It's almost become a thing to go to office after my classes get over. Two days ago after chatting a lot with Hale, I got to know that James and him have been friends for years now and even though they are opposite to each other, it's clear that James also cares for his friend.

After Hale left us alone, James talked me through a lot of things, like telling me about different operations working under the company and some of the investments that they have made in the past few months. He gave me as much tour as he could, given that the enterprise is spread over the entire building, working in different departments. Some floors spaces have been rented to different companies on lease basis, as James informed me. My nerves around him were starting to resolve slowly. He told me I could come visit whenever I had time after college and the offer pleased me.

So the next day when I turned up, he didn't even look surprised, but rather left me with some files to study as he got busy with his own work. We left for home together afterwards, since I drove myself there so he let Mark leave as James drove us back in sedan I drove around.

Our conversations had grown more in the office but they all revolved around work so it was working out smoothly so far. I usually sat on the couches in his office so that I don't disrupt his work at all. Because I really couldn't hold up well if he snapped at me here.

I was flipping pages through a file when Amy entered the office with an iPad setting on her arm as she moved to James's desk, clearly missing my absence.

"Your dealing with Alfred is supposed to be on Monday, at what time do you want me to schedule it? You've got 10 o'clock and 3 in the afternoon free." She tells him, scrolling through probably his schedule.

"Morning sounds fine." He replies, his tone clipped as he continues to sign the paperwork in front of him.

Amy visibly sighs at his response as she looks up at him. I feel like I should probably make my presence known to her but a part of me is so curious to know how she behaves around when it's just the two of them. "Are you still pissed about the weekend?"

James hand pauses for a moment but he doesn't even look up before putting them to paper again, "I'm busy right now."

His tone is cold, almost as cold as how he talked to me on the wedding day. I think that's the harshest he has ever been with me. The thought brings a little hurt along with it but I ignore it immediately, pushing it at the back of my head.

"I know you said that we were done, but I thought it was just a phase. I understand that I probably shouldn't have kissed you bu—"

I clear my throat at her words, not wanting to hear anymore because this is a torture I'm putting myself through. As soon as she mentioned the kiss, James looked up at her. His eyes set on her for a moment before they came back to meet mine, as if gauging my reaction. I must look like an idiot with shock etched on her face. Of course they kissed. How naive of me to think otherwise.

Amy slowly turns around and when she notices me sitting on the couch, her cheeks flush in what looks like embarrassment before a mask of anger covers her features. She opens her mouth to speak but when no words come out, she immediately shuts up.

I stand from the couch, keeping the file on the coffee table before walking to the door as I look at James, "I'm going to get myself some coffee." I lie, because I clearly hate coffee but he doesn't know that.

I just couldn't stand the two of them being in the same room, waiting for me to react. How am I supposed to react? I'm actually stupid enough to believe him when he told me that they were done. Maybe he was, but Amy definitely didn't get the memo.

As I make my way to the pantry, I clench my fists and slowly open them, repeating the motion to calm myself down. I pour myself a glass of water as I take a seat on one of the chairs.

"Should I get used to seeing you around here?" I hear Hale's voice that I'm getting used to.

I give him a small smile, the best I can muster up, "Wouldn't count on it."

Maybe it was a stupid idea to start coming to office. I should've gone out with my group of friends, at least they would've made me laugh. James just leaves me frustrated and pissed, two emotions I am not very familiar with.

"Would you like some coffee?" He asks as he pours himself a cup but I shake my head. He takes a seat on the chair across me as he sits down, "Trouble in paradise?"

"Paradise?" I arch an eyebrow and he smirks a little.

"I'm pretty sure I heard James giving Amy a good talk on my way here. I know exactly that's what about." He sips on his coffee, his eyes reading my face for reaction.

I sigh, shaking my head, "I don't get their deal. He told me he doesn't date, so clearly it was just a fling. But then Amy acts like—"

"Like she owns him?" He pipes in and I nod, tucking my hair behind my ear as I let out a frustrated breath. "He doesn't date. They had a fling. Amy just doesn't take a message very easily."

"Clearly." I snort, sipping on water.

I don't understand how can she even want to be with him knowing that he's married to someone else? I know our marriage isn't a conventional one but that's between James and I, I'm sure even Hale doesn't think that we have different rooms back at the mansion.

"Has he always been this serious?" I look at Hale because clearly he's the only person who can give me the answers I would never get from his best friend himself.

"He just takes time to open up. There's a whole new James in there you haven't come across."

His words put me in dilemma because I cannot imagine James letting loose. I just haven't seen him any other way. I have barely heard him laugh and I can count the number of times I've seen him smile genuinely on my fingers.

"I don't think I ever will." I say honestly.

"You both won't even know what hit you. Mark my words." He winks at me before getting up and leaving me alone with confused thoughts.

I pull out my phone to see a group text from Max reading, "Lil, you missing the fun." with beer bottle spinning in between. I roll my eyes before sending a few emoticons.

When Amy enters the pantry, it immediately makes me scowl at her and she looks like she's fuming from inside as she glares at me. I'm definitely not ready for what's about to come.

"I can't believe he sent me here to apologise to you." She lets out a bitter laugh, her eyes roaming around my face as she comes to take the chair on which Hale was sitting, "Do you even know how long I've known him? Years. Years and years of standing by his side, supporting him through thick and thin and one day Carrack sends me the invitation to his wedding. He didn't even tell me he was getting married, that he was engaged for fuck's sake."

