Part 3

Taking a deep breath, she faced him. Mia had no idea what he's going to talk about. It could be about number of things and that scared her. Not knowing the exact topic because then she would fumble and make a fool of herself in front of him. She's not very eloquent when it comes to speaking with Damon all alone. Something she needs to learn. 

"Umm...sir. May I know what do you want to talk  about?" 

Damon licked his lips. "So I received a reminder mail from your university. As your boss, I have to give out character certificate before you graduate or something? Is that right?"

Shit. Mia almost forgot about it. How did she not read his emails? What a stupid day to be late for her job! Earlier she thought that Rossi Sr would be kind enough to give her an amazing certificate for all the work she's done for him, but now she's not sure. Damon can be a bit harsh sometimes, so it scared her, and that's why she's been holding off to ask him. Besides they had four months till that maybe she'll be able to change his mind about her. 

"Yeah, sir...I forgot to inform you about it."

Damon snorted. "You've been doing that a lot lately, Miss Grace. Distracted by someone?" 

Yeah, you! She refrained from answering his invasive question and instead shook her head. After all, he had no business knowing how she's affected by him even after months. "Martin knew about it. He was going to give the certificate but..."

"But I took over, and you have to get the certificate from your current employer." Her boss finished with a twitch in his lips. Was he plotting something? It made her insides curl just thinking about how that news bought a different shade on him. In a way, he did have control over her hard-earned degree. 

The certificate carried fifty per cent of her marks which will be added to her final credits score. Yeah, she was so screwed. Gulping, she made eye contact. "Yes, sir."

"Good to know. I think everything happens for a reason. You coming late and me finding that email addressed to me." Damon let out a short laugh. 

Mia bit her lips. That's not something she can agree when it involved her. She cut him off sharply. "Is that all sir?"

He hummed, closing the file. "For now. If I were you, I would do my job extra cautious Miss Grace. Just a suggestion." 

Mia rolled her eyes and flashed him a smile, too sweet and fake to be true. "Thanks for the advice, sir!" And then slammed the door behind her.

***

When she got to her desk, she made it a mission to plop down extra harder just to make a sound. Mia was so annoyed at him, his stupid handsome grin and that cocky face. Too bad she couldn't punch him. 

Only four more months. Mia reassured herself.

Just then, her phone pinged.

I am hungry. 

Mia blinked at her mobile a few times. It was from Damon, of course. He texted her. She had his number, and they only texted work-related things or when he wanted to yell at her for something she did wrong. Mostly he remembered it when he's at home all alone. Very weird indeed. If she didn't know his workaholic habits, she would mistake him for finding excuses to talk with her. 

Um, She typed, not knowing how to respond before eventually typing. Okay?

you should help me I'm your boss

Sure sir. That's what I am here for. 

Mia hoped that he was able to detect the sarcasm behind that simple response. Mostly she wanted to yell at him because a few minutes earlier they were in the same room. He could have easily told her that instead of texting. 

Few seconds passed by before her phone pinged again.

Damon proceeded to rattle off the ridiculous cake order she had ever seen in her life, name-dropped at least posh bakeries which didn't sound real. So that's his order for an evening snack. Mia had no idea he had evening snacks, and she's been working for six months for him. Her boss also asked her to have the cake back in the next three hours.

She was left staring at her phone, his empty office door, and then the pile of paperwork she's got on the desk.

Are you serious? 

Even though she had a strong urge to use f word, she was polite. Her fate rested in his hands. 

Damon replied the devil emoji; he's an absolute asshole.

***

Her immediate response was to call Jane who assured that no such flavour of cake exists and even if they do they'll have to be called in earlier. So yeah Mia was panicking. She herself went around and asked for marshmallows and peanut butter cake but and neither of the bakeries had them. 

Mia decided to spend fifteen minutes wandering around New York just to be certain, but from the moment Damon sent her that text, she knew. He might be testing her. That's why he reminded her of the character certificate. She wasn't going to fail. 

So that's why she made a cake. You heard it right. Mia baked a cake. Jane picked up all the ingredients on her way back while Mia cleaned the office kitchen. All in all, the cake turned out to be a marvel, and she was very proud when she stumbled into the office carrying it in a box and covered in flour—a bit around her face and chin. 

"Is that what you did for the past three hours?" Renee snorted, twirling her hair around her finger. She was one of those people who love to make fun of others to feel better. It's sad, really. 

"And what did you do Rene? End world hunger?" Jane taunted. 

"It's Renee"

"Like I care" 

Naturally, they didn't get along. Jane was too sweet, kind and overall a sweetheart who loved cuddling, ogling hot guys and gossiping while Rene was a complete devil. That's all Mia had to say. 

"Okay, I need to go now" With that Mia wobbled, rushing towards the elevator, cake secured in her hands. 

"Hold the elevator, please!" She yelled as the doors were about to close. 

Mia watched as the doors slid open and an attractive man with short, dark hair and a thick beard pressed on the bottom button. He looked slightly flustered but apologetic. 

"Sorry," He smiled, straightening up his blazer. His dark eyes resembled a puppy almost, seeming very soft and kind. He didn't look that much older than Damon and only stood a few inches taller.

"It's all right" She returned a tight lip smile as the elevator began going up. 

"Ah, well, we're headed to the same floor," The stranger chuckled, turning to face her and putting his hands behind, on the rails. "Who do you work for? Dro?"

"I- what?" She scrunched up her face at his words, feeling flustered and cheeks heating up nervously before it dawned her. "Damon Rossi? Then yes. I'm Mia Grace"

The man's eyes widened in surprise. "Oh. You are Mia!"

What did that exaggerated tone even mean? Her face was burning now, and she could only hope that the elevator had almost reached the top. The last thing she wanted was to be questioned more in an elevator while holding a cake. 

The man immediately went soft. "Oh, I'm sorry, hey, allow me to introduce myself-"

Mia was so lost in her embarrassment that she was completely unaware that the elevator had stopped moving, and the doors were open, where Damon stood with a blank face. When he saw another guy, his jaw clenched. 

"Norton"

"Hey, Dro!"

"Don't call me that" Her boss gritted. Wow hostile much? 

"Always so polite" The stranger laughed while patting his arm. 

"Go wait in the conference room I'll be there in a minute" Damon rolled his eyes while pointing towards the conference room. Who was he exactly?

Norton agreed and immediately waved at Mia before walking past them. As soon as he was out, the twenty-five year old felt like she could breathe. It's just too much tension. 

Damon stared back at her, at a loss for a word. "Is that?" He started to ask.

"Marshmallow and peanut butter cake?" She added. "It is one of those." She set it down on his palms and opened the box, revealing the cake and taking pride in the way it appeared. So flawless. 

"You," Damon started, shaking his head. "There's no such thing as marshmallow and peanut butter cake. Where did you find it?"

Mia poked her finger into the icing on the side and popping it into her mouth. "I baked it" 

Her boss swallowed. His Adam's apple bobbed at the action. He's still very attractive despite his behaviour. Mia debated on 'accidentally' stepping on his toe. "You," Damon murmured. "You baked it?"

Mia used to work in a bakery before she landed a job with Rossi's. So there's that. 

She blinked. "Erm, yeah, isn't that what you wanted?"

"Um...sure" His face said otherwise. Ha! 

Mia:1 Damon:0

***

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