Sleeping With My Enemy (ManxMan)

Chapter Eight

Autumn's POV.

"I'm sorry...- E"

"Wow, Autumn. That's quite the bouquet." Miranda gave me her unwanted opinion. She was definitely jealous. That was such a good feeling that I almost considered keeping them. Almost.

I quickly got up, walking over to the trash can and throwing the red flowers into it. Yes, they were beautiful but now was not the time and keeping them would only make me feel even worse about the whole thing.

Once I was back to my desk with a new cup of coffee, I noticed that I had an Email from someone named Elena Storm. Emilio's sister.

Hey, Autumn! I'm sure my brother has mentioned once or twice that I will be helping out with his new line and he informed me that you're working on one of the articles about it. Since we'll be working on this line together more than any of the other reporters, I thought I'd introduce myself. I'm currently in New Jersey and will be for the next week so, I apologize that our first encounter was over Email. From what my brother has told me about you, I assume that we'll get along well and I hope that we do.

I'm back in New York next Wednesday. Free your schedule and we'll get coffee if you'd like. Let me know. -Elena.

The article had been in the back of my mind for the last week and this stupid Email had to dig it back up. I didn't even want to write Emilio's story anymore. This wasn't for anyone but him and his good name. His flower apology was a nice gesture but not nice enough for me to give up my real job. My real story.

I had to tell Emilio that I didn't want to do his story anymore and for some reason, that thought made me feel a bit sad.

"So, who was it from?" Miranda was still standing around, bugging the living shit out of me.

"Emilio." As soon as the first syllable came out of my mouth, she rolled her eyes and her mood instantly switched.

"Oh. Well get back to work."

"Miranda? Can I ask you something?" I know my voice was a little hard compared to the way I usually speak to her but I was determined to get something out of this.

"What?" She asked in reply with the same hard tone as me.

"Why do you hate Emilio so much? Why do you hate me so much? What did I do to you?"

Miranda rolled her eyes again, throwing her hands on her hips. "I don't hate you-"

"Yes! You do. You hate my guts, you hate the ground I walk on, you roll your eyes and sigh every time you look at me. Why?" I seemingly begged. I sounded more desperate than I wanted to but whatever. I got an answer.

"I don't like you, but I don't hate you." She began to get all sheepish and quiet. That was far from like her and it scared me for a second. "I just- you scare me. Scared. You scared me."

"How do I-" I began to ask, but she quickly cut me off.

"When you joined our company, I wanted to like you. But one day, I heard Emilio talking to his brother and Joe about you and me. He said he saw something in you that I don't have. The metaphor he used was something like, you brought a light to the company and mine was beginning to dim. That's a shitty metaphor but you get the idea. When I heard that, it hurt me. I've worked my ass off to get in this company and you come here straight out of college with all your millenial ideas and other shit that I don't have. You got it easy, Autumn. I made it my mission to ensure that my job was not something you would just be given. I promised myself that if you ever took my position, it would be because you worked your ass off just as hard as I have. So, when Joe assigned you your first story, I suggested all of the extra obstacles and the interviews and-"