Unlocking my Boss’s Heart (Romance in Sweet Comedy #4)

3. Anton

Chapter three

Anton

“ S he did what ?” Johan, my younger brother, asked over the phone, clearly amused.

“Reeva brought her stuff into my apartment and announced she was moving in,” I repeated, earning a full-blown laugh from Johan.

“You’ve got to hand it to her—she’s got guts. She’s not afraid to go after what she wants.”

“Well, what she wants is to become a Waltons, and that’s never going to happen. Unless you’re volunteering?”

“Not a chance. We should warn Benjamin about her too,” Johan added, referring to our youngest brother. “I did warn you about her when you started dating.”

“Yeah, but she played the part well, made it seem like we were on the same page. And with Mother determined to marry me off, it was a solution to that at the time. I don’t get why she doesn’t focus on you for a change. I’m a lost cause.” I sighed, the exhaustion from last night's restless sleep weighing on me. A clear sign I needed more coffee.

“I wouldn’t say that. You’re the oldest, so naturally she wants you to do everything first,” Johan said, clearly enjoying this.

“We’re all adults now. At thirty-one, you should be feeling the marriage pressure too,” I countered, but deep down, I knew my brother was right. Our mother had her sight set on me, and I hadn’t yet figured out how to change that.

“Why not settle down? Or are you planning to pull a George Clooney?” Johan teased. “Your biological clock is ticking.”

I rolled my eyes. “Men don’t have biological clocks, Han,” I said.

The familiar childhood nickname softened our banter. Johan, shortened like Han Solo from Star Wars , had always been my go-to name for my brother during these playful exchanges.

We hung up. I closed my eyes for a second to reset.

Though I appreciated my family’s privilege, I wanted to be known more than a Waltons. That was why I carved my own path, separated from my father’s towering tech corporation. Law was my calling, and I threw myself into it, building my firm from the ground up. I didn’t need to work this hard, many in my position would’ve been content to bask in the family wealth and globe-trot without care. But I wanted more, something on my own that no one could take away.

A sudden beep interrupted my thoughts. I glanced at my phone screen and saw that it was Reeva. I scrolled to her name, my thumb hovering over the screen. With a firm tap, I blocked her number. Relief washed over me. She was gone when I got home last night, but her relentless calls and texts since had left me uneasy. I knew deep down, she wouldn’t let go easily.

My father’s warning echoed in my mind then, his old-fashioned values clear as day. He was never one for casual flings. He believed in intentions and commitments. Not that I was one to sleep around, but even a confirmed bachelor like me needs company every now and then. Reeva was the shortest relationship I’d ever had, a whirlwind that ended as quickly as it began.

Coming home to an empty apartment could be suffocating but being with Reeva lost its charm fast. After we’d made love, she became possessive, wanting me not for who I was, but for what I represented. I couldn’t fault her entirely—we’d both played our parts. But now, it is over. I could only hope she would move on as swiftly as she’d entered my life.

The office line rang, jolting me out of my thoughts.

I was never this distracted.

“Yes?” The answer came out harsher than intended, betraying the simmering tension that Reeva had stirred within me.

“Human Resources has completed the initial screening of applicants from the job posting,” Olivia sounded on the other end, steady and composed.

“I need a shortlist of ten candidates here this afternoon,” I instructed with a softened tone, as I rained in my emotions.

“Today?” She gasped in surprise.

“Yes. The candidates are aware. Schedule interviews starting at two.”

Time was of the essence. The sooner I filled the vacancy, the sooner the firm could balance the overwhelming workload that John departure had left in its wake. I wasn’t about to let our team falter and give John the satisfaction of seeing us trip up due to his hasty exit.

After a quick stop at the courthouse, I returned to work after lunch. The familiar click of my shoes on the marble floor felt oddly comforting after the chaotic rush of the traffic. A few unfamiliar faces sat uncomfortably in the lobby, waiting.

I strode past them and entered the elevator. When I stepped out on the office floor, Olivia handed me a cup of black coffee. “Thank you.” I took it, grateful she could read my mind. I took a sip, savoring the rich bitter warmth aroma, as it cut through the fog of my tiredness.

“How did your meeting go?” Olivia asked cheerily, walking beside me with a clipboard.

“They agreed to settle out of court,” I replied.

“That’s wonderful news, sir,” Olivia beamed, and I nodded appreciating her enthusiasm.

