THIRTY-TWO 

"Good morning, Lia. Sir informed me to submit these reports for you to oversee." Callum said, dropping the blue file on my table and thrusting his hands into his jeans pocket. Looking at him I felt refreshed and somewhat content. It had been a long time talking to someone who knows a lot about you.

"Sir?" I raised my eyebrows. 

"Christian Sir." 

"Oh okay. Thanks." I remembered reading Christian's text telling me to supervise these reports before emailing it to Pierce Corporation. His secretary to be exact.

I looked up to see him fiddling nervously with his finger and the button of his plaid shirt. Furrowing my eyebrows, I stared at him. He avoided it. "Would you like to come to lunch with me?" He blurted out and then his facial expression wore regret.

I hesitated before saying, "Today I have got a lot of work, ya know checking this file, " I eyed towards the file he brought, "and also I have to look into the accountancy sector. Some other time?" I spoke with a hidden apology and fake hope. 

He smiled awkwardly and nodded. "Sure, I will be looking forward to it." With that, he walked out of the room and I released the breath I have been unknowingly holding. 

That was certainly weird...

Pushing away the thoughts after a moment, I pulled the file and opened the first page. 

.

.

The ringing of the phone pulled me out of my concentrated trance. Sighing, I looked at the cell and it was Theodore calling me. I wasn't that surprised. The conference is going to start in half an hour and I had to take notes like a PA. I scoffed, no wonder why most people don't seem to pursue higher degrees because they aren't given position or respect according to their standards.

"Hello,"

"Theodore speaking," he informed me from the other side. 

"Yes, sir?"

"In today's meeting, you shall enter the gates as an employee of the financial department, fully aware of what's going on with our top investors and not as my PA. Remember you work as both and I want to see that versatile worker in you. Not the one sweating over the mere PA works." 

There was a moment of silence after that. I didn't know if I should be jumping to express my happiness or call Christian to get the basics. Not that there was much I could mug up considering that I was new and unaware of almost everything. But still, I was excited, every cell in my body was dancing in glee.

"Okay," I whispered and the line went dead. My eyes went to my right and I found Theodore looking at me with an indecipherable emotion. He nodded before turning around to continue typing on the laptop. 

Quickly, I dialed Christian's number with a wide smile stretched on my lips. When he picked up from the other side I said, "Tell me a bit about what's going on in the financial sector." I breathed out putting aside the formalities.

Being a PA, I mostly managed and scrutinized Theodore's daily routine and miscellaneous works. But when it came to the financial sector, I only gave some rational advice which could get us more profit or look into the matters which had anomaly and required sane brain cells to stress. Till now, I haven't indulged wholeheartedly into my real genre-the core of finance and accountancy. 

Christian made me understand the important and basic points like a responsible elder brother while I quickly jotted them down in a notepad, in case I needed to revise it. He emailed me this week's final report and disconnected the call wishing me luck and advising me not to get so excited that I end up falling from the stairs blinded by my over-enthusiasm. I sarcastically replied an extremely heartfelt 'thank you' and slid the phone over the table. 

Inhaling and exhaling deeply, I meditated for five minutes. We had just ten minutes more before it would start. Scanning the report roughly once, I did a little touch up of my makeup before making my way towards the conference room on the tenth floor with a fresh mood and confidence rushing in my nerves. 

The conference room was dimly lit yet nothing seemed blurry with the projector turned on showing 'Raymond Enterprise & Corporation. Weekly discussion.' I made it to the long column of leather seats and sat in the middle, dropping my pen and notebook in front of me. 

"Hey, I'm Samuel King. You must be Sir's wife?" He smiled politely. 

Mirroring a delicate smile I said, "Yeah, I'm Aurellia Raymond. I work in the financial sector." 

"I am the manager of the Culinary stream. We supervise the imports of products from the farms and their processing in the factory, buying new machines and hiring better chefs and experts and the stuff." He explained the mains when I showed interest.

"Oh, who looks after … imports and exports. I mean trade and- Our company must be indulged in foreign trades, right? I have heard about sweet corn and barley going to China." I twisted in my seat to look at him without stressing my neck. 

"Yes and also the apples and maple syrup goes to American cities and the UK, Germany, Sweden and many other countries of Europe." He paused and lowered his voice and continued, "Our chefs have this secret maple syrup making recipe which is getting so famous that we might patent an original brand after our company's name. We are just waiting for the affirmative response from a few clients."

I listened to him awestruck, taking a moment to digest the information. Okay, I agree I knew they were successful but this successful?

Wow!

"You didn't say who looked after trades…" I reminded him.

"Theodore sir himself looks into this matter but he takes guidance and recommendations from our company's experts." 

"Oh-"

Theodore entered the room, striding in his confident walk and all of us stood up as a sign of respect. The unessential chatting subsided to greetings and he took his position in the head seat. We followed suit right after him and sat down. 

