CHAPTER 4

  I looked at my luggage where I have put all the things I'll be needing. He sent me a message this morning that if I couldn't bring all of my things today, he could pay for someone to do it.

  Well, I only need to bring my books with me, old documents, clothes, and my accessories. The furniture and equipment in this apartment were all part of the rental, I signed a contract for this one.

  Two luggage, and three black duffel bags. I puffed an air and one by one, brought them to my car as Mrs. Gallarpe, the landlady watched me. I messaged her last night and told her that I'll be moving. She told me it was all of a sudden and unexpected, I told her that I too, did not expect that my boss would ask me to stay with him.

  "It's a part of your job."

  His voice and those words played in my mind again. Until now, I can't still get over it. It was obvious that I put meaning in this set-up, and he reminded me that it was for work. A slap in my face.

  "I'll go now, Mrs. Gallarpe," I said and faced her.

  She was holding the documents for my rental agreement and the envelope where my payment for my previous rental was. I saw the tenderness in her eyes but she didn't say anything.

  Mrs. Gallarpe and I were close as if a mother and child. Since I moved to New South Wales, she was the one whom I always come to whenever I feel like I'm missing my mother who was in Pyrmont.

  "You're really leaving," she spoke.

  I nodded. "If ever I resign and go back here, am I still welcome?"

  She chuckled, "Of course, as long as the space is still vacant."

  "I'll visit you when I have free time."

  My phone vibrated, I got a text from Sir Caleb asking me if I needed help. I replied quickly and told him that everything is okay and that I was on my way to the office.

  One last time, I looked at the apartment that was once my home. I didn't think I would leave it this soon. Well, I wasn't expecting to stay with my new boss. It was odd, but I had to do it because I signed a contract.

  Before I rode my car, I kissed Mrs. Gallarpe's cheeks which shook her. Then I jog to my car, switch the engine on, waved her a goodbye with a cheeky smile before maneuvering my car to the company.

  The spot beside Sir Craige's car was reserved for me again, I guess it would be like this from now on.

  Just like yesterday, I let the valet park my car and headed to the office. Mr. Craige was waiting on my desk when I arrived, and he was holding a keychain in his right hand, while there was a card on the other one.

  "Mr. Craige, good morning." I greeted.

  He smiled and straighten his body, "Hello, Hazel. Good morning, I have the duplicated key for you and your building card."

  He waved his hand holding the things he mentioned and I stared at him, bemused. He'd done that for me? Wow. And a building card?

  My mind played what I have read on some of the terms of his businesses yesterday, and I remembered that there was a house rule in his condominium buildings that only those who have an exclusive building card can enter. It was a key pass.

  "You live in a condominium?" I asked.

  He nodded, "Mmm. A penthouse."

  "Oh," I too, nodded.

  He handed me the key and the card. When I looked at the card, my Infos were already there, he informed me he got them from my documents, as well as the picture. I smiled and thanked him, and then we started the day.

  "Can you please check my schedules today and see if I can spare even just an hour with Mr. Benitez? He's the president of Benitez Group of Companies."

  I did as I was told. I scanned through the tablet that the company provided and looked at his whole day schedule. And boy, it was packed with meetings.

  "You have four meetings today; one with the strategy team at 9:30 am, calculations say it would take up to two hours, you will discuss your company's strategy for the upcoming Christmas and New Year; a lunch meeting with Mr. Montevelló and Mr. Salvedra for your investment in their shipping line and bank company; at 2:30 afternoon, Mrs. Gazervo will have a meeting with you in your office for their family's future investment to your construction company; and then at 4 pm, you have a meeting with Engineer Vernon for the final preparations of your under-construction mall on Pyrmont."

  He leaned on his chair and put the tip of his pen on his lips as his brows creased. He tilted his head and moved the mouse of his laptop, and then typed something before looking at me again.

  "So, can you do something to schedule a meeting for us today?"

  "Well," I scanned on the tablet again, "If your meeting with Mr. Vernon will be finalized early, you can have a last-minute meeting."

  "Last-minute meeting?"

  I nodded. "Mmm."

  "Okay. Inform him that I'll meet him at six pm."

  "Six pm, sir?" I asked again.

  "Yes."

  I typed it down on the tablet when he confirmed the time and excused myself. But before I was able to get a hold of the door's handle, he called and asked for a coffee to which I nodded.

  There was a small pantry on the top floor where his previous secretary used to prepare his coffee and snacks. And now, I'll be the one to prepare his snacks and he advised me to give him healthy ones.

  "I don't like meat. I am more on vegetables, leafy and the green ones. Having said that, you should prepare vegetable salads for me most of the time."

  But because he asked for a coffee, here I am, with the coffee cup and tablespoon clinking together as I stir his brewed coffee. I half-toasted a bread for him, with a thin layer of butter and cheese on it.

  "Make sure to update me from time to time with my schedules," he said while I was putting his coffee on his table.

  I nodded. "Will do that, sir."

  "Good. How much time do I have before my meeting with the strategy team?"

  I straighten my body and looked at my wristwatch,

  "You still have forty minutes, sir."

  He nodded, and I stared at him as he read and signed the documents he was holding. He was so focused and busy that he didn't look at me even once, he wasn't even aware that I was staring at him.

  There was also a stack of papers at the side of his table, and I knew pretty well that he also needed to review and sign those papers. I wasn't much informed what are those for, as those documents were already there when I started in my job which was yesterday.

  I took a deep breath and excused myself, and he didn't look at me too and just nodded. Almost half an hour later, he stepped out of his office and informed me that he will proceed to the meeting room.

  "Sure sir," I replied.

