I Too Had An Unrequited Love Story

14- A Shift in the Dynamic

Veronica groaned as the alarm rang through the room, piercing the tranquility of her early morning. She peeked out from under the covers to check the time, her heart sinking as she saw the numbers glaring back at her.

"Fork me," she muttered, realizing it was already 7:39 AM. Panic jolted her fully awake—she had to be at Alden Enterprises by 8:30 AM.

With no time to waste, Veronica scrambled out of bed, rushing through her morning routine. She was a blur of activity, brushing her teeth, splashing water on her face, and throwing on clothes in a frenzied haste.

By 8:20 AM, Veronica had just made it to the grand lobby of Alden Enterprises, Navi trailing close behind. The polished marble floors gleamed under the soft lighting, but Veronica barely noticed as she focused on the ticking clock.

"This is all your fault," she said, shooting a glance at Navi as they hurried toward the elevators. "I told you to call me at 7 AM! Now I'm barely going to make it."

Navi rolled her eyes. "Veronica, we've been over this. You never actually asked me to call you. Besides, I was late too. And don't even get me started on that jerk of a boss you work for."

"Hey, you said we're past this," Veronica shot back, quickening her pace as they reached the crowded elevator bank.

"I meant the late part, hon. We're definitely not past the fact that you're working for Arek again," Navi said, giving Veronica a pointed look.

Veronica waved her off, deciding to ignore the comment. They had discussed her return to work ad nauseam, and she was too stressed to rehash it now. As they reached the elevator, Veronica noticed the long line of employees waiting to get in.

An idea struck her. "See you later!" she called to Navi, darting toward a different elevator. This one was reserved for Arek and his top executives, a privilege she had grudgingly been granted. As the doors closed behind her, she caught Navi's playful mutter of "Bitch," but she was already jabbing the button for Arek's floor.

Inside the elevator, Veronica checked the time again—8:27 AM. She let out a groan. If she were lucky, she'd make it just in time.

When the elevator doors opened, Veronica bolted down the hallway, her heels clicking loudly against the polished floors. By the time she reached Arek's office, it was exactly 8:30 AM. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself before knocking on the door.

"Come in," Arek's voice called from inside.

Veronica opened the door and stepped into the sleek, modern office. Arek was already at his desk, engrossed in paperwork. His presence filled the room—calm, composed, and utterly infuriating to Veronica at that moment.

"Good morning, Mr. Alden," she said, still slightly out of breath.

"You're late," Arek replied, his tone casual as he continued reading the documents in front of him.

Veronica blinked, incredulous. "No, I'm not. Office hours start at 8:30, and I arrived at 8:30 on the dot."

Arek finally looked up, meeting her gaze with a mildly amused expression. "You do realize you're my secretary, right?"

Veronica gave him a confused look. "Yes, and?"

"As my secretary, you're supposed to be here before me," Arek explained, returning his attention to his paperwork.

"You've got to be kidding me," Veronica muttered, her irritation rising.

"I assure you, I'm not," Arek said dryly, flipping a page in the file.

"So, what time should I be here, Mr. Alden?" Veronica asked, barely masking her sarcasm.

"Before me," he replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.