"Excuse me," Laura said with a smile as she approached the maître d'. "I'm here to see Mr. Matthew Schneider. I'm his secretary, and he's expecting me."
The maître d(Headwaiter) nodded and led her to a private room. Laura couldn't help but glance around the restaurant, impressed by the elegant decor and atmosphere. She knew that the restaurant was owned by Chloe Roux, a famous Michelin-starred chef. She sighed inwardly, knowing that her salary wouldn't even cover the cost of a simple meal at the restaurant.
After arriving at the private room, Laura knocked and waited for the signal to enter. She bowed to the maître d' and opened the door when she heard a soft "go in." Although Laura had seen the Schneider family countless times, she still couldn't get used to how regal they looked. Mrs. Schneider, who had a short bob haircut, was wearing a white chiffon dress that flowed freely around her body, while Chairman Schneider was wearing a grey three-piece suit with his jet black hair neatly styled. Matthew was the spitting image of his father.
"Good evening, Madam Schneider, Chairman Schneider," Laura greeted them with a bow.
Mrs. Schneider's face lit up, "Oh, Laura! You're here!"
Laura meekly smiled, "Excuse me for my insolence, but I need Mr. Schneider to sign some documents necessary for a business transaction tomorrow. It seems Mr. Schneider forgot to sign them before coming to your family dinner."
Chairman Schneider waved his hand and replied with a teasing tone, "It's okay, Ms. Jones. You may kidnap my son. We're done with dinner anyway."
"Would you like to eat, Laura?" Mrs. Schneider asked the waiter to bring another plate, but Laura politely declined.
"It's okay, Madam Schneider. I just ate, and we need to go back to the office before it closes."
"You heard my secretary," Matthew stood up and kissed his mother's forehead, "We need to go."
Chairman Schneider also stood up and hugged his son, "Don't overwork yourself, son, and please think about what we discussed tonight."
Matthew nodded and headed towards the exit, with Laura following him. As they walked, Matthew took a deep breath and looked at Laura pointedly, "What took you so long, Ms. Jones?"
Laura hesitated for a moment, wondering if she should reveal the reason why she was almost an hour late. She knew how Matthew would react if he found out.
"Hmm?" Matthew raised an eyebrow while they waited for the valet to bring the CEO's car.
Laura blushed. "I was waiting for the bus. It took a long time."
"Where's your car?"
Three months ago, Matthew had insisted that Laura should have her car, as the company provides cars for certain employees. Laura initially declined the offer, but Matthew imposed it upon her, saying that it would help Laura with her secretarial duties. Being Matthew Schneider's secretary is indeed demanding; she would be tasked to go to places, both near and far, for business purposes. Laura was grateful that her boss insisted on her having a car. However, yesterday, her car died, and it was currently in the repair shop, which was why she needed to take the bus.
"There seemed to be a problem regarding the car," Laura bowed her head. "I'm sorry."
"What for?" Matthew asked.
"For not taking care of it well," she admitted shyly. Silence ensued. Laura still had her head down, so she couldn't see her boss's expression.
Matthew's chuckles reverberated. "Oh, you silly girl. It's okay, it's okay." She raised her head and saw the CEO laughing. Matthew looked stern when he was serious, but he looked like a child when he smiled warmly and innocently. Her boss only stopped laughing when the valet arrived with his white Mercedes.
"I'll get going now, Mr. Schneider," Laura once again bowed when Matthew settled into the driver's seat of his car. "I need to catch the last bus home."
Matthew clucked his tongue. "Oh no, no. You, Ms. Jones, are going to ride with me."
Laura quickly shook her head. "It's okay, Mr. Schneider. I can take myself home."
"Don't make me wait," Matthew threatened. "Hop in."
The secretary wasn't able to do anything but follow her boss. She carefully trudged her way over the pristine white car and got inside. The ride was spent in comfortable silence. Laura made herself comfortable and closed her eyes, promising herself that she would only rest them and not fall asleep.
After a few minutes, they arrived at Laura's humble abode. The secretary was asleep. Matthew contemplated whether to wake her up or just wait for her to wake up on her own. He felt a prick of guilt. Laura was obviously tired, and yet he asked her to go to the restaurant to save his pathetic ass from his mother's wrath.
Carefully, he unbuckled Laura's seatbelt and gently shook the woman awake. "Laura, we're here."
Laura's eyes fluttered. A soft groan escaped the petite woman's lips. "Are we home?"
Matthew nodded.
"Oh."
Laura quickly opened the door and stepped outside. "I'm so sorry for falling asleep on you, Mr. Schneider," she said apologetically.
"It's okay," Matthew replied, reaching for a small pastel pink box at the backseat of the car. He grabbed it and handed it to her. "Here, this is today's thank-you gift."
Laura cutely tilted her head. "What is this?"
Matthew smiled. "It's a red velvet cupcake with a light saber decoration. And a little something with a note attached too."
"Thank you, Mr. Schneider," Laura said, her lips tugging into a smile.
The CEO simply nodded and began to drive away.
Once inside, Laura opened the pink box to reveal the delicious-looking cupcake and delicate silver bracelet nestled inside. She noticed a note attached to the box and picked it up to read it.
The note read: "Life Saver, thank you for today. In addition, I have a special treat for you - this cupcake was made by none other than my good friend, Chloe Roux. I recall you mentioning that you're a big fan of her work. And a little something. Enjoy!
Best regards, Matthew."