One Missed Call

16: Jealous admirer

Hailee glances up at the clock just above her door frame as the air-conditioner gently breathes down on her desk, lightly moving the countless papers stacked right in front of her as the time neared lunch hour.

She leans back to her seat and sighs out shakily as she taps the butt of her pen against the desk, knowing too well the only thought she has had all day was the man she shouldn't be thinking about.

Her eyes instantly drop onto the phone laying peacefully on the desk just a reach away.

As she reaches for the phone on the table, Owen walks in yet again with another stack of papers to her dismay, making her groan out as she leans back into the seat.

"You don't have to do them all today." Owen chuckles as he places them beside the already existent stack. "You can divide them during the week. And as your secretary, I advise you take a break from all of this and have lunch with me." He grins out as he leans onto the table, gazing down at her with a small mischievous smile on his face.

"I do need a break." She nods her head, hardly catching his hidden truth behind it. "Lunch sounds nice. But I'd want to eat out today."

"Exactly my point. I already booked us a table at that fancy restaurant you always like going to. They'll have our order before we get there. That way we can be back in time." He points out and she nods as she stands up and tags her skirt down.

Owen smiles out as Hailee walks past him, grinning to the fact that he managed to get her to accept a 'date' with him despite it only being lunch and that he will still be considered as her secretary and not her date in fact.

He can't worry much about it, since his has tasted Hailee's lips before and she had willingly let him have the privilege to do it. But ever since their first romance together a week earlier, she hasn't been seeing him the same way anymore.

Almost as though she was not impressed with him.

It could only make Owen feel more insecure about how he kissed her and whether or not she liked it or was horrified at how terrible a kisser he actually is.

But none the less, she didn't complain the entire time but didn't let the situation escalate past just the mere touch of their lips.

She had put strict boundaries after that session and made it clear to him that she is still his boss during work time and just a workmate when they are outside the office.

Not more than that.

Neither friends nor a couple.

"Anyone I need to see after lunch?" She asks as she steps into the elevator with him following right behind her.

"Just the CEO of Red." He points out as he leans back onto the mirror while the elevator door closes shut. "He's planning on expanding his range with us included as investors and gain a share in it. The CFO advises that you accept the offer when he arrives since it's very fruitful and Red already has proven to be highly effective."

"Why didn't you tell me this before? Wasn't there supposed to be a meeting about it?" She asks with furrowing brows as she stares at him to which he turns his eyes elsewhere.

"They did have an emergency meeting on Friday last week but your cellphone wasn't available and when I went to your house to inform you, your siblings said you weren't home." He shrugs his shoulders as Hailee widens her eyes in embarrassment. "Then they told me that you were at Cosmos' bar but when I went there to check, you were already gone but your car was parked out front."

"Oh." She gazes down at her feet instead, feeling her cheeks burn up from the embarrassment of being caught wondering about on a Friday night.

"So then... I attended it for you. They didn't ask questions about why you weren't being found so don't panic about it. They just advised me on what to tell you and speak on your behalf as the secretary."

"Okay." She nods slowly and presses her lips together as she grips onto the bar just in front of the body length mirror.

Owen slowly frowns and glances down to the ground as he tries to stop himself from asking when it is obvious she had gone away with another man that evening.

And after his failed attempted at making her love him, he knows for sure that she didn't like him enough not to wonder off with a random man and spend the night with him.

"So, who was it?" Owen asks as he glances down at Hailee who slowly brings her gaze up to the tall man beside her. "The man you spent the night with."

"I didn't know I had to share that with you." Hailee frowns and glances away from him. "What I do outside the office is none of your concern."

"I know." Owen nods his head and sighs out as he glances at his own reflection. "But you should try to protect yourself more. Some men out there could hurt you-"

"I'm grown up. Please don't try to lecture me about how dangerous men can be. I know that already." She sighs out and pinches the bridge of her nose in annoyance. "Like before, none of it should matter to you. You live your own life outside these office doors and I live mine. Okay?" She asks as she glances at him, only to notice his deep frown as he looks away a few seconds into the eye contact.

"Yeah. Whatever." He rolls his eyes and sighs out heavily as the doors of the elevator slowly peel open, revealing the first floor with just the reception up front and a few employees and customers here and there.

Hailee clicks her tongue before pushing herself forwards and towards the doors with Owen lazily trailing behind her.

Still annoyed that she was with another man other than himself.