ONLY HIS ASSISTANT...
2726 Words
Amara Cole had always been good at pretending.
She had learned it early.
She learned to smile when she was worried so Noah would not panic.
She learned to laugh when money was tight so life would not feel so heavy.
She learned to say I'm fine even when she wasn't.
But that morning, smiling was difficult.
Damian Blackwood had called her his assistant.
Nothing more.
She had known that, of course.
Technically, that was exactly what she was.
His employee.
His executive assistant.
A woman whose salary came from his company and whose job depended on his instructions.
So why did hearing it hurt?
Amara sat at her desk outside his office, staring at the computer screen without actually seeing it.
Her fingers rested on the keyboard.
A report waited to be finished.
Emails waited to be answered.
A meeting schedule needed to be reorganized.
But all she could hear was Damian's voice.
You're my assistant.
Her chest tightened.
She had asked him a simple question.
Why did Elias matter to him?
Why did he care if she accepted Elias?
Damian had looked at her.
And instead of telling her the truth—
He had reminded her of her place.
Amara took a slow breath.
“Fine,” she whispered.
If he wanted professional distance, she could give it to him.
She was very good at adapting.
So she straightened her shoulders.
Picked up her coffee.
And started working.
Exactly as Miss Cole.
Executive assistant.
Nothing more.
---
Inside his office, Damian had not completed a single task in the last forty minutes.
He had opened the same email three times.
Read it.
Closed it.
Then opened it again.
His attention remained on the glass door.
Amara hadn't spoken to him since leaving his office.
Normally, she would have entered at least twice by now.
Once to correct his schedule.
Once to annoy him.
Once for absolutely no reason.
But today—
Nothing.
Damian looked at the clock.
Ten forty-two.
He pressed the intercom.
“Amara.”
“Yes, Mr. Blackwood?”
He frowned.
The answer was immediate.
Too formal.
“Come in.”
A few seconds later, the door opened.
Amara walked in carrying a tablet.
“You called, sir?”
There it was again.
Sir.
Damian hated it.
He leaned back in his chair.
“Sit.”
She sat.
“You don't have to call me sir.”
Amara blinked.
“I don't?”
“No.”
“Okay, Mr. Blackwood.”
His eyes narrowed.
She looked innocent.
“What's the problem?”
“Nothing.”
“Then why did you call me?”
Damian hesitated.
Because suddenly, he realized—
He had absolutely no reason.
“I need the Henderson report.”
She handed it to him immediately.
“It was already on your desk.”
He looked down.
The report was directly in front of him.
Amara's eyebrows rose.
Damian cleared his throat.
“I know.”
She waited.
He said nothing.
“Anything else?”
“No.”
She stood.
“Have a good morning, Mr. Blackwood.”
“Amara.”
She stopped.
He looked at her.
“Are you angry?”
Her expression didn't change.
“No.”
“Don't lie.”
A small smile appeared on her face.
The professional one.
“I learned from the best.”
Damian stared.
Then she left.
He sat silently.
His grandfather's voice suddenly came to his mind.
You may be a genius at business, but emotionally, you're an i***t.
Damian had hated that statement.
Unfortunately—
It was beginning to feel accurate.
---
By lunchtime, everyone on the executive floor could sense the tension.
Mr. Harris walked toward Amara's desk cautiously.
“Are you okay?”
Amara smiled.
“Perfect.”
He looked toward Damian's office.
“Is he angry?”
“When is he not?”
Harris nodded.
“Fair.”
Amara continued working.
“Why?”
“Because he called me into his office three times this morning.”
She looked up.
“He did?”
“Yes.”
“And?”
“He had no reason.”
Amara smiled slightly.
“That sounds like Damian.”
Harris leaned closer.
“Actually, no.”
She frowned.
“What do you mean?”
“He only does that when something is bothering him.”
Amara's expression changed.
“Maybe the company is bothering him.”
Harris laughed nervously.
“No. I mean…”
He stopped.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“Mr. Harris.”
He sighed.
“Forget it.”
Amara narrowed her eyes.
But before she could question him, her phone vibrated.
Her smile changed.
This one was real.
Damian saw it.
From behind the glass wall.
His eyes immediately dropped to her phone.
Elias.
Again.
Amara read the message.
ELIAS: Lunch? I know you're busy, but I can bring food to you.
Amara stared at the message.
Then looked toward Damian's office.
He was watching.
She quickly looked away.
A strange part of her wanted to make him jealous.
She hated that part of herself.
But another part—
The hurt part—
Wanted Damian to understand what he had done.
So she replied.
AMARA: Okay. I'm free in thirty minutes.
Damian watched her smile at the screen.
His jaw tightened.
