Chapter 28 Problems at hand
>>Clio
Chris looked like she was losing her mind.
I stared at her while I sat in the office but couldn’t bring myself to ask her about it. She was staring at the screen as if she was going to break at any moment. Her eyes were wide open and it gave me the chills.
I returned to the office after two days but something seemed to have happened here.
I looked around and my gaze landed on Jacob and I furrowed my brows at him. He noticed and I gestured to Chris with my face and then twisted my hands to ask what was wrong. He picked up his phone, indicating he was going to text me.
I turned around and grabbed my phone.
‘Rameen ran away from home.’
I frowned and texted back, ‘When?’
‘Really? When?’
‘I think it’s been three days.”
‘And nobody knows where she went?’
‘Unfortunately, no,’
I paused and glanced at Chris. She didn’t move from her place. Rameen ran away from home? But she was at my apartment two days ago… Should I tell that to Chris? Tell her she’s fine? But it’s not like I know where she is right now.
I then glanced at the CEO’s office.
But she came with him. So, does he know? But wouldn’t he have told her if he knew? As I kept staring at the office door, I was reminded of how he took care of me when I was sick and I felt my chest get a little fluffy with warm feelings.
He must have noticed my skin was scraped too because along with the medicine, he brought me the ointment as well. Which I haven’t really used yet even though I should.
…
I looked at the screen in front of me. I should start working now, I already skipped two days. I let out a sigh, then paused.
Wait a minute…
I’m not here to do this! I was here to spy on Matthew!
GOSH! What am I doing?
Right then my phone began to buzz and I looked at the caller ID
It was Nolan
!!
I lit up and answered the call immediately as I stood up and walked out, “Hello,” I went around and exited towards the terrace but made sure I stayed away from the boss’s office window view.
“Hey! Clio, Hi,” He sounded like he was in a good mood, “How are you now?” He asked, “Is your fever gone?”
I nodded, “Yeah,” I smiled, “I’m fine now,” I went and stood by the edge and wondered for a moment if I should complain to him about how he left me alone.
“That’s good, I was worried about you.” If you were worried you should have stayed with me.
His actions hurt me a lot. He’s supposed to be my boyfriend, he should be more considerate, right? “Um, Nolan?”
“Hmm?”
“You left me alone when I was sick…”
“Oh! Clio, I’m sorry,” He apologized, “I had a meeting.”
“I heard,” I replied, “But still…” I wish he had stayed with me. What Matthew did for me, he should be doing that, right?
“I was already running late but I still chose to come and meet you.” His words made me feel a little guilty, “I’m sorry but in the morning I barely had any time to spend with you. In fact, because I took a detour to see you, I had to hear an earful from our client.”
Oh…
Now I feel bad for acting like a spoiled baby.
“Sorry,”
“Oh, it’s okay. I wanted to see you.” He made me smile.
“Okay. I understand that the meeting was important but you could have come after the meeting.” I said softly, “I was waiting…” I gripped the ledge
“I did come back though,” He said
“You did?” My heart lit up, “When?”
“It was late and I rang the doorbell too but no one came out.” He replied, “And the door was locked at that time, so I couldn’t even enter.”
“Oh…” I blinked. I think Matthew locked the door when he left. I’m sure he did it for my safety but because of that I lost the opportunity to meet with Nolan
“Yeah, so I just left.”
“Oh…” A sudden rush of loneliness took over for a moment and I felt bad, “I see,”
“It’s alright though,” He replied, “Are you back at the office?”
“Yes?”
“How’s your mission going?”
“Well,” I swung back and forth in my place, “It’s hard to get anything on Matthew or the Chinese mafia, they’re really scary and since the first files got stolen, they’re on high alert too.”
“Yea. That’s why the media has to do their job and expose them, to make them less scary.”
“Mmm,” I leaned over the ledge where my body rubbed with the wall and I hissed.
Oh Shit! I should have taken care of my cuts and scrapes, they are hurting at contact and sting at random times.
“Something wrong?” He asked.
“Oh,” I focused on the call as I got away from the ledge, “Nothing much, just got a few scrapes when I fell down.”
“Take care of yourself, Clio, you have a mother who needs you.”
I smiled, “Yes, I know,” I gently rubbed my knees to make the itch go away but it was very persistent and annoying.
“And keep an eye out for anything interesting, remember, you’re a reporter.”
I paused, “Yes,”
“Especially Matthew, I need anything you can get on him. Remember, the sooner you can do this, the faster we can announce our relationship.”
I wanted to say my opinion on Matthew was changing but the words just got caught up in my throat.
“Yes…” I turned to look at Matthew’s office window from the corner I was standing in and flinched, then paused.
“Alright then,” Nolan said, “We’ll talk later.” And he finished the call while I remained stoned in my place as I looked at Matthew standing at the window of his office, staring at me with his arms folded.
Once our eyes met, he raised one of his hands and gestured to me to come over with his index finger.
OH! HOLY! Is he angry? He had an annoyed expression on his face. Is he mad because I’m skipping work?
I gulped and walked over to the window and he opened the glass door for me to enter the place. I quietly walked in and he closed the door behind me.
“Sit down,” He ordered and I went and sat down on one of the leather couches while he walked towards the cabinet which was at the corner of the office, near his desk. Once I sat down he opened the cabinet and made a heart-dropping demand, “Take off your clothes.”
!!!
My eyes went wide and I paused
“What?” I looked at him in horror. Did he just tell me to take off my clothes?
NO
I probably heard wrong!
“What did you say?” I asked him to make sure that I heard wrong.
Matthew turned to look at me with a dead serious expression, “I said, take off your clothes.”