JAIME
She is the most undeserving of the chance to work with me, yet I went back home and the thought couldn't leave my head. So why not, why not let her work here, then I can know her motive for watching me like a hawk. There must be a reason to find her on the list of applicants when she had just been watching us the whole time during that night. But apart from that reason, there was also something about her, something I could not place my hand on. A sharp knock on the door and it is pulled open with my voice commanding the person to enter inside. She is sweating profusely as she enters the office, and then she stops before letting her eyes rim over the space. She seems to appreciate what she is seeing before realizing herself and then walks to the desk. “I am so sorry I'm like 4 minutes late, I just made some mistakes and there was a little problem, and then….” “You can drop it on my desk, Miss??” “Clarissa Miller” she supplied, of course, I knew her name. “Miss Miller” I nodded towards the desk, and she sharply dropped the coffee on it before stepping back. “I will make sure this doesn't repeat itself, Mr. Adriel, I am not usually this much of a clumsy person. I just didn't know I should check the computer mail, as I have no prior….” “Do you ever stop talking??” I asked her not to raise my head or take my eyes away from the paper I was signing on. “Yes, yes of course,” she said, and then I looked up at her and saw she was biting the tip of her lips as she squeezed her face in regret. “I shouldn't have answered that,” she said, and then another bit. I stared, and couldn't look away as she stood there looking disoriented but at the same time looking sexy. With her pecking black skirt and a blue shirt with the glasses over her eyes and her hair in a ponytail, she looks rather too nervous, but maybe that is what is sexy about it. I cleared my throat, I shouldn't be having that thought right now. “I know you haven't been briefed on what your duties are here.” “Yes, I haven't” She answered, and I gave her a sharp hot gaze. Knowing she has done exactly what she shouldn't, she presses her lips together. “I'm sorry you can continue” She motioned with her hand for me to do so. “Awesome, now that you have gotten my coffee and have to submit the mail in about 45 minutes…" I watched her check the watch in her hand, and she swore internally. “I will let you know that I have a meeting to attend in about an hour, and you have that full time to submit the mail because you are going to that meeting with me. And that will be all” I finished off. She looked at me and then turned her face to the door and looked at me again. She bit her lips looking like she had a lot to say but then. “Do you have something to say??” I drop the pen I'm holding, as her presence right here is distracting my thoughts as I sign this. “Umm about this meeting, you just said an hour, but I don't even know what it is about or what I'm going to do there, and I don't have….” “Miss Miller” She stopped speaking with worry etched on her face, “you don't have to do anything today apart from taking a minute on a notepad you will be bringing along with you. Now leave, you are giving me a headache” I shushed her off, and she gave me one look before disappearing off. This will be hard working with her, she already looks like a bag of trouble and has just been here for half a day. I don't know what to do about that. * * Clarissa's POV I don't understand why sending mail can hurt your hand so much, especially when 257 people are sending this particular email. I have about 13 more people and then 5 minutes before the said meetings. Oh my god, should I be worried? I might never finish this before the 5 minutes is up and will forget to send the rest of the mail and will probably be sacked on that ground and there is no way of helping Zoe. My ass is perched on the desk as my hands fly on the keypad with sweat forming on my chin. Even though the office is cold with the AC on the highest, I still feel like the heat is nothing to write off. “Hello there” I raised my head and hiccuped at the sight of the person standing in front of my office door. “Mr. Adriel Jaycee??” I asked, standing up from my desk. He chuckled, “You can call me Jaycee and you must be the new assistant” I nodded rapidly before settling back into my seat. “Oh, that's nice, welcome to Jaime's Den” he chuckled, “Your name is??” “Clarissa Miller” I provided. "Hmm Clarissa” he gave me a pleased look, all the while still staring at my face as he phrased my name like he was tasting it. Gosh, the resemblance is so uncanny, it seems like I am looking directly at Jaime, but the difference is the scar that runs through Jaycee's face isn't on Jaime. The familiar aura that his company fills isn't there with Jaime. “Umm, how may I be of help??” I ask after what feels like