Chapter 19
Adam Wilson
I looked at the résumé in front of me skimming through it for the important details.
- University of Virginia
- First Class
- Business Administration and Management
- 21 years old
Wow, 21 and already a graduate! Impressive.
I looked at her picture and she did look young. Her CV was notable and I instantly wanted to meet her. I dialed my secretary immediately.
"Alice, send in the applicant." I said.
"Okay sir."
I looked at her work experience and I was grabbed. She was so young yet she had worked in two places already.
Moments later there was a light knock on my door.
"Come in." I said and the door opened. It was her. I quickly checked the name on the CV.
'Sophia Parker'
"Hello Miss Parker, have a seat." I pointed at one directly in front of me. I was seated at the coffee table at the corner of my office, I don't like conducting interviews at my desk.
"Thank you sir." She came over and sat down on the seat opposite mine. She looked even younger in person, and very pretty I must add. She was wearing a grey suit with her hair neatly tied back, looking very formal but I could tell this wasn't her disposition. Her face had a youthful ring to it and she appeared out of her element.
"So, you're a graduate at 21 and you finished among the top four with a first class degree." I went straight to the point.
"Yes sir. I had a number of promotions during high school." She said confidently.
"When did you graduate?"
"4 months ago."
"From your CV, I can see that you've had two jobs previously. Tell me about them." I leaned back in my chair a bit.
"Okay. My first job was a summer internship at BearingPoint. I worked for three months after my first year in college. I was trained in preparing reports and other materials for executives, arranging business travel, taking notes at meetings, and screening callers and visitors. My second job was at my university. I was an Assistant Secretary to the PA to members of the Senior Management Team. My central role was a point of contact for staff and others interacting with the SMT..."
She kept going on and about the bosses at her previous jobs and the environment, but I had stopped listening. I watched her as she talked to me. Her hands gesticulating lightly, and her pink lips moving softly. Something about her made me upbeat. I felt my heartwarming towards the thought of having her as my personal assistant. I don't know why but I was convinced she would do a good job. Her voice was rosy and she sounded like an angel.
I hadn't noticed she had finished talking until she cleared her throat.
"Tell me about a challenge or conflict you've ever faced at work, and how you dealt with it." I threw the question at her not really caring about her answer, I just wanted her to keep talking to me.
"Well, there was this lady I worked with at BearingPoint, she accidentally shred some important documents that I needed that day and..."
I took time to study the Miss Parker. Her hair color was mahogany-brown and she had beautiful hazel eyes, I felt like I could look at them all day which was really weird. Her suit was fitted enough to be her size but not as tight as typical women wear their clothes these days. She looked decent in her blazer and suit pants.
I had a feeling that there was more to her than what she was portraying.
"...and that's how I solved the problem." She smiled.
"...and that's how I solved the problem." She smiled.
My heart stopped for a second when I saw that smile. I made up my mind immediately. She was hired.
"Okay Miss Parker, the job is yours." I said to her.
"Really?" She smiled even wider. "Oh my gosh! Thank you so much Mr Wilson. I am very pleased to accept the position. I look forward to joining the team and want to personally thank you for this opportunity."
"No problem. My secretary will give you all the details about your new job and other information you need. You will start next week Monday by 8:00am and close by 5:00pm every weekday."
"Oh I'm so excited, I can't wait!" She beamed.
I was happy that she was happy. I can't wait to work with her, she seems like she has a great personality. And that's what I need in a PA.
"It's been a pleasure interviewing you Miss Parker. I look forward to having you here with me as well." I said standing up.
She stood up too and I extended my arm to her. Surprisingly she hugged me instead.
"Thank you so much again Mr Wilson. It was a pleasure being here." She said.
I wasn't too sure if I should hug back but when she didn't pull away after two seconds, I put my hand on her small back. She felt so little in my arms.
A certain part of her body I noticed earlier that wasn't so little was pressed up against me and I felt a bit apprehensive about the whole situation.
She pulled away and smiled before leaving my office. I watched her until she was out of sight.
I was very happy with my choice and I'm sure Miss Parker will do better than all the other dysfunctional Personal Assistants I've had in the past. She was incredible, young and beautiful with an amazing personality.
And very attractive.
And good looking.
And her hair is so long and wavy it looked perfect.
And her eyes are magnetic.
And-
"Okay enough!" I said to myself.
I'd already taking a liking towards Miss Parker, maybe a little too much. But I know that I won't be getting rid of her anytime soon.
***
I remembered that day like it was yesterday. The day I hired Sophia.
Sure, good things came along, but at the long-run, it looks like it was a bad idea. If I knew I would have caught feelings for her so badly then I wouldn't have employed her. And if I knew things between us would be a disaster then I wouldn't have taken any chances with her.
But I did and part of me should regret it but I don't.
I can't imagine a life without Sophia anymore. It feels like all those times when I hadn't known her, I was incomplete.
Last night was not bad. The casino was a good distraction from my 'problems' and I even won a few games. I came home partially drunk and slept all through the night. Now I'm awake and I realize I still have the so called 'problem' to deal with.
I got out of bed and cleaned up. I wore a pair of trousers and a shirt. Today was a free day so I'm going to take Sophia out for some sightseeing, and possibly amend things between us. I haven't seen her since the meeting and I'm sure she must have cooled down a bit by now.
I went over to her room and knocked. No answer. I knocked again but still nothing. I opened the door and went in but she wasn't there. Her room was quite smaller than mine but neater and smelled like her. I inhaled deeply, loving her scent maybe a bit too much.
Where could she be though?
I thought hard but I couldn't figure out anything. Maybe she left the hotel. I hope she didn't meet up with that nuisance from the meeting!!! I could feel my anger boiling up at just the mere thought of her with that bastard.
I took the elevator downstairs immediately.
When I got to the main desk I thought I could ask one of the desk clerks about Sophia's whereabouts. Maybe they may have an idea.
"Hey, I'm looking for a lady, I'm not sure if you've seen her around." I said to one of them. I recognized the girl, she was the one who checked us in.
"Hello sir. What does she look like? Or is it the lady who stays with you in 58?"
"Yes! Exactly her!"
"She's currently at the pool. Straight down to your left." She said like a brilliant and useful girl she is.
"Thank you."
I wasted no time, I followed her directions and went through a door that led me towards the indoor pools. I scanned the place but I didn't see anyone... hold on.
I saw a figure emerging from under the water and I knew immediately that it was her.
She came out of the pool, droplets of water running down her body. She was in the swimwear I bought for her from VS and heck, she made it look even better than I imagined it to be on her.
"Fuckkk." I hissed.
I made a silent prayer as I watched her walk up to a lounge chair. She reached inside her bag and got out a towel. She slowly dried her hair and body, oblivious to my presence.
I stayed rooted to the spot, enjoying the view. I'm glad I bought her the swimwear because she looks so perfect in it. According to Mason, Sophia keeps it tight. And I couldn't agree any more.
I walked towards her, my heart thumping in my chest. She heard my footsteps and turned around abruptly.
"Miss Parker." I couldn't control my eyes. Its like they had a will of their own which they wanted to accomplish by all means, not following any of my instructions to stay on her face.
"What are YOU doing here?" She frowned.
"I- uh- I- Well..." I was having a battle with my eyeballs. A battle that I severely lost.
She noticed I was looking at her and she used her towel to cover herself up. I was disappointed but at least now I could concentrate on what I wanted to say.
"I'm taking you out. Let's explore Grand Rapids and maybe have lunch together."
"Thanks but no thanks." She smiled a very plastic smile and resumed packing her things from the lounge chair.
Okay she hasn't calmed down, not even one bit. She's still very mad at me.
"Sophia. I apologise for saying the truth to you yesterday. Although I meant it and I still do, that was very disrespectful of me. I shouldn't have come on to you like that." I said to her.
She turned back and glared at me in disgust. Her looks made me feel like I was a huge pile of vomit. If looks could kill, I will be dead in a second.
