The hours after lunch seemed to stretch endlessly. I couldn't concentrate on the paperwork in front of me, no matter how hard I tried. My mind kept drifting back to the events of Friday night—Adrian's lips on mine, the way he had touched me with such care, as if I mattered. And now, here I was, at work, trying to convince myself that it didn't matter. That night didn't matter. But it did. It had mattered more than I wanted to admit.
Luca had returned to his usual spot by his desk after lunch, his charming smile never fading. He occasionally caught my eye as we worked, but I didn't have the heart to engage in casual chatter. Not today. The silence between us grew thick, as if the entire office was holding its breath. I caught myself staring at the clock far too often. It was nearly four. I just needed to make it through the last hour, and then I could go home, where I wouldn't have to pretend anymore.
I tried to bury myself in the stack of paperwork, but it felt like every word on the page was taunting me. I couldn't escape the nagging thought that I'd somehow ruined everything with Adrian by letting myself feel too much.
Finally, just as I thought the day might never end, my phone buzzed. The screen lit up with Adrian's name.
Adrian Cooper is calling.
My pulse quickened as I stood up, my chair scraping noisily against the floor. I paused for a moment before answering. "Hello?"
"Janelle, come to my office," his voice was sharp, clipped. "Now."
My heart skipped a beat. What did he want? I couldn't help but wonder if this was the moment he was going to address what had happened between us. I wasn't ready, but I had no choice but to comply.
I left my desk and made my way toward his office. The hallway felt colder than usual, the sound of my heels clicking on the polished floor echoing in the silence. By the time I reached his door, my nerves were frayed, my hands clammy.
I knocked softly before pushing the door open. Adrian was sitting behind his desk, his face a mask of professionalism, as always. The moment I stepped in, he gestured for me to take a seat.
"Sit," he said. His voice was calm, almost too calm, as if he were preparing for something difficult.
I sat down, my fingers fidgeting in my lap. I couldn't meet his eyes—his gaze was intense, like he was scrutinizing every detail of my face.
"I've had some time to think about what happened on Friday night," Adrian began, his voice even but firm.
My stomach twisted at the mention of that night. I didn't know what to expect, but hearing him speak about it so clinically made me want to shrink into the chair. " well I… I thought it meant something," I said quietly, but he held up a hand, cutting me off before I could go further.
"Janelle," he said, his tone hardening slightly, "I'm not here to discuss feelings. I had a nice time, yes. But I need to make something clear. I don't mix business with pleasure."
I blinked, my throat tightening as he continued.
"I value my work more than anything," he said, his words sharp as he leaned forward, locking eyes with me. "This is a professional environment. We both have jobs to do, and I need you to understand that what happened between us… It can't happen again. And I would like you to forget it."
Forget it? My chest tightened at the thought. How could I forget? How could I forget the way he had kissed me, the way he had made me feel like I was the only one in the world? But I couldn't let him see how much his words hurt. I couldn't show him how deeply this had affected me.
I swallowed hard, forcing a neutral expression onto my face. "Okay," I whispered. "I'll forget it."
He nodded once, his gaze softening ever so slightly, but it was gone before I could even process it. "Good. Let's keep things professional, Janelle. I am your boss, and that's all."
I stood up quickly, trying to control the rush of emotions threatening to spill out. I couldn't let him see how badly his words had wounded me. I couldn't show him how much I wanted more, how much I had hoped for something to come from that night.
"I understand," I said, my voice steady, though it was a struggle. "I'll forget it."
I didn't wait for another word. I turned and walked out of his office, my heart sinking with each step I took. The door clicked softly behind me, leaving me standing in the hallway, a hollow feeling settling deep inside me.
The last hour of work was excruciatingly long. I couldn't focus. My thoughts kept spiraling back to Adrian and his cold, final words. I had to forget it. I had to forget him. But it was impossible. How could I forget him when he was the first person to make me feel something so intense, something I had never expected?
By the time the clock struck five, signaling the end of the workday, I couldn't wait to leave. I grabbed my bag and made my way out of the office, my body moving on autopilot. My mind was elsewhere, consumed by the weight of Adrian's rejection.
When I got home, I threw my things on the couch and immediately started with the usual routine—something to ground me, to give me a sense of normalcy. I went to the kitchen, made myself a cup of tea, and let the warmth soothe my aching heart. Then I cleaned up the apartment a bit, did the dishes, and folded some laundry, all while trying not to think about the crushing conversation I'd had earlier.
My older brother, Jay, was sprawled out on the couch when I finished, watching some old action movie I had no interest in. He looked up when I entered the living room, a teasing grin forming on his face.
"Long day?" he asked, pausing the movie.
"You could say that," I muttered, sinking onto the couch beside him.
Jay raised an eyebrow, clearly sensing something was off. "You okay?"
I nodded, even though I wasn't. "Just tired."
He studied me for a moment before shrugging and pressing play on the movie again. We sat in silence as the movie played, but my mind was elsewhere. It was hard to focus on anything, let alone a movie, when all I could think about was Adrian and how badly I had wished things could be different.
After a while, Jay turned to me. "Hey, if you ever need to talk, you know I'm here, right?"
I forced a smile, nodding. "Thanks, Jay. I know."
But as the credits rolled on the movie, I felt an overwhelming sense of loneliness, one I couldn't shake. I had made a promise to Adrian, and now I had to keep it. I had to forget everything.
But forgetting wasn't going to be easy.
*****************
The morning passed in a blur. I followed my usual routine—shower, coffee, dress—and by 7:30 a.m., I was sitting at my desk, ready to dive into the mountain of paperwork that awaited me. The office was quiet as I focused on organizing files, making calls, and sorting through various tasks. Occasionally, I would glance at Adrian's office door, wondering if he was watching me. But he was busy, and I knew better than to let my mind wander.
