Her Sole Weakness

Chapter 2: Her Sole Weakness

The next day, I found myself waking up in a freezing hotel room all by myself. The man with me disappeared without any trace of his existence apart from the empty bottles of red wine on the table.

Last night's commotion was a blast for me. A part of me wants to remember what exactly happened last night but my head keeps on spinning. On the bright side, his plan of cheating somehow worked when I manage to stop thinking about the world outside.

Stop thinking about my best friend and roommate having their first monthsary the other night. However, as soon as I open my eyes, reality immediately struck me with a bolt of lightning.

The excruciating feeling of being betrayed flashed through my eyes. Even Dylan was fooled by Mauren's charm. So I jump out of bed and wander the room for a few seconds before sliding to the bathroom.

"Good morning, Elaine!" Dylan greeted me with an ear-to-ear smile on his face as soon as I stepped foot into his office. It was the kind of smile that tells me his night with Mauren was also a blast. "Did you use the car coming here?"

Despite having a hard time breathing, I forced myself to smile since I am standing in front of my boss and we are now in our workplace. "Thank you for the gift, Dylan. But I cannot accept it." I replied before sliding to him and setting the car keys on the table. "Mauren deserves the gift more than me."

"Did I do something wrong, Elaine?" Dylan frowned while looking me in the eye. "Was it because Mauren and I kept our relationship from you?"

Before I could say a word to him, I slightly adjusted my face back to the doorway trying to stop the tears in my eyes from pouring. "You did nothing wrong, Mr. Spencer. It was I who lied to you all these years."

Then I grab the tablet across from me and checked his daily schedule. "You will have an emergency meeting with the CEO of TWS Holdings Inc. at nine, Mr. Spencer." I continued to stop the awkward sensation that divides us in his office. "After lunch, you are scheduled to visit the construction site for inspection."

"I have my other appointment at nine." someone's familiar voice echoed in my ears. I turned my face back to the doorway and found Ghino Frost standing right through my eyes. "I know my little brother has nothing to do right now. Let's make our time progressive, shall we?"

Ghino extended his greeting with a smile on his face. And I am standing in the same spot with my legs stiffened and brain frozen. I heard Ghino's statement loud and clear. He claims to be Dylan's older brother.

"Don't just stand there, Elaine, give him a cup of coffee," Dylan shattered my thoughts but his sharp stares were focused solely on Ghino.

In the middle of preparing for the cup of coffee, I could not help but feel anxious about Ghino's sudden appearance. Let alone knowing he is Dylan's older brother. The same man with whom I spent the night in the hotel room.

Why am I not aware of any of this? He had a brother?

"Thank you, Ms. Elaine," the other cup of coffee almost slips off my hand upon hearing my name coming from Ghino's mouth.

Nothing happened between us last night. Ghino and I may be drunk last night but I am certain nothing happened. I was still in clothes when I woke up this morning. Even checked my cauliflower and it was still intact.

Ghino made his first move but I made it clear to him that I cannot betray my feelings for Dylan even if he and Mauren stabbed me. So we agreed to just talk and drink instead of having sex.

"Do you mind if I ask you a question, Ms. Elaine?" Ghino cut off Dylan in the middle of his explanation about their family's France business expansion.

Since Ghino stepped foot into the office, I could not help but notice his obvious glance at me. Dylan may have also noticed it but he did not say anything as he was focused on the meeting.

"Please, dont get me wrong. I know it was inappropriate to ask this while in the middle of a meeting but I could not help seeing such a goddess like you working in my brother's office." he continued. "Do you have a boyfriend?"

Dylan was looking at me but my eyes were fixed on Ghino, trying to read what was running through his mind at the moment. I don't know what he was up to, but it has something to do with us spending the night, I started to regret it.

"Yes, she has," Dylan replied on my behalf. "She's my girlfriend, Ghino, so don't you dare lay even the tip of your fingers on her."

The tension hangs heavy in the air between Ghino and Dylan. My boss sounded concerned at the same time, he was furious toward his brother.

Ghino, on the other hand, remains his eyes fixed on me with a smile on his face while ignoring Dylan's defensive statement.

"So, it was you who broke up her heart last night then?" Ghino's smile almost reaches his ears before he drags his eyes back to Dylan. "It was her special day last night but her best friend who promised to be there didn't show up..."

"No, I don't have a boyfriend." I cut off Ghino's statement before he could finish it, especially the part when I told him about having a one-sided feeling for Dylan. "The time is already a quarter to nine, Mr. Frost. You said it yourself, you still have an appointment at nine."

