Fifteen hours earlier…
I run the mascara brush over my eyelashes one last time before deciding my makeup is perfect enough. Stepping back from the vanity, I look at my profile in the mirror in front of me. Hair, check. Shoes, check. My dress, perfect. My phone pings with a text notification causing me to jump with nervousness. Tonight, my boss, Marcus Wayne, also the CEO of Wayne Technologies, is giving me a ride to the award ceremony we are both attending. He, as a nominee, and me as his ever-present secretary. I read the text message that just came into my phone and indeed, it is from Marcus instructing me to go downstairs in his usual commanding tone. Knowing how impatient he is and not wanting to be at the receiving end of his infamous scowl, I hurriedly grab my tiny clutch purse and leave my apartment to meet him outside. The moment I step outside of my apartment building, I see the familiar black Bentley belonging to my boss and his driver is standing outside and holding a door open for me. “Thank you, Donald” I offer him a grateful smile before entering inside the opened car as carefully as I can with my six inch pointy high heels. The first thing I notice as I take a sit on the smooth expensive leather of the car is the delicious smell of Marcus’s cologne that permeates the air. A cologne I am all too familiar with. “Good evening sir” I angle my head at my boss sitting quietly but commandingly beside me. Discreetly, I study his handsome face consisting of a strong square jawline, high cheekbones, dark arched eyebrows, and long dark lashes framing his enchanting green eyes, and I must admit, there is no denying the fact that my boss truly deserves his title as New York’s most sexiest and eligible bachelor and billionaire by the Times Magazine. I am still in the process of secretly admiring his strong broad shoulders and his chest that perfectly fills his tuxedo suit, when I catch Marcus quickly removing his gaze from where it had been fixed on my thighs which are revealed by the high slit of my gown. My breath hitches. Did I just imagine Marcus checking me out? It can’t be, he has never given an indication of having any feelings of attraction towards me in the past years that I have been his secretary. Always cool, calm, and professional. But the heated looks in his eyes as he whipped his gaze from my thighs… did I imagine that as well? “Penelope,” Marcus says my name in his usual cool, monotone and uncaring voice, “You look different” He notes. I hesitate. Different? What does he mean by different? And does he mean a good type of different or a bad type? Nervous, I run my palm over the skirt of my dress before responding, “But this isn’t the first time you’ve seen me in something other than my usual boring corporate office clothes, Sir” I reply with a joke to clear the little tension in the atmosphere of the car. Suddenly, I’m feeling hot and heated despite the cool air that emanates from the car’s air conditioning system. What is going on... He raises his eyebrows at my words as if surprised. “Boring? There’s nothing boring about the clothes you wear to work. In fact, I’m surprised Human Resources has never called you up for it” He responds. I hesitate a second time before speaking. What is he talking about? Marcus is acting so unlike his usual self tonight. “What do you mean by that sir?” Marcus shrugs before turning to look outside his window. I guess I have been dismissed. I truly would’ve loved to know what he meant by my work clothes not being boring. I have never attempted to look any way other than professional to work, although my hourglass figure and full breasts sometimes make innocent outfits look seductive but that has never been my intention. What surprises me the most however is that Marcus noticed. Does that mean he has been staring at me in the office long enough to notice all these years? Exhausted at my conflicting thoughts and Marcus's abrupt dismissal, I have no choice but to let go of the train of thought and focus on the party we are on their way to. *** Marcus POV My gaze roams over the sky high buildings lining the streets as we whip past on our drive to the venue where the award ceremony is to take place. My thoughts however are fixated on the woman beside me. Penelope Cruz. My secretary. I had been hit with a sudden bout of hungry lust when I first saw Penelope in her evening gown for the gala. Then, when I had forced myself to move my gaze from eye-fucking my assistant, my eyes had landed on the shabby state of her apartment complex and disgust filled me immediately. Fortunately, my driver had driven us off so I didn’t have to continue staring at the death trap she lived in. If she were my woman, I would never let her live in such a place. A woman as attractive as her should never live in a place like this, where I am sure horny pathetic men leer at her on a regular basis. Even now it takes a lot of strength for me to not gaze down at her smooth legs only inches from mine. I have always tried to ignore the feelings Penelope stir in me. Feelings of lust, protectiveness and possessiveness so strong and foreign because I have never felt it for any other woman. But then Penelope is nothing like any other woman. I have managed to maintain control over the years with only a handful of slip-ups, like tonight. Telling her she looked different was a mistake. Usually, I never comment on her looks or outfits and chose to be rude and curt to her, avoiding all small talks that may lead to anything sexual but once in a while my control slips. “Sir, do you mind if we go over your speech for the award ceremony one last time before we arrive?” Penelope asks me in her soft but slightly raspy voice. Even her voice is a temptation to me. She looks up at me innocently and my dirty