At lunch, the mood lightened as I met up with Danielle and Luca. We found a table at the café down the street, and as soon as we sat down, Danielle brought up the topic of Love Island.
"I swear, this season has been the best!" she said, taking a bite of her sandwich. "Tyrique and Ella are everything. They're definitely the hottest couple this year."
Luca laughed, leaning back in his chair. "Tyrique? Really? Ella, I can agree with, but Tyrique's just too much of a drama king."
Danielle raised an eyebrow. "You're just jealous because he's got the charisma, Luca."
"I don't need to be on Love Island to have charisma," Luca shot back, smirking.
I couldn't help but laugh. "Right, Luca, sure. You're the hottest one here."
"Of course, I am." He winked at me, and I rolled my eyes.
"Well, if we're talking about Love Island," I said, "I think this season's cast is by far the best. I mean, the actors? A hundred times better than last season."
"You're right," Danielle agreed. "This season is top-tier. And those islanders… they really bring the drama."
Luca scoffed. "I don't know. Drama's all well and good, but it gets old after a while."
As the conversation continued, I felt lighter, laughing with them. But in the back of my mind, I couldn't help but think about yesterday—about Adrian and his words. No matter how much I tried to push it aside, it lingered like an unspoken truth. I was his assistant. That's all.
After lunch, we returned to our desks. The work was endless, and I threw myself into it, making calls, sorting through files. But every so often, I couldn't help but glance at Adrian's office. He was focused on his own work, but the tension between us still hung in the air. I forced myself to concentrate, reminding myself of the boundaries we'd discussed.
By 4:00 p.m., the office was starting to quiet down. It was close to the end of the day, but I wasn't expecting what happened next. The telephone on my desk rang. I picked it up, already knowing who it was.
"Janelle, could you come to my office?" Adrian's voice was calm, but there was something behind it that made my stomach flutter.
"Of course, Sir," I said, my voice steady despite the nerves creeping up on me.
I walked to his office and knocked lightly before entering. Adrian was sitting at his desk, his gaze fixed on the paperwork in front of him.
"I have a lot of work to get through," he said, glancing up. "Would you be able to stay an extra hour to help me finish up?"
I nodded. "Of course, Sir. I'm happy to help."
It turned into more than an hour. The clock ticked away, and by 8:00 p.m., we were still working in silence, the hum of the office the only sound. I glanced over at Adrian once in a while, but it was clear that both of us were focused on the task at hand. The pile of paperwork seemed endless, but we powered through it.
Finally, when the last document was signed, Adrian leaned back in his chair and exhaled.
"I'm sorry for making you stay this late," he said, his voice soft. "I didn't mean to take up so much of your time. But thank you for sticking with it."
I shrugged. "It's part of the job, Sir."
He nodded, looking thoughtful. "Still, it's late, and you've worked hard. Let me take you to dinner. It's the least I can do."
Dinner.
The word hung in the air, and even though I didn't want to refuse, I felt the weight of our earlier conversation. But it wasn't like I could say no. He was my boss, and I was still figuring out where the lines were. So, I agreed, and we headed to a quiet restaurant nearby.
Dinner was… awkward. The air between us was heavy with unspoken things. I couldn't shake the conversation we'd had the day before. Adrian seemed to notice my discomfort. After a few minutes of silence, he spoke.
"I didn't mean to hurt your feelings yesterday," he said, looking directly at me. "I just… I have rules I follow. I can't make a rule and then break it. I hope you understand that."
I swallowed hard, trying to maintain my composure. "I understand, Sir. It's fine. We don't need to talk about it"
He nodded, his expression softening. "I know. It's not easy. But this is my work. I'm passionate about it, and I can't let anything interfere."
I took a deep breath and nodded. "I understand, Sir."
The rest of the dinner passed in a quiet haze, neither of us speaking much. I kept my eyes on my plate, avoiding his gaze as much as possible. There was nothing else to say. We both knew the boundaries now.
After the meal, Adrian drove me back to my apartment. The ride was silent, but not uncomfortable. When we arrived, I thanked him quietly.
"Goodnight, Sir," I said as I reached for the door.
"Goodnight, Miss Morgan," he replied, his voice even.
I stepped out of the car, feeling the weight of the night on my shoulders. When I entered my apartment, Jay was there, watching TV.
"Hey, Jay," I said, giving her a tired smile.
"Hey, Janelle. I dropped some lasagna in the microwave for you," she said, gesturing to the kitchen.
I grabbed the plate and sat down at the table, eating quickly. My thoughts were a tangled mess of work, Adrian, and everything in between.
Afterward, I called Kelly, my best friend, and spilled everything.
"So, what's going on with Mr. Hot-and-Bossy?" Kelly asked as soon as she picked up.
I sighed, sinking into the couch. "Honestly? Nothing's happening. He's just being his usual professional self. The conversation yesterday… it's all about work. He's made it clear that's all it can be."
Kelly groaned on the other end of the line. "Girl, are you sure you're not reading too much into it?"
"I'm not," I said quietly. "I wish I were, but it's just work. That's all he wants."
She was quiet for a moment. "Well, I still think you should go for it."
I shook my head, even though she couldn't see me. "It's complicated, Kelly. Too complicated."
"Complicated? You're talking about the hottest guy at the office, your boss, Janelle. Just figure it out already," she teased.
I couldn't help but smile, even if it was bittersweet. "We'll see. Right now, I'm just trying to survive the workday."
As I hung up, I couldn't help but wonder if Kelly was right. But for now, all I could do was focus on the job—because that's all Adrian seemed to want. And I'll give him that