My client, Eucalyptia Pharmaceuticals, had violated their contract by deviating from the agreed dosage in their consent. The alteration caused no adverse effects, but when the test subjects found out, they sued. My job was to make them settle out of court for two hundred thousand dollars. They were too stubborn initially but eventually changed their minds.

We walked into my office, and I sat heavily in my chair. Olivia placed messages on the desk. I scanned them as she explained, “None of these are urgent.”

I nodded, thumbing through the rest of the messages. Nothing that wouldn’t wait until tomorrow. “Thank you, Olivia,” I mumbled.

She returned to her desk. A reassuring silence settled over my office. Though tired, I needed to find a replacement for John. I always conducted the final interviews myself, and the firm’s success proved the effort was warranted.

I sipped my coffee and called out through the intercom to Olivia, “In five minutes, send in the first candidate.”

The first applicant was an older woman who had graduated from a renowned law program and seemed competent. After a few questions about her former employers, I noticed she avoided the topic. I concluded the interview then and there. As she closed the door, I dumped her file on the floor. She didn’t want me to know what happened at her former firm, and I couldn’t bring more drama into the office. One was enough.

The second applicant was a young, eager man. I grilled him about his school and past employers and found out he currently worked at another law firm but wanted a higher salary. I narrowed my eyes at that. If he was here just for the paycheck, that didn’t speak well of his loyalty. I couldn’t afford another volatile employee who didn’t care about their work so long as they got paid.

After interviewing more than half of the applicants, I started to lose hope of finding a suitable lawyer. I went on leafing through the files with the remaining applicants again, intent to find a good one.

A soft knock at my office door interrupted me, I looked up, as it opened, and my heart gave a hard thump.

It was her .

The woman from the bookstore.

I watched her as she closed the door behind her.

I hadn’t expected to see her again. It was only later that I regretted not sticking around to learn more about her, maybe even get her number. Now, she was in my office. I’d always heard the world was a small place, but this was the first time I experienced something serendipitous.

As she walked toward my desk, her hazel eyes met mine, widening in surprise. Last night, she’d looked beautiful in jeans and a graphic T-shirt, and now even more striking in sleek business attire. She recovered from her surprise and walked confidently to the desk.

She smiled softly and extended her hand. “Hi, good afternoon, Mr. Waltons.”

I accepted her handshake, noting her soft skin and firm grip. “Good afternoon,” I replied, intrigued.

The weight of the day seemed to lift slightly as I watched her take her seat across from me. My thoughts shifted from my earlier frustrations to the unexpected pleasure of this meeting.

I watched as she sat across from me. She wore a simple skirt and a white chiffon top, her blond hair pulled back into a neat bun at the nape. It was a stark contrast to her casual appearance yesterday but one I found just as appealing.

I couldn't help but feel a flicker of curiosity about her.

She smoothed her hair back, likely a nervous gesture because it was already in pristine condition.

We sat in silence as I leafed through her file.

Celia Adams.

“Law school at Baylor. Impressive,” I began. She said nothing as I continued flipping through the rest of the documents. She had worked at a small firm near Dallas, Texas, until recently. “Why did you quit your previous job?”

She met my gaze without hesitation in her eyes. “I moved here. I've always wanted to live in New York and finally got the opportunity. I arrived in town yesterday.”

I leaned on my desk. “And you went to a bookstore as soon as you did?”

I could think of several other attractions that would have been more up a young woman’s alley in this city. She was in her mid-twenties, by my estimation. This was no longer just another interview. Something about her made the day feel a little less burdensome, and I couldn't ignore the unexpected but welcome distraction.

She lowered her head, trying to hide the redness of her cheeks, no doubt. Just when I thought she wouldn’t reply, she looked up again. “I left all my books back in Texas. I was feeling their loss.”

“And you decided to get Aiko Osaka’s latest novel?”

Her lips thinned. “Is our discussion about the copyright lawsuit going to affect my application? Maybe I shouldn’t have voiced my thoughts to you….”

Rather than looking nervous, her eyes held an accusation. She was a spitfire.

I shook my head, closing her file and setting it down. “I think you’re perfect.” At her stunned expression, I quickly added, “...for the job, I mean.”

Her credentials were impressive, one of the top candidates, with a resume that spoke of potential rather than years. Some might hesitate to hire someone with only two years of experience and no high-profile cases, but I saw something more in her. She was young, ambitious, and hungry for success. I could see it in her eyes. Sometimes, that fire was better than experience.

