'Mary you Whore! How can you have sex with your boss out of all people?! First it was kissing now it's SEX!!!'
"MARY!" Steph shouted out my name pulling me away from my thought. To much is going through my head that I can't even focus. "Yes?" I answered, "what's wrong with you, you look so deep in thought." She pointed out, "It's nothing really, I just have something going on through my mind." I replied.
Stephanie's concern was genuine, and I appreciated her friendship more than ever in that moment. But there was no way I could share the truth with her about my secret affair with the CEO. The weight of my actions was beginning to sink in, and I felt a deep sense of guilt.
"I'm just dealing with some personal stuff," I replied evasively. "You know how it is, work can be overwhelming."
She nodded, still looking concerned. "Well, if you ever need to talk or if there's anything I can do to help, you know I'm here for you, right?"
I managed a weak smile, touched by her support. "Thanks, Steph. I appreciate it."
Over the next few days, I tried to compartmentalize my emotions and focus on work. It was becoming increasingly difficult to balance my professional life with this forbidden romance. Every stolen moment with the CEO was filled with passion and desire, but it was always followed by a nagging feeling of guilt.
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"No Mark, those files go to the sales department how many times do I have to tell you!" I exclaimed, "Oh, okay. I was just confused since Ezekiel brought me two folders of different designs." He replied, "Please get it to them quickly, those files are important." I told him as I ended the call. Once I was about to lay my head down I got another call from my mom on my personal phone. Once I picked up the call I got the most shocking news.
My grandma was dead.
I felt my heart break into pieces, why so sudden. I felt a tear drop fall on my face and the second Boss walked in I wiped it off and stood up to greet him. "Welcome back sir." He slightly nodded his head and continued to walk into his office.
"Do you mind if I ask a question sir?" I asked, he paused ad turned to look at me. "What is it?" He asked, "will it be okay if I leave early today and take a few days off? An emergency just came up and I need to leave quickly." I requested, "What kind of emergency?" He asked, "It's personal sir, I rather not say." I remarked, "Do you need me to give you a ride?" He asked, "No sir, that won't be necessary." I told him, "Okay then, you may leave." He permitted me. "Thank you sir." I bowed to him as I quickly grabbed my stuff and headed out.
David was left standing there wondering what was the emergency that she had to leave in a hurry like that.
I rushed out of the office, my mind in a whirlwind of grief and confusion. The news of my grandma's sudden passing had hit me like a freight train, and I needed to be with my family during this difficult time.
As I made my way to the elevator, my thoughts were consumed by memories of my grandmother and the times we had shared. I couldn't help but feel a sense of regret for not spending more time with her recently, especially with the chaos of my secret affair with the CEO and the demands of work.
The elevator ride down felt like an eternity, and when the doors finally opened, I practically sprinted to my car. Tears blurred my vision as I drove to be with my family, leaving behind the office and the complicated mess that had become my professional life.
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After driving for almost 3 hours I finally got to my home town. I quickly parked the car and rushed inside the house. There I found Mom crying on the floor as dad and Liam comforted her. "Your finally here." Dad said looking up at me. I quickly rushed to moms side and hugged her, instantly tears were also flowing my eyes. I couldn't believe grandma was gone.
The house was filled with a heavy atmosphere of grief as we clung to each other, trying to find solace in our shared pain. My younger brother, Liam, was struggling to come to terms with the loss of our beloved grandmother, and I couldn't blame him. Grandma had always been the heart of our family, the one who told us stories, baked us cookies, and offered unwavering support.
In the midst of our mourning, I received a text message notification on my phone. It was from the CEO, David. My heart raced as I read it.
"Mary, I hope everything is okay. Please let me know if you need anything or if there's anything I can do to help. Take care."
I hesitated for a moment, torn between my personal grief and the complicated relationship I had with David. Finally, I replied with a simple "Thank you" and put my phone aside.
Over the next few days, I helped my family with the funeral preparations and spent time consoling my mom and Liam. It was a bittersweet experience as we celebrated Grandma's life while mourning her loss.
One evening, as I sat on the porch, staring at the stars, I received another message from David. He had been trying to reach out to me during my absence from work.
"Mary, I hope you're doing okay. I understand you're going through a difficult time, but we have some urgent matters at the office. When you're ready, please let me know when you'll be back."
