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(One week later)

     "Master Val, secretary Julien is already waiting downstairs", one of the maids says from outside my door.

     I fixed my tie and looked at the time: 7:00 AM.

     "Arrived on time as usual", I say as I take the pen from the table and hanged it on my necktie like how I've been doing for the past week.

     It's been a week since Julien has become my new secretary, and it has also been a week since we've...

     Because of the stress that I've acquired from my complicated family, I decided to busy myself with company work. Julien has been beside me for almost 24/7, but for the past week, I've practically ignored him. Not because I'm embarrassed to talk to him, but because I'm just really busy and I don't find the significance to talk to him about anything in particular.

     He also suggested that he'd help me with my OCD. Since then I've noticed him purposely walking slowly so he could give me a chance to open public doorknobs myself, but as expected, I still haven't touched that dirty thing.

     "Tell him to get ready because I'll be going down soon", I answered.

     The maid doesn't say anything else but I heard her go down the stairs instead.

      I looked at myself in the mirror for the last time before heading downstairs myself.

     At the living room, I saw Julien politely sitting down on the sofa while drinking coffee the maids have probably served him.

     The moment he sees me, he quickly stands up and gives me a respectful bow, "Good morning Chairman Val."

     I nod my head to acknowledge his greeting. Then I looked around and noticed something, "Where's Johnson?" I asked.

     "Johnson told me he'll be heading somewhere today", Julien suddenly answers me.

     "He'll be what?" I quickly asked, trying not to suddenly get mad because Johnson didn't even say anything about this to me.

     "He said it's a very important matter so-"

     "If it was so important then he could have at least told me about it", I said, quickly making Julien stop talking.

     I took a deep breath and massaged my temple, "Fine, I can let this slide. But who on earth would be driving me then?" I asked.

     Julien suddenly bites his lower lip and lifted his hand to show me the car keys; "H-He kinda gave this to me...yesterday."

     Great, so Julien knew about this since yesterday and he didn't tell me about it too.

     Seriously, these two are a little bit close with each other now.

     "Can you even drive?" I asked him.

     Julien quickly nods his head and says, "Yes sir, I still have my license with me."

     I stared at him, not even sure if he was serious or not. But since this was already planned, I just nodded my head in defeat, "Alright, whatever. Let's just go", I finally say as I walked towards the front door.

     "Have a good day Master Val", the maids said before I got outside.

     Julien quickly runs towards the car that was already parked outside. He opens the door for me as I got in, then he went inside as well and starts the engine, "To the company sir?" he asked as he looked at me through the rearview mirror.

     It was kinda weird for me to see him sitting on the driver's seat, but I brushed the weird feeling away and just answered him, "No, we're heading to Olympus Mall."

     "Oh, you're going shopping?" he asked me.

     "I don't go shopping on public malls. I have a meeting there, that's why we're going", I answered him, suddenly making him look confused, "Wait, do you somehow...own the mall?"

     Seriously? Did he even study the company background?

     "No, I do not own any mall in particular. But if you listened attentively on your training before working at the company, they'll be telling you about the company's partnerships, and Olympus Mall is one of them", I answered him, suddenly making him roll his eyes from annoyance.

     When he noticed that I actually saw him do it, he quickly clears his throat and says, "Then Olympus Mall it is."

     He then drives away.

     Since I always sit behind Johnson, I wasn't able to see Julien properly. It's not like I always have to see him, but it somehow frustrated me that I couldn't.

     To brush the thought away, I quickly looked out the window.

     "Oh, chairman Val..." Julien suddenly calls out.

     I don't say anything so he continued, "A man named Bryson called yesterday. You were at a meeting that time so I wasn't able to tell you about it."

     Bryson? Haven't heard of that asshole ever since the time we went to Club Luxuria.

     "What did he say?" I asked, my eyes still glued outside the window.

     "He told me to tell you that he misses you and that he wants to hangout again", he says. I was about to answer Julien but he quickly continues, "And he specifically told me that his hole wasn't satisfied after what you did last time so he wants you to make it up for him", Julien suddenly answered me, quickly making my eyes widen and my face turn red from shock.

     "W-What the fuck did he just say?" I asked again, but this time, Julien doesn't answer me anymore.

     "Bryson you fucking idiot!" I internally shouted at myself from complete frustration.

     "D-don't misunderstand that", I quickly tell Julien.

     I don't know why but I suddenly felt obliged to explain things to him even though there wasn't any reason why I should even do so.

     "I didn't even say anything sir", Julien quickly tells me back.

     I clenched on my fist and closed my eyes from frustration, "Then why the hell do you sound pissed off?" I asked myself as I opened my eyes again.

     I glanced at the rearview mirror and saw Julien's jet-black eyes concentrating on the road. I couldn't see him properly so I couldn't even see his reaction on the whole thing.

     "He's just a friend", I tried to explain further.

     Why the hell am I even explaining myself?!

     "A friend. How nice of you to satisfy a friend's hole", Julien suddenly tells me, emphasizing the word friend more.

     "I told you that you shouldn't misunderstand! What wasn't clear to you?!" I angrily answered him now. And I have no idea why I'm the one getting angry here.

     "Everything wasn't clear", he quickly answered me.

     I massaged my temple and asked, "Then what the fuck do you want me to say?"

     The car became quiet for a few seconds.

     "Make it clearer to me", he finally says with a soft and low voice.

     I clenched on my fist and quickly commanded him, "Stop the car."

     Julien doesn't even hesitate and stops the car on the side.

