Pride and Promises ✔

Chapter 49

There was a stuffed unicorn sitting innocently on my desk on Monday. Smiling to myself, I picked it up and was instantly hit by a strong smell of chocolate and mint. It was a smell I could recognize anywhere.

Well, well, well. Looks like someone has habit of cuddling stuffed animals.

I picked up the card attached to it.

Bribe #26

In case you miss me too much ;)

P.S. I love you

I rolled my eyes. Leave it to the devil to be arrogantly sweet. Feeling giddy as a little girl on Christmas, I hugged the unicorn close to my chest and took a deep breath, the intoxicating scent filling my senses. I was enjoying the feel of the soft toy against me when a knock sounded on my door.

"Enter," I called out and watched with some amusement as Mark, my assistant for today walked in. I was leaving for France tomorrow and had given Leah off today to prepare. I didn't know if it was just me but she seemed to be lost in her own world recently. I felt like there was something wrong when she stopped being weird all of a sudden. To be honest, I was so used to her being weird and silly that seeing my assistant being un-weird made me feel concerned. I tried to ask her about it but she assured me that she was alright. Perhaps this little trip would do her some good.

So it was Mark, the errand boy who was filling her position today and he would be doing so for the next weeks while I'd be away. Mark was a young boy, of nineteen perhaps, and exceptionally shy. He was actually good in his work, being hired as the assistant of my finance head. But he seemed flushed and awkward most of the time despite me trying my best to relax him. He entered my office, adjusting his black-rimmed glasses that covered most of his face.

"Ms. White? Um... M-Mr. Stone is here to see you. S-Shall I... let him in?" His entire face was red as he looked anywhere but at me. I sighed. It looked like I was cursed with all bad lucks when it came to my assistants. Then I thought about what he said.

"Adrian? Lord knows why he asked for permission today. Sure, send him in." I waved my hand in dismissal before concentrating on the files I was trying to read. I didn't realize Mark was still there until he spoke again.

"It's um... Mr. D-Daniel Stone." He corrected in a shaky voice.

I looked up from my file and frowned in confusion. I recalled Mr. Stone trying to say something to me that day when Adrian took me to meet them. I didn't get to meet him later and Adrian informed me that his parents were gone to attend a relative's funeral the next week. When I didn't hear a word from him after their return, I assumed that whatever he had to say wasn't much important. Apparently I was wrong.

Remembering that Mark was still waiting for my response, I quickly gathered my thoughts and nodded to him with a slight smile. "Sure, thank you, Mark. You can send him in at once."

Mark nodded in response and hastily turned around to move, nearly knocking himself on the door. I watched warily as he tripped slightly over the doormat before moving out of my view.

In the meantime, I thought about all the things that Mr. Stone would possibly want to talk to me about. It must probably be something related to the collaboration between The Stones Inc. and Eva's and Co. Maybe he didn't want it anymore? Or perhaps he suspected there was something going on between me and Adrian and had come to warn me to stay away from him? I groaned silently and shook my head to get rid of all the thoughts that would most likely make me crazy if they keep moving inside my head in the same pace. I waited patiently for Mr. Stone to come inside.

I briefly remembered the day I met him for the first time in our grand meeting with The Stones Inc. Even then, I had thought him to be Adrian when Leah had announced me of t Mr. Stone's presence. He entered almost immediately after a soft knock. I found myself standing up from my desk and smiled at him, feeling nervous all of a sudden and beyond reason.