  The clock's hand moved and the day went on, I needed to adjust some of his meetings since there were two urgent meetings that were added to his schedule. We barely talked and all I did was to inform and remind him from time to time.

  When it was time to go home, exhaustion and distress were evident on his face as he heaved multiple sighs, all were heavy ones. Before we went out of the building, he asked me to schedule a breakfast meeting with a congressman.

  "You have your car with you, right?" he then asked.

  I nodded, "Yes,"

  "Okay, we'll just do a convoy, I'll go first."

  Through convoy, I followed him to the nearest Craige Hotel & Condominium. And as expected from a wealthy man like him, and note that he was the owner of this building, his penthouse was on the top floor.

  He used his key, and I immediately noticed the somehow dark yet comfortable theme of his penthouse. The glass window on the living room which overlooks the city was what caught my attention the most, I wasn't aware that I already walked to it and stared at the view in awe.

  "Did you like it?"

  I smiled in amusement.

  "Who wouldn't like it? It's so beautiful, makes me forget all the worries I have in me."

  I wasn't aware that I was talking to him, the view got me out of my senses. But his presence made me drawback and reality knocked in, but when I looked at him, he was so close that our bodies were almost touching.

  Even so, I didn't felt uncomfortable nor alarmed as to how I usually felt whenever a foreign was near me. There was something in his aura that tells you he was no harm.

  He was mesmerizingly looking at the window, and I took the chance to stare at him again. The city lights below were reflecting through his irises, he was standing so near next to me hence I was able to see him clearly.

  He looked relax and all the stress I've witnessed in him while we were in the office vanished, now, he was just an individual enjoying the view that this tower offered him.

  "Caleb?"

  We were both taken aback when we heard a middle-aged woman. I turned my head to see her, wearing a plain white shirt and a gray skirt, paired with a slip-on shoe.

  "Ah, Mirna, hello."

  Sir Craige walked to her and gave her a peck on the cheek, the one that a son gave to his mother. He then extended his hand to introduce us to each one.

  "This is Hazel, my secretary and personal assistant, the one I was talking about to stay here. Hazel, this is Mrs. Amirna Zhur, my housekeeper. You can call her Mirna."

  I offered her a smile and waved a hello.

  "Hi, nice to meet you, Mirna."

  She smiled, and her big dark eyes smaller a bit, "Likewise, Hazel. I have cleaned your room, it is just beside Caleb's room. What would you like for dinner?"

  It was Sir Craige who responded, "Prepare pasta for us and add a vegetable salad as a side dish. I'll just show her her room."

  Mirna nodded and I watched as she made her way to the kitchen, and then Sir Craige motioned me to follow him on the second floor. As we ascended the stairs, I couldn't help myself but ask him about Mirna calling him on a first-name basis.

  "Oh, that? Mirna is no different to me, she's like my mother. Besides, I've known her for eight years."

  I nodded in agreement. Well,

  "And you too," he paused when we were on the last two steps, "Call me Caleb from now on since we'll be staying in one house. And in the office, you don't have to address me by my surname when it's just the two of us. Sir Caleb is fine."

  That put a smile on my face. "Okay, if you say so."

  He chuckled, "It would help you to feel comfortable with me."

  We reached the second floor and a few steps from here were a hallway with two doors, the first one was his room while the second one was mine. There was also a double door that you will immediately see even when you were on the first floor, this was his office.

  "Here you go, welcome aboard, miss Quin."

  The room was spacious yet comfortable to be in. There was a queen-sized bed in the middle with a bedside table and a nightstand, a sofa with a center table and a carpet, and on the corner was a study table and shelf.

  I also have a walk-in closet connected to the bathroom. The room was a mixture of beige and light pink, a bit aesthetic.

  "Wow," was all I can say. "I didn't know I'll be able to have a room like this. Thank you."

  I cannot hide how glad I was, it was evident on my face. He informed me that someone will bring my luggage here in a few minutes, as I left it in the car, then he excused himself to give me a privacy.

  Once he was out, I didn't hold back and jumped to the bed as if I was a child. I grab a pillow and put it on my mouth to suppress the sound of my shout in glee.

  My phone which was in my bag vibrated and there was a text from him.

  "Your luggage has just been delivered outside your room. Take a shower and see you at the dining room for dinner in an hour."

  It was just a simple message but it made me smile. And while in the shower, I was singing.

  When I arrived at the dining room, there was no one but the dinner table was set. Well, I was a bit early for an hour, so I decided to go to the living room and looked for something. After all, I was here for a reason.

  And that is to find something about who he is.

  In the living room, there was the usual big screen but seems to be unused. A set of leather sofa, some paintings, and on the display rack, there were frames that caught my attention.

  I looked at them closely and I realized they were his photos when he was just a child, and when he was just a teen. And then at the bottom of the display rack was a drawer.

  My curiosity kicked in and I knelt to pull the drawer open. There was a black leather book in it, a thick one with a size of a photo album. I carefully lifted it and caressed the cover.

  I was just about to open and see what's in it when someone grabbed the book, and the next thing I heard was Caleb's raged voice.

  "Who the fuck told you to pry on my belongings?"

  Quickly, I stood up and attempted to explain but he was so mad that he didn't let me speak even a single syllable.

  "Don't try to make an excuse for your misbehaviors! You are working for me, you are an employee and just because I let you stay here, doesn't mean you have the right to fuck with my things, fucking ex-journalist! Go back to your room and mind your fucking business and that is to work and check on my schedules. Now!"

  His voice was loud, mad, and demanding that I didn't have a choice but to run upstairs. My footsteps echoed to the silent and dark penthouse, and I shut the door behind me, my heart twisting in pain.

  And the next thing I know, tears were falling from my eyes.