DEAR READERS:
AS OF THE 1ST JULY 2017, THIS BOOK HAS BEEN FULLY EDITED, A FEW CHANGES INCLUDE:
- THE NAME MEGAN HAS BEEN REPLACED WITH MELISSA
- COMMENTS ON PARTICULAR SENTENCES WILL NO LONGER BE THERE AS A LOT OF THE CONTENT HAS BEEN FULLY EDITED.
I HOPE THAT THIS REVISED EDITION READS BETTER AND THAT THE QUALITY HAS IMPROVED.
PLEASE ENJOY!
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Chapter 1 - All In A Day's Work
"As your best friend S, it's my duty to tell you, it's about time we found you a man," Melissa pointed out casually as we sat in my office.
"I have priorities, Melissa, and romance is not at the top of my list unfortunately for you," I replied, rolling my eyes.
"Well, I for one, think it should be," she stated in a very matter-of-fact tone.
"Well, it's not. End of discussion."
"Scarlett," she sighed. "You're twenty-three years old, and you haven't been in a long-term relationship for-"
"Melissa. Seriously, my work comes first. Relationships? Let's not." I muttered.
"Oh!" She smirked evilly. "I see!"
"See what?" I replied in a bored tone.
"Your work, huh? Or maybe it's the person you happen to work for!" She grinned, raising her eyebrows up to the heavens as if she'd made some ground-breaking discovery.
"Yes, I work for Jasper Queen! Yes, I am his secretary and yes - only his secretary!" I snapped, scrunching up the piece of paper in my hand.
Melissa stayed quiet for a few minutes as I felt a little guilty for snapping.
"He's hot, though, there's no denying that!" She grinned breaking the silence while winking at me. "Admit it, S!"
"Lord knows you would be fired in a heartbeat if you worked for Mr Queen," I laughed. "While I am not denying that he is good looking-"
"Who's good looking?" A deep voice interrupted from behind me as I swivelled my chair around to meet his gaze.
I felt my face flush as I locked eyes with this insanely handsome man, his electrifying blue-green eyes, tousled dark hair which gave him that sexy bedhead look, his angular jaw and his perfectly muscular physique â the total package if not for his narcissistic, douchebag personality.
He folded his arms, not taking his eyes off me.
"Well?" He pressed on.
"I'd best get going before my boss skins me alive," Melissa spoke, turning to Jasper. "Mr Queen, I'll have the blueprints sent directly to you by tomorrow."
He nodded as Melissa smirked before slinking out the door.
"I'm still waiting, Miss Valentina."
"Just a person I happened to know, Mr Queen," I shrugged, becoming irritated. "Did you need something?"
"As a matter of fact, Scarlett, yes I do. I have a business meeting to attend to in Paris in few weeks' time, and I would like for you to accompany me."
"Of course, Mr Queen. Is there anything else you'd like me to do?" I asked throwing the remains of my lunch away.
"I have some notes which need to be typed up from last night's meeting, and I'll need you to write out a few emails for me. I am also hosting a party in honour of the company's success tomorrow night. Will I have the pleasure of seeing you there?" He smiled charmingly as we walked towards his office.
"I'm afraid not. Parties are not really my thing," I shrugged as I got down to business on those notes.
"Oh?" He quirked an eyebrow. "What is your thing then, Miss Valentina?"
"Well, Mr Queen, if I told you, I'd have to kill you," I smiled as I carried on typing.
"You really are something else Scarlett," he chuckled, swinging his legs onto his large oak desk, resting his hands behind his head.
"Something else indeed," I muttered, wondering how, after an entire year of working for him, he still drove me (and my hormones) crazy.
"Have you taken a look at the company plan to expand yet?" He asked suddenly after a few moments of silence.
"Yes, it looks to be a great asset for the future of the company, Mr Queen," I replied, reminding myself of the rage he had when the plans were incomplete.
"Jasper, Scarlett - my name is Jasper." He corrected, annoyance evident in his voice. "I am not my father."
"Yes, of course, Mr Queen," I replied knowing it would continue to frustrate him.
"Like I said - something else," he sighed, sliding his iPhone out of his pocket. "You can go now; it's almost eight. You were supposed to have the afternoon off anyway."
Yes, but it's a damned shame you can't seem to remember that until it suits you, I thought sarcastically.
"Of course," I glanced at my watch and stood up. I grabbed my coat and handbag and put the notes into a pile on his desk.
"Goodnight, Mr Queen."
"Goodnight, Miss Valentina," he smiled showing off a perfect set of pearly whites as I gave him a quick wave.
"Scarlett!" Melissa's voice called out as she came up behind me.
"Yes, Melissa?" I responded, dragging out each syllable.
"So... What happened?" She squealed excitedly clapping her hands together as I stared at her in disbelief.
"I've been working for him for a year now, so, since when have you been so hell-bent on joining us together in holy matrimony?"