thoughts shift to how better I can make use of her pink pouty lips by filling it up with my- I cut off the crazy thought before it fully forms. Annoyance churns in my chest at my weakness that I respond harshly. “No. I don’t need your help with it.” While my words are normal, my tone clearly comes out hard and annoyed and I doesn’t miss the look of confusion on Penelope’s face. “But sir-“ She starts again but I cut her off. “You are my secretary and I’m your boss. I give the instructions and you obey, Miss Cruz” I warn. And this time she replies only with an annoyed sigh and an eye roll before shifting slightly to face her window giving me her back. I normally would have called her out and scolded her for rolling her eyes at me but I decide that I have done too much already. She didn’t deserve my harsh words but the fear of my control slipping sent me into a defensive mode and my only answer was to draw the line between us. It wasn’t because of her, rather I did it to remind myself. This uncontrollable feelings of longing and desire towards my assistant can never progress into anything more. Marcus Wayne does not mix business with pleasure.Penelope’s POV When we arrive at the venue for the award ceremony, reporters and photographers immediately rush at us- or more like, at Marcus. Marcus who is the man of the hour, takes pictures with different people ranging from fellow billionaires like himself to female models and celebrities all vying for his attention. I take my position far away from the drama. The first and last time I had tried to maintain my position beside Marcus as his secretary during a similar event three years ago, I had been elbowed in the eye by a desperate woman who wanted to pull Marcus into a tight embrace. Since then, I have always kept my distance from Marcus and his raging fans. After the meet and greet at the red carpet ends, Marcus and I are led inside the hall by a staff for the ceremony. As expected, Marcus wins the award for Entrepreneur of the Year and I am genuinely happy for him. In my head, I joke about how I should get a mini award for being such an awesome secretary. Marcu
It’s been five minutes since I received a curt text message from my boss ordering me to come and meet him at the brunch area of the hotel. I walk to the venue on shaky legs, from nervousness and tiredness. He really did a number on me last night and from how long he slept, I on him as well. I would celebrate but I feel like I am walking to my execution as I step into the brunch hall. I see Marcus sitting ahead with an empty chair in front of him on the other side of the table where uncountable brunch delicacies have been arranged. The instant hunger I feel in my stomach urges me to walk forward although my brain warns me to run away. I had sex with my strict-as-hell boss not up to twelve hours ago and I’m about to pay the price. I withhold tears as I approach the table and take a seat quietly. “Good morning sir” I greet submissively. Should I apologize or beg? I don’t get to decide because Marcus ignores my greeting and shocks me with his first words. “Do you know who I
It has been more than a month since I woke up in bed with my boss. Ever since that day, I have tried all means to ensure sure that I do nothing or say anything that would give Marcus any inclination that the girl he slept with the night of his award ceremony was none other than his most dedicated secretary, me.So far so good, I would say I have one a pretty good job of it, just a little lie here and a little denial there and Marcus is none the wiser.It was strange that he had no memory of it. Sometimes I catch myself contemplating about it, the good and the bad. Bad because I wanted him to remember me. what he said to me, what we did. That it was my body which gave him so much pleasure he blacked out afterwards, so yeah, its sucked not being remembered.And good because I get to keep my job. He’d have fired my ass by now.Its terrible.I’ve done all I can do forget it.I’ve tried to convince myself it couldn’t possibly be good as was making it out to be, we were both drunk for goodne
MARCUS“I see you deployed your time management skills in writing the report” I speak with dry sarcasm without even raising my head to look at Penelope as she enters and shuts the door to my office.When she remains silent, I am forced to move my gaze from my computer screen to my silent secretary.“Nothing to say for yourself?” I ask after noticing the blank look on her face. Inwardly I am tempted to laugh, not because anything is actually funny but because if it were anyone else keeping silent and not apologizing while getting scolded by their boss, they would loose their jobs within the hour, but there is little to nothing Penelope can do to make me fire her and I’m sure she knows this. Finally, she decides to grace me with her voice and speaks, “I wanted to make sure the report was perfect. And I didn’t think I was under a deadline.” She shrugs nonchalantly and I have to resist the urge to roll my eyes in exasperation, but that would only encourage her. The girl likes to test my p
A few days later, I’m rounding up the task Marcus saddled me with earlier this morning so that I can go to lunch with Will. I’m already late as we had agreed to meet up outside by the parking lot by 1 pm sharp but it’s already a few minutes after and I’m just now putting my desktop to sleep after emailing the report to Marcus so that I can leave. I just grab my wallet and turn to head to the elevator when it opens and Will steps out.Surprised, I smile at him, “Hey… you shouldn’t have bothered coming up, I was already heading to you, sorry” I tell him, feeling a bit bad for wasting his time.Will shrugs then gives me a side hug, and a quick kiss on my cheek“It’s fine. How are you doing? You look a bit tired” He asks with a concerned tone.I sigh. I am tired. I’ve been feeling exhausted since I woke up but it’s probably just work stress.I start to answer him but stop when the door to Marcus’s office opens and he strides out confidently. I notice a slight crease between his eyebrows wh
