Chapter 6

(Leonard's POV)

The moment Adrian and his girlfriend left my office, I fell in my chair and drummed my fingers on my desk.

Funny of him to have thought he could bring a random girl to my office and request for a specific job position just because she was his so called girlfriend. Adrian knew I was strict when it came to business.

And girlfriend? Girlfriends changed. He should have brought his fiancée and perhaps I would've listened to him.

I cocked my head to the side and thought about the thing that gnawed at my mind the most.

Chelsea.

The way Adrian had called her name. The way he had looked at her. I didn't want to believe she was just a friend to him.

Besides, when he realized Chelsea was my personal assistant, his expression changed and his girlfriend seemed pissed likewise.

I picked up my phone and dialed a number.

"Hello, Greg."

"Leonard!!! My man!!!"

I winced at the sound of the man which yelled at the other end. He was my good friend and business partner, although I treated him more like my personal assistant. I had the wealth while he had the brains.

"I need you to look into something for me." I said, going straight to the point.

"Oh, sure. What's that?" I imagined him in his mansion, surrounded by women, a cigarette in his mouth.

"I need to know the relationship between my son and a girl named Chelsea Laurent."

"Who? Adrian?"

I rolled my eyes. "I only have one son, Greg."

Greg laughed out loud. "Adrian and a girl named Chelsea Laurent, huh? That wouldn't be hard at all. I'll give you an answer before midnight."

"Great. Thank you."

"Always my pleasure, Leo."

While the call ended, I sat upright and grabbed my keys, heading straight out the door. I barely looked Chelsea’s way as she sat poised in front of her computer.

"Cancel all my appointments for today. I won't be returning."

I think she had a look of shock and confusion on her face. I wasn't sure. I was out of her sight before I knew it.

A short drive down and I ended up in a club. I claimed a spot in the VIP area where I had the best view to watch the strippers from upstairs. I ordered a drink while I focused on the half naked women who danced around a pole of their own.

There were about three of them. The one in the middle caught my attention the most, yet I found her boring. Her boobs were out, her string panties tight and slim enough to keep her round ass on full display yet nothing about the way she twirled or arched her back or flung her long blonde hair turned me on.

I began to get restless. I felt too stubborn to admit what I suspected was going on.

There was something else on my mind. Or someone else. I was distracted.

An hour later after battling with my mind and taking several sips of bourbon, my phone rang. I picked up.

"Hello, Greg."

Greg cleared his throat before responding on the other end. "I found out about the relationship between Chelsea Laurent and Adrian like you asked. Turns out she's just some chick he's dating."

"Dating?" I asked, dropping my drink on the table in front of me. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yes. However, I'm not sure about their current status. He might have cheated on her..." Greg paused and cleared his throat once more. "With her bestfriend."

"Sophia?"

"What?"

"Is that what her bestfriend is called?"

"Oh, yes. Adrian has been seen more often with a girl named Sophia than normal. Chelsea's best friend, it seems."

"I see." I stretched my leg on the glass table and leaned back in my seat.

The puzzles in my head finally pieced together. Chelsea had confessed about her boyfriend cheating on her with her best friend that night in the hotel room. And this boyfriend was Adrian.

"Thank you, Greg. I'll talk to you later."

"Wait!"

Luckily for him, I hadn't ended the call yet.

"What's this about?" He asked and I raised my eyebrows.

"What's what about?" I asked back.

"Chelsea Laurent. What am I missing? Why are you so curious about her? Or is it your son you're curious about?"

"I don't seem to understand your question." My eyes landed on the strippers.

Maybe I knew what he was asking but that would only mean there was a high chance that he was smarter than I thought he was.

"Chelsea Laurent is your personal assistant, isn't she? She recently got employed into your company according to the info I've got on her."

"So?"

"And the next thing you want to know is her relationship with your son? As if you would have given two shits about who your son dates!" He argued. "I know there's more interesting stuff I need to hear."

"Greg. It's just..." I sighed, letting out a long breath as I dragged my hand down my face. "It's complicated."

"How complicated?"

"It's like the other women. I met her at a bar and almost had sex but we didn't, and I thought I'd never see her again but then she applied for work and... and I hired her. Just like that. I'm not sure why I'm interested in her."

I probably just want to fuck, don't I? What else was there? She left before we got to and now I just wanted to finish it.

For a while, Greg remained silent.

I raised an eyebrow, waiting for a response. But he said nothing.

"Greg?"

"You're not sure why you're interested in her?"

"No." I muttered.

"I'm sorry, but I don't know what else to tell you, Leo. I feel like you already know what's wrong with you." He replied.

"No, I don't." I sat up straight, dropping my leg, my jaw clenching. "Tell me."

"You're attracted to her, Leo. You like this girl. That's all there is." He said.

"And how would you know that?" I asked.

"Because let me guess, you think she's beautiful. You can't stop thinking about her. You think there's a different way she makes you feel than the other girls and women you've encountered. Do you not understand what attraction means?"

"That doesn't still make any sense. I barely know this girl."

"You don't need to. It's the same thing that happened with your wife and I doubt you want the same thing happening again." He concluded, saying the words I dreaded to hear until I would be visiting my grave. "But don't you dare fire her after this, okay? She needs the job. Her mother is sick. Just... "

He paused, taking a deep breath before continuing.

"Just ignore your attraction for her, is all. And you'll be fine."

I closed my hand tightly around my glass cup, although not raising it to my lips just yet. "You said her mother is sick?"

"Yes. I did some extra digging. Your fault for making me so curious about her." He sighed on the other end. "I can't believe I was that curious."

"Thanks again, Greg." I downed the rest of my drink, emptying my glass cup as I slammed it on the table and stood up from my seat. "And I'm not attracted to her. No mistake of mine is going to repeat itself again."