MY CEO BESTIE AND ME

Lerisa Jonah stood up from her office chair on the third floor of a magnificent five-story building as she was through with her office work for the day.

She worked as Anthony Gregson's secretary, so she stepped out of her office chair and picked up her black handbag that was on her desk. She was already going home.

Lerisa was a 24-year-old fair-skinned woman, wearing a yellow shirt, black pencil skirt, and black shoes. She wondered why she hadn't seen Anthony stepping out of his office.

She knew that Anthony usually closed by 5 pm and left the company before 6 pm, which was the company's normal closing hour.

She made her way toward Anthony's office door to find out what was still delaying her boss. The time was after 6 pm, and most of the staff were already going home.

Approaching Anthony's office door, Lerisa knocked, and she heard him respond, “Come in.”

She gently pushed Anthony's office door open, stepped into his office, and saw him seated on his executive office chair, staring at a red ring box in his hands.

Lerisa's heart dropped the moment she saw the beautiful, sparkling diamond ring in Anthony's hand.

She knew at that moment that Anthony was in a very serious relationship with Clara Harry and would soon propose to her.

Lerisa felt like crying as she was also secretly in love with Anthony, but she couldn't tell him the truth because she wasn't brave enough to do so.

Her fair face turned red in sadness, and she stared downward to hide the saddened look on her face.

Anthony was busy admiring the diamond ring in the box that he was holding, so he didn't shift his gaze to stare at Lerisa.

They were childhood best friends due to their fathers' closeness in the past.

Lerisa's father had been Anthony's father's former assistant. He had supported Anthony's father in building the fashion company, which was now Anthony's own.

Lerisa knew that Clara Harry was a cheat and not deserving of a man like Anthony. She had seen Clara several times behind Anthony's back, flirting with different men, but she couldn't advise Anthony to stop dating her.

Lerisa had witnessed Clara visiting Anthony in his office and had even caught them kissing. This made her heart sink in her chest, knowing that Anthony was seriously in love with Clara.

Anthony was a 30-year-old black man. He wore a black suit with an inner red shirt and black shoes, which made him look handsome.

He had a short mustache and beard that enhanced his looks and made him look charming.

Anthony finally stared at Lerisa's face and saw her staring downward in his office. He wondered what she wanted, as he had seen her for the day.

He had forgotten that his company had closed, as he was busy admiring the ring he had bought. He intended to propose to Clara the following day.

“What do you want, Lerisa?” Anthony asked.

“I… I…” Lerisa spluttered. She was unable to say why she was in his office as she sounded heartbroken upon seeing that lovely ring.

She had come to tell Anthony that she was already going home, but he didn't look up at her face again. He was busy admiring the diamond ring and wondering if Clara would like it.

Anthony asked her, “How do you see this ring, Lerisa? Remember that I invited you and the rest of our staff to attend my birthday party tomorrow at my family's house? Well, I want to propose to Clara tomorrow. But I don't know if she will accept this beautiful diamond ring that I have bought for her and ordered from abroad. I do love Clara. What do you think, Lerisa? Do you believe that Clara will love this ring and accept it? I bought it to prove my love to her.”

Lerisa's heart broke even more at Anthony's question.

She saw him smiling sweetly at the ring as he continued looking downward at it. She replied, “I thought you had closed, Sir. That's why I'm here to collect the office key from you. But it seems you're not yet ready to go home.”

Anthony immediately noticed the sadness in Lerisa's voice.

He shut the red ring box in his hands and stood up from his office chair. He walked over to meet her and asked, “What's wrong, Lerisa?”

Lerisa turned her back on Anthony as hot tears streamed freely down from her eyes.

She couldn't tell Anthony the truth—that she was in love with him. Anthony only saw her as a sister, even though they were unrelated.

“What's wrong, Lerisa?” Anthony finally approached her and swirled her around to face him.

Lerisa felt the sparks, but Anthony ignored them and looked intently at her face.

“Tell me, what's wrong with you?” he asked again in a stern voice. Lerisa shuddered in his hold, but shook her head to indicate nothing.

She lied to him, “Nothing, Sir. I only came here to tell you that I'm going home. The company has closed for the day, and to collect the office key from you.”

“Sir?” Anthony asked again as he continued to stare at Lerisa's face coldly. His eyes squinted in pain.

“How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me Sir? You're like a sister to me, and not just a staff member here,” Anthony said.

Lerisa shuddered because she hated it when Anthony always reminded her that she was like a sister to him.

Anthony's office door was pushed open, and his office assistant Mark Terry stepped into the office.

Mark looked surprised to see Anthony holding Lerisa's arms firmly and closely to his chest. Anthony didn't look at him and was busy staring at Lerisa's face.

'Do they want to kiss?' Mark wondered, but he quickly composed himself, put on a normal expression, and apologized. “I'm sorry, boss.”