Not sure why this chapter was slightly frustrating to write. Hmm
PENELOPEMr. James, Marcus’s driver, a middle aged man with a trimmed goatee and a shaven head drives us to the expensive restaurant where we are having lunch with his clients. During the entire ride, I feel the weight of his heavy stare on the side of my face as I look straight ahead.“Did you receive any invitation of Happy Green?”“You don’t care about happy green” he never attended any of their events, he once called it a waste of his time I believe.“Yes, you’re right, but that doesn’t stop there leader from harassing your inbox with invites to go tree planting, I told him I’d consider it if he changed that bullshit name”I nodded and noted we’ve stopped at a red light.A moment of silence ensures.“This usually the part where you say that’s so mean while laughing”I glanced at him to see if he is actually serious.Attentive gray eyes sear mine, waiting for a comeback. I let the look hold for a moment.“Oh?”I noticed those eyes narrow in annoyance just before I looked away once
It has been another day of more silent treatment from me to Marcus and I know he is at the edge of his patience but I don’t care. I’ve caught him staring at me from across the hallway, while striding to his office, during conversations with his partners and even during office meetings. Not once have I been tempted to give up my silent battle against him. His words and actions really hurt me and this is me reacting to it.I receive a text from Will reminding me of our plans to have dinner together after work. you could say I finally pulled on my big girl panties to have the conversation. And he’s respect my need for space unlike someone.The office phone by my desk rings while I’m still deep in my thoughts.I answer. “Wanye Technologies, Marcus Wayne’s office, Penelope Cruz on the line”Then a deep chuckle reverberates from the other side of the line. “This is the first time I’m hearing you say that line completely”Right.Because he always cuts me off while I’m still in the middle of s
I’m still slightly shaken when I arrive at my desk the leather file containing the papers to get me out from a mountain of debt between my fingers I let out a breath my phone lights up drawing my attention, I see it’s a text from Will.Will: Meeting got cancelled, I’m free now if you haven’t made other plansI don’t think twice before shooting back an affirmation, I toss my phone in my bag and shut it into the crock of my arm. I keep my eyes off the door to the left as I practically run to the elevators, sparing short waves at a few colleagues who are also making they way out for lunch.I didn’t want to think about Marcus Wayne, I didn’t know what to do when he spoke to me like that, opening up about his childhood, his offer to pay off the debt in thought of a baby that isn’t even here yet. It made me think of his as something other than billionaire playboy.I waved down a taxi and gave him the address where I’m to have lunch with Will and leaned back, watching buildings pass as we dr
I sit a couple feet behind Marcus, at exactly the same position I’d been standing the week before in the conference room while the partners go back and forth. A chair and desk had been positioned here when we arrived, I didn’t need to be told before I parked my ass on the chair.My note pad is open, my fingers flying across the attached keyboard, there no need to take minutes as the meeting was been recorded but Marcus despised going over recordings, says it was a waste of time to go through the noise more than once hence my presence.The meeting finally concludes and the partners disperse, it was already end of day, I take a few minutes to tidy up my notes and forward it to my computer so I can got about preparing a report first thing in the morning-“What is it?”I glanced up to see Marcus leaning against the table, his long legs crossed at the ankles as he watched me. I thought he left with the others.Remembering he’d asked a question I shook my head.“You were quiet the entire mee
My father severed in the military. They met in a collage party while he was on leave and they clicked instantly. They had two blissful years together. I was told my mother was six months along when she got the call that he was never coming home. I only know him through pictures and video recordings like their wedding and when my mother got baptized.I missed him a lot growing up, but it was more from the wish of knowing him, I heard so many stories growing up from my mom and grandparents what a great man he was so he must be.Rodrigo Cruz is the kind of man I always thought I’d marry. Strong, honest. A good man. The kind you brought home to your parents, that wanted to settle down, have two point five babies in a pretty house with white picket fence, raising our children and having the occasional cook out with friends.I turned my key twice, kicked the door open and stepped into my dark apartment. “Honey I’m home” I say to my empty room then laughed at my weirdness.I smacked the swit
