Ares Simon's POV:
I walked inside the office briskly and threw the file on my desk. It had been a week; a whole f*****g week, and yet, none of my plans had worked on the woman named Elysia Lawson. Every time I tried to entangle her in a trap, I ended up being the one trapped instead, and it always backfired.
This was getting frustrating. She was one hell of a complicated woman. It seemed like there was nothing wrong with her; in fact, she seemed sweet and innocent, completely different from what I had known about her.
She did not seem interested in money that was not hers at all; she did not have men around her, none; she did not seem to be having any kind of drugs, then how did I actually end up concluding her personality years ago?
I still remembered it as if it were yesterday when I saw her pictures doing drugs while Aubrey was trying to stop her and take that s**t away from her. I still remembered how I had seen her involved with different men.
Did I make a wrong judgment?
How could all that be a lie?!
I was never the type to believe someone's words until I saw it with my own eyes. So, when Aubrey told me these things about Elysia, I didn't believe her until she showed me the pictures, and I knew they were not altered; they were original.
How could someone change so much? But then, it had been more than ten years. Could it be that Elysia changed herself for the better? It wasn't impossible to think, but the change was rather drastic, making me doubt the validity of past incidents.
Or maybe, it's all just her facade to achieve something?
There were thousands of doubts and thoughts swirling in my head, and each one of them was related to Elysia Lawson. For heaven's sake, it hadn't even been a month, and that woman had become my nemesis already, without even doing anything. She was just being herself.
What would become of me if she actually stayed here for a whole damn year?!
I would definitely go crazy... No, not crazy; I would go imbecile...
Annoyed, I loosened my tie and stood in front of the glass wall of the office, staring outside, trying to clear my mind.
Suddenly, my phone rang on the office desk. I walked towards it and picked up the call. It was one of our major clients, Mr. Ashford, asking about a few details that could be negotiated in the contract at our next meeting. I was busy talking business with him when Elysia walked into my office, holding a file. I don't know why she was always so stiff around me. I would have thought it was her habit if I hadn't seen her working so relaxed while I wasn't around, which was, of course, through the security camera.
When she saw me on the call, she quietly placed the file on my desk and turned to leave when I stopped her absent-mindedly with my waving hand and gestured for her to bring me some water.
She nodded and immediately walked towards the water dispenser to pour a glass. I continued my conversation with Mr. Ashford while glancing over the file Elysia had brought in.
Elysia walked towards me, holding a glass of water on a small tray. When she was near and about to place the glass on the desk, I noticed her hand shaking slightly. It reminded me of her clumsy nature, and instinctively, I extended my hand to take the glass from her.
When she noticed my hand reaching hers, her hands shook uncontrollably, and before I could manage to hold the glass from her grip, it actually spilled all over the front of my pants.
"F**k!!" I blurted out, immediately standing up, my already built-up annoyance reaching its peak.
"Are you okay, Mr. Knight?" Mr. Ashford's voice echoed in the earpiece.
"S-sorry, sorry, sorry," Elysia started her mantra in panic and rushed to grab some tissues.
As I watched her dashing towards me in a whole panic mode, with a handful of tissues in her hand, a strange feeling washed over me as my eyes widened. Is she planning to wipe my pants?!
She reached me and bent down, ready to wipe my soaked pants.
"Mr. Knight?" Mr. Ashford's voice called again, but it didn't register in my head as I extended my hand in panic to stop Elysia's hand, when suddenly the door burst open and a familiar voice echoed throughout the office.
"Yo, bro! I'm back- Yikes! What the f**k?!" Maron exclaimed, almost tearing my eardrums.
My hand stopped midway. Elysia also stopped her actions and stared at Maron in bewilderedness and confusion, probably thinking of a reason for his outburst suddenly.
I noticed our position; Elysia bend over in front of me holding tissues, while my hand stopped midway almost a few inches away from her head and this oblivious woman still had no idea what kind of scandalous situation we were in just now.
"It's not what you think!" I said hurriedly, but Maron turned and left the office while giving me an evil smirk which clearly meant 'Liar'
"Wait!" I called after him, but he didn't even glance back, closing the door.
"I'll call you back in a minute, Mr. Ashford." I hung up without waiting for an answer.
Heaving a long sigh, I looked down at Elysia, who was still in the same position with the same bewildered look. I couldn't help being amused; she really could be slow sometimes...
She looked up at me, her innocent and questioning eyes furrowed in confusion. I raised my eyebrows, pointing at my soaked pants front and her position sarcastically, "Well, this is quite the situation we have here."
It took her a few seconds to realize as she observed our compromising position. When it finally registered in her head, her eyes widened like saucers as her face darkened with several shades of red, reaching down her neck and ear.
I watched her with interest as she stood up, shrieking and stuttering, "I- It- it's n-n-not what it looks like," she looked like a fish out of water, opening and closing her mouth in panic. Hm, isn't it a little too late for her to rectify the situation now?
She tried to step back away from me, while stumbling, but before she could step away more and fell down in her panic, which I'm sure would happen if I didn't take action. Impulse clouded my clear judgement as I grabbed her arm and yanked her towards me, circling my arm around her small waist.
