𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 | 𝟏𝟖 +

𝐓 𝐖 𝐎

Valentina

Picking up the file and looking at the name.

"Mika Levine." I mumble, I opened the file and looked at it, and went through it. I scanned through her qualifications. She had an impressive resume.

I was busy looking at her resume when the door opened. Lifting my head, I watched Mika Levine staring at me as if she saw a ghost. A smirk appeared on my lips as I responded.

"Take a seat." I said watching her face paled all of a sudden. Under my gaze, she reached the desk and sat down in front of me. By the looks of it, she would rather jump off a building than be in here with me in this room.

"So, Ms. Levine, give me a reason why I should hire you?" I asked and leaned back into my seat.

She put on a mask of confidence on her face but I saw right through her, she's definitely nervous.

"I am hardworking, ambitious and..."

"What else." I asked.

"I have and excellent academic record-"

"So does the rest of the candidates." I said sternly.

"I...Um..."

"Quick quick. I don't have all day." I said sternly.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She cleared her throat.

"I don't know what to say, that I'm the best person for this job-"

"Best? You think you'll be the best to work here?" I asked and she nodded while gulping, there was a little bit of sweat on her forehead.

"Yes I think-"

"Thank you for your time, we shall contact you if you get the job." I say getting tired of her already.

"But we barely started." She said confused. I glared at her that shut her up.

"Okay. Thank you." She stood up and extended her hand for a shake. I glared at her without moving. She awkwardly put her hand down and left the room.

The rest of my day was me interviewing people, it's already six in the afternoon and all I want to do is go home and drink some wine.

"So who's it going to be?" Howard asked as he spread all the files of the candidates in front of me. I have to make a decision before I go home.

"I don't know." I sighed and rubbed my forehead feeling a headache forming.

"What about Jack?" Howard asked.

"Him? He's a blushing mess I don't want to work with someone who will constantly blush around me." I said and threw his file in the trash.

"What about the blondie?" He asked.

"She can't even walk in her heels she almost broke her neck in front of me." I threw her file in the trash. He sighed and picked up another file.

"And this one?" He showed me the file.

"Are you serious Howard? He doesn't even have the qualifications for this." I threw another file in the trash.

"This one?" He showed me another file.

"And before you say something it's the last candidate Ms. Vitale." He said and gave me the file.

"Really?" I asked him.

"Come on, you have to admit it she's the best option."

"I guess." I said dryly.

"So what now?" He asked.

I looked at her file for a few minutes. This was my sixth interview for the last two months. My last assistant was fired after one week into the job. He spilled his coffee on my Versace heels and that day I was already pissed so I screamed at him and fired him on the spot. He ended up crying.

"Ms. Vitale, Mr. Gomez is waiting for you downstairs." Someone entered my office to inform me.

"Didn't you tell him to wait?" I asked her.

"I told him." I watch as she gulped and added. "an hour ago."

"You should go." Howard said waving me off.

I sighed and rubbed my forehead, this headache becoming worse at this very moment. Caden and I had a date tonight that I totally forgot about and I'm not looking forward to it. I'm sick and tired of him. He proposed to me three months ago and I was happy about it but things changed with him. He's been distant and I know he's been cheating on me for last two months.

"Call her." I pointed at Mika Levine's file. "Tell her to be here at 8 am exact."

Saying this I grabbed my handbag and laptop bag and walked to the elevator. I enter inside, all the people already went home, I pressed the button to the lobby.

I walked out of the elevator, my eyes fell on my boyfriend of five years, Caden Gomez. Caden is a lawyer and we met in collage. We started dating three months after meeting and been together since then.

"Finally you're here." He said annoyed.

"I'm sorry Caden." I said dryly.

"You said the same thing last time. And the time before that Valentina."

"I had to take interviews for my new assistant. Let's go." I said to him and walked forwards to his car.

He opened the door for me and I slid inside the passenger seat. He drove us to one of the most expensive restaurant in town and the whole ride he didn't utter a single word to me. I can't help how I feel about him. He's not the same person I met five years ago. The spark isn't there anymore. And he cheated on me probably not just one time but probably a bunch of times with different women.

Once inside the restaurant, he lead me to a silent corner he booked for us. The waiter gave us the menus and I decided to have some Alfredo pasta.

The waiter left with our orders and I leaned further in my seat.

"I said I was sorry Caden what more can I do?" I asked when I noticed his awful mood.

"Why are you being so distant lately Valentina, I mean it feels like you don't want to be in this relationship anymore." He said looking at me with a frown on his face.

"Don't even start, you want to know the reason why I'm so distant." Already fed up with his bullshit.

"Yes! Why you're distant for two months now I can't even remember when we even have a proper conversation."

"Caden I know you cheated on me, hell even a bunch of times with different women." I look him straight in the eye. He's face paled as he stared at me with wide eyes, his mouth opened and closed but no words came out.

Before I could say something else my phone started ringing. I picked it up and saw Howard's name.

"Yes Howard." I answered.

"Ms. Vitale, sorry to bother you but here's an emergency at the office, you have to come in."

"I'll be there in fifteen." I ended the call and grabbed my purse and phone and stood up.

"I'm sorry Caden but this isn't working anymore." I slid the engagement ring off my finger and put it on the table in front of him.

He couldn't even look at me. He just nodded and grabbed the ring and put it in his blazers pocket.

"It's over between us." I whispered. That's the last thing I said to him when I exited the restaurant.

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~ R