Chapter 12

It was another day spent with Jack obsessing over that girl. He had been going through some documents, but after a while, his concentration had dropped. The more time went on, it’s like his mind unlocked memories of that day that he had not realized existed. He put down the Gil in his hand and as he was about to take a sip of the coffee Lucy had made him, she burst into his office. No knocking or anything. And there was a big smile on her face. She had something in her hand but Jack paid no attention to it.

“Did you knock? Did I permit you to get into my office Lucy?” Jack asked. With the way the excited smile left Lucy’s face, Jack knew that he had killed her joy. She stopped shaking whatever was in her hand and stopped where she was, not bothering to come forward as she didn’t want to bear some more of his wrath.

“No sir, you didn’t,” Lucy said in a tiny voice. She swallowed. She couldn’t explain why he had been in such a black mood. And she has been hoping that the news she was about to give him would take him out of that mood for a little while. But here he was, scolding her instead.

“Then why did you come in?” Jack knew his voice was cold, and he saw Lucy wince. But with how preoccupied he was, he just couldn’t bring himself to care about her feelings in that moment.

“I had something really important to share with you, sir.” Lucy said this slowly, as if she was trying not to offend him. The excitement was nowhere to be found now. He had successfully dimmed it. She didn’t understand this. Jack had been cold towards her sometimes but he had never been rude or mean like was being now. She didn’t know what to make of it.

“Does it have anything to do with the news Detective Geralds said he had for me?” Her boss asked. There was a directness in his tone but he made sure to keep any hint of hope out of his voice. He trusted Lucy to keep her mouth shut but he didn’t want her knowing about the girl he was looking for either. Which was why he always went to meet Geralds himself.

“No sir, but—” Lucy didn’t even have the time to finish her sentence. Jack had already cut her off.

“Then it’s not that important so you can leave now.”

By the silence that followed that statement, you could tell that Lucy was shocked. She had been working for Jack for two years, and this was the first time ever that he was being this short with her. She didn’t know what to say that wouldn’t spark some more of his iciness towards her so she turned meekly and walked out of the office. It was a damn shame she had feelings for this man, and a bigger shame that he paid her amazingly well. She would leave the job immediately. It took all for her not to burst out crying or something. She had thick skin, but damn. This was another level.

Since he had been in contact with Detective Geralds, Lucy couldn’t explain but he had become some sort of Grinch. She hoped he found whatever he was looking for so he could go back to the sometimes easy going boss she knew and loved.

Jack stared at the door after Lucy went out and closed it. Even he had to admit he had been harsh with her. Yes, he was trying not to breed any sort of familiarity between them. But he had to admit all he had said, uncalled for and rude. Lucy was amazing, and he was letting his frustrations get the best of him. What the fuck was happening to him?

He needed to apologize to her.

Jack pressed the intercom a short while later and said into it, “Lucy, come to my office for a minute will you?”

He didn’t bother to wait for her reply. He knew she was going to be there. And it was a matter of seconds before he heard a timid knock on his office door. Jack had to hold in a bitter laugh. She wasn’t taking any chances this time. And with how horrible he had been to her, he couldn’t blame her.

“Come in,” he said, then he raked his hand through his hair again. With how often he did that, Jack was going to end up bald before the end of the week.

Lucy walked in. She was still holding whatever she had been holding the first time she had gotten into his office. But there was no excitement. Just wariness, as if she was waiting for him to snap again. Jack sighed. He didn’t want her to walk around eggshells with him. They had a good working relationship and the last thing he wanted to do was kill it.

Lucy waited for him to speak. It seemed his rudeness had cost him her voice also. So Jack went first.

“Lucy… I’m sorry about earlier. I’m under a lot of stress right now but that’s no excuse to snap at you. Accept my sincerest apologies and know that it won’t happen again,” he said, looking her straight in the eyes so she would understand he was serious.

Yes, there were days where he would blow up. But he would never be disrespectful to her again, especially when she had no part to play in all his frustrations.

Lucy on her part was shocked. This was the first time ever Jack was apologizing to her. But it was also the first time he had been this rude to her. She almost had not heard his words, with the way he was looking at her. But she caught herself just in time so she could know if he had said something important.

To some people, the look in Jack’s eyes was probably a simple one with nothing attached to it. But to Lucy? It was everything. And his apology? It made her get even more enamored with him. She respected the fact that he had admitted he was wrong. Not a lot of people could swallow their pride enough to do that.

She didn’t even need him to explain why he had snapped at her. He had apologized. That much had to count for something. Right?

"It's alright sir," Lucy said with a broad smile.

Jack 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?" Jack asked, staring at her levelly.

His gaze was nothing special. Just plain with no spark in it, but Lucy's heart started beating really quick. She couldn't help her feelings for Jack. And maybe one day, he was going to reciprocate them. She just had to be patient. And she had to prove to him that she could withstand whatever he threw at her.

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

"And?" Jack 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 a 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," Lucy explained.

Jack's lips spread into a slow smile. This was one of the reasons why he could not imagine firing Lucy, despite her very unprofessional behavior of late. He was useless without her insight sometimes and that was why he had kept her around for so long, even though he knew she had feelings for him.

"You're a lifesaver, Luce," Jack said then stood up from his chair and walked towards her. She blushed lightly, staring up at Jack, 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. And then he had pulled back and told her that the stress on him was because of her and that he had been trying to let her know about his feelings for some time...

"Lucy? Lucy!" Jack called out, looking at here either, worry evident on 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." Lucy 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," Jack dismissed. There was a slight pause again. Then Jack 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," Lucy said, looking at the notebook she was holding in her hand.

Jack 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," Jack said when it seemed like Lucy was not going to move. She had been standing in the middle of the office, still staring at Jack. And his words had shaken her up. Lucy blushed. Then she nodded and went out of the office, making sure not to hit the door too hard so as not to make any noise. Jack wanted to concentrate.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Geralds sat after Jack 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 Jack asked and the man stared at Jack levelly.

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

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

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

Geralds sat there for a while, but when he saw that Jack 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 Geralds left, Jack flung the file to the floor and stared at it unseeingly. It was a matter of time. He was going to find that woman and finally get her out of his head.