Chapter Ten
823 Words
Nerissa
I pushed Asher off me cleaning my mouth furiously even though the feeling of his lips still lingered.
"How dare you kiss me without my permission?"
He gave me a smug smile and sat on his chair, "Because you are mine now, Nerissa. The moment you became my secretary you became my possession."
How in the name of everything normal did I end up with this cocky rich man? Think about the money, think about the money I chanted to myself. I took a deep breath and flashed my professional smile.
"With all due respect, Mr Blackwood..."
"Please call me Asher."
"With all due respect, Mr Blackwood, please don't touch me without my permission or you would be sued by assault." I didn't wait for him to talk before I walked out of the room.
I walked towards the ladies room still seething from what had just happened..The nerve of that infuriating annoying......
I forced a polite smile as I passed a few colleagues in the hallway. The weight of expectations clung to me like an ill-fitting coat. I wasn’t just Nerissa anymore—I was Asher’s secretary. A role I neither asked for nor wanted, but one I had to play convincingly.
“Good morning,” I greeted a small group of employees near the break room. Their nods and murmured responses blended into the background noise of ringing phones and clicking keyboards as I continued towards the restroom.
Inside, I locked the door behind me and leaned on the sink, exhaling sharply.
“Every day,” I muttered under my breath. “I have to work with him every single day.”
The thought made my stomach twist. I turned on the faucet, splashing cool water on my face before reaching for my makeup bag. I dabbed concealer under my eyes, swiped on a fresh coat of lipstick, and adjusted my blouse. If I was going to be Asher’s secretary, I had to at least look the part—collected, professional, indifferent.
Just as I took a step towards the door, a chorus of polite greetings echoed outside. My brows furrowed. Had Asher followed me here? My stomach tightened, but as I peeked out, my shoulders relaxed slightly—only slightly.
It wasn’t Asher. It was Karen.
Asher’s wife.
She walked past the employees like they didn’t exist, her nose high in the air, radiating arrogance. Typical Karen.
I froze in place, my fingers gripping the edge of the door. What was she doing here? Did she know I was here?
And more importantly, why was I hiding?
I hadn’t done anything wrong. Asher had made me his secretary—I hadn’t asked for this. I had no reason to feel guilty.
Taking a breath, I stepped out of the restroom, shaking off the unsettling encounter. But before I could take two steps, a familiar voice called my name.
“Nerissa?”
I turned, blinking in surprise. “Dan?”
Standing there was Dan, my old college friend. I hadn’t seen him in ages.
“I can’t believe it’s really you!” he said with a grin, pulling me into a quick hug.
“Same! What are you doing here?”
Dan laughed. “I just started working in the finance department a few months ago. I had no idea you were here.”
“Neither did I,” I admitted, a genuine smile tugging at my lips for the first time that morning.
Before I knew it, we were catching up like old times. The conversation flowed easily, and for a while, I forgot all about Asher and Karen.
“Let’s grab lunch together,” I suggested impulsively, needing a moment of normalcy.
“Absolutely,” Dan agreed.
But just as we were making plans, my phone rang. I glanced at the screen and nearly groaned. Had I really been standing here chatting for twenty minutes?
Dan chuckled. “You should get that.”
I sighed before answering.
As I hung up, Dan gave me a knowing look. “So… how’s Ryan?”
I forced a smile, ignoring the dull ache in my chest. “He’s fine.”
It wasn’t a lie, but it wasn’t the whole truth either. I didn’t want to go into details about our breakup, not now.
Dan nodded, then hesitated. “Have you heard from Silver?”
The name sent a jolt through me, and suddenly, the air in the hallway felt stifling.
“I should probably get back to work,” I said quickly, forcing a chuckle. “Lunch, though—let’s do that soon.”
Dan frowned slightly but didn’t press further. “Of course. Text me?”
“Definitely.”
With one last smile, I turned on my heel and walked away, shaking off the feeling creeping up my spine.
Silver.
I didn’t want to think about that name. About her.
And yet, I couldn’t stop wondering how she was doing?
- Writer
