Miss CEO

Chapter 26

"Well, look who lasted after all."

I looked up from my computer, already knowing who it was: Malcolm. I remembered him from the first ever meeting I went to with Miss Rose. It seemed like forever ago. So much had changed since then.

He was dressed in a grey uncomfortably tight suit which matched his grey beard and was now leaning over my desk, his face uncomfortably close to mine. His breath stank...

"Good afternoon, Mr Malcolm. Here for your meeting with Miss Rose? Her office is right behind you, you can walk right in, she is expecting you."

I hoped Malcolm would just nod his head and walk away from me, but he didn't even flinch from his position but smiled at me instead. It was a creepy and uncomfortable type of smile. It made me feel sick, but I kept the stiff and awkward smile I had plastered on my face in the name of professionalism.

"You know," Malcolm said, getting even closer, "I really dislike Miss Rose and this stupid fucking company. It is the biggest competitors of my company after all, has always been. It's embarrassing isn't it, your biggest rivals being a company which has a fucking female as the CEO. A lesbian at that."

Oh, so that was his deal? Misogynistic and homophobic, got it. And of course, an extremely fragile ego.

I didn't even know why he was telling me that; I cared extremely little for his opinions.

I wasn't smiling anymore, just looking at Malcolm blinking whilst he grinned his yellow teeth at me.

"Malcolm, my office is this way," a voice suddenly said, and I felt relief cascade over me.

Miss Rose was leaning against her office door frame as she glared at Malcolm, who still had his eyes on me but was no longer in my face as before.

"Ahh Anastasia." Malcolm said, grinning and winking at me before turning to face Miss Rose, "I was just saying hello to your pretty PA over here. I can see why you're so fond of her."

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat whilst Miss Rose smiled sarcastically at Malcolm.

"My office is this way Malcolm." Miss Rose stated once again, I could sense the impatience in her voice.

"See you soon, Muna." Malcolm said, smiling eerily at me before walking past Miss Rose into her office. She glared at him as he walked by.

I sat in my seat feeling uncomfortable; I didn't like the fact that he knew my name. Miss Rose was now looking at me, I couldn't read the expression on her face. She gave one last lingering look before following Malcolm into her office and closing the door behind her.

I stared at the closed door for a while before going back to my work. Her schedule was packed with meetings all day, and I focused instead on organizing and keeping track of her schedule for the rest of the week.

Ten minutes later Miss Rose's door opened and out came Malcolm followed directly behind by Miss Rose who stopped at her door watching him as he left. This time he didn't say anything to me besides a dirty glance my way. I could live with that.

"Hey," Miss Rose said, walking towards me and stopping right in front of my desk as she smiled softly at me, "you okay?"

I nodded my head, looking up into her eyes. I could see the concern and worry in her facial expression.

"Okay," Miss Rose said, still looking at me with concern, "when's my next meeting?"

I took a quick glance at my computer screen, "in five minutes with the Chief of Security."

"Go have your lunch break, I'd call him in myself."

"What about you? Aren't you gonna eat?"

"I'd be fine Muna, go eat," she reached over and gave my hand a little squeeze before turning around and heading back into the office.

I watched the way the tail of her suit swayed, smiling to myself before standing up and heading towards the elevators.

Miss Rose had decided to keep our relationship strictly Professional whilst at work. We didn't want any of our colleagues getting up into our business, and we realized it would be better for us this way. But sometimes, I just wanted to reach up and kiss her. I wanted to hold her hand. I wanted to feel her against me.

The elevator doors opened with a ping and I immediately came face-to-face with Javier.

"Muna." Javier said, breaking into a smile once he saw me, "it's been forever. How are you?"

It had been a while. I had purposely avoided Javier ever since that night at his house, but I felt I was being a bit petty. After all, it's not like he even remembered it.

"Hey Javier," I responded as I got into the elevator besides him, "I'm good. Going for lunch?"

"Yes, I am." Javier responded, "and I have some news for you."

The elevator opened on the cafeteria floor and Javier and I began to walk out.

"I began seeing Lisa, you know, from camp." Javier said beaming at me.

"Really?" I said thinking back to the blonde-haired girl, "that's amazing Javier. I'm so happy for you."

And I was. It seemed he had finally found somebody, so hopefully we would no longer have those weird encounters between us.

"Thank you." Javier replied, "how was your Thanksgiving weekend?"

I instantly thought back to the amazing weekend I had had just before. My mind went back to that night in Miss Rose's movie room and I instantly cleared my throat, trying to drag my mind away from that thought."

"It was fine." I said, trying to sound as casual as possible, "how was yours?"

"Amazing." Javier replied, "my family came into town and I got to spend it with them."

"Aw, Javier, that was so sweet of them." I said as we walked over to the lunch bar and began placing food unto our plates. Once we were done, we headed over to a free table at the back of the room.

"How is Miss Rose doing?" Javier asked as we sat down to eat, "she must be really stressed out."

Stressed out? I stared at him in confusion.

"Why would she be stressed out?"

Javier looked up at me as he took a gulp of water. "The end-of-year company records are being published soon. Tensions are really high against her and Mr Malcolm of MLC Incorporated."

"Oh", I replied, feeling a bit dumb that I didn't know these things. If Miss Rose truly was stressed out, I would really have liked for her to tell me.

"Yeah." Javier said as he put a forkful of his spaghetti into his mouth, "the media also goes especially crazy around this time. Everybody tries to get dirt on what's going on. Security gets tightened up. Miss Rose would probably call a meeting about it in the next few days"

He took a gulp of water, and I put a piece of meat into my mouth, chewing slowly. That makes sense. Maybe that was why she had called a meeting with the Chief of Security just after her meeting with Malcolm.

"Yeah, Starlight Industries and MLC Incorporated are always in a battle for the first place. I guess that's why Miss Rose and Mr Malcolm hate each other so much."

I nodded my head as I put a spoonful of food in my mouth. Everything began to make more sense, everything was falling into place. I thought back to the first meeting I went to with Miss Rose and the look of extreme dislike she had given Malcolm once she had seen him with me on the balcony.

"Oh, by the way," Javier said, "they'd try to get as much dirt on the company, especially Miss Rose. And since you're her PA, they'd be coming for you pretty heavy as well as a means to get to her. So watch your back."

Javier casually continued eating without another word as I sat there staring at him in shock.