years of silence. “I need to see Jaime, tell him I'm here,” he said, balancing his foot off my door. “Right,” I punched the number that would take me directly to his office and waited as it rang off. “What??” His stern voice over the phone seems to scream. “Umm Mr. Jaycee is here to see you, your brother” There is a huff from him. “Send him in” he doesn't wait for a reply from me as the line is dead. I sighed before taking the phone off my ears. “He said you can go in,” I said to him, and a smile appeared on his face before he started walking away. He stopped midway and turned to me. “Don't let his attitude send you away” he winked at me before making his way into the office. I smiled, he is very much different from his brother. The friendly and coolness of his very presence emanated. Meanwhile, the other is hostile and can't wait to shout to the whole world how bloody hostile he is. Okay, I need to get this stuff done because I have just been handed free move time This is just day one, and I can swear I'm about to die. * * * The door to the office opened, and I looked away from the computer to look at the two brothers leaving the office. I noticed something too, Jaime is much taller than Jaycee, at least a little height difference that matters. “I hope you are done with that mail, but even if you aren't, you have another 30 minutes,” He said and started walking out as his brother, who had a smile on his face, stood there. “Nice to meet you, Clarissa,” He said and waved at me as he followed his brother as they both started towards the elevator. “Oh thank goodness” I am most relieved, at least I have less to send, and the added minutes can be used for relaxing. With a smile on my face, I started the rest of the mailing. “How is your first day going??” I look up to see Miss Brunette Busty standing in front of my door. I shrugged and she huffed. She came inside my office and looked around before dropping a file on my desk. “Five photocopies for each file” She tried a smile, but it felt like a lizard was running a marathon on her face. She should stick to being a bitch. She turned around and walked out of the office I trail my eyes at her and then back to the file she just dropped. The need to punch something, maybe her fake tits for it to bust up overcome me and I just had to shout inwardly. I took a massive breath in and stared at the file on the desk. I face the keypad back and start working on the rest of the mail. My plan for a little break is shattered, oh well, I shouldn't have even wished.JAIME “The new girl huh” Jaycee gave me a raised brow “She seems to be perky” “And clumsy too” I added to him.“Uh-huh, I can add something else I noticed from her,” He said as we walked down the elevator.“I'm sure you can keep the whole list to yourself Jay you just need to show me this, and we have a business to talk about too” I reminded him as we walked to the outer part of the building.The place that holds most of the perfumers for the testing of the new product.He led me straight to the place and I saw they were already gathered around waiting for my entrance.“Good morning Mr. Jaime” the head greeted, walking up to me “We have everything prepared already and waiting for you,” He said, leading me and Jaycee to the places where the new products are kept.I looked at the branding first, making sure the bottling was accurately how I wanted it to be, and thereafter, I took the new sample bottle he had handed over to me.I sneeze around it before spraying it in a handkerchief an
CLARISSAChecking the wall clock again, I might have become more restless than I was before because what am I still doing here when it's already time for the end of work for the day?I mean those three ladies' voices raised high when they left 12 minutes ago shows exactly that, but here I am still waiting for a minute that will never happen.After another two minutes had passed, I knew my impatience had taken a better part of me and I would not sit around.Standing up, I walk straight to his office and breathe in before knocking.“Come in,” he said authoritatively.Gosh, his voice is always commanding, never the type to be soft-spoken.I push the door inside and walk to the office. Closing the door, I stood at the doorstep.He raised his eyes from the file he was looking at and regarded me sternly.I must have taken a minute to look at him again, his suit jacket discarded, his sleeves rolled up and a bead of sweat rolling on his forehead.I gulped down and then looked down at the flo
