Chapter 20 (First Day At Work)
Chapter 20 (First Day At Work)
Callie had acted her part that morning as a loving wife, smiling throughout breakfast and the goodbyes.
Finally, she was alone in the moving car with Grayson, her face as expressionless as a statue.
The silence was tense and uncomfortable. After her outburst last night, she noticed that Grayson made out time every ten minutes to stare at him as if she were some serious case study.
He was doing it, staring at her with his steady eyes, as if he wasn't aware that she would feel his gaze on her.
"Can you stop?" Callie snapped her head up, frowning at Grayson.
Grayson suddenly blinked his eyes away from her, gritting his teeth in annoyance. He's been caught, and he had nothing to say to cover up for his sudden interest in his fierce wife.
A woman who had zero interest in him was to be studied. She made him try to doubt his looks and charms. He'd never felt inferior to anyone, but a country girl with nothing to her name had easily walked into his life and stumped on his ego.
"Don't add creepy to your list of bad attributes, please. Just... make this one year bearable for me. Thank you," Callie sighed and turned away from him.
Grayson pulled out his phone, texting Okani to set Callie's office right next to his own. He couldn't help but want to keep a close eye, he needed to study her carefully and find out what made her so different from other girls.
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"Welcome, boss," Willow bowed the moment Grayson walked into he company building, his eyes slightly widening in shock as he saw the person walking behind Grayson.
He thought she had been rejected the other day. Immediately, he went and blocked her way.
"I'm sorry, Ma'am, I can't let you into the building," Willow stated, believing that Cslkue was stalking the boss.
Callie paused, looking over Willow's shoulder to see Grayson walking toward the elevator without waiting for her.
'Bastard,' she cursed inwardly.
"Listen, Mr. Willow, I know you know of everything that's happened between me and the boss, but I promise you, I'm his secretary now. So, just let me –"
"No, Ma'am, I can't let you stalk him," Willow frowned, pushing his glasses in place.
Callie barked a laugh, "Me? Stalk him?" She shook he head in disbelief, "You've got it all wrong, Mr. Willow. I am really his secretary. Just let me through, I don't wanna be late on my first day." She tried reasoning, but Willow was an unmoving wall.
"Again, I'm sorry, Ms. Callie, but you have –"
"Let her through, Willow," Okani suddenly spoke behind Callie, placing his hand on her shoulder, his warm brown eyes settling on Willow's slim form.
Willow paused, confused.
He saw the thankful smile Callie gave Okani and realised that he might just have messed up.
"She's really... I'm sorry, I didn't realise sooner," he immediately stepped out of the way and bowed apologetically.
"Ura alright, Mr. Willow, we all misunderstand things at times," Callie smiled and finally walked through the door.
"Thanks again, Okani. The boss... he left me," She chuckled dryly.
"You mean your husband?" Okani asked, leading Callie into the elevator.
Csllie sighed, "Please, don't refer to him that way. He's just my boss." She states, staring at the elevator wall.
Okani smiled, nodding gently, "Whatever the lady wishes. This way, please," he led her out as the doors slid open.
As Callie walked toward Grayson's office, she recalled the first day she'd come here for her interview, not knowing she was about to meet the man she had effortlessly humiliated at the game show.
She had felt her world spiralling out of control and believed that she had hit a dead end. But, somehow, fate twisted her life, and here she was, married and working for the very man she had rejected publicly.
"After you," Okani opened the door for her, stepping aside to let her in.
Callie took a deep breath and stepped into the office, where Grayson sat behind a dark desk. The city skyline was a beautiful background through his glass walls.
"You're three minutes late, Ms. Callie," Grayson stated without lifting his head from his screen.
Callie grew exasperated, "You can't be serious. I walked in here with you and saw your manager stop me... wait..." she narrowed her eyes, walking closer to his desk, "Did you purposefully leave me with him? So you could do this? This bossy attitude? Is that why you didn't ask him to let me through? Why didn't you tell him I was with you –"
"Enough," Grayin casually lifted his hand to silence Callie.
He raised his head, his blue eyes locking with her green ones, "You're late on your first day of work, and you have challenged your boss on your first day of work. What else should I expect? Send me to do your duties?" Grasyon questioned, raising his brows.
Callie gritted his teeth and took a deep breath to calm herself. Indeed, she had done all that, and whether she liked it or not, she had to respect Grayson as a boss when she was at the office.
"I'm sorry, Boss," She spoke softly, her fingers digging into her palms in anger.
"Apologies mean nothing. I need action. Go make my coffee, black, no sugar. Then we shall commence on your duties for the day," Grayson waved her away dismissively.
Callie bit her lip and slowly nodded. She turned and left the office, her mind wandering if she had made the right choice by asking to become Grayson's secretary.
"She's quite a fireball," Okani finally spoke, walking into the office.
Grayson sighed, dragging his hand over his face, "Tell me about it. She's fucking strange," She muttered.
"How strange?" Okani questioned as he lowered himself into the chair in front of Grayson's desk.
