novelxo Chapter 21
Chapter 21
Katrina hadn't realized how on edge
ige she really had been, since first signing the contract. But truthfully, she was exhausted and far ton hyper-aw of the world around her now. She was aware she could be photographerl at any given moment, or that someone at work would have a soude remark to send her way eventually. It was still just as hard not to obsess over Kylan's social media, either.
The morning after her date at the baseball game was no different. She opened the app as soon as the woke up, sull curled up under ber duvet while she read through a large bulk of the new comments under the video that was circulating of her and Kylän kissing at the game
Most people thought her stunt with the hat was "nice" or even "sweet, but some were upset that they didn't get to see enough of the kiss. Thone comments made her stomach churn uncomfortably, especially when she thought about how big of a deal in was that Kylan kived her, at all
She tried not to think about how significant it all actually was, having to keep up pretenses the way the would. So far, she had been lucky. If there were filmiors swirling around her office by now, she still had yet to encounter them. Her father was also still in the dark, as far as she knew.
1. but it was
It was working our well. Almost too well. It felt like she was waiting for the other shoe to drop, in a way. She hoped it wouldn't happen, very real possibility that it would at any
time.
She locked her phone and took a deep breath, rubbing her eyes for a moment, before she pulled her duvet back and climbed out of bed. Just as her feet reached the carpet, her phone chimed next to her.
"Dress appropriately for going golfing with that Hughes shit today," Kylin texted her.
I assumed he didn't actually intend for me to join you," she replied
You're joining Ryan also asked to meet with us as soon as you get here," he said.
She sighed and ran her hands down her face. She was already exhausted with this day. She didn't know how to golf. She didn't know what Ryan wanted or maybe she did. And she felt pressure to replicate another perfect cup of tea for Rylan. "Okay, Sir. I'll be there soon."
She quickly went through the motions of taking a shower and doing her hair and makeup. When she stepped into her closet, she realized she had no idea what to wear to go golfing. She accompanied Kylan for most meetings and exchanges but had never gone with him to his many golf appointments. He hated each one just the same as the last, but it was simply part of being a CEO of an enormous company
She rifled through her clothing, a frown on her face and her anxiety growing steadily. She had to look the part. She always had to look the proper part, or it was Kylan's name on the line. She almost wished he wasn't leaving it up to her to decide what to wear this time- She contemplated asking him for advice, but she thought better of it. She wanted to seem just as competent and capable to her boss, as he had grown accustomed to.
Finally, she resigned to the internet for help. Leaning against the door to her closet, she pulled out her phone and scrolled through various outfit ideas, chewing on the nail of her thumb nervously.
She finally decided on a short black skirt that flowed at the bottom, and a tight white shirt, which she tucked into the skirt. She paired the look with a light athletic jacket and her best white sneakers, carefully inspecting them for any signs of stains.
Once she was satisfied with how she looked, she grabbed her briefcase and headed down to Oscar. After greeting him, she climbed into the car and sat back in her seal
"How do you play golf Oscar? I've only been to miniature golf a few times, and the last time was when I was a teenager," she asked him nervously. her eyes trained on the world outside as it passed her by
"I only know that it's an incredibly competitive sport, though I've never understood the draw to it myself Oscar answered as he expertly navigated the oversaturated city streets.
She sighed and nodded her head. "Looks like I'll be turning to the internet, once again," she mused with a smile at her driver.
He smiled back at her, pulling into the parking garage of Ross Corp, a few moments later.
She was nervous as she made her way upstairs and to the break room. She hoped Kylan would approve of her outfit. She hoped he wasn't expecting her to know how to play golf. She felt out of her depth, not for the first time since signing the contract. She went through the motions of making Kylan's cup of tea, forcing herself to be as conscious as she could of each individual step as she did poured the carefully steeped black tea, into the same teacup as yesterday and carried it to Ryan's office. d it. She
Kylan was already there, but Ryan himself wasn't yet. She noticed that Kylan was wearing different clothing himself, which surprised her. In place of his usual button-down, he wore a crisp, black polo shirt and tan, pressed slacks. He also decided on dark brown leather loafers, which threw her off from his standard black ones
He looked... good. Her mind briefly recalled the kiss she shared at the baseball game, and she nearly tripped over her feet on her way us set the sup
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Chapter 31
of tea down. She hoped it wasn't noticeable, lun kylan glanced at her and
"Watch your feet, Kattina," he chastised her
She felt her face grow warm and cleared her throat, sitting donen in a chair in front of lyanoideck and adjusting for a skin was used to wearing at the office, a fact that she was all t "Sorry, Sir, Long
¿tioning already," she responded, sinable in quite book him in the eye
Kylan scoffril, walking to sit down next to her. He picked up the cup of tea and took a sip from it, malding his he She bigoted that meant be approved at the beverage again, mul shoulders relased slightly.
