Nice try Mr.CEO

Chapter 7

Walking up the stairs to my apartment, work bag in hand, I begin to hear some muttering from the floor above me. As I climb higher and higher, I hear the voices clearer and clearer. It sounds almost like two women.

Reaching the top step, I hear their footsteps begin to approach me. Snippets of their conversation start to enter my mind.

"He's so sweet darling. You made the right choice....." a middle-aged woman's voice rang through the hall.

"I'm glad you think so mother... I can't believe it! He buys me ...... all the time!" continued a girl, who seems to be around my age.

The closer I get to these two, the more I want to hear about what they're talking about. It seems that the daughter had just introduced her mother to her boyfriend, which is quite sweet. I remember when I introduced Mark to my mom and dad. That was a great day.

Still, deep in thought, I almost collide with the two women while they chatter on.

"Oh! I'm so sorry!" I exclaimed, trying to apologize for almost knocking the daughter off her feet.

"Oh no, it's totally ok. I wasn't looking where I was going either." The young woman responds while the mother just gives me a kind smile.

"My name is Ivory, and this is my mother Natasha." the girl my age smiles.

"It's nice to meet you, Ivory. You as well Natasha. My name is Natalina, but you can call me Nat if you'd like." I smile back and reach out my empty hand for a handshake.

"Well it's a pleasure to meet you too Nat, but we must be going. I'm sure you do too, looking at that bag of yours."

Both refusing to take the handshake, it was the mother who spoke this time. She had grey-ish blue eyes and a smile that could either break you or light up your day. Ivory nodded as well, shaking her dirty blonde hair as she giggled.

We said our goodbyes and wished each other well as I continued to climb the last floor, before reaching my apartment. As soon as I reached the door, it was swung open and I was pulled in.

"Babe! I'm so sorry! I had to run away for some very important business. My dad called me to look after the company while he and mom went to Costa Rica for a vacation."

I shoot him an unimpressed look and just begin to take my coat off.

"Well Mark, you could've at least let me know by sending a text before not showing up." I put my coat down and take off my shoes before walking into the study to drop my work bag off.

"I know baby, but Dad had so much work that I got overloaded and didn't have a chance to text you. You know how the travel business is, sometimes it's overloaded and booming, others it's waning. Today it was the first." He gives me a pleading look as I slowly walk over and give him a hug.

"You owe me, dinner mister. After that, maybe I'll forgive you. But I don't know," I point my finger at him and do my best impression of maleficent, "and if this happens again, the punishment shall be severe." I chuckle.

He just smiles in return and nods his head in agreement. I shake my head and walk to the bedroom to get changed.

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That night, I had told Mark all about my new job: my new colleagues and friends, and how much I felt like I belonged there. I obviously left out the part about Alexander forcing me to call him by his first name because that is the one part I did not want to tell Mark about.

"Hey, Mark."

"Yeah, baby?"

"I saw the CEO today. He's a weird man." I say.

Mark gets a weird look on his face and replies, "Baby, I want you to be careful around him. I heard he's a psychopath and inappropriately touches his female employees."

My eyes widen and I gasp. I can't believe I didn't realize it earlier. That's why Liza was so uncomfortable in his presence and began yelling at him during lunch. He had touched her! But, there is one weird catch... Why did she seem so eager to stay with him one on one without me being present? I thought it was just business, but it seems that possibly she has feelings for him....?

"Are you sure babe?" I frown.

"I've heard rumors, so I want you to be careful." his voice curt.

"Well, what about his sister?" I inquire, remembering Alexander mentioning he had a sister.

"What about her." Mark quickly snaps.

I ignore it because I know that he's always afraid someone is trying to bully or be mean to me. He's probably just thinking that she tried doing the same to me.

"Nothing sweetheart, but I heard he has a sister. Is she mean?" the thought from earlier comes up.

"Uh, I don't know, but just in case stay away from her. She may be as bad as he is."

I nod, "Do you know her name?"

"No." He retorts and scoffs.

"Ok baby, I believe you. Now I don't know about you, but after that dinner, I'm as tired as a willow tree." I smile at him and pull his arm over my shoulders.

"Same here. I just need to finish up some paperwork for dad's company, then I'll be right there Nat." I smile and sigh.

I noticed that my sigh was a bit louder than I expected and turned around to hear another one, and another one, and another one.

"Babe, is your mom ok? She's texting you a lot. Does she need help?" I look at him.

He rushes over to his phone and gasps. Words come out of his mouth in a frantic, "Oh, yes! Um, I need to go help her. The flight that they booked kicked them out and now they're staying at a nearby hotel and mom is having a panic attack. I need to go babe. I'll be back soon!" I give him a quick nod and peck his cheek.

"I hope your mom will feel better with you there." I watch as he zips up his coat and slips into his sneaker.

"I know she will." He rushes and doesn't look back as he reaches for the doorknob.

"Night babe," I say as he closes the door.

I slowly make my way to bed.