chapter 5

I thought I'd feel odd standing in front of Don's family but instead, it was the opposite. I felt more comfortable when I saw the other PA's from other family member.

"Everything's going well, I just can't wait for this wedding. I'm so happy." A woman who I assumed to be Don's mom said in such a sweet and familiar tone.

"Yes, everything seems to be ready." Don spoke in an uninterested tone. I wondered how stressful it'd be being June at that moment.

His mother turned to my direction. "Oh my, is this your new personal assistant?" Don didn't reply, I wasn't sure he heard her or if he heard, maybe he just chose to ignore. "Wow, you remind me so much of June. If it weren't for the different hair, I would guess you were June from behind."

I wasn't sure if that was a compliment, but I smiled. "Thank you Mrs Jones."

"I'm no longer going to be Mrs Jones when June gets married so I think I'd prefer you call me Miss Leila."

I had no idea what to say. All eyes were on me which was so discomforting.

Thankfully, June walked in at that moment. All attention was drifted to her, which she seemed to like. Her heels sounded in my ears, they were so high and tiny, I wondered if they would break. She looked nothing close to being happy.

When she reached where we all were, she turned to Don. "So you finally decided to check out on your wedding." There was nothing but anger evident in her tone, but even the way wealthy people acted when they were angry was strange.

"We need to talk." She said, causing tension to flow in every family member.

"Is everything alright dear?" A woman, whose name I had no idea of, asked. She looked like she could be a similar age to Leila.

"Everything's alright mom, I just want to talk to my fiance." Mom, hmm interesting. The way she spoke to her mom made it evident she was some kind of rich spoilt daughter.

"Okay then, let's talk." Don started walking, I immediately followed him with June's heels sounding behind me.

When we had reached out of sight, June started. "Do you seriously not feel anything for me?" There was pain in her tone.

Don stopped walking and I automatically did the same. He turned to June who had stopped walking too. "Are we getting back to that topic?"

"We never left the topic." She folded her arms across her chest. "Do you really want to spend the rest of your life with someone you don't love?" Her voice was low and filled with emotion. So the rich also felt sad? Hmm. "Do you really believe that love would come in the process?"

"I would never love you." Don said it so straight forward like he didn't care about her feelings at all. "This marriage is only a way to help improve the stock of both companies, that's all." He lay more emphasis on the last two words.

Tears trembled on the brink of her lashes. "But I love you." She said it so low, it was just above a whisper.

Don scoffed. "I've had enough of this drama." Gosh this guy was so heartless, this girl just confessed her love and he can't even try to reject her nicely. "Do you have any thing else to say?"

At that moment, her eyes had become watery. I felt bad for her. Don walked away and I knew I was supposed to follow him, but I just couldn't leave this girl to cry here alone.

I walked a few steps, but stopped walking and turned to her. "I think I'd advise you to do what would make you happy rather than living your entire life in sadness." With that, I walked away to leave her to ponder on it.

I stood for a whole 2 hours while Don and his family talked about the wedding. I felt my legs hurt badly and was relieved when he told me it was time to head back to work.

Sitting in his car, I didn't realize when I heaved a huge sigh. "Is there a problem?" He asked in an uninterested tone.

I let my head fall on the the back of the chair. "You won't understand?" I murmured.

"You seem tired, maybe you should take the day off." He said, his eyes fixed to his phone.

I immediately turned to him. Was I hearing things because of how tired I was or did Don just give me the day off? What was happening? A day off? From Don Jones? Maybe we were experiencing the end time. That can only be the explanation to this odd behaviour.

Don rose his head from his phone to witness the bewildered expression on my face. "What? You don't want to go home."

"No I want to go home." I replied too quickly he rose an eyebrow. "Thank you, but do mind me asking, why?"

He returned his attention back to his phone. "You don't have to if you don't want. I just thought, since there's nothing else to do..."

"Oh no, I want to."

***

"...and that is how I got home early." I concluded the story on how Don was acting strange, to Suzy and Rose, removing any part where June was mentioned.

"Hmm, maybe all what you said to him on Friday actually got to him." Rose took a sip of her tea.

"I don't think so, he's probably used to such comments already." Or was it? Is he really acting like this because of what I said to him. Did he really reflect on his behavior after what I said? That'd be great news. But then I remembered how he acted to June. He hasn't changed, that's evident.

"Or maybe he likes you." Suzy said. Staring at her, there still wasn't any sign of her illness worsening which I was thankful of.

I found myself laughing. "This dude can never fall in love. He doesn't have a heart like the rest of us, he was born with a heart of stone."

"I don't know, I was just suggesting."

"Well that is a 'not possible' suggestion. Don't forget he's getting married."

"I won't if you tell me the name of his fiancee, I'm dying to know." Rose said, she'd been saying that since I told her I knew who the anonymous fiancee was.

