EIGHT
1188 Words
Florence's POV.
I wanted to scream and shout and slap the back of his f*****g head. But instead, something inside me cracked.
“My mum still sets a place for Gabriel at the table,” I blurted, my voice trembling. “She says he’ll come home one day. And if I walk away now, if I stop fighting, that hope will die. She’ll die with it. Do you understand that?”
Anthony’s face softened, barely, but he stayed quiet.
I swallowed hard, forcing the next words out. “And you..” I jabbed a finger at his chest. “If my brother is alive, who benefits from making you think he’s dead? That’s not just cruel, it’s dangerous. For you. Someone wanted you to buy the company, someone counted on it. Doesn’t that scare you, even a little?”
For the first time since I met him, Anthony didn’t have a comeback. His eyes narrowed, thoughtful, and calculating.
"How can someone easily predict that because of his death you would acquire the company. How sure are you that you aren't involved in some weird ass conspiracy."
The elevator jolted, then hummed back to life disrupting our conversation. Seconds later the doors slid open.
Anthony stepped out like nothing had happened, straightening his suit. Not a hair out of place, while I stumbled out behind him, hair a mess.
Godswill stood at the entrance with a bunch of security guards. I just sighed in resignation. Anthony wasn't going to understand. He may be involved in this and is just trying to throw me off but somewhere in me believes he is telling the truth and knows he has the resources to find my brother but I don't know if he would agree to let me help him.
"Sir are you okay?" Godswill asked stepping closer to Anthony. "I brought extra company to escort her out."
"Because you were too scared to do it yourself?" Anthony gave him an unimpressed look.
Godswill just touched his nose in embarrassment. The guards stepped closer to me and I just prepared my mind for what I was to come.
I walked forward just for me to feel a tight grip on my arm. I looked to my side to see Anthony holding my forearm tightly.
"It was all a misunderstanding. HR made a mistake and sent her a termination letter deactivating her pass. That is what set the alarm and locked down the elevator."
I stared at him in shock but he didn't even look at me. The guards retreated and even Godswill nodded like it was the true narrative.
We landed in the office cubicle floor and all the employees were either on the corridor or peaking through their spaces. The attention made me shrink but It had no effect on Anthony. He just tightened his grip on my arms and led me through a bunch of whispering employees whose eyes were filled with fierce curiosity. Once we got to the stairway I shook his hand off, but he just brought out a bottle of sanitizer and sanitized his palms. How charming.
"What was that for? I thought you were so determined to push me away." I was puzzled by what just went on.
"I am still determined but not now. You are too unstable to leave in the outside world."
I opened my mouth to disapprove but he just shut me up. "If you still want to be my secretary then fine, we have a meeting now and I do not like being tardy."
And with that we just started walking towards the conference room leaving me to rush after him. Having an ass as a boss is one thing, but having an ass with extremely long legs and large strides is practically hell.
"Hello!! Mr St Louis can you pull the brakes
"
Sigh, this was going to be a long period.
******
The investors’ meeting was a sea of suits, laptops, and stiff nods. I marched in at Anthony’s side like I belonged, ignoring the curious stares. He sat at the head of the table, calm, commanding. I plopped into the chair beside him and crossed my legs.
One investor cleared his throat, eyeing me.
“She’s with me,” Anthony said smoothly, before anyone could ask.
I smiled sweetly. “His assistant.”
His glare could’ve melted steel. I beamed back.
The presentation began. Numbers, graphs, market projections—boring. I leaned over and whispered, “You’re losing them. Add a joke.”
His jaw clenched but he just ignored me. Then they brought up my brother's company and I immediately stiffened. They were impressed with the progress but it was time to aim higher.
When one man suggested restructuring, due to his belief that the structure was poorly organized. I couldn't help but blurt, “That’s ridiculous! My brother would never have—”
The room went silent instantly. All eyes landed on me before they darted to Anthony
"I mean, we did a lot of research on this company and if the previous owners hadn't made a few mistakes the company wouldn't be under us, that shows that level of skill they had to some extent." I tried to salvage the situation by acting professionally.
Slowly, he set down his pen and turned his head toward me. The look he gave could’ve killed a lesser woman. I gave him my most innocent smile.
To my surprise, one of the Chinese investors chuckled. He murmured something in Mandarin, glancing between us.
Anthony’s composure flickered. “No,” he said firmly in the same language.
Another investor smirked. “Ah, not married yet, then? She already acts like a wife.”
The table erupted in polite laughter. Anthony’s lips pressed into a thin line.
I frowned. “What? What did he say?”
“Nothing,” Anthony snapped.
“Oh, come on. Your face twitched.”
“Florence.”
“Tell me!”
He ignored me and continued the presentation, though his ears had turned faintly pink.
---
After the meeting, I followed him down the hall.
“Why are you following me?” he asked, voice clipped.
“Because my office is next to yours,” I said sweetly. “Unless you plan to illegally fire me again.”
“I’ll have your office moved.”
“Excuse me?” I gasped. “Did you just call me crazy?”
“I didn’t say—”
“You implied it!”
We bickered all the way down the corridor, our voices echoing. Employees peeked over cubicles, eyes wide. The terrifying Mr. St Louis, reduced to… this.
By the time we reached his office, both of us were red-faced and furious. He slammed his door. I slammed mine.
A beat of silence. Then whispers drifted through the office.
“Did anyone else see that?”
“Is he… smiling?”
“No way.”
Alone in my office, I pressed my palms to my burning cheeks. My heart was pounding, my head spinning.
“I’m not leaving this place,” I whispered to myself. “He’ll see.”
- Writer
