Her boss

37

By the time the sun had shined through Nathalie's translucent curtains, Jean was already gone.

Gone at least out of her bedroom, because his coat was still hung up by the door and some cluttering noise from the kitchen told the dark haired woman that she wasn't alone in her apartment.

Though it could've been her creep of a landlord who once again found a way to break in.

However, the cologne, the coat, and the shoes of a man all pointed to the butler's presence.

Nathalie found herself hesitating about whether she should get up, or act as if she was sleeping until Armand was really gone, but before her mind could've decided, it was already too late.

Jean had just appeared in the doorway of her bedroom with a tray in hand.

"Breakfast?" He asked, trying his best to make the honest smile look normal on his usually emotionless face.

It was obvious that the butler was trying his very best to cheer the assistant up from whatever had her so depressed last night, but for Nathalie breakfast was not something that could fix things.

"I don't usually have anything in the morning." She mumbled, half of her face hidden by the blanket.

"Well." Armand approached her, despite the statement. "I'll just bring it to you and you'll see if you can make an exception for this morning."

With that said he sat down onto the edge of the bed and slowly placed the tray on the woman's lap as she shifted up into a proper position.

"It's very nice." Nathalie admitted when she saw how neatly Jean had prepared everything.

The woman felt bad for not wanting to even take the smallest of bites, because it wasn't the butler's fault, it was simply her terrible mood that ruined it all.

"Just have some coffee." His hand caressed the side of the assistant's face. "It might lift your spirit."

"I wish." Nathalie sighed. "I truly appreciate this all, you're amazing for still caring, despite everything...but..."

"But?" Jean questioned, his head tilted to the side and his eyebrows furrowed.

"But a stupid little something won't allow this sadness to leave me!" She cried.

Immediately, the butler's instincts were to wrap his arms around the woman, pushing the tray of food to the side prior to doing so.

"Oh Nath." He mumbled. "I don't mind not being appreciated." His eyes looked deep into hers. "Though what does bother me is you being sad."

The assistant sighed; shaking her head was the only response she could make happen.

"I don't know what it is!" She sobbed. "I mean I do know it..." Her words were barely audible. "...I-I just can't help it! I-I-...I don't think I can handle it on my own!"

"Well-..." Armand was about to say that he'd help, that he'd offer anything in return for Nathalie's smile.

Even the woman knew what his next words would be, and that precisely was why she cut him off.

"Not like that Jean!" Her hand stretched out and pushed against the man's chest, creating some distance between them. "It isn't a human I need beside me. I am too far gone to be helped by a person."  The assistant sniffed, trying to get rid of her tears . "I need-..."