"You'll see. You'd make one hell of a sexy couple," she grinned much to my annoyance.
"Right. Why are you still here? What happened to 'my boss is going to skin me alive'?"
"I wanted to give my favourite couple some space to â"
"Finish that sentence, and I swear I will kill you." I glowered at her as she held her hands up.
"Okay, so, Jasper's got his party thing going on tomorrow, so we need to go shopping. I deserve to treat myself. "
"I'm not going," I replied as we got into her car.
She and I lived around fifteen minutes apart as she shared an apartment with her boyfriend Blake.
Whom I just so happened to despise.
"Oh, yes you are," she snorted. "S, you have pointed out several times you are Jasper's secretary, so it's only fair to him that you're there."
"He seemed pretty okay with me not being there," I shrugged.
"I swear to God, you're such an idiot, Scarlett," she sighed. "You are going. You're not going to be an anti-social recluse all your life."
"But I already told him -"
"Oh, no you don't!" She interrupted. "You are going, and that's final. You need to learn to live in the moment and just enjoy yourself; you owe yourself that much, Scarlett."
"Look, I don't need any unwanted attention. It isn't worth it," I responded, trying to reason with her although I knew she was right.
"Scarlett, you need to relax, he's not coming back. Not now. Not ever."
I thought about it, wondering just how much longer the memories of him were going to haunt me, for how much longer was I going to allow him to continue controlling my life.
"You're right," I relented, shaking my head. "It is about damn time I reclaimed my life."
"That's what I like to hear!" Melissa cheered as I laughed, knowing I would be totally lost without her.
I relaxed a little, telling myself that this was going to be the first step towards creating a brand-new life for myself, a life where I wouldn't constantly be looking over my shoulder, or jumping whenever the phone rang â this was the first step towards recovery.
***
Approximately three and a half hours later, Melissa had finally broken her 'shop-til-you-drop' record as she waltzed into her apartment, her arms laden with a multitude of bags.
"Thank God it was closing time," I laughed, pouring myself a glass of wine. "I was pretty much ready to pitch a tent and start toasting marshmallows."
"Oh, don't exaggerate, you know I'm the best person to go shopping with," she smirked, turning her attention to her buzzing phone. "Blake just texted. He's coming over in a few minutes to sample his latest song â the perks of being a musician's girlfriend!"
Melissa knew just how deep my hatred for Blake ran yet she never took my concerns seriously.
Not that I could blame her, for who would take advice from a woman whose interactions with men usually ended in disaster?
"That's nice." I tried to smile genuinely, knowing she'd see right through it. "I'll be off anyway, see you tomorrow."
"Are you sure you won't stay? Come on, Scarlett, I've told you â he's a changed man." She attempted to plead with me as I ran my fingers through my hair.
"Melissa, I've told you, I am not going to sit here and pretend to love Blake, because I really don't," I spoke softly, knowing that the brash approach didn't sit very well with my sensitive best friend. "I'd better get going."
Throwing my coat over my shoulders, I left Melissa's apartment.
She and Flake â as I preferred to acknowledge him as â had a pretty tumultuous relationship, with him being unable to keep his dick in his pants and her always taking him back.
Maybe one day she'll see sense and kick his ass to the curb, I thought, as I reached my apartment.
Letting myself in, I flopped onto the couch and opened my laptop to check my emails: one from Jasper and one from my lawyer, Catherine. Because calling your client or sending them a letter was totally overrated.
I sighed as I opened Jasper's.
Still cannot convince you to attend the celebratory party, Miss Valentina?
I smiled as I began typing out a reply.
As a matter of fact, Mr Queen, you may. I have been told to live a little recently courtesy of Melissa, so, yes, I will be in attendance.
As I waited for his reply, I opened the email from my lawyer, feeling my blood run cold as my eyes could only focus on these godforsaken words.
Bail.
Release.
Hearing.
Court.
I blew out an exasperated sigh, unable to believe that my legal battles were about to repeat themselves yet again.
My inbox pinged, suddenly, breaking my chain of thought as I clicked open the new email from Jasper.
Good to hear that Scarlett. Although I'll have you know, you would have ended up coming anyway. Women never refuse me. Ever.
I smiled at his unapologetic arrogance. His unapologetic arrogance which probably explained his not-so-hot reputation when it came to 'relationships'. Jasper had never been in a relationship for more than three weeks and even then, he'd be a boyfriend to five other women.
As creepy as it sounded, this was only common knowledge to me given the amount of dates I'd had to cancel, so, coupled with the amount of sorry-it's-not-you-it's-me flowers I'd send on his behalf; it became hard not to notice such a thing.
I don't doubt it, I typed sarcastically. Goodnight, Mr Queen.
Setting my laptop onto the coffee table, I decided it was time I got some shut eye; I knew tomorrow was to be a whole new battle.
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