I sighed, knowing that I couldn't stay away from work indefinitely. But I also realized that this time away from the office had given me a chance to reflect on the choices I had made, especially my secret relationship with the CEO. I knew I had to make some tough decisions when I returned.
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After a week of being away and facing the death of my grandma I came back to work and everything didn't seem in place. Some how Mark had lost the files that needed to be fixed by the sales department and everything just went downhill like that. I've also come to believe that nothing is going according to my plane. After grieving a lost of a family, I had to come back and face all the problems Mark has caused in the company.
"I promise I sent it to them, that same day you told me to take it." He stated, "Then how can the papers disappear just like that?" I asked, "I'm really sorry." He apologized. "I'm really sorry sir, I'll make sure this doesn't happen again." I remarked as I led Mark out.
'As they left the room, David wanted to call Mary back but he knew this wasn't the moment too.'
"Please Mark, don't ever let this repeat again." "I'm really sorry Mary, I didn't mean for any of this to happen." He cried, "it's okay, you can leave now." I told him.
I sighed as I grabbed the phone and called the Tech department. "Yes, please send me all the files from last week asap."
The night passed with me trying to regain all the files and analytics for the summer sale. At this point I needed to wear glasses before I went blind.
The next few days at the office were a whirlwind of stress and frustration as I worked tirelessly to recover the lost files.
David had been surprisingly patient during this time, perhaps understanding the difficult circumstances I had faced with my grandmother's passing. I had a lingering sense of guilt about my affair with him, especially in light of the chaos at work. It was becoming increasingly clear that I needed to address the situation, both personally and professionally.
One evening, as I was sorting through a mountain of paperwork, David appeared in front of my desk. His expression was serious, and he seemed to sense that something was amiss.
"Mary, can we talk for a moment?" he asked, his voice soft. He left me sitting and entered his office.
I left the stack of papers on my desk and followed him behind.
"Yes sir?", I entered the office closing the door behind me. "I know these past few weeks have been incredibly challenging for you, and I appreciate your dedication to your work, especially during this time. But I can't help but notice that something seems to be bothering you beyond just the lost files."
I hesitated, unsure of how to respond. Part of me wanted to confide in him, to finally address the complicated relationship we had, while another part of me feared the consequences of revealing the truth.
David continued, "Mary, I want to be here for you, not just as your boss, but as someone who cares about you. Is there anything you want to tell me?"
Tears welled up in my eyes as I struggled with my emotions. It was time to confront the truth, not just for my own sake but for the sake of our working relationship and the future of the company.
"I don't know what to do, it's just to much for me!" "I don't get any of this," "it's not just the work, it also you!" I cried covering my face, "One minute you'll be kissing, holding, and making love to me. Then the next minute you'll bring another lady into the office and ignore me completely!" I stated, "What am I to you exactly, am I just a toy you play with?!"
David looked at me with a mixture of surprise and realization. My outburst had shattered the unspoken agreement we had maintained, the fragile balance between our secret affair and our professional lives. He sighed deeply and walked closer to me, his face lined with regret.
"Mary, I never meant for you to feel that way," he began, his tone earnest. "I know I've been inconsistent, and I'm sorry for the pain I've caused you. You're not just a toy, and I shouldn't have treated you that way."
I wiped away my tears, still struggling with a mix of emotions. "Then what are we doing, David? What are we even... are we in a relationship, or is this just some secret fling?"
David took a moment to gather his thoughts before responding. "Mary, the truth is, I care about you a lot. But I've been torn between my feelings for you and the responsibilities of my position as CEO. It's been difficult to find the right balance, and I've made mistakes."
He reached out to gently hold my hands. "I don't want you to be just a secret. I want us to figure out what we mean to each other, openly and honestly. I want us to be together, but I understand if you can't accept that given our professional circumstances."
I contemplated his words, torn between my own feelings for him and the reality of our situation. It was clear that we couldn't continue as we had been, but the idea of openly acknowledging our relationship at work was daunting.
"David, I care about you too," I admitted, my voice shaking. "But, I don't want to be a source of conflict or gossip in the company." I pulled my hands away from his grip and wiped my tears. "Your my Boss and I'm an Assistant, we can't be doing this." I said as I walked out of the office and went back to the stacks of papers on my desk.
'David was left standing there alone with nothing to say. He couldn't believe a woman had rejected him!'
To be continued