By that, the two agreed to resume their disrupted meeting. The tension between Dylan and his brother was still hanging heavy in the air. I don't know what happened between them but my instinct was telling me that Dylan completely hates Ghino.

But the one thing that caught my attention and felt intrigued is them having different last names and physical features. Dylan was carrying her mom's last name but Ghino had their deceased dad.

Right after the meeting, Dylan personally assists his brother in heading to the nearest elevator which surprises me. He even stops and tells me to simply stay in the office and focus on my pending work instead of sending them outside.

"What was that earlier, Elaine?" Dylan asked me the second he got back to the office. Irritation was evident in his voice before he grabs his seat.

"Aren't I supposed to be the one asking you that, Mr. Spencer? Why do you have to lie to your brother's face that I am just your secretary?" I replied.

"You're not just the secretary in this company, Elaine. You are my best friend, Elaine." Dylan insisted, "And I know my brother more than anyone. He is going to hurt you."

Of course. They are brothers indeed. A part of me wanted to confess and confront him that he hurt me to the deepest part of my bone last night but I want to stay professional as much as possible while working with the company.

"Here is the list of the shareholders of the construction company that you asked last week, Mr. Spencer." I set to his desk the white folder I was holding.

"And you are changing the subject. Great!" Dylan heaved an abrupt sigh of dismay.

"With all due respect, Mr. Spencer, we are in your office. Work and personal matters must be separated." I insisted, "You don't need to defend me from your brother. He just asks me if I have a boyfriend. And you said it yourself, I am just your best friend. Nothing more. Nothing less. And for the record, we slept last night."

Before I could get back onto my words, I flashed to the washroom and rinsed my face with warm water. And for me to eject the cold air that was stuck in my chest since I stepped into the office.

Staying with Dylan for a long time in one room suffocates me. But I have no right to get jealous or mad at either him or Mauren. I am just his secretary.

For that same reason, I manage to catch up with the best option. After rinsing my face with warm water, I went back to my office. And there is Dylan, standing beside my desk.

"If you are trying to convince me about that car keys, don't waste your time, Mr. Spencer. You know me better than anyone." I said with conviction.

And I was referring to my sense of pride that once I let go of things, I have no plan on getting them back. I already let go of the car keys.

"But this is my present for your birthday, Elaine. Why? Why are you returning this to me? You didn't like it? Did I do something wrong, huh? Tell me so I can make it up to you!"

God damn it, Elaine! Can you just tell him already? Once and for all, unfold your feelings to him. This is your chance to say to him that you love him.

"You have been working in our company for ten years and counting," he continued, "You deserved to be rewarded with something expensive. Was it about your birthday? That I spent the night with my girlfriend instead of you, my best friend?"

For God's sake Dylan! Why can't you see the answers in my heart and my eyes? It was already in front of you. Don't make this hard for me, please.

He knew it from the start yet he still asks me. "Mr. Spencer, I want you to hire someone to replace me," I said, and that is the only way I could move on with my feelings for him.

"Excuse me?" Dylan blurted in disbelief.

"I'll prepare everything for the turnover before the end of this month," I replied. "And I'll be posting the job online as soon as possible. But right now, we must proceed to the construction site."

Dylan did not say a word despite the remarks. Instead, he evacuated the office without anything in his hands. But I know he already has hundreds of questions in mind and is probably waiting for the right time for my mood to subside.

He knows that something is off about me. The worst about the case is that he does not easily buy whatever I show him. Dylan believes that my monthly period keeps visiting me every time I say things upfront.

That is one of the reasons he can never sense my feelings for him. For him, everything I say not work-related is not serious because I do that to him every time.

Meanwhile, as soon as we reached the car waiting for us outside, he suddenly shrugs me off. Hard enough I could barely step my foot forward.

"I'm so sorry, okay?" he said, this time, his voice laced with concern. "Please, don't get jealous of Mauren, Elaine. I told you that you always have a special place in my heart, remember?"

Then he turned around and reached out to my cheeks before he continued, "I need you more than Mauren, and you know that," he smiled. "So don't leave me. Please? Elaine, I can barely imagine myself without my best friend."

To my surprise, he wrapped his arms around me. Tight enough that I could barely move and felt the warmth of his heart. How am I supposed to move on and get past this?

Dylan Spencer, my best friend, is my weakness.