Chapter 4

Fidelis Aaron found himself in a quandary, sitting in his dimly lit office at seven in the evening, with his chin resting on his fist. In spite of the large workload on his desk, his mind had been wandering for the last three days, fixated on the girl who had kissed him.

Why her? He questioned for what felt like the hundredth time. His jaw tightened in exasperation. "Damn it!" He scolded himself.

His work required his full concentration, but he couldn’t help but drift back to her, a complete stranger who had shaken up his life with a single kiss. He let out a heavy sigh, adjusting in his chair to find a more suitable position.

What was it about her that had left him so discomposed? A girl he didn’t know had somehow breached the defenses he had meticulously constructed around his emotions and wishes. He leaned back, running a hand through his dark hair, attempting to unravel what set her apart.

It was in his college years that he was officially diagnosed with selective erectile dysfunction. After his mother found out that he never dated anyone and that he never had the desire to be with a girl, specifically, never had an erection, his parents had him sent through a medical evaluation. 

Yes, the great Fidelis Aaron had not had a boner, not as long as he could remember. His parents swore as a child, he had an erection, but as far as Fidelis was concerned, he never had such an experience... not until two nights ago when a certain lady in a sapphire blue dress kissed him out of nowhere. 

Fidelis guessed maybe there wasn’t anything wrong with him from the start. Maybe the doctors were wrong to conclude that he had an erection problem! 

The truth was, the doctors never found anything wrong with him. Fidelis was as healthy as a horse! The reason for his inability to get a boner equally was baffling to the doctors. 

He wondered if maybe, just maybe, the doctors had been wrong. Maybe he wasn’t broken after all. But if that were true, why had it taken this one random girl to make him feel something?

Despite his doubts, the doctors had always assured him that he was physically healthy. There was nothing wrong with his body, yet he had never been aroused by anyone. He had even been prescribed Sildenafil, a medication meant to help with arousal, but it had never worked. He simply couldn’t feel desire without the right connection. And for years, that connection had never materialized.

Not even the lingerie show his sister had dragged him to recently had done anything for him. He was surrounded by beautiful women in barely-there outfits, and yet… nothing. He felt nothing. Their flirtatious smiles and come-hither glances repulsed him more than they intrigued him.

It appeared that he was still encountering the same issue as previously. He was unable to become aroused, but the reason behind how he had experienced arousal with the enigmatic girl remained a mystery to him.

As Fidelis was preoccupied with these thoughts, he heard a knock on the door.

Upon seeing his assistant, Brown, he sat up and glanced at the time before suggesting, "It's quite late already, Brown." After clearing his throat, he added, "You can leave, I'll manage on my own from here."

Fidelis felt a sense of guilt. While he had been engrossed in thoughts about the mysterious girl for over an hour, his assistant had been waiting for him to finish.

"Actually, Mr. Fidelis," Brown started, stepping forward and placing a file on the desk, "I took the initiative to collect information about the girl who kissed you three nights ago. Her name is Vera Susan." 

Brown tapped on the folder and explained, “Everything you need to know about her is in this file.” 

When Brown saw the puzzled expression of his boss, he further elaborated, “I figured, you were clearly distracted about the girl so knowing your busy self, you might not have the time to check her out.” 

He smiled confidently before proudly continuing, “She is currently unemployed and I've been thinking, sir. We have been having problems with the attendant at your penthouse... Why not hire her to do the job? Sure, she may not have experience in this field but.." 

“What makes you think I want to know about her?” Fidelis' voice said coldly. He made a face and said, “Distracted? Whatever gave you that idea, Brown? I simply had many things to deal with, including my family’s affairs.” 

Brown suddenly wondered if his assessment of things was wrong, but knowing his boss for years, he was most certain that he was... troubled by the girl in the sapphire blue dress.

Brown gulped, realizing he had crossed a line. "I apologize, Mr. Fidelis. I made an incorrect assumption. I won't repeat it."

"Don’t make assumptions, Brown." Fidelis' tone was biting and conclusive. "And do not ever mention this again."

Brown’s color drained from his face as he bowed his head, repeatedly offering apologies. "Of course, sir. I won't bring it up again. Please forgive me."

Fidelis rose, his anger flaring. "Enough! I don't need your apologies." Fidelis stood up from his seat and insinuated, "I have no interest in that girl, nor will I have interest in any other! Do you comprehend? I have a company to manage, and thousands of employees depend on me for their daily needs! I don't have the time to deal with women!"

He slammed his fist onto the desk, his fury spilling over. "Remember that, Brown!"

"Yes, sir! Yes, sir!" Brown's head was practically bowed to his knees, imploring for forgiveness. "I won't do it again, I promise."

"Now leave, before I consider firing you. Be here at seven in the morning tomorrow," Fidelis commanded.

"Yes, sir. I’ll take my leave now," Brown stuttered, retreating quickly. But just as he reached for the folder, Fidelis’ voice halted him.

"What do you believe you’re doing?" Fidelis’ glare could have sliced through steel.

"I was going to discard the file, sir," Brown replied.

Brown swallowed air down his throat, seeing Fidelis face formed into a deeper frown. He heard his boss ask in a domineering tone, “Do you think I am incapable of throwing it myself? You are making assumptions again about what I can and cannot do?” 

“No, sir! Definitely not!” Fidelis instantly retreated, raising his hands up. “I'm sorry, again Mr. Fidelis. I'll leave now.” Brown hands trembled as he backed away, mumbling another apology before hastily exiting the office.

Alone in his office, Fidelis stared at the folder resting on his desk. His gaze lingered on it, his heartbeat quickening despite his better judgment. He was aware he shouldn’t, but his curiosity overwhelmed him. He reached out, his fingertips grazing the edge of the file before he drew it closer.

Name: Vera Susan.

Age: 21.

She had been a media studies major at Georgia University, attending on a full scholarship. However, she had not completed even a single semester.

Fidelis frowned as he thumbed through the pages. She had been balancing both work and studies, likely dropping classes to make ends meet. He was unsure why he felt invested, but something about her captivated him beyond mere physical attraction.

Just as he was about to turn the next page, the door swung open.

“Ah, Mr. Fidelis. Your college professor called and said - “ Brown froze, seeing his boss toss Vera Susan’s file to the floor. His eyes shifted from the scattered papers, then back to Fidelis. 

While Fidelis' actions puzzled him, he heard the boss say, “I was... throwing it away!” 

There was no questioning the boss. Brown just said, “Um... Right. Of course, Mr. Fidelis. As I was saying, your college professor called and asked for a favor. He wondered if you could give him a callback.” 

“I see. I will call him. Thank you, Brown. You can leave now,” Fidelis answered, pretending not to care. 

“Thank you, Mr. Fidelis.” Looking back at the floor, Brown asked, “Do you want me to throw it for you, sir?”

When he received an icy and piercing stare, Brown immediately took back his words, “Or not.” He acted to leave but then he thought of reminding his boss, “Sir... Um... Just in case you forgot... Your trash bin? It’s right under your desk.” 

The glare Fidelis shot at him was enough to freeze the room. "Do you want to get fired? Get out!"

Brown didn’t need to be told twice. He quickly excused himself, leaving Fidelis alone once more.

Fidelis stared at the file on the floor, frustration simmering just beneath the surface. He didn’t want to care about Vera Susan, but something about her refused to let him go.