The Hate In His Eyes

CHAPTER FOUR:One step too close

LOGAN'S POV

The glass walls of my office reflected the first pale hints of dawn. I sat behind my desk, reviewing the security footage from yesterday. Watching her. Avaline Monroe. I asked the security team to connect all the CCTVs in the company to my office. I wanted to know her every move. Whatever she ate.

I clenched my jaw and rewound the footage. Paused on a frame where she bit her lower lip in concentration, her brows furrowed as she scribbled notes faster than humanly possible.

I should fire her like Mr Matsumoto had said. I stared at the letter I drafted for her. I was going to give her the letter once she comes in this morning then call the police before she got too far and have her arrested. I would do it.

I leaned back in my seat, running my palm over my face. The past bled into the present too easily. I could still feel the betrayal. Every waking day I always wondered why she had done what she did two years ago. And why was she back after two years waltzing in here like she had done nothing wrong.

And yet, watching her yesterday, drowning under impossible pressure I had piled onto her shoulders, she hadn’t quit. She hadn’t even cried. She just went along with it.

Part of me,the stupid, reckless part I thought I'd buried,admired her for it.

There was a knock on my door. “Come in” I called knowing fully well it was her.

The door creaked open. I smelled her before I saw her. Her scent. Vanilla mixed with strawberry. She looked nice. Better than yesterday,putting on a black pants trouser and a brown shirt to go with it. Her hair is packed in a neat ponytail. I wished she would just let it down. I quickly swallowed the thought confused at where I came from in the first place.

She stood hesitantly in front of me,clutching a folder to her chest,her eyes,shadowed with exhaustion.

I looked at my wrist watch to check the time. 6:40AM. “You're late” I said, my voice harsher than I intended it to be.

“I'm sorry Mr West. It was…” she started and I gave her a cold look. “It's my fault,I will do better next time,” She concluded, lowering her voice.

“Listen to me. If I ask you to do something you do it right,no excuses. Do you understand?”

“Yes sir. I understand”

“Good” I reached for the letter I had written and quickly placed it in my top drawer,closing it. I would give it to her at the end of the day. For now,I need to make her work again.

“I dropped some files on Sasha's desk,go take it and work on it. I need feedback by the end of the day”

“Okay,sir” I said and she scrambled out of the office to get the work done.

*

She was supposed to be gone by now. I stood at her desk,staring at her. Her head rested against her folded arms,her dark brown hair tumbling in loose waves around her face. The soft rise and fall of her breathing filled the silence in the workstation. She had fallen asleep. Everyone has gone home,she was probably still here because I gave her more work to do. It was 8pm.

I should fire her. The letter I had drafted was still in my top drawer where I had dumped it this morning.

Nathan was right. I was out of my mind hiring her. I shouldn't have.

But somehow,my foot stayed rooted to the ground. Watching her beautiful face. She had changed a little,more beautiful.Without thinking, my hand moved. I brushed a strand of hair from her forehead.

Her skin was warm. Soft. Alive.

My chest tightened, a strange ache blooming somewhere deep inside me,an ache I didn’t recognize.

I snatched my hand back like her skin had burned me.What the hell was wrong with me?

Avaline Monroe was the enemy. I can't get too close. She was a reminder of everything I had lost, everything I had vowed never to feel again. And yet,standing here,staring at her sleeping form,I didn’t feel hatred. I didn’t feel angry. I felt tempted. And that was far more dangerous.

I turned away sharply, retreating into the safety of my office before I did something even more foolish. Like forgive her,or want her,or keep her. Even thinking about it was scary.

I paced behind my desk, running a hand through my hair. I needed to remind myself of the facts.

She had come into my company as an intern,young wild. I didn't know her,because I hadn't paid attention to her. I have a lot of workers and was only privileged to know some of them.

I was about to close the biggest international merger of the year. Everything was going smoothly,until I received a call in the middle of the night from Nathan. Confidential information had been stolen,some leaked, some sold to Malcolm King of King Enterprises. It was a nightmare. The merger was pulled away from me and my company was at the edge of bankruptcy.

I was heartbroken,all traces to the leak led to her Avaline Monroe. I could still remember Nathan showing me her picture on the system. She smiled brightly in the picture like nothing bothered her. I searched everywhere for her but she had disappeared into thin air. It was like she never existed.

I sat down heavily in my chair, glaring at the termination letter lying I had now neatly placed on the polished mahogany desk. All I had to do was sign it and hand it over to her.

It should be easy. But it wasn't. I leaned back in my chair, exhaling a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. I could still see her from here through the glass walls. She stirred lightly in her sleep.

With a muttered curse I stood up from my desk and strode out again. I stood over her one last time. I lips was parted slightly. She looked so young so vulnerable. I drank her in for another moment,then forced myself to shake her awake.

“I'm so sorry I fell asleep,Mr West. It won't happen again” she said, jumping up.

“It's late. You should head home” I said, ignoring her apology.

“Okay,” she said, scrambling to pack her bag and head out.

“Goodnight,Mr West” She said and I nodded at her.

I retreated to the darkness of my office,the unsigned letter still on my desk.

Mr Matsumoto can go f**k himself, I'm not done with her. I squeezed the letter and dumped it into the trash can.