Between 2 Hearts – Episode 30

       Alex, dressed in a tailored suit, returned to the company, and the staff erupted into a warm welcome. The manager, along with the other employees, beamed with excitement, their faces lighting up at the sight of him.

The female staff members couldn’t help but blush, their cheeks flushing with admiration as they offered him flowers and other gifts. However, Alex’s personal guard and his PA stepped in, graciously accepting the gifts on his behalf.

Alex thanked them warmly, his smile genuine and appreciative. As he made his way to his office, the atmosphere remained electric.

Meanwhile, Naomi remained engrossed in her work, oblivious to the commotion outside.

As Alex entered his office, he was surrounded by the familiar comforts of his workspace. The room was sleek and modern, with a large wooden desk at its center, adorned with neatly arranged papers and a few select decorative items.

The walls were adorned with framed certificates and awards, a testament to his accomplishments. A floor-to-ceiling window behind his desk offered a stunning view of the city skyline.

Alex’s personal guard and PA followed him into the office, the manager trailing closely behind. The room was filled with the soft hum of conversation as they exchanged pleasantries and discussed the day’s schedule.

Alex’s eyes scanned the room, taking in the familiar surroundings before settling on his PA, who was waiting to brief him on the day’s agenda. With a nod, he signaled her to begin, and she launched into a detailed rundown of the day’s schedule.

 

   Naomi was deeply engrossed in her work when the manager knocked and entered her office.

 “Naomi,” he called out, and she quickly stood up.

“Sir,” she replied, her voice respectful.

“You are here,” he said, “I thought you were among the people who came to welcome the boss.”

 “The boss?” she repeated confusedly.

“Yes, he just arrived a while ago,” the manager explained.

“Oh, I’m sorry, sir,” she said. “I didn’t know. I was working on the files you gave me, but I’m done now.”

 “It’s okay. I’ve already spoken to him about the files. You should go and submit them to him. The file needs his signature so we can complete the ongoing projects.”

“Okay, sir, I’ll do that right away.”

The manager nodded and left the office. Moments later, Olivia entered, carrying a stack of files.

 “Ma, here are the files,” she said, placing them on the table.

“Thank you, Olivia,” Naomi said. “Do you know the CEO is back?”

“No, ma’am,” she replied. “I’m just hearing it from you.”

“Yeah, he’s back now.” She began arranging the files. “Do you have any idea where his office is?” She asked.

“Yes,” she replied. “The sixth floor. It’s the only office available there, and his secretary will be there to show you.”

 “Thank you. Let me go now.”

With the files in hand, Naomi left her office and headed to the sixth floor using the elevator. As she stepped out of the elevator, she was greeted by a secretary seated comfortably at her desk, working on her laptop. The secretary looked up, and Naomi took two steps forward, ready to introduce herself.

  “Good day,” Naomi said politely. “I’m here to see the boss. I heard he’s back, and these are the files the manager asked me to present to him.”

“Okay, hold on a sec.” She dialed a number on her telecom and spoke for a while before hanging up. “He said you can come in,” she said.

“Okay, which direction, please?” 

“The office facing you is his office,” 

“Okay, thank you,”

 “You’re welcome.”The secretary smiled.

Naomi moved forward to the office doorstep and knocked, waiting for a voice to usher her in. When none came, she entered, taking in the surroundings of the office. She was amazed by the lavish decor, with expensive interior design.

However, the CEO wasn’t seated at his desk. She wondered where he was. She moved closer to the desk and carefully placed the files on the table, making sure not to break anything.

As she stepped back, she noticed a nameplate on a classic glass design: Alex Luke. The name sounded familiar, and she couldn’t quite place it. Her eyes scanned the desk, and she saw a photo of Alex in a small frame. She gasped in shock, her eyes fixed on the photo.

 “Alex,” she whispered.

“Yes,” Alex replied from behind her.

Naomi froze, her heart racing. She turned to face him, her eyes locking onto his. She missed a step and almost lost her balance, causing the frame to fall from her hands and shatter on the floor.

