Chapter2/3
2260 Words
Jessica's POV.
I always thought I was a terrible runner until that very moment.
I didn't stop running. My legs ached, my heart pounded in my chest like it was about to explode, but that didn't stop me.
He looked like a man who respected women enough not to hit them, but I wasn't about to find out. No.
I reached the end of the hallway when I turned back to realize he wasn't even chasing me. I slowed down and started walking briskly out of the hotel, hands placed on my temple as I tried to soothe it.
Everything was fine, I told myself.
I mean…
I had one too many drinks and had s*x with a random guy for one night.
It wasn't the end of the world when you have a one night stand, right?
Girls did this all the time.
No big deal.
And the comforting part about the whole thing was that I was sure I would never meet him again.
When I got home, I tossed my clothes in the washer, ate something and showered for work.
Getting to the entrance of the building, my phone buzzed inside my bag. I smiled when my screen brightened with my mother's name on the screen.
“Hello mother.”
“Hello love. How are you? I've been trying to reach you since yesterday. Today is still your uncle Tony’s birthday, you remember? He's hosting a banquet at Hotel Presidential. You promised to be there, right? It's by 8pm. Just come around, family needs to see your face in our events.”
My mother had always wanted me to attend functions so she could matchmake me with someone, but when I understood her gimmicks, I quit.
Not to mention that if I went to that function, I would have to run into my father and his sleazy w***e of a girlfriend he replaced my mother with.
“C’mon Jess, your uncle and his wife took care of us when your father left us. The least you can do is attend his birthday. Don't be mean.” Mom persuaded me.
I exhaled.
She was right.
When I was fifteen, my father had an affair at work and when my mother confronted him, he put his hands on her and threw our things out. If it hadn't been for Uncle Tony, my life would have been unbearable.
“Fine…” I exhaled again. “I'll go.”
“Good. And try not to fight with your father, okay?”
“Well, if he doesn't get in my way, him and his who—” I stopped myself before I could pronounce the full word, mother hated me cursing.
“Thank you baby.” She realized I stopped myself, I imagined her smiling at me.
“Fine, goodbye, I love you.” I said before I hung up.
Quickly, my thoughts flooded with memories of seeing my mother kneeling before my father begging him not to ruin our family. Not to file for a divorce.
That day, with tears running down her cheeks, she promised she would forgive his cheating and let him bring other women into the house if it made him happy, her only plea was no divorce.
My father swung a tight fist at her before he walked out on her. Not only did he file for a divorce, he took everything from her and left me with her because his new lover didn't want him bringing any baggage.
Life after that week was hell. My father caused us much pain because of how selfish he was and I will never forgive that.
The guard's greeting snapped me back to reality. I walked into the company front door and assumed my seat on my desk.
My colleague, Trixie walked by at the same time I settled in. She perched by my cubicle, eyes wide and observant, her lips curved at the corner of her mouth.
“You look different.” She said to me,
I frowned. “How?”
“You always looked drained since Max ended things with you, but today… today you're different.”
Trixie and I were inseparable.
I exhaled, “Maybe it's because I had a crazy night. You won't believe I spent a hundred and fifty bucks on a male hooker to comfort my breaking heart.*
She snorted. “Your breaking heart or your wild desires?”
She must have thought I was joking, I thought. I couldn't blame her for that. Trixie and I had the rest of the office thinking we were wild party girls who had random s*x with men at every bar we went to on Fridays, but in reality, we were pretty conservative.
That was why I was still furious at myself last night.
It was nothing like me.
“Anyway, get out of your head, no time for a joke. The new boss from headquarters is arriving today.” she announced.
I shrugged before I began arranging my desk again.
“I heard he is the heir to the Presidential group of companies. With his father as a senior official in government and his mother running as the head of the company up there in headquarters, he's the real catch here. All the other ladies are talking about meeting, I wonder what he's like, they say he's very handsome.”
I rolled my eyes at her. I only hoped he wasn't rude and pompous. I couldn't bear to work with another asshole in the name of a boss.
My superior, Mr Alex came over.
“What are you both doing here?! Get off your lazy asses and get to the conference room right now, we have a meeting in five!” He announced with anger in his voice.
I quickly took my notebook and pen and followed immediately. By the time I entered, everyone was already seated quietly and so I found my way to the corner.
My mind trailed off to the early hours of the morning that day. The man I flung dollar notes on. Gosh, he was so handsome.
More handsome than all the men I worked with or had seen. It was a pity I threw those notes at him, the expression on his face showed he was mad with fury.
I placed my hand over my mouth and imagined what was going through his head.
Maybe I went a little too far with what I did.
But I couldn't just stand there and let him judge me with a look of disgust. No way was I letting him treat me like I was a prostitute, especially not after Max broke me already. That would have been even more demeaning.
A round of applause startled me back to life. I was still recovering from my thoughts when the cheers slowly began to fade and a man in a gray suit walked into the office.
