The Corporate Affair

Chapter Five: Star

“I want a review of the most recent meeting sent to my office before noon.”

Narrow eyed, I stare him down. He’s glaring right back at me with zero recognition on his face. His tan, beautifully chiseled face that I missed so much, even though I’d rather die that admit it.

Something is wrong…I just can’t figure out what.

While I’m stuck in my confusion, he sweeps past, engulfing me in a thick wave of expensive cologne. Instinctively, I take a deep, greedy breath.

A bitter taste fills my mouth immediately. He changed his cologne.

Everything about him has changed. From the new company to the strange way he’s acting.

“Oh and Star…if that’s your real name…do well to make yourself well acquainted with the rest secretaries,” Neal drawls without a pause in his arrogant strides. “Get things under control immediately and report back to me.”

Right. He’s my boss…again.

I want to tell him to go f**k himself but then I’m briefly distracted by the way his sleek, dark grey suit molds around his tall and toned frame. His broad shoulders are brimming with power and confidence–the kind only a man like him can possess.

Behind me, I can hear the secretaries murmuring and fussing to each other.

“For a man so pretty, he’s really grumpy,” one of them says a little louder.

I turn around to see a young brunette about the same age and height as me with a hand stretched out to me.

“I’m Mariella. Welcome to company’s headquarters.”

My head is swimming with so many thoughts and emotions as I shake her hand.

Compulsively, I look around me, at the unfamiliar office surroundings and try to think of a good reason why Neal would be here.

Whatever happened to his cyber security firm?

“Quick question; do you reckon I’m in the wrong place?” I ask, still feeling disoriented.

They all laugh and the introductions flow steadily. One of them, a hearty fellow named Henry offers to help compile and send the review to Neal.

“Thank you but it’s alright,” I tell him, “I’ll take it to him myself.”

Besides, he has some explaining to do.

*

My ears are ringing from how loudly my best friend is yelling.

“WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME YOU WERE BACK TO LONDON?!”

James crushes me into a warm embrace and my heart melts. I’m overjoyed to see him for the first time in three years, although we’ve been in constant communication the entire time.

“I wanted to surprise you,” I giggle, allowing him to take my hand and lead me to a seat at the far corner of the café.

“It’s so great to see you again, Star,” he gushes, his eyes trailing expressively all over my face, “You look a lot better than you did the last time I saw you. How was Ireland?”

We go off into lively chatter, catching up on all the time we’ve been apart.

“So word was that headquarters in London needed a new head secretary and guess who was recommended for the job?”

He points his fork at me, “You.”

I nod, “Me. Now you’re not going to believe what I’m about to tell you.”

James quirks an eyebrow, “Try me.”

“I got to headquarters this morning and who’s the CEO? Neal f*****g Ward.”

The silence that descends between us is deafening, drowning out the bustle in the café. James eyes are round and wide as saucers.

“What?” He mouths.

“Ironic, isn’t it?” I laugh bitterly, “And that’s not even the interesting part,” I continue, my voice deceptively light, “He doesn’t know who I am.”

James’ face contorts into one big frown, his lips pinching tightly together. “That’s not possible.”

I shake my head wildly, “I know but when he saw me, he mistook me for someone else at first. Then he couldn’t recognize me.”

I try to keep my voice level as I recount the details of the morning to him. As I do, I become increasingly aware of the change in Neal. He’s still insanely hot and attractive but something’s different. It transcends his physical appearance, even though he did change a bit physically. His eyes were sunken and duller than I had ever seen them and he put on some extra muscles.

I keep wracking my brain for answers until I’m standing outside his office door with an iPad in my hands.

It’s an hour past the deadline he gave me but I have my reasons for delaying.

“You were supposed to send it before noon, Miss Griffin,” is his surprisingly nonchalant statement when I enter the office.

It's bigger than his former office with a more ultramodern design. My eyes are sharp, looking out for anything that might give me information about his personal life– case implied: Agatha.

I’m filled with a burning curiosity about this new mystery woman and why he mistook me for her.

“I had to catch up on a lot of things,” I tell him.

Neal lifts his head from his computer and gives me a quick once over. His eyes give nothing away.

“Just for curiosity sakes; is it ideal to wear a dress that short to your first day of work?”

I narrow my gaze as I refrain from looking down at myself. The dark beige gown I have on stops several inches above my knees but it’s one of my best outfits.

“You never complained before,” is my icy reply.

Dark blond eyebrows quirk up in confusion but he brushes it away, beckoning me closer instead.

“Let’s see what you noted down.”

As I move closer, I become increasingly aware of the familiarity of the situation and it devastates me. I didn’t start up a new life somewhere else for three years just to come back to this.

My feet wobble and it’s all I can do not to trip on my pumps. I stand in front of the desk, across from his intense stare and for a quiet minute, I allow myself admire him. Seated imperiously with his elbows on the desk and his fingers locked underneath his jaw, he’s the embodiment of male attraction.

The sheer magnificence of him is blinding and the air crackles with tension–one I haven’t felt in a long, long time.

He's not seeing you, an inner voice snaps, He’s seeing Agatha.

And just like that, the moment is cut short. I clear my throat louder than necessary and hand over the iPad.

”One of the secretaries helped fill me in since I wasn’t present at the meeting.” Jeez. Why is my voice so husky? “Please go over the details and alert me if I missed something.”

He's watching me with such focus that a plane could crash right in front of us and he wouldn’t notice. I’m tempted to snap my fingers in front of his face to check if he’s listening. Heck, he’s barely even breathing.

“Do you really not know who I am?” I sound desperate but I need to know. I want to be sure he’s not pretending and toying with me again.

He looks down as he takes the iPad from me. The tips of his fingers brush mine and I hold my breath, wondering if he did that on purpose.

The office is silent…painfully silent as I wait for him to answer. To finally acknowledge me. To crumple into a million apologies for what he did to me.

To us.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Miss Griffin,” he says instead, “You did a fantastic job. Now get back to work.”