Chapter 20

This last month has been busier than when I was busy with the gala, never ending meetings, tv interviews, filings, conferences etc.

I've literally been arriving home at nine p.m if it's was a normal day but if not I'm lucky enough to even get an hour of sleep.

I don't know what changed but something has changed.

Jared and I have kept in touch and because of the guilt that I carry for some reason, I've been trying to help him get his job back.

Which is what I'm doing right now instead of eating my lunch, I finish off the last of the recordings and head to my boss's office.

The second I enter, smoke invades my lungs. I cough roughly and rush to the window to open it up and get a breath of fresh air.

I set the files down and head to his desk, emptying out the third ashtray for this day I notice the already empty box of cigarettes in the bin.

Did I forget to mention that he smokes like hell when he's stressed, two to three packs a day and it's concerning me despite the pent up anger I still have against him.

"Señorita?" He asks looking up at me, half of a cigarette in his fingers. I take it and smash the butt then throw it in the bin.

"If your going to smoke, please do so with the windows open and not around me." I snap for the thousandth time, he raises an eyebrow.

"I didn't call for you." He states, changing the subject.

"You fired Jared Coleman because you suspected that he was stealing from you?" I ask, not long after that he held interviews for an accountant and he spoke to everyone in the finance department about dishonesty.

For a while the cut of money stopped but continued a few weeks after, and not only did I check the recordings of the last month but a few months back.

"You were so focused on Jared that you didn't bother checking any recordings done by your other accountants. In every account, over five thousand dollars go missing a month. You lose more than what Jared was supposedly stealing from you every month." I grit, he raises his eyebrow just the slightest.

"Miss Clarkson, my reasons of firing Jared or whoever it is you are speaking of has nothing to do with you."

I frown, "Maybe not me but with the Union Trade yes, if Jared Coleman decides to take your dismissal to the CCMA, you will have a case on your hands.

And I'm saying this for your benefit and Jared's, you know you fired him unfairly and if it's because of me. Situate him at a different branch then, I won't be the reason why he can't provide for his family." I huff, his icy stare meets mine.

I want to keep my confident stance but I can't help but gulp in fear and flinch when he looks at me, we stay like that for a few minutes until it starts to get a little uncomfortable for me.

That was a little bit too much for a person who's only been here for five? Six months?

And it's longer than any other person has lasted, maybe I shouldn't have said anything.

"Arrange a meeting with N. Lyle for any time tomorrow, just make it happen." He commands looking down at his papers once more.

I look at him for a second, did he not just hear a word I said? Honestly though, what did I expect?

I sigh and nod then go to my office, a little disappointed.

*~*~*~*

It's late eight and I think everyone has gone home which makes me curious as to who my boss may be talking to right now.

First I assumed he was on the phone but he's never that loud, and then I heard a totally different voice yelling in despair.

It almost sounds like Mr. Ressler, and if I have to be anymore specific. The finance department manager, I didn't hear the elevator but I know that the voices started around an hour ago.

BANG!

I rush on my feet and out to the hallway just in time to see Mr. Ressler storming past me to the elevator, his face is redder than a tomato and if it were possible I think it would've exploded the moment he shut Mr Grey's for with such violence.

Unexpectedly Mr Grey's door opens and there he appears, a cool expression on his face unlike the previous male.

Briefcase in one hand and phone to the ear in the other, as he steps out he noticed my presence. He mutters some quick words to the recipient and ends the call.

"You're still here?" He asks, but it sounded more like a statement. I nod hesitantly.

"I had some papers to finish off." I reply, he nods checking his watch.

Another thing I've noticed about him is his watch, it's no Rolex nor some expensive watch but an old looking worn out one.

Okay not that old looking or worn out, it just doesn't look like a watch a billionaire would wear on a daily basis.

The dark brown leather is peeling off here and there, barely noticeable, the metal areas are scratched here and there and I think I once saw a crack in the glass.

My guess, passed down from his father but I don't know why he would keep it.

"Let's go, you can finish this off tomorrow." He instructs, I nod and head inside to pack my things.

When I lock up, I notice that he's still waiting for me. He nods for me to go ahead of him, we walk in an uncomfortable silence, well at least for me.