"The truth?! You mean when you sexually harassed me?!" She shouted. If she wasn't so mad then I would have laughed.
"Sexually harassed? I didn't even touch you." I couldn't stop myself from smiling and she looked even more pissed.
"You don't need to touch someone before you harass them! You harassed me verbally!"
"I didn't harass you in any way love. In fact, I think you're upset because my words got to you, even though you didn't want them to." I crossed my arms and smirked at her.
I soon realized saying that was a mistake because she shoved me so hard that I lost my feet and submerged into the water.
I accidentally swallowed a lot of water and my nose stung badly. I managed to swim to one of the edges of the pool and come out. I coughed out the water from my throat, my ears burning in the process.
I looked at the princess of darkness herself and saw her leaving. She didn't even care to see if I was alright. What if I couldn't swim and I was drowning, would she have helped me? Does she really hate me this much?
I stood up and looked at myself. I was soaked from head to toe. Even in my shoes and socks. All for the sake of trying to fix this so called 'problem'.
"That's it, I'm done! I can't take this anymore. This is madness!" I scolded myself.
If Sophia really hates me and doesn't want to be with me, then so be it! I can't keep humiliating myself every time. I've received multiple abuses, two slaps and now I've been pushed into a pool.
For me, the chase is over.
Chapter 20
Sophia Parker
"I hate him so much Lily! I hate him, I hate him, I hate him!"
"Don't talk like that Sophia, you don't really hate him. You shouldn't have pushed him into the pool. What if he couldn't swim?" Lily said at the other side on the phone.
I wiped my tear filled face with the back of my hand.
"I don't care! He deserved it! He's so arrogant and rude! I can't believe he would say that to me!"
"He wants you Sophia, he was just making that clear to you."
"In the worst way possible! He doesn't want me, he just wants to get into my pants!"
"No Sophia, he's in love with you. He told me that himself." She said and I rolled my eyes.
"You know I wouldn't never believe that. He lied to you Lily!"
"Why would he lie about that?"
"Because! He would do or say anything to get what he wants. He wanted my location from you so he lied to you so you'll give it to him."
"I'm not sure about that." She laughed.
"He's a lying, manipulative jerk! I will never let him have sex with me."
"He didn't say he wants to have sex with you Sophia, he said he wants to make love to you. There's a difference. One involves emotion while the other is purely based on lust."
"They're still the same thing Lily!"
"Not really. Making love is expressing his feelings and love for you through sexual activities. Like I said earlier, He's. In. Love. With. You. And he just wants to prove it to you."
"Oh Lily, please don't say stuff like that to me. It makes me so angry." I blew my nose with a tissue.
"But you used to have a crush on him. I recall one time when you admitted you were having dirty thoughts about him."
"That was then. Now, I can never think of him in that way anymore. He's a prick!"
She laughed at my outburst.
"I don't know what I ever saw in Mr Wilson. He's a certified womanizer and I witnessed this first hand when he used to being different women to the office all the time. He changed his girlfriends every week. Although I don't see him bring anyone to the office anymore, that's because he's now after me too. He does that so I don't suspect a thing. Instead, he takes them to his house after he's done with me at the office. Just like that blonde girl."
She laughed even more.
"Sophia, that picture is probably not what you think. Honestly, to me it didn't look like they were kissing on the lips. It could have been anybody, maybe his sister."
"Why would his sister send me that?! Are you even thinking?!"
"Okay. That was stupid. But you need to let go of that picture Sophia. It's causing damage to your relationship with him."
"We're not in a relationship." I said firmly.
And we will never be.
"You know what I mean. Or better still, call that blonde girl again, this time with a different number. Find out who she is. If it's not he's sister, then maybe it could be one of his crazy ex-girlfriends that doesn't want to move on and is trying to make his life miserable."
"And then, when I find out who she is... what next?"
"Talk to him about her, and let him know about the picture as well. He doesn't even have a clue that you have it."
She was right but I wouldn't admit it to her.
"Whatever."
"Gosh! I just want to lock you two together in a closet until you both finally admit your feelings towards each other! At least he's trying, but you're the one making things difficult!"
"I'm looking out for myself Lily! I don't want my heart broken." I said to her.
"Oh, Sophia I have to go. My cookies in the oven are burning."
"I guess I'll talk to you later then."
"Love you." With that she hung up.
Should I really call that blonde girl? I'm not sure I want to know who she is...
Who am I kidding? I need to know who she is!
I picked up the hotels phone and dialed her number from my phone. It ring a few times but she didn't pick up. Instead it went straight into voicemail.
Hey it's Charlene, please leave a message *beep*
Charlene???
The blonde girl is Charlene?! But Mr Wilson doesn't like her anymore, why would he kiss her???
I suddenly had a massive headache. All this time, the blonde girl was Charlene!
What if Lily was right?
What if she's just a crazy ex-girlfriends that doesn't want to move on and is trying to make his life miserable?
Why did she even send me that picture?
How did she even know I was involved with Mr Wilson?
And creepiest of all, who took that picture?
So many unanswered questions! I needed to talk to Mr Wilson, to clear things out and find out what exactly happened that night because I know he would never kiss Charlene voluntarily.
I dialed him up but his phone was switched off. I checked the time.
9:57pm
He should be back in a few hours so I'll wait for him.
Oh heavens! What if this was all a misunderstanding?
I've been so rude to him, he's probably never going to forgive me for pushing him into the pool and all the mean things I've done to him. I should have showed the picture to him rather than keep it away from him.
Fresh tears began to fall from my eyes as I thought of all that has happened between us. Today was the worst. I can't imagine how he must be feeling right now. It would be a miracle if he doesn't hate me already.
I didn't want to look like I was just crying so I had a quick shower and wore decent clothes. I sat down on the sofa and waited patiently in the living room for him to come back.
After an hour of waiting, he hadn't come. I didn't want to worry too much so I switched on the TV and watched a few reality TV shows.
***
I woke up from a very loud sound. I didn't even know when I had fallen asleep.
"Ugh..." I heard footsteps and someone groaning.
I looked up to see Mr Wilson. His steps were faltered and he was being carried in by two men wearing all black. They looked like bodyguards.
I checked the time and it was 3:17am.
"What in the world is going on?" I asked the two men. Mr Wilson looked unconscious, like he wasn't aware of what was happening.
"Hello miss, do you know this man?" One of them asked me.
"Yes I do, he's my boss." I replied standing up. I went closer to Mr Wilson and he reeked of alcohol and cigarettes.
"Hello miss, do you know this man?" One of them asked me.
Oh my gosh.
Mr Wilson has been drinking. He doesn't smoke so why would he smell of cigarettes?
"We're from the Grand Prix Casino Club. We're just making sure that our client gets home safely." He showed me some sort of identification.
"We have a search warrant which allowed us to search him in order to find out who he is and where he resides and get him to safety, we assume his name to be Adam Wilson. Other information about him was gotten from his wallet and phone." He handed them both to me and I took them.
"Thank you." I said to the men. All the while Mr Wilson was still leaning on their shoulders, muttering incoherent words. The sight of him like this was shocking.
"Where can we place him to rest?" The other asked.
"Over here, just follow me." I guided them to his room and they placed him on the bed.
"Do you know anyone related to him called 'Sophia'?" One of them asked.
"Umm, I am Sophia. Why do you ask?" I smiled politely at him
"Oh... Okay." He looked shocked. "Well obviously he's drunk so he definitely doesn't know what he did or said back at the casino."
"What happened at the casino? What did he do?"
The both men looked at themselves knowingly but decided not to tell me anything he said.
"You have nothing to worry about, all you need to know is that he's not in any trouble at all. He played some games and placed some bets and he won quite a number of them. The thing is... he placed the bets in your name, so you're entitled to the reward." He dipped his hand in his pocket and brought out some cash. "This is his total earnings, $7,000."
He used my name to place bets?!
I don't know whether to be upset or not but I knew one thing. I was not taking that money.