Then he stood.
---
“Amara.”
She looked up.
“Yes?”
“Come with me.”
She blinked.
“Where?”
“Lunch.”
She stared.
“What?”
“Lunch.”
“You're asking me to lunch?”
“No.”
She almost laughed.
Damian's expression was serious.
“Then what are you doing?”
“I'm telling you we're going to lunch.”
“I already have plans.”
His eyes sharpened.
“With Elias.”
She slowly stood.
“Yes.”
“Cancel.”
Amara stared at him.
The entire executive floor suddenly became very quiet.
“Excuse me?”
“Cancel it.”
Her eyebrows lifted.
“You cannot be serious.”
“I am.”
“You want me to cancel my lunch?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
He hesitated.
The question again.
Why?
Damian looked at her.
She waited.
He had an answer.
He knew exactly what he wanted to say.
Because he didn't want her spending her time with Elias.
Because every time Elias came near her, Damian became irrationally angry.
Because Elias knew how to make Amara smile.
Because Elias could give her everything Damian didn't know how to give.
But he couldn't say it.
Not yet.
So instead—
“Because I need you.”
Amara froze.
The words slipped out before he could stop them.
Damian's expression hardened immediately.
“I need you at work.”
Her face changed.
Of course.
Work.
Always work.
Amara slowly shook her head.
“No.”
Damian blinked.
“What?”
“I said no.”
“You're refusing an instruction?”
“Yes.”
His eyes narrowed.
“Amara.”
“My lunch break is my own time.”
“You're my assistant.”
The words came out again.
And immediately—
Damian regretted them.
Amara's expression went cold.
“Exactly.”
The single word carried more anger than shouting ever could.
She grabbed her bag.
“Where are you going?”
“To lunch.”
“With Elias?”
She looked directly at him.
“Yes.”
Damian stepped closer.
“Amara.”
“What?”
“Don't.”
Her eyes searched his.
“Why?”
Silence.
Again.
She shook her head.
“Exactly.”
Then she walked away.
Damian watched the elevator doors close.
His chest tightened.
He had lost.
Not in business.
Not in a negotiation.
But somehow, that felt worse.
Because Amara hadn't simply refused him.
She had chosen to leave with another man.
And Damian had nobody to blame except himself.
---
Elias arrived fifteen minutes later.
He was carrying a paper bag filled with food.
Amara smiled when she saw him.
“There you are.”
“You look like you've had a terrible morning.”
“Is it that obvious?”
“To me.”
She sighed.
They walked toward a small park a few minutes away from the company.
Amara sat beside him on a bench.
Elias handed her food.
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
“Amara.”
She sighed.
“Damian.”
Elias's expression remained calm.
“What did he do?”
“He called me his assistant.”
Elias frowned.
“You are his assistant.”
“I know.”
“Then why did it upset you?”
She looked down.
“Because of how he said it.”
Elias was quiet.
Amara continued.
“I asked him why he cared about you.”
Elias's eyes softened.
“And?”
“He couldn't answer.”
“So he reminded you that you work for him.”
“Yes.”
Elias shook his head slowly.
“He's afraid.”
Amara looked up.
“Of what?”
“You.”
She laughed.
“Damian Blackwood is not afraid of me.”
“Yes, he is.”
“Elias.”
“Amara, some people become colder when they feel something they can't control.”
She stared at him.
“And you think that's Damian?”
“I think he doesn't know what to do with his feelings.”
Amara looked away.
“Maybe he doesn't have feelings for me.”
Elias became quiet.
She looked at him.
He smiled faintly.
“You really believe that?”
“I don't know.”
Elias reached for his drink.
“Well, I know one thing.”
“What?”
“You deserve someone who doesn't make you guess.”
The words hit her.
Hard.
Because she knew he was right.
Damian's jealousy.
His protectiveness.
The lunches.
The way he remembered things about her.
The way he watched her.
None of it mattered if he continued denying everything.
Amara lowered her eyes.
“I know.”
Elias looked at her.
“I won't pressure you.”
Her lips curved slightly.
“You never do.”
“Because I care about you.”
Her heart softened.
“And I care about you too.”
Elias smiled.
But this time, there was something sad behind it.
Because they both knew—
That wasn't the same thing.
---
Back at Blackwood Holdings, Damian was in a terrible mood.
No one spoke to him.
No one volunteered to enter his office.
And when one executive asked a simple question during a meeting, Damian stared at him until the poor man forgot what he had planned to say.
Harris finally walked into his office.
“Sir?”
“What?”
“Miss Cole is back.”
Damian immediately looked up.
Then realized what he had done.
His expression became blank again.
“I didn't ask.”
“No.”
