CHAPTER 7

"Mendoza," a cold voice called from the speaker. I let out a deep breath and set my desk.

"Seriously, I've noticed lately—our boss has been torturing you all the time," Serah said with a sigh.

I tried to smile at her. "That's really how life is: sometimes easy, often hard," I tried to joke.

She winced as Freya shook her head.

"I'm also impressed with your resilience. If that were me, I'd move to another company," she said.

I stood up from my seat and forced a smile again. "Because I don't have a high education, I can't find a job that pays a lot like this," I whispered bitterly.

I walked to Achetbir's office, knocked three times, and slowly opened the door. I saw his serious eyes lift to look at me as I tilted my head. Slowly, I entered inside and closed the door.

Back then, I'd never been nervous every time I came in here. Now, it seemed like my heart would explode with anxiety.

"Encode this file and submit it to me today," he said coldly and dropped nearly an inch-thick stack of paperwork.

Damn.

I secretly looked at the large clock hanging in his office. I sighed deeply when I saw that it was almost three o'clock.

It looked like I'd be doing overtime again.

Instead of complaining, I quietly approached and picked up the papers he was referring to.

"Make me some coffee too," he said as I turned my back on him.

I politely bowed before continuing to walk. I was about to open the door when it opened itself. From there, Patriza entered. Wearing a fitted red dress, she began to walk inside. Our eyes met for a moment before she looked at the stack of papers I was holding.

She smirked and rolled her eyes, then walked past me. "Good," she murmured mockingly.

I secretly stared at her and chased the open door so that I would not have any difficulty in opening it.

"Mendoza..." Achetbir called.

I turned to him as I rested my elbow on the door so that it would not close.

"I want 3in1 coffee. Buy at the store outside."

My mouth parted at what he said.

What?

He raised an eyebrow at me when he noticed my reaction, so I quickly adjusted myself. "Noted, Sir," I answered and left the room.

Serah and Freya parted their mouths at the same time as they looked in my direction. I dropped the papers on the top of my desk when I reached it.

"Looks like I'm going to get paid a lot this month."

Their lips both twitched at my sarcastic joke.

"What time is it; when does he want that turned in?" Serah asked.

I combed my hair using my fingers and forced a smile. "Today."

"Take your fucking salary; I won't kill myself with that," Freya said hysterically, and I laughed softly.

"Sir was conceived out of resentment, and that's how it is. What a pity for his handsomeness," Serah added.

I just shook my head at the two of them and took my wallet.

"Where are you going?" Serah asked, frowning.

I couldn’t help but grieve as I remembered another one of Achetbir’s commands. "Our boss missed the brewed coffee, so that's it; he wanted a local coffee," I replied.

Freya's mouth parted, as well as Serah's.

"Jandie, Sir has been treating you like this for two months—all the torture he has done to you. Did you commit a serious sin?" Serah asked in curiosity.

I was stunned and slightly nervous.

I faked a laugh and arranged my belongings. "Yes, false reports," I replied before they turned away.

Big, big, big.

Yeah, it had been two months since we broke up. True to his words, he always made my day hellish, from paperwork to other things, adding Patriza's orders every time she was left in Achetbir's office. She kept ordering me to do different things like buying stuff.

The issue about them had gone wild like a wildfire. Why not, since they had formally announced to the public their wedding plans. As Achetbir's mother expected, the news about the two of us was quickly erased as if it never came out.

“Madam, can I make a purchase?” I called from outside a store.

A lady came out quickly. "What is that?" she asked softly.

"A dozen creamy white coffees."

The saleswoman immediately prepared what I was buying and then gave it to me. I paid for it, and I left to go back to the office.

I let out a deep breath as I thought of the few minutes wasted of my time to encode Achetbir's files.

"Just make sure you will drink it, Achetbir!" I gasped as I leaned against the elevator.

"Long time no see, Miss Kisser," a voice spoke beside me as the elevator closed.

I looked up and pursed my lips as I recognized the man next to me.

"Sir!" I exclaimed and bowed my head for respect.

He chuckled sexily and leaned on the elevator wall. "You are calling me sir now as if you didn't seem to have used me, ah?" he teased.

My face heated because of that.

He turned to me and held out his hand. "Caster."

I quickly reached out my hand and shook hands with him. "Jandie," I said politely.

He smiled and pulled back his hands. "Nice name," he complimented.

My lips twitched. What's nice about what you normally hear?

"So, how are you?" he formally spoke to me.

I forced a smile and stared at the number on top of the elevator. "Trying to be fine," I replied.

I didn’t have to lie to him because I knew it was pointless. Somehow, I felt comfortable sharing my thoughts with him—maybe because I knew he was kind.

"Don't worry; you really are doing fine," he soothed and gently patted my shoulder.

We laughed softly at each other. We just met again, and here we were, talking about drama.

"Why are you here? I also remember you just got inside Achetbir's office that day."

"Well, my dad is one of his investors, and I am learning to run the company. So, since that day, I have been in charge of all the work."

"Wow! You are rich too."

He chuckled and shook his head. "But it looks like the impression I left on your boss was bad. Do you think he'll be okay to talk to me now?" he asked.

I was stunned, thoughtful, and yawned for a moment. “I don’t think so,” I admitted.

I was being tortured, so it wouldn't be different with him.

He chuckled again and tapped my shoulder as the elevator opened.

"Nice to see you again," he said.

I smiled and nodded. "You too," I said simply.

"All right, and I'll be ahead of you. I don't want your tiger boss to see us." He bid me goodbye before speeding up his walk.

He turned to me for a moment and waved, then continued his fast walk. I sparingly laughed at his naughty aura. I was quietly walking down the hallway toward our department when my phone rang. I immediately took it from the pouch that I was carrying.

"Doomed," I muttered while looking at Achetbir's name on the screen.

I answered it quickly and put it to my ear while walking.

"Where's my coffee, Mendoza?" There was a trace of the loss of patience in his tone.

"I'm close, Sir," I replied bitingly.

"Hurry up; I'm not paying you to be lazy." And the line ended after that.

"Fuck!" I cursed when I tripped because of my fast movement.

I closed my eyes tightly when I tried to walk again.

Shit, I even got a sprain.

I just ignored the pain I was feeling and slowed down to walk into the department. I immediately headed to the coffee brew area and started to make his 3in1.

I should have also bought Lola Remedios and mixed it with this so he'd lose his coldness.

"What's going through my mind?" I whispered and placed the coffee on a tray.

I went to his office and knocked three times before I opened it slowly. I immediately saw Achetbir sitting seriously in his swivel chair with Patriza standing next to him while Caster was sitting in the visitor’s chair and secretly smiling at me.

I was really impressed with Ma’am; she looked very good at modeling and didn't even care to stand up.

I straightened up first and struggled to adjust my walk despite the pain in my foot.

"Your coffee," I said politely and placed the tray on the side of his desk.

"You may leave," he commanded coldly.

I followed his wishes.

"Have a good day," Caster formally whispered as I passed by his side.

I smiled at him in gratitude and then tearfully walked to the door because of the pain in my foot and went out. I was about to close the door when I saw Achetbir stand up and just pull Patriza in by the nape for a kiss while not taking his cold look away from me.

I wanted to cry because of the pain. I didn’t know if it was because of my foot or because of what I was seeing.

I bit my lower lip and continued to close the door with a heavy heart.