Shane's POV

When we walked back inside, my mum flashed the biggest smile ever, so we stopped at the desk. She asked Bliss, "So, how has the day gone so far?"

"Mr. - Shane has done so much for me. It will take me a while to get used to first names. And I have met some really nice people - you, Carly, and Brently. You remind me so much of my mom - very friendly and cares about others. I miss my mom a lot."

"Honey, look for me if you ever need someone to talk to. I actually work with Brently and Shane on the 50th floor. I just had to be the one to welcome you to the company. And, call me 'mom.'"

My mum flashed her trademark smile at Bliss and winked.

"Thank you, Adrian. Oops, I mean 'mom.' Sorry. Is there a restroom near?"

"There is one on the left-hand side as you walk towards the double doors."

"Thank you. Excuse me." Then, we watched Bliss walk towards the bathroom.

As soon as Bliss walked into the bathroom, my mum said, "Shane, seriously, I WILL HURT YOU if you mess up with her. Are you sure you want to introduce her yet? We will have issues if those hungry hounds go anywhere near Bliss."

"Amy already started something. I didn't want to tell you."

My mum was pissed.

"What did that little tramp do to my future daughter-in-law?"

"When I visited Primedia back in May, I had an introductory meeting with everyone. After the meeting, I invited everyone to lunch. Her friends sensed I was attracted to her, so they sat Bliss next to me."

"Good friends those girls are. Hmm, I have to meet them one day."

"Anyway, I 'accidentally' touched her arm by putting my arm on the back of her chair."

"Boy, please, that was no 'accident.' You did that on purpose. You Landes men are smooth operators. Your father did the same trick on me."

"Ugh, can I finish first? Amy saw my arm on the chair. Then suddenly, Bliss was doused with water."

"The little tramp did what to my daughter-in-law?"

"Bliss was then 5 seconds from pounding Amy, but I didn't let her."

"And, why not?! It is about time somebody taught that brat a lesson."

"Amy may be a brat, but she is also cutthroat and will hurt anyone who gets in her way. That is why I didn't let Bliss beat her to a pulp."

"Here she comes."

"I'm ready for the rest of the tour."

Adrian's POV

"Enjoy the rest of the tour, Bliss. And see you at your welcome lunch! Take good care of her, Mr. Landes."

"I mean it, Shane."

As they walked away, Shane wanted so badly to hold her hand.

"They are going to have cute babies."

I waited until they went through the double doors. Then, it was time to act. Shane doesn't know I still talk to Amy's mom. He hasn't handled it yet. She keeps coming around, trying to throw around her weight or power that she doesn't have. Guess who is about to handle it? You guessed it. That brat will not get in the way of my happiness - well, Shane's happiness too. So, I picked up the phone and made the call.

"Hey, Madeline, this is Adrian. Amy is up to her tricks again."

***********

Bliss' POV

"A welcoming lunch?"

"Of course. Where would you like to go?"

"Chinese is fine."

"Today is mostly going to be an introductory day. I see a worried look on your face."

"Sorry, Shane. I am just anxious to get to work."

"Listen, tomorrow I have an investor's meeting scheduled for 11:30 am. How would you like to come and observe? We will leave the office around 10:00 am. The company is in Yonkers. If you are wondering why we are leaving that time, it is because we usually allow for traffic delays."

"Sure, I would like to come."

"I will get you accustomed to those meetings first. They are the ones that I would like you to take over."

"Sounds like a plan."

"Okay. The next stop is the gym and food court. For the gym, as an executive, you will have your own room where you can shower and change if needed. Your access badge was supposed to be ready this morning. It should be at your office now."

"This is one of the places I will definitely be."

"On the same floor is the food court, which is right around the corner."

I let out a squeal when we walked into the food court area.

"I'm guessing you see something you like?"

"Sorry about that. Starbucks and Chipotle are my weaknesses."

"That is one of your surprises. You will find out soon who said it was your favorite. Let's go see them now."

Before we left out of the food court, I overheard two female employees say, "How did she get that position assisting Mr. Landes?"

"She probably slept with him."

"Pretty desperate, don't you think?"

They didn't realize that he was standing there with me.

"Excuse me, Shane. I will not stand by and let nobody call me out of my name."

"What did you just say about me?!!" I asked both of the tricks.

"I said........" They got quiet when they saw Shane.

"Too late to be scared now! I will keep this professional, so you two are very fortunate. I did not come to work at Landes Industries for office drama and to be called a 'slut.' I came to help this company continue to be successful. I don't need to sleep with anybody, honey. Being black does not mean I must sleep with my boss to get ahead. It's called hard work and perseverance. Plus, I have a Master's and Bachelor's degree that qualifies me to be his assistant. Now, if I see you two tricks calling me out of my name again, I will not be professional the next time. Got it?"

Shane's POV

"They will not have another time. You're both fired. What department are you in?"

"Accounting, s-s-sir."

"Pack your things, turn in your badges and electronic devices, if you had any. Get out of this building!!!"

"Y-y-yes sir, Mr. Landes." They got up and left.

"I'm really sorry about that. I will not tolerate that behavior toward anyone. Now that Primedia is in the building, I will schedule a meeting so that everyone will be on the same page."

"Shane, I have dealt with people like that since high school. I try not to let it get to me because it all boils down to their jealousy."

"Let's get to your next surprise. This time we will take the regular elevator."

"Sure."

As we got in the elevator, I glanced down at Bliss. Even with heels on, she seems short. She appeared calm after what had just happened. Add confidence and strength as one of her traits.