There was an unusual silence when I walked into the office the next day, especially knocking on Mr. Jaime's door and finding out he wasn't at the desk yet.I walked into my office space, organized the work things that I had brought and pulled my laptop open as I looked through the schedules and answered some emails that needed my attention and still he wasn't here.He has a lot of work to be done today and he is meant to have a meeting this morning. Does that mean he went to the meeting first before coming to the office??At the sound of the elevator I stood and looked at the door as I held my breath and waited for him to show up, but when the foot came scraping I knew he wasn't the one."Good morning Miss Miller." His brother James smiled at me as he walked to my side of the office.There was so much going on in his demount, his eyes were lazy like he had spent the whole day trying to refresh himself and yet he slept through it all."Good morning Mr. Adriel, I'm sure you are here to
There was no way what I was staring at could be real. My mind spun as I scrolled through the comments. The internet was eating this story alive.“When did this happen?” I asked, my voice trembling as I handed the phone back to Jessy. My hands were shaking, and my thoughts were racing in a million directions.“It happened this morning. It’s all anyone’s talking about at the office. I’m shocked you didn’t know,” she said, her tone laced with disbelief. But could you blame me? I didn’t keep up with half the things happening around me.I grabbed the bag beside me and walked to my room, my body buzzing with unease. This couldn’t be real. It didn’t make any sense.I fished my phone out of my bag and dialed his number. I held my breath, waiting. Voicemail. Of course. His phone was probably blowing up nonstop. With the amount of gossip that people are ready to consume, he will not have a moment of rest until his phone is dead so I got that part. Frustration boiled in me. There was no way I c
JAIME ADRIELThe previous morning, as I got ready for work, my phone rang from the bedside table. Already running late, I ignored it.The call came again, followed by a flood of notifications that lit up my screen. Standing in front of the mirror, tie in hand, I hesitated. The sheer number of alerts was impossible to ignore.With a sigh, I grabbed my phone. As I held it, another call came through—Jaycee. I answered, putting it on speaker.“Man, what’s up? Are you the one blowing up my phone with messages? What’s going on?” I asked, annoyed.“You haven’t seen the blog yet?” His voice was hoarse, his tone tight. “If not, turn off your phone now. I’ll be at your place in five.”The tension in his voice unsettled me. Frowning, I clicked on the first link an acquaintance had sent to me. My hand froze midair as I read the headline.“Business Tycoon Adriel Jaimel Accused of Sexual Assault.”The words were sharp, cutting through my mind like a blade. My breath hitched.“What the hell is this?
The chaos in the house was exactly what I'd expected, but the calmness in Jaime's eyes was not. For someone accused of something so delicate and career-threatening, he seemed too composed. His hands were buried deep in his pockets as he descended the stairs, his gaze locked on mine, unwavering until he reached the bottom. "Clarissa Miller," he said softly, his voice carrying a weight that sent an unwelcome warmth through me. I hated that I'd missed hearing him say my name over the past two days. I wouldn't admit it aloud, though. Instead, I swept my eyes across the room, feigning disbelief at the disarray. "Is this how you handle chaos?” I tripped on my tongue and blurted, biting inside my tongue for saying that. He didn't respond. Instead, he turned and walked away, his silence beckoning me to follow. A relief washed over me because why did I say that?We moved through a narrow corridor, the noise fading behind us, until we stepped outside. The crisp air hit my face, and for the f
JAIME ADRIELAnd so, the drama continued.We had all believed that once she confessed to lying that none of her accusations against me were true, that the entire thing was her desperate attempt to gain attention, it would mark the end of the problem. Instead, her words had set something much worse.“I thought this mess would have blown over by now. What is this?” Jay dropped his tablet to my desk, the screen lighting up with a bold, criticizing headline that made my stomach churn.“JAIME ADRIEL: FROM PLAYBOY TO CLOSETED GAY?”I let out a laugh, though it barely concealed the irritation bubbling beneath the surface. “Unbelievable. Last month, they were calling me a playboy, and couldn't get enough of how many women they thought I was with. Now, suddenly, I’m gay?”Jay leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, his expression a mix of concern and exasperation. “Well, you did laugh, so congratulations. Glad you’re finding the humor in this.” He paused. “But Jaime, this isn’t just gossip any
