Chapter 11 11

Chapter 11 11
Elliot’s POV

For the first time in years, I found a secretary who knew how to do her job properly. Nessa was efficient, calm, and always on time. She never made mistakes and never forgot anything. 
She handled my calls, meetings, and my coffee was exactly how I liked it since she started working for me. 
She reminded me so much of Vanessa, my ex-wife. The way she moved, how she spoke clearly and stayed composed was the same  but Nessa was so different from Vanessa. She was cold, didn’t smile much and aloof in a way. 
She never asked questions that weren't connected to work and never answered them either and while that should’ve made things easier, it actually annoyed me and I didn’t even know why.
She was everything I wanted in a secretary. Professional, focused, organized but something about the way she kept herself distant made me irritated. At first, I thought I liked it but lately it got under my skin and bothered me more as the day went by.
My greatest surprise was when I found out she had a child. I didn’t know that about her until that strange afternoon at the crèche.
Since then I had gone to pick up Alice myself hoping I would run into her outside of work and maybe learn something about her but I never saw her or her child again. 
Last night at the stakeholders party I had been bored out of my mind waiting for it to end until I saw her.
She wasn’t in her work pants or stiff white blouse. She wore a white elegant and beautiful dress. Her hair was up in a soft bun, a few strands falling near her cheeks. She looked like she walked out of a dream. Divine and graceful I couldn’t stop staring.
When I got over my surprise of seeing her my feet had moved on their own and I was going to her already but Asher had come, introduced me as his brother and led her away. 
I was in shock when Asher intertwined their hands and she seemed so comfortable talking to him. 
I noticed the way he was standing beside her, leaning in slightly, talking to her like they were old friends. She was laughing softly and looked at him like he was special.
Something about that smile made my chest tighten. How did they know each other?
Asher wasn’t the type to be friendly with anyone. He had always kept to himself and kept his distance from the family. 
Ever since the mess he made years ago we never really talked. We were brothers by blood, but that was it. He never came to family dinners,  never returned calls and was not afraid to disappoint anyone but somehow that same Asher was here with Nessa and he seemed to be having a good time and she also seemed relaxed and comfortable with him.
I felt strange at the sight; They looked too close and for some weird reason I didn’t like it. I wondered how they even knew each other. She worked for me and I never saw this side of her.
Was Asher the father of her child? I wondered. I clenched my jaw as I watched him lean in closer to whisper “you look beautiful..” he mouthed and she laughed again and touched her hand to her mouth, almost shyly.
I knew my brother well, he didn’t care about people or the company and had always been wild and unpredictable. 
I walked into the office that morning and as usual, my coffee was on my desk, hot and just the way I liked it. My schedule was printed and placed neatly beside it. 
I battled with myself for a moment before I called her. 
“Nessa,” I called. She entered the room a moment later, her face calm.
“Is there an issue, sir?”
I looked at her for a second staring at her pretty face and remembering her gorgeous body from last night. 
I leaned back in my chair. “How do you know Asher?”
She blinked, surprised. “Excuse me?”
I sighed. “Asher; my brother, how do you know him?”
Her face changed slightly and I saw it; that look of annoyance before she masked it. She folded her arms calmly.
“That’s a personal question Mr. Hayes and I don’t mix my personal life with work.”
That answer hit me harder than it should have and I knew she was right.
“We’ve been friends for years that’s all but I had no idea he was related to you since he never talks about his family.”
“I see,” I said, trying to hide my disappointment.
“If that’s all, I’ll get back to work.” She said, 
I waved my hand and she left.
I sat back in my chair, staring at the ceiling. Why did I even ask? She was right. It wasn’t my business.
I didn’t want her close to Asher. I knew my brother and I knew he only cared about himself and also it just bothered me.
It was all a mess in my head and I know I shouldn’t be bothered about my secretaries private life, she was the only one who had ever come close to being a perfect secretary. 
The only other one was “Vanessa,” I muttered aloud. I had no complaints about her and she was so peaceful and good to me but I had taken her for granted and treated her so bad and everyday I felt guilty.
I reached down, pulled open my bottom drawer, and took out the small black box I kept hidden there. It was Vanessa’s wedding ring.
She had left it the day she walked out of my life. I twirl it wondering where on earth she was.
Was she even still alive? Was she out there somewhere living a new life? Or dead in some alley?
The thought made me shudder.
I closed the box and pushed it back in the drawer. 

I picked my phone and dialed a number.

"Get me whatever you can on Nessa Adams"