"I'm sorry but I cannot accept the money." I said to him.
"Okay, if you change your mind you could always come back and cash out within 7 days of your last earning. But you would need his membership card to do so."
"Okay. Thank you so much for bringing him here."
"No worries ma'am. Have a nice night." They said and they made their way out.
Now I was left with a drunken Mr Wilson at 3am, which was not what I expected. He looked like an absolute wreck. He had cigarette burns on his shirt, his hair was wet and sticky, and his clothes were tattered all over. I placed his wallet and phone on the bedside table and went to his bathroom. I fetched a large bowl of warm water and found a face towel. I came back beside him and cleaned him up a bit with the water and towel. This would get rid of some of the stickiness before he has able to have a proper shower.
"H-h-h-heeeeey! Whaaaaa d'ya think yeeeeer doin'?" He slurred and started to sit up.
"Stay still Mr Wilson. I'm trying to clean you up bit." I said but he didn't listen. He moved away from me and I couldn't reach him with the towel anymore. "Come back here, I need to remove the stickiness in your hair."
"Nothing's wrong with my hair. I'm perfectly fine in my hair," He tried to sound as sober as possible.
I gave up and decided to tuck him in just like that. I helped him get out of his shoes and his destroyed shirt, something I seemed to be doing a lot lately.
Mr Wilson mumbled something but the only thing I caught was 'glitter and pompoms'.
"What did you say?" I asked him, curious as to what he was talking about.
"Cheerleading. It's moreee... She was a cheerleader." He murmured.
"Who was a cheerleader?" I asked him. His eyes were closed but he was not asleep.
"Sophia." He pronounced my name like a duck. I would have laughed but this was not a cute thing. This was a highly irresponsible thing of him to do. Being out by 3am was something I could never imagine him doing until now. Something suddenly occurred to me. Was I the cause of all this?
My heart raced at the thought of him doing all this because of me. Had I caused him so many problems that he resulted to drinking and smoking? And even gambling in my name?
I quickly discarded the thought as soon as it came. I realised it was a very silly thing to think, his world does not revolve around me.
"Sophia." He looked at me like he just saw me for the first time. I saw his eyes move to my chest. "Your breasts are so big now. They'll barely fit in the cheerleaders outfit. Why-"
"Hold it right there Mister!" I pressed my finger to his lips, stopping him before he could continue any further. I could feel a blush creeping up my neck because of what he said but I shrugged it off.
He was a tattletale when he was intoxicated. Was he always this honest anytime he got drunk? Maybe I could get to know some truth from him right now...
"I'm going to ask you something and I need you to be completely honest with me." I said to him like we were playing a game. "What happened in your apartment that night you got back from the hospital?"
He paused for a minute not answering and I could hear my pulse sounding in my ears due to the silence. Then he looked at me like he finally figured out the answer.
"Charlene. I saw Charlene at my apartment." He remembers!
"What did she want?"
"To trouble me as always." His face was scrunched up in disgust.
I knew it! He wasn't interested in Charlene anymore! So why would he kiss her? Or was it the other way around?
"Did she kiss you?" I asked cautiously.
"Well... I'll say yes. But not on the lips. Why are you asking me so many questions Sophia? My head hurts!" He whined and closed his eyes.
So they didn't really kiss! To say I was happy was an understatement. I was overwhelmed with joy! All this time I've been freaking out over nothing really. I still needed to know more, what he told me was not enough.
"I'm sorry Mr Wilson, I just need to know why she would kiss you?" And why you let her.
He took a deep breath, tired of my probing. "It was a goodbye kiss. She promised to stay away from me and my love interest."
Love interest??
"Who is your love interest?" I asked carefully.
He finally opened his eyes and looked at me.
"You." He said.
"Me?" I stared back, still trying to process what he just said.
"I'm in love with you Sophia." He said before closing his eyes again.
This time I didn't say anything or ask him questions anymore. I just kept thinking about what he said. The words replaying in my head again and again.
He's in love with me.
He's drunk. But a drunk man's words is a sober man's thoughts. Does that mean he really loves me?
Lily was right. He loves me. I don't know why, but I totally and completely believe him. That's why he took a bullet for me. That's why he came to Richmond to get me. That's why after all the harsh things I've done to him, he still treats me nicely. How did I not realize this?
I touched his arm lightly but he had already fallen asleep, and even snoring. I threw the covers around him and tucked him in to bed.
I watched him for a few moments as he slept, with a smile on my face, remembering that I had done the same thing when he was at the hospital. This time, I know that Mr Wilson loves me and tomorrow I'm going to tell him the same.
Chapter 21
Adam Wilson
Today, waking up felt like dying. My head hurts so bad and I'm still in the same clothes from yesterday. How did I even get here?
I don't remember a single thing from last night. All I know, I was at the casino again with Henry Fetcher. That guy was good at the games and immune to alcohol. As for me, I get sloshed easily.
I managed to stand up from the bed but as soon as I did, my head spun around. I closed my eyes and sat down again, trying to regain consciousness.
I looked and saw my phone and wallet on my bedside table. I checked them and everything was intact. The only person that could be responsible for this is Sophia.
Did she bring me home last night and see me in my drunken state? That was most likely the case. Fuck. I hope I didn't embarrass myself.
I ran my hands through my hair only to find out that they were sticky and wet.
"What the hell did you do last night Adam!?" I scolded myself.
I looked at the clock on the wall, it was 1:24pm. I gently got off the bed this time and had a thorough and relaxing shower, washing away all signs of last night.
As I wore fresh clothes, I remembered today was the day Sophia and I were flying back to New York by 6pm. I might as well pack my things and get ready now.
I put all my belongings in the box I came with. Last night's clothes were still in the bathroom so I went to get them. As I folded them I felt something in them. I checked the pants I had worn and found a pack of cigarettes which Henry had given me last night. They still had a few sticks left in them.
Suddenly, the urge to smoke was beyond my control.
I couldn't smoke in the hotel so I would have to go outside. I put the cigarette in the pocket of my trousers and zipped up my box, finalising my packing. I grabbed my phone and wallet and also put them in my pocket.
I'm not going to worry about Sophia today. Judging from yesterday we are not on speaking terms, even though she had brought me home last night. I believe she was just being nice and responsible over me, not because she really cared.
She would most likely be in her room or somewhere else which I have no clue and I'm not bothered. Right now I needed a lighter, my best bet was to buy one downstairs.
I came out of my room, about to head downstairs but I stopped in my tracks when I saw HER.
"Hey." She smiled at me, sitting at the dinning table crossing her legs and looking like a precious gem.
NO!
With a blank face I nodded towards her direction, trying not to acknowledge how beautiful she was looking in that amazing blue dress. The same one she wore during dinner at her parent's house in Richmond. Was she running out of clothes? At least we're going back to New York today so she-
Enough!
I don't need Sophia taking over my thoughts right now. I proceeded to the door to exit but I heard her voice again.
"I ordered brunch for you... If you don't mind." She said nervously.
Why is she nervous? In fact, why is she even talking to me?
I looked back and saw some food on the table. Just then my stomach began to rumble, proving that I was actually hungry. I didn't even realise it.
"Its a trout poke." She said revealing it.It was still steaming hot.
Just when did she order this?
"It has some avocado -which is good for you- , sesame, chilie steamed rice and of course, fjord trout." She smiled again.
I was once told that hunger is the greatest desire in humans. I didn't really believe it until now. As I perceived the fish my stomach growled again, more violently this time. I couldn't help it. I went over to the dinning and sat down. Sophia was directly opposite me but my mind was focused only on the food.
"The temp pilot informed that we'll be leaving today, by 6." She conversed. I nodded my head in confirmation. My mouth was already filled up with fish. "So... there's no time to explore?"
I looked up at her. I clearly remember asking her yesterday if she wanted to go out but she rudely declined. Why did she want to explore now??? Few hours before the flight? I shook my head indicating that there was no time for such nonsense anymore and her face fell.
