"Good morning, Handsome." Gemma said with a sleepy smile.
"Hi." Charles said, his voice still heavy with sleep.
She started to get out of the bed when he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. She fell into his arms with a small scream.
"What are you doing?" She asked.
"It's too early to get up right now. Stay awhile." His voice was still hoarse.
"But you don't have to put on makeup and tights." Gemma argued.
"Playing hard to get again?" He asked sarcastically.
"Are you pursuing me? Because I'll raise a flag of surrender, if so." She told him.
He snorted. She laughed.
She kissed him gently and rose from the bed.
"I'm getting a shower. Want to join me?" She teased.
"Only if it ends in a sexual encounter." He grumbled.
"Maybe room service delivers condoms!" She yelled from the washroom, laughing.
He heard her phone vibrate with a message. He reached for it without guilt.
Daddy: Our anniversary is in two weeks. I want to really surprise your mom with a special dinner or something. Call me when you have a chance. Love you! Dad.
Charles still couldn't wrap his mind around Phil Liu being Gemma's father. Or that he was such a doting husband and father while running a multi-billion dollar corporation. It went against the foundation of his upbringing, but his respect for President Liu in the business world was sincere.
"The shower is yours." Gemma said, coming out in a thick bathrobe provided by the hotel.
"Oh I hope one of my many admirers didn't call." She teased when she saw him with her phone.
"I'll blacklist them." He threatened.
"But you're not pursuing me. Right." She said sarcastically.
"I noticed my name in your phone." He said.
"Mr. Handsome. Of course!" She told him.
"Why don't you call me that to my face?" He asked.
"You want me to?" She asked in surprise.
"Not in front of people. But on occasion." He said.
"Marry me and I will." She said.
"Are you actually proposing?" He asked incredulously.
"Ha, hardly. My skin is thick, but not that thick." She told him.
He shook his head and headed to the shower. She grabbed his phone and found her number in his contacts. She changed it from "Gemma" to "Future Wife."
Suddenly his phone rang. Without thinking, she answered.
"Hi, Charles—" the voice said.
"This isn't Charles. Can I take a message for him?" Gemma asked.
"Where's Charles? Who is this?" The woman's voice was hostile.
"He's not finished with his shower yet. I'm his girlfriend, Gemma. Can I help you with something?" Gemma was being petty but it was true that he told her she could be his girlfriend. She had the text to prove it.
"Excuse me? Girlfriend? I'm his fiancé!" The woman yelled.
"Really? Well he woke up beside me in bed this morning. He asked me last night if I wanted to have his children. Oh! And he's standing in front of me now with nothing but a bath towel on. So, tell me again, who exactly you are to him?" Gemma said while Charles stood before her in shock.
"Who's on the phone?" He asked.
"A woman claiming to be your fiancé. Maybe you should clarify some things with her." Gemma said, throwing him the phone.
"Hello? Yes, I spent the night with her. Every night this week so far. How is it your business? No, we are not getting married. I told you and grandfather that would never happen. Yes, I meant what I said. Would you shut up already?! So what if I talked to her about kids. It's not your concern. If you don't shut your—" Charles was interrupted when Gemma grabbed the phone.
"Alright, that's enough. He told you to get lost so lose this number and stay away from him or I'll have to properly educate you." Gemma said calmly and ended the call. She then immediately black listed the number.
"Gemma." Charles growled.
"Charles." Gemma said, not even flinching under his ferocious glare.
"What do you think you're doing?!" He asked.
"Keeping other women away from you! Just like you threatened to do with me!" She fires back.
"Did I give you permission!?" He pinned her to the floor with his gaze. She still stared back definitely.
"Do I need it?! You send me messages saying I can pick what I want to be called, your woman or your girlfriend! You tell me men aren't allowed to flirt with me or lust after me! You want to have sex with me and ask if I want to have your children! You look at my phone, but I don't care! I look at yours and tell another woman to back off and you think I'm overreacting?!" She shouted.
"It's not your business!" He shouted.
"It most certainly is when you're trying to have sexual contact with me! I will never be your mistress and I won't share my man with another woman!" She screamed at him.
"I will never love you, Gemma. Get it through your head. Stop thinking I'll change! Stop interfering in my life!" He yelled.
Like he had slapped her in the face, that's how quickly her face changed expressions. She shut her mouth and finished getting ready.
Charles did as well but he kept stealing glances at her. He didn't expect her to back down like that. It was very unlike her. He honestly wasn't mad that she'd told Ellen off. He didn't plan to marry Ellen, no matter what his grandfather wanted. He'd gotten angry because she acted as though she had a right to make decisions in his life. No one was going to tell him how to live, not even Gemma.
She was dressed now, in a blush pink suit jacket with matching skirt, and a cream colored blouse. Everything was form fitting, but tasteful. She had finally dressed appropriately. Normally she'd have a few buttons undone, revealing her cleavage, no doubt for his benefit he was certain.
She hadn't said another word since their argument, but she was furiously writing on a piece of hotel stationary. He stepped into the bathroom to make sure his hair was in place when he heard the room door open and close. He stepped out to see Gemma was gone. So was her belongings. All of them. There was the piece of paper she wrote on, lying on his briefcase.
"Letter of Resignation.
Dear President Wen,
Thank you for the opportunity to work with you for the past two and a half months. Unfortunately, due to conflicts of personalities, I am unable to continue to fill the position of personal assistant to the CEO. I therefore tender my resignation, effective immediately.
Sincerely, Miss Gemma Liu."