"Let me know when you want to take a break."

"I sure could use one now. My feet are killing me."

"I should have told you to wear comfortable shoes. That was my fault, and I sincerely apologize."

"I have a pair of comfy shoes upstairs in the office."

"The afternoon with be much better. I promise."

"Ding."

"Welcome to the new Primedia Inc. Primedia is now the official marketing firm for Landes Industries. We had an outsourcing company handle our marketing. But, they were slacking on the job. There are two floors currently available. But, if additional space is needed, it is available. Each floor has a break room, bathrooms, and conference rooms. This is the main floor. Also, each floor has a receptionist area. Every office has its own fax machine, printer, and file cabinets."

We walked around and said hi to everyone. Bliss saw a few of her friends but not all of them. So, we walked up the stairs to the executive floor.

Bliss' POV

My feet were really killing me now. As we went upstairs, I saw Mrs. Watson and another female who looked like Andrea from behind.

"Andrea, is that you? And, hi, Mrs. Watson."

"How are you doing, Bliss?"

"I'm fine. A little overwhelmed by the day. But I am fine."

"Surprise!! I am the new secretary at Primedia Inc."

"No way!!" I looked up at Shane.

"Yes, way. She accepted the position about a month ago."

"Wait? A month ago? But...."

"The day of your one-on-one chat, to be exact. I knew then that you were the one I wanted to be my assistant."

"See you at lunch, Bliss!"

"Can we head back to the office? I need to sit, and we need to talk."

"Sure." We made it back to the office in 15 minutes. Before we got inside my office, I kicked those heels off. The flats I brought with me were in the bag on my chair. There was an access badge for the gym, different floors, and a credit card on my desk.

"Shane, what is this?" This day was just too much for me. I don't think I could take another surprise.

He came over to the desk. "It is a company credit card. Every executive has one with a sizable limit - $20K."

I started coughing again. "That is a whole lot of power."

"Everyone uses them for business trips or business expenses."

"Before we go anywhere else, I really need to ask this. And, please be honest with me."

"Okay. What would you like to ask?"

"Shane, did I really earn this position? You tripled my salary, gave me a $20k bonus, two luxury SUVs, added a Starbucks and Chipotle because of me. And, $20k limit company credit card? Please forgive me. I am not complaining at all. I don't feel comfortable with all of this just to go to meetings. This is the best opportunity that anyone could ask for. Why me?"

Shane's POV

"The moment you looked up from your computer in May, I must admit that I was instantly attracted to you and wanted you by my side. I could not take my eyes off of you that whole day. You are a gorgeous woman, Bliss. Your friends purposely had you sit next to me at the restaurant. I don't know if you felt it, but I purposely brushed your arm."

"Yes, I did. And I noticed the wink too."

"Mr. Anderson highly recommended you. I created the position that you now have. At first, I just wanted you to be in my vicinity so I could see your beautiful smile and face every day. But, during the one-on-one chat, when you mentioned you were good at public speaking, I realized I could use your help. What I said about the mental breakdowns is true. I was on the verge of having one several times. You have earned everything - the salary, vehicles, office, position, and credit card. That is the honest truth. Amy threw the water on you because she was jealous and thought we were in a relationship."

Bliss POV

"Shane, you are a handsome billionaire. That is undeniable. You can have any woman you want. And you are my boss. What if we broke up? I would have been the one out of a job. Besides, I could never date you because I have NO desire whatsoever to be in a relationship. I place a high value on my independence. I'm sure Mr. Anderson also told you that fact."

"Yes, he did. Billionaires need love too, Bliss. This billionaire wants you. Did someone hurt you in your past?"

"Not me. But, both of my sisters. Andrea's boyfriend was a complete and utter jerk. Jessica's boyfriend died because a drunk driver hit him. She still has nightmares about it. My friends have also experienced heartbreak."

"I don't want to experience heartache because of a man's relationship. My parents dying was heartbreaking enough. I have had two generous and wonderful bosses - Mr. Anderson and you. I would hate to end a working relationship for a personal one. You are really sweet, Shane. But I can't give you what you want. You should find someone who will love you back."

"I don't want anyone else. I am not one to give up. So, mark this day on your calendar - July 2, 2018. I, Shane Carson Landes, will one day win Bliss Sanders' heart."

"Good luck trying."

We heard a knock on the door. It was Brently. "Hey, Bliss, what would you like for lunch today?"

"Chinese."

"Okay, we will meet you downstairs in the lobby, and I'll tell the rest of the group."

"While we are out, we will need to get you a phone, tablet, and laptop for meeting purposes. And I will get a personal assistant for you. Before we go downstairs, I need to stop in my office to get your Range Rover and Infiniti keys."

"Thanks again, Shane. For everything."

"You're welcome."

The elevator ride down to the lobby was silent. I do not doubt that he will not give up. But I will not give up my independence for Shane or anybody else.

Everyone going to lunch was in the lobby - Carly, Brently, Adrian, Andrea, Kamilah, Adam, Mariah, Jillian, Angelo, Jacob, and a few others I have not been introduced to yet.

"Who is riding with who?"

"I can take at least 3 in my Suburban."

"Uh, Bliss, Kamilah, Jillian, Mariah, and I are riding with you," Andrea blurts out.

Jacob, Adam, and Angelo drove together.

Everyone else chose to drive separately.

But, when we approached my truck, "Who the heck slashed all four of my tires?!!"

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Thank you all for reading chapter 4.

And thank you all for the votes and comments. 😘