His to take

3. The First Meeting

“Sir?” I asked because surely, he was not saying what I think he is saying.

“What? Do you have an objection?” He asked and I wanted to scream at him. I have several objections not the least of which was the fact that I needed to avoid the man not be the official Marketing Department’s inside man for him

“Sir, I am very new to the job and I might not be the best person for the job?” I said

“Why not? You had amazing grades in school. Your project proposal was good and you have a way with people. Plus, you seem to like dressing formally. Every other person is used to coming to work in casual clothes so it will be hard for them to revert. You, however are new”

“Still, I am sure there are better people. I do not think I can do it” I explain and he frowned in thought

“Basically, I am asking you to be his secretary. And not like his main secretary. The man has two secretaries already. You would be doing nothing but making sure he gets our plans and project proposals and perhaps you will be punching in some numbers. You also get to go to the top floor and all of this with a better allowance. This seems like a good deal”

“Yes I am sure. That is why, I think someone else might want it” She says and got startled when Terry stood up sharply.

“Who wants to be the Liaison Officer to the CEO for the marketing department?” He asked and there was a single chorus of ‘No’ and ‘Definitely Not’. He sat back down “See? They hate him. But you don’t because you don’t know him. He is actually not that bad” I am sure that even to himself, he sounded insincere

“I don’t think I can…”

“Think about it” He says cutting me off “In the meantime, I will let you get used to him. Here” he handed me a file “Take this to Mr. Harold. You must do it”

The world hates me. It is official. I collected the file with a heavy hand and a heavy heart. I made a stop at my table and caressed it goodbye. Goodbye table, goodbye chair, goodbye desk colleagues. “Are you okay? You look like you got hit by a bus” Johnny asked and I smiled weakly

“I am fine” I reply and had out before anyone else thought I got hit by a bus.

As I made my way to the elevator, I could not help wondering what next? Was this all for nothing? Did I just come into this amazing building to feel the burn of disappointment? But then I saw it, a woman passed by wearing the solution to my problem. I would squeal with glee but I was at the center of a busy hallway. In the elevator, I pressed the down button instead of the top one. When I got off on the first floor, I was glad I lived in such a busy city. There was somebody selling facemasks opposite the building. It took less than five minutes to purchase one and get back into the building. As I reentered the elevator and started to the top floor, I was more relaxed. If Clark Kent could get away with using glasses, surely I could with a mask that covered more than half of my face.

“How can I help you?” The top floor receptionist asked

“I am from the marketing department. I have a file for Mr. Harold” I say and she types something on her computer.

“Of course. Please go through this door” She points to the door behind her and I thanks her as I push it open and enter.

There were two people, a man and a woman sitting at a corner and then there was a door in front of them a few feet away. “Hello. I am here for Mr. Harold from the accounting department” I say and they both look up simultaneously.

I don’t like them for some reason. Their eyes looked cold and calculating and their mouths were pressed into a thin line. What I disliked the most was the way they looked at me, “Why the face mask?” The woman asked

“I have a cold” I answer and she quirks a brow

“You don’t look like you have a cold” She responds and I want to cloak her in the throat but I reply with a simple

“Oh?”

“He is in there. And in a very bad mood” The man says his voice slightly more friendly.

“Thanks” I reply and go to the door. I raised my hand to knock when the man calls out

“Wait” He says “He hates his phone calls interrupted. Wait till he hangs up then knock” The man explains and I drop my hand to my sides. The last thing I needed was for him to actually notice me.

What felt like an hour passed while I stood outside the door. Even though he was clearly yelling, I could hear only bits and pieces of his conversation. The office seemed to be sound proof. Great to know no one would hear me beg for mercy when he was firing me. I sighed and checked the watch on my wrist. I had been standing at the door for fifteen minutes. Who stayed on a call that long? Just as I was thinking about going to sit, I stopped hearing his voice. I looked towards the secretaries but they were not looking at me. Great. I knocked quietly on the door and a nanosecond letter, was asked to come in.

“Good morning sir” I say deepening my voice. I doubted he would remember my voice but still, it was always better to be safe than sorry

“Who are you?” He asked without looking up from the file he was signing

“I am from the marketing department” I say avoiding his question. What if he had looked me up. I could not risk it. “Terry asked me to give this to you” I say handing the file to him. He did not take it

“Tell ‘Terry’ to send someone who knows the correct answer to ‘who are you?” He stated still not looking at me. I was about to give him a smart ass comment but held my tongue. No need antagonizing him. I was already in trouble. My name, I thought of lying, but that would be a bad idea in the long run so I answered truthfully hoping he had not googled me or asked Ren.

“My name is Charlotte Kingsley. I am the new recruit for the marketing department”

“The liaison girl?” He asked

“No” I respond too quickly and his hands freeze on the document he was signing before he looked up at me. His question seemed to change when he noticed my facemask

“What is that?” he asked

“A facemask” I answer sarcastically. I could not resist it. Sometimes I think I should cut off my tongue giving how it lands me in trouble more times than I care to think about.