Normally, I would have changed my mind once I saw the sadness on her face but I was now immune to her charms. Yesterday I had made a decision to literally forget about Sophia. She was no longer my priority and I was no longer interested in pleasing her. She was back to being just my employee, my personal assistant. Nothing more.
At least that's what I wanted.
I ate in silence, once in a while looking at her. She was playing with the hem of her dress, one of her nervous habits. I wanted to ask her what was wrong but I decided not to, forcing myself not to care.
I finished the food swiftly, drank some water and stood up. Once again, I proceeded to the exit but her voice stopped me again.
"Are you going out?" She asked. I needed to leave and she was delaying me!
I turned around in annoyance. She stood up and made her way towards me stopping just a foot away. I cleared my throat.
"Yes." I spoke up to her for the first time today.
"I thought you said there was no time to explore?" Her eyebrows furrowed.
"I'm meeting up with a business partner!" I lied. My tone was a bit harsh and I saw her flinch a bit.
"Well... Can I come with?"
"No!" I snapped, more cruel than I intended to.
She looked at me with wide eyes, not expecting my sudden outburst. Her face fell and she looked away.
"Ok." She whispered with a shaky voice, sounding like she wanted to cry.
Oh Sophia, I didn't mean to!
"Look, Miss Parker I'm sorry for being so rude." I said more gently this time. "I'm briefly going to check out a plant nearby. The place is still under construction and its very dangerous. I don't want you to get hurt that's why you can't come with me." The lie rolled off my tongue smoothly. I almost laughed.
Her expression softened at my false explanation.
"I'll be back before 4pm. In the mean time you can pack your things and ensure that you are ready for the flight in the evening, okay?"
"I am ready." She avoided my eyes.
"Good. I'll be back soon." I said and left.
Little did she know that I wasn't really going to a plant...
***
"Sir, the plane will be landing soon." The pilot informed us.
"Great."
I can't wait to finally get off this plane. I've flown a lot in the last few days and I really need a break.
I looked over at Sophia and saw her putting on her seatbelt. She wasn't sitting opposite me as usual and I was thankful for that. Instead, she was adjacent and away from me.
I discovered earlier that it wasn't her who brought me home early this morning. It was the guards at the club. Even if I was about to die, I'm pretty sure Sophia would not come to my rescue, considering she almost killed me yesterday. She really doesn't care for me at all.
She has been awfully quiet since our time in the afternoon and also very moody. I had to constantly restrain myself from finding out what was wrong with her because it was none of my personal concern, as just her boss.
But why does my mind and eyes keep straying towards her?!
I need to stop worrying abut her, get back on my feet and worry about more important things.
The plane landed at the airport in New York. I immediately instructed my pilot to take it to the hangar, where it could recess. I had already arranged for the driver to bring in two cars, one which I will drive myself so Sophia and I can go separately.
We both alighted from the plane, the atmosphere extremely cold and windy. At this point I would have offered Sophia my coat but she should be fine without it.
The crew saw to our luggage while my driver pulled up in front of me and handed me my keys. I was about entering my own car to go home but waited for them to put my things in. I noticed Sophia behind me, thinking we were going in the same car. She was struggling to keep her dress in place and at the same time moving her hair out of her face. The wind was intense.
"Miss Parker, today is Friday, use the next two days to rest then you can come in later on Monday okay? The driver will take you straight home in that car." I pointed at her own ride where her things were being placed.
"What about you?" She asked nervously, holding on to her dress.
"I'm going in my own car."
"Mr Wilson..." Now she looked at me anxiously. "I- I want to go with y- you."
I was perplexed. I studied her unbelievably, her eyes wide and teary like she was scared. What was she afraid of?
It was going to rain and I could sense it. The best thing for us to do is to go in separate cars so we could both get home quickly and on time but Sophia wasn't having it. She wanted to go with me.
I was about to insist but I couldn't say no to those beautiful hazel eyes that were staring at me softly. I took a deep breath, hoping I don't regret my decision.
"Get in the car." I said. My tone firm and my jaw tight.
She dashed over to the passenger side and got in. I instructed my driver that we wouldn't be needing the spare car anymore and he transferred everything into my car.
I drove Sophia home, the car ride quiet all through. She didn't seem to be angry anymore at what I had said to her at the meeting. Once in a while I felt her looking at me but she always turned away after a few moments. I kept my eyes on the road, refusing to look at her. I turned on the radio at some point to ease the awkwardness. I thought I would make it to Murray Hill on time before the rain started but I didn't.
I pulled up in front of her apartment. Remembering I had an umbrella at the back seat, I decided to go get it.
"Hold on, let me get an umbrella." I told her.
I came down from the car, the rain hitting me. I got the umbrella from the back seat and used it to get Sophia into her apartment building. I went back for her suitcase and tried to avoid it getting wet but it was inevitable.
Once I saw Sophia to her door, I decided then to take my leave.
"Like I said earlier, you can come in much later on Monday. Please make sure you are well rested before you resume work. Ill see you then." I said as professionally as I could.
I was about to turn and leave when she stopped me, something she seemed to be doing very often lately.
"Mr Wilson, w- would you like to come in..." She stuttered.
I stared at her. The last time I was here, she didn't let me into her home. Why now?
"...please?" She added. Her voice merely a whisper. My eyebrows shot up.
Was she pleading with me or just being polite? I have no idea and I don't know what to think. Throughout today, she has been acting strange and I was beginning to get worried.
I couldn't and shouldn't accept her invitation, but her eyes! Those eyes! They were so alluring that I didn't know when I found myself saying,
"Okay."
She smiled and unlocked the door, moving aside to let me in.
"Like I said earlier, you can come in much later on Monday. Please make sure you are well rested before you resume work. Ill see you then." I said as professionally as I could.
Fuck! Adam No! You were supposed to say No!
I stepped into Sophia's apartment for the first time ever. It was somewhat different from what I was used to. I'm not sexist but honestly, her apartment was girly. Bright colors on the wall, lots of pink, floral prints, candles... It looked comfortable and well kept. Everything was organized just like her office.
The sky was dark and so low that her apartment felt small and close. The air was thick with the sweet smell of the rain and a feminine scent.
"Sorry for the dust, I haven't been here for a while. Would you like some tea? It's really cold outside."
"Yeah I'll have some, in the kitchen."
She led me to her kitchen and I took a seat on the kitchen island. She boiled some water for the tea while I looked around. Pink plates, pink mugs, pink everywhere. I was starting to think that was her favorite color.
She handed me a cup of tea and sat next to me with hers. The cup was tiny and I finished everything at a go, the beverage warmed me up. "Can I have another?" I asked.
"Sure." She herself had barely taken two sips.
She poured me another cup and sat down next to me again. I drank halfway and placed the cup back on the counter. Looking out I could see, through the pink curtain, the dimmed lights of the city. On a clear night the view was awe-inspiring, but on this night my only thought was to hurry up and to return home. Being here was not a good idea at all.
"Mr Wilson... d- do you remember anything from last night?" She looked at me carefully.
No wonder why she had been acting strange. I completely forgot about the 'last night' situation. I knew sooner or later, we would have to talk about it.
"No, I don't." I said finishing my cup of tea.
She seemed upset about my reply but she just nodded and looked away.
"Why do you ask Miss Parker? Did I embarrass myself? Perhaps I did or said something I shouldn't have?"
She looked at me like she was calculating something in her head before she answered.
"No, you didn't."
"Then why have you been acting weird all day? In case you thought I didn't notice, I did." I told her honestly.
The Sophia Parker I knew would be giving me a hard time right now, considering yesterday, she had just thrown me into a pool.
She blushed and looked away.
Why was she blushing?
There was a mutter of thunder from the blackened sky as the wind howled. Sophia shrieked and jumped right into my arms. I held her in place as she buried her face in my chest. She was scared of the sound of thunder. I laughed in my head.
"It's okay. Don't be scared." I comforted her. I could feel myself slowly backsliding from my decision.