Alex rushed to her side, quickly pulling her into his arms to prevent her from falling onto the broken glass.

   Their eyes interlocked as she rested her hands on his shoulders, while Alex held her waist firmly. Naomi’s eyes were a mixture of surprise and confusion.

 “Are you okay?” Alex asked firmly.

She quickly snapped back to reality, pushing away from him nervously. “Um, sorry, I didn’t mean…” she sputtered.

She tried to pick up the broken frame from the floor, but a piece of glass pierced her finger, causing her to let out a small cry of pain. Alex rushed to stop her and examined her middle finger, which was now bleeding slightly.

  “Don’t do that,” he said, leading her away from the broken glass and making her sit on the sofa.

“I am…,” she began, but Alex interrupted her.

“Don’t say anything, just sit there,” he said firmly.

 She gulped nervously as he moved to his desk and picked up his telecom. He phoned his secretary,2 instructing her to send a cleaner to his office.

Naomi remained quiet, watching as he moved to his cupboard and retrieved a first aid kit. He came back to her and sat next to her, gently taking her hand to treat the wound.

“I…,”  she tried to speak again, but Alex silenced her.

“Not a word,” he said, his voice soft but firm.

After treating the wound, he placed a small bandage on it. 

 “Don’t take it off until it’s fully healed, do you understand?” he asked, his eyes locked on hers.

Naomi nodded, still feeling a bit shaken.

Just then, a knock came at the door, and Alex called out,

  “Come in.” An attendant entered with cleaning supplies, bowed to Alex, and began cleaning up the broken glass.

When the attendant finished, Alex instructed her to leave the frame, and she bowed and left.

 She stood up, avoiding eye contact with Alex. “Um, I’m sorry for the mess,” she began. “I actually came to submit the files the manager asked me to work on…”

But Alex interrupted her. “I know,” he said, moving to his chair.

As he began signing the files one by one, Naomi stared at him in confusion.

 “Aren’t you going to check for errors?” she asked.

Alex looked up at her, a hint of a smile on his face.

 “I don’t think there are any errors,” he said. “I trust you.” Naomi watched as he finished signing the files and pushed them closer to her. “It’s done,” he said. “You can give them to the manager.”

“Okay, sir,” she  replied, taking the files.

As she turned to leave, Alex called out to her. “Naomi.”

She slowly turned back to him. “Yes, sir?”

“Um, I just wanted to say, welcome on board,” 

 “Thank you, sir.” She forced a smile.

With that, she rushed out of the office, closing the door behind her. As soon as she was alone, she leaned against the door, taking a deep breath and placing her hand on her chest.

After a moment, she composed herself and walked away, saying goodbye to the secretary before heading to the elevator.

   Naomi entered her office and immediately dialed Mia’s number. The phone rang for a while before Mia picked up.

“Hey,” Mia said, answering the phone.

“Mia, there’s fire on the mountain,” Naomi said, her voice urgent.

 “What, what happened? Are you in trouble?” She asked curiously.

“No, but you won’t believe what happened.”

“Geez, Naomi, I almost collapsed when you said there’s fire on the mountain. So, what happened?”

Naomi took a deep breath before blurting out the news. “Guess who the CEO of my company is.”

“Who?”

“It’s Alex.” She said anxiously.

Mia gasped audibly on the other end of the line. “Alex? Like… His Royal Highness?”

 “Exactly! His father owns this company, and he’s now the CEO.”

“Oh boy, what do we do now? But how did you know he’s the CEO?” Naomi explained everything to Mia, from seeing Alex’s name on the desk to the shocking revelation. “Geez!”

“I don’t know what to do. What if his family finds out I work here? You know how they hate me. I don’t want to quit this job, I just got it, and I’m getting used to it already. What do I do, Mia?” She said sadly.

 “Calm down, don’t think too much about this. We’ll discuss this when we meet later. Just try to relax and avoid seeing him.”

 “How can I do that? He’s the boss!” She sighed in frustration.

 “I know, just calm down, and we’ll find a way out.”

 “Okay,” she replied before hanging up the phone.

  TBC