Chapter 71

Landon felt bad for what happened between him and Carly, but he pushed the feeling behind him and decided to focus on himself. He couldn't allow a mere woman like Carly to ruin his mood and affect his performance. He needed to be active and not give her the satisfaction of seeing him hurt by her absence. With that thought, he finally drifted off to a light slumber.

By morning when he woke, he soon noticed he had dark circles around his eyes. He hadn't slept very well. He ignored it and prepared for work. He had a quick breakfast and was soon on his way to work. As he drove past the houses on the street, he soon noticed two very familiar figures. Landon slowed down even before his brain could process it.

By the time he realized, he had already parked his car in the parking lot. The place was small and he could see that it was an ice-cream parlour. He watched the two ladies walk in, where it was more like Jasmine pulling Carly along. He didn't fail to notice how hot Carly was dressed.

"So she had been so eager to go out and mingle huh?" He whispered. "Well, good thing I got rid of her first."

He watched them from the window, chatting and laughing. The Carly that had made him feel guilty for his verdict last night, the Carly that had rested over his dining table, crying, the same Carly that had hurt him several times... Here she was having ice cream with Jasmine and not caring about anything while he was being bugged.

After watching them for a while, he drove away. He was seething within himself. He never expected Carly to have actually been pretending. He felt that maybe she was truly hurt and he could at least try to reconsider after watching her repent. But instead, she had come out as if she had gotten rid of her baggage and enjoyed a day out with her girlfriend.

Nodding to himself, he parked his car in the company and alighted. He noticed that nobody was outside and he knew that he had arrived before everyone. He smirked. So these people took his absence for granted and did as they liked? Landon stood at the entrance with his hands in his pocket. Fifteen minutes after his arrival, Mark arrived.

The poor man was surprised to find Landon standing outside. He gulped as he walked in, greeting Landon.

Landon nodded abstractly and Mark walked past him and went inside. Mark hurried to his office and switched on his computer. He logged into the safe space for all the employees and sent a message to the chat room.

Vice President Mark: President Landon is here and is standing at the entrance of the company. If you're yet to arrive, hasten your steps.

Everyone had something to say and everyone wondered if Carly had also arrived. Mark went to Landon's office to check if Carly was there and he found that not only was she absent, but her desk was cleared as if she never existed. Confused, he turned but noticed Landon standing there.

"What are you doing, snooping around?" Landon demanded gruffly.

Mark stuttered for a few seconds, trying to get himself in order. "Sir, what happened to Miss Carly? Is she okay? Will she no longer be working with us?"

Landon wondered how Mark had found out. Did Carly perhaps tell people that he fired her? Thinking about Carly ruining his image made him mad.

"So she also dares to indulge in defamation, huh?" Landon growled.

Mark shook his head. "No sir. Miss Carly and I haven't spoken since her trip."

Landon stared at him. "How then did you suspect that she wouldn't be working with us anymore?"

"Her desk." Mark turned and gestured to the neatly cleaned desk. The only things that were there were the computer parts and the cup in which she kept all her pens and pencils and markers.

Landon moved closer to inspect the desk. He checked the drawers to see them neatly arranged. Did she suspect that he was going to fire her and then arranged her desk and packed her things before he did? So she already knew huh?

He chuckled and walked away, returning to the entrance. The other employees began to troop in. Everyone was surprised that Landon was at the door. Nobody knew what he was thinking for him to be standing there.

Noah was about to walk past when Landon stopped him. Noah bowed in greeting, again.

"Noah, right?" Landon asked with a half smile.

Noah coughed. "Yes sir."

"You've been promoted to be my personal assistant," Landon said. "You will resign from your department and hand over everything to your superior. Visit the HR department and discuss your new salary with them. Work begins by 8, don't make me find you."

"S...sir..." Noah stuttered.

Landon turned to stare at him. "Any complaints?"

"Um, not exactly sir... I just don't think I can do it." Noah said. He didn't want to be Landon's assistant. Carly only had complaints about him and he couldn't cope. He wasn't Carly, he could not cope.

"Why? Do you think you're not fit for the job?" Landon demanded. "Hm, even I think you're not fit for the job. But what to do? You're the closest person to my previous assistant so you should be a little like her. If anything, you should be able to serve me even better."

Noah didn't like that Landon was taking it differently. He wanted to yell and say he didn't want to do it. And that if Landon felt that he wasn't fit for the job, he could as well call someone else to do it. But he didn't want to be rendered jobless totally.

"Don't worry, Noah. I've asked Mark to put up a vacancy for the position. So you will just be an acting assistant until someone more professional applies for the job."

Noah watched Landon leave right after speaking. What was he supposed to say? What could he do? Should he run away? But if he did, did he also have enough money to fend for himself? As much as he didn't want to be an assistant to Landon, he would rather do that than become jobless permanently.