The Boss That Loved Me

Chapter 7

"So you look different Leah" said Jess. "You have lost some of your... baby fat" Chris was leaning back in his chair, looking at me with a straight face. He looked like he wanted to say something but decided against it.

"Oh... thanks" was all I could bring myself to say in respons.

Jess and my mother shared a joint smirk, at her comment. They both knew full well I had lost more that 'some' of my baby weight she so kindly put it. I had lost two stone and still had another two I wished to lose before Christmas.

Good luck with that, I thought to myself.

I could comment however I liked about my own weight yet unlike my mother and Jess I wouldn't dare comment on somebody else's. It just wasn't kind.

"So Leah I hear you work for Christian now. That's very good for you isn't it" Mum said smiled that bitter sweet smile that caused my teeth to grind.

"Yes I do. I'm very lucky to work there" I said looking at my plate and keeping my head down. "The soup is lovely" I spoke quickly trying to change the focus of conversation away from me. Unlike Jess, I hated the spotlight.

"You're lucky that lovely Christian here gave you the job" mother grinned at Chris.

"Actually it wasn't me who hired Leah but my team. When I was in the states. I wonder how I worked without her so far" Chris said smiling at me.

I never heard him say that before. I could tell I was blushing but I didn't care I just kept on looking at him.

"She's a remarkable girl" he spoke with such emotion to his voice that I felt my heart fly out of my chest and land in his hands to do with as he wished. It bothered me how he called me a girl and not a woman. Is that how he's always going to see me, as a girl.

"Well, have you heard about my news Leah? I'm going to be on the front cover of Vogue next month, for the summer season! Isn't that amazing" Jess said, shinning her own spotlight on herself. She loved the lime light.

"Yes very" I said and then spent the next twenty minutes playing with my food.

I just sat and listened to them all talk like I wasn't even there. They didn't include me in any conversation just like before, things hadn't changed.

My family still hated me like they have all my life and I still had no idea why.

I used to wonder why for so long growing up. I felt so alone. I would do anything to show them how much I wanted their love. I'd go out of my way to please them. Do anything they wanted. I even went a whole week without talking because my mother said my voice was giving her a headache.

I tried everything. Yet they still hated me.

So one day I just stopped trying. Stopped fighting for them to care or even notice me.

I started doing what I wanted. By picking art instead of business at school. For wearing what I wanted instead what was picked out for me. Most importantly eating as much as I wanted.

They only took notice of me when I did things wrong. I started wanting them to notice me so I'd do everything wrong but the focus of their angry was too much that it was easier to be invisible in their eyes and stick to what I was good at.

Keeping quite.

"Drinks" the waiter asked pulling me out of my thoughts.

"A whiskey" Dad said.

"My tonic' said Mum which meant her gin and tonic. This was just her dramatic way of ordering her closest companion.

Jessica and Chris order another wine and brandy. I thought he'd be a brandy drinker. Strong and smells of oak... just like him. So manly... My daydream off his scent lost me my chance at ordering mine drink.