MY CEO BESTIE AND ME

On Friday evening, Lerisa Jonah stood up from her office chair after she finished her office work for the day.

She worked as Anthony Gregson's secretary. She stepped away from her chair and picked up her black handbag from the desk as she headed home.

Lerisa was a fair-complexioned young lady, twenty-four years old. She wore a yellow shirt, a black pencil skirt, and black shoes. She wondered why she had not seen Anthony step out of his office.

She knew that Anthony usually closed by 5 p.m. and left the company before 6 p.m., the normal closing hour.

Lerisa walked toward Anthony's office door to discover what delayed her boss. The time was after 6 p.m., and most staff had already gone home.

As Lerisa approached Anthony's office door, she knocked. She heard him respond, "Come in."

She pushed the door slightly open, stepped into his office, and saw him seated in his executive chair. He stared at a red ring box in his hands.

Lerisa's heart dropped the moment she saw the beautiful, sparkling diamond ring in Anthony's hand.

She knew at that moment that Anthony maintained a serious relationship with Clara Harry. Anthony would soon propose to Clara.

Lerisa felt like crying because she secretly loved Anthony, but she could not tell him the truth. She lacked the bravery to do so.

Her face turned red with sadness. She stared downward to hide her saddened expression.

Anthony remained busy admiring the diamond ring in the box he held. He did not shift his gaze to Lerisa.

They had been childhood best friends because of their fathers' past closeness.

Lerisa's father had served as Anthony's father's assistant. He had supported Anthony's father in building the shoe company, which Anthony now owned.

Lerisa knew that Clara Harry cheated and did not deserve a man like Anthony. She had seen Clara flirt with different men behind Anthony's back several times, but she could not advise Anthony to end the relationship.

Lerisa had witnessed Clara visit Anthony in his office. She had caught them kissing, which made her heart sink. She knew that Anthony loved Clara seriously.

Anthony was a thirty-year-old Black man. He wore a black suit with an inner red shirt and black shoes, which made him look handsome.

Anthony had a short mustache and beard that enhanced his looks and made him appear charming.

Finally, Anthony looked at Lerisa's face. He saw her staring downward in his office. He wondered what she wanted because he had already seen her that day.

He had forgotten that the company had closed. He had stayed busy admiring the ring he bought. He intended to propose to Clara the following day.

Anthony asked, "What do you want, Lerisa?"

"I... I..." Lerisa spluttered. She could not explain why she entered his office. She sounded heartbroken upon seeing the lovely ring.

She had come to tell Anthony that she headed home, but Anthony did not look up at her face again. He stayed busy admiring the diamond ring and wondering if Clara would like it.

Anthony asked, "How do you see this ring, Lerisa? Remember that I invited you and the rest of our staff to attend my birthday party tomorrow at my family's house? Well, I want to propose to Clara tomorrow. I do not know if she will accept this beautiful diamond ring that I bought and ordered from abroad. I love Clara. What do you think, Lerisa? Do you think that Clara will love this ring and accept it? I bought it to prove my love to her."

Lerisa's heart broke even more at Anthony's question.

She saw him smile sweetly at the ring as he continued to look downward at it. She replied, "I thought you had closed, Sir. That is why I came here to collect the office key from you. It seems you are not yet ready to go home."

Anthony immediately noticed the sadness in Lerisa's voice.

He shut the red ring box in his hands and stood up from his chair. He walked over to meet her and asked, "What is wrong, Lerisa?"

Lerisa turned her back on Anthony as hot tears streamed down her face.

She could not tell Anthony the truth—that she loved him. Anthony only saw her as a sister, even though they shared no blood relation.

"What is wrong, Lerisa?" Anthony approached her and turned her around to face him.

Lerisa felt the sparks, but Anthony ignored them and looked intently at her face.

"Tell me, what is wrong with you?" Anthony asked again in a stern voice. Lerisa shuddered in his hold but shook her head to indicate nothing.

She lied to him. "Nothing, Sir. I only came here to tell you that I am going home. The company has closed for the day, and I need to collect the office key from you."

"Sir?" Anthony asked as he continued to stare at Lerisa's face coldly. His eyes squinted in pain.

"Lerisa, how many times must I tell you to stop calling me Sir? You are like a sister to me, not just staff here." Anthony said this, and Lerisa shuddered. She hated when he reminded her that she was like a sister to him.

Anthony's office door pushed open. His office assistant, Mark Terry, stepped into the office to see him.

Mark looked surprised to see Anthony hold Lerisa's arms firmly and close to his chest.

Anthony did not look at Mark. He stayed busy staring at Lerisa's face.

"Do they want to kiss?" Mark wondered. He quickly composed his surprised expression and apologized to them. "I am sorry, boss."