Chapter 21 Claims
By Valeria
We walked into the kitchen, I grabbed two glasses, not the ones used for gatherings, but others that were stored in a cabinet in the corner of the kitchen. I took out two cans of soda from the fridge and served one to Emi, who hadn't said a word.
Her two friends had followed us, watching how I confidently took what I needed.
When I opened the fridge, I checked what was missing so the service staff could buy it on Monday.
I made a list and left it where it belonged.
Emi and the two guys were watching me.
"Since I'm waiting, I might as well get some work done," I explained to Emi with studied indifference.
"Were they... having an orgy?" my friend asked, already knowing the answer, since she could barely speak.
I smiled at her. What else could I do? Cry?
"Sorry, friend, I wouldn't have gone into his room if I knew what he was doing. I had never... seen him in action."
"Val... How can you work with him?" Emi's astonishment was palpable.
"I'm his secretary... you know that."
"Yes, but..."
"Are you really just his secretary? I'm Gonzalo, nice to meet you," said one of the two men in the kitchen with us.
"I'm Valeria, and this is my friend Emi."
"My name's Charly."
"I told you he was busy, you went into his room, and it's clear you know the apartment well," Gonzalo said, looking confused by the situation.
"Yes, I know it well."
I didn't offer any explanations, nor did it occur to me to say that I go every day to get his lovers out of bed. I don't know when I fell so low...
He hasn't sent gifts to anyone in a while, and I'm glad about that. I prefer them to be just passing through. I swear that every card I send, praising some girl, hurts more than what I just saw.
And when I send a gift to someone he wants to get rid of, I'm quite hurtful in the cards, just like Alejandro, and I'm almost happy doing it.
I'm pathetic.
They stayed chatting with us.
Even though I was uncomfortable and wanted them to leave, we were new meat, and they were excited.
"How long have you been Ale's secretary?"
"I think it's been six months."
"That long? Are you really just his secretary?"
"Why do you say that?"
"You didn't make a fuss when you saw him."
"I don't understand. I know I walked into my boss's room, and I honestly didn't expect to see him like that, but..."
"You knew exactly where his room was."
"Yes."
"Are you very open? We can... do something. If you don't like orgies or sharing... there are more rooms in the apartment, and we can split up."
"I was thinking the same. Should we go somewhere else, Emi?"
"Do you really think all women are just waiting to go off with strangers?"
"Well, if you're here... yes."
"You don't get it. We're not going anywhere with you."
Alejandro walked in, thankfully wearing pants, his shirt unbuttoned, and shoes on. Behind him, in the same condition, was Omar. They both seemed a bit tipsy.
"Sorry, Vale, I was expecting you earlier."
"They took a while to send the documents."
He came closer and kissed me on the head. He greeted Emi with a kiss on the cheek. Omar also greeted me with a kiss on the cheek, and of course, Emi too.
I took the documents out of my purse, and Alejandro signed them.
I put them back.
"I'll head back to the office now, send and file the documents, and come back with Emi."
"No problem, Vale... sorry..."
He said, approaching and looking me in the eyes.
"No problem, I walked in without thinking..."
Alejandro's friends were watching us until Gonzalo spoke.
"You've been keeping her hidden. Share her. I was suggesting going to another room. Tell her I'm harmless."
Alejandro turned to reply, but Charly spoke first.
"They don't want to have an orgy or be in the same room. We were suggesting we could go somewhere else. Both of you are gorgeous."
"What's wrong with you, idiots? Valeria is my secretary."
Alejandro raised his voice, which was unusual for him.
"We always share your secretaries."
"She's not like that."
He looked at me as if to apologize for his friends, but at that moment, he looked me up and down, not with desire, as he usually did.
"Why are you dressed like that?"
He demanded in front of everyone, like a jealous boyfriend.
"Alejandro, I'm not in the office. You can't say anything to me. I'll leave the documents and go have a drink with my friend."
"You're very noticeable and..."
"Ale, what's wrong with you?"
"Don't go out because I need you at 8 AM tomorrow."
"I have class tomorrow."
"Then don't stay up late. Come at 12, get rid of anyone who might be there, wake me up. If there's someone in my bed, get her out like always, and then we'll go have lunch at my father's house. He won't be there, but my aunt will be waiting for us."
"That's on Sunday."
"No, it's tomorrow, I'll see you at 12 and now you're leaving with my driver."
