Chapter 40 – Beginning with a Daring Encounter

“Alright. Thank you, sir,” Celsie said, turning to leave.

“Miss Miller?” Harry called before she got to the door.

“Yes?” Celsie asked, looking at him curiously.

“You can’t go into his office unless you’re sent for, or sent there,” Harry said, making Celsie frown. The more they gave her these weird rules, the wearier she became of this CEO. If she didn’t know better, she would think the CEO was someone she knew who was avoiding her, but that was ridiculous. What was he so bent on hiding from? She wondered.

“Noted, sir.”

“By the way, you look really good today.”

“Thank you,” Celsie said with an awkward smile before leaving. She didn’t want to look good. She didn’t even care for any of the compliments she was receiving. All she wanted was to wear her glasses and have her hair out of her face. She didn’t want any sort of attention from anyone. She knew she looked good, so hearing them say it wasn’t a big deal to her.

As she returned to her office, she was like a mini office outside the CEO’s office, she checked her drawers to make sure everything was in place and then closed her eyes when her eyes fell on the envelope Benne had handed her.

She didn’t know whether to be thankful that he had returned it to her or to feel embarrassed. She had left it there when she couldn’t find it that morning, believing that she was never going to run into him again. Who would have thought any of this would happen? She took out the pant and smelt it, and gritted her teeth when she perceived the faint scent of soap. He had washed it. Did he hand wash it? She wondered, her face coloring at the thought.

She would have to dispose of it since there was no way she could wear it again. She threw it into the trashcan and stood up to pick it up immediately. The last thing she needed was for the cleaner, whoever they were to find her panties in the trashcan. That would make them assume all manner of things about her. She took the panties out of the envelope and dipped it inside an inner zip in her handbag before discarding the envelope.

“Time for today’s business!” Celsie said out loud, as she picked up her phone and dialed her secretary’s number. She instructed her to bring every document she needed to attend, to her. And when she was done with the call, her eyes drifted to the CEO’s door. She wondered what she would find behind the door if she went into his office now.

She quickly shook her head to discard any silly thoughts and focused on arranging her desk instead. By the time she was done with that, her secretary knocked on the door, and she gave her the go-ahead to enter.

Although this office was that of a personal assistant, it was undoubtedly bigger and better looking than her previous office. Her secretary looked around with a smile on her face happy that she had gotten the privilege to glimpse a part of the CEO’s office, “Here are the documents,” the secretary said, with her eyes everywhere else but on Celsie. She couldn’t help wondering what Celsie must have done to have received this sort of promotion. Being the CEO’s assistant was a very big deal.

“Thanks. You can leave,” Celsie said as she opened the documents in front of her and started reviewing them.

She remained in that position for some hours until she heard a knock on her door, “You can come in,” She said without raising her head. She raised her head the moment the scent of his perfume invaded her nostrils, and naturally, her face colored.

“Sorry to bother you, Miss Miller, it’s lunchtime,” Benne said, raising the food pack he was carrying so she could see.

“You didn’t have to worry,” She said without meeting his gaze.

Benne said nothing as he looked around the office before looking at her desk, “Nice office. You seem to have settled in,” Benne observed.

Celsie was grateful he wasn’t bringing up the issues of the panties, “I haven’t been here for up to a week, so moving to a different office wasn’t really difficult,” Celsie explained.

“So have you seen him? What is he like?” Benne asked curiously, glancing at the main office door.

“Thankfully he’s not coming to the office today. You won’t believe all the outrageous instructions I’ve been given,” Celsie said with a shake of her head. Benne seemed like the only ‘friend’ she had right now, so she was willing to gossip with him, as long as that removed every awkwardness between them.

“Really? Like?” Benne asked, cocking his head to one side so he could look at her.

“If you’re not in a hurry, you can sit down,” Celsie offered as she covered the documents in front of her and reached for the food pack which he was still holding.

“Sure. Thanks,” Benne said as he handed her the food pack, before taking the seat opposite her. Apart from bringing her lunch as he had promised he would be doing, he had wanted to see if she was still feeling embarrassed about the envelope issue, and also to see if she would treat him differently. He was impressed to see that she was acting as nothing had happened.

Celsie opened the food, thankful that he had remembered to bring her lunch. She was yet to have breakfast as usual, and even though she knew coffee wasn’t good for her, she had taken coffee again. It was one of her guilty pleasures even though she had been warned it exacerbates her ulcer. This was probably how she had gotten an ulcer: always forgetting to eat and consuming coffee.

“Thanks for the food,” Celsie said with a small smile and reached for a hairband inside her handbag, which she used to wrap her hair in a ponytail.

“You really don’t like leaving your hair down? Why?” Benne asked curiously as he watched her.

“I’m more comfortable this way,” Celsie said as she opened the box of chicken and chips, “Have you eaten?” Celsie asked, surprising them both.

Benne smiled, “Yes.”

“How about you bring your lunch so we eat together next time?” Celsie offered.

“Lunch together? Really?” Benne asked with a happy smile which made her heart flutter. She had to admit that he was very good-looking.

Celsie cleared her throat, “Yes. Since you’re new here I’m sure you don’t have many friends either apart from the lady you’re crushing on, so we can eat together,” Celsie said even though a part of her kept telling her that she was making a mistake.

What harm could possibly come from eating with her one-night stand-cum-neighbor-cum-friend-cum-driver?

Benne had an amused smile on his face as he watched her eat, “Do you like your new office?”

“Sure. I honestly don’t care about the office though, since I spend most of my time looking at documents and not at the office,” Celsie said, looking around the office with disinterest.

“Is there a reason you love working so hard? Like maybe you want a big promotion?” Benne asked curiously.

“What promotion could be bigger than this? I should take Mr. Harry’s job? or the CEO’s office?” Celsie asked with an amused smile.

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