Cheating By The Rules | Harry Styles AU (ongoing)

chapter 04

I woke up with two problems the next morning. The first one was the meeting I had to attend in which I would be joined by Ashley and the entire Dreambox team, the second problem was the consequence of calling Harry late at night.

My call for help ended up with him saying he would text me later today with information for tonight; information that I was obliged to keep to myself. He told me I shouldn't make any plans for tonight, which wasn't the most difficult task to do since Jace and I didn't do anything together.

But for now, I had to deal with the meeting Rachel had put together after Ashley's call yesterday. I couldn't believe I'd be sitting across from the woman whose husband I had been on the phone with not so long ago. I bet she had no clue about our conversation in which I had come clean about feeling unhappy. I didn't think talking about that would be on Harry's to-do list.

My hands were trembling as I did my make-up in the bathroom. Hearing Jace pace back and forth in the bedroom wasn't helping either. His movements made me even more nervous than I already was.. and I hadn't even made it to work yet.

I had to get myself together because I couldn't let any of this affect my work. I tried to push every thought aside, for now, so I could be the best CEO that I could be. After doing my make-up, I changed into a business-like attire I had put together when I was lying awake in the middle of the night. That was the only perk about staying up all night fantasizing.

The minute I had gotten ready, I rushed out of the bathroom into the bedroom where Jace was dealing with his tie. I stared at his reflection in the mirror in which I could see him observing me from head to toe. When his stare met mine, he didn't say anything. He only rolled his eyes at me before I was brushed off like any other day. I understood that was my cue to leave this place and get out of the house as soon as possible.

Driving up to work, I pictured how the talk between Ashley and I could go. I rehearsed some standard lines that could come in handy if the nerves would get the best of me. I had no idea why I was feeling so stressed out because I wasn't doing anything with her husband that could be viewed as inappropriate, right?

"Goodmorning, ma'am." Rachel greeted me.

"Morning, Rachel." I said.

I saw she had picked up my order at the local café and it was ready to be taken into my office. The smell of freshly brewed coffee already gave me a boost of energy after staring at the ceiling for hours straight.

"Ashley Turner will be here in an hour. Should I get the conference room ready?"

"That would be great, Rachel. Could you also ask Zoe to attend? Let her bring one of the interns too." I instructed her clearly.

"Uhm.. Do you really want an intern to be there after the problems the last one caused?" Rachel asked me. She hadn't expected this idea and I understood why it confused her because I wasn't someone who would invite an intern to the meeting – not after the wrong orders were handed to me.

"I do." I stated. "I want to make sure the interns learn how these sort of meetings go. Perhaps this boy or girl has something useful to share." I added with confidence. Then I drank from the cup I was holding and I felt my body react to the caffeine right then and there.

"Are you sure?" she questioned me.

"Totally, Rachel. Please arrange everything." I told her.

"Will do, ma'am." Rachel quickly nodded and left me alone in my office.

Once the door closed I covered my head in my hands. I would never ever bring an inexperienced intern into such an important meeting, so her asking for confirmation didn't come as a surprise. However, I needed to have somebody there who would take all the attention off of me because I wasn't ready to have prying eyes on me the entire time. If there were more people present, the less attention would be on me.