Chapter 77 No one else gets to humiliate you
Writers POV.
Lilian stared at Dandelion's text message, her heart sinking.
Lily, what should I do if I'm too afraid to love him back?.
She was about to call her best friend when her office door burst open.
"Ms. Knowles." Xavier's assistant, Marcus, stood in the doorway looking apologetic. "Mr. Quinn requests your presence. Immediately."
Lilian's jaw clenched. Of course he did.
For the past three weeks, Xavier had made her life a living hell. Coffee runs at impossible hours. Reorganizing files that didn't need reorganizing. Attending meetings just to take notes he never looked at.
All because of one drunken night she barely remembered.
"Tell Mr. Quinn I'm in the middle of something," she said, turning back to her computer.
"He said it wasn't a request."
She closed her eyes, counting to ten just to keep her sanity. "Fine. Give me five minutes."
Marcus nodded and left. Lilian quickly typed a response to Dandelion.
We need to talk. Call me tonight. Love you.
Then she grabbed her jacket and headed to Xavier's office, mentally preparing for whatever fresh torture he had planned.
Xavier was on the phone when she walked in, but he gestured for her to sit. She remained standing out of spite.
He ended the call and looked at her with those cold blue eyes that gave away nothing.
"There's a business dinner tonight," he said. "The Grandview Hotel. Seven PM. You'll attend as my assistant."
"I have plans tonight."
"Cancel them."
"Xavier, I've already done three coffee runs today and reorganized your entire filing system. I have actual work to do at my real job."
"This is your real job now. Remember?" He leaned back in his chair. "Or did you forget our arrangement?"
She hadn't forgotten. How could she when he reminded her daily that she was trapped working for him until he decided otherwise?
"What's the dinner for?" she asked through gritted teeth.
"Networking. Several potential investors will be there. You'll take notes, look professional, and keep your mouth shut unless spoken to."
"So I'm a decoration."
"You're whatever I say you are."
Lilian's hands curled into fists. "You're enjoying this too much Mr Quinn."
"Am I?" He stood, walking around the desk until he was close enough that she had to tilt her head back to maintain eye contact. "Because from where I'm standing, you still haven't learned your lesson."
"What lesson? That you're a petty, vindictive man who can't let go of one night?"
His jaw ticked. "Be ready at six thirty. Wear something appropriate. And Lilian?" He stepped even closer. "Don't embarrass me."
She wanted to throw something at his smug face. Instead, she turned on her heel and walked out, slamming the door hard enough to rattle the frame.
Back in her office, she exhaled calmly, then called Dandelion.
"Lily?" Dandelion's voice was thick, like she'd been crying.
"I can't talk long. Xavier's making me go to some stupid dinner tonight." Lilian grabbed her purse, already planning what she'd wear. "But we need to talk about your text. You're in love with Alex?"
"I don't want to talk about it."
"Too bad. You dropped that bomb and now you have to explain."
"Later. I promise. Just deal with Xavier first."
"Easy for you to say. You're not the one being tortured by a man who thinks he's too good for basic human decency."
Dandelion actually laughed, though it sounded weak. "At least he's hot while being terrible."
"That makes it worse!" But Lilian was smiling despite herself. "Okay, I have to go get ready. I'll call you tonight after this disaster of a dinner."
"Good luck. Try not to kill him."
"No promises."
Lilian went home and stared at her closet, trying to figure out what Xavier meant by "appropriate." Knowing him, he probably wanted her in something dowdy and forgettable.
She pulled out a black dress instead. Elegant, professional, but with a neckline that showed she wasn't trying to disappear. If Xavier wanted her to be decoration, fine. But she'd do it on her own terms.
The car picked her up at six thirty sharp. Xavier was already inside, looking infuriatingly good in a dark suit.
"You're late," he said without looking up from his phone.
"I'm exactly on time."
"I said six thirty."
"And it's six thirty."
He finally looked at her, his gaze traveling from her heels to her face. Something flickered in his expression before it went blank again.
"That dress is inappropriate."
"You said wear something appropriate. This is appropriate for a business dinner."
"It's too revealing."
"It's a standard cocktail dress. Stop being ridiculous."
His eyes narrowed but he didn't argue further. The car pulled into traffic, and they sat in tense silence.
"Who will be at this dinner?" Lilian finally asked.
"Potential investors. Other CEOs. People who matter."
"And I'm there to do what exactly?"
"Look pretty. Take notes. Don't talk unless someone asks you a direct question."
"You're treating me like a child."
"You're acting like one."
She bit back a sharp retort. Fighting with him in the car wouldn't help anything.
The Grandview Hotel was stunning, all marble and chandeliers and people in expensive clothes. Xavier placed a hand on her lower back as they walked in, and Lilian nearly jumped.
"What are you doing?"
"Appearances," he said quietly. "We're in public. Act professional."
His hand stayed there, warm through the thin fabric of her dress, as they were led to a private dining room.
The dinner party was already in full swing. About twenty people mingled with champagne glasses, laughing and talking business.
Xavier introduced her to exactly no one. She was simply there, his silent shadow, holding a small notepad she was apparently supposed to take notes with.
"Xavier! Good to see you." A man in his fifties approached, already slightly drunk. "And who's this lovely creature?"
"My assistant, Lilian."
"Assistant?" The man's eyes traveled over her in a way that made her skin crawl. "They're making assistants much prettier these days."
