The Bodyguard // h.s (Hariana)

33// needed change

Ariana Grande

"Connie!" My assistant rushes into my office. "How long have you worked for me?"

"5 years, Miss G." She says.

"We have a lot of history, huh?" Connie nods. "I got a task for you. It's going to be hard for you to adjust to at first, but I think it'll be best for both of us."

"Alright. You're scaring me a little now." I stand up.

"I'm not firing you. I'm promoting you."

"What?"

"Yes. You're not going to call me Miss Grande anymore. You're going to call me Ariana, and I'm calling you my advisor for the collaboration with Chase. I'm not going to work with him anymore. You two will work together, and I'm going to work on other parts of this company."

"Are you sure? I'm scared I'm not qualified." I smile.

"You're more than qualified. You've earned this." She takes a long minute to consider, then nods in excitement.

—-

As expected, Chase bursts into my office without knocking. "What the hell, Grande? You hand me off to your assistant without notice and expect me to go down without a fight?"

"Connie is the best person I know for this job. She knows my company. She knows what you need, and what this business needs. I'm stepping back to fix other parts of my company." He stares at me, long and hard. I spin the pen in my hand casually, waiting.

"Why now? Does this have to do with Harry? You're the one who hired him to be the security for my gala. I can fire him-"

"You're not going to do that. I signed a contract with him already. Just like Connie, Harry is qualified. This is just business as usual, and I am delegating."

"And what about me?" I stand up.

"What about you?" Chase scoffs and shakes his head. "No, tell me."

"Never mind. Clearly you have something to prove, as usual. No one can stop you." He starts to turn to leave.

"Hey! What's wrong with you-"

"What's wrong with you? This is the third time you've hired people and moved the company's structure around. And I know you've been selling parts of your shares."

"And I know you've been buying them." Chase closes his mouth. "I'm having a change in priorities. A change of heart."

"A change of heart." He repeats monotonously.

"Yes. 3-pronged approach." Chase crosses his arms, listening. "More time into parts of the company I'm unfamiliar with. More social and PR related initiatives. And lastly, in order to do this: no, more, boys. I'm going solo."

"Wow, you know when I stepped into the building this morning, I was very angry at you." He takes a step closer to me. I tilt my head. "But now I'm honoured."

"For what?"

"That you consider me one of your distractions. So much so, you have to cut me out." I refuse to let myself blush.

"You promised me you would be professional."

"Yes, I did. When you had a boyfriend." A wink. But my heart has become immune to meaningless flirtatious gestures. If I learned anything about being in a relationship, words mean nothing. Actions. Actions are the only things that matter.

The action I've chosen to take is to be alone and bring success to my company. And, to be just friends with Harry Styles.

"You're cut, Torian. We're friends still, but I'm not working with you any longer." He sighs.