MR.CEO'S CONTRACT WITH HIS SECRETARY.

CHAPTER TWO

Sarah Lockwood POV

I moaned into my duvet as the cold air hit a part of my leg that was exposed from under. The weather was promising a few hours before I went to bed, but it took a drastic turn in the middle of the night when I woke to shield myself from the intense cold.

I stretched and turned towards the side of the window, the little light coming from the window seeped into my eyes and I woke up. It took me forever to fall asleep, but the littlest distraction would wake me.

I sighed and sat up on my minimalist bed. My alarm was just a few minutes away from ringing, so I disabled it. I wasn’t ready to get startled by it when I was already fully awake.

I went to the kitchen for a quick breakfast, happy that today was one of my free days. I spent fourteen hours yesterday making sure everything was set for my boss and that he wouldn’t be needing my services the whole of today.

I made oatmeal with milk and slices of banana and sat by the counter. I recalled how stressful working under my boss, Noah Ortega, was.

He was a playboy in his mid-twenties who took work seriously. I marveled at his ability to run his company alongside the long lists of women in his life.

There was never a day he missed clubbing with his licentious friends. He loved the noisy lifestyle, the booze and anything with opposite genitalia. I didn’t hide my disdain for my boss, but I was as professional as I could be while working for him. I frowned at a lot of things he did.

I recalled yesterday’s event, how he ordered me to book a room for him in one of the best hotels in New York. I had personally gone over there to check if things were exactly the way he wanted it to be while waiting hours for his arrival. It was half past eleven when he arrived there with his right-hand man, Tommy.

I had cursed him under my breath. I was supposed to have gotten off work by four pm but was held back by my boss’s incessant demands.

My job as his secretary wasn’t limited to the office alone. I sometimes became his wardrobe manager, his errand girl, his chef if need be, and most definitely his consultant when he needed quick ideas on what to do.

I hated that part so much, but I won’t deny the fact that he paid me well for the troubles, but my mental health was at stake.

My phone rang from where it was plugged, it was my boss calling. I prayed it wasn’t something that would require leaving the house because today was supposed to be my alone time.

“Sir…” I whispered when his raspy voice sounded over the phone. It seemed like he was still in bed, I could hear him shuffling beneath the sheets and little groans escaped his throat.

“I need some aspirin. Can you get one from a drugstore?” He wasn’t asking, he was ordering me to get it. I knew from the way he spoke that my opinion about what should be or what shouldn't matter so long as I was getting paid.

I almost let out a loud growl, it was annoying that I couldn’t have a day just to myself. Noah Ortega was a spoiled prick, he had no regard for anyone but himself.

I cussed at him, all the way getting ready to run errands for him. On my way out, I saw a text from him requesting I go over to his place and get some decent office clothes for him and some documents as well.

I stood, looking at the text on my phone in total dismay.

****

With my hands full, I struggled to get the door open since I couldn’t press the bell or knock on it. The butler downstairs wasn’t even chivalrous enough to help out; they barely glanced my way.

I was used to the invisible treatment people gave me. They acted like I didn’t exist, like I didn’t matter. The only thing that gave me little relevance in the eyes of people was the fact that I am the CEO's secretary. A position I took extra responsibility for.

I finally made it inside the room and the men were in the living room chuckling over some joke.

Tommy stood shirtless, demonstrating with every part of him the details of his dry jokes while Noah laughed heartily.

I offered a greeting their way, but they hardly recognized my presence. I took the suit all the way to Noah’s room and placed it on the large bed.

I searched my purse for the aspirin and carefully placed it on the chest by the bedside. I fixed my hands on my tiny waist and took in the ambiance of the room before me.

I wanted to make sure I wasn’t forgetting anything because I wasn’t ready to run around again.

The door to the restroom opened, a slender woman with blond curls stepped out in nothing but her white lingerie.

My mouth bawled in shock. “I’m sorry” I quickly apologized.

She didn’t seem to care that I was intruding, rather she brushed her hair backwards and went about wearing her clothes. That was when my eyes fell on the clothes littered in the dark room.

They must’ve gone wild the whole night, and she was one of Noah’s conquests.

“Where’s the aspirin?” Her soft voice broke me out of my reverie. Her slim hand was extended towards me.

I rushed over to the chest for the d**g and handed it over to her.

I watched her take it and wondered how such a beautiful woman would want to be used as a side piece by my boss.

My phone rang, it was a call from my friend Angela.

“Hey girl, I know you’re tired and must’ve forgotten Mila at my side yesterday. Not that I don’t want to have her around, but she’s been restless, wanting to return home to you. I can’t seem to hold her down for another hour. Please come pick her up soon”, Angela said over the phone.

I totally forgot that I had asked her to pick up Mila from school yesterday because I was running late, and my schedule was tight.

“I’m sorry friend, you don’t deserve to be stressed out about my problems. I know you’re still grieving, and I want to give you that space, but my boss is…” I turned to be sure nobody was eavesdropping, the blonde chic seemed to be occupied with her makeup.

“Yunno, when I’m done here I’ll come pick her up immediately. Thank you”

“It’s nothing girl.”

I smiled at how nice and optimistic Angela still was after losing her long-time boyfriend to an accident a few months back. It was a life-shattering experience for her, but I’m happy to have been there for my friend all the way.

“How long did it take you to get the aspirin for me?” Noah walked inside the room, his dark hair in a ruffle. He still looked breathtaking.

I quickly ended the call and turned to face him.

“Had to go over to your house and take the bus back here”

“The bus?” He exclaimed with a disgruntled look. “Why would you take the bus? You don’t own a car?”

I frowned, the urge to slap the stupidity off his face was tempting, especially with the way he gazed condescendingly, appalled by the fact that I took public transport.

“Baby, I thought you left me all alone like before,” the girl purred, wrapping her hands over his shoulder.

“I’ll call you a cab, Sarah, call her a cab right now” he ordered, brushing her off.

I nodded and rushed off while trying to do as he said, but he stopped me.

“I hope you didn’t get my clothes messed up while on your way?” He rustled up the clothes on the bed, assessing them with care. He totally forgot the aspirin on the chest.

“Your d**g is right on the tabletop” I reminded him, but he waved me off, still fixated on the clothes I had brought.

The blond girl was pissed at his nonchalance. He paid her no mind. A few minutes later, she stomped out of the room with tears in her eyes.

When she saw me, she stopped and glared like I wasn’t supposed to see her crying.

“How do you work with such a monster?” She asked.

I stood confused and merely gave her a shrug. I offered her a paper towel to dry her tears. It wasn’t worth it, crying for Noah. He reveled in people’s misery.

After she took a cab home, I read a book while waiting to see if my boss wanted anything else.

******

(Noah Ortega POV)

Tommy walked in on me while I was about to get dressed.

“Look man, you can’t possibly ask Kimberly to be your wife, that girl is a walking death trap! Have you forgotten how she tried to swindle you with some of her Asian friends?”

“Yeah, but she didn’t, and besides, she’s the closest woman to me at the moment. It’s going to be a contract marriage, Tom, so I have nothing to lose.”

Tommy shook his head in disbelief, “You think that’s all about it? Your reputation as a married man is! We don’t want a girl who’s dying to be in front of the camera_someone who’s hungry for fame, and that’s Kimberly. We need a quiet, timid girl with zero scandal”, Tommy insisted.

I turned in frustration, facing him squarely.

“And where am I going to find someone like that? Every damn girl in New York is hungry for money and fame, so it’s either I bet on the devil I know than the angel I don’t, or I lose my wealth due to fear.”

“I think you should marry your secretary,” Tommy proposed.