“What did they say to you?”
“I met with your mom. She wanted me to convince you to take Aurora back.” She responded. “But I refused. She seems desperate, though.” She added.
“Did she do anything to you?”
“No.” She swallowed.
“I’m sorry about that. I feel ashamed of her.”
“You don’t have to be. It’s not your fault.” She sighed.
“Thanks.”
She nodded.
“Liam will be here in fifteen minutes, I hope we won’t be late.” She made an overtaxed face, which I found comical.
I began to feel like myself once more. Something in me usually awoke whenever I was with her. Something in me that I thought I had long lost.
Liam eventually spent an extra twenty minutes outside the house.
“What happened?” I heard him ask her while I entered the car.
“It’s a pretty long story.” She grimaced, taking her seat next to him.
Remembering the encounter earlier, I could not but make light of it.
*****
The chairman of BRAIN was yet again anxious to receive Fiona. He, no doubt, had taken a liking to her.
I couldn’t blame him.
This time, they played a real game, and he emerged as the winner by something he referred to as ‘sleight of hand.’
“I’ll be more than happy to lose to you next time.” He jocularly said.
“Next time it is.” Fiona chuckled. “I’ll go and change.” She added, excusing herself from our company.
“Lucky you, Carr,” the chairman smiled. “My son’s assistant is not half as smart as she is.”
I could only twitch a smile. It wasn’t necessarily something worth joking about.
“If I had my way, I would recruit her to work for me.”
“I’m afraid I cannot let her go, sir.”
“So you’d better continue to be jealous and keep her with you. There are not so many like her.” He moaned.
I was going to do so even if he didn’t advise me.
I realized how important Fiona was, not only to me but also to the company at large. She was not the kind to be easily disposed of.
I asked Liam to take her home with the car at the end of the day’s work. As expected, she protested against the idea, but I didn’t give in to her obstinacy.
As I intended to have a drink with Mason, I patiently waited until he satisfactorily completed all of his tasks for the day since he wouldn’t agree to leave them uncompleted.
“It’s a wonder how I let you off when you refuse to listen to me.” I mused, rotating in the swivel chair in his office.
He chuckled.
“Are you not afraid of getting laid off?” I asked.
“No,” he grumpily said.
“Really?” I scoffed.
“Yes,”
“Why? You have a job elsewhere? Do you do it part-time?”
“No, that’s not it.”
“What then is it?” I wanted to know.
He relaxed into his chair.
“Fortunately, I have a friend who is poor at recognizing sycophants all in the name of philanthropy.” He calmly but firmly said.
