Samuel's POV
I think I've gone mad, and if I havent already I am on the edge of madness
I've never been the type to dwell on things or on people, I find that giving things too much thought ends up hurting in the long run, give something too much importance and its effect on you has the deadliest consequences
I learned that the hard way, and with it learned to swallow back petty emotions from escaping, keeping it to myself
But somehow one thought, one sliver of emotion that I thought was long buried inside me, crept out and let itself known, in front of my assistant of all people, I dont know how or why I let my self crack, to let even the smallest amount of my emotions show in front of her
Maybe it was just the nostalgia of being in the park, the memories that it carried, and she who just happened to be there to see the emotion
No it wasn't that, I'd be lying to myself if I said it was a spur of the moment, done without intention when really I wanted to tell her.
It was her smile brightening under the moon, as she spoke about her happy memories, how she was so free to speak and open up about her childhood
I envied that freedom of hers
To speak about one's childhood without dealing with the pain that came with it
I wanted to see her twist in embarrassment when I told her even just a brief bit of my childhood, to see her stutter in shame to cover up her pity, maybe then it would teach her to try to make me go easy on her, but there was no embarrassment, shame or pity, there was only sadness, and pain in her forestry green eyes that we're usually lit up with joy seeing that caused a tightness I couldn't explain or identify
Why are you looking at me like that I wanted to ask, but couldn't bring myself to
The feeling stayed all throughout the weekend, I could barely sleep, that it was ticking me off, why would her reaction have such a long lasting effect on me, why do I care if I caused her pain, she shouldn't be caring about me, this is her fault
She probably cares cause I've been soft on her lately, she probably thinks we are friends, I need to shatter that
But why? I could hear my subconscious whisper
Because her influence is bad, that I cant explain it, I need her gone, and when she is gone this tightness will go with her, Im trying to take my mind of things by work, but it wasn't going well
Every document I read I had to read twice or more as lost focused halfway
Focus
Focus
Focus
I couldnt help but look up, as if knowing she would be there watching as she went to her desk settling her things in, there was a desk right by my door that leads to my private office that usually close, but forgot to close again
it was becoming a bad habit.
She looked breathtaking, her long strawberry red hair flowing down her back in big loose curls, her light pink blouse tucked neatly into her form fitting skirt that hugged-
"Good day Mr Blake" that painfully joyful voice practically echoing in my ear, making the tightness more painful
I finally say pulling my self out of a trance "oh yea Good morning"
"can I get you a coffee?" That warm smile of her's only increased the tightness I was feeling, I didnt understand it, nor did I want to
"Yea, 4 shots of espresso, no sugar" I say a little too harshly, expecting a snarky comment or a heated glare but her warm smile stayed stubborn on her face
Which only irritated me more why was she so bubbly
"Here you go Mr. Blake"
"I emailed you upcoming tasks, and projects I expect you to organize, and schedule a meeting for the afternoon with the heads of the department I want a monthly progress report" telling her quickly so that I can be left alone, she already consumed my thoughts over the week, I need her far away to get these thoughts out
Sure it may sound unfair to have such a last minute meeting but my employees should already be keeping track of their daily progress
"Sir your day is booked, you have meeting with Golding, and Kelly, as well as the design proposal for Maxwell" She probably thought she was cunning, I could squeeze in a meeting with the department heads although I would be completely swamped
She was trying to get me to move the meeting on my own free will rather than tell me plainly having a meeting with only a few hours to prepare would piss off the heads of department
I don't know if I felt angry that she was going out of way to give a chance to the heads to prepare more properly, or admiration she cared enough to risk me yelling at her but judging by her expression she had no doubt in her mind she could get me to move the meeting
Her blatant confidence was both annoying as it was intriguing
"Right, then find an opening in my schedule for it for this week, and inform the other heads, that will be all" he concludes going back to what he was doing
"With pleasure Sir" as if it already wasnt, her smile grew brighter as she gazed at me, I wanted nothing more than to stare at her for hours to uncover how she could smile so bright even when I glare at her so cruelly
This confusing fixation was starting to get out of hand, and it would only get worse with her near "did you need something else?"
"You forgot something"
Forget something?
