Chapter 20 The Temporary Boss
Starting the next day with William as her temporary Boss, Arabella decided to focus solely on her work and was explaining his schedule.
With his elbow resting on the table, chin over his palm, the man in the perfect black suit jacket was blankly staring at the woman.
Although William had created endless scenarios, fantasies in his mind, being her boss was never one of them.
Why didn't he?-
“The file on the left has the mortgage collection detail and on the right file, it has rents for the shops we - are you listening, Sir?”
He sighed, closing his eyes briefly, motioning with his index finger, “Can you turn around, face the wall and then speak?”
“Uh.. okay, I guess,”
“The property values are low so it would be beneficial to make further investment in it chances of it increasing after-”
“Okay, that's not working either,”
“What’s not working? What happened? Am I not good enough as an assistant?”
She clutched the clipboard close to her chest, worried if she hadn’t done something.
He relaxed slowly to find her dismayed, gesturing to her to loosen up.
“No, you are distracting me, too much. And I don’t like hindrances during work,”
“What about me is distracting you?”
“Everything,”
\-That was why. She would distract him too much with nothing.
He could sink in one, either her or work. Doing both simultaneously was impossible.
With a crimson shade rising on her cheek, she averted her gaze as he stated a list that was distracting him.
“From your shadow, your scent, your voice, to this hair on the side of your face,”
She blinked as he pointed at the small strand of hair almost stopping before her eyes which she ignored.
“It is bothering me more than it is bothering you!”
“Tug it behind your ear,” He hissed and again relaxed his shoulders, “Please,”
Unknowingly, watching him like this made her finally giggle, covering her mouth with the clipboard, too amused at his stress.
“It’s too small, it won’t go,”
After a long time the sound of her melodious chuckle reached him.
Arching an eyebrow, he faked a grimace, “You find this funny?”
“Sorry, Sir,”
“You are dismissed for today, give me the schedule, I can manage myself for a day to two,” He sighed, running his hand through his hand while extending his hand.
“Okay, good luck,”
Chuckling, she handed him the file as their hand accidentally touched, sending a shiver down their spines.
“Have a nice day, Sir,”
She went home to enjoy her holiday since she had become the biggest obstacle between the workaholic and his work.
‘For a second, it felt like old times… after everything, can we actually go back to how we used to be? But, how can I, after loving Luke?’
Lost in a faze, she plopped on the couch, staring at the ceiling with an unwanted feeling. Unsure where to lead this bond or what to do.
As she found herself stuck, her doorbell rang, perplexing her.
“Yes?”
“Delivery for Miss Arabella,”
“For me?”
“Yes,”
Taking the package after confirming it was hers, she was bewildered as to what could it be in the small box only to find many packets of hair clips of different designs.
Picking the one with an adorable bow, she found a note in it.
‘Tell these hair to not disrupt my focus again,’
She couldn’t help but to smile at his efforts. She forgot how an actual relationship should be.
The next day, she was called to work and wore the hair clip he ordered.
After greeting her new Boss and was about to enter her cabin but appearing behind, William whispered in her ears.
“I knew it would look adorable on you,”
Unable to reply, she flashed a shy smile and continued working.
Oh, that was enough to sway him.
After work, in the evening, Arabella began to receive many calls from Luke. Distressed, she decided to call William to ask about what she must do.
“Hello?” He picked the call immediately with delight.
“Hey. I hope I am not disturbing you,”
Well aware even if she was, he won’t scold her like Luke used to.
“What is above you? Is everything alright?”
“Luke is calling. I don’t know what to do. I blocked his number and turned off my social accounts temporarily so he is using someone else’s number to call me,”
“How do you know it’s him if you hadn’t picked the call?”
She frowned, “I know absolutely nobody in London. Who else can call me from England’s country code?”
“Right. Anyways, for now, ignore it. Who knows the neighbors told him about my arrival,” He said the last part jokingly.
She remained silent because this was something he had done once too….
“He has,”
“Really?”
“Yes,”
“Well, that’s fucked up,”
“What should I do? At one point, I want him to be hurt for playing with my feelings but at the other…” She trailed off, gritting her teeth, leaving him curious.
“At the other?”
“I don’t want him to hate you for marrying me…”
And his dismal vanished, closing his eyes, pushing his hair behind to sink in the elated sensations, a smile spread.
“I have told you, I regret nothing, I am here to support you. Do you trust me?”
“I.. don’t know anymore,” She replied honestly.
He understood and didn’t let it pierce his heart. Forcing a smile, he hummed in agreement, only focused on helping her.
“It’s alright. I am telling you, I am beside you, with you. Relax until you can because I doubt when he would return, any of us could,”
“Okay…”
As her mind was surrounded with undesirable perceptions, when the few hours passed by, Arabella received another call from William.
She was about to cook dinner and attended it.
“Hey, it’s very lonely at home, can I have dinner with you?”
“Sure,”
Later at night, William came over to have dinner. After dinner, she was serving tea.
“Can I have-”
“These cookies, right? Your favorite,”
“You remember,” he mumbled. She just smiled and sat down.
His eyes observed her, curling his hand in a fist as they both began to have tea in silence.
To reduce the heftiness in him, he curled his lips in an empty smile.
“You know, I thought I would come here, have fun but look at me now. I was alone there and here too, maybe solitude is written in my fate.”
“Don’t say this,”
And swallowing hard, he stopped at the main reasoning for his arrival.
“Also… Luke is coming tomorrow,”
Her whole being froze, eyes widened in apprehension. Her mind shut down for a second as William continued tentatively.
“He had heard the rumors, he is returning to see for himself. You have to come with me,”
Gasping, the spoon fell from her hands, instant appall creeping with disapproval. Firstly to confront Luke and then to share the same bedroom as William’s.
“What?!”
“Are you afraid?”
Tugging her hair behind her ear, she confessed her fright.
“... It.. it feels like seeing me as your bride will.. Enrage him to the point he might hit me-”
His features hardened, “Did he hit you before?” ‘Just once. Should I tell him? No, he looks so serious.’
Forming her lips in a thin line, she whispered, “No,”
He relaxed.
“I agree Luke can be uninhibited sometimes but I trust my upbringing, Luke cannot raise his hands against a woman,” William whispered in his softest tone.
“But, I am scared, William,”
Out of panic, and habit, how she used to in the past. Her fingers intertwined with his large ones as if he would shelter her at all cost.
He was stiff, not expecting her to follow the same gesture after two years.
But, soon relaxed and smiled, “I am here for you, trust me, at least. We will go back, sleep in different rooms and confront Luke,”
“William… you will be there for me, right?”
He kissed her knuckles sincerely, mentally prepared for whatever hell that was about to break loose on them.
“Absolutely,”