The past week has been chaotic. Meetings polled together, deadlines piled up, and the air in the office felt thick with tension. Everyone was walking on eggshells, the whispers about Mr. Jaime’s media scandal never far from anyone’s lips.After a particularly disastrous third meeting of the day, I was sorting through notes when Mr. Jaime approached me. His presence was controlling, even in moments like this.“Come to my office when you’re done,” he said briskly, his tone leaving no room for questions.Now, I stood outside his door, nerves coiling tightly in my stomach. I paced, trying to think of what I might have done wrong, but my mind came up empty. Just as I raised my hand to knock, the door swung open.He stood there, tall and imposing, his piercing gaze locking onto mine.“Are you planning to stand there all day?” he asked.I shook my head, my voice caught in my throat as I followed him inside.The tension in the room was noticeable. He gestured for me to sit, and I obeyed, my h
CLARISSAThe unsettling feeling didn’t disappear as I took my seat at the table. The room was loud with conversation, filled with laughter and the kind of warmth that made it feel like a home. Yet, I couldn’t shake the tension tightening in my chest.My eyes scanned the table. Everyone seemed to have someone, Jeremy sat beside a beautiful blonde woman who looked like an actress, her delicate voice barely above a whisper as she spoke. They looked perfect together, the kind of couple that belonged in a magazine.Then there was James. He had come alone, but he didn’t need anyone by his side to command attention. His presence alone was enough. His sharp features were locked in an expression of quiet intensity, his shoulders rigid, his gaze calculated as he took in everyone at the table.I found myself staring a second too long.And then, his eyes met mine.Holy shit.I looked away so fast it was almost embarrassing, focusing instead on Marianna, who, despite her age, looked effortlessly e
CLARISSAI looked as beautiful as I possibly could, but the nerves twisting in my stomach refused to settle. This would be my first time meeting Jaime’s entire family at once, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that it mattered more than I wanted to admit.Why did he even want me there? Hope had said it was just a formality, but something about it didn’t sit right with me.Hope had been the one to help me pick out my dress, ensuring I looked both simple and elegant. As she put the final touches on my makeup, she stepped back to admire her work.“You look stunning,” she said, a proud smile on her face. Then, lowering her voice slightly, she added, “But have you met his mother? My aunt is the one you should look out for.”I frowned, tilting my head. “She was nice to me the first couple of times I saw her.”Hope gave a small shrug. “Things change. Just be prepared.”The comment did nothing to ease my nerves, but I nodded anyway.Not like his mother didn’t already know this whole thing was
JAIME“What was that about?”James asked the moment the door closed behind her.I exhaled sharply, rubbing my temple as I looked down at the mountain of work in front of me. But no matter how much I tried to focus, my mind kept drifting back to yesterday.They say some people find joy in the simplest things, and Clarissa was one of them.I had expected her to stay grumpy, to sulk like she did in the car. But the moment we stepped into that ice cream shop, everything changed. Her face lit up like a damn Christmas tree. She hummed with every lick of her cone, smiling so genuinely that it annoyed me.What was she so happy about?Why did her eyes suddenly look so calm, so soft?And more importantly, why the hell did that bother me so much?I was still lost in thought when James spoke again.“Are you…?”“Don’t you dare say what you’re about to say.” My glare cut him off before he could finish.James bit his lip, trying to suppress a smile, but I saw the amusement dancing in his eyes. He wa
The insistent buzzing of my phone forced my eyes open, even though every part of me wanted to stay curled up in bed and sleep for as long as I wanted. But of course, that wasn’t an option. Not only was today a workday, but it was also another day of dealing with Jaime, except this time, I had to add his family into the equation.Yes, after our unexpected ice cream outing last night, Jaime had casually dropped the bombshell that he wanted his family to meet me. As if this was something real. As if this wasn’t just a temporary situation that would pass. The whole thing was ridiculous, yet here I was, caught up in it.I groaned loudly, reaching for my phone on the nightstand, exhaustion weighing heavy on me. All I wanted was sleep.The screen flashed with my mother’s name.Rubbing my eyes, I sat up before answering. “Hello, Ma. Good morning.”The deep inhale on the other end told me she wasn’t calling for pleasantries. She barely acknowledged my greeting before getting straight to the
