Novel Update
Chapter 38
Chapter 0038
“One more day, Hazel. If I don’t have the information I requested from you by the end of the day tomorrow then I will have no choice but to take this to our board members,” Peter said, speaking in vague threats since there were other workers passing by or working near us.
“Yes sir,” I muttered, tears forming in the comers of my eyes. Even if I wanted to do this for him, I did not even have the time to look for his stupid information with all this hounding he kept pulling me aside for.
“Very well then, you are dismissed,” Peter turned and went back into his office, slamming the door behind him.
Why he felt the need to chew me out in the middle of the day when I still had a day and a half left to deliver his request – was beyond me. Some sort of power trip, I supposed. That weasel had probably never had the upper hand before, it seemed he was relishing every moment that he could squeeze out of
- it.
Elena had been watching us from her desk. She hadn’t even tried to make it look inconspicuous, or try to hide the big toothy grin she had the entire time he was chewing me out. I wanted to pop her right in her stupid, red–stained mouth.
“Enjoy the show?” I asked as I walked past her desk.
“I want to take in as much of you getting yelled at as I can before you get canned,” she said, her smile never wavering.
It took everything in my to not give her a rude gesture as I headed to the bathrooms.
“She’s not worth it, she’s not worth it,” I muttered to myself until I reached the women’s bathroom. I locked myself in the first stall and fanned my eyes with my hands to dry them. I wanted nothing more than to bawl my eyes out, but I didn’t want to ruin my makeup when I still had half a day of work ahead of me. That would be a bad look for the CEO’s assistant.
I grabbed a fistful of toilet paper and dabbed first at my eyes, then at my runny nose. I hated how much Peter was able to get to me. I hated having to pull myself together quickly in the bathroom, when what I really wanted was to curl up in my bed and have myself a good cry.
I was still a little sniffly as I left the bathroom. I ducked my head and started to make a beeline for my desk, avoiding any and all eye contact with my coworkers.
“Well somebody’s in a hurry!” A familiar male voice suddenly said.
I stopped and looked up. Dylan and Logan were coming down the hallway. Dylan was smiling at me. I hadn’t even noticed them. I probably would have run into them.if Dylan hadn’t said anything.
“Ah well, you know, A CEO’s assistant’s work is never done,” I smiled back.
“Well, maybe if your mean boss will let you have a minute to yourself, we could go get a drink together sometime? You certainly deserve a break from this guy,” Dylan playfully hit Logan in his stomach with the back of his hand. Logan frowned.
1 giggled. I don’t know where that habit came from, I don’t think I’ve ever giggled so much in my life before. But something about Dylan’s sweet, flirty nature just made me feel like a shy, teenage girl again.
“Yeah, I’d…” I started, but Logan cut me off.
“Hazel,” Logan stepped between Dylan and me and put his face close to mine. “I have put up with this nonsense from you long enough. When you are around Dylan and myself, I ask that you maintain your professionalism, instead of acting like a childish, swooning school girl. Do I make myself clear?”
My whole face began to burn. I looked down at my feet. All I could do was nod, I was so embarrassed. I felt so foolish, letting myself get carried away like I had been around Dylan. I knew better than that. I needed an earthquake or the Rapture or some big, catastrophic event to happen to get me out of this incredibly awkward situation I suddenly found myself in. NôvelDrama.Org holds text © rights.
“Logan, come on… Dylan started.
Logan just shook his head at him. “No, she needs to hear this. I hired her to be my assistant. There is no place for that sort of thing in the office.” He looked at me. “We will discuss this further when I return from lunch.”
Super, I thought to myself. I nodded again.
“What was that?” He asked sharply.
“Yes, sir.” I was getting really tired of saying those words today when what I really wanted to tell them was to go kick rocks. Hot tears started forming in my eyes again, and I was annoyed that I would have to go back into the bathroom to pull myself together once more.
“Take your lunch break. I’ll be back in an hour,” Logan said.
Without a word, I turned the nearest corner and leaned against the wall, I couldn’t stop the tears this time. As soon as I knew I was out of sight I let the tears spill down my cheeks.
“Bro, that was really harsh,” I heard Dylan say. “Besides, I’m the one that started it. If you’re going to yell at anyone, it should be me.”
They hadn’t moved! I leaned my ear as close as I could get to the corner without being seen.
“I don’t care who started it. She doesn’t need to be flirting with you while she’s here at work,” Logan said, so quietly I could barely hear him.
“Look, grandpa, romance happens in workplaces all the time. I guarantee you as least half of your staff has banged one or more of their coworkers. I don’t think this is really about that. What is actually going on here?” Dylan asked.
I heard Logan sigh. “It’s that supervisor I keep seeing her with. My dad told me to keep an eye on him, that he can’t trust him as far as he can throw him.”
“What does that have to do with Hazel? She’s proven herself to you over and over again,” Dylan said.
I half–smiled to myself. I had never had a man stand up for me in the ways Dylan had.
“Yeah, but she has no reason to even interact with that guy. He’s not her supervisor, she’s no longer in that department. I’m the only one she should be getting orders from, not him or anyone else on that floor. It’s fishy to me how often they are speaking lately,” Logan said.
“Man, you’re crazy if you think there’s something bad going on there. Why don’t you just ask her why they keep talking? She’s an honest person, she’ll tell you what’s going on,” Dylan suggested.