Chapter 397
Tasting All My Mates
397-Subtle Hints âAnd this is the resting area for Lazio and me.â Valerie said, pointing at a cozy small room in the corner, âNow you will also be able to enjoy this luxury.â She joked because the room had a pretty good view. âAnything bothering you?â she asked when she finished showing me around.
I was a bit baffled, responding slowly and unreasonably. There were a few things that caught my eye, but I couldnât really tell what they were.
âYou guys rest here?â I asked with a weak and awkward smile on my lips. I entered the room and found a cozy mattress near the window, with flower pots Enter titleâ¦
and lanterns around. It didnât seem like a normal room, something you will see in an office building. It looked like a honeymoon suite.
âYeah! Why?â She tugged the strand of hair behind her ear and asked me. Her eyes were weird, too. I mean, they were gorgeous, but the way she would stare at me was as if she was looking down upon me. It could only be me and my insecurities making me think that way.
âTogether?â I gave a nervous laugh, trying to make it sound like a joke.
âYou know! You havenât even seen your office yet,â she forced a huge smile across her lips when breaking the concentration from the room and walking me to the office she had prepared for me. She had talked about it nonstop.
When she reached the office and saw a big lock on the door, her smile faded.
âWhy is there a lock here?â she frowned, talking to herself. My office was on the third floor with the other employees.
However, hers was on the top floor, with Lazioâs office near the resting room they had prepared for themselves.
âDid you like the building?â Lazio appeared after finishing the meeting. He asked me with a smile covering his lips. In response to him, I only nodded faintly.
âWhat is the matter? Why are you two standing here?â he asked Valerie, who was searching her bag inside out for the keys.
âHer office is locked.â She complained, still looking around for the keys.
âYeah, I asked Mr. Oliver to lock it. She will be in my office with me,â Lazio announced while wrapping his arm around my back and standing pretty close to me. This was the most romantic thing heâd done in a long time.
âYour office?â Valerie smiled, though it was more of a forced one.
âWhy? Is there a problem, Miss Valerie?â He asked while tilting his head. I could not tell exactly what I was hearing in his voice, but it rather seemed like playfulness.
âNo! It is your office. You get to make the decisions here,â she responded to him in a bit of a sad tone. It irked me the way she stole his eyes.
âLetâs show you my office.â The sweetness in Lazioâs voice sounded fake, but I didnât question it at the moment.
âAnd Valerie, bring us coffee,â he ordered, and he walked me with him to the top floor. The instant we entered his office, he unwrapped his arm from around my back.
âSince you are new and my secretary, you should stay in my office.â His voice sounded cold now that we were alone.
âDid you notice?â I asked, looking around his big room. There was a small bar in the corner, too. He had made his office a little home. No wonder he spent most of his time in the office these past few months.
âDid I notice what?â He put the file down to look my way.
âThe way Valerie acted when you touched me?â I sat down from across the table and watched his face change expressions.
âI donât know what you are talking about. Did she look jealous?â He questioned me, but it didnât seem normal. There was a hint of curiosity, and enthusiasm when he wanted to know from me what Valerie gave off when watching us this close.
âI donât know.â The topic no longer held interest to me. I denied answering him and probably helping him in some way.
âAnyway, if you have any problems, you can ask me. Since you are new, I am not going to dump a lot of work on you. Just do the typing, fill in the numbers, and then you are done,â He said, gesturing at me to sit at my desk and get to work. My desk was placed next to the window on the side, with a laptop opened and ready to go.
âOkay!â I got up from the chair and walked over to my own desk. I started working instantly, otherwise, my head would explode from questioning every little thing. I think the problem was me. I used to be so confident back then that I never noticed what people around me were doing. But now that I was just a flesh and bones creature, my entire attention was on the surroundings.
Thatâs when Valerie walked back inside with two coffee mugs in her hands and a very sad look on her face. I sneakily watched Lazio and was surprised to see his face light up after seeing her.
âHm! What took so long?â he asked, taking the mug from her and walking behind her to stand there. âTake a look at this,â he said, then hunched over and tapped his finger on something in the file.
âWhat am I looking at?â she asked. Lazio was standing behind her, his hands on the desk, and he was caging her.
âThis is our new project,â he whispered, and she turned around in shock. The way he stepped back and tilted his head, shoving his hands in his pants, took all of my attention.
She then shook her head, trying to hide the big smile, and turned to me, only to pass a quick glance before she returned to looking at him.
âThis is beautifulâ,â she paused, âa beautiful project, I mean,â she finished, and the two stared into each otherâs eyes before Lazio looked the other way and sneakily itched the back of his neck.
âThat will be all forâ,â he was talking to her when his phone started ringing and a much confusing look took over of his expression.
âMaynard?â he said as he read the name of the caller ID.