Chapter 1. Seeing the diamond ring

At L.H. Group, Lerisa Jonah stood up from her executive office chair as she was through with her office work for the day. She works as Anthony Gregson's secretary, so she stepped out of her chair and picked up her black handbag that was on her desk as she was already going home.

She's a fair-in-complexion young lady, 24, and she was wearing a yellow shirt, a black pencil skirt, and black shoes. She wondered why she hadn't seen Anthony stepping out of his office. She knew that Anthony usually closes by 5 p.m. and leaves the company before 6 p.m., 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. As the time was already after 6 p.m. and most of the staff had gone home,.

Approaching Anthony's office door, she knocked, and she heard him respond, “Come in.” She pushed Anthony's office door opened and stepped into his office, where she saw him seated on his executive office seat and 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. At that moment, she knew that Anthony was in a very serious relationship with Clara Harry. And Anthony would soon propose to Clara.

Lerisa felt like crying out because she was also in love with Anthony, but she couldn't tell him the truth as she wasn't brave enough to do so. Her yellow face immediately turned red in sadness, and she stared downward to hide her saddened look.

Anthony was rather busy admiring the diamond ring in the box that he was holding, as he didn't shift his gaze to stare at Lerisa. He and Lerisa were childhood best friends due to their fathers' closeness in the past. When they worked together, Lerisa's father helped Anthony's father build the company, which is now Anthony's own.

Lerisa knew that Clara Harry was a cheat and not worthy of a man like Anthony. She'd seen Clara flirting with different men several times behind Anthony's back, but she couldn't advise Anthony to stop dating Clara. She witnessed Clara visiting Anthony in his office and caught them kissing too. Her heart sank as she realized Anthony was deeply 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 has a short mustache and beard that enhance his looks and make him look charming as a man.

Anthony finally looked at Lerisa's face, and he saw her staring downward in his office. He wondered what she wanted, as he had seen her for the day. He forgot that his company had closed, as he was busy admiring the ring that he had bought. He intended to propose to Clara to marry him the following day.

"What do you want, Lerisa?" he asked Lerisa.

"I…" Larisa spluttered and was unable to say why she was in Anthony's office. She sounded heartbroken upon seeing that lovely ring. She came to tell Anthony that she was already going home, but Anthony didn't stare up at her face. He was busy admiring the diamond ring and wondering if Clara would like it.

Anthony asked, “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 stupid question. She noticed him smiling sweetly at the ring. As Anthony continued looking downward at the ring, She replied, “I thought you had closed, that's why I'm here to collect the office key from your hands. But it seemed like you ain't 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 seat. He approached Lerisa and inquired, "What's wrong, Lerisa?"

Lerisa turned her back on Anthony as hot tears freely streamed down from her eyes. She couldn't tell Anthony the truth—that she was in love with him. Anthony only saw her as his sister, despite the fact that they were unrelated.

"What's wrong, Lerisa?” Anthony approached Lerisa, and he swirled her around to face him. Lerisa felt the sparks, but Anthony ignored the sparks and looked intently at her face.

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

“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, staring coldly at Lerisa's face. His eyes squinted, "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 member here."

Lerisa shuddered as she hated for Anthony to always remind her 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 stunned upon seeing Anthony holding unto Lerisa's arms firmly and closely to his chest.

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