She pulled back embarrassed and stood, facing me. Even though I was sitting and she was standing, our faces were still on the same level. She was so close to me, I could smell her hair. She smelled like fresh apples, absolutely delicious.
No! Adam you need to get out of here before anything happens! Remember the decision you made yesterday!
It was too late, our eyes locked. Those fucking eyes! And her beautiful face! Her cheeks were still slightly pink from blushing.
I couldn't hear the rain against the window anymore, nor could I notice anything else around me. The only thing I saw was her.
It was like Sophia and I were in a staring contest. Her eyes was fiercely soft and bright, they made me feel like her soul was my place of worship. I knew they were full of laughter and love, passion and affection; her eyes were an icon.
They were orbs of divinity.
They were marvellous.
They were beautiful.
She was beautiful.
Adam! Don't! Stop! No!
My brain warned me back to reality. This shouldn't happen. I should leave but she put her arms around my neck and leaned closer to me even.
I lost my sanity again. Her face few inches from mine. My heart was racing and my palms were sweating by my side. No matter how much I tried to deceive myself that I don't care for Sophia anymore, I know I did. I love her and I want to know everything about the woman standing in front of me. And more than anything, I want to feel her lips on mine. But I couldn't kiss her. She had personally warned me never to dare kiss her again, and I wasn't ready to be assaulted tonight. Still, I wish I could just have a taste of her.
She fulfilled my wish when she brushed her lips against mine, very gently and softly but I froze. As much as I loved that she was kissing me, I couldn't help but feel confused. Why would she kiss me if she gets upset when I kiss her?
Her palm rested on my cheek and she kissed me, the warmth of her mouth sent a current running through my body.
Pulling back a bit when she noticed I didn't return the kiss. She looked at me impatiently, her eyes pleading for me to possess her.
I shouldn't kiss back, I should stop this right now.
"please..." She begged. Her eyes glistering with need.
All thoughts of stopping this went out the door. I pulled her tightly against me and possessed her lips the way she needed me to. She moaned going further, deepening the kiss.
She climbed on top of me until she was sitting on my lap, straddling me. I balanced her with my hands on her waist, bringing her even closer so there was no single space between us.
Later on, I let Sophia take control of the kiss. I simply followed her movements. She kissed me like crazy. Like her life depended on it. Her tongue slipped inside my mouth, gentle but demanding. Her fingers gripped my hair, pulling me much closer. My veins throbbed and my heart exploded. I have never wanted any other woman like this before. Ever.
The weight of her body on top of mine was extraordinary, I felt her—all of her—pressed against me. She moved from my lips to my jaw, kissing all the way down to my neck.
"Sophia..." I found myself moaning before I could stop. She felt wonderful, I wanted her closer closer closer.
I caressed her thighs and slowly moved up her dress. Her bare skin felt smooth and hot beneath my hands. I gave her butt one or two squeezes and my hands moves up to her stomach, stopping just below her breasts.
I wanted to be delicate with her so I retracted my hands, placing them back on her waist. She was now rocking her hips against mine and I could feel myself getting hard.
We pulled apart to catch our breaths, when Sophia began tugging her dress down. She was about to show herself to me but I quickly stopped her, holding her hands.
"Don't." I warned her sternly. Reality hitting me like a trailer. This shouldn't be happening and if she pulls down her dress, I wouldn't be able to control myself anymore.
I arranged her dress back in place and gently slid her off me, setting her on her feet once again. She clung to me, not wanting to separate yet.
"Adam, what's wrong!" She protested while trying to climb on top of me again.
"Sophia stop." I held her at arms length. "Why are you doing this?"
"What do you mean?" She smiled innocently at me.
"I mean, what's gotten into you? Why did you kiss me?"
Her smile fell as she tried to think of what to say. She didn't even know why she was kissing me.
"I don't understand..."
"No." I cut her off. "I'm the one here that's not supposed to understand! Normally you act like I'm a repulsive creature but now you kiss me! I remember the last time you kissed me things did not go too well after that, you ran off and didn't want to see me again. What sort of game are you playing this time Sophia? Because I don't think you really know how I feel about you."
"No, I'm not playing any games Adam." She shook her head.
"That doesn't make any sense! Just yesterday, you attempted to kill me! I should be upset with you but I'm not! Instead, I'm here, kissing you back like a moron." I said that more to myself than to her. I stood up angrily and turned away from her. "Mason is right. I am whipped."
Mason had taunted me many times about my unhealthy obsession about her but I refused to admit it, even though he was right.
I was a goner for Sophia.
She had me wrapped around her finger even if she didn't know it. My goal in life had been to please her and make her happy, I could pretty much follow her every wish and do whatever she wants just to see her smile. No woman has ever controlled my head like this before.
Many people have ridiculed me because of her; Mason, Fred, Hendrix, Doctor Pipe from the Spectrum Health, even Henry Fetcher and everyone in the casino last night!
I turned around and faced her again. She was unnerved at my anger.
"I am sick of your routine. One minute you act like you like me, the next minute you act like you hate me. You're so bipolar and confusing and it's fucking me up! What do you want from me Sophia?"
"Adam please..." She was scared with wide eyes. Those eyes that got me here in the first place. They were now glistering, tears threatening to fall from them. I did not want to witness her cry. I had to leave.
"I'm sorry but I can't do this. I think it's best if we stick to working together professionally, only. Thank you for the tea. Goodnight."
With that I walked away and left her apartment without looking back.
I slammed my fist on the dashboard when I got in my car. I need a long break from this, all of it! What I did back there was brutal but it had to be done.
I'm not one to go against my word. I made a decision and I have to stick with it. Being around Sophia wouldn't make me realise that decision, especially after we had just shared a kiss. I turned on the ignition and drove off.
I had wanted to go home but all my plans for tonight had changed.
Chapter 22
Sophia Parker
Lily came through just as I called her. Her apartment was just upstairs anyways.
"Sophia what are you doing on the floor of your kitchen?" She mused.
She came over to where I was, curled up on the floor at the corner. Tears staining my cheeks.
"What happened? Why are you crying?"
"I screwed up everything Lily... I screwed up badly." I said between sobs.
"What do you mean you screwed up? Sophia you just got back from Michigan. Come here." She pulled me up from the floor. "What happened to you?"
I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand, not knowing where exactly to start from.
"Does this have to do with your boss?" She asked and I nodded. "Please stop crying Sophia. Come, let's talk in your room."
We both went to my bedroom. I sat on my bed and wrapped myself in my comforter while Lily sat at the edge of my bed beside me.
"What happened between the two of you? Did you guys finally talk?" She asked.
"Well... not really." My voice was thick and heavy. "But he was just here a while ago."
"Oh... let me guess, you guys had an argument instead."
"He hates me Lily, He hates me now. I've screwed up so badly, I don't think I can ever face him again." I burst into tears once more.
"Calm down Sophia, what did you do?"
"I kissed him." I said and Lily's eyes widened.
"That's not a bad thing! Did he kiss back?"
"He did but then he threw me off him and complained. He thinks I'm playing him."
"That's ridiculous!"
I don't blame him for thinking that way at all. If I was him I would definitely hate myself too. I was the one who jumped into the conclusion that he was using me. Now that I know the truth, I feel like a blockhead!
"Lily, for you to understand then I have to tell you everything."
"Im listening."
"Mr Wilson kissed me for the first time during our trip to London but I rejected him. At that time, I wasn't sure about getting involved with him because he was my boss. He promised he wouldn't do it again but he stole another kiss from me the day he got shot. That's when I realised that I really cared for him. When he got discharged from the hospital, I kissed him that day to show that I was interested. The same night I got the text from the blondie during our sleep over. I was angry and I left the next day to Richmond. A week later, he came to Richmond and there he kissed me. I slapped him and told him never to kiss me again... and I also slapped him again on another occasion. Don't forget the pool thing too."
"So now he thinks you're a confused person because you kissed him today." She concluded.
"Exactly."
