Chapter 6

Jeanet

I’m trying by all means to avoid contact with Damien, especially after what he said to me at work today, but he is everywhere, so I resort to giving him the silent treatment. Without Linda in the house, things are worse.

I’m in the kitchen to get water when I find him standing next to the refrigerator and drinking out of a water bottle after his evening workout.

Damien is shirtless and wearing sweatpants, my eyes can’t look away from his ripped upper body. He follows my gaze, and I wait for him to give me the look of disgust for staring, but it doesn’t come. He walks away without saying a word.

I sit on the bar stool and stare into space while I drink water. Damien walks back in a few minutes later; this time, he is wearing a t-shirt.

The moment I see him, I fight the urge to close my eyes to avoid thinking about his body. His gaze is soft, and this confuses me.

I get down from the stool, and he stands in front of me. He mirrors my step to the side. I desperately want to scream at him, but that is what he wants, and I refuse to give him the satisfaction.

I sigh. “Some personal space will be highly appreciated,” I say with a fake smile.

“You are angry,” he says.

I gasp and dramatically place a hand on my chest. “You should’ve told me that you were offering your services as a psychologist for free. I wouldn’t have wasted so much money on therapy.”

“I knew you wouldn’t stay quiet for long,” his lips slightly curl up.

“What do you want from me, Damien?”

He exhales. “I want to speak to you about today.”

“What about today?” I glare at him in disbelief. It was horrible when he said it, and he wants to bring it up again.

“I didn’t mean that.”

“I think you did. You know what? I don’t care what you think of me or what anyone else thinks of me. You can all go to hell! I don’t care.”

“Jeanet, I…” He runs a frustrated hand through his hair.

“What is the thing that you didn’t mean?”

“Come on, Jeanet,” he says. “Work with me here. I’m trying.”

“From my point of view, you are not trying anything at all."

“You are not going to make this easy for me, are you?” He moves a little too close, and I can’t breathe. He has just gotten out of the shower, and he smells so good. I look up at him. There is some distance between us, but it doesn’t feel like it’s enough, so I take a step back. His chuckle is flirty and seductive. “You can’t stand me, and you won’t even hide it.”

“Takes one to know one,” I shrug. “I can’t stand you the same way you can’t stand me either.”

“Touché,” he smiles a genuine smile, showing teeth and all. So this is another reason there are so many people who are going crazy about him?

“So, what did you want to talk about?” I take another step back.

“Oh! That…” He trails off. “I’m so,” he clears his throat. “I’m sorry.”

“Who forced you to apologize? You sound like someone who has never apologized a day in his life.”

He takes a step towards me, his long legs covering the distance between us. “No one forced me, and you should know that I apologize when I’m wrong.”

“So, what are you apologizing for right now?” My voice comes out breathy. I take two steps back, and he winces. I'm comforted by the knowledge that he thinks I'm doing this because I can't stand him.

“Sorry for saying Nam Ji-Hwan doesn’t deserve you. I didn’t mean it,” he says flatly.

“Why did you say it?”

“Because you are fresh out of a relationship and…”

“Wait, you care?” I interject.

“No,” he grimaces. “Not about you, but if you get hurt, that will affect your performance at work.”

“Don’t worry, it won’t.”

“So, you are not going out with him?” he asks.

“I am going out with him, but I promise that it will not affect my performance.”

“Good,” he said in a clipped tone. He walks away, leaving me in the kitchen and feeling as if I said something wrong.

************************

I am lying in bed, reading a book about the Constitution. There are four more receptionists at Damien’s law firm, and all of them are students in law schools.

Everyone has been kind, but I always feel as if they are speaking about me behind my back. I’m the only one in the company who didn’t make it to university, and nothing screams ‘nepotism’ more than that.

What surprises me is that Damien never ever mentions my lack of qualifications, no matter how much we argue.

I perk up when I hear a knock on my door. It’s gentle and a little hesitant, unlike Linda’s usual knock. Did she come back early from campus? Is she sad?

“Come in.” I jump out of bed, ready to give her a hug if she needs it. “I thought you would be in the lab until…”

My shoulders drop the moment the door opens.

“What do you want, Damien?”

He tries to keep a straight face, but his dark eyes are all lit up. “Is that a way of speaking to your boss?”