The Irresistible Billionaire

Chapter 10

"Hmm..." I hummed after a sip of caffeine in the morning, my eyes closed.

Then I heard a deep chuckle.

When I opened my eyes, I found Stefano looking at me in amusement as he took a bite of his breakfast.

"Sorry, it's just that I get too engrossed in the feeling whenever I drink coffee," I cleared up with a wince, placing the mug down and shrugging.

"Who doesn't?" he replied and copied the way I sipped my coffee, causing me to laugh at him. "How long have you been working for Mr. Miles, if you don't mind me asking?"

"It'll be two years next month," I answered, fixing my hairband. "Still new, but for the record, the only one who lasted that long."

"Really?"

"Sir Johnny's been a CEO for three years only, and he changed his secretary more than a hundred times before I came," I explained, owning it as a compliment for myself. "His mother put me on the chair, and I fit right in. Because I have no interest in him. I'm right for the job."

He arched his eyebrow. His aura was too bright that I couldn’t read what he was thinking at all. It's like whatever happens in the world, that smile won't leave his face.

"What about you?"

"What about me?"

"How long have you been in the city? Because... I can't believe myself, but I agree with my boss—I haven't heard your name before," I grimaced, recalling that I even boasted about him to Johnny when he was being declined.

The only thing I know is that Tamara was the one who introduced a contractor from a builder company and made a deal with herself, then introduced Stefano as the company's best.

My curiosity wasn't enough for me to search him up, but rather, I'd like to naturally ask him myself since he looks like the type to tell a tale about himself.

"Well, uh... I've been in the industry for eight years now and I've made at least forty structures, including villas and housings, a couple buildings," he began, licking the icing from the side of his lips. "My greatest creation was the one in Miami. But none of it would be great if it wasn't for my team."

Down to earth. How is he so nice and kind? He's too good to be true.

"The agency I'm in was great at promoting my works, so... I feel honored to be called the best," he said, finishing off the last bite of his breakfast.

I sat there gawking at him like he was telling me a bedtime story, but the thing is, I'd be wide awake while listening to him until the end.

"I came from Miami, so... maybe that's the reason why Manhattan people don't know anything about me," he chortled, placing a palm on his chest. "I mean, there are a lot of better architects than me. But I'm moved that you said I'm the best even when you don't know me."

My nostrils grew bigger, remembering the exact same words that came out of my mouth that day.

There must be a lice on my head, and it's suddenly itching.

Letting out a shaky, guilty chuckle, I sunk into my chair. "Yeah, about that..."

"Don't get me wrong, I was really touched that someone unfamiliar with me would take my side," he added, easing my awkwardness. "I think you and Mr. Miles are close?"

"He's actually a bit more than just acquainted with a lot of people. He thinks everyone's in love with him," I muttered, and I know I'm not exaggerating.

"Yes, I've witnessed it myself."

"It wasn't what you think that was," I immediately objected, eyes wide and hands shaking negatively. "It's in his nature to test my patience and do all those teasing and stuff, but that's just Johnny being Johnny."

"And you hate him?"

I protruded my lips and nodded my head. "He pays me right—more if he asks me to do anything extra—so it's a push-and-pull situation between me and my boss," I replied.

"If you're not aware, the whole department was talking about your fight with Mr. Miles yesterday," he brought up, and my ass felt hot against my seat. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry."

Waving my hand in the air, I dismissed it like it didn't matter—when it was a big deal for me. "That's nothing, he acts like a kid sometimes, and Auntie Tamara told me to be a mother to him."

"You're close with her?" he asked, as if that was a weird thing.

"She's my angel," I admitted. There was nothing to hide about it. "She helped me with a lot of things."

He nodded, but his eyes said he’s got a lot of thoughts in his head. Things I couldn't read even when they were written on his face.

Now my curiosity rose up to twelve percent.

I was about to open a topic when a familiar bodacious figure of a cranky, handsome man entered the café like it was his house and he could just barge in with heavy marching.

He's in his all-black getup, making me think he brought the darkness of hell with him while I watched him scan the whole place with his brooding eyes.

"Isn't that Mr. Miles?" Stefano asked, following the direction I was looking.

My eyes flew to my wrist, and my face lit in both amusement and surprise that he's early. What kind of food did he eat that he's going to work so early?

Never in those days I've worked for him did he show up to work on time. He's always late, tardy, or never shows up at all.

It's all wonders to me—until he locked gazes with me and began stomping toward my direction with an obvious distaste on his face.