Lilian forced a polite smile. "Mr. Quinn values competence over appearance."
"I'm sure he does." The man laughed, nudging Xavier. "You always did have good taste in staff."
They moved on to another group, then another. Each introduction was the same. Xavier would give her name and title, the men would make inappropriate comments disguised as compliments, and she'd have to smile through it.
"Your assistant is quite beautiful, Xavier. Where did you find her?"
"Does she always dress like that to the office?"
"I'd love to have an assistant who looks like her. What's your secret?"
By the time they sat down for dinner, Lilian's face hurt from fake smiling. She was seated at Xavier's right, her notepad in front of her even though no one had said anything worth writing down.
The man to her other side was Richard Something, a investor who had too much wine. He kept leaning into her space, his hand occasionally brushing her arm.
"So Lilian," he slurred slightly. "How long have you been working for Xavier?"
"A few weeks."
"And are you enjoying it?" His hand landed on her knee under the table.
She froze.
"I'm sure Xavier keeps you very busy." His hand squeezed slightly.
Lilian grabbed his wrist and moved his hand away. "Please don't touch me. Mr Richard."
"Oh, come on. Don't be like that." He reached for her again.
"I said don't touch me."
"Richard, leave her alone," someone across the table said with a laugh. "You're making the poor girl uncomfortable."
"I'm just being friendly."
"By harassing her?" another man chimed in. "That's how far secretaries have to go these days, huh? Put up with handsy bosses?"
The table laughed. Lilian felt her face burn with humiliation.
Xavier, who had been talking to someone on his left, went completely still.
"What did you say?" His voice was quiet, but something in it made the entire table fall silent.
The man who'd spoken, a CEO named Patterson, shrugged. "Just a joke, Xavier. No need to get sensitive."
"Apologize to her."
"What?"
Xavier stood, his chair scraping against the floor. "You insulted my assistant. Apologize. Now."
"Xavier, come on. It was just a joke about secretaries."
"She's not a secretary. She's my assistant. And you will apologize for suggesting she tolerates harassment."
The room had gone dead quiet. Everyone was staring.
Patterson looked uncomfortable. "Fine. Sorry, Miss Knowles."
Xavier turned to Richard, who still had his hand near Lilian's chair. "And you."
"What about me?"
"Touch her again," Xavier said, his voice dropping to something dangerous, "and I will destroy you. I'll pull every investment. Tank every stock you hold. Ruin every business relationship you have. By the time I'm done, you won't be able to get a job managing a convenience store. Are we clear?"
Richard's face went pale. "Uhm....Crystal clear."
"Good." Xavier looked at Lilian. "We're leaving."
He didn't wait for a response. He simply turned and walked out.
Lilian grabbed her purse and followed, aware of every eye in the room tracking their exit.
The car was waiting outside. Xavier got in without a word, and Lilian slid in beside him, her heart pounding.
The driver pulled away from the hotel. Silence filled the car, thick and heavy.
"What the hell was that?" Lilian finally demanded.
"What was what?"
"Don't play dumb. You just threatened a room full of powerful men because one of them made a stupid joke."
"It wasn't a joke."
"It was inappropriate, yes, but you didn't have to make a scene."
He turned to look at her, his expression unreadable. "He put his hands on you."
"I handled it."
"You shouldn't have had to handle it at all."
"Why do you care?" The question burst out before she could stop it. "You've spent weeks making my life miserable. You treat me like garbage. You humiliate me daily. So why the hell do you care if someone else does it?"
Xavier was quiet for a long moment.
"Because you're my assistant," he said finally, his voice dead cold. "No one else gets to humiliate you. That's my job."
Lilian stared at him in disbelief. "Are you serious right now?"
"Completely."
"So you're allowed to torture me, but no one else is?"
"Exactly."
"That's insane."
"That's the arrangement."
She wanted to scream. Or cry. Or possibly both.
"You're the most infuriating man I've ever met," she said.
"Good. Then we understand each other."
Lilian looked at him, really looked at him. At the tight set of his jaw. The way he wouldn't quite meet her eyes.
He wasn't as unaffected as he wanted her to believe.
"Why are you really punishing me?" she asked quietly.
"I told you. You took advantage."
"We were both drunk. Both consenting adults. So why does it bother you so much that I left?"
His jaw clenched tighter. "It doesn't bother me."
"Then why go to all this trouble? Why force me to work for you? Why torture me with coffee runs and filing and stupid dinners where you knew I'd be uncomfortable?"
"Because I can."
"That's not an answer."
"It's the only answer you're getting."
The car pulled up to her apartment building. Xavier finally looked at her, his blue eyes burning with something she couldn't name.
"Get out." he said.
"Xavier."
"Get out of the car, Lilian."
She grabbed the door handle, then paused. "You know what? I don't think you're punishing me at all. I think you're punishing yourself."
She got out before he could respond, slamming the door behind her.
As the car pulled away, she stood on the sidewalk, watching the taillights disappear into the night.
Her phone buzzed. A text from an unknown number.
You still have work tomorrow. 8 AM sharp. Don't be late.
She looked at the message, then back at where Xavier's car had gone.
"I hate you," she whispered to the empty street.
But her hands were shaking too.
And she couldn't stop thinking about the way he'd looked when Richard touched her. Like he wanted to set the entire room on fire.