My jaw dropped when I registered his face in my head.
Why was he here—-
Or was something wrong with my eyes?
No. Something definitely had to be wrong with my vision. How could he… how did he—
I rubbed my eyes violently for a second and then a third time, sinking my thumbs deep into my eye sockets, then I closed them again before I opened them.
Still, it was still him.
The man I had a one night stand with.
The very man I threw a hundred and fifty bucks at.
My jaw quivered in shock.
How was that even possible?
But more importantly, where could I run to now?
Chapter 3
Jessica's POV
I still couldn't believe my eyes.
I was still in a state of panic.
Why?
Why was all of this happening to me?
Why was I so out of luck?
I still couldn't believe that he, the same man I humiliated, was going to be my new boss.
Ahh…
Why on earth did I have to do all that?
I should have been nicer with my words.
Would he fire me for what I said?
“Fire me.” I exhaled. The horror of it.
No! That was the last option. If it was even an option.
I can not afford to be fired. I have to take care of my little sister and my ill sister.
I took some steps back. I have to breathe.
I glanced over at the head table. He was there. The man I humiliated hours ago. He introduced himself as Alex Martinez.
When he searched the gazes of everyone in the room, I avoided him by lowering my head and covering my face with my fringe.
Right then and there, all I could pray for was that he didn't notice me and it felt like my prayers were being answered.
Every second I spent in there was unbearable for me but I managed to sit still without making a sound, asking questions or getting noticed.
A smile stretched on my lips when I heard the closing remarks for the meeting. I was the first to sneak out, in my head I believed he did not notice me.
When I got back to my cubicle, I told Trixie everything.
“You're joking right?”
“Do I look like I am joking?” I asked with a flash of agitation in my tone.
Her expression shifted from confusion to excitement in less than a minute, then I heard her giggle. “Girl, you should be happy! You slept with the heir of the company. That's impressive.”
My arms measured enough distance between us. “Did you hear anything I said at all? I said I threw money in his face. What if he tries to get back at me and then fires me? I have a sister and a sick mom. I can't be unemployed right now.”
Oh goodness.
I knew going to that bar to drink was trouble.
I should have left immediately my instincts told me so.
I should have been more cautious.
I shouldn't have had s*x with a stranger!
And I shouldn't have even thought of humiliating him first.
How stupid of me was it to insult him!
Trixie tapped me out of my zone. She flashed me a bright smile with her pearly whites but crooked teeth. “You don't need to worry too much. Maybe he forgot about it easily.”
The manager’s voice tore through the silence. “Jessica, Mr Alex wants you in his office at this minute.”
I swallowed hard, gaze turned to Trixie with my eyes wide open in horror.
“I'm dead.”
****
Shakily, I knocked on the door of his office with a gentle tap.
“Come in.” his deep baritone announced.
I dragged my feet underneath me as I walked in. My breath was shaky, as were my fingertips and the rest of me.
I can't believe the man in a bathrobe this morning turned out to be the new boss. Life was crazy.
I stood there with my hands to my back and head bowed, exhaling as quietly as I could while he flipped through documents, pretending I didn't exist.
I didn't want him to notice me. Not now, not ever but my paycheck wouldn't sign itself.
Releasing a breath I didn't remember holding, I spoke. “I'm sorry, Mr Alex but I was told you sent for me.”
He lifted his head at once and I flashed the most practiced friendly smile I could make.
I smiled harder, maybe he'd change how he saw me, from a meanie to a nice employee… which I was.
He stared at me for minutes, head to toe and then back. My body stiffened as I tried not to tremble before him.
He leaned back on his swivel chair, his pose nonchalant, his lips thinned. “My father told me the people working here were responsible. I never imagined seeing you here.”
I felt a slap to my jaw.
Yes, we met the night before and mistakes happened but that didn't give him the right to call me names.
If there was one thing I hated hearing was a colleague looking down on me. Much less a boss who went around taking random girls for a one night stand and paying them.
I snapped but with a professional tone. “Well, good thing that our company has a policy of keeping private lives as what it is— private life.”
He c****d his eyebrow, his lips parted in shock. I didn't stop there. Might as well lay it all out.
“But if you insist on talking about private lives, Mr Alex.” I flashed a sly smug, leaned closer, eyes bright and sparkling. “I don't think you should be a judge here. I seem to remember you beside me last night… offering me a drink… letting loose. Or wasn't that you?”
His expression hardened.
Damn. I seemed to make him more furious than he already was.
I was sure I was never going to receive another paycheck.
He rose from seat gently, the tension in the room tightened, my chest tightened with every movement he made…
This was it, I thought.
I pressed my eyes tightly shut, held my breath in, fingers clenched into a fist while I lowered my head, waiting for the words to come..
But they never came.
Not even a breath.
Instead, Mr Alex called my name.
“Open your eyes, I want you to see this…”
- Writer
