ChapterSeven
1510 Words
Taylor woke up with one thought firmly planted in her mind: Theo Gianni was going to regret breaking her heart.
She took off the lid. She wasn’t going to cry. She wasn’t going to pester him, and she certainly wasn’t going to let him see how much it still affected her.
If Theo wanted to pretend he’d never heard of her, that was fine. She’d make his life a living hell. A small smile played on her lips. “Let’s see how long you can keep up that stupid act.”
Her smile faded when her eyes fell on her phone; it had rung three times. With no answer, she turned the phone face down. Forget it. She forced herself out of bed; she had a job to do and a man to destroy.
By the time Taylor arrived at GIANNICORP, she’d pushed her sadness deep down inside. Anna noticed it straight away.
“You’re smiling.”
“Am I not allowed to smile?”
Anna laughed. “Not around here. Especially not when you work for Mr Gianni.”
Taylor chuckled. “Well, maybe I’m getting used to him.” Anna looked at her warily. “That’s either brave or stupid.” Probably both.
“Miss Hempstead.” “Sir?”
“My office.”
Theo walked over to his desk without saying a word. A pile of documents awaited him on the table. “I need these organised by priority.”
“By when?”
“Before the eleven o’clock meeting.”
She glanced at her watch. It was ten twenty, and she raised her eyebrows.
“That’s forty minutes.”
“Yes.”
She sat down, opened her laptop and didn’t even look up. “Is there a problem?”
“No, sir.”
If he wanted to make unreasonable demands, she could make things interesting too.
Forty minutes later, Taylor returned to his office with a neatly organised stack of files.
Theo looked up. “Done?”
“Yes, sir.”
Taylor woke up with one thought firmly planted in her mind: Theo Gianni was going to regret breaking her heart.
She took off the lid. She wasn’t going to cry. She wasn’t going to pester him, and she certainly wasn’t going to let him see how much it still affected her.
If Theo wanted to pretend he’d never heard of her, that was fine. She’d make his life a living hell. A small smile played on her lips. “Let’s see how long you can keep up that stupid act.”
Her smile faded when her eyes fell on her phone; it had rung three times. With no answer, she turned the phone face down. Forget it. She forced herself out of bed; she had a job to do and a man to destroy.
By the time Taylor arrived at GIANNICORP, she’d pushed her sadness deep down inside. Anna noticed it straight away.
“You’re smiling.”
“Am I not allowed to smile?”
Anna laughed. “Not around here. Especially not when you work for Mr Gianni.”
Taylor chuckled. “Well, maybe I’m getting used to him.” Anna looked at her warily. “That’s either brave or stupid.” Probably both.
“Miss Hempstead.” “Sir?”
“My office.”
Theo walked over to his desk without saying a word. A pile of documents lay waiting on the table. “I need these sorted by priority.”
“By when?”
“Before the eleven o’clock meeting.”
She glanced at her watch. It was ten twenty, and she raised her eyebrows.
“That’s forty minutes.”
“Yes.”
He sat down, opened his laptop and didn’t even look up. “Is there a problem?”
“No, sir.”
If he wanted to make unreasonable demands, she could make things interesting too.
Forty minutes later, Taylor returned to his office with a neatly organised stack of files.
Theo looked up. “Done?”
“Yes, sir.”
He leafed through the first file and frowned. “You knew you’d sorted them incorrectly.”
Taylor blinked innocently. “Oh.”
“Procurement files come before legal reports.”
“Oh, I apologise, sir.”
You knew you’d sorted them out of order.
“Sir, I would never make a mistake on purpose.” Theo leaned back in his chair. “Go on.”
Taylor nodded. “Yes, sir.” The moment she stepped out of his office, she covered her mouth to stop herself from laughing. One. She’d officially got under his skin.
That morning, Taylor left the building to collect a delivery for Theo. The fresh air hit her face and she finally breathed properly. Across the street, a café reminded her of the bakery. Her mother’s bakery.
Taylor was taken aback. Her phone vibrated.
“Dad?”
“Hello?”
The call had ended. She called back. Straight to voicemail.
“Are you all right?”
Theo was standing near the entrance to GIANNICORP. She hadn’t even realised he was watching her.
“I’m fine.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
Taylor spotted Xavier. “I said I’m fine, so go back inside.”
“Bossy.”
She raised an eyebrow.
“Pardon?”
She walked past him. But she could feel his eyes following her. And for reasons she refused to admit, her heart was beating a little faster.
Her second attempt to annoy him came before lunch; Theo had a meeting scheduled with a major investor. So she changed it again. When Theo found out, he looked like he could kill her.
“Who changed my meeting?”
“I did.”
“Why?”
“Yesterday you told me you hated unexpected changes to your schedule.”
“I didn’t tell you to change the meeting.”
Taylor smiled. “I thought I was helping you.”
“You thought?”
“Yes, sir.”
Seriously, you’ve only been here four days and you’ve already decided you know how to run my company?
“No, sir.” She paused. “Just your diary.” For a second, something shifted in Theo’s expression. Almost amusement.
Taylor understood.
There he was. Javier. Theo’s eyes remained fixed on her. “Do you think this is funny?” “You’ve been doing that a lot lately.
Taylor’s stomach clenched. “Doing what?”
“Testing me.”
She froze. He knew. Not everything. But enough. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, sir.”
Theo stood up, walked round his desk and stopped right in front of her. The scent of his cologne reached her. Sandalwood. Exactly the scent she remembered. Theo studied her face. “You’re not afraid of me anymore.” His voice softened. “For a second, the walls came down.” She heard Xavier in his voice. “Get back to work.”
Her feet stopped. The whole room seemed to fall silent. She slowly turned round.
“What did you call me?”
Suddenly, Theo’s expression became unreadable. “I said to fetch the files.”
Taylor stared at him. His eyes returned to hers. “You called me Tay.”
“I didn’t.”
“You did. You’re wrong.”
Taylor’s heart was pounding. That was the name Xavier used. No one else had called her that when she’d approached them. “You remember me.”
“I think you should leave my office.”
“Why are you lying?”
“Miss Hempstead…”
“You know who I am.”
His expression grew colder. “Go away.” Then he picked up the files and left. She remembered him perfectly.
Taylor sat at her desk all afternoon, unable to concentrate; Theo was watching her, and she knew she was deliberately provoking him. And that slip… Tay. He’d called her Tay. The very same nickname Xavier had given her years ago. She stared at the closed doors of her office. Who was he really? And why was he putting on an act?
She opened a blank page on her computer and typed a sentence. Find out who Theo Gianni really is. Before she could continue, her desk phone rang. “Hello.”
“Miss Hempstead?” “Yes?”
“This is security.”
“Mr Gianni wants to see you immediately.”
Taylor’s heart skipped a beat. Theo’s phone was pressed against his ear and his expression was cold. Calculating. Dangerous. His eyes darted towards Taylor’s desk. No. Don’t go near her. A pause. She doesn’t know anything yet. He clenched his jaw; I want to know everything she’s been doing since she arrived at GIANNICORP. His gaze remained fixed on Taylor. And find out who she’s been talking to, he cut the call short.
At that very moment, Taylor arrived at his door. She rang the bell and waited. Once inside, Theo looked towards the door for the first time.
Taylor wasn’t the only one looking for answers. Theo Gianni was looking for hers!!!
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