"Seems valid. I mean, you're actually confused."
"I'm not!" I defended. "At least not anymore. I found out who the blonde girl is."
"Who is she?"
"You were right. She's a crazy ex girlfriend. I am now 100% positive that the picture was not what it looked like. Mr Wilson wouldn't kiss Charlene. It was all a mistake." I sniffed.
Lily threw her hands in the air in frustration and plopped herself backwards on the bed.
"You two are so annoying!" She groaned.
"I'm the one with the problem." I admitted. "Now, I've missed out on the opportunity to be with someone who loved me and cared about me."
"I thought you didn't believe that he loves you."
"I believe it now. He told me himself."
Lily's eyes widened and she shot up from the bed.
"He did?!"
"Relax Lily." I smiled for the first time. "It was a drunken confession. Besides that was before, I don't think he still loves me anymore."
"Shut up Sophia! All your judgements are terrible. Do you think its easy to retract your love for someone just like that?!"
I stared at her, not knowing what to say. She held on to my shoulders and pulled me close to her.
"On Monday morning, I want you to go to work, into his office, and tell him everything he doesn't know. This time don't just kiss him, tell him you love him! Then, you need to clear out all the things that are presently causing problems in your relationship. Starting with Charlene's picture, okay?"
"Okay. I will."
"Perfect." She smiled in satisfaction.
"Lily can I stay at your's tonight? My place is really dusty."
"Sure, we could watch a romance movie on Netflix! Plus, I have some cookie dough Ice cream in my freezer." She grinned.
"Sounds amazing."
----------
I walked into Wilson & Co. knowing that I am going to see HIM today. After a long weekend of crying and depression, I am finally going to sort things out with him today. Just the thought of him made my heart beat wildly in my chest.
Today, I am going to tell him that I love him and I want to be with him. I don't want a professional relationship with him anymore, not after all that has happened between us. It's impossible. Hopefully, he wouldn't reject me this time.
I absentmindedly greeted some workmates I came across on my way. They seemed happy to see me after 2 weeks but my mind was set on only him.
I got to my office a bit early so I wasn't expecting Mr Wilson to be around. It was 7:50am. Although he said I could come in much later, I just couldn't wait to see him. Lily and I countlessly rehearsed what I am going to tell him today and I felt so nervous, like I was about to give a speech.
I went over to the kitchen and ground two cups of coffee beans. One for him and one for myself. I'll give his to him when he arrives.
Oh I can't wait! But I'm also scared as hell!
I drank my coffee and waited patiently at my desk. I switched on my computer to start work but then, I realized there was no work to do. I haven't been in the office for two weeks and I don't know what happened while I wasn't here.
I'll just have to wait for Mr Wilson to give me new instructions so I fiddled with the computer a bit. When I got bored, I checked the time.
8:30am
I frowned.
"Where are you?!" I groaned to myself. Why is he late?
Then a thought hit me.
Maybe he told me not to come early because he wasn't going to come early either. That made sense.
I relaxed in my chair hoping to snooze till he comes. But the moment I closed my eyes, memories of Friday night's kiss flooded my thoughts. I smiled in reminiscence. It was so amazing... up until the part when he threw me off him.
"Ahhhhhhh!" I screamed. I was so frustrated with myself. Remembering everything he said about how indecisive I am. He must think I'm crazy, but I'm not. I was just preventing myself from getting hurt. Either way, I am still hurt.
I stood up and paced around my office. I couldn't sit in one place doing nothing while I waited for him. I was extremely restless and idle.
I picked up my phone and called Lily.
"Hey." She picked up after the second ring. "How did it go?"
"Lily he's not here yet. I've been waiting for him for almost 2 hours." I whined.
"Don't be worried Sophia. Do something to pass the time while you wait for him."
"I have nothing to do Lily, I haven't been in the office for 2 weeks."
"Okay... Then watch a movie or something."
I thought about it and it sounded like a good idea. I could setup Netflix on my computer and continue watching Narcos.
"Okay. Are you at work?" I asked.
"Yeah, I am. We're preparing to go to court tomorrow."
"I guess I'll leave you to do your work then. See you in the evening."
"Bye Sophia."
I hung up and went back to my computer, opening Netflix. I watched till I got hungry. Had lunch by 2pm, and continued watching. When I was done with Narcos, I moved on to watch about 2 more movies.
I don't know how long I was in my office for but I heard a knock on my door that made me jump. I had been so engrossed in my computer that I had completely forgotten where I was.
"Come in!" I called out to the person. I knew it wasn't Mr Wilson because he never knocks before entering my office.
The door opened and it was Phoebe.
"Oh, hey Phoebe!" I said excitedly. I hadn't seen her in a while.
"Oh don't hey me! You're back in New York and you couldn't even tell me. I had to find out from somebody at the office." She sounded pissed.
"I'm sorry. I just got back on Friday." I tried to explain.
"That was three days ago Sophia. How about stopping by at my cubicle this morning to say hi? At least that would have been a nice surprise."
I was looking forward to seeing Mr Wilson in the morning that's why I forgot to stop by and see her. But how could I explain that to her?
"I really am sorry, I should have come to see you. But certain things have happened over the past week and it just skipped my mind."
"Whatever? What are you still doing here anyway?"
"Oh, I'm just waiting for Mr Wilson. He hasn't come to work yet." Or maybe he did... Just not to his office. But how would I know? I was too busy watching movies. "Did you happen to see him around anywhere?" I asked her.
"Sophia, if Mr Wilson didn't come to work by this time then I'm sure he's not coming at all!"
"What? Wait- what's the time?"
"It's past 5!"
What?!
I checked the time on my computer and Phoebe was right. It was 5:32pm. Almost 6!
"Oh my gosh! It really is!"
"Sophia, is everything okay?" She asked.
"Yes I'm fine." I lied.
So he didn't come today. And I've been here stupidly waiting for him, anticipating to see him again.
"We need to get going Sophia. Everyone's left the office already. I was surprised to see you're still here. I thought you left without seeing me."
"Oh Phoebe, if I wasn't so distracted I'm sure I would have come down to see you before I left." It was partly true, what I said.
"Okay, okay let's go." She smiled playfully.
***
"He didn't show up?"
"No he didn't." I shook my head.
"That bastard!" Lily exclaimed.
"Lily! Don't call him that!" I scolded her. We were both in her room and I had just told her about Mr Wilson not coming to work today.
"Aren't you angry at him for not showing up?"
"No. Not really. Maybe something came up or he had plans. Besides, he'd didn't assure me that he was going to be at the office today."
"Sophia, I think he's avoiding you." She said carefully.
"No he's not."
"Give me your phone then." She ordered.
"What for? Are you going to call him?"
"Yes!"
"No! Don't do that!"
"Sophia! It's the only way to find out if he's really avoiding you or not!"
"Okay! Okay! I'll call him."
I picked up my phone and dialed his number, my heart was racing. Part of me didn't want him to pick up because I didn't know what to say to him if he answered. Another part of me wanted to hear his voice.
Fortunately and unfortunately for me, the call went to voicemail.
"His phone is probably switched off or something."
"Give me his number, let me call him."
"No Lily, that's just weird." I complained. "Mr Wilson doesn't want to be disturbed right now."
"Okay. I won't call him. But can I just have his number at least?"
I looked at her skeptically. What does she want to do with his number?
"Trust me, I won't call him without telling you about it." She assured me.
I gave her my phone and she took the number but she dialed him immediately after.
"Lily! You promised you wouldn't call him!"
"No I didn't. I just said you should trust me." She grinned.
It was pointless anyway because it also went to voicemail on her phone.
"Damn. He really is busy."
"I told you."
"What if he doesn't come tomorrow? What will you do?"
"I'm sure he will but if he doesn't, I'll just keep on watching movies." I said like it was no big deal.
But it was. If he didn't come I would feel really bad, no doubt. It would mean that he was really avoiding me.
"Whatever. Your birthday is coming up. What are we doing?"
