Letting Him Save Me || ✎

Chapter 13

Clayton

I look away from the windows and fix my gaze back to the white board with this months sales on it, trying to focus on the task at hand and be in the moment of this meeting rather than wondering if Maryanne has made it to the orphanage yet. 

I check my watch once more and realize it's barely been five minutes since I last checked it. I let a sigh escape my lips and the whole room looks my way.

"Is everything alright Mr.Reid? Are the numbers not to your liking?" The woman presenting asks me.

I pause before speaking, causing most of my employees to suck in a breath. "Of course as the owner of this establishment I would always love higher sales but this is a good improvement." I respond cooly.

The woman at the front of the room visibly lets go of some of the tension she was holding. 

"But," I start. "Do not take my lack of criticism as a sign to slack off or slow the pursuit of improvement." I say and the room fills with tension once again. Something that often occurs when I enter any room.

"Yes sir." Everyone responds.

"This meeting is over, thank you for your time and hard work." I say with a curt nod before stepping from my seat at the head of the long gray table. I'm quick to make my way through the glass door and back towards the elevator. Once I'm safe from prying eyes inside the entrapments of the elevator, I hit the button that'll take me to the 45th and highest floor, and I let my free hand run down my face in exhaustion. 

"Worrying is tiring." I mutter looking to the documents in my hand that acquire my attention, but will ultimately take second place to my thoughts of Stella.

The elevator opens much sooner than I'd like it to and my new sprightly and temporary secretary is eagerly rushing to me, her shirt a little too tight and her skirt a little too high.

Her chest nearly falls out of her shirt by the time she reaches me and she readjusts the smile on her face to attempt me to feel some type of way, but I feel no such way.

"Anything I can do to assist you, sir?" She asks, sickly sweet and annoyingly desperate.

"No Kimberly." I tell her walking towards the doors of my office. Once I shut the doors behind me, I use them to support my body as the high of excitement wears off and I'm left exhausted.

I drag my heavy feet to the chair behind my desk, my back to the busy city 45 flights below. I set down the paperwork demanding my attention, but the numbers and letters scramble together as my eyelids grow heavy. 

I reach for the landline and tell Kimberly to clear my schedule for the day before I will myself to flop on the couch and slowly let sleep overtake me.

◇─◇──◇─────◇──◇─◇

I slowly sit up and rub the sleep out of my eyes. I stand up and walk over to my desk to find my phone to check the time. 

4:57 PM

Maryanne sent me a couple texts so I quickly go to input my password to make sure everything's okay. My phone unlocks and I'm welcomed by a picture of Maryanne and Stella huddled together in the back seat of the SUV. I smile as I read the text under it, 'Got her.' With a smiley face.

I quickly grab my suit jacket from where I shed it by the coffee table and my briefcase lying next to the door where I dropped it hours ago and run through the doors to get to the elevator.

"Mr. Reid! Is everything okay sir?" Kimberly yells attempting to run after me on her toes because of her heels.

"No Kimberly. Go home early." I say with a smile, the first smile I've ever given her before I step into the freshly arrived elevator.