LOVE AND DECIET

CHAPTER THREE

Chapter 3.

“ Fire her! ” Scott blurted and Katherine felt a loud bang in her head as she snapped her head to him.

“ What? ” Katherine and Pete chorused.

“ I think I was pretty clear. ” Scott gritted out.

Katherine looked at her boss who gazed down and she knew had already lost her job. Her heart broke into a million pieces.

She turned abruptly on her heel and rushed out of the room. She ran towards the restroom and opened the door. Once in, she shut the door and pinned her back to it.

Katherine stared up at the ceiling, fighting back her tears which threatened to fall.

' Fire her! ' Those two words kept echoing loud in her ears and Katherine just couldn't hold in it anymore.

She gave up and her tears came rolling down her cheeks. She slipped gently to the floor and palmed her face as she sobbed quietly.

“ Scott, please. Can you just let this go. For old times sake. ”

“ Trust me, it's exactly because of that I am giving you this chance. ”

“ You just asked me to fire my employee and you call that a chance? ”

“ Yes, Pete. And if you are not up to it. Then forget it. ”

“ Scott - ”

“ Have a good day. ” Scott cut in and walked out of the office.

Pete sighed, running a hand over his face.

He had been looking forward to securing this deal with him for a long time and now he could have it but he had to fire his P.A.

And she wasn't just his P.A. She was his best employee so far. He couldn't just fire her. Neither could he lose his deal with Scott. Hell, he felt in f*****g dilemma right now.

Pete shook his head knowing there was only one choice to make and whatever that is going to be... He had to make it fast. The thought had him sighing again as he slumped into his chair.

Katherine sniffed and stood up, she moved her legs to the zinc and ran the tap, washing her hands and face.

Once done, she pulled out a handful of tissue and used it to dry her hands.

Katherine stared at herself in the mirror and sighed.

What's done is done. She thought and exited the restroom. She walked to her desk and pulled out a pen and paper. She scribbled down some words and folded the paper, putting it in an envelope. Then she walked to her boss's door and placed a knock on it.

“ Come in. ” Pete responded and Katherine walked in.

“ Katherine. ” Pete called, standing to his feet.

“ Listen, I am so sorry about what happened. But I am going to talk to him, okay? There is no way I am firing you. ” Pete said and Katherine pulled a smile.

“ I really appreciate you saying that but it would be selfish of me to accept that. You and I both know what good this deal with Scott McCall would be to the company. And I can't sabotage the company's success for mine. And to be fair, What happened was my mistake not yours. So... ” Katherine paused, swallowing the lump in her throat.

She inhaled and exhaled before raising her gaze back up.

“ So I have decided to resign. You know, to make this easier for both of us. ” Katherine said and Pete gazed down, feeling bad.

“ Katherine. I... ”

“ Please accept it. ” She cuts him off and Pete slowly receives the letter.

“ I should go now. ”

“ I will have your things sent to you. ” Pete said and Katherine nodded, turning on her heels.

“ Katherine. ” Pete called and she halted, turning back to him.

“ Thank you. ” He said and Katherine smiled, exiting the office.

Scott McCall looked at his bruised hand as he walked across the alley and he cursed out in anger.

One thing he detests most in his life. Clumsiness! He hated it so much.

The sound of footsteps had him raising his halting on his track and he stared at the P.A.

Katherine stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Scott McCall. She frowned deeply as he dipped his left hand into his pocket.

She continued on her tracks and walked past him and Scott also continued on his tracks.

But then Katherine halted abruptly.

She wasn't just going to let him go home feeling like a champ. First, he ruined her dress. And secondly, he had just made her lose her job. All in one freaking day.

The thought had Katherine clenching her fists as she turned on her heels.

“ You really have no human feelings, do you? ” She blurted, causing Scott to halt on his tracks.

He turned to face her.

“ If this is about your job which is on the line then I would say you pretty much deserved it. You should know better to try getting back at me. ”

“ Getting back at you? I made a mistake and all you could think of was asking my boss to fire me. ”

“ You call it a mistake but do you want to know what I call it? An act of stupidity which is nothing but irritating and annoying and I don't do business with people like that. ” He said.

“ Yeah? But you expect people to work with an asshole like you? ”

“ Excuse me? ” He said, raising his brows.

“ I am pretty sure you heard me. ” Katherine said.

“ Is this really about your job or is there more to it? ”

“ It's about everything, you dimwit! ” Katherine snapped.