I didn’t need a reminder to remember that I had another practice with Paula today. Just the thought of it made my chest tighten with anxiety, forcing me to swallow hard just to breathe properly.It was almost the end of the workday, which was probably why my mind had drifted to the meeting. Or maybe it was because Jaime had dismissed me so casually earlier. The way he did it like I was insignificant, made my blood boil more than I cared to admit.“What are you doing?”His voice snapped me back to the present. I looked up to see Jaime standing at my office door, his sharp gaze fixed on me.There was nothing soft in his expression, just bold, cold intensity as he studied me. His hands were buried deep in his pockets, and he stood so casually, legs crossed at the ankles, leaning slightly against the doorframe. Anyone watching might think he had just stopped by to see his girlfriend.If only.“I still have a little task to finish up,” I said, gesturing toward my screen.Jaime tilted his h
I couldn’t shake off what had happened last night. I woke up with the same thoughts swirling through my head, refusing to settle. The idea that Jaime had actually hired a chemistry coach of all things was something I never could have anticipated. It was unexpected and very absurd yet there was nothing I could do about that.Jessy sat on my bed, gasping and shouting as I recounted everything to her.“Tell me you’re joking,” she said, eyes wide with disbelief.I groaned, rubbing my temples. “I wish I was.”“And now you have to face him again? After all that?” She flopped onto the bed beside me, clearly enjoying my suffering a little too much.“I don’t even know how to act around him anymore,” I admitted. “It’s like everything keeps escalating, and I have no control over any of it.”Jessy sat up, suddenly more excited. “Oh! Speaking of escalation, have you checked social media?”I blinked at her. “No… why?”She grabbed her phone, scrolling quickly before her face lit up. “Girl, you are
I shifted awkwardly on my feet, trying to gather my thoughts. How well did we know each other? Professionally? Enough to get by. Personally? Barely at all.Paula, still smiling as if this were her favorite part of the day, leaned closer, her sharp gaze sweeping over us. “Let’s start simple. What’s Miss Miller’s favorite color, Jaime?”I turned to him, arching a brow, curious about what he would say.Without missing a beat, Jaime’s lips curved into a subtle smile. “Blue,” he said, his voice steady.I blinked. He was right.Paula raised an eyebrow at me. “Is he correct?”“Yes, but…” I hesitated. “How did you know that?”Jaime shrugged, looking smug. “You always choose blue pens during meetings. And your laptop case is navy. It wasn’t hard to figure out.”I felt my cheeks warm at the casual observation. He noticed things about me? Why?Paula clapped her hands again, clearly pleased. “Good! Attention to detail. That’s a strong start.”“Your turn,” she said, spinning toward me. “What’s Jai
He continued what he was doing, completely absorbed in his task. I didn’t mind watching him, his movements were so fluid, so purposeful, it was as if his hands instinctively knew what they wanted. Watching him like this gave me a strange sense of peace I didn’t realize I craved. The silence between us stretched on, but it was comfortable, almost soothing.“When I was in school,” he began suddenly, breaking the silence. He glanced at me with a soft smile. “I had a roommate who loved cooking. To him, it was therapy, a way to escape the chaos of the world. I used to watch him all the time. Before I knew it, it became my therapy too.”He didn’t need to check if I was paying attention; I was utterly captivated, hanging on every word. Who is this man? He felt so different from the one I thought I knew, it was disarming, almost surreal.“Yeah, I get it,” I said, my voice soft. “Cooking can be therapeutic. Right here, right now, it feels like therapy.”His eyes met mine for a moment, silenci
I woke up the next morning with a strange, jittery energy buzzing through me. Even so, I couldn’t bring myself to turn on my phone. Somehow, I just knew my face would be plastered all over the media.Pressing my face into my pillow, I screamed, muffling the sound as reality dawned on me.I knew what I had signed up for, I knew this was part of the deal, so why was I feeling like this?“What are you doing?” Jessy’s voice cut through the air, pulling me from my loop.Groaning, I flopped onto my back and screamed again this time without the pillow covering my mouth because I wanted to let out all the feelings that were compressing to my chest.“Let me guess,” she teased, sitting on the edge of my bed, “last night didn’t go quite how you imagined?”I covered my face with my hands, my voice muffled. “It was a disaster. Every time I knew he was watching, I completely froze.”Jessy was enjoying this far too much. “Okay, tell me how you feel.”Before I could respond, her phone buzzed. Her eye