Leila's POV

When my mind went back to that moment in Adam's office, I couldn't help but smile and hit myself for smiling while I slept in my bed. I kept on telling myself that there was nothing going on, but even I ended up realizing that I was lying to myself. I did feel something for Adam, and the feeling I felt towards him was getting stronger and stronger by the day.

His movements became more noticable, like how he rolled his sleeves before he made himself comfortable on the couch to watch a movie, how he held the bowl to his chest sometimes, completely engaged with the movie on the screen. He ruffled his hair when he was mad, he put his hands onto his hips when he was lost for words. He smiled everytime he said goodbye before going to work, and every now and then he'd wink at me, which only made the butterflies even worse than usual when he was just there.

My phone began to ring, and I looked at the screen to see who had decided to call me that late at night. It was Tori, and the smile that had disappeared came back when I answered.

"Hey, T. What's up?"

She replied with a deafening screech. After a few seconds, she collected herself and answered my greetings.

"Lei!!!! Lei! Lei! Lei!! I got a ticket to the fashion show!! You remember when I said they were hard to find? Well, I met a guy who knows a guy who has a cousin who knows a girl who had some tickets. The guy got them from the girl then-"

"Please!! That is so confusing. A guy who knows......pshht, nevermind. I'm happy for you, girl."

"Thank you. Now, I have to see which celebrities are going to be there on the net.......Ciao!!"

Then and there, she cut the call on me. Laughing to myself about my crazy girl friend, I went on Instagram to see who had looked for me there. I'd gotten two more followers and a few likes on my recent post and had decided to kill time with some reel videos. While I was enjoying myself, my phone suddenly began to ring. It was Tori calling again.

I wondered what she wanted this time.

"Yes, Tor-"

"Go to your instagram right now and check out the latest post by Jane Cress!"

What? That was not what I expected.

"Why should i-"

"Just do it!"

She cut the call on me, again. Rolling my eyes, I went and looked for her, since I didn't follow her account. When I did, I saw a lot of pictures of clothes, selfies of herself in different countries and so on. She had do many followers, it was crazy. The picture I saw next made my heart drop. She was in a five star restaurant with Adam, and they were all smiles. There was a caption under the picture.

Meeting up after so long. I'd missed him♥️#datetothefashionshow

And there were so many comments on how they looked so cute together. The perfect couple, some comments dared to say. And he was going to go with her to the fashion show as her date.

I quickly got off the app and left my phone on the bed while I went to the balcony. When I go there, I closed my eyes and breathed in the air that smelt of rain. I tried to take reign on my emotions, finding I hard to do by the second. My face began to feel hot, especially on the eyes and nose. Even breathing became difficult.

So what happened at the office was all in my imagination? It didn't mean anything? Maybe I had misunderstood the situation, and had made things complicated for myself.

I sat down on the chair by the balcony and held my head in my hands. What was I doing? I was falling in love with him. And the scenario in his office had made it even worse. I could feel the emotion blooming within me, and that only made me cry in shear agony. I went back inside, the tears still coming out when I saw that I had a missed call from Tori.

Clearing my throat a little, I called her.

"Girl. I'm sorry."

"No no. There's nothing to apologize for. I'm okay"

Tori's voice suddenly took on a slightly angry tone.

"No, you're not okay. You might not tell me everything, but I've known you since forever. Can I come over and hit him in the face, so that he sees what a bombshell of a girl you are? Something is wrong in his brain, I tell you that."

I began to laugh then, but it was more of a sorrowful giggle.

"At least you aren't completely sad anymore. I just want you to know that you are beautiful, okay? It doesn't matter if he doesn't like you. There are plenty of fish in the sea, okay? PLENTY!! Now, wipe those tears and smile, because you ain't gonna be moping around all night."

I tried to compose myself but I just couldn't anymore. I cried then and there and though she tried to console me, I couldn't listen to her. I heard her say oh, you poor child before she cut the call. After a few minutes, I gave myself a pep talk.

Get a hold on yourself! Stop crying now. You're wasting good tears on something you can't do anything about. So what if he likes her and went on a date with her and is going with her again to the show? It shouldn't concern you. Plenty of fish in the sea, remember?

But deep down, I knew that they would never be like him.

***********

The day of the fashion show was here, and all I wanted was to disappear and not exist. Our breakfast in the morning had been had in silence, and when he said his goodbyes, I replied without looking at him. Honestly, working like this wasn't good for me at all.

The rest of the day had been a blur for me. When he came back home that night, we had our dinner and he saw that my mood wasn't as uplifted as usual. When he asked me about it, I brushed it off, because I honestly couldn't tell him that I had feelings for him while he was going out with someone else. He left me to go upstairs, but he seemed to be worried.

