Jayden entered his office and walked towards his desk while Derek followed him behind.
"Did you find anything about Jennifer? Where she went or who helped her escape?"
Derek scratched his head as he did not know how to tell him the truth. He was really afraid that if he says that, Jayden might squeeze his neck and stop his breathing.
"What? Why are you standing there with a guilt-stricken face? What did you do?" Jayden asked with eyes spitting fire.
Derek almost wanted to run away from that place and become a caveman. From the time his boss got married, he felt like his life had been reduced to half. Even though he was just in his late twenties, there is already grey hair on his head.
"I… I …. I...met.." Derek shuttered.
"What is it, spill it out!"
"I met Madam before she left, she asked me to give you this letter when you come back to office…" Derek almost threw the letter and ran near the door.
"You met her? She came to see you before she left? Where? Where did she go?"
"Madam told me to answer, 'I don't know' if you ask this question. But I really don't know, as I was not told where…" Before he could finish, Jayden rushed forward and held his neck and pushed him back.
"You met her and you dare to hide it from me?"
"Cough..cough… No boss! Madam asked me to hide it from you until you come back to the office."
"So, if I didn't come, then you won't inform me?" Jayden squeezed his neck a little more.
Derek coughed violently and looked at the blood-red eyes of Jayden with horror. He thought, "will his life end today, this minute, this second, in his boss's hands? I am sorry, mother and father, I have not fulfilled all the duties I promised to do yet. But this son had made a grave mistake and I am going to lose my life today. Next birth, I will…"
Jayden let go of him and Derek slid down while holding his burning neck. He was happy to be still alive. Jayden bent down and asked,
"What else did she say?"
"Madam asked me to inform you that, stop wasting your time searching for her whereabouts and try to concentrate on your work. She will be back when she feels like and you cannot control her, just because you married her. And… and…"
This is where it gets harder to say and why am I the selected one to complete this work?
"And then what?" Jayden barked while getting irritated with all the pauses.
"And then she said if you form a harem to make babies…" Derek stopped and looked at his boss.
After making sure that he did not burst out, he said slowly, "...She doesn't mind. She would come back and give you the freedom so that you can marry anyone you like from the harem…"
He closed his eyes and waited for his boss to at least kick him. But even after waiting for long, nothing happened. He opened one of his eyes and peeked at his boss's face. Instead of anger, he was smiling brightly.
"She did say she will come back right? She better come back or else,..." he pointed at Derek and said, "...You are dead."
'Why? Why will he be dead? If they are fighting then they must resolve it among themselves, instead of treating him as their scapegoat.' Derek thought.
"So did she hint or say anything like when she will be back?" Jayden asked with expectation. He waited some time for an answer but Derek just sat there daydreaming. So, he kicked his legs and asked once again, "When will she be back?"
"How will I know?"... after muttering it Derek realized that he had said what he thought aloud… "I mean, I don't know, boss… maybe tomorrow? Or next month? Or several years later?"
"What?"
"I think Madam will be back in a few days… I hope so." Derek said and got up from where he was squatting.
His leg got numb and he was about to fall, so to avoid that he tried to hold the person next to him which happened to be Jayden. When Amelia entered the CEO's office, she saw Jayden hugging Derek. She felt upset but now she understood why Derek was handling all the work. They were actually a couple but why does she feel disappointed?
"I am sorry… I did not know that you guys were intimate... Looks like I came at the wrong time. I will wait outside, just let me know once you are done."
Amelia closed the door and walked back.
"No… No" Derek moved back and shouted. He looked at the closed door and then at the boss who was standing with an irritated look. He wants to dig a hole and bury himself. How? How could he hug his boss? Was he really done with life and really wanted to hug the death?
"Get out…" Jayden shouted.
Derek ran away without looking back and once he was out, he held his thumping heart and stood leaning on the closed door. Amelia looked at him with a smirk and said,
"I had an appointment today to discuss the issue with the collaboration. But if it is not a good time, then I can come back later. You can contact my secretary to get an appointment but I am sure it is all full until next month."
Derek opened his eyes and almost died of embarrassment. But he changed his facial reaction and kept it blank and answered, "That won't be necessary, Ms. Amelia. We can have the meeting today. I will inform the CEO, just give me a minute."
Derek turned to walk into Jayden's office but took a U-turn when he remembered what just happened. He walked towards the secretary's office and informed one of the secretaries to let Jayden know the details of today's meeting.
He then walked Amelia towards the meeting room to discuss a few points before the actual meeting. Jayden walked into the meeting room five minutes later followed by all the executives.
"Ms. Amelia, I think this is our first time meeting. How are you doing?"
"Actually Mr. Jayden, this is our second time…"
"You mean the first time, you entered my room without knocking…"
Derek did not want an argument to burst out right now, so he spoke,
"Ms. Amelia is here to discuss a few clauses on the contract that may not be profitable for either side. So she would like to know if we can change them or write a new contract…"
The meeting went on for more than two hours and they decided to add a few clauses in the existing contract. Once everything was settled, Amelia moved towards Jayden and asked,
"So, if you have no commitments early, then would you like to join me for dinner tonight?"
"No, I have a meeting with an important person today. So I am sorry, I cannot make it today. Maybe some other time."
"Then how about tomorrow?" Amelia did not want to lose this opportunity and asked stubbornly.
"Tomorrow… you might need to check with my assistant here."
"Ok! I will check with Derek and make an appointment for our dinner! And I will also inform him about the location once I book the restaurant." with twinkling eyes, Amelia said.
Jayden just nodded his head and walked away. Derek looked at his retreating boss and could not decide if his boss really wanted him to arrange a dinner with Amelia or not. If it was before, he would have definitely arranged it without much thought but now his boss is married and he was not sure if the madam will be happy seeing him going for dinner with another woman.
"Derek… Derek… " Amelia waved her hands in front of his eyes as Derek was not responding to her for quite some time now.
"I am sorry, Ms. Amelia… I was a little out of... Forget it...I will arrange the dinner at his usual restaurant and will inform your secretary."
"Are you both in some relationship?"
"Oh! No-no-no… It was a misunderstanding before… my legs became numb because I sat on the floor for a long time…"
"That's fine then! I am going to try for your boss, so if you are not into him, then I am happy."
"My boss is married! He loves his wife!"
"But his wife doesn't love him, right? Or else she would have not run away."
"..."
"Don't worry! I won't bring you any trouble. I know how to differentiate between personal and professional life… Just give my secretary a call once the dinner date is confirmed."