Caught by the Boss

13

HENRY/HECTOR

Damn it, what have I done? How could I have teased my personal assistant like that? Especially someone as skittish as Leila.

I'm just begging for a lawsuit by harassing the poor woman. She made it clear with her tears that she wants nothing to do with me.

I know my irate behavior has to do with Grace. After our damned date, I couldn't shake the feeling of disappointment. The feeling that something was off. Her character was so different from when we meet in The Machine. She's more predictable when face-to-face. Online, she always surprised me with her sassy responses and expressions. She was confident, but now, everything feels more calculated.

And then Leila came into my office, and for the first time, I saw something she had never shown before, and it excited me. Forwardness. She asked me what filthy activities I entertain whenever Im in The Machine, alluding to sin. I figured that if she can conjure up such thoughts, then maybe she's not as prim and proper as I judged her to be.

The idea of Leila having a raging sexual side to her shouldn't excite me as much as it does. I'm dating Grace, and although we're not officially in a relationship, I'm only causing friction between the two friends.

This cannot happen again. I must get over my disappointment with Grace and give her another shot. Maybe she was just nervous on our first date.

And Leila... what happened in this office can't happen again. Whatever she does when she's logged into The Machine is none of my business, and I shouldn't seek those answers, either.

———

I spent all night thinking about how to fix things with Leila, but came up with nothing. I skipped breakfast and hit the gym. But even as I wore my body out, sweating bead after bead, I couldn't escape my frustration.

I consider offering her an early raise, but I wouldn't want to make it seem like I'm trying to buy her out. Knowing her, she wouldn't accept it.

For the first time in years, I go to the office without a tie or a jacket. I'm used to having a routine, but Leila has spun me out of my orbit.

I sit on my chair, fingers tapping the edge of my desk as I stare at her helmet. Goddamn it. How do I fix this mess?

When I hear the faint sound of the elevator in the distance, I know she has arrived. I give her an hour to settle down on her desk. I click through my email and waste my valuable time. When I decide enough is enough, I stand from my chair and head outside.

"Leila," I call her name, and she drops the pen she had been twirling between her fingers.

"I wanted to apologize for yesterday," I say, leaning against the wall opposite of her desk to give her space and let her feel safer. "I was out of line. It won't happen again."

Her face is stoic, and that's unlike her. She's always clumsily showing her emotions.

She dips head. "I understand. Don't worry about it, sir."

"Why don't you take a vacation? I'll cover all expenses."

She shakes her head, surprising me. "I promised I would be your secretary for a short period of time. I will fulfill that and return to my department."

"Alright then," I reply, respecting the woman more than ever. "You can leave early today. There isn't much to do."

Actually, there's plenty, but she deserves an afternoon to herself. I'll have to take care of things on my own.

Once I'm back in my office, the next thing I do is text Grace an invite to our next date. She replies instantly, agreeing.

I print out the data from Leila's helmet to analyze. I've been slacking on this for a while and need to get it done. I print the reports of the other four helmets, too. As I work, I find that I'm not as excited about seeing Grace as I was the first time. That's concerning.

——

Two days pass, and the office has been quiet. I haven't been assigning much work to Leila, so she stays at her desk. The footsteps I hear on the hall are of Gregory, my advisor.

After work, I head downstairs to my car to drive to the restaurant and meet Grace.

Leila is gone by now, and I catch up to Gregory in the elevator. "How were things in Seattle?" I ask him.

"Good. I'll send my report by tonight." He watches me pull my sleeves. "Where are you going?"

"On a date. Remember when you dug into my business and found out that I've been seeing an employee in The Machine? Well, bad news, you bastard. I'm dating her now." I grin.

He chuckles. "The accountant?"

"Yeah, Grace."

His smile drops, and he looks at me in confusion. "What do you mean Grace?"

"That's the accountant's name. The one I fell for in The Machine."

He remains quiet for a few seconds. I'm about to ask what's wrong with him, but we reach the lobby and go separate ways.

Well, I guess I'll find out next time.