THE CEO'S PARAMOUR

10.

Peyton.

"This is garbage." Kol stated baffling everyone who was sitting at the table. "Pardon me Mr. Tempest but what do you mean?" Murdock questions Kol, we had gone through the designs as a team and everyone approved of them, it was actually some of my best work.

"I mean I don't like it, is that clear enough for you, the designs don't appeal to everyone, it's as if you're making them for twig looking models and mannequins than actual people with day to day jobs." He responded harshly and I sighed knowing he was in yet again one of his temper tantrums.

I didn't know nor did I expect our breakup if you could call it that, to cause so much friction within our professional lives. Kol had made my life unbearable at the office, each decision and design I made would be revoked or ridiculed to obviously make me a laughing stock or purely humiliate me.

I knew he was angry because of what I did but it had become too much for me to handle and for a designer the negativity was starting to kill my creativity and I wondered how long I would last till I finally decided to quit, I was already looking into it, but I couldn't leave the one friend who had supported me all this while.

"I'm sorry Mr. Tempest, I will redo the designs and present them to you by end of day." I asserted and his eyes pierced holes in me, I'm sure everyone could feel the tension between us. "No you won't, Shawn and Hilda will do the design, focus on the expo I'm sure you need time not to ruin that too." As much as I didn't want to feel hurt by his words they did hurt me.

I had no energy to argue plus he was my boss, I followed his orders. "Of course Mr. Tempest." I replied knowing I couldn't say anything else, I just wanted to get out of the office and breathe before I completely lost it.

Kol stood up and left, the irrelevants did so as well leaving me with Shawn, Hilda, and Doc. "Okay, what the hell did you do?" Shawn accused and I sighed knowing I couldn't keep them from knowing about my escapade with the new Ceo.

"I did nothing, I'm not sure if the one in the wrong is me." I replied standing up because I was fed up with being treated like garbage by Kol. "Peyton if there is something going on, don't hesitate to tell us, we're your friends, we care about you." Hilda announced before I walked out.

As much as I wanted to just let it out and tell them I couldn't, Kol was the Ceo and I was an employee, he had a reputation to keep and our encounter could jeopardize his whole public image and his marriage, as much as I wanted to be with him, I knew better, he was already married, someone else's man and I wasn't going to be selfish.

I walked back to the design lab, picked up my stuff, and made my way to the normal elevator, I chose not to use the private one because at any given time Kol could be in there and I would be forced to be in a closed off rectangular box with him, I didn't want to incite something that would have me spiraling back on the hamster wheel.

Finally, the lift opened on the ground floor and I made my way out of Xalvic, the fresh air was nice and it made me feel better about how badly my work days had been lately. "Peyton!" I turned around to meet the eyes of a friend I had made when I accompanied Mr. Tempest senior, on one of his business meetings.

"Mel, what are you doing here?" I asked in surprise. "Tyrell had a meeting with your new boss, I didn't want to sit in so I decided to come find you, then I met Murdock in the design lab and he told me you just left." He spoke trying to breathe normally again.

"That's why you were running like your curls were on fire." I teased and he chuckled. "I was trying to catch up with you, but clearly you don't appreciate my efforts." He pouted and we both laughed out loud.

"Oh please your ass has enough appreciation from Tyrell and Hugh, anymore your ego will start showing." I added. "Like you don't have one yourself, I wonder why you're not banging your boss, Kol seems pretty fine for swine." My reaction to his statement spoke for itself.

"Oh boy, let's go get some spaghetti and wine." I nodded with a smile as I hailed a cab, Mel told the driver where to go and we were off. "What happened?" He inquired, I couldn't lie to Mel about anything in the little time I had known him, he didn't need to coerce it out of you, you just trusted him naturally, like Doc.

"I actually did sleep with him on a one night stand, then I found out he was my boss the next morning, I already knew he was married but we kept going until I found out his mother is racist and he's ashamed of me and doesn't see himself coming out or consider himself gay or even curious." I explained till we stopped at a restaurant which seemed to be for middle-class people.

I quirked a brow looking at the restaurant then at Mel. "I'm looking for comfort not style and great food, now come on." I followed him inside after paying the cab. The inside was a modern mix of Italian and Greek architecture, it seemed homey with the scents of spices and meat flowing in the air.

"We sell that by the bottle sir." The waiter addressed Mel and I sighed. "Just bring us the damn  bottle then." I asserted and the waiter scurried off. "From where we left off I'm assuming that's not why you're sulking and in serious need of some love." Mel assessed and I nod.

"I finally told him I couldn't keep up with the act and secrecy, I couldn't love him in the dark, and he didn't take it so well." I finally concluded and Mel shrugged, I knew he was thinking about the whole situation like I was, what could I do.

"Let me guess, he's made your life a living hell at work and when I found you, you were about to blow so you walked out for air." I nodded again and he chuckled. "Then why are you sticking around, you clearly aren't happy anymore, I know it may be hard with what happened with you know who but that was years ago, you told me yourself, he's clearly showing all the red flags why are you still around." Mel contended sitting opposite me.

"Because deep down I can't just bring myself to go, Mel, I felt something with him, and just walking away from it hurts." I had finally said it out loud, the main reason why I hadn't left already, why I kept enduring all the harsh words from Kol.

"Oh." Mel mumbled. "Yeah, I know I should pack my desk and go but I just can't bring myself to do it." I admitted as I gulped down more wine. "If it's like that then I'm not going to tell you to leave, but rather when it's time, you'll know what to do." I smiled toward Mel, grateful for his advice and the food.

"Thank you, Mel, I needed this." He waves his hand dismissing my appreciation. "I needed it too, the office has been putting me through hell, and with two husbands and a kid, life isn't so easy." We both laughed as he dramatically sighed. "Yet you still make all of it work, and that's what matters." He nodded happily.

"I guess so." He adds as we finished our meals. "I'm going home, will probably call you to nag you more, say hello to Tyrell and Hugh for me." Mel nodded with a smile as he got into his cab. "By the way don't forget to show him what he's missing, that'll knock some sense into him!" He yelled as the cab started moving.

"Bye bitch!" I yelled back trying not to laugh at his raised middle finger, talking to Mel had put a lot into perspective for me, and his words had made me realize that I needed to make a decision for me and no one else.

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