The CEO’s Secretary

Episode3

Queeneth stared at her blank phone for a couple of, the message blurring through her tears.

“I’ll wait. No matter how long it takes.”

He had the audacity to say that to her after everything. After disappearing from her life when she needed him the most. After hiding behind the screen, pretending to be a different person, only to come back and destroy the peace she has fought so hard to build over the years.

She was so deeply in thought, when a knock on the door startled her.

She quickly wiped her eyes with the back of her left hand, straightened her blouse, and sat upright, arranging her desk“Come in”

It was Emelda

Emelda, her colleague and her closest friend in the office, stepped in, glancing at her,” What's wrong with you? You look like you've seen a ghost “

Queeneth took in a deep breath,” I'm fine… just tired “

Emelda closed the door, stepped a little closer to her, and folded her arms. “Don't lie to me, I saw you and that man talking at the reception, and everything seems off, who is he?”

Queeneth looked away, her lips shaking. “His name is Denise. We… knew each other a long time ago”

“And?” Emelda asked curiously,”knew each other?The way you were looking at him, it's more than just knowing each other, spill already.”

Queeneth sighed.” Well, his Rejoice Father” she whispered, Emelda is the only one who knows about this secret at her workplace because she stays in the same estate with her.

Emelda opened her mouth in shock.”what?!”

She nodded with her eyes filled with tears.”He was my first love. We were just teenagers. He abandoned me when I got pregnant and never looked back “

Emelda stood beside her, surprised.”And he's working with us now?”

“He is George's friend. Can you imagine?” Queeneth said slowly, her voice full of disbelief “he's been the same anonymous lover I have been texting on my blog for some time now.”

Emelda continuously blinked”wait. What?!”

“Denise is anonymous lover” Queeneth said, her voice breaking,” I didn't know, he didn't know at first either”

Emelda grabbed her hand and held it tightly.” This is insane, girlfriend. Are you sure you're good?”

Queeneth giggled bitterly. “Okay?No. I feel like there's a burning sensation going on inside of me. Every time I think I have healed, something finds a way to rip the wound wide open again.”

Emelda stared at her out of pity and remained silent for a while, then spoke gently.” Do you want him to be part of Rejoice's life?”

Queeneth swallowed hard. That question cut deep into her more than any other thing, she remembered how Rejoice often disturbs her about revealing her dad’s identity “No Emelda. I'm not ready for all of that, I'm the only person she needs and has known all her life, I mean he left even before she was born.”

Emelda nodded slowly.” Then don't rush yourself. You have every right to take your time.”

Another knock on the door, it was heavier this time.

“Who might that be?” Queeneth asked slowly, while walking towards the door.

She opened the door. George walked in wearing a smiling face” ladies am I interrupting anything?”

Queeneth forced a smile. “Of course not, sir. “

“Great,” George said, stepping inside. “I need you both in the conference room in ten minutes. We’re starting on the new contract briefing.”

Emelda stood. “I’ll get my files.”

George’s gaze lingered on Queeneth for a moment. “Are you okay, Queeneth? You look… shaken.”

“I’m good, sir,” she replied with a voice almost shaking.

George nodded his head, but wasn't satisfied with her response because obviously everything seemed off.

Emelda turned and gave Queeneth a look. “Your boss likes you. Just saying.”

Queeneth scoffed. “Don’t start.”

“Just saying,” Emelda said with a grin before walking out.

Queeneth sighed, pulled herself together again, and followed shortly after. The meeting room was already half full when she arrived.

George was at the head of the table, giving out instructions on the upcoming project they're working on with so much authority and power as always. Denise was sitting at the right side of the conference room, looking lustfully at Queeneth as she walked in, but she refused to meet his eye.

The only space left for her to sit was directly opposite him. She got seated and focused on the notepad in front of her.

George began. “This contract is a major one. It’s with the Mavis Tech Group. It could elevate our firm’s status in the entire West Coast if we handle it well. Denise will be co-leading the strategy design and client engagement. Queeneth, you’ll be managing the documentation, scheduling, and follow-through.”

Her heart sank.

Working with him this closely? God, help me.

She nodded slightly.

George continued with details, but her mind was far from the room. Every time Denise spoke, her skin crawled. Every time his eyes found hers, she looked away. The room was full of words and plans and figures, but inside her, all she felt was pressure—heavy and suffocating.

The meeting ended an hour later. People filed out in groups, murmuring about deadlines and strategies. George was stopped by another staff member. Queeneth tried to leave quickly, but she was barely two steps away before Denise blocked her path.

“Queeneth,” he said softly. “Can we talk, please? Just five minutes.”

“Denise,I have nothing more to say to you.” She said, looking straight into his eyes.

“Please. “Just listen to me”. He pleaded.

She placed her left hand on her waist. “Fine. Five minutes, make it snappy.”

They walked quietly to the rooftop, where the eyes and ears of their fellow colleagues wouldn't come across. Queeneth quickly closed the door behind her and turned sharply.

“Denise. What else do you want from me? You said you wanted to be in Rejoice’s life. I said I don’t know. What else?”

“I want to right my wrongs” he said quickly.”I know you feel hurt.I know I abandoned you. But I didn’t stop thinking about you. When I found your blog… it felt like a second chance.”

“That blog was my escape,” she snapped. “My pain, my story. You don’t get to turn it into your redemption arc.”

He looked hurt. “It was never my intention to hurt you. I just… I felt close to you again. Like maybe God was giving me a shot to fix my sins.”

Queeneth laughed bitterly. “And now what? You expect us to pick up where we left off?”

“No,” he said quickly. “I just want to start over. From the beginning. As your friend. As Rejoice’s father.”

She looked at him for a few minutes. “Do you even know her favorite things to do? Her favorite cartoon? Her favorite lullaby?”

“No… not yet,” he admitted.

“Then you don’t get to call yourself her father yet,” she said firmly. “Because I stayed. I fed her. I raised her. I cried when she had her first fever. I read to her every night. Me. Alone.”

Her eyes was filled with tears, but she held them back this time,

“Queeneth, I'm sorry,” Denise said slowly. “But I'm ready to know them now, please give me the opportunity.”

She walked past him. “I’ll think it through”

He didn’t follow.

As she returned to her office, she found George waiting by her door. His expression is unreadable.

“Hi Queeneth,” He said” I came to know how you're doing” You’ve been off since morning.”

Queeneth hesitated, unsure what to say. “Just… old memories showing up unexpectedly.”

George nodded slowly. “If it’s personal, I won’t intrude. But I would be here, in case you ever want to talk about it.”

George’s concern lifted her spirit a bit and she smiled. “Thank you.”

He smiled back, softer this time. “You’re one of my best staff, Queeneth. I care about you. Not just because you’re diligent with your work “

She blinked, surprised to hear those words from her boss, but before she could say a word, George's phone buzzed.” I will be back again, “ he said before leaving the office.

Alone again, Queeneth sank back into her chair.

She didn’t know what scared her more—Denise trying to come back into her life…

…or the fact that George, her boss, just admitted he cared about her.

And for the first time in years, she didn’t know who to trust with her heart.