When It Comes To Love

Chapter 11

Liana

"Can't you send someone else?", I was standing in Steve's office, scowling at my boss.

" Everybody is busy,Lia, besides you wanted to leave early", he tapped the file and slid them to me, "Get these signed and go home".

"But I can't go there", I stubbornly stomped my foot on the carpeted floor.

"Why?", he raised an eyebrow.

I opened my mouth to say something but stopped.

Why can't I go there?

I was just avoiding him for some silly, pathetic reasons of my own. Yes, the guy infuriate me with little to no effort and made my insides go haywire,

But,

" Fine,I'll go", I huffed and snatched the files from the table and stormed out.

I approached Eaton Enterprises in 20 minutes. The receptionist sent me to 68th floor where his office probably was. The floor was made of shiny, lush tiles but there was no human being in sight. I turned a corner as the receptionist has directed me to do.

A middle aged man sitting on a desk beside a big glass door. The P.A. probably.

I sauntered toward the desk. The man looked up from whatever his was doing. His eyes were serious and grave. He blinked.

"How can I help you, ma'am?", he said in a scratchy voice in a grave tone. Jeez,this man looks like a robot.

"Ummm, can you get these signed from your boss, please", I placed the file in front of him. He picked up the phone which I just noticed,

" Sir, Mr Steve's assistant is here", he said to the mouth piece in his gravely tone.

Shit,s**t,s**t ..

Grave man, you weren't supposed to tell him my identity, s**t,s**t,s**t.

"You can go inside", he said and I glared at him. He just blinked.

"Can't you get these signed, I'll just wait here", I offered in a hopeful voice.

"No maam, Sir is asking you to come inside", grave man said.

Prick.

I picked up the files once again and knocked on the door for mere formality, instead I wanted to just barge in .

After the muffled " come in" I opened the door to his office and stepped inside.

His office was breathtaking. The wooden interior was exquisite. The north wall was entirely glass which was behind his huge desk. The wall to my right was covred in shelves in which the files were neatly placed. White Couches were situated on the wall to my left.

He himself was sitting on the massive head chair behind the desk. The sunlight filtering through the glass wall covered him in a golden halo. He was watching me with his keen gaze.

My heart stuttered.

I reprimanded myself for that little miss of beat.

Stupid heart.

"Steve asked for you to sign these", I slid the files on the huge black desk. It's glass surface shining in the receding sunlight.

He didn't even looked at the files and pushed them to a corner, still holding my gaze, he said, "Sit down, Ana".

Says what?

I scowled at him, " My name is Liana ", I corrected him, still standing.

His lips twitched into a small amused smile, " Sit down", he repeated.

"Don't order me", I retorted but sat down anyways. I wanted to know what this fuss was all about.

" How's your mom?", he said while twirling a sleek pen between his fingers.

"She's good", I slowly said. I still don't get where we are going with this.

He nodded.

" She is nice", he stated, still playing with the pen, looking at me with his keen gaze.

"Aye", I simply said. I wanted to get out of here. Out of this luxurious office and out from his x-raying gaze.

" I was wandering", he started again after a small moment of silence, "How come you and your mom have different surnames", he cautiously asked.

I sighed.

I knew this would he coming at some point.

"I don't see how it's any of your buisness", I weakly said, suddenly finding the shining surface of the table very interesting.

" I was just curious and I also.....", I didn't let him complete, whatever he was saying.

I stood up with a sharp moment, hanging my purse on my shoulder,

His eyes followed my movement, he c****d a brow,

"Make sure to send these back to the office, I'll be leaving now", I pointed towards the file , then turned on my heels and marched towards the doors.

Why are the stupid doors so far away?

I was halfway through the giant office room when, " See you tonight at dinner,Ana", his voice drifted towards me. It had a hint of amusement in them which just fueled the anger more.

All of this was funny for him.

I banged the door to his office shut and heaved a long sigh.

The grave assistant looked at me with his grave expression. I glared at him and walked to the elevator.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I entered my apartment, already feeling tired.

Memories from past, resurfacing. I leaned my head on the door and stared at the ceiling.

"You're a b***h, Harrington", I remembered kylie , my high school head cheerleader, screaming at my face.

" You're cursed, liana, no wonder even your father doesn't love you", another voice drifted from the abyss of my memories, this one belonged to my so-called best friend.

"Are you that stupid, Liana, how could you think that I would take you to the prom", another voice , followed by a cruel chuckle , this one of my so-called prom date, which turned out to be a prank which included me, all ready for the prom, standing on the front porch of my house, and Ronald, telling me how worthless I was.

I sighed when my mother's voice drifted to my ears. These memories don't bring tears anymore, they just leave me very,very tired.

" Lia, honey, you're home ", Mom appeared from the kitchen doorway which was on my left side, clapping her hands together, smiling her radiant smile.

Some of the heaviness lifted from me.

Though her smile dulled after looking my face.

" Are you alright?", she worriedly said, checking my forehead and cheeks for temperature.

I gave her a tired smile.

"I'm fine,mom, just a bit tired", I started walking towards my room, " I'll be fine after a shower", I said over my shoulder.

"That's good becuase I've already chopped all the veggies so you can prepare the dishes", she said, while walking back to the kitchen.

For a moment, I didn't understand what she's talking about , but then I remembered.

Aaahh, that wretched dinner.

After a nice, hot shower, I felt light and normal. Totally done shoving the bad memories into the dark abyss of my brain.

I walk into the kitchen and saw mom sitting on the breakfast table, with the table brimming with different coloured vegetables.

I popped my knuckles and got to work.

I made Chicken Alfredo and rib eye and Singaporean rice for the main course and baked blueberry pie for dessert.

" Go get ready, lia, food is almost done", mom practically shoved me out of the kitchen.

"Jeez mom, what the hell?", I exclaimed at this sudden onslaught.

She gave me an unimpressed look.

" I'm fine and ready to recieve our honorable guest", I mockily said.

Still that unimpressed look.

I looked down at myself. I was wearing a very old baggy T-shirt, two sizes too big for me, with cottan shorts.

I sighed for the nth time today.

"Go wear the sundress we bought the other day", she said, while arranging a tomato slice in the salad bowl.

I scoffed," No way", I crossed my arm across the chest.

"Yes way", she matched my stance, leaving the salad alone.

We glared at each other for a while but then I gave up and stomped to my room.

No, I didn't wore the sundress.

Instead,I wore a magenta turtleneck with black leggings.

I was putting my hairs in a bun when the doorbell rang.

" I'll get it", I screamed to my mom who was in the spare bedroom.

I trudged towards the main door of my apartment. Took a deep breath and yanked it open.

There stood the smirking demon.

In a dark blue button up that hugged his chest and shoulders very, very nicely, with black close fitting trousers and converse.

And ofcourse the smirk.

The damn smirk.

This is going to be a long night.