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

20. Anton

Chapter twenty

Anton

“ I thought you’d be happy,” I said to Celia after watching a parade of emotions flickered across her face from behind my desk.

Any new hire would be delighted to gain independence, with only occasional consultations with senior staff. Her facial expressions, however, conveyed anything but happiness.

“I am. I just don’t want any special favors, like being assigned a too-small case. I need to prove my worth among the other lawyers.”

That was the ambition I knew she had.

“There’s no such thing as a ‘too small’ case at this firm. All cases are treated with the same level of importance,” I replied.

I had no doubt she could handle even a medium-sized case already. She’d done exceptionally well on the Aiko Osaka case report. It was clear that she was a very skilled lawyer. Her abilities were highly recommended in the courtroom by the references she provided.

Her leaving the intern duties would be a loss to other lawyers, but they would gain a fully functioning colleague who would take on cases and ease their workload.

“The first few weeks for any new attorney can be challenging,” I continued. “But with the work ethic I’ve seen in you, I believe you’ll do very well.”

She still didn’t look as elated as I’d anticipated.

“What kind of cases do you give new lawyers during those first few weeks?” she asked.

“We’re not discussing anyone else. After reviewing your performance at your previous firm and what you’ve accomplished here, you’ve proven yourself,” I found myself repeating.

“In other words, I’ll be treated the same as everyone else.”

“Do you really think I would risk the reputation of my law firm by giving you special treatment?” I was starting to get irritated.

This was supposed to be a simple announcement about her upcoming responsibilities, but instead, she seemed unhappy and argumentative.

“I don’t know what to think anymore. I’ve been so confused about everything recently...”

I stood up and stepped out from behind my desk to release some of the tension. She stood up, too, as I calmed myself.

“I assume you’re referring to our interrupted conversation at your apartment?”

She hesitated for a moment. “Yes.”

I had a feeling this was coming.

I braced myself for what I might hear next.

After spending hours together at the hospital, I’d hoped she would reconsider her stance against a personal relationship between us. Her not answering my text and her current attitude implied she hadn’t changed her mind.

“You’re my boss, Mr. Waltons. I can’t let personal feelings for you interfere with my work. The fact that I questioned whether you are giving me special treatment proves that we need to keep things strictly professional between us.”

Mr. Waltons? That stung more than I thought it would.

I took a step toward her to offer her reassurance, but she backed away, looking like a deer caught in the headlights. Clearly, that was the wrong move.

I stopped and forced myself to remain calm.

“Okay, we’ll keep things professional,” I painfully conceded. “May I ask why? I thought we had come to an understanding at the motel.”

She looked away. “Let’s give each other space and seriously think about what we’re doing.”

What a stark contrast to the night she left the hospital. What had happened?

“So, it’s not over between us? You just need more time to think?”

She bit her lower lip, remaining silent.

“Is that what you really want?” I pressed.

She nodded. “I’m looking forward to my first assigned case as a new lawyer,” she said, her face masking her true emotions, like an employee would to her boss.

I nodded back, hiding how much her decision crushed me behind a stoic expression. Jamming my hands into my slacks’ pockets, I turned away, looking out at the city. Its usual vibrancy now seemed to mock me. With how often women pursued me, who would have thought the day would come when I would be rejected—or, as Celia just did, placed on hold until she decided it was time?

The door closed silently behind her. She had left.

What did this temporary hiatus mean? I had never been in a situation like this.

Did we date other people, meanwhile? Did we not?

Closing my eyes, I felt the loss deep in my entire being. This wasn’t how I’d pictured ending that conversation with her. My dreams had ended with her sitting on my desk and me kissing her as I so desperately wanted to.

As the day went on, I continued to struggle with understanding this “rethinking of us” because it sounded like the end of us. I had always either dated or not. I found it hard to resist the impulse to walk to Celia’s desk and ask her to reconsider.

Finally, I exhaled loudly.