"Good afternoon, everyone. Shall we begin?" He uttered in such a professional way that for a second I felt foreign sitting there. Straightening my backbone, I pulled myself forward and rested my elbows on the table to listen to everything with full focus. 

The meeting started with each departmental head coming over to the projector and giving a brief update on last week's events. I was benefitted extremely from the information discussed in the room and I found myself glancing over at Theodore every time after someone had implied a suggestion. I was impressed by the counter questions he threw back at the employees, making them know their own mistakes rather than himself pointing it out. His maneuver was calm and open to new ideas and better plans. For some strange reason which didn't seem strange after my acceptance - that I have respect for him deep within me.

:

:

:

The next day, when I was sorting the files alphabetically, I saw Callum coming towards my room. I quickly sat on the chair and started continuing yesterday's entry of all the sectors in the laptop to make sure I looked busy and I will not have to reject his offer again. I hate turning down his expectations and making him sad.

"Hey," he said, standing there awkwardly.

"Hi," I replied, halting my fingers.

"I was going for lunch… so I thought I'd ask you if you wanted to tag along with me." I looked at my wrist watch and discovered I had totally forgotten about lunch and it was almost three. 2:55 to be precise.

"Callum, I'd love to come but-"

"No ifs and buts. I'll wait till you are done with your work. Now hurry up." He plopped down on the leather seat opposite to mine and directed all his attention towards me, just like old times.

I resisted the urge to blush and looked away. Suddenly, to my utter surprise, I found Theodore staring at us from his office room. 

Scrunching my eyebrows in confusion I turned my chair to work. Slowly but steadily, the speed of my typing ceased as the things began evaluating in my mind and a plan came up in seconds. Lifting my eyes to Callum, I found him drumming his fingertips on the counter while looking at his phone. He looked lost in thoughts as he was blankly staring at the screen. 

Sucking in a breath, I jumped out of my seat. "Cockroach!" I shrieked. 

Soon, I was on Callum's side as he stood up in haste. "Where?" 

He tried to look over at my previous seating position by craning his neck and I was quick to react out of reflexes. Holding his shoulders in both my hands, I moved closer to him. "No! Don't go there." I pleaded.

His hands came up to my shoulder, supporting my balance as he started saying reassuring words in my ear. He was more bothered than me, noted. I felt kind of disgusted for taking advantage of him to seek a reaction out of Theodore and also uncomfortable because I didn't like people touching me that often, but I swore to withstand this and carry forward my mission till the very end. 

"Okay, wait here for me. Please?" He said, cupping my cheek in his warm embrace. I nodded meekly as he rounded to the other side and squatted to look under the desk. He got up once his investigation was over and dusted off his hands against his pants. 

"There is nothing down there."

"Must have run away." I faked a sniffle. "Let's go."

"Your work is still pending, no?" He queried with a concerned face.

"Work can wait." I smiled. Picking up the remote, I turned off the air conditioner and also drew down the curtains. I won't be lying, but I definitely felt Theodore's eyes on me the entire time I was pulling this act. He was still staring when the curtains pulled over and I felt accomplished. But this wasn't the end.

Once I was confirmed about the fact that he can't see us, I aimed for a higher target. While packing my stuff and keeping them in their place I saw Callum forwarding a helping hand with a smile. I smiled back. 

When I was crossing the desk, purposefully, I acted to lose my balance as Callum's hands came to steady me and hold me by my waist. Instinctively, my hands found his muscular arm. "You okay there?" 

Heaving a sigh, I backed instantly and said, "Thank god you are here. Else nothing would have stopped me from falling. And you got nice muscles there, huh?" I held his bicep for a while saying in a hushed voice but my voice was loud enough, echoing in the room. I was sure it would reach the other side. 

"Uh, thanks. Shall we get going?" Callum seemed to act shyly in front of me. He kind of looked suspicious at first but I knew that he still has a little love left for me and I was availing his weakness. 

"We shall." I smiled.

We walked out of the room and I found Theodore standing in front of his room with folded arms, throwing daggers at us. Callum didn't seem to catch it as he was smiling to himself lightly. 

"So are you free tonight?" His voice seemed distant, as if it entered my ears but didn't travel to my brain for interpretation and to produce a reaction. I could feel the concentrated stare, shooting bullets at my back. I skipped a step as shiver ran up and down my back.

"Uh… yeah." I forced out my answer unconsciously.

"Do you have a place in mind?"

"Nuh… you decide." My voice came out as a whisper as we came to the end of the sitting hall.

I just hope Theodore doesn't fire Callum.

***

Sometimes love isn't enough...

***

"Sometimes love isn't enough" is the title of my next book. It's going to be different than the normal Wattpad books we read. And also something every close to my heart and relating to me, personally.

Should I be expecting you guys there?

Excited?

Coz I am very!!