"Nadine?" Lily called and she opened her eyes. She finally woke up and smiled when she remembered the dream. The guilt of possessing Ereen's body suddenly vanished. Everything is clear now between them. She was glad, she had Ereen's blessing on using her body.
"You must be dreaming. Tell me. I heard you moaned." Lily asked.
And Nadine didn't hesitate. She told Lily every detail and sighed. "That's why we couldn't find any family pictures in here. What happened only made her feel that she was all alone" Lily sadly commented.
Nadine nodded. "You are right. I believed that too."
Both of them sighed and sympathized Ereen. However, in the end, Nadine thought that Ereen can get over everything. She is willing to do it and all she needed is rest to recover from emotional distress.
Nadine started to prepare. She took a bath and wear her uniform. She just had her breakfast in a fast-food. After she ate, she headed to Mega Publishing.
"Good morning, sir!" she greeted Grey when she saw him at the entrance of their office. He was holding his cellphone and reading his message.
She smelled his wonderful scent she almost close her eyes. Oh, damn. She wanted to ask him why he smelled magnificent, making her want to bury her body on his wide chest. He was tempting. She wanted to stay inside his arms and hold him.
But no!
Nadine remembered Grey being keen observant and she needed to stay away from him. Before he noticed her swooning on his magnificent scent, she immediately get inside the office. Unfortunately, the wide glass door was still locked. She accidentally hit it, she almost kissed the glass!
"What the hell!" Nadine yelled in pain and cupped her forehead that suffered in impact. Oh she wants to disappear! That was such a shame!
"Ereen!" Grey worriedly aided her. He gently holds her face. The warmth of his hand against her skin made her shivered. It was electrifying her whole being.
Their gazes lock and Nadine was hypnotized. She was amazed at his boss's dark eyes dilated while staring back at her. She could smell his fresh breath too. He smelled mint-like he just finished brushing his teeth. And from there, she looked at his luscious lips that seemed very inviting.
Nadine's heart beats harder. She suddenly felt the intense urge to kiss him. He unconsciously parted it. Damn it was inviting her!
"Are you okay?" Grey whispered and it woke her up from that hypnotic scene.
Nadine pushed him in shocked. Both of them were surprised by her reaction until her face redden.
"I'm sorry, sir!" Nadine burst in shame.
Grey exaggerated sighed. "Are you hurt?" he asked her again.
She shook her head. Grey seemed relieved. "Good." He said and call the guard. "Come here and open the accounting department. It seems that you forget to open it." Grey ordered and turned off his smartphone.
Nadine immediately stay away from Grey. She went to the comfort room and checked her forehead. Lily was giggling beside her.
"What's funny?" she asked. Her face was a bit flushed. This kid saw everything! Ah, she almost die in shame.
"I thought you are going to kiss him!" she teased.
She shook her head. She didn't bother to answer her tease. However, she thought everything. What if they kiss? What will happen to her? Will it drive her crazy or she will love it?
She gave light slapped on her cheeks to wake herself again. She shivered on that thought. She was ashamed to Ereen too. If she kissed Grey, it was like Ereen kissed him too. She will put Ereen in a very bad situation!
She almost strangle herself for thinking everything that way.
***
I really can't do this. I will just put Ereen in a difficult position if I touch her work… Nadine thought while looking at the files that were badly needing Ereen's attention. She tried to understand it but in the end, she couldn't. She secretly blamed herself. She didn't asked Ereen about her job when she saw her in a dream. She made a promise that she will ask her once she met her again. All she needed to learn was basic and how to interpret some data. That would be fine.
"Nadine, here they are again," Lily warned her.
Nadine looked at Krisaint and Noemi who came out from Grey's office. The two women rolled their eyes when they saw her. It seems they are not yet over with her.
"Sir Truman called you," Noemi said to Nadine and leave. Krisaint and Noemi didn't waste any more minute.
Nadine felt anxious. She suddenly remember they almost kiss this morning. Her heart pounded wildly. The thought and scene that played over her mind sends a butterfly in her stomach.
"Nadine?" Lily called her attention.
Nadine shuddered. Again, she reminds herself. She shouldn't be affected. Yes, she had a thing on Grey that's why she was easily moved. But that's not enough reason! She needed to stay away from him before it's too late.