“ First, was my dress and now this... I bet you just go around, ruining people's day, don't you? ”

” Okay. Now, I think you are just being pathetic. Cause I recall offering to - ”

“ To what? Compensate me? Yeah right. Offering me money like I am some sort of begger you met on the street? ”

“ I think my intentions were pretty clear, which was to replace your ruined dress. ”

“ Yeah. Well, some things aren't just replaceable! ” Katherine shot back.

“ Listen, I don't have time for this, alright? And don't even come here playing the victim. If nothing, I think we are more than even. ”

“ Even? What are you talking about? ”

“ Please, don't even try playing dumb. We both know you spilled the coffee on purpose to get back at me. You think I didn't notice that silly grin you had on earlier? ” He asked and Katherine scoffed.

“ That was a mistake and unlike you, I don't think everything in life should be seen as a transaction. When you hurt someone... It's only right for you to apologize to them other than thinking you could solve every problem with money. ”

“ Just like not all problems are solved by saying 'sorry.' ” He retorted.

“ True. But the human thing to do when you are wrong is to apologize instead of blaming people or compensating them with money. It's no other than a cowardly thing to do. Not being able to admit your own wrongs. ” Katherine said and Scott moved his mouth to talk but no words formed.

“ But not that a self-conceited, arrogant and rude jerk like you would understand, ” She added, walking past him and leaving Scott fluttering his eyelids in bewilderment.

He scoffed unbelievably, totally taken aback.

Self-conceited and arrogant rude jerk? Really?

He swore no one had ever spoken to him like she just did.

He turned to see her far away in sight and as he watched her, there was only one burning question he so much wanted an answer to.

Who the hell is she?

Katherine arrived home and walked to the door. She glanced at her which had caused her a messy day and she puta it as a reminder to call the mechanic to come pick it up. She climbed on the porch and got to the door.

Katherine inserted the key and opened the lock. She walked in and shut the door behind. Katherine dumped her bag on the sofa and slumped into it.

She recalled her encounter with Scot McCall and a smile crossed her face.

She loved the way she has rendered him speechless by giving him a piece of her mind.

Her smile widened and she relished the victorious feeling tingling inside of her.

She may have lost her job but somehow she was happy.

Katherine sighed and rose to her feet. She started towards the kitchen and grabbed a chilled orange juice from the fridge. She collected a glass cup from the cupboard and opened the juice cap. She decanted the water into the cup and drank from the glass. She exhaled, feeling much more relaxed.

Katherine looked around her kitchen and knew she had to visit the grocery soon. They were barely any food left and she was too tired to even cook.

So she grabbed some cookies from the fridge and strolled out the kitchen together with her juice.

Katherine lowered herself to the couch, placing the cookies on the table and she gently sipped on her drink. Her phone rang and she dropped the glass reaching for it in her bag.

She frowned on seeing the name of the caller. Katherine swiped the call to receive and placed the phone to her ear.

“ What do you want? ” She asked.

“ You really need to come home, Kat. ” The male voice said from the other end.

“ Don't tell me you miss me after kicking me out of your house. ”

“ I didn't kick you out, Katherine. You left. ”

“ And some how that didn't bother you, did it? ”

“ Of course, it did. It's why I want you back home. ”

“ Well I am not going back to that house. ”

“ Kat, please. ”

“ Don't make me look like the victim here. You made your choice when you chose Lizzie over me. ”

“ I didn't - ”

“ Please, Dad. I have had a hell of a morning and the last thing I need is this unpleasant banter. Bye. ” Katherine said, cutting the call. She sighed and grabbed her juice, and drowned the content in one gulp.

She looked around her house and wondered what she could possibly do.

She just lost her job and the thought of how boring the upcoming days will be felt like a nightmare.

“ I need to get a job. ” Katherine murmured. With that, she stood up and juggled up the stairs. She arrived at her room and went to her study table. She opened her laptop and turned it on.

She unlocked it and started surfing the internet. Katherine began to look into companies that had vacancies for a P.A or a business administrator.

Afer so many hours, Katherine's eyes caught something and she stopped scrolling.

J&K investment. A Personal Assistant was needed.

Katherine grinned and quickly emailed her application to the company..

She sighed, leaning back into the chair and waiting to see if she would get a reply.

Katherine waited a couple of minutes but she didn't any. She sighed and was about turning off the computer when a notification popped in. It was an email from the company.

Katherine quickly tapped on it and it said she should come tomorrow, at 8am sharp.

“ Yes! ” She squealed.

Katherine smiled feeling much better at just staring at the message.

She shut her laptop and sighed.

Okay. So what next? Katherine thought.

Right, grocery. She doesn't have much left home.

She wasn't in the mood but she would do anything just to pass the day. With that, Katherine stood up and went grocery shopping.

T.B.C.