CH 08: FLIRTING GONE WRONG

GABRIEL KNIGHT'S POV

Seated in the Executive CEO office made for only me. The whole tenth floor is just for me ,my PA and my secretaries .I was knee-deep in paperwork when a knock interrupted my concentration. "Come in," I called out, expecting one of my employees.

The door swung open, and Jessica, an intern from marketing department entered with purpose, a folder in hand. "Mr. Knight, I have the updated sales figures you requested," she said, her tone professional as she approached my desk.

I nodded, appreciating her diligence. "Thank you, Jessica," I replied, gesturing for her to place the folder on my desk. "I'll review these later."

"Mr knight.. how about a special treat from me" she chirped, her tone sugary sweet.

" Excuse me "I said looking at the lady in front of me with her fingers in my mouth and the other hand adjusting her breast.i choose to ignore her maybe she's probably on drugs.

"Just thought I'd brighten your day with a surprise visit." She said softly , her voice cozy and I looked up at her again " is she flirting with me" I thought

"What do you say Mr knight" she said as she moved closer, this time opening the upper button of her shirt and I swallowed in a larger gulp of spit. She's indeed tempting and beautiful, but taking advantage of my employees won't speak well of me. The only person I'm willing to go against that rule for is Elena Parker.

I caught a glimpse of mischief in her eyes, a hint of flirtation lurking beneath the surface. Before she could say anything further, I cut in with a firm tone. "Jessica, I appreciate your dedication to your work, but can you please move back ," I said, my voice leaving no room for misunderstanding. "Let's keep our interactions strictly business, understood?"

Her expression shifted, a flicker of embarrassment crossing her features. "Of course, Mr. Knight," she replied, her tone contrite. "A trial would convince you to taste me" she said moving closer again this time around her breast is opened already and I immediately removed my eyes.

With frustration, I stood up , I had no patience for flirtatious antics in the workplace and I don't know why I was even taking it easy on her "Jessica, are you out of your mind," I snapped, my tone sharp. "I won't tolerate this kind of behavior in my office...get out"

She bowed in fear and she trembled" I'm ... I'm... I'm sorry Mr knight, I didn't mean to overstep" she said feeling embarrassed

I fixed her with a stern glare, my voice cold and unwavering. "Consider this your first and final warning," I said, my tone leaving no room for argument. "Any further incidents of this nature will result in disciplinary action."

With that, she nodded and exited my office, leaving me to return to my work with a sense of relief. It was important to set boundaries in the workplace. my frustration simmering beneath the surface. I had a company to run, and I refused to let distractions like Jessica's flirtatious behavior derail me from my goals.

With a sigh, I reached for the phone on my desk and dialed the extension for the manager's office. After a few rings, the call was picked up, and I wasted no time in getting to the point.

"Thompson, I need you to summon Elena Parker to my office," I said, my tone firm and commanding.

There was a brief pause on the other end of the line before Thompson replied, "Of course, sir. I'll send for her right away."

I hung up the phone and leaned back in my chair, my mind already drifting to the upcoming meeting. But as the minutes stretched into what felt like an eternity, a sense of unease began to gnaw at me.

Finally, the intercom crackled to life, and Thompson ' voice filled the room. "Sir, I'm sorry to report that Elena Parker is not at work today," he said, his tone apologetic.

I frowned, feeling a surge of frustration welling up inside me. "Not at work?" I repeated, my voice tinged with irritation. "Did she call in sick?"

There was a brief pause before Alex replied, "No, sir. There's been no communication from her regarding her absence."

" Can you email her and ask to report to work immediately " I said firmly

" Alright sir, I would do that right away " he said and I hung the call

Now I regret giving that girl the blue card, I knew she would stay off work. I thought she was a dilligent worker and I just thought of compensating her. I gritted my teeth, struggling to contain my frustration. Elena's sudden staying off work was highly unprofessional, and it left me with a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. Whatever the reason for her absence, I knew that it would need to be addressed—and soon.

As I pondered Elena's inexplicable absence, my train of thought was abruptly interrupted by the insistent ringing of my phone. I hesitated for a while because it was clearly written as unknown number ,With a sigh, I picked up the receiver and brought it to my ear.

"Hello... GABRIEL KNIGHT HERE" I answered, my voice tinged with a hint of impatience.

"Gabriel, darling, it's your mother," came the familiar voice on the other end of the line. "I was hoping we could have lunch together today. It's been far too long since we've seen each other."

I hesitated, torn between the demands of my work and the desire to spend time with my mother. "I'm sorry, Mother, but I'm swamped with work right now," I replied, my tone regretful. "I'm afraid I won't be able to make it."As the CEO of too many companies, they are a lot on my shoulders and the least of it is going out to spend time with someone.

There was a disappointed sigh from the other end of the line, followed by a resigned acceptance. "I understand, Gabriel," my mother said, her voice tinged with sadness. "But please promise me you'll take some time for yourself soon. You can't work yourself into the ground, you know."

I nodded, though she couldn't see it through the phone. "I promise, Mother," I said, a note of determination in my voice. "I'll make time for myself soon."

With that, we said our goodbyes, and I hung up the phone, feeling a pang of guilt gnawing at me. Balancing the demands of work and family is really hard and tough. I have too many companies and it's just sterling enterprise I spend most of time in because it has to be the largest and it contains too much work .