On the other hand, considering the chaos my usually organized life had recently experienced, perhaps a break would be better. That didn’t mean I was giving up forever. Once the situation with Reeva was sorted out, I would be in a much stronger position to argue my case with Celia.

I hoped…No, I shouldn’t be concerned about her starting to date someone else. My thoughts were taking me to dark places. I needed to accept this hiatus for her sake, to allow her time to consider all the implications of us being together. As a senior executive, any rumors about Celia and me would affect her far more than they would me. Some of the women in the office already believed that her relationship with me had landed her the job.

Were women’s emotions irrational? As a man, it was easier for me to compartmentalize. Even with my father’s heart issues, I managed to maintain focus at work. I found a way to block out worries and thoughts. But with the women here, especially Celia, it seemed they couldn’t separate one thing from another—everything was interconnected.

After work, I got to my car, tossed my cell phone into the cup holder, started the engine, and turned up the radio. As I pulled out of the underground parking garage, my phone began to vibrate. I glanced at the screen and saw Johan’s name flashing.

I picked up the call. “What’s up, bro?”

“Hey, all good here. I just thought I would tell you what I heard from Mom so that we can be on Dad’s case together,” Johan said.

“What?”

“He skipped taking his blood thinner medication after the first surgery, which likely caused the recent blood clot.”

“Damn! I hope he understands now that he can’t skip that medication?” I asked, the edge in my voice betraying my frustration at my father’s stubbornness.

“He does now. Mom didn’t know, but she’s on top of it.” He paused and asked, “So, how are you?”

“I’m cool, just dealing with work stuff,” I replied tersely.

Johan tsked. “I know your work usually gets you fired up, not sounding this gloomy and irritated by it. Now, if you’d said ‘dealing with Reeva’ in that tone, I might have believed you. What’s really going on?”

Johan’s summary of my character was spot on. It made me smirk.

“I just had a falling-out with Celia. But we’ll resolve it soon,” I added that last part, knowing my brother sometimes liked to stick his nose where it wasn’t wanted.

“Want to talk about it?”

I didn’t answer, slowing down as I approached the stopped cars at the green light ahead. Even with my windows up, the sound of honking from frustrated drivers in the gridlocked traffic was loud.

“Come on, tell me,” Johan urged, impatient with my silence. “I bet she’s upset that Reeva is claiming she’s having your child.”

Turning the steering wheel to change lanes, I said, “That’s an understatement.”

“Wait, weren’t you supposed to have your own paternity test done to be sure?”

“Yeah, I’d planned on doing my own test, but other things took priority….” There was no need telling my brother that Celia had disappeared and all of that. “Just so you know though, the test result was from Belle Venue Clinic, that’s a legitimate establishment linked to General Hospital.”

“Another test will make you even more sure,” he replied.

“Seeing as I’m a lawyer and deal with fraud all the time, I hope Reeva didn’t try a blatant lie. Or would she dare to cross me like that?”

My brother laughed. “I don’t know for sure, but the way you describe her stalking you, I doubt Reeva would think that far ahead.”

If she had, that would imply she’d had an affair while we were dating. And we’d only been together no more than six months! And have the gall to fake a paternity test?

A headache was coming on as I turned into my building’s garage

“We’ll know when you get your test back. We’re talking about a kid you would love, taking turns during the week or the month to parent…” Johan reminded me before we hung up.

“Taking turns during the week or the month to parent….” That statement was like a poke in the painful wound that was separating me from Celia. I knew it was a possibility, but hearing it stated just reinforced how much I was actually asking from Celia.

Would she agree to babysit with me on my weekend? The thought lingered as I parked the car and sat in silence for a moment, the engine ticking as it cooled. I knew I couldn’t predict where things would go with Celia or even with Reeva, but one thing was certain: my life was no longer as neatly compartmentalized as I’d once believed. As I stepped out of the car and headed toward my apartment, I resolved to face whatever came next with the same determination I’d always prided myself on. But deep down, I knew winning Celia wouldn’t take logic alone.