CHAPTER SIX

ISABELLA

"Oh, I'm so mad at him," I railed into the phone, unable to hide the rage in my tone.

"Who?" Chloe sounded a little uncertain.

"The absurdly rude guy from the coffee shop," I said, my voice laced with anger.

"Wait, wait. Is he the cause of your anger?" Chloe sounded disbelieving.

" Yes, Chloe. Can you believe it? He happens to be my boss! What a small, infuriating world."

"Good God, so that's what awkward encounters are like," commented Chloe as she attempted to make the atmosphere more cheerful

"Awkward doesn't even cover it. He's like a tornado in a coffee cup, and now he is hell bent on driving me insane!" I exclaimed, my irritation evident.

Chloe sighed dramatically. "Isabella, perhaps this is just his way of testing your abilities. You know, the normal boss-type stuff.

"But if only it were that simple. He's like a strict drill sergeant crossed with an enigma. And I am supposed to understand and comply with all his bull shit?" I shouted, clearly irritated.

"Hey, remember you've always been the problem solver." Chloe tried to encourage me

I raised my shoulders. "Yeah, but this is different, it isn't like anything I've faced before." I sighed, feeling the burden of the situation. "He is like a labyrinth without an escape plan."

"Maybe he's testing you because he sees something special in you that you don't see in yourself," Chloe suggested.

"I highly doubt that. He's rather an unsolvable puzzle." I replied, unconvinced.

Chloe chuckled softly. "Well, you are always good at stamping even the most intricate puzzles. I trust in your de-encryption capacities.

"Thanks Chloe," I said, a slight smile forming on my lips. "I'll try. Who knows, perhaps he is not as bad as I'm assuming him to be."

"That's right! You can do this, Just remember that even enigmas have solutions." Chloe said encouragingly.

"Thanks for being my compass in this storm," I acknowledged gratefully.

"Ah, it's what I do best, helping lost souls navigate through the tempests of life," Chloe joked.

I chuckled softly. "Seriously you are full of hidden wisdom, aren't you?"

Chloe teased, "Hey, who would have thought that finally being your therapist was going to pay off?

I laughed. "Hey," I continued, "can you do me a favor?"

"Anything for you! What do you want?" Chloe answered.

"Could you drop by and look in on my grandfather when you can? He forgets so much and he enjoys your visits." I said.

"Of course, I'd love to visit him! Don't worry, I'll make sure Grandpa's doing just fine. Chloe reassured me.

"Thanks, Chloe. You're the best. And thanks for always being around, not just for me but for Grandpa too. I said, feeling grateful for her support.

"Always here for both of you, Isabella." Chloe affirmed warmly. "Go tell that boss that life's curveballs are no match for the real expert!

I ended our call with a smile on my face and a lighter heart.

The next morning, dressed in professional attire, I faced Alexander Stone in a crucial meeting. The tension hung thick in the air as we discussed business matters. On our way back, seated in the sleek car, Alexander, trying not to show it, queried about where I had spent the night.

"A motel," I replied, keeping it curt.

Then, in an unexpected turn, he acknowledged, "You did well in there," attempting a subtle praise. Desiring to hear it again, I feigned obliviousness, coaxing him to repeat the commendation. But just as he was about to, his phone chimed with a distinctive ring, revealing a female caller ID.

As Alexander answered the call, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more going on between Alexander and this mystery woman. The tension in the car only intensified as the call continued, and I couldn't help but feel like an outsider.

Finally, the call ended, and Alexander slipped his phone back into his pocket. The silence hung heavy between us, and I struggled to find the right words to break it.

"So," I asked slowly, trying to keep my voice firm. "That was a personal call?"

Alexander glanced at me, his expression unreadable. "Yes, it was. Nothing important."

I nodded, my heart sinking. It was very evident that, whatever was going on between them was much more than just a casual conversation. And, even though I did not want to admit it to myself it bothered me.

"Where is the motel you stayed in located so I can take you there?" Alexander asked, his eyes glued to his phone.

"A few blocks from the hotel," I replied, my frustration evident in my tone.

"Tell the driver where to go," he responded coldly.

When we arrived at the motel and I began to get out of the car, Alexander spoke again.

"You have twenty minutes to pack. Our flight leaves in one hour," he said, putting away his phone.

"Understood sir," I replied, then I got out of the car, stood and watched his car drive away.

I rushed to my room and started packing my things. I was infuriated by Alexander's phone call in the car, but I didn't quite realize the reason why. I got irritated and decided to vent my frustration to my friend Chloe over the phone.

"Hey girl, I was going to call you, how did the meeting go?" Chloe asked.

"The meeting was great and I even received a compliment from Mr. Stone, but that's not the reason I'm calling," I replied impatiently.

"Is everything okay?" Chloe could sense the tension in her voice.

"Yes, I'm fine."

"Then what's wrong?" Chloe inquired with concern.

"It's my boss. I can't believe he has a girlfriend and yet he treats me like garbage; I thought he hated women, turns out he hated just me," I ranted while Chloe listened quietly.

"Hello? Chloe, are you still there? Can you say something?"

"Do you maybe have feelings for your boss?" Chloe finally spoke up.

"No way! He annoys the hell out of me!" I quickly denied.

"Then why do you sound jealous?" Chloe chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.

"I really want to understand why he treats me differently, that's all," I added, trying to make her see reason with me.

"If he's such a wicked boss and a jerk, why did you accept to work for him?" Chloe asked.

I released a heavy sigh.

"Great question. Well, I don't know. Maybe it's because the incentive is great compared to other firm or the exposure I can get from working for Alexander stone is invaluable. Whichever one it is, I can't afford to quit."

"Then stop whining and face your job."