The Agreement •MXM• (Book 1)

We aren't a couple but we can act like it

Aaron

I wake up a little later than usual and it's within my rights to assume that Cyrus was going to be in bed right now. Instead I'm staring at his empty side over the pillow wall. I doubt he's going to tell me where the hell he is and that pisses me off.
Just like yesterday when we could pretend we didn't argue with each other. I mean it's fine but to what extent? I just want to be able to talk to him and not leave feeling worse than I did when it started.
Although I can't do that right now. I was away from the company for two seconds and there's already a huge scandal involving an executive using company cards for huge purchases. Apparently this has been going on for months and now it's a thing because when he got caught he disappeared. With the purchases and the money. For some reason,it better be a good one,the funds department isn't dealing with this and they kept calling me to do it.
The worst has come to the worst and Mr Brown has officially entered the chat to tell me to get my butt to the office. In other words I'm totally screwed.

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My office is located just below the chairman's office which is the upper floor that takes the entire thing. The whole floor. I mean Isn't that crazy? I share mine with other company staff and other uses because all I need is my one free office. But he,a man who is rarely ever here because he's getting old takes an entire floor. When one official needed an actual office I asked if he could temporarily use his. He said no when I asked why he said its because he's the chairman. I couldn't do anything about that.
Right now I'm in this very unused office right across from Mr Brown whose looking at me with extremely calculating eyes,"Aaron."he addresses me with a slight nod I return it,and sit down across from him onto the leather seats that cost a fortune and were not needed.
"I assume you've heard the news about John."
"... yes I have."John one of Mr Brown's many relatives to hold executive positions in the companies. So yeah if you can't tell this happens. All the time. Because someone decided that he was going to hire his family and Instead of blaming their outright lack of skill and training he blames the little guys. That includes me. That also means half of the time I'm doing ten different jobs all for the same amount of compensation. "About how we can deal with the loss of funding-"
"We'll be getting to that. First can you explain to me why when this news first came to light you were not around?"Ah,brother. Here we go,
"I admit I was absent and-"
"Absent and also ignoring all of direct calls to have you come in."calls that came in at midnight mind you. And I didn't ignore them I picked up and talked to my team about how to handle everything because there was no way I was leaving to be in the office at a time like that. But it seems the couldn't follow basic instructions because guess who handles who gets hired here? Another one of Mr Brown's relatives which mean this entire place is messed up to the core. Its what you call letting the evil breed.
"Yes. I was held up with something."I feel myself tensing up and wondering what he's going to say. I mean had he not hired who he hired this wouldn't have happened. Maybe I could even be somewhere looking for Cyrus,figuring out where he is. But no I have to be here,
"What might that be?"
"Cyrus wasn't feeling well so I stayed home with him."the silence is loud. As in deafening. I fidget with my tie ready to get my unnecessary lecture,
"Couldn't he have gone to a hospital."
"He didn't- I'm his husband so it's my responsibility to look after him."with his head in his hands he sighs heavily,
"Aaron did I ever ask you to do that?"
"Excuse me?"
"Did I ever ask you to go out of your way to take special care of Cyrus?"
"No but-"
"Exactly! I told you that you were to act like a couple in public and have that boy not jeprodize or tarnish the family image. Not to actually act like his husband."A pause for him to get up,"And while you do the useless,unnecessary,foolish work he gets to cause as many scandals as he wants."he throws a magazine where he made the cover and its nothing good,
"But none of it is true though."I say and search through his eyes only to find no compassion for Cyrus,
"It doesn't matter what's true and what's not to the public. What matters is that a boy rich enough to be dubbed a Prince is also being called a piece of work."A pause,"I don't remember telling you to take care of him,I told you to take care of his attitude. Which you did not. And now here we are facing a disaster and you were no where to be found to fix it-"
"I'm sorry,but I do have a team that's meant to deal with these incidents. I'm not even the one whose supposed to give the press report."I've had it up to my neck with him blaming me for everything that happens here. He atleast shouldn't have turned down my plan to get rid of all his relatives who hold power. We're here because of him not because I took ONE day off to take care of Cyrus,
"Aaron,can you tell me who the vice-chairman of Aurum headquarters is?"I hate when we play this game because it doesn't matter if I'm right or not. Which I am. I'm always going to lose,
"Aaron. Aaron Manalo."
"And isn't it his job to take care of these things even if it's not his department of work?"
"Yes,sir."the sir thing came after I realised just how bad of a temper he had. By then it was too late to run back home. He had already made me his planned heir to business but had no intention of giving me my rightful title and power. Because that would mean he doesn't get to call anymore shots,
"If that's the case then can you tell me who should fix all of this including all the messes Cyrus has made?"aren't you going to call him to see how he's feeling?
"Him."
"Alright then. Its settled."then he walks to the door because he didn't come to work to work he came to yell at me then leave me to do the work,"Next week at the fashion showcase,your going with Cyrus. And your going to fix this."
"But I was supposed to go alone-"he's already gone. And I'm left standing in this empty office feeling a little- wronged? I mean I can curse him out in my head all I want but that won't change the fact that I don't have the power to stand up to him. Isn't that kind of pathetic?