Grayson picked up his pen, rolling it around his fingers, "She... she doesn't seem like she's interested in me. I mean, she has zero interest in me, that's weird." He said with a frown.
Okani tilted his head and regarded Grayson for a second, "That's weird? I thought that's exactly what you wanted? Someone who doesn't give a fucj about you or your money. Or, do you want her to want you?" He asked slowly.
Grayson scoffed, "Our backgrounds are different. Having anything serious with her would bring stain to my name. I'm just curious to know why she agreed to marry me. Every woman is usually after my name and money. She isn't –"
"You're wrong. She does want your money," Okani reminded.
"Yeah, it's different. She's interested in only the money I offered for the contract and she even offered to work and get earnest money, something any other woman would never ask for. They'd prefer to parade themselves on e events and online as the great Grayson Wokfe's wife. But, Callie, I just think she's hiding something I'm under her sleeve," Grayson stated, tapping his pen on the smooth desk surface.
"Or, she might not be hiding something. What you see might just be who she is. A hard-working country girl who just wants to get money and solve her family's problems –"
"I know what to do," Grayson smirked.
Okani sighed, "Great, he's not listening..." he shook his head.
"I'll test her, and trust me, in a few days, I'll tell you what her true intentions are," Grayson decided, narrowing his eyes at the door where Callie had walked through.
"Grayson," Okani called quietly.
"Mm?" Grayson answered, returning his face to his screen.
"I know you have it all figured out in your head, but be careful, my friend. Things between a man and a woman are best left unstirred, it's always complicated. I wouldn't want you hurting in the end or hurting the poor girl. Just leave it as it is," Okani advised gently.
Grayson lifted his head to glance at his head, "I do what I want, Okani. But, thanks for the advice, I'll keep that in mind." He replied, returning to his work.
"I'll go check on your wife... secretary," Okani sighed and stood from the chair, walking out of the office with an unsettling feeling.
He could tell that Grayson was about to make a move that would complicate the professional relationship between him and Callie. And he feared that he was the one to get hurt in the end and not Callie.
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Callie found the employee kitchen easily enough, her anger still simmering just beneath the surface. Three minutes late! The nerve of that man, intentionally letting her be held up just so he could flex his CEO muscle. She was going to earn every single cent of that salary.
She grabbed a porcelain mug and located the industrial coffee maker. Black, no sugar. She made the perfect cup, the aroma strong and dark, exactly as she imagined a brooding CEO would demand.
As she turned to leave, the door swung open, and Okani walked in, his expression a mixture of concern and resignation.
“Hey, Callie,” he greeted her softly. “Need any help?”
Callie offered a brittle smile. “No, thanks, Okani. I’ve mastered the art of brewing black coffee. Mission accomplished.” She held up the steaming mug. “He already gave me my first scolding. You can tell your friend his intimidation tactics are… noted.”
Okani leaned against the counter, shaking his head slightly. “Look, I apologise for him. Willow thought you were… You know, a persistent fan. Grayson should have handled that better. And about the punctuality, he’s like that with everyone. He’s a stickler for rules.”
“Sure, Okani. And I’m sure he just happened to forget to mention his wife was accompanying him on her first day of work,” Callie countered dryly, taking a step toward the door. “Tell me, does he make all his new secretaries feel like they’re walking on eggshells?”
“He makes everyone feel like that,” Okani clarified, then lowered his voice. “But I just want to give you a piece of friendly advice. He’s… he’s curious about you. And when Grayson gets curious, he gets investigative. He thinks you’re hiding something under your sleeve.”
Callie stopped dead in her tracks, turning back to face him, her green eyes hardening. “Of course, he does. Because why would a woman just want to get paid for a job? It must be some grand scheme, right?” She scoffed. “Tell him I’m hiding absolutely nothing except the intense desire to be as far away from him as possible once this year is over. And tell him to stick to his side of the contract.”
Okani lifted his hands in surrender. “I hear you. I’m just warning you, he mentioned he’s going to ‘test’ you.”
Callie threw her head back and laughed—a short, sharp, humourless sound. “Test me? Bring it on. He can try. I’m not a homework assignment.”
“Be careful, Callie,” Okani repeated, his brow furrowed. “I genuinely don’t want either of you to get hurt.”
“Don’t worry about me, Okani. I’m fine,” Callie said, her voice firming up with renewed resolve. She was Callie from the game show—the girl who didn't back down. “Now, I’m three minutes late, and I have a black coffee to deliver.”
She walked back into Grayson's office, placed the steaming mug precisely on the corner of his desk, and stepped back.
“Your coffee, Boss,” she announced, her voice perfectly level and professional.
Grayson took a sip without looking at her, his expression inscrutable. He placed the mug down, picked up a pen, and pointed it at the chair opposite his desk.
“Sit. Let’s go over your duties.”
Callie sat, pulling out a small notebook and pen.
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AUTHOR: If you love BL, check out my other stories too.