LOVING HIM

CHAPTER 7

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It was past six in the evening. Irving stepped out of the office expecting that he'd be the only one left only to be surprised when he noticed the light was still on in the resource room. His brows furrowed. Who could still possibly be working at this hour? Everybody said their goodbyes earlier, and he couldn't remember giving out a memo to work overtime.

"Who's there?" he asked in a loud voice as he walked closer to the room.

Footsteps. He heard footsteps.

A few seconds later, he saw his secretary, none other than Mr. Geronimo, getting out of the room with folders in hand.

"S-Sir... good evening..." the younger man stammered.

"Why are you still here?" Irving asked, looking at him from head to toe.

Mr. Geronimo looked panicky so Irving toned down the look on his face. Lately, he observed that his presence makes the younger man anxious. Workwise, Mr. Geronimo does a really good job but he always gets jumpy and sometimes startles when he's around. Just like now.

Irving couldn't blame him. He's aware he can be very intimidating most of the time.

Mr. Geronimo hesitated for a moment before finally answering, "I'm... I'm printing some files needed for the meeting tomorrow, sir... B-but I'm almost done..."

He frowned. "The meeting's still in the afternoon."

Mr. Geronimo blinked and gulped. He stiffened as he cleared his throat and uneasily looked at him. "I'm... I'm also editing reports and looking into some paperwork..." he confessed in a soft voice.

"About what?"

There was a brief silence before Mr. Geronimo answered. "S-Sales, sir..." he answered. "Jayden and Calvin allowed me to."

He looked at the young man in disbelief. "What?"

Mr. Geronimo lowered his head down.

Is this man for real?

Irving couldn't help but scoff at the man in front of him. "Why would you do other people's jobs?"

Mr. Geronimo's head was still down when he answered, "I'm... I'm just helping, s-sir... So I'll know where to start once I come back..."

Irving instantly raised an eyebrow at the answer. It irked him all of a sudden. "Are you implying that you can't wait to get away from me?"

Mr. Geronimo looked up at him in horror. "What? No, sir!" he shook his head repeatedly with big, frightened eyes. "That's not what I meant at all. I... I just... I just really want to help..."

Silence.

Irving stared at him again. Mr. Geronimo couldn't look at him in the eye now. Irving could tell he's even trembling.

Is this man always like this? Why is he acting like a Good Samaritan always?

He let out a sigh. Irving usually gets irritated at people who act the way his secretary is acting but for some strange reasons, he finds it surprising how he can just easily let it pass for now. "Well, that's a good trait. Keep it up. Just be sure they don't abuse your kindness," he said and left without saying goodbye to his secretary.

Too trusting.

Naive.

Those are the exact qualities Irving dislikes the most in the world.

Soon, Irving was already driving his car on the busy night street of Quito-Ang when his cellphone rang. When he glanced at it, it was Lorraine calling. His face distorted in disgust. Why can't this woman leave him alone? He was very clear to her from the start. He will never commit to anyone. She was cool about it at first but became hysterical when he said he couldn't give her more. She told him he was a cold-hearted beast and even threw a bottle at him. Now she's nonstop calling and sending him messages. Crazy.