Chapter 2

Hours later, I closed my laptop and checked the time to see that it was seven o'clock in the night already.

I let out a tired sigh, sitting back in my chair only to bounce back upright as I heard the door to Mr Carlton's office open.

Mr Richards, the senior partner of the firm, walked out of the office.

"Good evening, Mr Richards ." I greeted him with a polite smile while he walked past me. He paused and looked back at me before he grunted out hmm and walked out.

I raised a brow at his retreating figure. The man was never friendly but he always greated back before. Oh boy! I thought, as my eyes widened. I hope this doesn't mean what I think it means.

If his bad mood meant that he had a bad meeting in there with Mr Carlton, then that would mean Mr. Carlton himself might be upset as well. He always worked double harder when he got mad, which meant I had to stay late again, I thought as I groaned inwardly as I heard him bark out my name through his intercom.

I walked into his office after knocking. He was sitting behind his desk, his sleeves rolled up, and his usually immaculate hair all tousled up. Yup. It's gonna be a long night, I thought as I watched him shoving things around on his desk, looking for something.

He looked up suddenly, and I gulped, my eyes widening as I saw his angry face. I couldn't help taking a step back, wishing I could just leave the room. My throat had gone dry, and I almost cowered under his stare. But then he closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath before he opened them again, seeming more in control.

"I can't find the Murray case file." He spoke quietly, making me nod quickly and hurry over to the shelf by the far wall.

He kept all his ongoing case files in there as it allowed him easy access, and also, for confidentiality.

I opened one of the drawers. My hand was shaking as I scanned through the various case files that were stacked in alphabetical order. I looked through them before I found a file named Murray. I pulled it out, opening and checking to make sure it's the correct one, before I quickly walked back and handed the file to him.

He let out a frustrated sigh before he took it and grunted out a thank you. I nodded and hurried out of his office so I could compose myself before he called me again. I sat down in my chair and took several deep breaths to calm my pounding heart.

Mr. Carlton has never raised his voice, nor has he lashed out in any manner towards me, but I can't help panicking when I see a man angry. Not after being married to a man with severe anger issues who was also a perfectionist.

I tried calming myself by reminding myself that it's not me he was mad at, and I was no longer in the same situation as I had been. After some time, I managed to calm down, and I remembered I had a son waiting for me at home.

I quickly messaged him, telling him I'll be late and that he could order pizza.

I kept emergency cash in the house for such days so he won't go without food.

Especially on days that I didn't feel like eating a big meal after I went home. Like today.

Liam gets adventurous sometimes and cooks extravagant meals when I'm not home, and I will have to eat that when I go home.

It was past ten thirty by the time I was let off work, and I was exhausted. I shut down the computer and collected my belongings before I dragged myself to the elevator to go to the underground car park.

As I saw my sweet little gray car, my phase became faster. I quickly got in already feeling happy to be going home.

I put my keys in the ignition, and with a huge grin on my face turned my key. I heard the noise of the engine about to start and then... silence. I tried again and again the same thing. The third time, there was a rubble before it completely died.

With a loud groan, I banged my head against the wheel and rested my head on it, wanting to start bawling my eyes out. I didn't have the energy for this. And I especially didn't want to take public transportation this late in the night.

A knock on my window made me gasp and whip up my head in surprise. My heart felt like it was about to leap out of my throat, so I held on to my chest and looked out to see who it was.

I was met with the piercing gray eyes of my boss. His face was close to the window, which made our eyes lock, and I was instantly captured in them. Cause, you know. His eyes were just.. beautiful.

I sat there in a hypnotized state as he himself didn't break eye contact with me. Until suddenly, he blinked and cleared his throat.

I blinked several times as I felt my face heat up. I hoped that my car was too dark for him to see it.

I had always been very careful to appear professional and never to show any emotions towards his looks.

His previous secretaries had been fired for wanting to sleep with him. Rumors had it that he had found them in his office in very compromising positions despite being warned when they were first hired. They always think that they could be that lucky one.

So when I was given the position, I was told that I got selected because of my age and the fact that I was a single mother. So I made sure to act my age and also remember that this job was how I provided for my son.

