Page 87 of Hurt Me Not
It was like a dream.
I could never have imagined us together this way, but somehow… we were making it work.
Even though I knew she'd probably hate it, I took her to a café I'd always wanted to visit. They specialized in those really fluffy Japanese-style pancakes, and I loved every single moment of it, but Emerson… She found it hard to find something to eat on the menu.
She was a little more than grumpy because of it, and she seemed worried, but I made sure to put some snacks on her desk as she worked.
Working as Emerson's assistant was better than any other job I had. The people were so nice, and being able to spend all day with her was a bonus. Plus, I was getting better at it. With all the nerves and inexperience before, I had let things slip. After all, Emerson Blackwell was ruthless, and ever since she came back into my life, I had a violent urge to please her.
It blinded me. But now that we were getting closer, the veil had lifted just slightly, and I was able to save myself the embarrassment of messing up.Again.
The stalker hadn’t reached out to me again. I hadn’t changed my number because Emerson had mentioned it was better if we didn’t anger him further. School was fine. Midterms were almost here, and I was ready for them. And Emerson and I were…
I flushed a bit when I remembered the books, the flannel, and how she lost it when she saw me wearing it.
It was like everything I’d wanted for myself was actually happening.
Going to college and graduating meant being my own person with my own self-worth, not dependent on anyone else’s assessment. Doing what I wanted. Succeeding because I was worthy of it. My stalker had ruined that for me. I’d been forced to drop out. I’d lost my scholarship and my room on campus.
I’d been living in fear.
But Emerson was starting to make me feel like I didn’t have to be anymore. I was doing it. All of it.
I was looking over Emerson's emails when two men in suits walked in. They were on the younger side and greeted everyone in the room, including me.
Emerson was up and out of her seat in seconds, coming to meet them right at my desk.
“I could've walked down to?—”
“No need to bother yourself, Emerson. We know our way around, don't we?” one of them asked and sent a wink to the other, who only responded with a smile.
Even though I didn't know who they were, I could tell they were important based on Emerson’s body language and how she interacted with them. She stood straight, her hands at her side, and she forced a smile like she was putting on an act.
They seemed friendly enough, but something was off.
She looked at me before saying, “Let's take them to the conference room, yes?”
I nodded, my mind quickly running through all the current meeting schedules, trying to remember if there was an open conference room.
I led them to the biggest, most private one at the back of the office, but my stomach dropped when I realized there were people inside in a Zoom call.
“Didn’t you look at the schedule?” Emerson asked, coming up to my side and dropping her voice.
Panic shot up my spine. Sweat gathered at my hairline.
No.Somehow, I had forgotten to look at the schedule the day before.I’d meant to do it when I got to the kitchen before we left for work, but then Emerson had already been there…
Shit.
I was the one in charge of her meetings and managing everyone else's meeting requests for her, but I had somehow missed the fact that she needed a conference room this morning.
“No worries, we can find a different one,” one of them said. “Maybe even in your office?”
I could feel the unhappiness radiating from Emerson, and I hated that I was disappointing her in front of two people who were clearly powerful enough for her to act the way she was.
She was stuck between a rock and a hard place. This conference room was the biggest and the most suitable, but she couldn’t just kick out her team, especially when they were in the middle of a client meeting.
I had made her look unprepared, and while the man had spoken in a light tone, I knew this didn't look good.