As we enter his car, my phone vibrates in my pocket. I buckle up and take it out, its a message from J.

What did you do?

~J

Wdym?

~R

Why did I just get a call from Grey, telling me to be back at work tomorrow?

~J

Speaking of the devil, the driver's side door opens and he settles in.

R u fr?

~R

I mean I'll be in NY so I won't be working there but yeah.

~J

It may be in NY but what's wrong? Shouldn't you be happy?

~R

I am, and thank you.

~J

Welcome.

~R

I put away my phone and see my boss staring at me, my face flushes. "Are you hungry?" He asks starting the car.

My stomach quietly rumbles, "Before you say 'no', I know you didn't go out for lunch. So you're coming with me whether you like it or not." He answers before I can even deny it.

I narrow my eyes at him, "This is technically kidnapping." I state, he steps on the accelerator going over fifty m/h over the speed limit.

"You are more than welcome to open the door and jump out." He says, I can hear the slight humor in his tone as he speeds up to prove his point.

These are the moments that I like around my boss, it's been what? Almost six months, although he has his moods, I think he has this thing where he enjoys teasing me.

I roll my eyes, "If you wanted me dead you could just poison a bag of Chinese food, clean kill." I joke, he turns into the familiar street of my favourite Chinese food restaurant.

Wu Chung Chang.

"I might take you up on that." He smirks pulling up to the curb. He takes out the keys and gets out, rounding the car he comes to my side and opens the door for me.

"A little too gentleman-ish for a Chinese restaurant don't you think?" I tease stepping out.

He closes the door behind me and locks, "It seems like you're the one who wants me dead señorita. I'm a man of little fears but my mother takes the top."

I laugh out loud as he opens the door for me, "Who knew that Mr Grey feared his mother." I say making him laugh.

Marianne and Li, the owners, look over at us and smile. "Rosie!" Marianne rounds the counter and engulfs me in a hug.

"Mrs Chung." I hug her back, she pulls back and looks at me, her eyes crinkling at the edges.

"You visit no more," she scolds, I smile sheepishly.

"I'm sorry, but I'm sure Mina hasn't been too bad." I state, her eyes widen and she mutters what I would assume is curse words in Chinese.

Mr Chang gives me a small smile and tries to calm his wife down, "Xander, how are you?" He asks, I look over at my boss who's stayed silent throughout this encounter.

My eyes widen, he knows them? Never in my twenty seven years would I have thought that Mr Grey knows Chinese restaurant owners, the more fancier side but Chinese?

The jump into a conversation in Chinese, leaving me to look between the three of them, very confused.

"The usual for the both of you?" Marianne asks.

We both nod, "Two number sevens, a number eight, three number ones, a number fourteen and a number twenty six." We recite, my head snaps to him wide eyes.

His are slightly wider than usual, meaning we're both shocked. That couldn't be coincidental, honestly.

Li chuckles and says something in Chinese, making Mr Grey laugh. I take out my purse to pay for my order but my boss has already left a twenty dollars bill on the counter making me frown.

"My treat." He states, I narrow my eyes at him.

"I don't trust you." I narrow my eyes at him, he looks at me innocently.

"We ordered the same thing, there is no knowing which bag I'd have poisoned." He says.

I sigh, after a few minutes Marianne appears from the back with two bags in hand.

"You're order, the two of you have a lovely night." She nods, smiling. I smile back and bid them a goodnight.

We head to the car and as Mr Grey is driving, I notice that he isn't going in the direction of my apartment.

"Where are we going?" I ask.

"One of my favourite hotels in California." He answers, I smile teasingly.

"Is it one of yours?" I tease, he smiles softly.

"Whose else?" He throws back making me laugh, he switches on the radio to fill the comfortable silence.

In under ten minutes we reach one of his largest hotels in California, which is also located near the beach.

We get out and he leads us to the rooftop, I feel like it looks realy crazy, seeing Xander Grey walking around with a random woman dressed in a dress, bags of Chinese in hand.

The moment we step out on the rooftop, I can't say I blame him for loving this spot.

Because of it's height, it towers over all buildings perfectly and it also gives you the perfect view of the stars, and you can hear the crash of water against the shores while looking at the sway of the oceanic waters.

"You have good taste." I say out loud making him chuckle.