"Uhhh... I don't know yet."
"What do you mean you don't know?" Lily screamed.
"Because it's not a big deal Lily, it's just 23." Lily is a huge fan of birthdays, I am not.
"We could go to Vegas for the weekend. Your birthday is on a Sunday, I checked."
"I'm not going to Vegas. I'll find something to do here in New York." I said.
"You're no fun." She frowned at me.
***
-The next day-
He didn't show up. Again. That bastard didn't show up. I felt bad for calling him a bastard but that's what he really is.
I spent the whole day doing nothing just like yesterday and to say I was bored was an understatement. At a point I went over to see Phoebe but she wasn't around. Apparently she had gone out for marketing.
I went home so angry at myself for wasting my day, more importantly I was angry at him for not coming! I slammed my door so hard I thought it broke. I had been holding back tears all the way since I left the office but when I got home, I couldn't hold it anymore. I fell to the floor and cried.
All I really want is just to see him. Our last encounter was horrendous and I really really really needed to iron things out with him. But how could I do that if he doesn't even want to see me?! And anytime I tried calling him, his stupid phone kept going to voicemail!
At this point I don't even want to think about him anymore! I stood up and wiped my tears. I needed a distraction so I had a shower and called the girls in for a sleepover. I didn't want to be alone because I was afraid of what I would do in my anger. I needed my friends around me to stop me if I tried something insane.
Lily came through almost immediately and about 30 minutes later there was a knock on the door.
"Woohoo! Slumber party! I love it when we have these!" Phoebe yelled the moment I opened the door.
"Keep your voice down Phoebe." I laughed. She was always so excited when I held these things.
"Oh hey Phoebe, long time. Did you really come with an overnight bag this time?" Lily said.
"Nice to see you again Lily and yes, I did. Because I don't live right upstairs!"
"Okay girls!" I intervened. We were all sitting on my couch now. "I didn't really plan this so I have no idea what we're going to do today."
"Why don't we watch a movie?" Phoebe suggested.
Lily and I both snorted at her idea. The past few days, we've both watched more than 10 movies together and we were so tired of that.
"Ok. Since you guys don't want to watch a movie how about we play 'Marry kiss kill'?"
"Yes! I love that game." Lily said.
"What's 'Marry kiss kill'?" I asked. I had never heard of that game before.
"Basically, you get to chose out of three people, who you'll marry, kiss, or kill. Simple." Lily explained.
"Wow."
"Ok, let's start with you Lily, so we can show Sophia how the game is played. I'm going to have to use a generator for this because I don't really know about the guys you've been involved with." Phoebe said.
"That's true. Lily never tells us anything relating to guys." I laughed.
"Okay!" Phoebe exclaimed after typing furiously on her phone."Lily! Marry, Kiss, Kill. Andrew Garfield, Logan Lerman or Ansel Elgort?"
"Do you have to say it so dramatically?" I laughed.
"Don't mind Phoebe, she's insane. I'll feel bad for doing so but I'll kill Ansel Elgort, then I'll marry Logan Lerman because he looks like a sweetheart and I'll kiss Andrew Garfield. He's hot."
"This game sounds interesting, can I go next?" I said.
"Okay Sophia, you're up! Marry, kiss, kill. Justin Bieber, Shawn Mendes or Harry Styles?"
"I can't answer that. I'm way older than all of them!"
"It doesn't matter Sophia, it's not real anyway." Phoebe rolled her eyes.
"No, give me another one. This one is weird."
"Okay. This one is called the Chris-es. Marry, kiss, kill. Chris Evans, Chris Pratt or Chris Hemsworth?"
"Hmmm... I'ld kill Chris Pratt because I don't know who that is. I don't know who I'll marry between Chris Evans and Chris Hemsworth... I'm confused."
"Just choose anyone Sophia." Lily said.
"Ok, I'll marry Chris Hemsworth."
"Then you'll kiss Evans?"
"Yes."
"Great. It's Phoebe's turn now." Lily took the phone from her. "Marry, kiss, kill. Alex Pettyfer, Robbie Amell or Ashton Kutcher?"
"I'm sorry to say this but Ashton Kutcher can suck it!" She said and we all laughed. "I'm kissing Robbie cus he's very sexy, I've seen him in a lot of movies looking really good. And then I'll marry Alex."
"This game is terrible. It's like we're judging these guys!" I said.
"I know! And that's what makes it fun!" Phoebe grinned.
We played loads and loads of rounds until we all got tired and fell asleep.
Chapter 23
-The next day-
"Wake up Sophia. You don't want to be late for work." Phoebe tapped me.
"I don't want to go, leave me alone!" I groaned. She was disturbing the wonderful sleep I was having right now.
"Sophia! Mr Wilson may come today."
My head shot up and I was instantly awake. She laughed at my reaction the moment I heard her say his name.
"Are you serious, he's coming?" I asked eagerly.
"I don't know, I just said that to make you get up. And it worked."
"Ugh! Screw you!" I got up since I had already woken up. We had spread sleeping bags all over the floor of my sitting room and slept there last night. It was very comfortable.
Lily came out of the bathroom and we all packed up the beds we created and tidied up the mess we had made last night.
"I'll see you at later at the office." I said to Phoebe. I hugged them both and they left.
Honestly speaking, I didn't not want to go to the office today. Something was telling me that he was not going to come today. I could just stay at home all day and sleep. But that would be irresponsible.
But, what if he does come today? The uncertainty was killing me, I just had to go to the office and see for myself.
I got ready slowly, taking my time because I wasn't sure of what the day would be like. For all I know, it could just be a waste.
I got there at 8:40am and I was thankful because he wasn't even around. I didn't even bother calling his phone because it was sure to go to voicemail. I made up my mind that I wasn't going to cry so I just sat on my desk chair and I did the usual. This time I watched Silicon Valley, Phoebe recommended it to me last night and it was good. I admit.
I was there for hours until I got hungry. I didn't want to have lunch alone like I had been doing for the past few days but Phoebe told me she would be out marketing again today so I had no other choice.
I was going to treat myself today because I really need it.
I took the elevator to the ground floor but on its way, it stopped on the 4th floor. The door opened and there stood... Sean?
"Sophia." He was surprised to see me and I was too. I had completely forgotten about his existence and I felt bad.
Had he forgotten me too?
The thought of him forgetting me made me feel even worse.
"Sean! I... I- I don't even know what to say."
"Don't say anything Sophia. How long has it been?"
"Weeks, for sure. I'm so sorry. I went on leave and I came back on Monday. I haven't had the time to-"
"There's no need to explain yourself Sophia." He interrupted me. "Truthfully, I hadn't thought about you since that night we were supposed to go to the Vineyard theatre together. I feel terrible."
Ouch.
"It's okay. I guess we were both busy." I said.
"My work has been hectic lately, and it very likely to get worse." He got into the elevator and pressed the button for the ground floor.
What work could he possibly have? Mr Wilson was not even around. Well, his work was different from mine. He's not a personal assistant so he doesn't require Mr Wilson's presence at all times. Unlike me.
"So where are you heading?" He asked.
"I'm grabbing myself some lunch."
"Same here, care to join?"
"Yes!" I said a little more desperate than I intended to.
"Okay." He laughed but ignored my desperation. "I was planning to eat somewhere shabby but I guess not anymore. What did you have in mind?"
"Oh, um... I hadn't actually decided yet. I was just stepping out first." I said stupidly.
He looked at me interestingly.
"I mean, I was just gong to check the uh... the places downstairs." I don't know why I felt the need to explain anything to him.
"Sophia. Relax, I know a good place we could have lunch together."
"Where?"
The elevator finally opened up.
"Follow me. We're walking." He said.
"I hope it's not too far." I laughed nervously because I had 4 inch heels on. They weren't too high but I just didn't want to walk around too much with them.
"Amsterdam Burger Company. It's not far at all."
"Oh... That place. I've had a few burgers there. They're good."
The walk took us about 5 minutes and we got a nice table, just by the window.