"How many times must I tell you I signed a contract and can't let you know. You'll just have to wait till their wedding day to see who the bride is." I smiled at her.

"But that's still in a week time."

"Then you'll have to wait."

_____

Suzy's condition was already worsening. She may not want to tell it to me but I could see it. It was obvious she was already feeling pains in her abdomen but of course she didn't want to say anything to me, so as not to stress me out.

I had to get the money and soon, why did her condition have to start worsening? Why couldn't she wait till I get half of the money. I haven't even gotten my first month's salary, we would be given that a day after the wedding.

"Miss Eri, come to my office." Don's voice from the intercom bought me back to reality. 

This guy was crazy. He was getting married tomorrow and he still came to work, people like him didn't need to get married, their work was their wife.

I stood up, taking the tab and pen from the desk. I need money for Suzy's surgery and I need it now, I can't wait anymore.

As soon as I walked out of the door and sighted Don sitting on his desk, doing whatever he does to that keyboard, an idea popped up in my head.

This guy's a multi billionaire, soon to be trillionaire, I mean just $55000 wouldn't do him any bad. I could plead with him and maybe he may help me. If he doesn't give it to me, I'd tell him to give me my 6 months' salary.

I walked up to his desk, waiting for him to raise his head from that laptop.

He took some papers on the desk, handing them to me. "These need to be checked. They're mostly marked green and need to be corrected." He said, eyes still on the laptop.

"Okay sir." My voice came out low and seeking for sympathy, as I collected the papers from him hand.

"You need to do a lot of work on the Fras file I gave you earlier today. The corrections should be submitted in my office today, because I can't come to work tomorrow." Of course why would he ever consider coming to work on his wedding day. I could actually imagine it, if possible, he may come to work on his honeymoon.

"Okay sir."

"Now go work on it." 

I just stood there. No may I'm leaving till I ask him for help. Okay Eri, muster all the courage you have. Do it for Suzy. 

Don stopped typing, turning to me. "I said to get going."

Oh no, I made him frown. Will he help me if he's angry?

"Actually, uh-" I took in a deep breath, causing my chest to rise. 

Eri what's wrong with you? He's just human like you, now do this for Suzy.

For Suzy. "I want to ask you if you could give me &55000." Even after I said it, it sounded weird.

Asking your boss for such amount of money. Was Don capable of such things? Lending people money?

His brows furrowed in confusion. “$55000? Why?” 

“It's for my sister, Suzy's surgery. She has pancreatic cancer. The doctor said it's stage 2 cancer and it's still very curable. We need to perform her surgery and soon, please.”

His expression was unreadable. His silence was enough to make me go crazy, I couldn't take it.

I dropped the papers and tab on the floor beside me, falling on my knees, glueing both palms together and laying my forehead on the floor allowing my hair to fall in motions on the floor.

“What are you doing?” His voice read surprise.

Even I wasn't sure what I was doing but if this was going to help save Suzy, I'd do it a billion times.

“Please Mr Jones, I'm desperately in need of the money, I could collect my 6 months' salary, anything, I'd do anything.” 

Just at that moment, Don's stupid phone had to start ringing.

“One sec.”

When I rose my head, he was standing in front of the glass wall. A small furrow creased his brows. 

Oh no, I didn't want him to be angry before giving me the money.

“I don't like being disturbed when I'm at work.” His stern voice was back, that was not good. He hung up the call 

When he turned to me, I realized I was still on my knees. Standing up, I took the papers and tab with me.

“Why don't we continue this discussion after the wedding.” He said it in a voice that made me know I couldn't say otherwise.

“Okay sir.”

“Work on what I told you to do, and don't forget to submit it before leaving.”

“Okay sir.” 

“You can leave.”

“Okay sir.” I rushed back to my office.

Would I call that a success or not, either way, I needed money and quick.

***

“Even I noticed it, she's already getting the symptoms.” Rose sighed. “I really hope she's okay. I already got my salary for the 2 part time job I'm doing, I'd send the money to you today.”

“That'd be great, thanks.”

There was silence for a while. Rose's house was similar to mine, just a little bigger and obviously more beautiful. Rose was a woman who cherished beauty.

“I really can't believe you'd be attending the Don Jones wedding, I'm jealous.”

“It's not anything special, trust me.”

“Shut up, it is something special.” She lay more stress on the ‘is’

Was it really something special? Well, it's not like his wedding would do me any good.

“I hope you prepared to dress really pretty.”

“Rose, don't forget I'm going there as his personal assistant not some bridesmaid or something.”

“So you're just going to go there looking like trash?” She folded her arms across her chest motherlike.

I rolled my eyes. “I have more things to think about than his wedding.”

“Well I'm not letting you go there tomorrow looking whack. I'll modify you and make you pretty.”

“Wow, thank you.” I made the sarcasm obvious, earning a chuckle from her.