The President's Captive Love

JRV LOGISTICS A young woman dressed in an oversized long-sleeved white cotton shirt, layered over with a thick cream-colored coat, and a brown plaid skirt that extended below her knees. Her frizzy brown hair was loosely gathered, and her thick glasses took up nearly half of her face. She carried a satchel and a stack of work files as she got off the bus, stepping into the large logistics company, ranked among the top three in the country, with an awkward demeanor. Many employees looked at her with amusement, while others looked past her as if she were invisible. Only Uncle Wit, the security guard, approached to help. "Can I give you a hand, Miss Praewa?" "Thanks a lot, Uncle Wit," she replied with a polite smile, but with too many items in her hands, she allowed him to help carry some. "You're here early today." "Yes, I need to hurry and finish the remaining work." Once in the elevator, she pressed the top floor. Praewa chatted casually with Uncle Wit. Since she often stayed late at the company, she would kindly bring snacks for the security staff, making them fond of her and always willing to help. The elevator doors opened to reveal a long corridor, tastefully decorated. Pictures adorned the walls, and vases of flowers were placed throughout. One side of the floor housed a large conference room, a lounge, and private rooms for senior staff, while the other side was the office of the company president, 'Onyx.' "You can place it on the table." The young woman said as she placed the large stack of files on the desk. She adjusted the items on the table to make them neat and tidy before turning to thank the kind security guard. "Thank you so much, you've been a great help." "You're welcome. Work hard today." "You too." She gave a sweet smile. The security guard nodded slightly. Even though some might see the young woman as awkward, her genuine and kind nature made him fond of her more than those who were only beautiful on the outside but dark inside. Praewa's desk was positioned right outside the company president's office, as she served as his secretary. Praewa started working at this company right after graduating at the age of 21 as a general employee. Her adept problem-solving skills earned her a promotion to secretary for Onyx, who was then just beginning to learn the ropes as the vice president of the company. Throughout nearly four years of working with Onyx, it has been a rather demanding time. Since he is a reserved person, she always has to observe his expressions and demeanor and ensure everything is in order before anyone is caught off guard by the young president's icy gaze. Praewa opened the work files, checked the issues reported, and jotted them down in her personal notebook. There were also accounts, contract documents, and budget proposals that needed to be approved by Onyx. As the time approached nearly 9 a.m., the sound of expensive leather shoes tapping on the marble floor of the hallway echoed, snapping Praewa out of her focus on the pile of documents in front of her. The young woman stood up and bowed slightly in greeting. The tall figure in a meticulously tailored suit, with his handsome face framed by rectangular glasses, appeared as emotionless as ever. The young president merely gave her a cold glance, nodded slightly, and then walked past, pushing the large door to his office as he did every day. And so, Praewa's workday began with making black coffee without sugar, which she served to Onyx in his office as her first task. Knock, knock. "May I come in?" "Come in." The voice inside responded plainly, so she pushed the door open. The chill of the air conditioning hit her skin, raising goosebumps. She walked straight to the young president's desk, placed the fragrant hot coffee down, and informed him of his schedule for the day. Onyx picked up the hot cup to sip, leaning back in his chair, and turned to look at the morning view of Bangkok behind him, in a relaxed manner as he listened. "Today, there's a meeting with the shareholders at 11 a.m. I've sent the meeting documents to the president's email. Please check them..." "..." "At 2 p.m., there's a meeting with the engineering team about the new port under construction... At 6 p.m., there's a dinner with the president of BP Group to finalize a new proposal before signing the contract..." Onyx occasionally glanced at his secretary, whose glasses and thick, frizzy hair almost obscured her face. Sometimes, the young woman would exude confidence and intelligence, which contrasted with her attire and demeanor, often capturing the young man's attention. The young president shifted his gaze back out the window, allowing Praewa to continue outlining the schedule. "The documents on this table are the budget requisition documents for each department in the company, the blueprint of the new port, and the documents that need approval." "Was the delivery delayed yesterday?" he suddenly asked in a nonchalant tone, unrelated to what the young woman had just mentioned. "The cargo ship encountered a storm at sea, causing some delays beyond the expected arrival time. I've arranged for the transport trucks to be on standby for the goods." "..." When Onyx fell silent again, the young woman understood that he had no more questions for her, so she bowed slightly and walked out without the president even glancing at her. The spacious office remained silent, with only the sound of the air conditioner running. The tall figure closed his eyes, savoring the aroma of coffee blended with the subtle, unique scent of his secretary. After organizing the documents for the young president, Praewa had to follow up on various minor issues in each department to update Onyx on the progress. "Hello, P'Aon. Our company won't cover the import tax in advance. Please contact the company to handle this themselves. We'll only manage the transportation. If they haven't paid, we won't allow