Her hands landed on my chest on instinct, and a familiar fresh scent mixed with a faint jasmine one tickled my nostrils, strangely calming my senses.
Her body was so soft against mine that even a little pressure made me think she might break. She stared at me in complete shock and daze, her eyes wide, lips parted in a small 'o', her breathing still. For a moment, there was nothing I could hear except the beating of our hearts, so loud that I thought my heart would burst out of my chest. Her affect on me momentarily shocked me to the core.
I noticed her, and it seemed her heartbeat was as loud as mine. I immediately wrapped my thoughts around my head, "Breathe," I spoke softly because she seemed to have forgotten to breathe.
"-Uh?" Her throat made a soft sound of acknowledging my voice, but I knew it didn't reach her brain as she kept staring at me.
"Breathe, Elysia!" I pressed more this time and spoke with emphasis. She finally responded and took a deep breath, coming back to her senses as she tried to pull away from me, while looking like a deer caught in headlights.
"Now, you are going to listen to me carefully. When I let go of you, you're going to take one step at a time like a good girl, and not hastily run out. Have a little mercy on yourself, would you, hm?" I asked, urging her to respond.
She blinked at me innocently, her amber eyes large, as she nodded her head hesitantly, her face turning even redder.
"Words, Elysia!" I emphasized.
"Y-yes," she answered. Unknowingly, my lips curled into a faint smile at her adorable state as I gently let her go.
As she stepped back, I couldn't help but notice how her blushing face resembled a ripe tomato, adorable and funny at the same time.
I watched her as she slowly and cautiously took one step at a time, finally leaving the office. She looked so funny walking out that I couldn't stop a chuckle that escaped my lips.
Soon after she left, Maron barged in, a sly look written all over his face. I shook my head slightly, completely done with his nonsense.
"Before you open your gossipy mouth; it wasn't what you think, and haven't you ever learned how to knock?" I asked coldly.
"Why? Is it because I disturbed something I shouldn't?" He wiggled his eyebrows playfully.
"Shut up!" I pointed towards the spilled glass of water and my soaked pants, a tell-tale representation of Elysia's clumsiness. He eyed everything, and a funny expression appeared on his face when realization hit him.
Leaving him there, I walked towards the small bedroom attached to my office, which I use occasionally when I stay late. Changing my clothes, I stepped out of the room, finding an anxious Maron pacing around.
"What, now?" I asked, walking towards my desk.
"Bro, I thought you guys were..." He scratched his head.
"Don't say that to me, apologize to her later; she is quite flustered, thanks to your stupid judgment." I said while wiping water from my desk.
"That's not what I'm worried about," he spoke in a very low voice.
He scratched his head again, a sign that he stirred up trouble or probably did something stupid.
"What did you do?" I asked sternly. He gave me a nervous smile before running a hand through his hair.
"Itoldyourmom," he said hurriedly.
"What did you just say?" I asked, hoping I heard it wrong.
"I... I told your Mom," he showed me his phone screen. My eyes widened at the picture of me and Elysia when I held her just a while ago. It was a sneaky shot with a message of "I got you a daughter-in-law, Aunt Joelle," along with a dancing and celebrating emoji.
I grabbed the phone from him quickly, noticing my mom's reply.
"Oh my goodness! Isn't it Elysia Lawson? Dad is going to be really happy. I have to prepare a lot of things for the wedding," along with a heart emoji.
What. The. Heck!!
I glared at Maron murderously, who snatched his phone from my hand.
"Fix this!" I spoke through gritted teeth. "Fix the s**t you have caused and explain things to my mom and Grandpa."
"Come on, bro, you guys have chemistry. Why not just give in and marry her? Remember what happened in our high school-" I closed my eyes for a moment, extremely annoyed to even look at his face.
"Whether you fix this s**t or I fire your ass. You choose, because the marriage isn't going to happen. Not now, not ever!" I spat angrily, grabbing my coat, and walked out of the office.
Just when I opened the office door, my phone rang again. Noticing Grandpa's number, I groaned annoyed and declined the call. Soon, I received a message from him. Damnit! My old man never knows when to stop.
I opened the message only to boil in frustration after reading it. "Whether you bring Elysia home to meet us or I call Silva to bring his granddaughter here, you choose!"
No f*****g way!
I ran my hand through my hair in frustration and dashed towards Elysia's office to give her a day off today because I surely know my grandpa or mom is going to visit today. She needs to be out of the office when that happens. I don't want to involve her in my problems.
Just when I reached her office, I heard her talking on the phone call. She was so engrossed that she didn't even notice my presence, staring at her desk.
"I promise, I will, Sven!" She spoke softly and casually as if talking to someone she had known forever.
Sven Damaris!
My steps halted the moment I heard her soft laugh. I had never ever heard her laugh or even smile genuinely for that matter, and yet she actually laughed heartily at his words?
That f*****g Sven Damaris was everywhere, be it past or even now!
They were a thing back then. If she is still in contact with him, then...?
Without saying anything, I retreated my steps and dashed out of the office. Well, they can both go to hell, for all I care!
***************
Hey, my beautiful and lovely readers! Any guesses about Sven's character?
What do you think about today's chapter and what do you think would happen next? Show me your reading experience!😉