     I quickly went out of the car, and for the first time, I opened the door on the front and went inside.

     I sat on the passengers seat and looked at Julien properly now. His eyes were wide from shock; he wasn't expecting me to suddenly sit beside him.

     "He. Is. Just. A. Friend", I said slowly this time, but Julien was still shocked as he stared at me.

     "The only hole I would be willing to satisfy would be fucking yours", I suddenly continued, making Julien's eyes widen even more.

     Seconds later, my own eyes widened from shock as I realized what I just told him.

     "Oh Romeo you just walked right into a trap", I tell myself as I quickly looked away because I knew for sure my face would be red from embarrassment.

     I heard Julien clear his throat, but he doesn't say anything and just starts driving again.

     The whole atmosphere became awkward, and to add it all up, I was sitting on the front seat, just inches away from Julien.

     I never sat on the front, but for some reason, sitting here now isn't as uncomfortable as I expected it to be.

     Is it because I'm sitting beside...him?

     "Listen..." both of us suddenly said in unison.

     I quickly looked back at Julien and said, "You go first."

     Julien gulps and nods his head. Without looking at me, he says, "I'm sorry for being unprofessional. I shouldn't have said such a thing to you since it wasn't really necessary."

     Wait...he's apologizing?

     "Then why did you open it up?" I asked.

     "Isn't it obvious?" He pauses; then he stops on a red light. He slowly looks at me and continued, "I'm fucking jealous. I'm like a fucking kid and I hate it."

     "What?" I asked from shock.

     I was seriously taken aback. Surprised that he actually said those things so openly without even looking embarrassed.

     "You can't even touch a single part of my body, then I suddenly hear you're satisfying someone else. It's a selfish thought, but who am I to say such a thing right? After all, I'm just a secretary, and a toy men uses to-"

     I quickly stopped Julien from saying anything further.

    The moment he referred to himself as a toy, something suddenly triggered inside me.

     I slowly looked back out the window as I showed him my hand.

     Julien must have been confused since he didn't say anything.

     "You're worried that I don't even touch you right? You're wearing gloves anyways so..." I paused and gulped.

     I was seriously feeling embarrassed right now. I took a deep breath and finally continued, "So go ahead...hold my hand."

     I waited for him so say something, but before Julien could even react, the car behind us honks, making us realize that the light was green now.

     Julien starts driving.

     I felt like he was just going to ignore my hand. So to stop embarrassing myself more, I decided to take my hand back. But, as soon as I was going to do so, Julien suddenly grabs it.

     My heart skips a beat the moment I felt his warm hands touch mine. We were both wearing gloves, but somehow, I could still feel the heat.

     My hand was so stiff that I didn't even move it.

     Suddenly, Julien gently squeezes it, like he was feeling the warmth of my hand too. The feeling made my heart start beating faster.

     I closed my eyes and continued to feel his slender fingers hold mine. I took a deep breath and finally squeezed his hand back.

     I opened my eyes and slowly turned my head to finally look at Julien.

     Julien's eyes were still glued to the front, but to my surprise, his whole face was red from embarrassment too.

*****

     We finally arrived at the mall.

     Julien, who has been holding my hand the whole drive, finally let's go of me so he could properly park the car.

     He clears his throat and quickly goes outside to open the door for me. I went out and immediately looked away so our eyes wouldn't be able to meet.

     Great, I'm still embarrassed.

     I took a deep breath to calm myself. When I tried to pretend that whatever happened between us earlier was just my imagination, I finally calmed myself down.

     "Let's go", I finally say but still without looking at him.

     I walked towards the entrance of the mall, Julien just right behind me. When we arrived, four guards quickly welcomed us.

     My eyes directly went to their hands. I nod my head impressively as I saw them wear the gloves I asked them to wear.

     "Looks like Chairman Luis (The chairman of Olympus Mall), listened to my request diligently", I said out loud.

     I walked inside, quickly making the guards walk on our side so no one could go near me.

     People stared at me, curious on who I was, while some stared at me and immediately recognized me as the clean chairman of the Valentino Group of Companies.

    Julien, who was walking behind me, quickly walks beside me and asked, "Luis? You said the chairman here is named Luis?"

     I looked at Julien confusingly.

     Why was he suddenly concerned about this?

     "Yeah, Luis Walker", I answered him, suddenly making Julien stop walking.

     I stopped walking too just to look at him, automatically making the guards stop walking as well.

     "C-Chairman Val, if it's alright...can I stay at the car?" he suddenly asked me.

     I stared at him, now even more confused, "What do you mean? I need you there so I could-"

     "Val! My man!" someone suddenly calls out.

     I turned my head and saw chairman Luis walking towards me. His famous Hollywood smile implanted on his face like usual.

     I quickly looked back at Julien and saw him take a step back.

     "What's going on?" I asked as I looked at Luis walk towards me.

     "I'm glad you can make it. But I'm a little surprised, because for the first time you're a few minutes late", he says as he finally stands in front of me.

     I don't know what's going on with Julien, but my instincts told me to quickly move to the side to cover him behind me.

     "Johnson wasn't with me today so I had a little delay", I explained.

     Luis nods his head and continues to stupidly smile for some reason. But then, he suddenly noticed that someone was hiding behind me.

     "Edrick?" Luis asked, referring to my previous secretary.

     "N-No...Edrick isn't with me either so we should-"

     I tried to hide Julien more but Luis suddenly went behind me to look at him better.

    When he finally sees who the person was, his fake smile quickly disappears as he asks, "Number 24?"

- END -