He was worried about his employee.

Employee..........

Just then, I heard a knock on the door. I gingerly walked to it and opened it to see Jane Cress herself, looking as beautiful as ever in her red dress, her curled hair swept to her left side. She smiled wide when she saw me.

"Hey, Leila. Is Adam home?"

"Yes, he is. I'll go get him for you."

"Thank you", she said as she got in and went to sit a couch. I went upstairs and knocked on his door, and told him of his guest's arrival. When I had reached the bottom of the stairs, I heard Jane talking to someone.

"Oh, you should've seen where he took me for our date! It was magical. The restaurant, the walk, everything. It was just- he's coming. I have to go, friend. He's here."

I was about to get into the kitchen when I looked up to see him coming down the stairs in an all black suit with a bow tie with a white shirt being the only contrast there.

He had dressed up well tonight, and his beauty was too much to take in at that time. He got to Jane and took her hand so that she could get up. Swiftly before my presence was recognized, I got into the kitchen and closed the door. I heard a few words being exchanged, then a door opening, it closing and then total silence.

After failing to shake off the feeling of sadness, I sat on the island chair with my bowl of ice cream and begun to eat it up. I closed my eyes and laid my head on the table, going to the one I knew could help me.

God, I honestly do not know what to do. Why did it have to be him I fell for? Now I'm moping around in the kitchen with my ice cream while he is going out, having fun.

My phone pinged, telling me that there was a message that had gotten in.

Are you going to watch the show?

Normally, whenever Tori invited me to watch the shows with her, I refused, because I didn't see the need to watch people walk around wearing bizzare looking clothes and call it fashion. I was never going to wear those clothes in my life, anyway.

Today, however, was different. Taking my bowl, I went to turn on the TV and made myself comfortable. The show was being broadcasted live and celebrities from all walks of life filled the place while the paparazzi took pictures of them. After a few minutes of celebrities and interviews, that was when they showed up.

Jane's right hand was hooked into Adam's left one, and they both smiled for the carpet. Jane got a couple of pictures on her own, then they got in together. When the attention was on other celebrities, I turned off the TV and went upstairs after cleaning up my bowl.

•••••••

Adam's POV

People walked about, other famous personnels were talking among themselves. Jane did not let go of my hand while we talked to other people, and the stares were making me uncomfortable. It would be rude for me to take it off, so I just left it there.

I came across some business people, and we talked about that, getting some business proposals as well and when we came across Jane's people, they talked about their fashion stuff. We were then escorted to the seats and the show began. Men and women walked down the catwalk, posing every once in a while. A woman came out wearing a mustard dress.

Leila would look amazing in that.

Leila........

For the past few days she had become a recluse in the house. She didn't talk as much as usual and I could tell that she was doing it on purpose. But why? Why was she acting like how she used to when she begun working for me? Maybe I'd talk to her tomorrow, because I'd wanted to play the nice guy and let her say it herself but she'd shut me out.

"Adam."

I looked at Jane to see that people were clapping their hands while an old Japanese woman bowed to the crowd. She was the designer of the clothes that had been worn and paraded about on the catwalk.

"Yes?"

"Let's go. The show is over."

Nodding my head, I led us out of the building and we began to walk to the car. Just as I was about to open the door, a hand held mine. I looked up to see Jane, her face suddenly showing a nervousness I'd never seen before.

"What is it, Jane?"

She took a deep breath and spoke.

"Uh..... Adam. I've known you most of my life and you are the most helpful, kindest person I've ever met and......as the years went by....... I......I couldn't help but fall in love with you. I have been, actually, for a long time now. And I just hope that you feel the same way too."

Eyes wide, I looked at the woman who stood in front of me. I was honestly shocked by what she had said.

"Jane......I...... I'm sorry to say this but...... I'm sorry. I never felt this way about you. I always saw you as a friend, J."

She smiled as she looked down, clearly trying to hide her pain. I took her hand, pulled her to me and gave her a hug for comfort.

"I truly am sorry. You are a woman who can get any man she wants. Talented, funny, beautiful, you're all these nd more."

She looked up, a small spark igniting in her eyes.

"So why can't you be with me then if you see all these?"

I shook my head.

"Let me take you home.", I said as I held her hand and put her in the car. I got to my side and drove to her house and then went to mine. The time was already a couple of hours past midnight, and when I got home I went straight to bed.

********

I also went to bed at a couple of hours after midnight, since it was the time I'd finished writing the chapter. 😅🙃

Ciao💕🌼