Between the Lies

8| Order

"We won't do it," I persisted.

"It's an order," he said more firmly.

"Sir, how can you tell us who to date?"

"Fake date," I corrected her and then turned to him. "This is a ridiculous idea."

"It's a fantastic idea. All my ridiculous ideas have brought this firm to where it is today. It's brought you two where you are today, remember that too, Aaron." And this is why nobody wants to be on Pierce Davidson's bad side. Because he gives you a harsh reality check.

"Maybe," I nodded, "but you didn't wave a magic wand, sir. I worked my ass off."

"So did she. Do you want to take her down with you?" He lifted a brow.

I actually liked him as a boss. Up until this very moment.

"But sir—" Vanessa tried again.

"It's an order, Ms. Griffin. Either that or give me something better," he shrugged, "if you have a better idea, something to bring more publicity to our firm, then I'll let you both go. If you never wanted this mess, you shouldn't have made him your fake boyfriend in my office building, Vanessa. I see everything that happens here and things like this I don't let go."

She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. I turned to glare at her but she was avoiding my gaze.

"You know, you two remind me an awful lot of another pair of employees I had. The ones right before you, actually."

"The husband and wife?" Vanessa scoffed.

"They weren't always husband and wife," he replied, "they were rivals, like you."

"And you forced them to fake date too?" I deadpanned.

"No, I didn't have to. They fell in love on their own. But you both seem sure that the two of you never will."

"We won't," we confirmed.

"So then, what's the problem? You've known each other what... six years now? From college to now?"

"Five," I corrected.

"Same thing," he shrugged and then thought. "How come? She's two years younger than you."

She took in a breath and answered, "I was in some higher-level classes and Aaron was a student teacher for one of my classes and a tutor for most others."

Yeah, that's what it was. I was starting my third year of college when Vanessa joined. I first met her when she joined one of the classes that I was assisting a professor to teach. Then she joined the tutor groups I was leading. And then she made her way into higher-level classes. As a freshman in college, she was attending the classes of a sophomore. That's how good she was. And I didn't just hate her because she was too smart for her own good, but because she was almost as smart as me back then.

I'm sure we're on the same level, so there's no point in remembering this now.

I actually didn't hate when I first met her. I was teaching her class and she was a good student but I was an ass. Always have been, so I knew that she hated me.

I looked up from the front table I was sitting at as one of the students stood up and made her way over while scanning her paper.

She put it down in front of me. "I'm done, sir."

I glanced at the time. "You finished a two-hour paper in one hour?"

She nodded.

I scanned her answer sheet, skimming over most of the answers. They seemed to be right. "What's your name?"

"Vanessa."

"Do you know who I am?"

"You're the student-professor of this class. Aaron Sinclair, I think," she mumbled the last bit.

I nodded, took her paper in, and handed her the same paper but a blank sheet. "Do it again."

"What?"

A few other students still writing glanced up.

"Without disturbing my class, Ms. Vanessa, do it again."

"The same paper? Why?"

"Because you had to tell me who you were. You didn't write your name on the paper."

She stared at me. "Are you joking? I'll write my name now."

"You should have thought of that before submitting it."

"How can I—"

"You did it in an hour, you have another hour left. Do the same paper again. Or you'll fail this exam."

"You're going to fail me because I didn't write my name on a sheet?"

"Yes, ma'am. Either that or you redo it. Without looking at your previous answers, of course."

She glared at me. I went back to reading the textbook for my own class. "I'm not redoing it," she said and snatched her old paper off the table, running back to her seat. I watched from here in amusement while she scribbled her name onto it at the top and then came back, handing it to me. "Now my name's on it. Can you read it? Vanessa. Juliette. Griffin. Is that okay for you, Professor Sinclair?" She smiled smugly and walked back to her seat before I could answer.

When she joined the same classes as me, she stopped calling me 'Professor Sinclair' and started calling me Aaron. She stopped attending my tutor sessions too because she didn't need them anymore. She was flying through college with aces and flying colors.

"Aaron."

I snapped out of my thoughts, looking at Davidson.

"You both have until the end of the day to decide what you're doing. If you decide to follow orders, consider this a new project."

"Project?" I echoed.

He shrugged. "It will grant you two a raise."

I paused, glancing over at Vanessa. "And if we say no?" I questioned.

He sighed and then leaned back in his seat. "Then I'll cut your salaries by a quarter."

"Are you joking?" Vanessa scoffed.

"No, my dear. I am not. Well, be on your way then. You've got about... six hours left to think this through."

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Chapter 8

Davidson is a DICK but we love him cuz he's the captain of our ship lmao

next chapter: lose