ARMAND'S POV
Sleep eluded me as I lay sprawled on the bed, rubbing my lips and reminiscing about the sweet kiss we shared with Eli. The sound of his moan was still imprinted in my mind and I had never heard such a sweet sound in my life. I had stayed away from relationships and never considered myself lucky enough to find someone whom I would like. To hold Eli in my arms was unexpected and the kiss we shared made me vow to protect him for the rest of his life. As I closed my eyes, I silently thanked fate for allowing me to meet Eli two years ago.
The office was buzzing the next day as the development team was testing the new AI algorithms as part of the plan by Henry Noah who was the head of the projects. They had assembled in the boardroom together with Mark, Bruno, Max and Jessel Ting were present in the boardroom together with the Lead Data Scientist Ezra Leo, The head of Quality Assurance Lucas Charles, and the Ethics and Compliance officer Andrew Noah. The team is planning on evaluating the performance and reliability of the new AI algorithm for the new games that we were to launch in five months. Surprisingly, Eli was missing in the meeting and I guessed he was hiding after what happened last night.
" Chairman Armand " They all stood up as I walked in.
" Thank you for coming. Let us begin the process " I sat down as Henry Noah stood by the large TV screen and began the presentation.
Four hours later, we agreed that Ezra Leo would work with the developers to make necessary adjustments and optimizations to the AI algorithm. Once done Jessel would prepare a detailed report for stakeholders, providing insights into the algorithm's effectiveness and readiness for deployment.
" I still think that the design needs to be worked on, " Mark spoke up.
" I agree. Have the UI/UX designers work on it. I feel we need to create a new trend that has not been seen in the market. " Bruno spoke up.
" Proceed and let us not take much time on this. One week at most " I instructed.
" Yes, Chairman Armand " They all piped as I stood up and left the boardroom.
My feet carried me to Eli's office and I found him in his usual spot, his eyes glued on the computer as his hand moved with speed. Eli wore a pull-neck inside his well-ironed suit. The combination of the pull-neck sweater and the suit made him appear stylish and sophisticated, embracing a look that is both professional and effortlessly relaxed.
" Why did you not attend the review meeting in the boardroom? As my assistant I expected you to be there to take all the notes for the meeting " I spoke up from the door.
" Chairman Armand" He stood up and then added. " I had discussed this with Bruno about this and he was to take the notes for the meeting. There is an urgent document that is needed by the partners in Italy and the deadline is today "
" Oh, I thought you were hiding after what happened last night " I drawled as I walked in and closed the door.
" Chairman Armand, I am a professional " He defended himself but I could see the blush that was evident on his cheeks.
" I never said otherwise " I walked over to the couch by the corner of his office, slid down gracefully, and crossed one leg over my knee. Eli's eyes remained glued to my actions and I watched as his hand fisted at his side.
" I will review the notes that Bruno gave before I share them with you and the shareholders " He spoke up.
I was getting irritated that Eli was putting on a professional front and deflecting from the direction of the topic of our kiss last night.
" Did you sleep well?" I leaned back on the couch and spread my arms on the headrest.
Eli's eyes widened and then he responded " Yes"
" I never slept a wink. I kept thinking about our kiss " I responded.
" Chairman Armand, we are in the office " He whispered and the color of his ears turned red.
" So you were not affected by our kiss?" I asked.
" No" His answer was quick and his eyes turned a deep shade of red.
" Do you know when you lie your ears turn red? " I raised my hand and pointed at his ears.
His hands reacted instantly and went to his ears and he huffed in frustration. " Chairman Armand, I need this job. Can we please maintain professionalism at work? "
The little brat was drawing a line and I was not going to have any of that. I stood up and walked over and stood towering over him. Eli's fragrance hit my nostrils and it was a signature element of his personality, enhancing his presence with an inviting and sophisticated aroma both subtle and impactful, leaving a lasting sexy impression.
" You smell heavenly " I stated and watched his nostrils flare as he tried to hold back.
He seemed to be battling to hold back but I watched the wheels turn and his eyes flashed as he stared at me and said " Chairman Armand, I do need this job. I have been in my father's clutches for years and finally, I can be free and myself as I work for you. I beg you to let me be and work for you in peace. "
"You never applied for this job. I know that your father did it " I pointed out.
" Why did you hire me ?" He raised one eyebrow at me.
" Because you are talented and a genius. Having someone like you on my team is an added advantage." I responded and shrugged my shoulders.
" Really?" He seemed surprised. " I expected you to say you wanted to spite Gregory Marks"
" I am a businessman. I would never invest in a loss" I answered and It was a sense of absurdity to him as to why we hired him. I could tell that he was not confident as to why he was hired.
" Thank you, Chairman Armand" His soft smile made my heart skip a beat.
" Now about the kiss-" I winked at him and he chuckled and shook his head in disbelief.
" You are a Tyrant and Rogue" He whispered.
Our conversation was interrupted by Bruno and he seemed surprised to see how close we were standing to each other. Eli took a step to the right to maintain a safe distance while speaking up to Bruno in annoyance " What is it ?"
" There is a breach in our main server. Caleb Orion and Evans Maurice are working on it. I rushed over to inform you" Bruno spoke up.
"Come on" I instructed Eli and we walked out of his office with Bruno ahead of us and we headed to the seventh floor that held the main servers. We checked into the security system and I was surprised that Eli had not been given access.
" Why doesn't he have access?" I asked Bruno just as Mark and Max walked over.
" Chairman Armand, the company rules are clear, he will get access after three months" Max spoke up and his answer irked me for the first time since I hired him.
" Get Eli access right away " I commanded him.
" That will not be possible Chairman Armand" Caleb Orion interjected as he walked over. "The hack came from his laptop IP from his office"
" How long ago?" I demanded
" Five minutes ago" Evans Maurice responded.
" Impossible, I was in his office at that time and he was not using his laptop," I informed everyone.
" What?' " Caleb seemed surprised and I could tell they had all concluded that Eli was the one who was trying to hack the servers of Armand Inc.
" You heard me, I was in the office with Eli and he was not using his laptop at that time. You better find who is hacking the system and stop with the guessing game"