Ryan walked in a minune Uster, taking his seat behind his desk and smiling at fasth her and Kylan in. He leane hands together in front of him. "You two are the talk of the city," fie informed them, a look of ammuement
"Did you plan that line sa Kylan wasted nostiane supping of ityan
Ryan raised his eyebrones at her boss and sirkel ever so slightly -What
are pour referring to, Kylan?" he added evenly
know ruactly what l'in talking aboun, la responded.
Kylan rolled his eyes and put his tea down, folding, his arms over his chest after doing so through a visibly clendied jaw.
"If you're talking about the highlight at the game, I slid ask for them to do that, li was. The reception was worth it, don't you think? I sunderstand your reservations about kissing since Va - He was rifectively silenced by Kylan standing cellem way to give the pair of your even nomar publicity and noning over him, his hands resting on the surface of the desk as he stated down at the CPO
"Don't you dare utter that Peking name," Kylan lussed, his tone far more deadly than she had ever heard is he
to mention? It had to be the que
She stared up at her hoss, her eyes growing wide and her heart racing of its own accord. Who was Ryan about to person Kylan had willingly kissed, and the one person he said he could have loved. Ryan's fare daln't change, even under the menacing sucer that Kylan gave him. "Relax, Kylan. You act as if Kamina is a hideous troll you're being forced to interact with," he mused calmly.
Kylan glanced at her for half a second and then returned his gaze back to Ryan. "You know as well as I do, that she is nothing more than my assistant," be deadpanned.
Her heart gave an involuntary twinge at his words, and she swallowed, turning her gaze down to her sneakers. She felt uncomfortable like slic shoddn't actually be in the room for a conversation like this one. She cleared her throat and forced a smile at Ryan. "You called us not just to let us know about the result of the
publicity, did you?"
Ityan nodded calmly while Kylan glared at his CPO before backing down and sitting on the guest chair opposite her. "Max and I have decided on the date of your wedding. It will be good to have it a month from now,"
Katrina koked down at the skirt and tried to soothe it with her hands. She cleared her throat and stood up from her chair, "The publicity is wonderful and I trust Max to set everything for the good of Ross Corp. This contract is proving to be fruitful for the company, and I'm sure it will reflect in the numbers very soon. If there's nothing else, il quite like to get a move on with the emails that no doubt piled up from is leaving thr office early yesterday"
She forced her voice to be as even as p
as possible, though she wasn't certain why she felt so much like leaving the room as swiftly as possible
Ryan smiled at her in what she thought might be sympathy, but she made to move to acknowledge the expression, Kylan turned and looked at her once more, a frown on his face and his brow creased in what she knew to be fruİRİML
*Fine.
Be in my office in an hour, he told her briskly.
She nodded her bead and turned to leave without wasting another moment. She turned down the hallway and walked to her of than she normally would. As soon as she was inside, she closed the door and slumped in her desk cluir, her head in her hands, Title hat Laster
Once again, she felt like she was probably in over her head. Kylan was a dificult person. She knew that better than most. She also knew better than to take anything he said personally, but even still, his words had bothereil ber.
She wasn's expresing him to see her in any sort of romantle light, and that would be highly inappropriate, to begin with. Even still, knowing he only saw her as his assistant and not anything more. Human or personal, luirt her.
Clenching her teeth together, shar rolled her shoulders a few times and forced herself to straighten up in her chair. She resided herself that there were likely exactly zero people thus Kyla store than what they hillidied their intended purpose in his life no he She wasn't any different.