**This is actually very comfy I think as I twirl in another circle smoothing my fingers over than soft rich leather on one of the chair on the conference room.“Must be nice to be a board member” I finally commented after another twirl, He ordered Chinese they seat on opposite sides in the conference room.On the other side, Marcus sits looking unamused by my chair rolling activity. “You said we’ll discuss after you’ve had some food”“Right, sorry” I immediately straightened and pulled the paper bag in the middle in front of me. “I got distracted” I murmured and started bringing out the paper cups and plastic containers.“Would you like the fried rice or noodles?” I question because both was looking quite scrumptious at the moment. Marcus shook his head and I brought out the rice, unpacking the proteins and a fork and immediately began eating.On my other side, I have a notepad and a, I straightened after a few bites, drank some water and nodded “Okay what do you have?”“Ladies first
I watch the old buildings through the window as we drive by. I’ve made this trip numerous times I’ve lost count. I left my apartment at dawn so I could catch the first train to Boston. It was almost eleven when the taxi I took at the train station rolled through the iron gates, the words; St. Anne Nursing Home in white letters on a large brick poster. I settled the cab fare and stepped out, wishing I had gone with a pair of ballet flats instead of pumps but I’m still expected at the office in a few hours. I say hello to the receptionist whom I’m now familiar with, they’ve changed a few times in the past years. “I'm here for Melody Cruz if she can have visitors today,” I say as I sign in at the front while making small talk about the weather and if the snow is going to let up anytime soon as I wait to get approval and a visitor's badge. I head to the east wing of the residential area, and my mom’s home for the past eight years. I still remember it as if it was yesterday. It b
I see she’s laying the dramatics a little too thick just to get her way, I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. She was my best friend growing up, we were a team. I used to tell her everything, when girls my age kept diaries and journals for their thoughts, I told my mom. When she got diagnosed and I was advised to ensure she avoided stress, I stepped up. When she asked, I told her about my scholarship and that I got a load skimming over the details. I took on jobs, virtual assistants, paid internships when could to support myself. There was a reason I qualified to work as the secretary of a chief executive officer of a huge firm right out of school. I had prior experience. I smiled at my mom I wanted to tell her, more than anything. I’m confused. Scared. And she’s done this before... I needed help to make sense of everything. I didn’t want to upset or make her stressed. Stress can affect her condition. Another reason it was recommended she stay in the facility, here she can b
I was wrong. Marcus Wayne is not sweet and not soft. The day starts out like every other, going over his schedule like we do every morning, confirming meetings with other personal assistants and secretaries over the phone, going over reports, and attending a few meetings, so, a normal morning. And then by afternoon, I have my chair leaned as far back as possible, my shoes off, to get the blood flowing back into my feet that’s been pinched in the heeled peep toes I wore today, a cute pair but damn, there was a pain.I have my cell tucked between the side of my cheek and shoulder, chewing slightly on the end of a pen.“He can be so over-controlling it’s getting out of hand Pen, because he is an investor in the company he thinks she can tell me how to run my own company,” Will said over the phone making me frown. I knew he and his dad had a rocky relationship. While he was what most people would refer to as a trust fund baby, Will was very hard working. “He called a board meeting wit
**Get here.I looked at the message again and again.Get here?I got up despite my better instincts and made my way into his office. “Did you need me?”“Yes, I have the revision you wanted” he nodded at the document on the table his head bowed as he read something from an iPad.“And you couldn't think of anything else to say than 'get here'?” Marcus finally gave me his attention “What would you have rather I said?”I cat walked forward “Oh, I donno, maybe something like, Dear penelope, kindly make your way into my office when you have a spare moment-”“Now you're just pushing it. Sit"I glared at him and sat. “Did you spend the entire morning working on it?” “Take as much time as you need. Go through it, if you have no complaints, kindly sign before I get back” I knew he had a meeting with the lawyers this afternoon.“But I'm hungry, and it's almost lunch” I pouted. I didn't do well on an empty stomach.He got up and buttoned his jacket before bending to get his briefcase “Have
**It was another day in the office and I was determined to be productive, I had my antenna appointment this afternoon and I wanted to be relaxed and in a good mood when the time came. The universe must want to shit all over my plans because the elevator pinged and Marcus Wayne, AKA my boss and someone I did not want to talk to walked right not. His briefcase in on hand, the other in his pocket as he strolled forward without a single good morning to anyone. “In my office Miss Cruz” he called without a glance in my direction.Why couldn’t I be lucky like everyone else and the universe let him forget I exist? Why? I continued scrolling through my emails making note of what I need to add to my calendar keeping on eye on the time. It’s couldn’t have been more than two minutes he strode in the door slid open revealing Marcus, heading straight in my direction. Oh shit.He made his way around the table, his fingers wrapping around my arm I let out a gasp as I was guided out of my chair wi
**I cannot believe him. I returned to my desk only to realize I’d forgotten my iPad so I stormed back in, snatched my tablet, and strode out adding an extra sway in my hips.I swear I thought I heard a rumbling sound as I slammed the door shut behind me.Then I hurried myself to work the next few hours. Remembering