Part 4

It was nearly night time. Her eyes were dropping every second as Mia stared at the screen. She was aware that most of the employees have gone home but not her. Oh no. Since she had no one to go home to, she could easily spend as much time in the Rossi building until they completely shut down the lights. Also, the reason she had to stay back had more to do with her cruel boss. It was Damons punishment, after all. Not staying late but finishing the projects he asked her to. 

Mia finished a very small portion of the papers that were filled to the brink with typos.

The employee was sure that Damon did that on purpose just to stall her. Organising them was a pain in the ass, but that's what he wanted her to do so she couldn't deny it. Mia took deep breaths in between, trying not to scream at the screen hurting her eyes or the fact that Damon was sitting in his chair, probably laughing cracking his knuckles and laughing like a true Bond villain. Maybe she needs to stop watching movies.

Throughout the night, she cursed her boss in her head. 

"Still working, Miss Grace?" An amused voice echoed from her front. She didn't have to guess herself second to know who it belonged to. Raising her head, Mia met his eyes, glaring at him as he had a coy smirk playing at his lips. He was so enjoying this! Knowing that she had no option but to do what he asked for the next four months. Only if it was that easy to get away with murder. Alas!

"Don't you want to go home?" He innocently blinked at her. He was teasing—the damn bastard.

Mia snorted before smiling and with a sweet voice, said, "No sir, I am perfectly fine with staying here and completing the work you so kindly offered me. I hope to help you with vastly improving this company. After all, your father has worked so hard to make a name of it." 

That last comment was meant to stung. Even though his father started the business, apparently Damon had a massive hand in making it big. That's what the gossip is about anyway. She didn't know if she should believe it. On the one hand, it's possible as Damon was in his mid-thirties, extraordinarily talented and had a successful hotel up and running in Spain before he took over. But on the other hand, she simply didn't want him to be credited for it. 

Damon only raised an eyebrow with a slight frown. In the end, he just shrugged and walked away. Not even a goodbye or good luck. What can she even expect? 

***

The next morning as she entered the office, barely functioning and with lips pressed together, Mia received many looks directed her way. Nothing new. She didn't fit the conventional standard set by the office. That was not to look like a zombie every morning. Staying up till three in the night does that to you alright. Who's going to tell them that? 

Shaking her head, she rushed to Jane's desk, noticing AJ lounging on the chair. He was another person whom she tolerated. 

"Where is Jane?"

AJ made an exasperated sound. "Getting tea."

"And what are you doing at her desk? Did the big boss finally ask you to leave?" She teasingly asked, setting her bag on the table. It was a running joke in the office because he was warned one too many times to be fired. Somehow they never fire him. 

He snorted. "As if anyone wants to get rid of me!"

"Oh, you have no idea!"

AJ rolled his eyes and sat upright. "Whatever. Just tell me this. Is it true then?"

Oh, and also one of the biggest gossip. The reason he got warned to be fired. But that's AJ for you he'll never let go of his habit. 

"Is what true?"

"That you and Damon spent some alone time in the conference room yesterday" He wriggled his brow. 

Mia scoffed, mock offended. "As if I would let him breathe anywhere near me."

"But he's so handsome!"

"Why does everyone keep saying that?" She exclaimed, shaking her head. 

"Because it's true."

Before she could reply, Jane rushed towards them and handed a cup of tea to Mia. "Just finish this quickly!"

"Why?"

"Boss called a team meeting at 9:30 to discuss the work module" Jane started taking a large sip of her herbal tea and immediately wincing. The twenty-five-year-old stared in confusion at her best friend. What meeting?

"What? You don't know? An email was sent at seven this morning." 

"Oh, I haven't checked it."

Jane sighed. "Yeah! Check it and go through the document attached before the meeting."

***

Everyone from the team gathered in the conference room at 9:30 with their laptops. They were nervous; faces pale as they stared at the art hung around the office, waiting for Damon. 

Mia roamed her eyes around the room. There's only a handful of people which made it even more enjoyable. 

"I can sleep on this," Mia huffed to Jane. 

"I wish I can sleep with our boss" AJ corrected, adjusting his glasses.

"You both are getting way too bold! Try saying that in front of our boss!" Jane snickered.

Mia giggled to which AJ knocked her elbows. There's no way they could say anything in front of Damon.

She was going through the document again when some chattering and laughing sounds from outside the room caught her attention. When she looked up at the door, a tall man wearing a black suit, white shirt, and blue tie walked inside, fixing the bridge of his black glasses. The room instantly filled with the overpowering smell of cologne. His shoes were shinier than the mirror at Mia's home. It took her a second to realise that it's Damon in glasses. 

Mia felt her throat go dry at that. Since when did he wear glasses? Most of the people were slack mouthed as well, maybe trying to figure out the same thing. Damon headed straight to his seat, a blank look on his face. As expected. She's starting to wonder someone does piss him off on the way to work. What else could cause that look on his face?

Everyone greeted him, except Mia, who was at a loss of words by looking at him. On instinct, Damon turned to her and their gazes locked. For that every second she couldn't breathe, cheeks flushed as he narrowed his eyes at her.

Clearing his throat, Damon settled down in his seat on the far side of the table.

What was going on with her? That's such a strange reaction. Schooling her features, she turned to the other man who entered the room. Chris. She knew him very well. He's the guy who interviewed her along with Rossi Sr. Nowadays she rarely saw him as he was overlooking Damon's office in Spain.

"Mia" He breathed, settling on the opposite seat to her. "Good morning. How are you doing?"

"Morning, Chris. It's been a while" He shrugged. 

"I am great, thanks. How are you?" She asked, smiling, turning her full attention to him.

"Pretty great actually. Spain is a lot warmer than New York, so there's that," Chris chuckled. 

Someone cleared their throat loudly before she could respond. Mia turned her head to look at Damon, who had a scowl on his face. His jaw clenched. "Are you two done? We can reschedule this meeting after your date if you would like" 

Mia turned red at that. What was his problem? Chris met her for a long time. They were simply catching up like people are supposed to, but with Damon, it's always wrong. 

"Damon don't be an ass" Chris huffed. 

"It's sir to you" Damon corrected, glaring at him. 

"Okay, sir, don't be an ass." 

Mia smothered her giggles, coughing and immediately focusing on her knees. She so wanted to see the look on her boss face. 

"Don't make me fire you" Damon warned him. "Get to your work now."

"Everyone doing good today?" Chris cleared his throat, mustering a polite smile. "Alright, let's start."

Chris rubbed his hands together and opened his presentation connected to the screen through the projector. He started blabbering something about construction and schedule. Frankly, Mia was very out of it. 

Everyone started clapping, which woke her up. 

Damon had a gleam in his eyes as he stared at the screen with his elbows resting on the armrest and index fingers, touching his lips. It distracted her for a while. 

Chris continued. "All ok with it?"

Everyone nodded as he proceeded with the slides.

Mia looked over her shoulder and blushed at Damon's intense gaze on her. She quickly turned her head back to the screen, but she could feel her heart beating wildly as his gaze lingered on her throughout the meeting.

The meeting dragged for several hours. Four to be precise as everyone was asked to pitch their ideas and then cons and pros were measured. After that, they finalised on one idea given by Renee because she's talented even though annoying. Then the meeting was over, and everyone started to leave.

As Mia dragged her feet to the door, a voice interrupted her. 

"Miss Grace"

"Yes?"

"What about lunch?" 

She blinked at him slowly. "Excuse me?"

"Chris-He...wants you to join us for lunch." 

Her eyes flickered to Chris, who was wrapping her, he smiled at her. "Okay, sure I will join." 

***