“I’ve been feeling so off lately. I think I need to ask Mr. Wayne for a few days leave to recuperate” I massage the colon of my throat as I complain to my friend, Stacy. She came over to my cubicle about thirty minutes ago and we have been chatting or more like I’ve been listening while she has been giving me all the recent office gossip.Stacy chuckles, “I would make a joke about you being pregnant but we both know how impossible that idea is”I still, then give her a look, “Why is that impossible?” I’m not sure if I should be offended or not. Stacy cackles with laughter once more, about to make fun of me I’m sure. She says, “Because it’s been ages since you got some D” she returned giving my a knowing look.I snort with amusement, if only she knew how wrong she was. The last time I had sex was six weeks ago and it was with our CEO. But I’m not telling her that so instead I respond with, “How do you know I haven’t had sex in a while?” I’m quite interested in her answer but she doesn’
As I stare deeply at the pregnancy test showing positive, a part of me is praying that a miracle happens and the result changes to negative while another part is rethinking my entire life choices.Where did it all go wrong? How would I handle this? I earn well enough as the executive secretary of one of the richest men in New York but in between handling my bills, paying off my student loans and my mother’s health care bill I barely have much in savings.So how would I be able to take care of a baby on my own? And telling Marcus is completely out of the question. He doesn’t even remember we had sex a few weeks ago. He won’t believe me and even if he does, I know fully well that he’ll fire me. Marcus Wayne doesn’t mix his business with his personal life.Still in deep thoughts of the troubling predicament that I am in, I don’t hear the sound of footsteps approaching the private toilet on the CEO floor until it is nearly too late.“Penelope Cruz, I know you’re in there. I saw you go in.
I’m halfway asleep from tiredness after crying my eyes out for the past hour when the office telephone rings. I check and see the call is coming from Marcus. I’m tempted to ignore it. I don’t think I can deal with him right now. I’m way too vulnerable. But I know I’ll just get into trouble with him if I ignore his call so I grudgingly answer.“Hello-““In my office right now. Miss Cruz” He interrupts me with the order.Unable to help myself, I groan out loudly with frustration, he is so rude, no greeting or anything.“Am I bothering you, Miss Cruz?” He asks from the phone.Great. He heard my frustrated sign.I try to answer with a no, but he continues on. “Or maybe you’re getting tired of your job? Am I working you too hard?” He asks but I don’t deceive myself that his questions are because he cares, I hear the sarcasm clearly from a mile away. He is so confusing. Sometimes he is nice and other times he is a level ten asshole, like right now.I keep my analysis of his temperaments to m
**The card came home with me. I couldn’t get a courier to deliver it, I couldn’t risk it. Just thinking of the consequences if it got lost, mixed up with some other delivery, or stolen. And I sure as hell couldn’t leave it in the office. I put on an exfoliating face mask after my shower, all this working was going to give me premature wrinkles and gray hair, I stand in front of my bathroom fifteen minutes later to wipe it off I put on some serums and moisturizer over my face, neck, and chest. Pulling down the front of my bathrobe to massage the products into my skin. I’d noticed a recent soreness in my boobs. I cup the right one then the left, my nipples immediately budding in my palms, fat and plump. My back arched as goosebumps spreads along my chest despite the heat in the bathroom from my hot bath. I took a moment to examine my body, other than the heaviness in my boobs, there were no other physical changes yet. I brought down my hands and righted my robe, returning to my bed
I groaned, “I had a shitty day, don’t even remind me,” I say when the elevator slid open and I made my way to my apartment. I’d been a little surprised when I saw the elevator was working this morning on my way to work. I’m sure it’ll be closed for maintenance soon though like everything else in this house.“Maybe you two are moving too fast?” Will questioned, on my screen, he moved into a dimly lit room and popped his phone somewhere as he moved around.Marcus’s driver Mr. James had dropped me off at the front of my house, Marcus had a work thing and I was invited. I had just stepped on the elevator when Will called me and I gave him the two four on my day. To which he was annoyed on my behalf and pleased when he learned Marcus had shown Brie and Renee the door.He was also proud I’d defended myself. Unlike someone. “Tell me about it” I grumbled and got out my keys, unlocking my door, I shoved it open.I heard the sound of rushing liquid and the clicking of glasses. Will returned i
“What the fuck were you thinking?” He snapped the second the door closed.I spun around to face him, “Me? I didn’t do anything, they started it” I frowned, surely he didn’t buy into any of that, they were clearly playing the victim. I’m the victim here. And I did not appreciate being scolded. With the shit they said to me, Brie should be glad all she got was a smack across the face.“And so you thought it best to get into a physical altercation while pregnant with my child? They could have retaliated, you could have been harmed, if Stacy had delayed in getting to my office, a little accident is all it takes!” The force of his glower had me taking another step back.I did wonder what brought him to the ladies' room. Stacy must have heard about it from the peeping tom and ran straight to Marcus.He began pacing. “Just this morning you promised me you were being careful, getting into fights is the complete opposite” he pointed at me, drawing to a pause.My jaw met the floor for the se
