The Perfect Mistake

Mood Swings

Aiden was reading through a document when Susan burst excitedly into his office. Without knocking. She was smiling and was shaking something in her hand.

"Did I permit you to get into my office?" Aiden asked with a serious look on his face. Susan sobered up immediately and it was apparent that Aiden had dimmed some of her excitement.

"No sir. But–" she started but the look on Aiden's face stopped her. "I just had something really important to announce to you."

"Is it about detective Powell?" Aiden asked, leaving the hope out of his voice.

"I– no sir. But–"

"Then it's not that urgent. You can tell me later," he said then turned back to the file he had been going through.

Susan stood there for an awkward second before seeing herself out of the office meekly. She didn't know what had come over Aiden for the past weeks. Since he had contacted detective Powell, his mood had become worse and he was grouchy and short tempered, things he had never been before.

Aiden ran his hair through his hair. Yes, he didn't want to get too familiar with Susan and he didn't want to encourage her feelings. But that had been unnecessarily harsh. Even for him.

He pressed a button on the intercom, then spoke into it. "Susan? Come to my office for a minute."

A few seconds later, Susan knocked the door timidly. Apparently this time she had learnt her lesson. She waited till Aiden said come in before stepping into his office.

Aiden felt bad. He hadn't mean to make her feel that weird about something simple like getting into his office.

"I'm sorry about earlier," Aiden finally said when the silence had spanned for too long. "I–" he found himself explaining, then shut his mouth.

Susan smiled timidly. She didn't mind that the apology was not elaborate enough. To her, it was an apology. And it was enough.

"It's alright sir," Susan said with a broad smile. Aiden suppressed his sigh and hoped that she would not think he was interested in her simply because he had apologized to her.

"So what is it you wanted to tell me?" Aiden asked, staring at her levelly.

His gaze was nothing special. Just plain with no spark in it, but Susan's heart started beating really quick. She couldn't help her feelings for Aiden. And maybe one day, he was going to reciprocate them. She just had to be patient.

"Um, Unik Magazine wants an interview with you," she gushed, looking at Aiden and expecting him to share her enthusiasm.

"And?" Aiden asked with a raised brow. He really didn't understand why an interview with a magazine he had never heard of would help in any way.

"Sir! This is the opportunity of the lifetime! Give a small magazine a chance while proving you're the perfect person for this. The perfect person the board of directors is looking for," Susan explained.

Aiden's lips spread into a slow smile. This was one of the reason why he could not imagine firing Susan, despite her very unprofessional behavior of late.

"You're a lifesaver, Suz," Aiden said then woke up and walked towards her. She blushed lightly, staring up at Aiden, trying to understand why he had suddenly approached her.

In her mind, he had already held her face in his right hand and his other hand had threaded through her long and soft hair. Then he tilted her head up and placed his soft lips on hers.

"Susan? Susan!" Aiden called out, looking at her either worry evident of his face. All he knew was she had blushed lightly at his comment then zoned out.

"Sir? Oh, I'm sorry. I was lost in thought." Susan said this with no trace of emotion on her face. But her voice betrayed her. It had cracked and the hope she had seen was evident.

"It's alright," Aiden dismissed. There was a slight pause again. Then Aiden asked, "when and at what time is the interview?"

"You have to be there by eight am on Tuesday, at their headquarters. I'll send you the address sir ," Susan said, looking at the notebook she was holding in her hand.

Aiden nodded then loosened his tie a little, then went back to the chair behind his desk, intent on continuing his work. He had a lot of it.

"You can leave now," Aiden said when it seemed like Susan was not going to move. She had been standing in the middle of the office, still staring at Aiden. And his words had shaken her up.

Susan blushed. Then she nodded and went out of the office, making sure not to hit the door too hard so as not make any noise. Aiden wanted to concentrate.

Aiden picked up the file again after removing his tie. It was something he did not liked putting on. The only reason was today he was supposed to see the board of directors and they told him that he doing okay.

It was stupid for his fear to be that overpowering and could affect his dress code. But these people had his position as CEO almost in their palms. And of Aiden joked, even his shares were not going to help him

There was another knock on the door. Aiden called out another come in and Susan popped her small head into the room so as to talk to Aiden.

"Sir? Detective Powell is here for you," she said and almost immediately, Aiden sat up.

"Send him in," he replied and discarded the file he had been studying.

Powell got into the office and Aiden couldn't place it, but he had a self satisfied look on his face. Aiden really didn't care about his mood though. All he wanted to know was if the man had managed to find the girl.

Powell sat after Aiden nodded for him to sit. This time around, he wasn't all fidgety and trying to find something else to do to occupy his hands.

He was self assured and confident.

"So?" Was all Aiden asked and the man stared at Aiden levelly.

Aiden raised a brow and the man looked away. Yes maybe he had gotten a dose of confidence, but that didn't mean Aiden could intimidate anyone he set his mind on.

"I'm really sorry sir..." Powell started then trailed out. Aiden's face was expressionless which really shocked Powell who was expecting some screaming response.

"It's okay. You can leave now," Aiden said then picked up the file he had been treating and continued whatever he was doing with.

Powell sat there for a while, but when he saw that Aiden wasn't even with him, he got up and left. He felt very awkward and extremely guilty. But love over everything, he guessed.

As soon as Powell left, Aiden flung the file to the floor and stared at it unseeingly. It was a matter of time. He was going to find that unlikely woman and finally get her out of his head.