One Night Stand With A Billionaire Stranger

Chapter Six: A Shift in Power

Alexander could not help but think about the situation. He sat back in his chair, steepling his fingers together. "Why would Mrs. Ann do something like that? Is it really just because of jealousy? They had worked together for years, what were the odds that she would be jealous of the only woman he had ever been this curious about" He thought about Elora's composure during the meeting and how she had handled the situation with ease. "She's impressive," he thought to himself. "But I still need to find out what she's after and he knew exactly how to use the situation to do that."

After some contemplation, Alexander called Elora into his office. "Elora, I've been impressed with your work and your composure today. I'm making you my new personal assistant, effective immediately," he said, his eyes locked onto hers. Elora's heart skipped a beat. "Thank you, sir. I'm honored."

"Go and arrange your things; you will be moved upstairs."

Elora excitedly walked out of the office. On her way downstairs, she started thinking about why

Alex would make such a move. She wondered what would become of Mrs. Ann—was she being moved to another branch, or had she resigned? She knew the latter was impossible; Mrs. Ann loved that job probably more than she loved her life. She loved being able to boss everyone around, and ruining her day was her favorite part of it all.

While Elora was lost in her thoughts, Jasmine swooped in and pulled her into the ladies' room. " Spill the tea! How did it go?" she inquired anxiously. "How did what go?" "Come on, the meeting with the CEO!" Elora then told her what Alex said. "Yes! My plan worked!" Jasmine exclaimed.

Elora's eyes widened in surprise. "Your plan? What do you mean, Jasmine?"

Jasmine leaned in, a conspiratorial look on her face. "Well, let's just say I decided to speak up on your behalf.

“Okayyy?” Elora asked, her hand gesturing for Jasmine to spill more, her eyes locked on hers with anticipation.

"I've been in this company for quite some time, and one thing everyone knows is that sabotaging a colleague's work just because you don't like the person is enough to get you fired, especially when the project could be of utmost benefit to the company," Jasmine said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Initially, I felt because Mrs. Ann was one of the oldest here, she wouldn't get the same punishment, but I'm surprised she did!

Elora's jaw dropped. "Wow! I had no idea..."

Jasmine shrugged. "Hey, someone's got to keep the wolves at bay around here. And I'm just glad it worked out in your favor. Looks like there's no favoritism here after all – Mrs. Ann got what was coming to her!"

Elora's eyes widened in shock and admiration as she stared at Jasmine. "Wow, Jasmine... I don't know what to say," she stammered, her voice filled with emotion. Jasmine smiled warmly. "Congrats, girl, you deserve it. You've literally been the one doing her job since you came around; it's better you just take it." Elora's gratitude overflowed, and she wrapped her arms around Jasmine in a tight hug. Jasmine patted her back reassuringly. But as soon as Elora felt Jasmine's warmth, her stomach churned, and a wave of nausea washed over her. She pulled away, her hand covering her mouth, and rushed to the bathroom, barely making it to the stall before she threw up. The sudden illness seemed to come out of nowhere, leaving Elora feeling weak and disoriented. She stayed in the stall for a moment, catching her breath and trying to make sense of what had just happened. Was it the stress of the meeting, or something else entirely? "Are you fine?" Jasmine asked, her voice laced with concern, as she handed Elora a paper towel. Elora nodded slowly, still feeling a bit shaky. "I am, I think." Jasmine's expression turned playful. "You should go for a checkup; you might be pregnant, girl," she said with a chuckle, before turning to exit the restroom. Elora's eyes widened as she stood there, frozen in shock. Pregnancy? The thought sent a wave of panic through her. Her career was just starting to take off, and she had worked so hard to get to this point. The idea of it being derailed by a pregnancy was unsettling, to say the least. She knew the possibility was extremely slim, but the seed of doubt had been planted. Elora took a deep breath and tried to shake off the feeling of unease. As she composed herself, Elora couldn't help but wonder if Jasmine's joke might actually be more than just a joke. She pushed the thought aside and exited the restroom, trying to focus on the present moment.

Elora went straight to her desk so as to arrange her things and move upstairs. Just as she was doing so, Mrs. Ann charged towards her angrily.

"What do you think you're doing, you little snake?" Mrs. Ann said, her eyes blazing with fury. "You think you can just waltz in here and steal my job? You think you're worthy of taking my place? You're nothing but a little upstart! I've been doing this job for years, and you're just a flash in the pan.""

"Mrs. Ann, I—"

"Don't even try to speak," Mrs. Ann cut in, her voice rising to a shout. "You're a nothing, a nobody. You're a mediocre little assistant who can't even do her own job properly, let alone mine. And now you're going to be the CEO's personal assistant? It's laughable."

"Mrs. Ann, please—"

"Please?" Mrs. Ann's laughter was cold. "Oh, you don't want everyone to know you've been trying to sleep your way to the top, do you?"

"That's completely untrue and unprofessional. I earned this position based on my skills and hard work, please, do not project your insecurities towards me, Ma’m!" Elora said.

This made Mrs. Ann's anger reach a boiling point, she raised her hand to slap Elora. But before she could make contact, Alexander appeared out of nowhere and grasped her wrist, holding it firmly.

"That's enough, Mrs. Ann," he said, his voice firm and authoritative. "I think it's time for you to leave."

Mrs. Ann's face froze in shock as Alexander held her wrist, her eyes widening in surprise. "Sorry, sir," she said stiffly.

"This isn't over," she whispered to Elora, her eyes flashing with anger.

With a final glance of venom at Elora, Mrs. Ann turned and stormed out of the door. Elora let out a shaky breath, her heart still racing from the confrontation. The way Alexander had stepped in to save her made her heart flutter with a small, tender feeling. She felt a mix of relief and adrenaline as she watched Mrs. Ann leave, Alexander's firm intervention still resonating in her mind.

As soon as Alexander disappeared upstairs, the coworkers' whispers and murmurs erupted into a cacophony of gossip.

"Do you think it's true?" one coworker whispered. "Did Elora really sleep with the boss to get ahead?"

"I don't know, but Mrs. Ann's accusation seemed pretty specific," another coworker replied.

"I doubt it, though," a third coworker chimed in. "She's nothing near his standards. He's always been particular about the people he associates with."

"Yeah, and Elora's not exactly in the same league as the people he usually dates," another coworker added.

The coworkers continued to speculate, their voices hushed but their words piercing. Elora's eyes scanned the room, feeling like a specimen under a microscope. She tried to make sense of the whispers and glances, but her mind was still reeling from the confrontation.

As the gossip continued, Elora's thoughts turned inward. What had she gotten herself into? She had thought this new role would be a fresh start, a chance to prove herself. But now, she wasn't so sure.

The more she thought about it, the more her mind whirled with questions. What had Alexander seen in her that made him step in like that? And what would happen next? Would Mrs. Ann's anger simmer down, or would it boil over into something more?

Elora's gaze drifted to the stairs, wondering what lay ahead. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing thoughts. She knew one thing for sure: she needed to be prepared for whatever came next.