"So It's true then?" His voice began to break, "You actually slept with him."
"I…,can you just listen to…" he cuts her off
"Listen to you?, For Christ sake, you're pregnant for him Cecilia." His words thawed at her like a silent blade. Before she could put together her words, he had already taken a step back.
"The wedding is off." He deadpanned.
*******
~A month before
Cecilia ran through the company halls like a crazy person. Sweet dripping from her forehead and heart panting heavily. She approached one of the elevators.
She was late. Seriously late.
Mr Quinn had informed her about his meeting with the board of directors last night and had instructed her to prepare an expenditure sheet of the company's expenses in the last two months. He had made it clear that he wanted her at the office by 7am sharp. No exceptions, no excuses and no additional time ups.
The sound from her shoes jamming hard on the floor only increases her tense nerves. She looked at her watch and back at the elevator.
"Oh Lord, I'm done for." Her teeth were already clenched as she began contemplating whether to take the stairs instead. Turning her heels, the elevator door opened almost immediately and a set of people walked out of it.
"Good morning, good morning." She rushed into it as fast as she could, tapping the up button like her life depended on it. She could feel the heat enveloping her already.The door immediately opened and she flew into the elevator.
Once she reached her intended floor,She walked as fast as she could, sighting the meeting room from a distance until she finally reached it. Taking a gasped breath, she knocked and pulled the door open.
Her eyes are met with everyone already seated in their various positions, no single word is uttered in the room as all eyes is drew towards her and she gulped hard.
"Stay right where you are." He didn't need to turn back, his voice said everything. She could see only his hair from the chair which he sat in at the head of the table which was directly opposite where she stood at the moment.
"Sir, I'm so sorry. The thing is…"
"Leave." His voice echoed in the room.
Cecelia expected this although she hoped for different. She held the papers tighter in her hands as she tried to find a calm approach. "Sir, things went…."
"I don't build my company on excuses, Mrs Martin." He finally turned the chair around and she's face to face with him. "You should know this by now. Get out." His words slapped her hard.
Turning to leave; she heard a hit against the table and she turned around.
"Do you intend to keep the documents for yourself?" She immediately moved to hand over the papers in her hand to him. He took it and turned his chair around.
"Let's continue."
That was her cue to leave and she did without wasting much time. What was she expecting anyways?
"Well that was eventful." She said as she laid against the wall beside the meeting room. As much as she would have liked to leave there, she couldn't. As His secretary, she was expected to be present wherever he was, even if not directly inside where he was.
"Hey Cece." One of her co-workers passed by and she gave them a tight smile.
"Cute shoes." One of them complimented and she scoffed.
Literally one of the things that fucked her up today.
"Let's see, you got here late?" One of the guys there asked.
"The meeting was for 7." She said as she hit her head against the wall subtly. She had arrived here at fucking 7:01 and he didn't let her in.
The guy checked his watch and let out a small laugh, obviously aware of what's up. Everyone here at this office is aware of it and has tasted from the great Vincent Quinn's time standards. It's as simple as it can be…
Don't let him walk in before you. Vincent Quinn is NEVER LATE
"Cheer up alright. I mean you should know him already. How long is the meeting for?"
"For whenever he chooses. I'd be fine, you guys probably have work you're doing." She said while the rest of them nodded in agreement. She gave another tight smile as they gave their goodbyes and walked away. Staring down at her shoes, she felt like she was going to cry out of frustration.
"Darn shoes. Why did I choose to wear heels today?" She hit her palm against her head with a light fusion.
She had left the house around 6 today in a rush to make it to the office before Vincent did, but to hells luck, someone really seemed to have died today because she had no idea why there was already traffic by six freaking o'clock in the morning. Luckily for her, the fucked up driver's car she had booked had a fault along the way which he used about 15 minutes to repair. Not to talk about her heels strap cutting some blocks away from the office. She had to borrow a pair of sneakers from the owner of a mini cafe she always ate at on her free periods. So besides looking like a clothing maniac, she still got here late.
Today has indeed begun with a great start.
An hour passed and the sound of the meeting door opened jerked Cecelia up from her already dozing state and she flew up from her seat.
"Mr Quinn Sir…." She said as she quickly moved towards where was but he began walking ahead and she followed suit.
She knew the meeting wasn't going to be a short one, or more like she hoped it wouldn't be, she barely had any rest last night piling up the invoice for today's meeting and she hoped she would be able to get a few z's before the end of the meeting. Unfortunately she couldn't.
The two of them were quiet throughout their walk to the elevator leading to the floor of both their offices. Cecelia felt like she should apologize but in her whole one year of working for this man, he has never for once accepted her apology. What would make this moment any better?
Finally the door chimed open and Mr Quinn stepped in while Cecilia followed before pressing the shut button. They stood side by side, Vincent's eyes fixed on his office tablet he held in his hand alongside the document from earlier. He didn't bother saying a single word to her, not that she expected him to but wasn't he going to say anything about the invoices at least?
"Sir, I am really sorry I arrived late today. Several inconveniences had met me on my way here." She tried to explain but she got nothing. He didn't even flinch like a soul was speaking to him, his usual type of aura.
The door opened and his attention raised from the tablet as he walked out immediately. Cece sighed tiredly as she followed him out
Everyone around them stopped to greet the moment he passed them but he gave neither of them courtesy. That was Vincent Quinn for you. Cold and ruthless as he came.
Finally they reached towards his office; while Cecilia had her office desk and space placed in front of his, at the left hand side.
Courtesy for being his secretary. She thought sarcastically.
Once they both reached her desk area, she stopped as that was her limit. But she wasn't expecting him to stop as well. She stood straight as he turned around to face her. But she immediately hung her head slowly, her eyes not daring to lock with him.
"Tell me, what differentiates an illiterate from a literate person?" She heard him ask and she gulped
"Um..one is smarter than the other?" She wasn't sure
"One uses his brain and the other doesn't."
The next moment, she sees the document fall on the floor directly in front of her and she has no choice but to meet his gaze.T he way his light brown colored eyes held hers, someone would think he was trying to suck the life out of her with them. And Cecilia felt like she was going to shrink under his gaze.
"I pay you to you at least 80% of your brain but it appears you do the opposite. Fix up the numbers and bring them to my office." His voice didn't need to be loud but was clear and rigid enough to tell Cecelia that she probably flunked his meeting. He turned around and made his way into his office.