Chapter 9: 009

I'm f**ked.

It's my boss.

The wall I ran into is my boss.

The angel, or whoever is in charge of my luck today, is doing an extremely shitty job.

Mr. Jaden stood still with his hand tucked in his pocket. "I'm so sorry, Sir," I panted, trying to catch my breath and form a coherent apology. "I... I was late and… the elevator..."

He raised his hand, shutting me up instantly.

His guards forcely pushed me aside, making way for him.

Did I really just tell my boss I was late on my first week? Why didn't he say anything or lash out on me? I definitely f**ked up this time. I watched him before I continued heading to the conference room.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart. My palms were clammy, and I wiped them on my skirt as I walked.

How could I have been so careless? I kicked myself mentally. No wonder Mr. Jaden didn't say anything. He probably thought I was a complete idiot. He must think I don't value my job because we've kissed. yuck!

The conference room door loomed ahead, and I hesitated for a second before pushing it open. The room was already filled with my new colleagues.

Everyone looked so polished, so confident. I suddenly felt small and out of place, and I even had the least expensive dress on.

I quietly slipped into an empty seat at the back, hoping no one would notice my presence.

The air was thick with the hum of hushed conversations and the faint scent of expensive cologne.

I glanced around, catching snippets of the discussions. They were all talking about things I barely understood…market strategies, quarterly projections, and things that made my head spin.

“Hey there,” a soft feminine voice came from behind me. “I'm Kira, I called earlier. You must be Dalma. Nice to meet you,” she gestured for a hand shake.

She was beautiful, black hair, almond shaped eyes, and a dazzling smile. I immediately felt at ease with her.

“Hi, yes, I'm Dalma. Thanks for earlier. Nice to meet you too," I said with a fake smile. My facial muscles were just too weak for a broad smile, considering how nervous I was.

I quickly turned forward and tried to settle in, and then the door opened again. Mr. Jaden entered the room, and the room suddenly grew quiet.

His presence commanded respect, and the room fell silent as he made his way to the head of the table.

I kept my eyes glued to the notepad in front of me, desperately trying to appear busy, but I could feel his gaze sweep across the room.

He finally spoke, his voice cold and precise. "Good morning, everyone. Let's get started."

My hands trembled as I picked up my pen, ready to jot down whatever I could as I saw everyone was taking notes.

As the meeting progressed, my mind wandered, captivated by the way his lips moved as he spoke. The effortless authority he commanded held my attention more than the words themselves, making it impossible not to admire his presence.

I thought about how hard his chest was when I bumped into him. He must work out a lot. No-

No, no, no.

I shouldn't be thinking about him that way. Handsome as he is, he's still an asshole who seems to believe I owe him something.

The meeting seemed to drag on forever, and when it finally ended, I gathered my things quickly, hoping to slip out unnoticed. But as I reached the door, I heard that authoritative voice again from the other end of the table.

"Miss Millie, a word."

I froze, my hand hovering over my notepad. My stomach dropped, and I slowly turned around to face him.

Everyone else was leaving the room, staring at me like I had a sign on my forehead. I suddenly realized we were now alone.

Am I about to get sacked? My bad habits finally caught up with me. Mr. Jaden waited until the room was completely empty before speaking again.

His expression was impassive, and his tone was measured. "You were late this morning."

It wasn’t a question. He knew. I swallowed hard, trying to find my voice and the right excuse. "Yes, sir. I…"

He cut me off again. Seems he has a thing for raising those hands to shut people up.

"It won’t happen again,” he said.

"No, sir. It won’t," I stammered. My head went down as my face burnt with embarrassment.

He stared at me for a moment, his gaze making my heart race. Then, without saying anything, he rose up and gently stroked my chin, tilting my face upward to meet his.

His lips were barely inches from mine, and I could feel his breath.

Throughout the meeting, I felt lost in a thick mist, wondering what it would be like to taste those lips again.

Our first kiss was euphoric, and perhaps the world was giving me another chance to enjoy those finely shaped lips.

I closed my eyes, waiting for that moment, ready to feel that spark once more. "See that it doesn't," he said quietly and with command.

Like nothing had happened, he pulled back…. It was then I realized I didn't even see him walk up to me. I only imagined.

“Now get to work.”

I nodded quickly and dashed out the room. Once I got to the hallway, I let out a shaky breath. This was going to be a very long first week.

I finally settled in my work space. The scene that just played out was hard to ignore. How does he affect me so much?

Worthington Enterprise was one of the largest fashion brands in New York City, and I had landed a role in the Digital Marketing Department as both a graphics designer and Social Media Manager, all thanks to Jack.

Not bad for someone who honed their skills back in high school.

I looked around, and everyone was so engrossed in work that it made me feel quite unserious.

In high school, I always imagined what it would be like to have a “work bestie”. But, no one seemed to have the time for something like that.

"How hard can it be to find a friend?" I mumbled to myself, half-joking, half-hopeful. Jack was out of town, and the loneliness was eating me up.

I pushed the idea away and began to look into Worthington's previous designs.

Perhaps I might make some adjustments and attract the boss's attention for something positive, rather than the embarrassing incidents that seemed to define our contact.

Just as I began working, a familiar voice interrupted my focus. "Hi," she said, and I turned to find Kira standing not so far behind again. Why was she always sneaking up on me?

"Hello," I replied reluctantly as she approached with her usual bright smile.

As she approached my desk, the woman next to me leaned in and whispered, "Stay away from that one. She's always looking for new friends. Too much of a people-pleaser."

The hair at the back of my neck rose swiftly at that statement, and whatever ease I felt from her presence vanished, but I shoved it aside. Maybe she's just a friendly person.

When Kira reached my desk, she casually leaned on my table. “How’s your first week going?” she asked with a warm smile.

I sighed, my voice dropping from an optimistic 10 to a weary 1.5. “Not so good.”

She chuckled softly. "I had a rough start, too. Don’t worry, you’ll get the hang of it. If you need someone to talk to or some guidance, I’m just over there." She gestured toward her desk.

“Don't hesitate to come over,” then gave me a light tap on the back before heading off.

I watched her walk away, stunned by the kindness. I’d almost forgotten that people like her still existed. Not even my parents had been this nice.

As I trailed after her, lost in thought, my phone buzzed on the desk, snapping me back to reality. I glanced down at the screen, and my heart skipped a beat. It was a message from an unsaved contact.

I opened it, and my breath hitched.

My boss?

“What the f**k...” I whispered, staring at the words.