But then, how was she related to Mason? I was greatly puzzled, and it seemed like if I was able to decipher the situation, I would be able to demystify Mason as a person.

I couldn’t possibly ignore the creeps I got whenever he glared at me.

Obviously, I was not his person, but I didn’t know the reason. Yet, he was not friendlier with the other female staff members.

********

On the day Christian was to return to town, I saw the woman again when I stepped out to tend to the cactus plants on my porch.

This time, she was not yelling at anybody; she only saw off the man she was living with.

Then, the young girl from the other day proceeded out of the house, staring blankly at them.

She looked so morose and aloof that you could take her for one of Michelangelo’s statues, save for the fact that she was well-dressed.

When the man had driven out of the house, the woman turned to the girl.

“You can go to your father’s today.” She said and walked in.

Decidedly, I concluded that the girl was Mason’s daughter.

Although I had cause to be excited knowing that I would see Christian again, knowing that I would not have cause to continue staring at his pictures since he would be returning. I would see him physically, but I was not excited.

I perceived it to be a strange feeling. When a report came in that the CEO was already outside the building, I was reluctant to receive him, though I was meant to be present.

However, I couldn’t let these strange feelings overwhelm my salaried duties, so I braced myself and went ahead and welcomed him.

He was pleased to see me, he told me when the bevy of staff members had withdrawn from behind us, and we were then in the elevator that would take us up to his office.

“Liam told me you were pretty occupied with work, so you could not accompany him.” He said as soon as we entered the elevator.

Yes! I had told Liam exactly that.

“Yes.”

“Hm,” he nodded agreeably.

“Japan has changed quite a lot since I visited last.” He kept the conversation going.

“Oh,” I only whispered, terrified I might say something out of place.

“Yeah.”

And a grave silence fell between us. I could almost hear him breathe. I tried to stand as far away as I could. When the elevator opened, I let him go out before me.

After I dropped off his things in the office, I immediately prepared to leave, but he stopped me.

“Are you okay?” he asked, leaning against his desk.

“Yes,” I managed to respond despite the turbulence in my heart. He couldn’t actually see it, but I was sure it had begun to manifest.

“Did Mason perhaps give you a hard time when I was out of the country?” He persisted.

Mason? We had not come in contact since the evening he caught me watching him and that woman argue outside the company.

“No.”

“What then is troubling you?” He hissed, strolling towards me.

He stopped at a respectable distance away from me, but I was still able to admire his piercing eyes.

During the short time of his absence, he had restyled his sleek brown hair in a way that highlighted his facial features. He had this healthy glow I had not seen in him during my first few weeks as his personal assistant. I longed to trace his contours with my fingertips.

“It’s really nothing. I think I should return to my desk now. Please, buzz me when you need anything.” I quickly said and briskly walked out of the room.

While at my desk, I knew he could see me well, so I tried to act as composed as I would usually be before these strange reactions began.

I decided to bury myself with work in order to barricade my mind from whimsically wandering to thoughts of him.

However, the intercom buzzed no sooner had I settled in my seat. I looked in his direction through the see-through glass door.

Very confidently, he beckoned to me, and I had no choice but to go back to him.

“You called for me, sir?”

“I want us to have lunch.” He said, but it appeared he intentionally wanted me to be around him.

I shouldn’t have come to such a conclusion, but I could hardly think of any other reason.

“Okay. What would you like to have?”

“Caesar salad.” He answered with a knowing smile that suggested mischief.

“Very well, I’ll have it ordered.”

“I think you are too far away…” he expressed.

I panicked.

“You appear sort of rigid as well.” He added.

“Well-”

“Is something bothering you?” He asked, again, crossing his arms against his broad chest.

I couldn’t possibly tell him he was the cause of my sudden withdrawal.

I couldn’t possibly tell him I didn’t want to get too close to him to avoid making a stupid mistake.