My salary was very good so I could not afford to mess up. It was a hard task to do as the man really was deliciously handsome. But I had no interest in going anywhere near any man thanks to my ex-husband, so Mr Carlton had found it easy to work with me.

I was interrupted by another knock, which made my eyes widen as I turned my head around to see him. I was horrified knowing that I had just been here in my own world while he had been standing outside waiting for me.

I quickly rolled my window down, and as soon as I did, he spoke.

"Your car is not starting." It was a statement, not a question. He must have been here when I had been trying to start the car, so there was no point in denying it.

"No sir its not." I said, blushing in embarrassment. I'm sure people like him didn't have to sit in a parking lot in the middle of the night because his car won't start.

"Then why are you just sitting there?" He asked, looking puzzled.

"Just trying to figure out what to do now." I said with a nervous little laugh.

"Leave the car here tonight. You can send it for repair in the morning. I can give you a ride home." He suggested.

"What. No!" I exclaimed before I could stop myself.

"Why not?" He asked, looking even more puzzled, his dark brows furrowing.

"Because. I can't inconvenience you like that, Mr Carlton." I explained more calmly.

"You were working late because of me, and now that your car is not starting, taking the bus or any other public transportation isn't safe. Not at this hour. It's past eleven now. It's not about inconvenience. There's no way I'm allowing you to go home by yourself at this hour."

I sat there speechless, with my mouth agape just staring at him. I was shocked, because not only had I never thought that such a powerful and rich man would concern themselves over the safety of us measly humans, but this is the first time he had spoken more than two sentences to me.

"Well?" He asked, raising his eyebrows questioningly . "Are you coming out or...." He narrowed his eyes, giving me a look, which made my eyes widen.

I quickly took my belongings and stepped out of my car. He didn't need to say it, but the look he gave me said he would drag me out of my car if I stayed there for longer, and that would have been highly inappropriate for my boss to have to do.

As I stepped out hurriedly, I almost hit his chest with how close he was standing. He stepped back, letting me pass. Then he closed the door to my car and turned around, walking away to what I assumed to be where his car was parked.

I locked my car door and hurried after him. I scanned my eyes over the almost completely empty parking lot so that I wouldn't stare at his back while we were walking.

His suit jacket was in his hand, and through his shirt, I could make out his perfectly toned muscles that were moving as he walked.

The bleep bleep sound of a car door unlocking made me look back at him, as he approached his black Bentley and opened the passenger side door, surprising me even more. OK, who are you and what has happened to my boss? I thought as he kept breaking all the stereo type judgments I had made on him.

He closed the door as I got in, instructing me to put on my seatbelt. He went around to get in the driver's side. I put on my seatbelt and sat there like a statue, afraid to move a muscle. Hence, I might ruin his expensive seats with my cheap clothes or ruin the smell with my cheap perfume.

He got in the car, gave me a weird look, started the car, and pulled out, driving out of the parking lot.

I gave him my address without him asking. He just nodded and began driving in that direction.

It was silent inside the car before Mr. Carlton finally spoke. "I'm sorry about today." He said. He continued as I gave him a questioning look. "I wasn't angry with you. I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's ok, Mr Carlton." I told him in a surprised tone. I wasn't expecting an apology from him. He had done nothing wrong. And anyway, aren't secretaries there as punching bags for when you get upset. My previous boss did that all the time. She was a woman, so she didn't scare me, though.

I heard him let out a sigh, but he didn't say anything. Although he looked like he wanted to.

He drove very fast, and in less than half an hour, he was pulling up in front of my house.

"Thank you so much, Mr Carlton. Goodnight." I quietly said before opening my door to get out.

"Goodnight." I heard him say, making me turn to him and smile. He gave me a nod, so I quickly got off the car and waited for him to drive away before I turned and walked up to my front door.

Finally, I was home, I thought as I entered my home. I was met by silence, so I first checked on Liam. He was fast asleep just as he had promised.

I decided I was just too tired for dinner and went straight to my room, plopped down on my bed, and went straight to sleep..

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Awwn, look at the big beastly boss showing some kindness. Has he turned a new leaf, or is it just for our dear Ashley 😏

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