Noah's Pov
My head rose firmly in slight tension.
My fingers traced on the pages of the black file I was holding in my hand as eyes were darkly darted on it, It was focused on the suspicious numbers. The accounting details were quite messed up and it caught my eyes coincidentally this morning.
It just doesn't make any sense to me and made me frustrated to no limits.
The rise and fall of the amounts made my eyebrows scrunch more in confusion. There was a massive difference between last month's profit statement. It should not be this way.
It just doesn't make any damn sense.
This month's statement differ a lot from last month's... or I should say mainly this week's? The numbers were obviously quite professionally disturbed as if it was done for nobody to figure it out. It almost succeeded to fool me.
I was now suspecting the whole matter.
Seemingly it wasn't so hard for me to conclude the whole situation now, there is either a rob or a fraud happening under my nose.
A rob with an external interference or a fraud inside the company with the help of the third party.
I strongly doubt on the second one. But how? How all this got unnoticed by my father?
The reports disturbed this month's 30% of revenue. I assume it all happened just before me becoming the president. The third party took advantage of it as my father was obviously busy in welcoming me in the company.
Then again, how is it even possible? Nobody is allowed to sneak inside the main quarters and mess around with the accounts like this. It is not possible to accomplish such a big scam without me or my secretary's look out.
So that means...
Tessa's Pov
"What happened?"
I felt Yeni's eyes lingering on my face impatiently as she waited for me to answer her question.
Her hold on my shoulder encouraged me to open up with her about yesterday's event. From his previous ugly actions to his unnecessary bitterness for me, I narrated her every single detail. Even recalling all those events just raised my insecurities to face that man again.
His weird aura only made me want to avoid him to no limits.
Her eyes turned a shade lighter as she heard me, I watched her face becoming paler after hearing all the things.
"So he saved you yesterday?" She asked me in an unreserved tone making me scoff in disagreement.
"More like he saved himself!" I stated while wearing an emotionless tone, his reason to rescue me yesterday was clear for me.
If something would've happened to me, it would've affected him too and obviously he would never want that to happen. He won't allow any dirt on him.
Such a cunning man he is.
"What do you mean?" She questioned me with a flat tone but I decided to not drag it any further.
"Nothing. It's getting late... I should leave, let's catch up at lunch!" I said diverting the topic and grabbing the saucer with his warm coffee on it and my work pad under my arm.
I started walking towards his cabin wearing silence again.
Stopping my steps at his office's door, I knocked it in a formal manner. After waiting for few seconds I heard his deep voice. It solely made me uneasy already.
"Come in!"
Turning the knob I saw him sitting on his seat and working on his desktop quite focused with one hand on his chin caressing it as if he was in his deep thoughts. Uncomfortable vibes soon surrounded me as I held the coffee saucer tightly.
No matter what he does he only makes me feel weird. I never once got any normal vibes around him ever since I met him and the reason is still unknown to me.
I just decided to shake my thoughts off and walk ahead without thinking about anything else in an intention to get the work done quickly. I don't want to stay with him in the same room again.
Approaching his desk I bend down a bit and placed the hot coffee in front of him then bowing to him like nothing happened... even though a lot happened!
I was obviously awkward and very uncomfortable around him, his actions were not like any normal man's action. I obviously cannot predict how he is going to act the very next second so I just decided to better stay away from him.
Basically, if it wasn't for the sake of my job... I would never even want to cross my paths with the type of him again.
"Good morning Mr.Brown." I spoke with my straight voice gaining his eyes.
Author's Pov
His whole attention fell on Tessa as he nodded wearing his signature emotionless face.
She was standing straight as she reached for her work IPad. His face wore no emotions as he looked at her. Though his expressions hinted none of his thoughts but inside his head he had so many things going on...
Most importantly it was about her.
Tessa acted like nothing happened and it somehow mesmerized Noah. Comparing to her yesterday's weak state, now she looked much more confident and professional. She looked like nothing happened.
Is she pretending? Sure she is'
"I've emailed you your today's schedule!" Tessa spoke tearing the moment of silence. Her eyes were on the screen as she was tapping something on her work iPad.
Noah then watched her speaking like a robot as she started her narration before handling him the IPad to look at his plans for today.
He took it without speaking anything and roamed his cold eyes on the screen blankly.
"You will be meeting Mr.Kris from Marc corporations at 10 to discuss about the upcoming project, then you have been invited for lunch by your father's old business partner Mr.Smith today at 12. Lastly you have to visit our new mall which is done being constructed."
He nodded to her blankly. "Fine!"
He then passed the iPad to her again seconds later.
She took it back with her straight face, "Have a nice day ahead Sir!" She spoke as she then turned around denying her chances to look at him more like avoiding him. He felt it too and smirked on his head.
His evil eyes were enjoying her little ignorance.
She didn't wait for any other the thing and was about to leave the room silently until She heard him...
"Wait!" She heard his dark manly voice making her steps stop, She gulped weirdly as her breath sharpened silently. Her blood felt becoming cold as she just decided to maintain her calm, seriously what was with him?' She thought.
She clenched her hold on her iPad as her eyes hardened.
After yesterday's incident she just couldn't help but to feel only weird around him.
Tessa's Pov
I quietly sweared if he was going to play around again then I won't hold back her urge to scratch his whole face this time, keeping this in mind I turned around.
I faced him again with my professional feature and eyed him emotionlessly.
I saw him staring at the hot coffee I'd placed in front of him few moments back while I just stood their waiting for him to speak, awkwardly.
Though my face didn't show any kind of expressions but from inside I was so desperate to leave the room.