“Feel better?” I blinked slowly, glancing around, “What am I doing here?”“You fell asleep” Oh. I stifled a yawn, scratching the name of my neck. “What the time?” “Just in time for lunch, I have to wonder if your body is conditioned to know when is close to feeding time”I wiped my face with the back of my hand “Hey, I’m eating for two, so don’t judge”"Of course, thank you for your hard work."I got up shoving my feet back into my pumps one after the other. “Is my phone here?” “Come see me when you return” he says and I turn to leave. “Aye, Aye Captain Wayne” I met Stacy in the lobby and we headed out for our lunch where I was pointed at and stared at until we left. I couldn’t even eat my meal in peace. Some took pictures as discreetly as they could manage, pictures I was sure would be showing up on social media in the next minute. It was annoying. I ended up wishing I’d order some takeout and ate at my desk instead. “Dude, you’re famous” Stacy had exclaimed when I showed her m
I kept my eyes straight as I walked to my desk, sat and when I was in the secured space of my cubicle, I dropped my hands to my palms smiling like a loon, what the hell was that? A giggle burst out of me, trapped behind my palm and another. One moment we were arguing, or at least I had been and then he was- and it was-I didn’t want to think about it. I didn’t want to give it a name. I had no idea Marcus could be like that, so gentle and soft and sweet, as though he didn’t want to scare me off and I felt the electricity all the way to my toes. My gosh. So different from the first time, it had been rushed, with a bit of stumbling as we were both intoxicated.This was skilful, seductive, perfection.I swiped my hands all over my face. I needed to stop thinking about it. About him.If only there was a way to turn off my brain, but now, instead it was doing a rewind, replaying the kiss over and over again. My nipples tightened behind my bra, warmth curling in my belly at the memory a
I have been having the hiccups for the past fifteen minutes all because I am avoiding the break room, I couldn’t concentrate, I could feel a headache blooming at the back of my skull due to dehydration, my neck hurts from the constant bobbing of my head and my tongue felt paper dry. This was getting ridiculous. Another five minutes and I’d had enough, I shoved my chair back got my bottle and marched with purpose towards the break room. If they wanted to talk let them talk. The door was opened so I walked right in calling out a “hello” as I made my way to the water dispenser where I immediately filled my bottle, gulped it down and filled it again. The tightness in my temples receding. As I drink, I see Louis and Ted pack up their half done coffee and race to the door almost bumping into Stacy on the way mumbling their appologies. I rolled my eyes and tipped my bottle back swallowing more chilled water.“How’s it going?”“Oh, just dandy, did you see how they rushed to get away from m
I didn’t see Marcus for the rest of the morning as he had some meeting with an external client and I was glad for it in fear that I might actually strangle him and then I'd get fired as Wayne Tech had a strict no-violence policy or spend the rest of my life behind bars if I was actually successful. With the way I am feeling, it may actually be the latter. And then who would take care of my baby?I can’t believe the stunt he pulled. After what he did yesterday too.I don’t know why has me more annoyed, that he went ahead and did this without even so much as asking me or how pleased he was about my reaction, as though it was an amusing pesky fly.I kept going back to the blog and other blogs that ran the news. The comments didn't let up, didn't think it was going to any moment soon, I don’t know which is worse, the dudes or the ladies. I didn’t know what I expected that they would be all nice and throw their heartfelt congratulations. “It’s a good thing, you know how many women are
They were still on this? Really? It was a new day for goodness sake. Surely some other interesting thing should have occurred to get the interest off me. Some celebrity scandal? A cheating couple caught? Anything? This is New York after all. It was one scandal after another. I almost feel bad for them for being popular but I guess it was the price of fame.I kept my eyes forward placing one foot in front of the other as I made my way to the elevator pushed the call button and waited for the car to arrive. Thankfully I didn’t have to wait too long before it arrived and I jumped in, except a few others got in alongside me and the weird looks continued. Haha. Jokes on them but a little staring and reprimand from the boss was not the end of the world. And as long as I had a job here, they had to deal with it. Period. I offered a curt nod to an older gentleman, Mr Philip who worked in the mailing room on the fifth floor. At least he was nice enough to meet my eyes this fine
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, and then 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 my company he thinks he can tell me how to run my own company,” Will said over the phone making me frown. I was well aware of his rocky relationship with his dad.While Will was what most people would refer to as a trust fund baby, Will was very hard working. I like Marcus