Chapter 5 The Boiling Point
The next morning, Elliot sat at his desk, trying to focus on the pile of paperwork, but his thoughts kept coming back to Audrey. He guessed she was still upset from the night before.He felt guilty for letting things slip out of control after overhearing her conversation with his mom.
"I shouldn’t have let myself get carried away," Elliot muttered to himself, a hint of regret in his voice.
Still, he couldn’t deny how impressed he was when Audrey managed to reschedule the dinner with Mr. Mashimoto. That guy was known for being tough, especially about schedules.
Audrey had pulled it off, which only increased Elliot’s respect for her.
Sighing, Elliot rubbed his face, trying to focus on work. He quickly pressed the intercom button.
"Yes?" Audrey’s voice on the other side sounded cold, full of frustration.
Elliot could hear how annoyed she was just from her tone. A faint, almost mischievous smile appeared on his face, though it lasted only a fraction of a second. "Has the planning department's report come in? If so—"
"I put it on your desk this morning. Didn’t you see it?" Audrey cut in, her tone clearly sharp.
Elliot paused, reaching for the stack of papers beside him. After shuffling through the pile, he found the report Audrey had mentioned.
Damn, Elliot cursed silently. He hadn’t seen it because it had been buried under other documents.
"Ah. You put it too far down. I didn’t see it," he replied flatly, though he knew that excuse sounded ridiculous.
There was a brief silence between them.
Elliot could imagine Audrey’s face growing more sour, probably holding back a sharp remark.
"Thank-" Before the man could finish his sentence, the call abruptly ended.
Elliot blinked in surprise, taken aback by her sudden action. Instead of being angry, he let out a small, bitter laugh. This girl had truly entertained him today.
"When’s the last time someone dared to hang up on me?" he mumbled to himself, still a bit shocked by Audrey's boldness.
The rest of the day passed with tension hanging between them. Audrey gave him sharp glares every time they crossed paths, and her responses were short and curt, unlike her usual polite demeanor.
Elliot felt a little uncomfortable but knew this was the consequence of his actions last night. Still, the urge to tease Audrey grew stronger. He knew getting a rise out of her might be entertaining.
Later that afternoon, just before she was about to leave, Elliot called her into his office.
"Yes, Sir?" Audrey stood by her desk, her expression already showing signs of impatience. Her eyes narrowed, as though daring him to give her some other unexpected order.
"I need you to join me for dinner at 7," Elliot said casually, sounding almost too casual to be a surprise, as if it was a normal request even though it was sudden.
He even seemed to be watching closely, waiting for her reaction.
Audrey’s eyes widened in shock.
"7 PM, Sir? You mean tonight?" She asked, trying to keep her voice steady, even though it was clear she was taken aback by the sudden request.
Elliot nodded briefly. "Yes, tonight. Get ready."
The woman seemed to be holding back. Her eyes blinked rapidly, as if she were trying to figure out how to refuse without being rude.
But before she could say anything, Elliot continued, "I need you there, Audrey. You scheduled it, so you know how important this meeting is, right?"
Audrey was about to to speak but found no words coming out. She realized that refusing wasn’t a reasonable option, especially if it involved a client meeting.
Finally, with a heavy sigh, Audrey replied, "Alright, Sir. I’ll be ready tonight."
With that, she quickly left the room without saying anything else, eager to distance herself from Elliot.
Watching her back as she walked away, Elliot could feel the intense frustration radiating from Audrey.
She’s really mad this time
After leaving his office, Audrey headed up to the rooftop to clear her head. Once she arrived, she tossed her bag onto the nearest bench and stood, gazing at the sky as it began to turn orange with the setting sun. But instead of peace, her anger only increasing.
"Elliot, you jerk!" she shouted, releasing all her frustration into the air. Her voice echoed across the rooftop, startling the birds perched on nearby buildings.
"Why is he always like this? Ordering me around like it’s nothing! Does he think I have no life outside of work?!"
Audrey began pacing back and forth, her footsteps heavy with annoyance. "Dinner at 7, he says! And who’s going to calm me down if I’m angry like this? Ugh! Does he think I’m some robot he can control with a button?!"
She glared at the tall buildings around her, her chest tight with all the frustration that had been building up since last night.
Then, in her frustration, she threw a random punch into the air. "Elliot Harrington! You’re the most annoying boss ever!"
What Audrey didn’t know was that Elliot had quietly followed her up. He stood behind the rooftop door, watching her vent all her anger.
Though he was still annoyed by what she’d said, Elliot found himself entertained by seeing Audrey so raw and unfiltered. Usually, she was calm, professional, and controlled, but now she was showing a completely different side of herself.
Elliot smiled to himself, feeling even more intrigued.
He watched for a moment before deciding to approach her. His footsteps were soft but enough to make Audrey turn around quickly.
"Mr. Harrington?!" she gasped, her face going pale. "What... what are you doing here?"
Elliot smiled crookedly. "I was just making sure you wouldn’t explode later at dinner. You mentioned my name a few times."
Audrey stiffened, clearly caught off guard.
"I... I just..." she stammered, unable to explain herself.
Elliot, sensing her discomfort, continued. "I know you’re tired, but I need you tonight. You know the agenda, and you’re the one who knows how to handle Mr. Mashimoto. If we win this deal, there’s a big bonus waiting for you."
It wasn’t really about the bonus; Elliot just wanted Audrey’s work to pay off, and he couldn’t deny that spending more time with her seemed... appealing.
I must be crazy!
"I promise this is the last one for today," Elliot said, waiting for her response.
Audrey hesitated, clearly frustrated but resigned. "Fine, Sir. But next time, can you give me more time to prepare?"
Elliot gave a slight smile before his face returned to its usual serious expression. "Deal. You can leave early today."
Audrey sighed deeply and nodded. "Alright, Sir."
"Good. I’ll see you tonight at the designated place. Don’t be late!" Elliot said, turning to leave.
Behind him, Audrey punched the air in frustration, though silently. From the corner of his eye, Elliot caught her movement and smiled faintly.