MY CEO BESTIE AND ME

On the 3rd floor in L.H. Group, a luxury five-story building, it was a Friday evening. Lerisa Jonah, a fair-complexioned 24-year-old lady, stood up from her office chair as she finished her work for the day.

She worked as Anthony Gregson's secretary, so she stepped out of her office seat and picked up her black handbag from her office desk, preparing to go home.

Lerisa was wearing a yellow shirt, black pencil skirt, and black shoes. She wondered why she hadn't seen Anthony leaving 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 already past 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 pushed Anthony's office door slightly open and stepped inside. She saw him seated on his executive office chair, staring at a red ring box in his hands.

Lerisa's heart sank 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 out as she was also secretly in love with Anthony, but she couldn't tell him the truth, as she wasn't brave enough to do so.

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

Anthony was busy admiring the diamond ring in the box he was holding and didn't shift his gaze to look at Lerisa.

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

In working together, Lerisa's father was Anthony's father's former assistant. He had supported Anthony's father in building the 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 bring herself to advise Anthony to stop dating Clara.

Lerisa had witnessed Clara visiting Anthony in his office and caught them kissing, which 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 as a man.

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 earlier that 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 and marry her the following day.

Anthony asked her, "What do you want, Lerisa?"

"I… I…" Lerisa spluttered, unable to say why she was in his office, sounding heartbroken upon seeing the 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 like 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 and ordered from abroad. I do love Clara. What do you think, Lerisa? Do you think 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 naive question.

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

Anthony immediately noticed the sadness in Lerisa's voice.

He shut the ring box in his hands and stood up from his office seat. As he walked out to meet her, he asked, "What's wrong, Lerisa?"

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

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

"What's wrong, Lerisa?" Anthony finally approached Lerisa 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?" Anthony asked again in a concerned 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 already going home. The company has closed for the day, and to collect the office key from you."

"Sir?" Anthony asked 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, Lerisa? You're like a sister to me, and not just a staff here," Anthony said. Lerisa shuddered as she hated being reminded that she was like a sister to him.

Anthony's office door pushed open, and his office assistant Mark Terry stepped into his office to see him.

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

'Do they want to kiss?' Mark wondered in his mind, but he quickly composed his surprised look and apologized, "I'm sorry, boss."