The next second I saw him smirking while still looking at the untouched warm coffee which I've prepared for him making me feeling weird to no end.
That creepy stare of his only made me numb for a weird second but I decided not to show him any of my reaction.
"In a scale of 1 to 10...." He suddenly spoke but then paused, not completing the whole sentence making me confuse.
His fingers raised up to the cup of coffee and picked it up calmly.
He then raised it up to his lips and sipped it inspite of it being very hot. That's when my shivers kicked it.
I literally got goosebumps watching him.
He was indeed not okay, his actions were so unpredictable. I couldn't manage to read his expressions well, when he suddenly continued.
"How loyal are you?" He questioned while resting the cup on the saucer again as if he was complementing it with his eyes.
My mind couldn't process his words for some seconds.
"What do you mean?" I asked with my flat tone, uncertainty was clearly audible in my voice as I waited for his reply.
"What I mean is... I've gone through your bio and saw you're using your mother's surname, Ms.Lopez!" He said as he finally landed his eyes on me with a hint of enjoyment in them.
His tone was indeed filled with confusion but eyes said some other language.
It was as if he was playing with words... he was playing with me!
"Are you by chance in any bad terms with your father to not use his name or..." I clenched my jaw immediately after hearing him saying that. My reaction that I was suppressing for so long was coming out as my eyes changed their blankness to clear anger now.
How dare he?'
"Mr.Brown, I don't think you have any right to question me about my personal life like that." I said in a serious account but he only responded to me with his deep unamused chuckles in return.
He's definitely got some problem with his head!'
"Don't get me wrong Ms.Lopez, I was just trying to be familiar with you. I thought as a boss I own every rights to know my secretary in a professional way, that's why I was curious!" His face in a split second changed it's cocky expressions. It was as if he changed his vibe in a single blink.
He was just too hard to figure out.
He was manipulative with his words.
I gulped in utter unsure feeling, as he waited for me to say something. His stare surely meant something but it was really hard to predict what?
"They're separated... my parents!"
My voice came out to be blank. I was obviously awkward while talking about it. It was a delicate topic for me...
"Oh!" I saw him nodding in an understanding way after hearing my answer, as I decided to remain quite for few seconds.
Tilting his head a bit to the side he again continued with an amused small smile. "It must be very hard for you to work and look after your mother at the same time Hm?"
What is he even trying to say? Why is he so concerned about my private life all of a sudden. I too didn't even have any time to react as I just replied whatever came on my lips.
"No... I am used to manage it anyway!" I answered in a flat tone.
I so want to end this weird discussion quickly.
"Oh I see you're quite a hard worker Ms.Lopez, no wonder why your record from past 3 years is clean, even my father was quite delighted while mentioning about you!" He spoke as what it seemed like a compliment but his vibes said some other language.
A mock? Was he mocking me with words?
I didn't respond to him as I clenched my fist on my skirt in eagerness. I just want to leave the room so badly.
"It's a privilege to work with such a loyal secretary like you. I hope you'll keep working hard in future, Ms.Tessa!" He added as he leaned his back on the chair and eyed me with an unreadable expression making me the air around me more awkward than it already was.
He had a hint of indescribable enjoyment in his cold eyes.
Something was off. I just don't feel right about all this things. He was the same man who schemed me so badly yesterday and now he is being a whole total different person while complementing my work life and loyalty, all so suddenly?
I bowed to him uneasily. "I will try my best, Mr.Brown!" I said before awkwardly strengthening up.
Back to Author's Pov
His eyes scanned her every move very attentively. Her every frown to her slightest body language... nothing got unnoticed by him, he observed every single detail about her.
He was studying her with patience.
The woman wasn't panicking like he expected her to be but she was surely awkward around him... very awkward, maybe because of yesterday's tragedy? Or maybe because of his sudden unexpected questions? His eyes lingered on her tight fists clenching her skirt then also her scrunched brows when he questioned about her family.
And seemingly it wasn't so hard for him to predict the fact that her mother played a main role in her life, she was her only family member.
As the women got out of his office in confusion written on her face because of her boss's sudden change in attitude, his eyes immediately darkened like before. His lip line curved a bit upwards as he remembered her acting so bold in front of him since day 1...
He witnessed how she tried to control herself inspite of being so uneasy... the lady was trying not to talk back to him while still listening to him very patiently.
Obviously it was for the sake of her work!
He sighed in obvious fun. Though he absolutely despised the type who betrays him in business, but why does it seems so fun to him. He wanted to play dumb with her even though he could've just exposed her right away.
He wanted to see her every move.
Although he hated her for her boldness and foul mouthing nature but he never once expected her to be a scammer...
He found it funny how that lady was so proud of her work and also how much her pride mattered to her, he just couldn't help but only to feel intrigued by her acts. Was she acting and deceiving him or was she being genuine?
Sometimes her acts confuse him.
The messed up reports clearly pointed out her faults, only one complaint against her was needed to destroy her whole career!
He scoffed as his eyes only sparkled at her skills.
He again traced his fingers on the file while chuckling darkly.
The lady was the charm of his company he knew it very well, he noticed how his employees cope with her.
Male or female... Tessa knew very well how to deal with them professionally. She's always been the centre on attention not only for her looks but for her skills too.
It was such a shame that she got her name dirtied in such a way catching his attention like this.
Noah at this point clearly understood, she was indeed sharp not only with words but with her acts too. If he had ignored the reports then he could've never probably imagined her being the scammer, but his mind yet again raised another question...
Why now?
Why would she steal after working 3 years with such a clean record?
"You never failed to amaze me, what more surprises do you have for me in your account my lady?"