"Well, hello," he sardonically greeted, teeth gritted, shifting gazes between me and Stefano. "How's the coffee?"

"Morning, Mr. Miles!" Stefano cheered.

Johnny threw him a death glare but offered a sinister smile. "Good morning," he slowly uttered. It was softly enunciated, like he meant otherwise. Then he looked at me. "What time do you think it is, Cassidy?"

I checked my watch again. "There's still—"

"Right. Late for work." He cut me off.

"But—"

"I'll be in the car. You know what I hate," he said, and by that, he started walking away from our table.

I stared, watching his ass being defined by the slacks he wore, processing what kind of fart he inhaled this morning and why his mood was sour again.

Johnny stopped walking and looked over at me when he noticed I wasn't following him.

"Cassidy," he called through gritted teeth, like my name flicked me awake, and I was fumbling for my purse.

"I'll see you later," I told Stefano, who just simply simpered at me and nodded while I stumbled on my heels to pick up Johnny's pace.

He’d reached his car while I hummed at the door I was pushing open.

"Ma'am, it says pull," the man by the door said.

"Oh," I muttered before doing so and hurriedly tried to open Johnny's car door on the passenger side, but it was locked. "Sir?" I knocked on the window.

He rolled it down, slowly revealing the gloomy expression on his face. "Give me one reason why I have to let you in my car."

Seriously? "You asked me to follow you, sir?" I prevented myself from scoffing.

"Why were you with him? Didn't I make myself clear last time that I don't want to see you interacting with that guy?" he demanded while scowling at me.

"I—"

"Get in the damn car," he exhaled sharply, releasing the lock.

Almost making a face, I hopped in and didn't dare speak the whole ride until we were inside the elevator.

There was this thick silence between us while we stood side by side in the elevator, and the only thing that saved me from losing my ears was the elevator music that was being played on repeat.

The building was still empty, with only a few of the early birds present at the moment.

I clutched my purse with me as we exited the elevator. I followed behind him until I reached my desk and he entered his office with a slam of the door.

"Menopausal," I muttered, tossing my bag on my table and was about to sit my ass on the chair when his door suddenly opened and his head peeped out.

"What are you doing there?" he questioned.

"Start working, sir?"

"I meant you to follow me into my office. Don't you get the hint? I was—" he cut words with a groan, pinching the bridge of his tall nose. "In my office, now." He then slammed his door once more like he wanted it broken.

Making a face, I mocked the way he talked before putting on a straight face and entered his office.

"What did I say about knocking?" he uttered as soon as I stepped in.

My patience was running low. I'm just more professional at handling it than he is.

I stepped out to follow his "rules and regulations" even though he's already expecting me, but he yelled at me to come close.

What's with the hot and cold mood? Does he want me to give him a hard whack on the back of his head?

"Coffee, sir?" I offered, enduring his stare that was putting holes in my face as he stood by his table, with his lower back leaned on its edge. "Are you just going to stare at me? Tell me what to do, sir."

"If I told you to strip naked and go on all fours, would you do it?" he frankly burst out, taking me aback. "I told you that I don't want to see you with—"

"We were just having coffee."

"You don't cut me off." He lifted his forefinger and pointed it at me. "I've been here in my office waiting for you to show up, and then—" he grumbled, cutting himself off once more and distressingly yanked his hair.

"I don't see why you're mad about it," I said straightforwardly, causing his neck to snap in my direction.

"My personal choices aren’t your business, sir. And I'm always on time going to work—never earlier than eight, never later than eight. Besides, there was no work I’ve left you to do that was making any progress. You sit there on your chair for a minute and you're already crying like a pup," I added.

Was that harsh? If it’s reality, yes, it is. But in terms of not losing my job, my money, and my mission, I should’ve been more careful.

He fell silent. Just like what happened yesterday.

Johnny's eyes were staring at me, calculating the situation in his mind.

"Am I getting fired?" I asked, and stood there frozen, guard up, until he suddenly advanced toward me like some kind of yeti wanting to eat me.

I saw fire in his eyes and I didn’t understand why.

Why is he acting this way? Why is he being like this?

He said that I'm the one being difficult, but does he ever realize that he's more than just difficult to get?

"Maybe," he said, picking up something from behind me and throwing it at me, causing my shoulder to raise. "Best believe his free caffeine in the morning was more worth it than what I bought for you," he said before charging to his swivel chair.

I looked down at my feet, where I found a beautiful bouquet of white roses. Some of the petals had scattered on the carpeted floor.