Strangers To Lovers

Chapter 19.

he trailed off. My mouth fell open a little and I put my hand on my forehead, pressing hard. "Is everything okay?" "You're my assistant, not my friend," I replied brusquely. "I didn't mean that." I couldn't take my frustrations out on Channing. I wasn't his mother. He scratched his back, and I hated how awkward it made him feel. I shook my head and said, "Maybe I can try to get you out of it.". She'd freak out, so I'll leave." "How about Ella?" "She doesn't have to know," I said, locking eyes with him. She was playing along like she was supposed to be. I was the one who almost broke the rules." "Would she care?" Ella asked. She was playing along like she should be as well. I felt that this date might help me get my head straight. Channing's face told me that he didn't like what I believed.

The fact that Ella was uncomfortable around me made me want to make sure he did not mention it to her. I nodded as I felt drained. "I will ensure that I don't mention it to anyone. Before I leave, I'll finish up the preparations for tomorrow." I said to my friend. After Channing left, I closed my eyes. It was at moments like these that I knew why James had done what he had. I felt tense as I wondered why he had tolerated it for so long because of the way he had treated him. It has been 29 years since I have known you have felt that you could not control yourself, as if they were suffocating you. It is unjust to continue living this way. As the CEO, I had to take care of all the crushing paperwork and I could do a few dates with a lackluster girl, but I couldn't think like that.

It was too much for me to lose my job. I didn't even want to think about it. It was important to me that I did not fail my brother. It was too much for me to lose my job. After shoveling myself away from my desk, I muttered, "Damnit, James." I didn't want to think about it for a while. When I am faced with difficult times, it makes me sometimes wish I could still have my big brother with me. When I was younger, he was always there for me. He always made sure that I would be able to cope with any problems I encountered. When I opened a message from my mother, I let out a scoff. In the moment of seeing the picture, I knew immediately that it was the
girl I had been set up with, who had her short, coffee- colored hair framing the pointed face and the sharp, challenging eyes.

I knew immediately that the picture was of the girl I was being set up with. It was easy for me to recognize her because of her sharp, challenging eyes. The same one was always used when I would look down on someone. There was a text message on my phone. A 25-year-old woman, Bella Dawn, received orchids instead of roses. She attended Harvard University and never wore jeans. I locked my phone, refusing to roll my eyes. My next thought was to call. "Channing," I replied. It didn't matter that I didn't like the date. I didn't need Spark Notes for a date. There was a clue in my head. Five seconds later, as he walked into the room wearing crooked glasses on his face, I got a clue. There was a feeling of confusion on the face of the man saying, "Your mother has already ordered 12 orchids, Sir," as if it were the first time they had met.

Asked if he would get me a dozen roses by 5 o'clock tomorrow, he looked somewhat confused. It was time for me to pack up. I checked the time and was surprised that I had yet to get Ella. "I will need roses." Channing stepped back outside and I ordered them. I thought I would be able to get Ella before she ate dinner. If the weather permits, we may treat her out to dinner since it has been raining all day, so I hope she won't mind a little rain, because it has been raining all day long. It would be nice to treat her out. As I hit send, my face fell. Would she agree to go for dinner with me? Would she think it was strange? It had been a while since I had seen her. I smiled. I took out my phone and texted her. As I waited to hit send, I paused, wondering if she would even agree. Would she think it was strange to send her a text. What are the

chances of her agreeing to this proposal? When I saw Ella's name on the screen, I almost dropped my phone, which I almost dropped because I tried to catch up on work. Now that I think about it, I could've been trying to avoid her. The buzz in my hand could have been a result of me avoiding her, or I may have been trying to catch up on work. "This is Donna," I replied, as the voice said, "Ella." "No." "No," a completely different voice replied. "This is Donna." Who had been using Ella's phone? "Where's Ella?" My body temperature dropped ten degrees. "We got into an accident." In a car accident? Suddenly, my chest tightened as I gripped the phone tighter.