my promise to Will I decided to hit him up.Me: Up for that rain check on lunch? His reply is a location with two question marks. I notice his sneaky attempt to weasel out of letting me choose a place, I knew he’d pick somewhere fancy, good thing he’d be paying, no way that was changing. I send a reply.Me: You got it. It. With my plans for lunch settled, I went back to my work.When afternoon came, I threw my purse over my office and strode to the elevator without a word to my employee. Texting a reply to Stacy who is on yet another lunch date with dear Bernard, those two were getting serious. I’d been expecting it hence my making plans with Will. She sends anothe
MARCUS I toss the hard copy paperwork of the contract I spent the entire weekend drafting on my huge office desk. Penelope looks up at me with a confused expression. “What’s that?” she asked and went back to her tapping away an iPad. “Our marriage contract”She glanced at me and then the bound papers before glancing back at me “Since when do you draft your own documents? If someone had asked me I’d have sworn you didn’t know what the MS Word software looked like” “I don’t, I used scrivener” I kept a serious expression and she scoffed, rolling those large green eyes, I didn’t know too many employees that took as much liberty as she did, were anyone else to roll their eyes at me in the same vicinity, they’d be rolling their eyes out of the building along with their personal belongings.“It looks nearly as thick as a textbook. What did you include in here?” Those eyes narrow her eyes suspiciously at me and I momentarily lose my train of thought, I’m suddenly wondering why I never
I’d spent all morning as I usually do on weekends, starting with cleaning then I run to a nearby groceries to stuck up on food. I’d hoped to get started on my laundry but my washing machine decided not to start up, so I had to visit a nearby laundromat, it was around eleven when I got to the coffee shop claimed a table and waited sipping my vanilla milkshake smoothie, watching other patrons go about their lives.The doorbell sounded and I looked up, she saw me immediately without having to wave my hand likely because the cafe was small.Andy strode over and claimed the empty chair in front of me and tossed her sunglasses on the table. “Iced American, two sugar” I offered nodding at the coffee cup on the table. I’d ordered it when I arrived along with my smoothie already knowing her preferred drink.“How’s Wayne taking it?” she asked getting right to it. She was never one to beat around the bush. I had texted her first thing this morning with the news. She sent me a time and location
The walk back to the office was fast, Marcus stalking straight to his office without a single backward glance. What’d I say? So moody.I tossed my bag on the table and brought out my phone to see if I had any notifications. None. So I got to work. I had a busload of documentation to proofread due to my absence yesterday and I immediately got to it.The phone rang about twenty minutes later, keeping my gaze on my computer I leaned over with one hand and brought the phone to my ear. “Wayne Technology, Marcus Wayne office-““I have a thirty-minute window” a voice droned in my ear “I thought we might make good use of it.” “By…? I trailed off” my eyes widening by the possibilities.“Working on our list” Right, the never ending list, get your mind out of the gutter girlie, I shoved my chair back, slipping on my shoes. “Okay, I’ll bring my note” I dug through my bag for the notebook and slipped out, snagged a pen from my cup, and made my way into his office humming a tune under my brea
I’ll have James meet us at the front” Marcus says, typing away on his phone, I followed beside him as he moved towards the entrance. He motioned for me to step in through the revolving door.“There’s no need, we’re not going far,” I tell him when he comes out behind me and I begin to walk. Marcus pockets his phone, his long legs eating up the space in two large steps and he is beside me once more. We walk past other New Yorkers going about their days. Decked out in formal wear, the men carrying briefcases, the ladies large purses such as my own to fit just about everything we would be needing throughout the day. It was like every other day excluding who was walking by my side and that I was almost eight weeks pregnant. I pushed back the thought and crossed to road. “Would you slow down?” strong fingers wrapped around my wrist.“Oh, sorry, I’m usually in a hurry to get a good space at the nice eateries, it's lunch hour after all and before you know it everyone would be crawling out o
I forgot to sign it. Getting home with a raging hunger, I ordered takeout when I was thirty minutes away from my apartment in hopes of getting it as I landed. Unfortunately, I still had to wait seven long minutes for the courier to arrive. By that time my intestine and organs were just shy of devouring themselves. I’d eaten and passed out on my couch, missed my alarm this morning and by the time I finally pealed my eyes open the sun was out shining, I barely had time to jump into the shower throw on some clothes and rushed out. Then spent the next hour and half cursing New York traffic. I practically stumbled into Marcus’s office in my haste. “Good morning, Sir” He glanced up slowly. “Glad you could make it Miss Cruz, one question, is this going to become a habit?” I shook my head. “I’d like a heads up in case I need to start scheduling my own meetings and taking notes” he continued. “I’m here now” I tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear.“I see that” he got up and rou