I return the smile.
“You’re welcome. Get me my schedule for the rest of the week. And also, we are having a board meeting in less than an hour, so you should be fast with the schedule,” I explain to her, and she nods her head.
“Alright, Sir. I will get to it immediately,” She replies to me before she turns and walks out of the office, and I can’t help the admiration that fills my heart toward her. She’s just so perfectly built.
Once she’s out of the office, I reach out for my phone and dial Alex’s number. I just wish that annoying jerk is not a part of the company, but I think that is a dream that will never come true for me. I think I will always have to be stuck with my irresponsible brother. He won’t ever keep to time.
“Should I say that you’re missing me? If not, what will make the pompous Max call me this early morning?” Her sarcastic voice sounds through the phone as soon as he answers the call, and I shake my head. It’s crazy how he always talks to me as if we are close when we are not even always on good terms.
“Don’t be late for the meeting. I won’t tolerate that nonsense again today,” I say to him and end the call immediately.
A deep sigh tears through my throat as I recline on the chair and rub my forehead. Thinking about the life I have been living lately makes me feel less of a human. I haven’t been fair to Alicia, and it hurts me that I keep treating her like that. It’s hurting her emotions, but I can’t help it. I can’t stop myself from having this feeling for Ariel, no matter how much I try not to.
“Hey, good morning,” Ariel’s sweet voice brings me out of my train of thought, and my heart skips a beat when I see Alex leaning over her desk and towering over her with a desirable look on his face.
“Good morning, did you sleep well?” I hear his faint voice, and I scoff. I know he’s being intentionally loud, so I can hear their conversation.
“Yes. Mr. Dante is in his office. I think he has been expecting you,” She speaks to him formerly, and he rolls his eyes after he glances at me and our eyes meet.
“Alright, I will go see him. Let’s see after the meeting, ok?” He says as he stands up to his feet, but she rolls her eyes at him.
“And by the way, you look gorgeous as always. You’re so pretty, for real,” He cups his cheeks and pouts his lips, making her laugh so hard, and I grunt angrily. What the hell! That is so childish, yet she finds it so funny. It’s annoying to see her get overly comfortable with him.
“Are you here to flirt with my secretary, or to attend the board meeting?” I finally walk over to them and ask, causing him to turn to face me.
“I’m here for two reasons. Not to flirt with her, anyway. Why would I flirt with my friend? She’s a sweetheart, and I would never play dirty with her. And besides, I’m planning to win her heart,” He smirks at me as he tucks his hands in his pockets.
“Hey, I told you to stop saying that…”
“You told me you don’t have a boyfriend, so what’s the big deal about that?” He turns to her and asks, and my eyes narrow in shock and anger. How could she tell him that she has no boyfriend when I’m here?
“You’re not her boyfriend, are you?” My subconscious mind quickly asks me, and I bite my bottom lip in rage.
“What if I told you that I don’t have a boyfriend? That doesn’t give you the right to still say that. I have a crush on someone anyway,” She whispers the last part, but I still heard her anyway. Who does she have a crush on?
“Really? Who is it? Is it me?” He quickly leans over to her desk and asks her.
“If you have enough time to spare, I think you should use it to work on your punctuality. This is the way to the meeting,” I roll my eyes at him angrily.
“Bring the file with you to the meeting,” I drop a brown file on her desk before I walk out of the office, not after I make sure that I leave with Alex. I can’t allow them to stay in the office together. I don’t trust this bastard…