Still, I wondered why I’d blurted out my thoughts like that. Hopefully, she didn’t misunderstand my intentions.

Her face lit up in surprise again. “Oh, um, I—”

I steered the interview back to business. “This is a law firm. We deal with all kinds of clients. I need someone who can argue either side of a case.” I patted her file, as if to say she was exactly the kind of lawyer I was looking for. At least, I hoped she was.

“Of course.” She fell silent, glancing sideways at me. “Are you saying I’m hired, sir?”

Her hopeful expression was hard to miss, and I nodded. "Yes."

Her smile was radiant, but it quickly faltered. “What about the other candidates in the lobby? Don’t you need to interview them too before making a final decision?”

Interesting. Most people would’ve taken the job without questions.

“You don’t want to work for me?” I asked, a smile tugging at my lips.

She paled and shook her head. “Of course, I do.”

I leaned in slightly, close enough to catch the faint blue in her hazel eyes. “Then, why are you trying to talk me out of it?”

“I’m not,” she quickly denied. “I’m just curious, I guess.”

She shifted in her seat, crossing her legs at the ankle. An old-fashioned gesture that made me think of a Southern debutante. But she didn’t have a pronounced drawl like Reeva, thank God.

The thought of my ex brought bile to my throat, which I quickly swallowed. Unlike the other applicants, I was enjoying our banter, and I didn’t want anything to ruin it.

My eyes drifted from her face to her hair. I couldn’t decide if I preferred it in a tight bun she wore today or loose as it had been the night before. Would it feel as silky as it looked if I ran my fingers through it? I pushed that though away. This wasn’t the time to think about her that way.

I picked up her file again, asking the standard questions as I had with the previous applicants. As she answered, I nodded, impressed. Even though it was a bit late, since I’d already offered her the job, her answers only confirmed my instincts.

As the interview wound down, I noticed how calm and confident she'd been throughout.

“So, do you have any questions for me?” I asked.

She hesitated, biting her bottom lip in thought. She opened her mouth to speak but quickly shut it.

“What is it?” I prompted.

She took a deep breath. “I hope you don’t take this the wrong way, sir. But since when does a senior partner interview job applicants?”

I relaxed, feeling the bantering atmosphere from last night had returned. I cocked my head, amused by her continuing to question my methods rather than asking about the job.

“I like to hire only the best, Miss Adams. To ensure that, I prefer to meet the candidates myself rather than relying on someone else’s opinion.” I glanced at my watch. The other applicants would have to be dismissed. I needed to wrap this up, as much as I would like to keep chatting with her. “My assistant, Olivia, will email you an employment contract. Please sign and return it before starting work tomorrow morning. Also, did you review the salary package? It's non-negotiable.”

She nodded, her hazel eyes sparkling with excitement. “Yes, very generous, Mr. Waltons.”

I shouldn’t have noticed her eyes. But I did, again.

I stood and extended my hand. She rose and slipped her slender one into mine. I shook it firmly, but carefully, not to crush her delicate fingers.

“Be here by seven for your orientation. You’ll be given a tour of the offices and an overview of your responsibilities.”

I hesitantly released her hand, reluctant to end the conversation. But I comforted myself with the thought that there would be plenty of time to get to know her better in the days to come.

She nodded again. “Thank you so much for the opportunity, Mr. Waltons. You won’t regret it.”

“Alright, Miss Adams, it was a pleasure to meet you. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow.”

“You, too.” She beamed, cheeks flushing a pretty pink. It seemed she remembered how our conversation had ended last night. Rather than being embarrassed, she held her head high.

I found it endearing. People were usually either stiff around me or desperate to impress. Miss Adams was refreshingly different. Maybe, being from Texas, she didn’t know I was linked to the Waltons Corporation, my family’s company. It was nice to be seen just as myself for a change.

I watched her leave. How curious that the captivating woman I’d rescued from falling last night was now my newest junior associate. She’d lingered in my thoughts longer than I’d expected. How fortuitous, indeed.

After the door clicked shut, I considered what I’d just done. Was hiring her an impulsive decision? Was I influenced by my fascination with her last night?

I replayed the interview in my mind, piece by piece. When she’d walked in, I was already drained from interviewing candidates. But she was the best of them all. None of the remaining applicants stood out as much as she did.

I would have to keep a close watch on her.

Would she be a liability or a valuable asset? Only time would tell.