The Forbidden Love

Chapter Two

Mark arrived at the company ten minutes late, rushing through the main entrance. As he stepped inside, he accidentally bumped into Nalishebo, who was carefully balancing a tray of coffee. The mugs toppled, shattering across the floor, and hot coffee splashed all over her white second-hand dress, a piece she had proudly picked up at a charity shop just that Saturday. The noise of breaking ceramic drew every eye in the reception area.

“Oops, sorry,” Mark said calmly, kneeling to help her gather the broken pieces.

“You should watch your step, Mr…!” she exclaimed, glaring at him. “And don’t think saying ‘sorry’ will fix my coffee, the broken mugs, or my ruined dress!”

Everyone present turned to stare at Nalishebo, surprised by the boldness of her words. After all, she was yelling at the CEO himself.

Towela, one of the company’s longest-serving secretaries, quickly stepped in to prevent the situation from escalating. “My gosh! What is going on here? Nalishebo, when did you stop being polite?” she scolded, then turned to Mark with a warm, respectful smile. “Good morning, sir. I’m so sorry for the chaos. Please allow me to finish picking up the pieces.”

“Thank you, Mama Towela. I’ll take my leave. Please excuse me.” Mark replied, giving Nalishebo barely a glance as he walked away.

Once he disappeared from the reception area, Towela leaned close to Nalishebo and whispered, “Do you know what you’ve done?”

“What? I mean… he bumped into me—it’s his fault the mugs broke. You should scold him, not me!” Nalishebo shot back defensively.

Towela’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Are you out of your mind, young lady? Where are your manners? That young man you were yelling at is the CEO’s son! You should count yourself lucky you still have a job.”

Nalishebo’s jaw dropped. “What… what? Oh my God! Seriously? I… I didn’t know! This is my first time seeing him. Mama Towela, what am I going to do now? What a morning…” She shook visibly, fear and regret mixing in her expression.

Towela softened slightly but remained firm. “Go to him and apologize. He’s not heartless,there’s no harm in trying.”

Nalishebo sighed, fiddling with her fingers. “Mama Towela, I didn’t mean the words I said. He bumped into me badly,

I almost got burned by the coffee. That’s why I reacted that way.”

“Even so,” Towela replied, “that doesn’t give you the right to speak like that, even to someone you don’t know.”

“You’re right,” Nalishebo admitted. “I shouldn’t have let my temper get the best of me. I’ll go apologize, just as you said. I have to get back to my office now—please excuse me.”

“Go ahead, dear. I’ll see you at lunchtime,” Towela said kindly.

All morning, Nalishebo couldn’t focus. Every time she tried to concentrate, her thoughts circled back to the incident. How should she apologize? Would he forgive her, or dismiss her as a careless employee? She shook her head, trying to force herself to focus on her work, but it was no use.

At lunchtime, she hadn’t moved from her desk. Her eyes and fingers hovered over her laptop when a knock interrupted her thoughts.

“Please, come in—the door is open,” she said, looking up to see her friend Tamara. Tamara, her confidante and workmate, had a medium build, fair complexion, long hair, and dimples that appeared whenever she smiled. She was beautiful, kindhearted, and had impeccable fashion sense.

“Hey, Tamara! I’m glad to see you,” Nalishebo said, managing a weak smile.

“Hey, Nalishebo! Good to see you too. Lunchtime already, and you’re still stuck at your desk? What’s going on?”

“Just paperwork,” Nalishebo muttered. “I need to finish this in case our new boss asks for it.”

“So… you’re skipping lunch?”

“I guess so.”

Tamara tilted her head, smirking. “Let me go order for both of us. We can eat here. How does that sound?”

“That’s very kind of you,” Nalishebo replied, relieved.

Tamara noticed her friend’s tense expression. “Nalishebo, why are you so moody?”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” Nalishebo muttered. “Look at my dress first.”

Tamara’s eyes widened. “Oh my goodness! What happened?”

“I can’t leave my office because the CEO’s son bumped into me this morning. The coffee I was carrying spilled everywhere.”

“Oh! That explains it. No wonder you’ve been stuck here all morning,” Tamara chuckled softly.

Nalishebo groaned. “That’s not all, I lashed out at him. Never knew him, but I still said some harsh words. I’m lucky I’m not fired yet.”

“Did you apologize?” Tamara asked.

“Not yet,” Nalishebo admitted, biting her lip. “I’m trying to figure out how to do it without looking foolish.”

“Then what are you waiting for? Go apologize already. Mama Towela said the same thing.”

“I… you’re right,” Nalishebo muttered, standing. “Please pray for me. Don’t forget to order lunch while I’m gone.” She straightened her dress, knocked lightly on the CEO’s door, and heard a calm voice reply, “Please, come in.”

Her heart raced as she opened the door and stepped inside. She closed it behind her and stood silently, head down, beside the desk.

Mark looked up from his papers, his voice calm and even. “How can I help you?”

“Good afternoon, sir,” Nalishebo stammered, twisting her fingers nervously. “I… I came to apologize for how I acted this morning. Please forgive me.”

Mark cleared his throat, leaning back slightly. “Apology accepted, but on one condition.”

“And… what’s the condition, sir? Are you firing me?” she asked, eyes wide with panic.

“Not at all. How could you even think that? No, fire you over a misunderstanding? Never. The condition is this: starting today, you will be my secretary.”

Nalishebo’s mouth fell open. “Is that… really it, sir? When do I start?”

“You start now,” Mark replied gently. “Move your things into the office next to mine. And… sorry about your dress.” He reached for his wallet, but she quickly waved him off.

“No, sir. It’s fine,” she said, smiling nervously. She left the office, closing the door behind her, her heart racing with relief and excitement.

She couldn’t believe she had feared him for no reason. Not only was he kindhearted, but his handsome face matched the warmth of his demeanor. Nalishebo wondered… working with him could be easier and perhaps more exciting,than she had ever imagined.