Apart but Chained

chapter thirty-nine

"Don't you have sweatpants or something?"

I stopped mid-step on the way to the two-seater sofa that was near the floor-to-ceiling glass door leading to the room's veranda. I glanced at my shorts before gazing at him.

"I-I was only bringing one luggage bag so..." I trailed off because his question caught me off guard. "I-I mostly packed shorts to save space."

"What?" he scoffed. "You've been like that, too, when you were—" he cut himself off from speaking further.

I remember the times when he didn't want me wearing shorts on a trip. He even bought me a duffel bag before to store pants instead of using a backpack and storing shorts in it to save space.

"Let's get this done and over with," he declared after a full minute of awkwardness, motioning me to continue walking again.

I did as I was told and slowly eased myself on the sofa. I made sure to leave a good space between us since it was only a two-seater sofa. After a few seconds, he slid himself beside me and awkward silence instantly engulfed us. Feeling his heavy stare on me made me more awkward. God, he was making me feel so conscious.

My hands shakily put the recorder on the table while his eyes were watching my every move. I swallowed and unlocked my phone to open the file I sent in my email for the questions we prepared for him.

"Ahm... I-I'll be using a recorder throughout the interview," I said. "B-but of course, with your permission. If—"

"Do whatever you want to do and start already," he discontinued.

I nodded and heaved out a deep sigh. I pressed the record button of my recorder and got started.

"You're a 29-year-old CEO," I started, "very young to have built a big company. What factors led your greatest success to now?"

He leaned his elbows on his thighs, his eyes still not leaving me. "Greatest success is an exaggeration. I haven't come yet to that."

I bit my lower lip. "Then what contributed to your success now?"

"Not sure."

My forehead creased. "Know what, if you won't ans—"

"All I know is I was just working. I used work to distract myself then that was it. One client came after another, I built the firm. End of story. No greatest success or shits."

"Therefore, your clients were the ones who contributed to your greatest success," I concluded for him, causing him to roll his eyes. "What were mostly your clients like? Professionals? Private individuals?"

"Both."

"Elaborate," I demanded, making him look at me unbelievably. "Please," I added, to make my demand softer.