The Millionaire's Bet [BOOK ONE][#Wattys2015][#SYTYCW15][#CarinaPress]

part nine

ALYSSA

There was nothing said between Andrew and myself for the rest of the day. There was just the awkward silence as neither of us really knew what to say, or even what to do, when we were around each other because we knew that, no matter what happened, it would only end in some argument between the both of us.

I did as he had demanded of me this morning on the way to the office and, surprisingly, I had managed to finish it all on time too. I had slipped the contract, which I had thoroughly checked through four times in the last two hours, onto his desk and I was now waiting for him to finish in his meeting with Darren Brent—a man who had the potential to rival Andrew for ass of the year award because of both his arrogance and his lame attempts at flirting with me when he first arrived on this floor.

I hoped, no matter how small the hope was, that for the duration of my time at the company, Andrew would only call on me when he wanted me to do something for him or when he needed my advice on something he wasn't totally sure about, perhaps there was a chance that we may at least be able to be civil with each other. But, in reality, I already knew that the best I could hope for was that we would be able to make it through the day without a smartass remark from Andrew which would, inevitably, end in an argument with him.

"Miss Lopez," I wasn't even shocked when I saw that it was Jenni who was standing in front of my desk. She had taken it upon herself to constantly make sure everything was fine with me, though I am sure she was only trying to check out the competition as so many other female employees had already done, so I didn't care for her concern and I simply wished for her to leave me the hell alone.

"Yes?" I put my pen down with a sigh. I had been making corrections to a document which I had been sent by The Board and, despite it not being anything of major importance, I would still rather have checked over the document than have some conversation with a bitch who couldn't give a damn whether I smiled or I cried.

"I just wanted to make sure everything was going well for you. I mean—"

"I'm fine. Thanks for the concern," I gave her the best smile I could muster and I crossed everything I could in the hope that she would get the message and that she would leave me alone, and that she would allow me to get on with the work which needed to be done before the end of the month.

"I know Andrew ca—"

"Not being funny, Jenni, but I don't want to hear another word about how nice Andrew is or how he's not really a bad person or, even, how I should give him a chance. I just want to be left alone so that I can finish what needs to be done because, the sooner I am done with everything, the sooner I can go home," I didn't need another lecture on Andrew because, in the last two days alone, I had obtained more than enough information to be able to write a best-selling biography on the man. And, it didn't matter how many people told me the same thing or in how many ways they told me that he was a good guy, it wasn't going to change the outlook which I had on the man.

He may have had the power to stir up feelings that I had never felt before, not even when I was with my husband and was in love with him, but that didn't mean I was going to put the effort into being his friend, especially when he was so adamant that he was going to keep me a safe distance away from him. I also didn't need a real man to do the job for me, not when I had a decent battery-operated boyfriend back home, as well as a bloody good imagination and I could imagine any man I wanted to.

"Was there anything else?" I looked away from the blonde so that I could resume with my work, signing the papers and reorganising them in way that you were able to find what you were looking for, without having to throw everything else on the floor beforehand.