Nadine sighed and stood up. She decided to face Grey. Lily followed her. Inside Grey's office, she saw two auditors and Poll. They were all busy analyzing the files. After a few minutes, close all the files and face Nadine.
"Miss Punzalan, we some discrepancy on you released cheques. We want to know your answer. These are five cheques." Poll said and gave her a copy.
Nadine looked at the files and her heard hurts. She couldn't understand the transactions written in there. Of course she could read it but hell! She didn't know how to interpret! She needed to think clearly. She has to think another way to get away with that situation.
"Miss Punzalan?" Poll called her again.
She think harder. She secretly looked around and swallowed. She was really in deep shit. She wanted to die at that moment. Everyone is waiting for her god damned explanation! She massages her temple. It was throbbing in stress.
"Are you okay?" one of the auditors asked her.
Nadine standstill until a brilliant idea strike her mind. She will use the idea that 'she's not okay'. She didn't have any choice but to act sick.
And there she fake everything. She act like she lose consciousness and fainted. Everyone was alarmed! The good thing is the floor was carpeted, what she did didn't hurt her. It was a desperate act for a desperate situation. Even lily screamed in terror.
Everyone helped her. After a few seconds, someone carried her. Her heart beats faster when she smelled a familiar wonderful scent: it was Grey!
And right there and then, she realized that she loves being close to him. She didn't want to let go of this man. Suddenly, she wanted to wake up and act natural, hug him and buried her nose at the side of his neck. She wanted to feel his entire warmth.
Grey's warmth was so addicting. She could stay inside his arms forever. It was heaven. Oh she didn't want that to end.
"Sir, what happened?" it was a voice of a woman. Soft and tiny. It wasn't familiar to Nadine.
Slowly, Grey put her on a stretcher. After a few minutes, Grey completely let go of her. She couldn't smell him. His warmth was over. The only thing she could smell now was the scent of an alcohol or disinfectant. She realized she was inside Mega's infirmary!
"She fainted," Grey answered.
The woman immediately took her vital signs. After that, she put some ammonia on a cotton and let her smell it. Nadine controlled herself not to cough. She remained calm. She needed to act like she was fainted. She could still feel Grey is watching her. It stressed the hell out of her.
But Nadine couldn't stand the smell. She moaned.
"How's she?" Grey asked.
"She'll be fine, sir. She just needed to rest. She has low blood pressure. She seemed anemic." The woman explains. Nadine concluded that it was the company nurse.
Grey remained silent. Slowly, she opens her eyes. Grey and the nurse were standing beside her. They looked relieved seeing her conscious. The nurse asked to take a little rest there. Nadine almost groaned. She succeeded! Though it wasn't easy she manages to get away from the situation.
"How do you feel?" Grey asked coldly. The nurse headed out. The two of them were all alone now.
"I feel dizzy," Nadine answered and cupped her forehead, acting like a sick person.
Grey sighed. His face softened. "You should take vitamins." He said and call out the nurse. "What vitamins she needs?"
"I will ask our company doctor. Wait here, sir." Nurse said and smiled. She headed out again to make a call and after a few minutes, she comes back. "The doctor said she can take Ferrous sulfate. She can buy it without doctor's receipt."
Grey nodded and turned to her. "You heard that? Buy that medicine, okay?"
Nadine couldn't help but smile. He was cold and grumpy but he was still a concern. She admires his kindness. Deep down inside, she was guilty of being untrue to him.
Silence filled the room. Grey just stared at her and Nadine suddenly felt uneasy. She felt he could see right through her.
"S-sir?" Nadine tried to catch Grey's attention.
Grey blinked his eyes like he just woke up until he exaggerated sighed. "Took the day off. Go home and rest. I will ask the company service to send you home." He said.
"How about the questionable cheques?" she asked.
"You're distracted. We can't solve the problem in your condition. You can't think clearly. Once you come back, we will check it again." He answered considerately.
And she was truly grateful for having a boss like him. She just realized that Ereen was lucky to have a considerate boss. She admires him even more.
"Thank you, sir," Nadine said.
Grey nodded. He stared at her again for a few seconds until he said good-bye. After a few minutes, the driver of the service came. He guided her and send her home. Nadine smiled. She was indeed touched with Grey's concern. He deserves to be written in a book.