"Oh" I pause as the realization hit me "thank you Ms. Badeaux"
I was wrong this fixation wasn't just starting to get out of hand, but starting to get dangerous
"Your welcome Mr Blake I'll be at my desk if you need anything" she turns to leave, my eyes couldnt help but watched as she lightly swayed her hip with every step
I needed to get her to quit or find a reason to fire her soon, she was dangerous to my mind
For the next few hours, I sat through meetings, worked on paperwork, done all sorts of tasks and yet every so often I found my self drifting off to look at her, it baffled me, I shouldnt be this caught up in whatever it is she is doing
There is no reason why I should be so interested in her, sure she is attractive but Im surrounded by beautiful women all the time, I'm dating a model for goodness sake, one I'm trying to take seriously I need to get my head on right and focus
I am pulled from my mental battle when a loud voice booms from outside "What's this supposedly meeting in four days, you think you can make this calls whenever you damn please"
Don't get involved its your assistants job to handle it, its not your place to get involved in office disputes
"No but" her voice no louder than a mice's squeak
"Your new here I get it, but that not a valid reason to bulldoze into our work and make demands"
My attempt at focusing on my work was in vain, as my curiosity got the best of me, I dropped what I was doing to inch closer to the door to listen better
"But-"
"I don't know how you did things at your old job but here there is a system, mere assistances don't have the authorization to call meetings willy nilly, know your place"
What a joke, clearly she does since she is my assistant she speaks for me in certain instances, he knows this too but isnt bold enough to confront me so he is taking his anger out on her
How pathetically cowardice of him.
"I understand your concern Gabe-"
Why hasn't she snapped back at him, like she does with me
Unable to take it, I stepped towards them "I don't Gabe" my voice cold as I glared towards him, but I could help but notice her pinched expression for interrupting her
I would have expected her to give him one of her snarky remarks but instead she was taking every insult he was throwing at her, and just now it seemed like she was just about to sympathize with him
"are you forgetting she is my assistant, meaning her orders are my orders, she is speaking as me, you insult her you are insulting me" taking a step even closer, my eyes locked on him, I had to contain my fury but I couldn't just tolerate his actions towards her
"I know that Sir but" he stuttered out, flustered it was quite comical
Just a few seconds ago he was boldly talking down to her as if she was nothing, and now he is cowering in fear
"Clearly you don't know since you've barged in here in the middle of working hours to insult my assistant who was just carrying out her task, if you have a problem why don't you tell it directly to me instead of cowardly doing it through her"
"The meeting schedule is too soon four days is not enough we need atleast a week to prepare"
"Funny, I wanted it done today, she convinced me to extend it, you are much more generous that I Ms. Badeaux" I sneer down at him, his eyes trying to look anywhere but at me "would you rather report on it now, Im done with my meetings and seeing as you have enough time to have an outburst you can spare some of it to report right not or do you think in four days will be better"
"Four days is enough after all sir" he grumbles in defeat
"Good" I say with satisfied smile, but I was far from satisfied "I didn't realize how much free time my employees have, the time you spent making a scene could've been spent working, go on"
"Yes sir thank you"
"And while your at it tell the other heads the schedule moved up to two days, unlike my assistant I am not generous" he didnt know it yet but that meeting in two days will be the last meeting he attends before I find reason to fire him
I cant have someone working under me that treats what's mine so rudely
He wasted no time to scurry off like a mouse, leaving me and her alone, I turn to face her, her doe eyes causing another tightness to appear, the bewilderment on her face nearly luring me to ask if she was okay, thankfully I stopped myself I shouldn't be getting more involved, or add unnecessary meaning by asking how she was doing
it might give off the wrong signals when I only cut in between her and him because she's represents me that it
I turn to return to my work when she suddenly says "Thank you, I shouldn't have let him cause such a ruckus wont happen again"
I stopped before I could enter "I was expecting you to give him the same sass you give to me" she confused me she seemed like a fighter and yet she stayed quite when he was yelling at her
I could tell my comment stunned her, I clearly made a mistake bringing it up, I was stepping to close to the sun and I was gonna get burned if I push my self to close
But yet I couldn't resist, seeing her get yelled at made me feel quite unpleasant even angry
"Don't let anyone else talk down to you, your my assistant remember that insulting you is the same as insulting me got that" blurting out a little too harshly than I attended, unable to stop myself till the words left my mouth I can't have her get shout at all the time
"Yes sir, wont happen again I noticed you havent ate lunch would you like a BLT?"
Her gesture stunned me, cause again I thought she would say something sarcastic and none of my previous assistants offered to order me food "that would be great thank you, just bring it to my office I'll eat in there"
"Will do sir" she turns to go off, and Im left there standing in my own disbelief
How did I go from practically raging at one of my employees to smiling like silly teen at her mere offer to order me food
———-
Finally finished this chapter
2139 words for you guys sorry it took me so long been a bit busy let me know your thoughts
Also did u you notice in her POV he smiles alot but in his POV he doesnt say he is smiling I wanted to make it seem like he doesnt realize he is smiling at her
Do u think the pace is too fast? Love to hear what you guys think!
Next chapter is in the works!