MY CEO BESTIE AND ME

On the third floor of a five-story building, Lerisa Jonah stood up from her secretary's office chair after she finished her work for the day.

She worked as Anthony Gregson's secretary, so she stepped away from her desk and picked up her black handbag from the surface as she prepared to go home.

Lerisa was a fair-complexioned young lady. She was 24 years old and 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 up by 5 p.m. and left the company before 6 p.m., the company's normal closing hour.

She walked toward Anthony's office door to find out what still delayed her boss. The time had already passed 6 p.m., and most of the staff had already gone home.

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

She pushed Anthony's office door slightly open, stepped into his office, and saw him seated in his executive 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 Anthony would soon propose to Clara.

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

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

Anthony remained busy admiring the diamond ring in the box that he held, so he did not shift his gaze to look at Lerisa.

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

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

Lerisa knew that Clara Harry was a cheat and did not deserve 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, which made her heart sink in her chest because she knew that Anthony was seriously in love with Clara.

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

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

Anthony finally looked at Lerisa's face and saw her staring downward in his office. He wondered what she wanted since he had seen her earlier that day.

He had forgotten that his company had closed because he was busy admiring the ring that he had bought. He intended to propose to Clara the following day and ask her to marry him.

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

"I… I…" Lerisa spluttered and could not explain why she was in his office because she sounded heartbroken upon seeing that lovely ring.

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

Anthony inquired, "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. But I don't 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 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 foolish question.

She saw him smiling sweetly at the ring as he continued looking downward at it. She replied, "I thought you had closed, Sir. That's why I'm here to collect the office key from you. But it seems like you're not yet ready to go home."

Anthony immediately noticed the sadness in Lerisa's voice.

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

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

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

"What's wrong, Lerisa?" Anthony finally approached Lerisa and swirled 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?" he 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'm already going home. The company has closed for the day, and I need 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 at her.

"How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me Sir, Lerisa? You're like a sister to me, and not just a staff member here," Anthony said.

Lerisa shuddered because she hated when Anthony always reminded her that she was like a sister to him.

Anthony's office door 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 firmly and closely to his chest. Anthony did not look at him and remained busy staring at Lerisa's face.

"Do they want to kiss?" Mark wondered in his mind. But he quickly composed his surprised look and apologized to them, "I'm sorry, boss."