Her voice is seething but it almost make me feel bad for her because I know it couldn't have been easy to find out about the wedding that way. "He called me one night and told me we should stop sleeping together two months before the wedding. I'm assuming you guys got engaged back then, but I had no clue. I thought it was him pushing me away, playing hard to get because I always thought he would eventually care?" She throws her hands in the air, "But you, god! Who the fuck do you think you are to come and ruin everything between us?"

She's literally holding herself back from doing something stupid at this point, her voice dripping venom but I just feel pity for her. She's hurt but it doesn't excuse her blaming me for something I'm not responsible for, or trying to kiss James, knowing that he's married.

"That rock you flaunt so much? That belongs to me! That fucking necklace around your neck belongs to me. He and I were supposed to get married. He belongs to me, not to some skank who thinks she can seduce him with her young features."

I take a deep breath, my nails pushing in my palm as I glare at her because she just crossed a line. "Are you done?" I ask, my voice oddly calm because I have only met the people who test my patience ever since James came into my life. Amy's words cut deep, to know that she actually thinks she owns him like he's some property. "Last I heard just because you're fucking someone doesn't mean that they belong to you. He's a man, a respectful adult who's free to make his choices as he pleases. If he didn't choose to marry you, he must have a good reason for it. Please don't stoop so low to call other woman names just because you're hurt because of a man. I'm sure you're better than that, but in case you're not, don't come at me again because the reply wouldn't be this calm."

She looks stunned with my response but I don't give her a chance to speak as I get up from the chair and move my way around to James's office. I'm raging inside, really am, but I know yelling or calling names is only going to make me feel guilty later because I don't know Amy well enough to judge her character. Feelings make you stupid, which is I've stayed away from them for so long.

When I enter the office, closing the door behind me, James looks up from MacBook and stares at me, "Are you okay?"

"Why didn't you marry her?" I ask, because I genuinely want to know. They were sleeping together, they clearly know each other since years and she obviously cares for him, so why not!

"I don't think that's any of your business." His tone is cold and I'm so sick of it. I'm so sick of him talking to me the way he pleases and me being a nervous wreck because I cannot hold up conversations. I don't have great people skills, sue me.

"I think it is when she's telling me that you belong to her and I came between apparently a great love story."

He blinks up at me before taking a ragged breath as he stares at his hands before looking at me again, motioning for me to take a seat, "She developed feelings for me after we started sleeping together a few months before the engagement, I believe. She wanted more, I didn't. Dad proposed that I should get married and I won't lie, I did consider asking her but she's just... not the type to marry. She has feelings for me and I clearly don't. A marriage would've led her to believe otherwise." He explains but it only leaves me more bewildered than before.

"Isn't it better to marry someone who likes you than a stranger?" I ask, trying to wrap my head around his words.

"A stranger doesn't have expectations from me now, does she?"

His words immediately sink in and I realise what he means. He didn't want to play the husband role which he really would have to with her, he would've to pretend to care, and I can understand how it would complicate things. He wanted a label, not the responsibilities that came along.

"If I ever overstep any boundaries, you just have to let me know right there." I tell him, because I would hate to start acting crazy like Amy. Have I ever acted that way with him? The only moment I really snapped at him was when the other day on the stairs. So I really hope I haven't screwed anything up.

He nods almost appreciatively, "Do you want to work on the project review I've to put in front of the board?"

Okay, that took a fast turn. A project review from Vice President of the company is a big deal. Like, a huge deal. I don't know why he even asked me so I look at him nervously, "What if I screw up?"

"I'll guide you. Gotta learn someday, right?" He smiles a little and it's enough to almost take my breath away. He really should smile some more.

He spends the next half an hour explaining to me the figures and how to go about the review. I know I have an assignment pending tomorrow but this looks much better than some hypothetical report that I have to submit. I hold onto each word he says, taking notes as well so that I don't have to question him later. He makes sure to ask me my doubts and clear them. I don't think he's ever been this patient with me.

James is so enthusiastic and passionate about his work that he doesn't mind guiding me along. I can see that he has great leadership skills which almost make me admire him as a person. It's weird having a positive outlook towards him, but it's a good weird.

After explaining things to me, he lets me work on the review as I carefully go through the information. I'm extremely glad that he's trusting me with such work. I spend the next couple of hours on it, completely engrossed until there's a knock on the door.

"Time to go home, kids." Carrack pokes his head in and I look up from my laptop.

James has attended multiple people and calls during the time I've been engrossed with the work. He looks up at his father then nods, "We'll just wrap up."

Carrack smiles at us before nodding and leaving. I didn't realise that I've been sitting in the same position for so long. I save the document before putting the laptop in bag and standing up. I stretch my arms in front of me before cracking my knuckles and an involuntary groan leaves me lips.

My eyes immediately meets James and he looks amused at the sight, making me drop my arms and picking up my laptop bag.

"Here, I'll hold it for you." He offers as always and I let him because this is the last thing we should be arguing about. As we approach the elevators he looks at me, "Mrs. Clark?"

"Yeah?" I stare at him.

He takes his time as we enter the elevator, just the two of us I'm glad, "Would you like to eat out today?"

His gaze is set on me and I can't help the blush that surfaces. Is he asking me out to dinner? We used to eat out after our engagement but it hasn't happened ever since we came back from the honeymoon.

"Yes, sure." I nod, agreeing because I did miss going out for dinner.

He looks pleased with my answer as he holds my hand in his, taking me by surprise because we are the only two present here but I don't retract my hand or comment on it, rather I enjoy the warmth.

•••

thoughts on James so far?

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