Oh my God, oh my God! As soon as I stepped into my cramped office, I placed both hands on my forehead, utterly bewildered by the situation I had just stumbled into. What a chaotic way to kick off the workday! Panic surged through me—was I in trouble? I began pacing anxiously from my cluttered desk to the heavy wooden door, desperately hoping that I wouldn't lose my job. No, this couldn't be happening, especially since I hadn't even received my paycheck for the month yet.
How could I have known that my new boss would turn out to be the man I'd shared a night with only weeks before? My heart sank at the realization, and I exclaimed, "Jesus!" feeling utterly helpless and trapped in a web of embarrassment. There I was, under the misconception that he was a considerate and genuine guy—a friendly facade that now felt like a cruel joke, especially considering his reputation of hopping into bed with anyone in a skirt.
How could I have seen this coming? It had been an honest mistake on my part, and I decided the best course of action would be to simply act like I had no recollection of our encounter at that party. But now the weight of uncertainty hung heavily over me. Should I wait for him to call and broach the subject first, or should I go to him and apologize? The thought of doing so sent a fresh wave of heat to my cheeks; it would be beyond embarrassing to confront him directly.
I continued to pace, my mind racing with possibilities, biting my nails as I hoped against hope that I wouldn't be fired. My chaotic thoughts were abruptly interrupted when the desk phone rang sharply, pulling me back to reality. I rushed towards it, determined to show some semblance of professionalism despite my frazzled nerves.
"Come into my office now," the voice commanded, booming with authority and leaving me momentarily shaken. I swallowed hard, a mix of fear and dread swirling in my stomach as I made my way to the door.
As I stepped inside, I instinctively bowed my head, bracing myself for whatever confrontation awaited me. I kept repeating to myself, "I didn't do anything wrong, did I?" My mind raced with the absurdity of the situation—he hadn't shown up to work for two whole weeks, and now, suddenly, he was here, and it felt entirely unfair.
"Hmmmm," I heard him clear his throat, and as I lifted my gaze, I was met with a grin stretched across his face. My heart sank further. "You weren't supposed to address this," he stated coolly, leaning back in his chair with an air of nonchalance. "You had no right to barge into my office, and whatever I choose to do is none of your business," he added dismissively, casually placing his feet up on the desk in a display of authority, his attire sharply contrasting his relaxed demeanor.
"Yes... yes sir," I responded, the weight of relief washing over me that this awkward encounter hadn't blown up into something far worse. "Now, I would like a cup of coffee," he said, sighing deeply, eyes closing as he reclined back with his hands crossed behind his head, leaving me to take in the gravity of this new and complicated dynamic.
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I rolled my eyes and mimicked his air of superiority, the way he spoke with such an annoying confidence. He was utterly unbelievable. Did he really think I was going to jump on him or make any advances? I feigned disgust at the idea. Sure, he was cute and rich, but he was in no way my type.
"What are you thinking?" I shrieked, snapping back to reality as I turned to face the person who had startled me. Relief washed over me as I recognized the manager, his ever-concerned expression softening the moment.
"Sir," I called, my voice tinged with curiosity, "do you need anything?" I glanced at the almost full cup of coffee in my hands, a half-hearted offering.
"Don't do that, Amelia," he replied, smiling warmly. "Call me Joe. No need for this formality; aren't we buddies?" he said, casually leaning against the door with both hands shoved deep into his pockets.
"I don't want anyone misunderstanding the context of our friendship," I said, looking down at my fingers, feeling a bit shy under the scrutiny of his gaze.
"Do I make you uncomfortable?" he asked, winking playfully, a hint of mischief dancing in his eyes.
"Of course not," I quickly responded, eager to reassure him. "So let's leave the rest to me, okay?"
"Okay, Joe," I said, smiling back, grateful for his easygoing nature.
"Sorry for not giving you a heads-up about the CEO's arrival," Joe explained, a hint of guilt creeping into his voice.
"No worries, we're cool," I assured him. "Just try to stay on your toes around him," he advised, and I nodded in agreement.
"If you don't mind," I gestured toward the door, indicating that I was ready to leave.
"Sure," he replied, stepping back to give me space to pass. "I'm going to go deliver this to him," I said, pointing to the cup, and he nodded, understanding my intent.
At least there were still good people in this company, I thought, feeling a wave of gratitude for a manager like Joe. It was a welcome contrast to the façade I sensed from the CEO as a frown returned to my face.
Reaching the door, I pressed the small button, exhaling in frustration. Surely, this was an office and not some hotel suite. Jazz music was already playing softly through the speakers, and I sighed, quite certain we wouldn't hit it off.
I waited a few moments for a response, but none came. Hesitantly, I pushed the door open and stepped inside. The CEO was still positioned as he'd been when I last left, utterly unmoved.
"Dummy," I heard him murmur under his breath as if trying to keep his words to himself, though I caught every syllable.
"I thought you were going to stand there all day," he said finally, opening his piercing eyes and stretching his arms in a bored manner. He gestured for me to hand him the cup.
I offered it to him, but his eyes drooped into a frown as he examined it. "I love my coffee hot," he stated bluntly, tossing the cup into the waste bin with disdain.
"Wow," I murmured under my breath. The coffee had just finished brewing only minutes ago. This job was surely going to drain me, and I couldn't shake the feeling of exhaustion already weighing on my shoulders.
"If you will excuse me—" I began, only to be cut off by him.
"It's been two weeks since I was last here, and I'm sure Joe already got you acquainted with how I like my stuff around," he said, his eyes opening slightly in a gesture that challenged me to keep up.
"Yes, sir," I replied, struggling to hide the bite of sarcasm in my tone.
"So I got a call from the other district in Singapore. We'll be leaving next week, so get prepared to pack your bags. We will depart on Friday morning," he declared, not allowing me a moment to ask any questions or express my concerns.
"The manager will book the flight and handle the important arrangements, as the three of us will be leaving. He'll also take care of everything else needed. That's all; you may leave," he concluded dismissively.
I stood for a moment, bewildered by the fast pace of his directives. Wow, this job certainly came with a lot of responsibility! I left for my office, already exhausted and in need of a venting session. Reaching for my phone, I knew I needed to talk to Caroline.