Twelve
Immediately they got to his office, Anders walked in and Veil immediately followed. And as soon as she shut the office door, Anders’ voice flared out in the room.
“What was that? Are you so low that you could let someone, just anyone touch you, can’t you do better?” Anders was visibly furious and emitted an aura so fearsome.
“I’m sorry for interrupting the meeting Mr. Rodriguez, I didn’t mean to.” Veil apologized and even though Anders knew what she was saying was the truth, because he had watched everything, he couldn’t get himself to not be angry. Probably because he was furious and at the same time jealous that someone had dared to touch a woman he wanted, and that too, an old classless hag. He was surely going to put him in his place. But until then, he needed to try controlling his anger.
“Get out!” He said, cutting through Veil’s plea. Veil thought she didn’t hear properly so she asked.
“Sir…”
“I said get out!” Anders raised his voice. “Go try being useful, ’cause you’re not right now.”
“Sorry.” Veil apologized, turned around, and made for the door. Once the door went shut, Anders’s countenance turned solemn. He hadn’t failed to notice that distinct expression of pain that had suddenly appeared in her eyes when he had asked her to get out. He immediately regretted being harsh on her, she didn’t deserve that.
Veil shut the door to her office and collapsed on her desk. No matter how much she tried to tell herself that it was okay and there was no need to take the things that Anders said to her to heart, she still couldn’t stop the pain from enveloping her and before she knew it, tears were streaming down her cheeks. She had never been strong at heart which was one of the many reasons she had wanted to take her time with finding a job with the right boss, but here she was with a difficult CEO, yet she couldn’t resign because of her father’s life depended on her keeping this job. Plus, she couldn’t even just walk away if she wanted. Anderson had made his workers play a dirty game on her. She would only resign on his terms and if he willed it. She bowed her head and let her tears fall freely on their own.
Life wasn’t being fair to her right now. She cried some more and then began typing some documents and wiping her eyes. She couldn’t wait for the close of work so she could retire home already. At least, that was the only time and place that gave her a little peace and comfort.
At 3:00 PM, Anders was ready for his meeting scheduled for 3:30 PM with the directors of a start-up company. Veil was lost in her state that she had forgotten what the time was and other things. Anders pushed her office door open gently and stood there staring. She barely even noticed his presence for she was lost, he noticed.
He watched her and wondered if her being in that state had to do with him alone or if there was something else bothering her.
“Ahem!” He cleared his throat, instantly jolting Veil back to reality.
“Mr. Rodriguez.” Veil sprang up from her seat the moment she noticed him at her door, and as if him standing there was a reminder, she reached for her phone and once she saw that it was past 3:00 PM already, she panicked, but before she could tender her apology, Anders interrupted her.
“I’ll go alone.”
Veil was both confused and panicky. “No, Mr Rodriguez. I have to come with you, someone needs to take down the minutes.”
“That’s not important, there’s some other work you could do. Prepare JK’s contract file and leave it on my desk before I return, that’s more important.” Anders concluded and started for the door. But, he soon stopped just when he held the door’s knob. “Also, you can go home once you’re done, I won’t be returning to the office.” He said and then walked off.
Veil glared in surprise at his disappearing figure. Did she just get a chance at leaving early for home? This was the best news she had gotten today. She quickly searched for JK’S file and began working on it and in less than two hours, she was done and ready to sign out of the office for the day.
After dropping the file at Anders’s office, she cleared her desk and took the elevator to the ground floor.
“Ms. Hart.” She heard a familiar voice call and turned around to meet Simon’s smile. She returned his smile and stood at the spot and waited for Simon to approach her.
“Looks like you’re ready to sign out for the day.” He said eyeing her thoughtfully.
“Yes, I am. His Majesty was kind enough to give me the privilege of leaving early today.” Veil replied and Simon laughed heartily.Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.
“Lucky you.”
“Yeah, I’m so lucky to be Anderson Rodriguez’s secretary, that’s a privilege I don’t deserves.”
“Sarcasm, I get it.” Simon chuckled.
“I’ll get going now.”
“Right then, bye, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Bye!” Veil said and continued out. But as she stepped out of the building, she heard someone call her name.
“Veil Hart?”
Veil frowned. Did Simon follow her outside, and were they now doing full names because they were outside the office, and what was that sudden euphonious baritone?” She thought to herself, but as she turned around to look at Simon, a charming face smiled brightly at her.
Veil brows furrowed as she tried to recall where she had seen that face before. Hadn’t she met him on the same night she met Anderson Rodriguez? Yes, she remembered now, he was the driver whose car she had ridden on her way to the club where she had gone in search of June. Now that she recalled him, she felt both embarrassed and grateful over again, but more of the latter.
She smiled at him, “Hello!”