Chapter 8

Laura's POV.

I thought I heard Lucas say the wrong words to me. But his words resounded in my ears all over again, a business trip with him.

I held onto the file in my hands so tightly than ever as I stared at Lucas like he had just said something completely insane.

You're definitely insane.” I said, but Lucas didn't smile at me. Probably to prove that my words were wrong.

“I don't joke about work,” he replied.

Of course I was foolish enough not to realize his company was his top priority and he wouldn't trade it over some silly joke.

His words were still trying to process in my head. I didn't even know when I let out a soft chuckle as I shook my head in utter disbelief.

“No. No, that's not happening.” I muttered.

“It is definitely happening. I want you to get your bags packed.” he said, his gaze not leaving mine.

“Didn't you hear me Lucas? I said I'm not going anywhere.” I snapped at him quickly. “You are allowed to go ahead and find someone else. Nina, maybe. She has actually been an employee here before me and she knows how to fit into your business world more than me.” 

“Nina isn't my secretary. You are my secretary, Laura. There is no better person to go with me than you. Also you signed a contract, do you remember, Laura?”

“What does signing a contract have to do with anything about this?” I asked, frowning at him.

“Everything,” he said calmly. “You don't get to pick and choose your responsibilities. You have to do the job you were hired to do.”

“Travelling with you on a business trip has never been part of my job.”

“But it is now,” he responded. I stared at him, my pulse began to pound harder than ever. 

“I can’t just drop everything I am doing and travel with you. I mean apart from my job, I also have a personal life that needs my attention.”

“You won't be dropping anything that concerns your life. You will be doing your job and attending to your personal life all at once.” he replied.

“You don't get to decide that for me.” 

“I already did.”

I hated how calm Lucas always looked in the midst of so much chaos. Like this was nothing to him, and I was the only one who could feel the weight of everything, only because it concerns me and not him.

“Then I quit,” I said suddenly, the words rushing out before I could stop them.

Lucas didn't react the way I expected him to. He didn't get angry or argue with me.

“You can quit your job. But that will be after you pay the penalty.” he said quietly as a shiver ran through my spine.

“What penalty are you talking about?”

“Five Hundred Million Dollars.”

For a second, I just stared at him, then I bursted out laughing. The situation was quite funny to be laughed at. 

At some point, it didn't seem funny to me anymore. Instead, his words sounded ridiculous.

“You're not serious.”

“I am damn serious. I am not fucking joking with you.”

“That's insane.” I whispered.

“It's a contract,” he corrected. “You signed the contract. Have you forgotten?”

“I didn't sign up for this, Lucas. I didn't know_”

“You didn't read it.” He interrupted me and somehow his words sounded harsh to my ears.

“You trapped me. You did all of this on purpose.”

“No Laura, don't blame it on me. I didn't recruit you to be my secretary, you applied for a job and you got it.” 

I knew he wasn't wrong. And I hated that he wasn’t wrong, I looked away from him, slipping my hands through my hair as frustration bubbled inside of me.

“I'm going home. I need to think.” I muttered. He didn't try to stop me or convince me, which actually made me very annoyed. But what was I expecting anyways?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I was already in Zara's estate. I still kept on thinking about the business trip with Lucas, I knew this was a bad idea.

It wasn't just because of work. It was because of us, we were both sexually attracted to each other and things became worse after we spent a passionate intimate night together the other day I came back drunk from the club.

It became worse when I found out he was my boss and I was his secretary. I had already come to a decision of mine that there was no fucking way I was going to go on that business trip with him.

I wasn't going to do it. I wasn't going to think about it anymore. I pushed open the door to Zara's house, I didn't bother to knock because I wasn't a guest in my best friend's house.

“Zara, where are you?” I screamed.

“In the living room, babes!.” 

I walked into the living room, and there she was curled up on the couch. Her phone was in her hand, and as soon as she looked up at me, her face lit up in excitement.

“Laura!” she said, jumping up. “Where the fuck has my best friend been? You've been ignoring me.”

I felt guilty when she said that because I knew her words were true.

“I’ve just been busy.” I said, smiling at her.

She walked towards me, pulling me into a tight hug.

“I missed you my babes.” she said. And I knew she meant every word. I hugged her back tightly.

“I missed you too, my favourite best girl.”

I pulled away from the hug, making sure to avoid her eyes so she wouldn't see through me. Then I settled my body weight on the couch. 

“I need to tell you something, Zara.” I voiced out. Zara sat beside me immediately, focusing all her attention on me.

“Okay… Baby, tell me what it is. What's wrong?”

“I'm not working for your dad,” I said instead. 

“What?” she exclaimed.

“I applied for a job.” I continued quickly. “I didn't know it was his company. I didn't know Lucas was my boss.”

Zara's face changed for a second. It was almost unnoticeable but for some reason, I managed to notice it. Then she did something that surprised me the most, she smiled at me.

“Wait a minute, Laura…like seriously?”

“Yeah.”

“Wow….that's actually so crazy. Tell me more about it.” she said as I let out a soft breath, leaning my back against the couch.

“And now he wants me to go on a business trip with him.”  

“A business trip?” 

“Yes. The business trip is tomorrow.”

“I think you should go.” Zara voiced out. I turned to look at her.

“What?” 

“You should go on the business trip with my dad, I mean your boss now.” she repeated. “It's actually a very good opportunity.” 

“Zara, it's not that simple.” I replied, frowning at her.

“Why not? He's your boss after all.”

“You’re being very weird.” I said, trying to study her face and stare into her eyes so I could read what was inside of it.

“I'm not weird, Laura. Take a chill pill my babes.” 

“You are.”

“I’m just saying….maybe you're overthinking it.” she said. Maybe she was right, I was really overthinking it.

I still didn't want to push it, because if I did, I might say something I wasn't ready to explain.

~ ~ ~ ~

It was already morning. After coming back from Zara's house late at night, I just couldn't sleep because of overthinking.

The only time I got to sleep was in the early hours of the morning. Then my alarm did its one good job by waking me up early so I wouldn't be reprimanded by Lucas.

Before I even knew what was happening, I was standing near the private jet, my heart beating faster than it should.

The business travel trip was really happening. I climbed the steps slowly, then I saw him. Lucas was already inside, he was seated like he was waiting for me.

“You are late,” he said without looking up as I stepped in. I rolled my eyes at him.

“I came, didn't I?” I asked, he glanced up at me. I moved to sit beside him, but I made sure to give him so much distance as I could between us.

But the distance didn't feel enough to me. Nothing ever felt like enough with him, I looked out the window, pretending to focus on anything else but him. I could feel his eyes watching me.

“You are quiet,” he said.

“I prefer it that way.”

“You weren't quiet that night, Laura.” he said as I paused. Then I made my biggest mistake ever, by turning to look at him because he was already looking at me.

He leaned in closer to me, so that I could feel his breath on my skin. I could feel the heat and the tension, his hands found my hair, tucking a strand into the side of my ear as he whispered slowly.

“I am fully aware you remember everything about that passionate night we shared together. I can clearly see it in your eyes.”