CHAPTER 8

Thursday came sooner than expected and Andrea noticed that she was slowly getting used to the pattern. As monotonous as it seemed it was less stressful than her former job and she couldn't help liking it.

Dalton was beginning to be a major part of her day. He always came to get her during lunch and waved her goodbye as she left for the day. He was jolly and nice enough that she noticed she was beginning to enjoy his presence.

She heard the elevator open. It was break time already, she had hardly observed that time was fast spent. His footsteps hit the floor with a soft tap as he made his way to her. She thought it sounded a bit different but it wasn't enough for it to pique her interest.

Still typing away she called out, "Hello Dalton, I didn't think it was lunch already."

The footsteps stopped abruptly. "Dalton?" She heard.

Andrea jerked her neck upwards so fast her head spun but the spinning didn't prevent her from seeing who stood just a few feet from where she sat.

Her body froze and she would have sworn she saw stars but that was probably the dizziness from jerking her head too hard. Her breath caught and for a few seconds, she forgot who she was or where she was.

He was looking at her and Andrea could see the frown in his eyes but then he quickly turned his eyes away. His reaction snapped her out of the trance. "Mr. Lyc," she retorted but he was already heading to his office, even her call didn't slow him down.

She quickly got around the counter, rushing to keep up with him. She wasn't sure if it was okay to follow him but she didn't know what else to do. She managed to make it into the office just as the door was about to close.

"Mr. Lyc!" She repeated, standing inches from the closed door as she watched him take a seat. He looked so exhausted that she felt sorry for him.

"Lucian," he muttered as he sat down. He rubbed his forehead and ran a hand through his hair.

"What?" Andrea called out. His response had been so unexpected that her mind didn't register the meaning at first. He didn't repeat himself, just stared daggers at her as he once again rubbed his temples. "Oh, right, right! I-I'm sorry."

"Andrea, is there something that desperately needs my attention?" He asked.

It was the first time he was calling her so casually, she felt herself warm up. Andrea swallowed. What the heck is wrong with her? She didn't answer immediately but his gaze forced her to.

"N-no," she cleared her throat. When did it become this hard to speak? She wondered.

"Well then, if you would excuse me. I would like some time alone." He didn't even look at her as he spoke, just kept his gaze down staring at the screen of his phone. He loosened his tie around his neck, eyes still stuck to his phone's screen. 

Andrea knew when she had been dismissed and she knew staying any longer would be to her own detriment. She puffed up in anger, annoyed that he couldn't have dismissed her in a less condescending way. 

She left and practically slammed the door. Brooding all the way to her seat. She got behind the counter and brought out her phone. She texted Tracy but her best friend was too busy to reply.

She rolled her eyes and got back to work but there was really nothing that needed her attention. "Well, someone is in a terrible mood," Dalton said, jolting her from her thoughts.

She looked up to find Dalton's hand on the table, his head barely inches from her. She moved backward in shock and he threw his head back to laugh.

"I see you get a thrill from scaring me shitless." She said, smacking his arm.

"Well, what can I say? I am awesome." He replied, smirking immensely.

"How the hell does that answer anything? By the way, is it lunch already?" 

Dalton wasn't dressed as a security guard today. He was dressed as a regular employee of the company. She had wanted to ask what he was exactly but the chance never arose.

"You know it. Also, you never said why you were all moody earlier, hectic day?" He asked, softly as he watched her get out of the chair and out the side of the counter.

"That's an understatement." She started to say but paused suddenly, she wasn't sure if she could say something bad about the CEO to Dalton. She barely knew him, he was just her lunch buddy.

"Okay? Worse than hectic." He added as they walked to the elevator.

"Close but not quite."

"Ugh! Hopefully, some food will cheer you up." He grinned, showing off his sparkling white teeth.

"I hope," she muttered and the elevator door closed.

Less than twenty minutes later, the door opened once again to reveal Andrea and Dalton. She was laughing hard at something he had said. "You can't be serious," she was saying. "That sounds too unreal."

"I am absolutely serious."

"Nah, I find that a little hard to…" She didn't finish. All of a sudden the phone went off with a loud ring. Instantly silencing whatever she wanted to say. 

She literally rushed to the phone, picking it up as fast as she could. "Hello," she panted.

"My office, right now!" And the line went off.

She turned to look at Dalton who instantly got the idea. "I'll just go, later." He was off before she could stop him.

She took a deep breath and slowly began the treacherous walk to the door. She turned the doorknob gently, her mind spinning as to what this was all about. She couldn't think of anything she had done wrong.

She pushed open the door and swallowed, bracing herself for the worse. Less than forty minutes after his arrival and she was already hating this. She was trying to give him the benefit of the doubt that maybe the journey back was a little hectic.

"You called Mr. Lyc-Lucian." She muttered haphazardly, her nerves tied in a knot.

He raised his head, along with his brows, his lips a thin line and he spoke. "Where were you?"