CHAPTER FOUR

  It's Monday morning, and you sit in front of your vanity mirror, getting ready for work. "I'm sleeping with my boss, like that ain't enough on my plate already, his fiancee is joining the company?

I mean James can do better. Does he have to make things a lot of complicated than it is?" You take one final look, grabbing your phone and purse, and taking a steady look at the car keys on your dressing table.

James had bought you this as a get-well-soon gift a year ago, and you were just down with the flu. Remembering your expression and his response, you smile to yourself,"

Dating James is just so…" you pause. Did you just say dating? You breathe out, take one final look at it, and walk out.

I mean how do you explain being able to afford the Rolls Royce boat tail, not like you care but you just don't want In on a billionaire scandal. 

  "Can you just do these calculations over again and properly this time? This is the third time already. Mr knight definitely would not be happy about this when he realizes you're still slacking on it.

For God's sake, stop shaking and relax. You'll be fine. Just do it carefully this time." Putting all the paperwork scattered before you together in the folder they arrived with, you hand it over to Janie, an intern.

She takes the folder and walks out. "I need you to…" your voice trails off just as the loud clicking of hills gets not your attention but that of everyone else. You turn to see a slender beautiful lady walking in arms linked with Mr knight.

  You feel the color drain from your face as she's saying something and smiling beautifully. She has the nicest set of teeth you've ever come across.

They walk past and just as you're about to count your losses in your head, "that's Yvonne Jones. She's so beautiful right? Wait, is she a model?..." Pat keeps talking but you're not paying attention.

"Hey, hey, earth to Sophie" she snaps her fingers before you. "Oh hey yeah" you answered looking flushed. " oh my God are you okay Sophie? You look like you've just seen a ghost"

"I'm fine. It's nothing. Sorry, what were you saying again?" "Yvonne. Isn't she beautiful?". "Yes. Yes she is. Breathtaking If that's appropriate. I'll …" telephone buzzes. "Yes Mr knight?"

You hung up and turned to Pat. But she answered even before you said anything," "I'll just go get busy" and she turned and walked away. 

  "J bear, I'm bored. What should I do here?". Yvonne asked fondling with the little black fancy telephone skull on the lower shelf. James Knight, looked up from the documents he was writing on, "Don't do anything. Sophie will be here soon.

I'll have her walk you through some official protocol of the company." Shaking her head in protest, she started walking towards him, "I don't want to work with anybody else.

I want to stay right here and play with you…" coming behind his chair and slipping her arms around him, "unless you don't…" "this is an office, and don't call me j bear here. In here, I'm Mr knight. Understood?"

"C'mon, formal is boring. Do you want to be boring bear…" her voice trails off as the door swings open and you enter. "Uh..I suppose I came at the wrong time, I'll come back later." Hurriedly you tried turning and leaving the office.

"No Sophie. You're just in time." He gestures for you to come in. "I brought the briefings and the files you asked me to put together, for the meeting with Mr Black." Yvonne was looking you up and down, so focused on you with her face slightly curved to the side in inquisitiveness.

"J bear, what's she doing here. I mean, who is she and why is she here?" "Yvonne this is Sophie, our executive secretary. You'll be working with her and she'll be there to guide you every chance of the way "

James resumes his writing. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Sophie." She stretches out her hand for a handshake, and you take it in. "Let me…" she cuts you off just as you are about to speak, turning to James, she continues, changing her tone immediately and slightly patting her forehead

"My feet hurt". "You're dizzy? I told you not to wear those heels to the office." Turning to you, "Sophie, quickly get Yvonne new pairs of shoes." You were taken aback by the order.

You try saying something but you can't find the words. You just nodded. "She's an eight. I'm off for my meeting." You watch as he turns his back behind you and walks out of the office. 

  "Here are your shoes Miss Jones." you walk back into the office with a box of shoes. "Drop it and leave". Not looking up at you, she continues massaging her feet and grits in pain.

You turn, not wanting to spend a second more with her in the same enclosed space, her voice stops you in your tracks "On a second thought, why don't you put the shoe on me?"

Stretching out her feet, and twisting it. "Yes, Miss Jones." You walked up to her, picked up a shoe from the box, and started fitting it in.

Raising your head to look up to her to get her reaction on how the shoe fits, you suddenly feel your hair dripping water onto your face, your satin white top, now drenched on the shoulder, "oh my God, I am so sorry Sophie. My hand slipped. I am sorry."

  "What's going on here?" You heard from the door. You can recognize that voice anywhere, anytime, it sends tingles to your stomach and shivers down your spine. It gives you butterflies but what you're feeling right now isn't butterflies or shivers.

You felt irrelevant, little, you could feel your self-esteem jumping out the window but you'd keep your cool, "Stay calm. Just walk away. Don't say anything" James wakes up to her, "Are you okay?"

"I uhm just got dizzy for a second and then my hands…" he cuts in abruptly "you're dizzy? Well let's lie down for a bit." She takes his hands in hers and gave a soft smile "only..only for a few minutes okay?

I..I still have so much to learn from Sophie." You raise your eyebrows and took a proper look at her once again, then at James, and all you could do was just walk out. 

  Cleaning up in the restroom, your phone beeps. It's a text. From James. "Meet me at the penthouse."