After Ashley shower and got dress Lady Ann led her to the dinning hall where Eric was already sited and a beautiful lady beside him as she recognized the beautiful lady beside Eric as his girlfriend, Kimberly. Ashley's smile faded slightly, but she gathered her composure and approached the table confidently. Lady Ann introduced Ashley to Lisa, who greeted her with a polite smile.
"Your P.A is truly beautiful," Kimberly said with a smile, but there was a hint of disgust in her look. Ashley tried her best not to meet Kimberly's gaze, as she could sense that Kimberly had a completely different opinion about Ashley's relationship with Eric. Ashley felt a pang of unease as she observed the conflicted expressions on Kimberly's face. She couldn't quite understand whyKimberly had such a negative perception of her relationship with Eric. They had always seemed happy together, so Ashley couldn't help but feel confused and hurt by Kimberly's disapproving look.
Trying to dismiss the unease, Ashley mustered a polite smile and said, "Thank you, Kimberly. I think so too"
Eric's mood remained cold as he quietly ate his food, even though he knew about Kimberly's opinion of Ashley. However, he chose to ignore it. "So Ashley you are still a student in Eric school?" Kimberly ask "yes" Ashley responded lowering her gaze feeling awkward, Kimberly narrowed her gaze. She didn't understand why Eric had demoted Jason as his P.A to employ this girl as his replacement. Wasthere something more to it? "You know, being his P.A, you might have to go on trips with him and help him with his wardrobe..." Kimberly voiced her concerns.
"Kim..." Eric interrupted, cutting her off midway. He understood whatKimberly was insinuating, but he didn't want to discuss it further. "I understand," Ashley responded, maintaining a smile. "Okay then" Kimberly stands up and move closer to Eric then lean to sit on his laps, Ashley eyes jolted around but she maintain to focus her gaze on her food, she hadn't even have a bite yet she lost appetite already because of Kimberly intimidating presence "hey what are you doing" Eric flinch after Kimberly settled herself on his laps "what do you mean? This is not our first time eating like this"
"Kimberly, please," Eric stammered, caught off guard by her bold actions. He gently tried to shift her off his lap,but Kimberly clung to him, not wanting to move. Ashley couldn't help but feel uncomfortable witnessing the awkward situation. She maintained her focus on her food, pretending not to notice. She wanted to avoid any confrontation or becoming involved in their dynamic.
"Kimberly, this is not appropriate," Eric insisted, trying to maintain his composure. He gently but firmly attempted to remove her from his lap, aware of Ashley's presence.
"I don't see the problem," Kimberly retorted, a hint of defiance in her voice. "But... Not when my P.A is here" Eric whisper unknowingly that Ashley heard it "hum..." She stand up "I... Will... Just take my leave" she said and Eric eyes widen "why? You haven't even have a bite yet?" Eric said "I am totally fine, I lose appetite during the work out" she smiled and turn her back then walks away from the table. Ashley could sense the tension in the air as she excused herself from the situation. She knew Kimberly had a reputation for being assertive and unafraid to speak her mind, but she also respected Eric's attempt to diffuse the situation. As the door closed behind Ashley, Eric turned his attention back to Kimberly. "Look, Kimberly, I know we are in relationship, but we need to maintain boundaries," Eric said firmly. "Having you on my lap while my P.A. is here is not appropriate."
Kimberly crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "Who cares about boundaries?" she scoffed. "It's not like Ashley is my boss. I don't see why it should matter to her." Eric sighed, trying to remain calm. "It's not just about Ashley being my P.A. It's about professionalism"
Kimberly rolled her eyes and stood up "I will just leave you alone then enjoy eating alone" she said with a hint of anger and walked away.
Time passed and Eric found himself standing by his window, lost in deep thought. It was already 7pm, and he couldn't help but wonder how he could make things right with Ashley. Despite the fact that she was now his personal assistant, there was still a sense of detachment between them. They remained strangers in some ways. Eric reflected on the mistakes he had made, the careless words he had uttered and the hurt he had caused. He knew that simply having Ashley as his personal assistant was not enough to bridge the gap between them. He needed to make amends, to earn her forgiveness and trust back. He was still on the thoughts when he suddenly felt a soft arm caressing his chest, he inhale sharply and touch the palm caressing it "Ash..." He said but then he turn his head to look at the person caressing his chest and it turns out to be Kimberly who is already looking at him weirdly "Did I just heard you say Ash..." She said Eric bit his lips, the hand felt like Ashley's hand so much that he had momentarily forgotten that it was actually Kimberly beside him. He felt a wave of confusion and embarrassment wash over him as he realized his mistake.The realization hit Eric like a ton of bricks, as he quickly withdrew his hand and sat up, distancing himself from Kimberly. His mind raced, trying to come up with an explanation for his slip-up. "I... um, I must have been half asleep or something. I must have been dreaming," Eric stammered, desperately attempting to salvage the situation. Kimberly's eyebrows furrowed, a mix of curiosity and skepticism evident on her face. "Dreaming about Ash, huh?" she said with a slight smirk. Eric's face flushed with embarrassment. He knew that Kimberly had been suspecting something between him and Ashley when they were and he didn't want to add fuel to the fire. "No, no, it's not what you think," Eric protested. "It was just a slip of the tongue, really. You know how sometimes your thoughts get jumbled up." Kimberly maintained her inquisitive gaze, unconvinced by Eric's feeble explanation. "Well, it's just that you seemed quite comfortable with that hand caressing your chest," she said teasingly. "No! It's just that we have a lot of work to do tomorrow, so she has been on my mind lately. Maybe she will be able to handle the work tomorrow. I apologize if I seemed distracted," he said, gently taking her palm in his and smiling. "I must admit, you've been on my mind too."
Eric's gaze turned seductive, and he leaned closer."So now that you're in my room, let's..." Eric's sentence was interrupted by Kimberly's laughter. She found his attempt at seduction amusing, "Okay, fine, But we should do it now, It is hard for me to hold back"
"No, Kim. I'm not ready yet," Eric replied firmly. Kimberly sighed, her voice barely audible. "Eric... You have packs of condoms in here."
"I know, but I promise that when the time is right, I'll be prepared and ready," he assured her, planting a gentle kiss on her lips. "Let's continue taking things slowly" He spoke with determination in his voice, determined not to rush into anything until his emotions were solidified.