"To the office, yes, then I'm going to have a drink."
"I don't want you going anywhere."
"Ale, I don't work 24 hours a day for you."
"I'll see you tomorrow at 12."
He says curtly.
"Yes, sir."
I said to make him angry.
He thinks he owns me.
He treats me like I'm his property.
His friends and even Omar were paying attention to our conversation.
"Valeria..."
He said, turning around to look at me again.
"Yes..."
He left the kitchen without speaking.
Omar looked at Emi, devouring her with his eyes, without saying a word.
He wasn't going to say anything, he knew perfectly well that we had both seen them, what an awkward moment, because Omar is also one of my bosses, not directly but he's a partner in a lot of companies.
Gonzalo left after them, astonished, asking about our relationship.
"What kind of relationship do you have with Alejandro?"
"I'm his secretary."
"He seems like a jealous boyfriend."
"He's my boss."
"Or your owner?"
"I don't have an owner, come on Emi, on second thought, I'll let Juan know to take us and wait for us, the little lord is going to make me miss my Saturday afternoon class."
We said goodbye to Alejandro's friends, who didn't say anything else.
We went to the office and then back home.
It was already late and I had class at 8 in the morning.
Emi was also amazed by the office's luxury, she couldn't say anything on the way to our apartment, Juan was driving us and we didn't know how much he might tell Alejandro.
"Good night, Mr. Juan, please pick me up tomorrow, I have to go to Alejandro's apartment at 12 noon, but you should pick me up from the university, I'll send you the location on WhatsApp."
"See you tomorrow, Valeria, good night ladies."
Once at home, the inevitable came.
"How the hell do you put up with something like that?"
"He's my boss."
"You're totally in love with him, you can't fool me."
"It's true, I love him and you know it. What can I do? I refused to sleep with him and I became his soldier, his nurse, his secretary, his right hand, his personal assistant, and his most faithful admirer."
"He thinks he owns you, he seemed like a jealous boyfriend when he complained that you were dressed too provocatively, yet you found him with five women and his friend, the one trying to win me over, was also there."
"He doesn't know what I feel for him."
"You managed to forget Diego and now..."
"Diego was my boyfriend, he owed me fidelity and respect."
"I agree with that, but what we saw today..."
"I didn't expect that, and he didn't expect me to see him like that."
"How does he expect you to see him?"
"It's just... when I wake him up, I see him in his boxers, that's how he sleeps, most of the women I remove from his bed while he showers, I see them naked and you know that."
"Do you see him naked?"
I get nervous, I had never told her that I had seen him naked a thousand times.
"Sometimes, when he comes out of the shower and I haven't finished changing the sheets or preparing his clothes, he changes in front of me."
"You're crazy, he's not your boyfriend, your lover, or a friend with benefits, he's your boss and you're just the secretary."
"I know, and it hurts, and I swear I'm not anything else because I would just be another one on his list."
"He thinks he owns you, even if he doesn't have you sexually, he knows you'll do everything he says, today you told him we were going to have a drink and he said no, and we didn't go."
"We weren't going anywhere."
"But he didn't know that, and if he asks his driver, he'll find out you obeyed him."
"We came here because I have to get up early tomorrow."
"Valeria, he's possessive and spoiled, he's proposed sex to you a thousand times, why do you say no? If you make him jealous maybe..."
"Maybe I'll have him for a week, ten days, I don't think anyone can hold his attention longer than that, meanwhile, as his secretary, I have him every day and he knows my name."
"Vale..."
"Don't say anything because you like Omar and he's just like Alejandro."
"But I wouldn't put up with him taking over my life and absorbing it like your boss does with you, think about it Vale, you're used to forgiving, feeling like any woman can take your place, and you put up with it and it's not like that."
"Should I quit?"
"At least set boundaries, try to live your life, once you graduate, you won't stay in a single weekend, we'll go dancing, go out, and have fun every weekend."
"I promise."
I fell asleep thinking Emi is right about everything she says.
However, I can't help but love him.
When I closed my eyes, the images of when I saw him replayed in my mind.
It hurt, how it hurt.
Seeing him enjoy himself in the arms of others was...
My tears win the battle.
I remember how he made me feel the few times we were about to be intimate.
That time in the car... How could I let myself go like that? What must Mr. Juan think of me?
I fell asleep with a lot of anguish.