Page 28 of The Damaged Billionaire's Obsession
And I’m being an idiot again.
I power on the mobile tablet, looking through the twice-weekly training.
Hmm. I have no sessions with Ethan. Zero. Owen has… I count six.
Instead, I get twelve sessions with Sajid.
Come to think of it now, I’ve noticed that anything that involves us meeting in person, Ethan will have me see Sajidor Will, his assistant, instead. I know Owen has had at least a couple of meetings with him since we started, and I wondered if it was deliberate.
Now, I know.
Only Ethan could have done this. It’s a problem solved; after all, my worst fear about joining Acercraft was working with Ethan. I should be grateful.
Instead, I feel…unwanted.
Geez, will you listen to yourself!
I shake off the alien feeling and plunge back into my work, more determined than ever to make a mark in this company, to become a force hehasto reckon with.
By the time I straighten and rub out the crick in my neck, it’s already dark outside. The beauty of the Manhattan skyline draws me, and I move to the wall-to-ceiling windows to appreciate it.
The gnawing in my belly reminds me that I skipped lunch, and the silence around me makes the growling in my stomach unnaturally loud. The cafe on my floor would be closed by now, but I know there’s a well-stocked kitchen on the top floor, which Sajid had mentioned we were welcome to raid if we ever found ourselves working late.
I head to the top floor. “Olympus” I mutter wryly. It’s dark and graveyard silent when I step out of the elevator.
The lights don’t automatically come on as with other floors, but there’s enough light from the full moon’s reflection through the glass walls into the airy space for me to make my way down the wide corridor into the kitchen. I hit the lights once I reach inside the kitchen.
The huge fridge is a snacker’s paradise. Sandwiches, chocolates, salads, and fresh fruits and juices. I giggle excitedly as I select a Caesar salad and a bottle of apple juice, then head to the breakfast bar.
I’m contentedly munching on my food when the door suddenly swings open.
Ethan fills the doorway. He doesn’t move from the threshold for long moments.
My mouth goes dry as my heart starts to pound. It seems like ages since I last saw him. He looks good.Like, really good.
He’s wearing a casual loose hoodie, and his hair is damp, as if he’s freshly showered.
Does he really live here?
The last time I saw him was at the interview.
“Hey, boss,” I say with a cheeriness I don’t feel because my belly is quivering madly. He slowly steps over the threshold but doesn’t move further in. He instead leans against the door and averts his face.
“What are you still doing here?” His tone is harsh and almost angry. His posturing seems a little unusual and he’s not making eye contact.
“Eating. I thought we could stay as long as we wanted. Unless you’d like to kick me out.”
When he continues to lean on the door, I start to pack up. “What, you can’t even stand to be in the same room with a lowly employee? Hey, it’s okay. I can go.”
“No, stay,” he commands.
Before I can decide if I appreciate his tone, he turns around abruptly and leaves the room.
Wow. What a jerk.
I look around the massive room. He could literally have done cartwheels in the large kitchen, and he wouldn’t even be in my personal space. Still, he wouldn’t look at me and left the moment he saw me.
It hurts. More than I care to admit.