Chapter 13
1005 Words
"I don't know," I said, responding to Stella's question.
"By the way, I need to head out soon. I have to be at the other branch. Here, this is for you and Aunt Ezra," she said, handing me a gift.
"You really didn't have to go through the trouble," I replied, touched by her gesture.
"I wanted to make sure I gave this to you in person. I thought you might have forgotten about me," Stella said, her voice tinged with a hint of playful annoyance.
"I'm sorry, you know I'm always busy being my husband's secretary," I explained.
She sighed, "How are you doing with your husband?"
"It's okay. I'll be honest, I had a hard time adjusting to Cassian's unpredictable personality at first."
"I'm not surprised. He's known for being grumpy and hot-tempered," Stella said, nodding in agreement.
"Yes, but thankfully, I've adjusted. After all this time with him, I've actually discovered some good sides of him that others don't know," I shared.
"That's how it is, you can't really know someone unless you spend a lot of time with them," Stella agreed.
She kissed me on the cheek before leaving. I watched her walk away, a warm feeling spreading through me.
Stella left soon after. I glanced at my watch - I needed to remind Cassian about his meeting with Mr. Cheng at one thirty.
I stood up from the couch and went to my office, grabbing the appointments book that held all of his important meetings, deadlines, and tasks.
I left my office and headed to Cassian's. I knocked before opening the door.
"Come in," he said.
I entered his office and smiled. "Just wanted to remind you that you have a meeting with Mr. Cheng at one thirty this afternoon, at Eleven Madison Park. I made a reservation," I said.
"Thanks for reminding me. Can you make me some coffee, brewed coffee?" he asked.
"Sure," I replied.
"Thanks," he said, focusing on something on his computer.
I nodded and left his office to make his coffee. After brewing it, I brought it back and placed it on his desk.
I noticed he was on the phone, speaking in a language I didn't recognize – maybe Portuguese?
He glanced at me, gave me a small nod, and went back to his phone conversation. I settled onto the couch, patiently waiting for him to finish his call.
A few minutes later, he hung up. "Don't overwork yourself," he said, looking at his watch.
"I'm fine, my work isn't too demanding," I assured him.
"We need to leave soon, it's almost one o'clock. Traffic's usually bad at this time," he said, standing up.
"You're in charge, I'm just waiting on you," I replied.
"I was thinking about whether to bring you or not. I don't want you to stay up too late, especially with your pregnancy," he said, clearly evident in his voice.
"I can handle myself, Cassian," I said, feeling a little annoyed.
"Are you sure?" he asked, his gaze intense.
"Yes, I'm sure. It's my job, and I need to do it," I said firmly.
"Alright, I'll just finish this coffee you made for me," he conceded.
"Okay," I said, reaching for the remote and turning on the TV to keep myself entertained.
It wasn't long before we headed out. We walked out of his office and towards his car, parked in the expansive garage of Delaware Enterprises.
We both got into the car, me in the front seat as he preferred. He started the engine and we were off.
I felt a little lightheaded, but I had to push through it. This meeting was important to Cassian.
We arrived at the destination and Cassian parked in a nearby spot. We got out of the car.
"You look pale," he said, concerned etched on his face.
"I'm fine, it's just a little dizziness," I replied, forcing a smile. "This meeting is important, and I can manage."
"You sure?" he asked, his voice full of worry.
"Yes, I'm sure. Don't worry about me," I said, trying to reassure him with a reassuring smile.
We entered the restaurant, and I trailed behind Cassian until we reached the table I'd reserved.
To my surprise, Cassian pulled out my chair for me. "Thank you," I said, feeling a warmth spread through me.
I sat down, arranging my work materials. Cassian placed his laptop on the table, and I prepared the documents, presentations, and other items he'd need. Then, I looked around, anticipating Mr. Cheng's arrival.
"He's not here yet, is he?" Cassian asked.
"It seems not," I replied.
"Everything's ready, right?" he asked.
"Yes, everything's prepared," I assured him.
"Good!" he said, a hint of anticipation in his voice.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Smith!" We both turned towards the sound of a warm voice. Mr. Cheng stood before us, a smile on his face.
Cassian rose to greet him, shaking his hand with a smile. Then, he introduced me. "This is my new secretary and wife, Mrs. Smith."
Mr. Cheng's face lit up with surprise. He looked at me with genuine interest. "I see, I'm not surprised you're married to someone like you, Mr. Smith. Mrs. Smith has a goddess beauty."
My cheeks flushed crimson at his compliment. Cassian gestured for Mr. Cheng took a seat, and then launched into the agenda for the meeting. I diligently took notes as they discussed business.
While they were engaged in their conversation, I decided to order food for all three of us. I flagged down the waiter and placed my order. "Please, pizza and classic cheesecake for the three of us, and lemonade to drink," I requested.
"Yes, ma'am," he said, jotting down my order.
"Thank you," I replied with a smile.
A few minutes later, the waiter arrived with our food, placing it on the table. Mr. Cheng smiled at him in appreciation.
"Thanks," Mr. Cheng said.
"You're welcome, sir. Please enjoy," the waiter replied, giving us a warm smile before moving on to serve other guests.
- Writer
