Chapter 12

Chris' voice came from the other end of the phone. "Go over to Rexton Manor and pick up some documents for me. Also, bring me that purple tie in the wardrobe."

"Yes, sir," Kathryn replied respectfully as she pressed the button for the lowest floor. She hung up just as the elevator doors opened. "Lend me your car; I need to go to Rexton Manor," she said to Tally.

"Mr. Albert should give you a car if he's going to order you to go to Rexton Manor all the time," Tally grumbled, but she took out her keys from her bag and gave them to Kathryn.

Kathryn took the keys. "I'm just going to pick up some things for him. I'll claim all the expenses for you."

"Mileage and train ticket costs are very different," Tally muttered. She'd never been satisfied with the way claims were handled in Chris' company. To her, he was a miser.

Kathryn laughed. "Do you want me to pay you back the difference?"

"How are you going to do that? You have to pay almost two thousand dollars in mortgage payments every month."

"Then why are you telling me that?" Kathryn said.

"I was just saying," Tally grumbled.

Kathryn felt a headache coming on. Tally had never stopped grumbling about how Chris was a miser ever since she'd started working here. She could tell that Tally intended to make jabs at Chris no matter what.

Soon, the elevator arrived on the ground floor. Kathryn got out of the elevator, then took another one to the parking basement.

Rexton Manor was where Chris usually lived. Kathryn had been here several times to pick up things for him. Even though it was mostly decorated in black, the decor made it seem less repressive and more spacious.

Kathryn went to the study and picked up the documents as requested, then went to Chris' closet and opened the drawer where he kept his ties. When she opened the door, something fell out.

She bent down and picked it up. As soon as she saw what it was, she blushed violently. It was an unopened box of condoms!

For a moment, her mind was blank until a flood of repressed memories invaded it. She threw the condoms back into the drawer as if they were a ticking bomb.

Chris normally looked haughty and ascetic. Why would he have this?

Not wanting to think too much about it, Kathryn quickly grabbed the documents and left Rexton Manor.

It took her about an hour to get back to the office.

She knocked on the door of Chris' office. When no one answered, she opened the door gently, as she always did and went in.

The office was empty. Kathryn left the documents on his table, then took the tie to the lounge area, just like she always did when Chris wasn't in his office.

However, today was different. When she opened the door to the lounge, she jumped when she saw what was happening inside. Even before her mind could register it, she slammed the door shut with a loud bang.

She hadn't expected Chris to be taking a shower in the middle of the day! Heart pounding and face red, Kathryn called out in explanation, "I'm here to give you your tie, Mr. Albert!" Then she left the tie on his table and ran out of the office in a hurry.

In her hurry, she didn't look where she was going and ran straight into someone. Her heart was pounding even harder now.

Raising her head, she met Markus' dark eyes. "You shouldn't be so clumsy," he chided as he helped her steady herself. He didn't look happy.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to run into you," Kathryn apologized.

Markus felt exasperated by her clumsiness. She was always like that, but surprisingly enough, Chris didn't seem to mind.