Through The Pain

25 | Threat

Cat

'He is not in love with me. He is just strange. Not in love.' I said to myself as I walked back towards my office. I paused, then I shook my head. 'No, that's impossible.'

When I opened the door to my office, I was startled to see Nate pacing around in front of my desk.

"Where have you been?! Damn! I'm so worried about you when I cannot find you. Your damn assistant doesn't even know where you are! I've been calling your phone but you are not answering!"

Was that anger and worry I am seeing in his face? Yes, he said he was worried. And he looks angry. But why? I was just having lunch with Grace.

"I...uh...I'm sorry. I was having lunch with Grace. I thought I informed Daisy about that." My assistant is getting on my nerves right now. I don't think she needs her job badly.

"And I left my phone," I added pointing at my bag that is on my chair.

"God! Don't ever do that to me again!" He looks relieved.

Okay. He is just acting strange.

"Uhm...can we talk?" I asked before Grace's words and his actions confused me more.

I saw his face turn stern before he gestures to me to follow him in his office. Once inside his office, he sat on the sofa instead of his office chair and had me sit in the vacant single chair in front of him.

I suddenly felt nervous.

"So?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

I gulp the knot that forms in my throat and takes a deep breath. I have been thinking about this after my lunch with Grace. And now I am having a hard time constructing my sentences in front of him.

"Ah...I was wondering. Maybe we could stop this..." I trailed because I am not sure what word to describe the way he is treating me. "...thing," I said the dumbest word that came into my mind.

Nate cocked his head, making me curse at this gorgeous devil in front of me internally.

"This special treatment you are giving me," I said hoping that I used the right term this time.

"Do you think I am giving you special treatment?" He asked, making me embarrassed.

"Yes. I mean, no!" Damn it!

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath and decided to be straight to the point. "What I am meaning to say is, you don't have to pick me up in the morning at my apartment. I can just take an uber to your house and Stan can drive me and the kids to their school. You don't have to come with us. You don't even have to come with me to pick them up in the afternoon. And you don't have to take me back to my apartment after that. There's always an Uber for that." I said looking at the magazines on the table in front of me.

I raised my eyes and found him staring intently at me. He looks like he is trying to read what is going on in my mind. I am afraid of what he is going to say so I continued.

"And maybe, I can have lunch with Grace, my best friend from now on. You know, the one I mentioned is working in the HR Department. She had been missing my company. I can just bring my lunch so I don't have to be worried about my diet." I continued and I noticed the creases on his forehead deepened. I wanted to bite my lip in nervousness but instead, I bit my inner cheek, hopefully, he won't notice.

"Are you telling me that I don't have to take my kids to school and then pick them up in the afternoon?" He said and I wanted to say 'If that's so, why don't you pick them up yourself. You wouldn't be needing me anymore.'