My Dad's Secretary

The Contract

CHAPTER FOUR

I was greeted by several missed call notifications from Mr. Liam Hemsworth.

Realization of my neglected duties hit me like a thousand waves. Mr. Hemsworth was not one to take negligence lightly, especially when it came to managing his tight schedule.

As I dialed his number, my heart pounded with a mix of nervousness and anticipation. After a few rings, Mr. Hemsworth's crisp voice answered, "Finally, Ms. Sophia, care to explain why you've been ignoring my calls?"

I took a deep breath, my voice steady, "I'm sorry, Mr. Hemsworth. I was at the clubhouse, I didn't mean to neglect your calls; I just didn't hear it ring".

His response was as icy as his reputation, "Your personal activities should not interfere with your professional responsibilities, Ms. Sophia. I expect better from my personal assistant. Who goes clubbing and neglects her job? What if someone sees you clubbing at this time of the night? . Mr. Hemsworth yelled and then continued when he didn't get a reply from me.

"Aren't you supposed to have sent the calendar and schedule for the week to my email?"

Don't I have the right to go out on weekends just because I'm the personal assistant of Mr Liam Hemsworth? I winced, with a roll of my eyes.

"I'll get on it right away, Mr. Hemsworth. I apologize for the delay. You'll receive it once I arrive home."

There was a pause on the other end, and then he continued, "This is not the standard I expect from you, Ms Sophia. Punctuality is crucial in our line of work. This is reckless, Sophia, this is absolutely reckless. The most reckless part is you going clubbing without finishing off all that is required from you."

I felt a spark of frustration but suppressed it, maintaining my professionalism. "Understood, Mr. Hemsworth. I'll ensure it doesn't happen again. But, Mr. Hemsworth, I understand the importance of my role, but I'm only human. Everyone deserves a break, even personal assistants. I can't be on call 24/7,"I retorted, my voice carrying a subtle edge. I didn't know where I got the courage to say this to him.

I fiddled with my fingers as I took my lower lip into my mouth, biting hard on it. I just hope he doesn't say 'you're f*****g fired, Sophia, and I don't want to see you anywhere close to my daughter Emily!'

But then, after a long moment of silence at Mr. Hemsworth's end, then he responded, it was something close to my earlier thoughts. "Ms. Sophia, in this line of work, there is no room for excuses. If you can't handle the responsibilities, I suggest you reconsider your position."

My initial defiance waned, realizing the weight of his words. "I can handle it, Mr. Hemsworth." I hurriedly spilled out. Could I let such a job with a high pay slip away from my grip? I would be a fool if that eventually happened.

The call ended, leaving me with a mix of emotions. But I reminded myself of the opportunities this job offered and pushed every thought to the back of my head.

**

The morning sun cast a warm glow across the sleek, modern office as I made my way towards Mr Liam Hemsworth's office. I knocked and awaited his permission. He had called a few minutes ago and asked me to be here, and I wondered what was so important he wished for us to discuss.

Anyway, I pushed my thoughts behind me, ready to hear from the horse's mouth. "Come on in, Ms Sophia", I heard his gruff voice.

Mr. Hemsworth, seated behind his imposing desk, glanced up as I entered. His expression, usually stern, suddenly softened to abit. "Ms. Sophia, I've been expecting you. Please, have a seat."

I took a deep breath and, surprised at the sudden change of his cold tone, I settled into the chair opposite him.

Mr. Hemsworth began, his voice carrying a rare vulnerability, "I've had time to reflect on our interactions since you became my assistant, Sophia. I realized I may have been overly demanding, and I want to apologize."

I nodded with my eyes open wide in shock. I was surprised Mr. Hemsworth would be saying these words to me. Did he hit his head on his way to the company this morning? I couldn't help but think as I blinked my eyes rapidly at him. Why is he acting all strange this morning?

I decided to say something since he was eagerly staring at my face, which was kind of odd. "T-Thank you, Mr. Hemsworth. It has been challenging, and I appreciate your acknowledgment of the difficulties. Though, it made me learn faster." I stuttered out a bit with an awkward smile on my lips.

Mr. Hemsworth leaned forward, his hands clasped together. "There's something you should know, Sophia. The reason for my stern demeanor is all tied to a past that has left scars. I've built walls to shield myself, and sometimes, it spills into my professional life. It's not an excuse, just an explanation." Mr. Hemsworth sighed, then continued" It's been long since I saw my dewdrop happy and I want it to continue that way."

I listened, even though I was still curious about why he would be saying all of these words to me. A mere employee! Dewdrop, I knew he was probably referring to Emily.

"I understand you perfectly, Mr. Hemsworth. Even if I wasn't in the same shoes as yours. We all have our reasons for being the way we are," I replied, my gaze meeting him, and it surprisingly lingered for a while before I reluctantly looked away.

"You see"...he continued with an awkward clear of his throat, "Emily sees something in you, Sophia, and I believe having a stable figure in her life is essential. This would be a mutually beneficial arrangement." He hesitated for a second and then said, "what if we were to redefine our professional relationship? ...

...I'm proposing a unique arrangement. Will you become my contracted wife, officially, only for the sake of my daughter?"