Harris hesitated.
“Should I send her in?”
Damian wanted to say yes.
Immediately.
Instead—
“No.”
Harris stared.
“Are you sure?”
Damian looked at him.
“Do you want to be fired?”
“No, sir.”
“Then leave.”
Harris quickly disappeared.
Five minutes passed.
Damian stared at his phone.
Another five minutes.
Then—
“Amara.”
Her voice came through the intercom.
“Yes, Mr. Blackwood?”
His jaw tightened.
“Come in.”
She entered.
“Did you enjoy your lunch?”
The question came out before he could stop himself.
Amara stared.
“Yes.”
“With Elias?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
She raised an eyebrow.
Damian looked away.
“Anything else?”
“You're late.”
“My lunch break ended three minutes ago.”
“Still late.”
She smiled slightly.
“Of course.”
Damian looked at her.
She looked different.
Calmer.
Like lunch had helped.
Like Elias had helped.
The thought irritated him.
“Did he ask you again?”
Her smile disappeared.
“Ask me what?”
“To give him a chance.”
Amara stared.
Damian realized too late that he sounded almost desperate.
She slowly folded her arms.
“Why do you keep asking?”
He stood.
She watched him walk around the desk.
He stopped in front of her.
Too close.
“Answer me.”
Amara's heart raced.
“No.”
Damian's shoulders relaxed.
Then she continued.
“I told him I need time.”
His eyes darkened.
“How much time?”
She looked directly at him.
“I don't know.”
“You might say yes.”
“Yes.”
Damian became completely still.
The room seemed suddenly smaller.
Amara's voice softened.
“I might.”
Something in his expression changed.
For the first time—
She saw fear.
Real fear.
But it disappeared quickly.
Damian stepped back.
“Fine.”
Amara stared at him.
“Fine?”
“Yes.”
“You're fine with that?”
He looked at her.
“No.”
Her breath caught.
Damian realized what he had said.
But this time—
He didn't take it back.
“No,” he repeated quietly.
Amara's heart pounded.
The air between them became heavy.
“Then why?”
Her voice was almost a whisper.
Damian looked at her.
He wanted to say it.
Just one sentence.
Because I don't want you with him.
It would be easy.
Simple.
Honest.
But for Damian Blackwood, honesty was dangerous when it involved feelings.
His hand tightened at his side.
“I don't know.”
Amara's face fell.
Of course.
She stepped away.
“You never know.”
“Amara—”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“You don't get to be jealous.”
His expression hardened.
“I know.”
“You don't get to follow me.”
“I know.”
“You don't get to tell me who I should see.”
“I know.”
“Then stop.”
Damian was silent.
Amara's voice cracked slightly.
“And stop making me think that maybe…”
She stopped.
Damian's eyes stayed on her.
“Maybe what?”
She looked away.
“Nothing.”
“Amara.”
She shook her head.
“Forget it.”
She walked toward the door.
“Amara.”
She stopped.
Damian's voice was quiet.
“I don't want you to say yes to him.”
Her hand remained on the door.
She slowly turned.
The entire world seemed to stop.
Damian stared at her.
His expression was serious.
Raw.
Honest.
For once, he wasn't hiding behind anger.
Amara's heart raced.
“Why?”
There it was.
The question that always ruined everything.
Why?
Damian looked at her.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then he walked toward her.
One step.
Then another.
Until he was standing directly in front of her.
Amara's breath caught.
His voice dropped.
“Because…”
His eyes fell briefly to her lips.
Then returned to her eyes.
“Because I don't want you to.”
Amara's chest tightened.
“That isn't an answer.”
“I know.”
“Then give me one.”
Damian's jaw tightened.
She waited.
He had nothing.
Nothing he was ready to say.
Amara slowly nodded.
“I thought so.”
She opened the door.
“Amara.”
She stopped but didn't turn around.
His voice was barely above a whisper.
“Don't say yes yet.”
Her fingers tightened around the handle.
“Why?”
Damian closed his eyes.
Because he needed time.
Because he needed to understand what he was feeling.
Because for the first time in his life, Damian Blackwood was terrified that someone might leave before he had the courage to ask them to stay.
But instead of saying any of that—
He whispered,
“Just… don't.”
Amara stood there for a moment.
Then she turned around.
Her eyes met his.
“Figure out what you want, Damian.”
Her voice was calm.
“But don't expect me to wait forever while you do.”
Then she walked out.
This time, Damian didn't call her back.
He simply stood there.
Alone.
And for the first time in his life—
The man who had always known exactly how to get what he wanted had finally understood the problem.
Wanting Amara was not enough.
If he wanted her—
He would have to risk telling her why.
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD