Chapter 45: New office

KRIS:

"Good morning.” I greeted Dean, blowing him a kiss as I sauntered past him to my desk. He caught it and grinned back cheekily.

I got to the position of my desk but was greeted by an empty space. My gaze travelled around the large room to see if it might have been moved to another spot but I found no empty table.

"Umm...Dean?" I called out to him.

"Yeah,"

"Did you see anyone take my desk out? I can't find it.” I turned towards him.

"Nope. You should ask Adrain. He might know something about it.” He shrugged, returning his attention back to his computer screen.

Without replying, I walked to Adrian’s door and gently tapped on it.

"Come in.” Adrain's deep voice called out from the other side.

I got in to see him on a call. Seeing me, he raised a finger up signifying that I should hold on. He pointed to the leather chair across from him and I took my seat.

"Good morning, Kris.” He greeted moments later with a smile on his face.

"Good morning to you too, Adrian.” He wasn't one of those stuck-up jerks that insisted on being called *Sir*. He had insisted I call him by his name from the time I started working here and I liked it.

"I'm sorry to disturb you so early but I can't find my desk. I was hoping you'd know something about it?"

"About that,” he scratched his beard. “You should meet the boss. He ordered men to move it to the twentieth floor this morning.”

My eyes widened but I quickly schooled my features to show it wasn't a big deal.

"Okay. Thank you.”

I got out and closed the door behind me with an exasperated sigh.

I wasn't looking forward to seeing Lucian.

Why does he have to make things so difficult for me?

Doesn't he understand I don't want to be anywhere near him?

"You know where it is now?" Dean asked as I strolled past him.

"The boss took it.” It felt really weird referring to him as The Boss.

Dean waggled his eyebrows at me, smirking. I flipped him off before exiting the room.

I pressed the button for the twentieth floor, hoping that the elevator floor would open up and swallow me. Truly, I wasn't ready to start my week with Lucian. It would mean ill luck for the rest of the week.

Sadly, the elevator dinged, doors opening to the twentieth floor. I walked out and threw a Good morning at his assistant, my mind still reeling from the thoughts of meeting The Boss.

I tapped gently on his door.

"Come in.” His deep voice answered, making my heart skip a mile.

Sly. I haven't even seen him but it has abandoned me to my fate.

Pulling on a mask of confidence, I strolled in like I owned the place.

An annoying smirk tugged at the corners of his perfect lips.

Damn him for being so good looking. If only the hatred I felt for him could be transferred to his looks, he'd be the ugliest being on Earth.

"I assume you know why I'm here.” I stated more than asked.

"Of course love.” I chose to ignore his endearment.

His next words felt like an iron sponge scraped my skin.

"You'll be working from my office.”

Blood drained from my face, the confidence slipping away.

"You're joking right?" I managed in the strongest voice I could muster.

"That's your desk over there.” He pointed to the left of the room and my eyes followed.

My desk was arranged there.

Looking back at him, my expression hardened with newly found confidence.

"I'm not sharing your office with you Lucian. Call whoever brought it here to take it back.” I stared him in the eye.

"You don't have a choice, baby.”

And right there, my last shred of control and sanity snapped.

"I quit Lucian. You can carry on with your threat.”

That said, I stomped out of his office.

I was tired of him controlling me like his puppet. If I didn't hate him enough already, I definitely hated him more.

I regretted the day I met him.

___________________________

After a week of quitting my job, Violent noticed but I simply told her I wasn't okay with the working conditions which was literally part of the truth.

Thankfully, she wasn't nosey. She only assured me that I should apply to another place.

If only she knew my predicament. Without doubt, I knew Lucian would go through with his threat.

I was left wondering if quitting was actually worth it. It felt like the worst decision I ever made. I couldn't intern anywhere, couldn't work anywhere. He still had me in his cage. Quitting was only a silly mistake and my pride wouldn't let me go back. That would mean he won.

It was a good thing he didn't come after me. I half expected him to but it seemed he finally understood I didn't want him anymore.

Maybe I should just move on to a remote town where he wouldn't find me and start a new life there?

I would do anything just to get far away from him.

Tired of laying around in the house, I decided to go for a walk.

It might clear my head a little.

Changing into sweatpants and a tank top, I connected my earpods to my phone and exited the apartment.

I took a long walk before returning back home when it was already dark. Unlocking the front door, I waltzed to my bedroom, heading straight for the bathroom. I was in need of a cold shower.

I took my time in the bathtub, relaxing in the coolness of the water. After a while, cold started creeping in.

Lazily, I got out of the tub and wrapped myself in a towel.

Walking into the room, he was right there, seated on my bed.