Chapter 4: The Audacity
1188 Words
Liam's POV
The car skidded to a halt in front of the company, and my driver quickly got out to open the door for me.
I was about to alight when my eyes caught something on my phone. My brows almost hit my hairline before furrowing into a deep scowl at the screen.
“What the hell!” I punched my thigh so hard my driver almost jumped. But I shoved my phone back into my pocket and stepped out of the car, ignoring the concerned look on his face as I strode towards the entrance.
The moment I entered, I saw a new face. A lady who, upon seeing me, rushed to meet me with a smile plastered on her face.
“Good morning, sir.”
Her smile faltered as our eyes locked and she saw my expressionless face. Still, I didn’t bother to respond as I approached.
But she was unrelenting.
“Good morning, sir. I'm the new…”
“Later,” I muttered, briefly catching her stunned expression before I brushed past her.
“I don't understand, sir.”
Oh no. This girl is slow.
Sir?” she tried again. This time, I halted in my tracks. When I turned slightly, she almost jumped at the death glare I shot her.
“Listen, I would only let this slide once because today is your first day in this company as my assistant,” I told her. “If you greet me and I do not answer, just go ahead and say whatever it is that you want to say without preamble.”
I took a few more strides before halting again to turn to her.
“A woman is coming to see me this morning. Don't disturb me by calling. Just show her the way to my office.”
“And one more thing,” I said. “No clumsiness around me. I fired the last secretary on her first day because she hiccuped when she first saw me. Do you understand?”
Her mouth hung open in shock as she looked at me.
Then I folded my arms and narrowed my eyes at her, noticing the beads of perspiration that had begun to form on her forehead.
“Do you understand?”
“Uhh?” She almost jumped. “Y-yes, sir. Yes.”
"Good," I said, turning and continuing toward my office.
Sinking into my swivel chair, I dug out my phone from my pocket to continue reading the same annoying celebrity post I was reading just before I alighted from the car.
I went straight to the comment section this time.
“I love Liam Harrington so much.”
“Oh my god! That guy is so handsome.”
“Who's this woman? Why would she do such a thing to my prince charming?”
And on and on, I scrolled randomly through the thousands of comments till I got tired.
Each of those comments only grated on my nerves further instead of calming them.
I left the comment section and stared at the vivid picture of that embarrassing scene staring back at me.
Damn these paparazzi!
And damn the board members too, for being the reason why I had forced myself to attend that gala last night.
My gut told me it wouldn't end well. Yet I stubbornly went. And what did I get instead?
Some random woman spilled a drink on me
And who exactly was this woman? I asked myself.
It’s been so hard trying to get that face off my head.
Despite the embarrassment from her, my mind reeled with the memory of that very moment when she stepped into the gala hall.
My eyes had flicked over her chestnut-brown hair that shimmered under the lights, then skipped to that simple yet beautiful red gown. But when my gaze darted back to that gentle and beautiful face, I felt like I had finally achieved my purpose for attending that gala.
The way men stared at her in awe was the same way ladies swooned when I walked past them to approach her. But I ignored them. I didn't need these kinds of overly sophisticated women for what I wanted to do.
I had kept my eyes locked on her instead, taking note of the obnoxious man who had been bothering her.
That elegant modesty in her features was the exact quality I needed for what I wanted to do. But she ruined it all in a single, fleeting moment.
I tossed my phone back on the desk, tilting in my swivel chair until I backed the desk and faced the glass walls instead.
As I stared at the bustling city below absentmindedly, I let out a heavy sigh.
“Where the hell are you, Dee? Please come back home.”
Suddenly, I heard approaching footsteps behind me that stopped right at my door. Then a knock followed.
But I didn't turn back, nor bother to answer.
The knock came again, and I heard my door click open behind me.
“Good morning, sir.”
I think this new secretary also needs to be fired. Do I need to spell it to her again that if I wasn’t responding, it simply meant she should quickly say whatever she wanted to say or just check back later?
“Can you hear me, sir? Good morning.”
There she went again. I squeezed my eyes shut and then opened them. Was she willing to lose her job the very morning she resumed?
I opened my eyes and still didn’t dignify her with a response.
Wait—good morning, sir?
Hadn’t she greeted me this morning already?
Then I remembered the instruction I gave her about a woman coming to see me and figured it must be the woman whose company I was trying to buy instead, and not my secretary.
Still, I didn’t want to see anyone at this moment. She should just go, and I’d call for a reschedule. It was even way too early before the scheduled meeting time.
I still didn’t turn back or speak, hoping she would take the cue to leave.
But I guess she wasn’t so smart, as I heard her clear her throat again to speak.
“You couldn't even acknowledge my simple regards. You're so full of yourself, you know?”
My eyes widened in a beat. And I felt a sudden compulsion to book an appointment with an otolaryngologist right away. My ears must be malfunctioning.
Then she went on, “Listen. I don't give a s**t about your arrogance.”
But all I want to say to you is that you can't buy that company. It's what my mother left for me. So I need you to back off.”
This time, my grip on the armrest of the swivel chair became so tight my knuckles turned white at the effrontery.
I tilted in my swivel chair to see the face behind such audacity.
“And who the hell are...”
The last word died on my lips and my mouth hung open in shock at the person standing right before me.
- Writer