“Oh really?” He raised a brow “From where I am sitting, it looked like a table”

Mr. Harold knew how to play. I liked people who knew how to play but of course, I could not like sinewy muscles...Nathaniel Harold. I had punched him and less than 48 hours later, found out he is my new boss. If that did not make for a forbidden romance then nothing could, except maybe i****t.

“Miss Kingsley, why are you wearing a facemask?” He questioned

“I have a cold sir. I don’t want to risk infecting anybody” I tell him

“You don’t sound like you have a cold” He says

“How do people that have colds sound then?” My damned tongue.

He pressed his lips together probably to keep from answering me. A few seconds later, he pried them open “Remove the mask”

My heart hit my ribcage painfully “Sir?”

“Do you have hearing problems?”

“Sometimes” Just shut up Charlotte, I tell myself

“Remove the mask Miss Kingsley” He says and I started to fuss. He did not react to my name but was it possible that he already knew me? That was bad. That was really bad

“Why sir?” I asked stalling. I did not know why I was stalling the inevitable but I guess I wanted the bad news to come a little later.

“If I am going to be working with you I need to see your face” He explained

“We will not be working together” I say firmly and his lips raise at the side

The bastard was smirking at me. He knew who I was. “Miss Kingsley, remove the mask or you are fired. I do not like people who disobey me” He tells me and I sigh

“Will you promise not to fire me if I remove the mask?” I ask and he shrugged

“Not unless you are a serial killer” He tells me and I start to remove the mask but then the door bursts open and the male secretary comes in “How many times will I tell you not to barge into my office Victor?” he asked annoyed

“Sir, there was a situation at the flight terminal” Victor replies and Nathaniel stood up immediately

“When?” He was already walking round the desk

“Five minutes ago” Victor replied checking his watch

“The file” I suddenly remember and Nathaniel turns to me

“Just leave it on the table and get back to work”

“I am not fired?” I ask

“Should you be?”

“I thought, given who I am and what I did to you that you would surely…” He cut me off

“What are you talking about?” He asks and I blink in shock “Your sarcasm and disobedience? I will deal with that if you ever become the liaison. Right now I am busy” He says and walks out the door.

It took me a full minute to realize he did not recognize me. The grin that split my face hurt but I don’t care. I was safe.

***

I growl at the empty fridge as if it was responsible for its lack of content. “Elizabeth” I yell out and my sister walks into the small kitchen wearing shorts and a tank-top and eating ice cream.

“What is wrong?” She asks and I point at the fridge. “You were the one who was supposed to get groceries this week” She reminds me

“Well, I have been busy” I tell her and she looks at me in that way moms do where they ask “Really?” without saying a word

“Fine I forgot” I sigh and she nods

“I guessed as much. And I thought of getting you take out on my way home, but that would be enabling you. You forget groceries, you have to go out and get food yourself” She tells me

“But the closest restaurant is miles away” I pout

“Do you want to go to bed hungry?” She asks looking me in the eye

“No” I mutter

“Good”

“Can I take your car?” I ask and she raised a brow

“Is yours still at the mechanic’s?” She asks and I nod. Truth was, I had sold it after Ren left us semi broke. It was part of what we used for the down payment on this house but she did not need to know that. It would make her feel horrible “Fine, take it. But if I see so much as one scratch…” She did not need to complete her sentence. Elizabeth was nice most of the time but when she decided to be a daredevil, she was unstoppable

“I love you” I blew her a kiss and she blushed, rolling her eyes. She blushed so easily.

“Love you too. Get me a cappuccino would you?” She asks then hands me her credit card

“I don’t need it” I tell her and she raised a brow. “Seriously. I have money now. I am a working woman” I remind her

“But they don’t pay your salary till the end of the month or has the laws changed?”

“I have money left over from my last allowance” Lies “I will use that”

“Alright. Come home soon” She says and goes back into her room.

Elizabeth was so responsible I usually felt sorry for her. Mom had dies when she was nineteen and I was fifteen and dad had been too sad to take care of us. She had buried her own grief to be there for both dad and I. She had become my mother as much as my older sister. She had tolerated my teenage tantrums and my rebellions and after I graduated and decided to go for my masters instead of work, she had supported me financially, all the while she was starting her own business.

That was what made me angriest about what Ren did. Elizabeth had just managed to open two other branches for business when Ren had stolen her savings. It set her back so much. She had to close one store and we had to move to a cheaper apartment so she could keep the other two running. I hated him so much.

I stood in front of our driveway looking at her car. It was an old salon that needed replacing pronto. And even though she had maintained it well, it showed that it was not in the best condition. I was going to save my salaries and buy her a new car, I promised myself as I slid in.

The drive to the restaurant was filled with the sound of radio music. I pushed every thought about work to the back of my mind and enjoyed the moment as much as I could on an empty stomach. When I pulled up in the parking lot, I was ready to eat anything available. Which was precisely why I had chosen to eat out instead of getting take out. Was it going to make me look sad sitting alone at a table? Probably. Did I care? Nope.

After I looked through the restaurant menu, I sighed in defeat. It turned out I was not ready to eat just anything. I ordered a drink to go so it would not be weird and was on my way out the door in a few minutes. My phone started ringing and as I tried to fish it out of my pocket, I collided with a solid bulk of muscle and bone.