All I Want Is You

CHAPTER-2

When the first week of December came up, Emily was so relieved – thanks to the holiday spirit, she noted – that she allowed her chirpy self to take over.

At ten to seven in the morning – on a Monday! – she had already done a coffee run, printed the day's schedule, and prepared the reports required for the meetings she would be part of in a couple hours. She was in a good mood, and Emily worked ten times better in days like these.

The fact that she was ahead of her schedule allowed her enough time to put together a Christmas tree by the corner of the room and hang up an elegant thread of lights around the office.

Looking around the room with her hands on her hips, she admired a work well done, her eyes sparkling with the twinkling lights and the color that they brought to the usual monotone, cold room.

It was in that exact moment that the elevator dinged, and the familiar stoic figure of her boss crossed its doors, entering the floor with his phone in hand, typing furiously and ignoring the curious and expectant look that his employee threw him over her shoulder.

The slam of the door brought her back to reality. Who was she kidding? Why would he notice her or anything she did other than what was expected and listed on her job description?

Sighing, Emily walked back to her desk, ignoring the fact that she was starting to hate her work – one thing that she used to love – all thanks to Mr. Ice Block.

She knew when she accepted Michael's proposal that this wouldn't be as fulfilling as what she had in mind when she planned her career. But what could she do? Life happened (and quite literally sometimes) and she had to take what she could.

Fresh and out of college, Emily had the ambition to climb her way up and became an advisor in the company; look for the right deals, debrief potential investors, and make her opinion known and valued.

She knew she had the potential and with the right mentoring, she would get there. However, when her health and family was put at risk because of the long hours she was pulling to reach that dream, she had to step down and reevaluate her choices.

Medical orders, she reminded herself.

Michael had approached her at that time, and although Human Resources had probably updated him regarding her health scare and unceasing long hours, he asked her himself, wanting to know the meaning behind her actions.

Emily felt cornered, but with no one else on her side, she felt compelled in telling him the truth (personal details and all), and for Emily's surprise, her then boss offered her an alternative: she would work with him directly, learning everything she could, putting in forty hours a week tops (instead of the eighty hours she was used to), and receiving almost three times her salary.

When she questioned his reasons (his kindness too), telling him he'd be crazy to give a "secretary" so much, he had responded her with a painful expression in his face, saying that family and health should come first, no matter what, and if he could give someone the means for that, he would.

And besides, Michael told her in his monotone voice, that was the regular salary for the CEO's Executive Assistant – It was not a surprise that she choked drinking her glass of water as soon as his words sunk in.

Emily was surprised with his honesty and she sensed that there was more to the story than he let on, but it was not her place nor the right time to pry. He probably didn't even notice that he was showing her that much.

At that time, struggling with hospital and other bills after leaving her parents' place – barely making ends meet – Emily didn't think twice and accepted his offer wholehearted, promising that she wouldn't disappoint him.