MY CEO BESTIE AND ME

On the third floor of the L.H. Group, Lerisa Jonah, a 24-year-old woman, stood up from her office chair as she had finished her office work for the day.

She worked as Anthony Gregson's secretary, so she stepped out of her office seat and picked up her black handbag from her office desk as she was already heading home.

Lerisa was a fair-complexioned young lady. She was wearing 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., which was the company's normal closing hour.

Lerisa made her way toward Anthony's office door to find out what was still delaying her boss. The time was after 6 p.m., and most of the staff were already heading home.

Approaching Anthony's office door, Lerisa knocked and heard him respond, “Come in.”

She pushed Anthony's office door slightly open, stepped into his office, and saw him seated in his executive office chair, staring 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 was in a very serious relationship with Clara Harry and that he would soon propose to Clara.

Lerisa felt like crying out, as she was also secretly in love with Anthony, but she could not tell him the truth because she was not brave enough to do so.

Her fair face immediately turned red with sadness, and she stared downward to hide the saddened look on her face.

Anthony was too busy admiring the diamond ring in the box he was holding to shift his gaze to Lerisa.

They were childhood best friends due to their fathers' closeness in the past.

Back then, when working together, Lerisa's father had been Anthony's father's assistant. He had supported Anthony's father in building the shoe company, which was now Anthony's own.

Lerisa knew that Clara Harry was a cheater and not deserving of a man like Anthony. She had seen Clara several times behind Anthony's back, flirting with different men, but she could not advise Anthony to stop dating Clara.

Lerisa had witnessed Clara visiting Anthony in his office and had caught them kissing too, which made her heart sink in her chest, knowing that Anthony was seriously in love with Clara.

Anthony was a 30-year-old Black man. He wore a black suit with a red shirt underneath and black shoes, which made him look handsome.

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

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

He had forgotten that his company had closed, as he had been busy admiring the ring he had bought. He intended to propose to Clara the following day.

“What do you want, Lerisa?” Anthony asked.

“I… I…” Lerisa spluttered and was unable to say why she was in his office, as she sounded heartbroken upon seeing that lovely ring.

She had come to tell Anthony that she was already going home, but Anthony did not look up at her face again. He was 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 father's house? Well, I want to propose to Clara tomorrow. But I do not know if she will accept this beautiful diamond ring that I bought for her and ordered from abroad. I do love Clara. What do you think, Lerisa? Do you think 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 foolish question to her.

She saw him smiling sweetly at the ring as he continued looking down at it. She replied, “I thought you had closed, Sir. That is why I am here to collect the office key from you. But it seems like 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, stood up from his office chair, walked over to meet her, and asked, “What's wrong, Lerisa?”

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

She could not tell him the truth—that she was in love with him. Anthony only saw her as a sister, even though they were unrelated.

“What's wrong, Lerisa?” Anthony finally approached Lerisa and turned her around to face him.

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

“Tell me, what's 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 already going home. The company has closed for the day, and to collect the office key from you.”

“Sir?” Anthony asked again as he continued to stare at Lerisa's face coldly. His eyes squinted in pain as he looked at her.

“How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me, 'Sir,' Lerisa? You are like a sister to me, and not just an employee here,” Anthony said, and Lerisa shuddered, as she hated for him to always remind her that she was like a sister to him.

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

Mark looked surprised upon seeing Anthony holding Lerisa's arms closely to his chest. Anthony did not look at him and was busy staring at Lerisa's face.

“Do they want to kiss?” Mark wondered to himself, but he quickly composed his surprised expression and apologized to them, “I'm sorry, boss.”