the goods to be released." "I've already informed them, but the company said their liquidity isn't good at the moment. I'm in a difficult position." Ingorn, the head of the accounting department, looked troubled, knowing the company's policy well. "P'Aon, could you try negotiating again? I have a contact at the bank who might help if they have financial issues. But we can't pay in advance. I won't send this document for the president's signature because it will just get rejected, and the president will likely call for a discussion." "Thank you so much, Nong Wa. I'll try to talk to them." The senior colleague seemed somewhat relieved at finding a way out, as she didn't want to bear the responsibility for the client either. Praewa proceeded to another department. Along the way, some employees smiled at her for coordination, despite occasional disdainful glances. However, she didn't pay them any mind and focused on her duties. "Khun Poon, may I have a moment?" The secretary knocked on the office door of the engineering team leader, asking for permission when she saw he was calling his subordinates for a meeting. "Oh, sure, come in, Nong Wa... As for you all, take care of what we discussed earlier," Poon, a middle-aged man, nodded before turning back to his subordinates. Once the room was clear, he immediately asked, "Is there a problem?" "I've received a complaint from a customer. Their goods were damaged. They reported a foul smell on the wood they shipped, leading the receiving company to reject the shipment..." "...When I checked, I found that the container used for transportation previously carried strong-smelling spices and fish sauce. Please ensure your team at the port inspects and cleans the container before the next customer uses it. The stronger the odor of the goods, the more thorough the inspection needs to be to prevent any issues." "Ugh, those lazy guys... What did the customer say?" "This time, I had the Account Executive talk to them, and we will compensate for some of the damages. Fortunately, the problem was limited to just one container. However, if it occurs again, an investigation might be necessary." "Alright, I'll address this issue with the team personally." "And also discuss the inspection of the containers. I don't want any more damage cases from our side." "Okay, thank you very much." The young woman gave a slight smile and bowed to the elder before leaving. Even though most people were somewhat respectful of her due to her close confidante status with the company president, Praewa never used her position to intimidate anyone and always treated everyone with respect, which made her well-liked by the senior staff and department heads she had to coordinate with. As time passed until nearly 5 PM, Praewa was still buried in a pile of documents. Many issues were reported to Onyx, and it was her responsibility to review and devise strategies to handle and resolve the situations. Creak The door to the president's office opened, revealing the same expressionless face as always. She glanced at the clock before quickly handing him the documents. "I've prepared the car for you, and this is the contract." "You're not going?" The tall figure glanced at the secretary, who was still buried in stacks of documents. "No, I think Mr. Paisan is quite close to the president's family and probably has other matters to discuss. If I go, I might just be in the way." "Hmm." Onyx responded briefly and turned to leave. Although his expression didn't change, Praewa could sense the undercurrent of displeasure in his gaze. She let out a big sigh once he had taken the elevator down. The daily work was already chaotic enough, and she still had to endure the pressure from the president's gaze. Mr. Paisan had already whispered to her that he wanted to arrange a private meeting with Onyx to introduce his daughter to the young man. In such a case, why would she want to be a third wheel? Praewa continued organizing documents and scheduling the next day's appointments for her boss until the sky outside began to change color. She stretched slightly to relieve her fatigue, grabbed her plain cloth bag, and took some work files home with her. PRAEWA'S CONDO After jostling with thousands of office workers on the train, the young woman finally made it back to her place. She tapped her key card, gently pushed open the light-colored wooden door, and walked inside, utterly exhausted. The compact condo was neatly organized with separate functional areas. Everything was decorated with light-toned furniture, making it easy on the eyes and giving the room a more spacious feel. Her small hands placed the belongings she was carrying and the food bag she had picked up along the way on the kitchen table. She lit a scented candle in the adjoining small living room, and soon the faint scent of vanilla filled the entire room. Praewa closed her eyes, absorbing the fragrance as the tension from the day's work slowly eased away. She took off her glasses, placing them on the table, and began to peel off her multiple layers of clothing in annoyance. Who would have guessed that beneath those outdated clothes was a seductive, alluring figure? Her fair, smooth skin was revealed as she shed her clothes. A white bra cradled her ample bust, her waist was slim and tapered, complementing her well-shaped, rounded hips. Praewa tossed aside her curly wig, shaking her head to let her long, straight red hair cascade down her back. She slid the glass door to enter the bedroom and slipped into a comfortable outfit. She smiled slightly, stretching her arms and twisting her body in relaxation as she returned to being herself once more. For reasons of her own, Praewa chose to hide her beauty behind a plain Jane facade, and when she wasn't the center of attention, she found life more peaceful. *** Late that night, as Praewa was enjoying a relaxing soak in the tub, her mobile phone buzzed. Buzz, buzz, buzz.