"I usually get the Aussie Burger. I'll stick to that today also, just to be on the safe side." I said.
"Me too, that's what I get." He smiled at me. "But today, I'm getting a turkey burger. I want to try something new this time. You should too."
"No thanks. Aussie Burger for me, I don't like turkey."
A waiter came and we placed our orders. The food came some moments later.
Sean and I were just talking about general stuff until he brought up a topic I really didn't want to discuss with him, or any body as a matter of fact.
"By the way, how is Adam? I haven't seen him in a while but I know he's around. I mean, now you're here so he should be here too right?"
"What do you mean?" I sounded offended but I really wasn't. I was annoyed that we were talking about him.
"You're his PA, you should know where he is." Sean said.
"Well I don't." I shrugged my shoulders and took a huge bite out of my burger because I didn't want to talk about him anymore.
"That's strange. At least we communicate through emails." He took a bite out of his burger too.
I froze.
What did he just say?
"Sean... Did you say Mr Wilson sends you emails?" I managed to get out. My mouth was still stuffed.
"Mmmhmm. He sent one this morning. He may not be coming to work but he's on track with what's happening in our department." He said and took another bite.
I couldn't believe what I was hearing. He doesn't send me any emails. Is he really avoiding me?
"Is it just you he sends emails to?" I tried to keep my voice calm.
"Of course not. All the head of departments get constant emails from him, and other staff too."
I swear I heard my heart break. It was like the sound of glass shattering against the wall.
"Excuse me." I stood up abruptly and found my way to the ladies.
I couldn't help the tears that fell from my eyes. I felt so stupid for crying but I was hurt. I was hurt because he didn't send me any emails. I was hurt because he didn't want to talk to me. I was hurt because he didn't even want to see me! Why else would he not come to work? It's obviously because he's can't stand me.
He should just fire me!
I don't want to be an obstacle between him and his work. He clearly doesn't want me in his life anymore, I feel absolutely irrelevant to him.
Someone joined me in the restroom and I quickly adjusted. I washed my face and wiped it clean. My eyes were a bit red and if you looked closely, you could tell that I was just crying.
I really hope Sean wouldn't notice.
I tried my best to make myself look presentable again before I walked back to the table.
"Where did you go?" Sean asked upon seeing me.
"To the ladies." I answered looking down. I didn't want him to see my puffy eyes.
"You spent quite a while. I was getting worried. Here, have this." He passed me a beverage. "It's lemon Ice Tea."
"Thank you." I said, taking it from him.
"Are you going to finish that?" He referred to my burger. I had only eaten half of it but now my appetite was completely lost.
"No, I'm full."
"Really?" He laughed. "You've only had half of it. Are you sure you're full?"
"Yes, I'm okay with the drink. You can have it if you want." I offered it to him.
"With all pleasure." He took the burger and chowed it down. He accompanied it with his drink which he finished in one swig. "It's on me Sophia."
"Thank you."
We walked back to the office after he paid for the food. He kept going on about how Mr Wilson gave him a pile of work to do and how extremely busy he was. That gave me an amazing idea.
"Why don't I help you with your work?" I asked him.
"Are you sure you want to? I mean, I just don't want to bother you or anything."
"No, it's not a bother to me at all. I'm actually very bored at work these days because Mr Wilson doesn't show up. I did accounting stuff in school, I could help you."
"That sounds great. I could really use some extra help." He smiled at me.
I was really happy to help. At least now I wouldn't have to be extra bored at work anymore. We both went to his office. It was the second time of me ever being there.
"So what would you like me to do for you?" I asked.
"I want you to help me create a budget. For weeks now, Adam has been wanting to install solar panels at the office and you are aware of that. However, he kept on postponing the task but now he has finally decided to go through with it." He passed me a document. "Here is the clients brief. Analyse it and construct the chosen budget. That should be simple enough right?"
"Of course! You're speaking to a first class student." I bragged and he smiled at me. I sat down on one of the chairs in front of his desk.
"Are you going to sit here and work Sophia?" He looked at me confusedly.
"Uh... yeah. Is that okay?"
"I just thought you were going to do it in your office."
"Well, it's really lonely up there so I'll rather stay here... If you don't mind." I explained to him and he laughed.
"Okay then, you can stay here and we can enjoy each others company while working."
And that's exactly what we did. Sean was very fun to work with, once in a while we got a little distracted from work and just talked instead. For the first time this week, I was happy and I could say I enjoyed work. He gave me other stuff to do and I did them very well.
Although we worked a lot, we still had a pile of work remaining. It got really late so we decided to finish it the next day... if we could. Sean, being a gentleman, dropped me off at my apartment after we closed from work. Tomorrow, I am going to stay with him in his office again, this time with my own table and chair. Sean said he would have someone arrange it for me because I was really helping him and he enjoyed working with me.
I am so glad I can get to work again. I know it sounds weird but being idle at work is not fun at all.
Especially when you're the only one your boss wouldn't talk to.
***
-The next day-
"Hey!" I greeted Sean as I walked into his office. I didn't even bother going up to mine because there was no point. I spotted a table and chair beside his, just like he promised.
"Hey, how's it going? I hope you like your new workstation?" He joked.
"It's perfect." I smiled back.
"Good. Because there's a pile of work to do on your desk."
I instinctively wanted to complain but I remembered when I had no work to do and was bored out of my mind so I quickly shut myself up and did the work.
I instinctively wanted to complain but I remembered when I had no work to do and was bored out of my mind so I quickly shut myself up and did the work.
I looked at the first paper at the top of my desk. It contained a list of companies and their emails, about 15.
"Sean, what am I supposed to do with these emails?" I asked, confused.
"Right. Uh... You're going to be chasing late payments today because our report says we have bad debts. I need you to find out how much each of those companies are owing and send them an email for them to follow up. We need to keep a careful eye on the cash flow." He joked at the end.
I fake laughed meanwhile, I was hurting inside. Being a personal assistant is way more easier than an accountant... I think.
I finished the task in a few hours and then we both went for lunch. This time, he took us to an Italian restaurant. At first I objected but I went with it anyway. The last time I ate Italian was with Mr Wilson at the hotel in London, and Sean just had to order the same thing as him. A carbonara dish. He wanted me to get the same thing but I refused, ordering just a slice of pizza instead.
"Are you sure?" He insisted.
"Yeah, I'm fine with just one slice. I'm not really hungry." I lied.
"Hmm... But when we get back to the office, theres a lot of work to be done. Since Adam is not around, I need you to assist me in preparing budgets and business planning, including projected revenue. I think you'll need more than a slice of pizza."
"Okay."
The work was not that tedious but we worked very late. We retired around 7pm and to say I was glad was an understatement.
"There is a department meeting tomorrow. We need to review budgets we just prepared, as usual." He said to me as we walked towards his car.
"Mmmmm."
All I was thinking about was my bed right now, two days working with Sean already resulted in burnout. But him, he didn't even feel a thing!
He must be very hardworking.
"What time is Adam coming back from his trip?"
"Huh? What trip?"
"His trip to Maui. You must have planned it for him didn't you?"
So that's where he has been all along! On a getaway to Maui! With many pretty ladies!
"I didn't know he had travelled." I said. He's probably enjoying himself right now.
Something tells me that it wasn't a business trip, that's why he didn't take me with him. He usually makes me go with him anytime he travels and Mr Wilson never takes a holiday. This was a first.
"So you didn't plan the trip for him... and he didn't tell you...?" I shook my head. "I'm sure he must have sent you an email. He just told me he was in Maui this afternoon but he didn't tell me how long he was going to be there. That's why I asked you, thinking you would know."
"Ummm..." I didn't know what to say. I couldn't just tell him outrightly that Mr Wilson and I don't communicate at all. He would definitely suspect something. "Okay, I'll check."
"Good. And please get back to me when you find out." Sean said.
I nodded, not knowing how I was going to find out but hoping that I would.
We both entered his car and he took me home.
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