4. Joanna has an attack

★JENNIE'S POV★

With my ego deflated and my pride, bruised, I walked out of his office. I knew I warranted such a reaction from him. Why the hell couldn't I just keep my mouth shut? After all, those people didn't say a word either. 

Plopping on my seat, I buried my head in my desk and heaved a sigh. Everything was going to be just fine, as long as he doesn't fire me. 

Praying beneath my breath, I clutched the rosary on my chest and closed my eyes shut. “Dear God, please save me from every circumstance that is meant to come my way.” 

Just then, my cell phone rang. I delved my fingers into my bag in search of it. When I found it, my eyebrows furrowed to see Joanna's school teacher's number on my screen.

“I hope everything is okay..” I mumbled under my breath then I slid the call to the receiver's end. 

“Miss Jennie?” Her voice sounded like she was panicking and my heart began to race very fast. 

Instantly, I jolted to my feet. “Is everything okay?” 

She heaved a sigh and said with a teary voice. “It is Joanna, your little sister is having an attack. I rushed her to the school clinic but they said it was severe and they referred her to the general hospital.”

My heart skipped a beat and my vision blurred for a moment. 

“Joanna is having an attack?” I said with a shaky breath, almost as if, I could not believe it myself. “Please text me the name of the hospital, I will be there right away.”

“Okay.” 

The line disconnected and I shoved my phone inside my handbag quickly and hurried for the door. But I had to retract my step. I haven't asked the CEO for permission to go and see my sister. At least, that would be meeting the office protocols. Then if he declines, I'd quit immediately. 

Joanna's life mattered more to me than the damn job anyway. 

Inhaling deeply, I rushed to the front of his office door and knocked on it twice. 

“Come in.”

Almost at once, I rushed into his office to see his buttoned-down shirt, revealing his rock-hard abs. A vague memory of where I had seen this before rushed into my head, but I shoved it back down quickly. Who gives a damn about a man's chest, when one sister is on the verge of death?

“What do you want?” He said without, sparing me a glance. His gaze remained fixated on the laptop in front of him. 

But I did not care. 

I cleared my throat. “Please, I'd like to ask for your permission, my sister is an asthmatic patient and she is suffering a severe attack right now.”

His eyes shot up at me, sending shivers down my spine. Then he arched a brow at me. “You want to leave now? During work hours? “At early as this Monday morning? You—”

“If you won't permit me, then I'd come back later to tender my resignation letter.” I cut him off. And I fucking meant what I said. Maybe I would search for another job at a fast-food restaurant or anywhere else. But right now, I needed to get to Joanna. 

Surprisingly, he chuckled. His deep voice reverberated through the small room as the bulge in his throat bubbled up and down. “You fascinate me, Miss Gaston.” 

My gaze narrowed into mere slits. “So what's it going to be?”

He inhaled deeply and exhaled afterward. Then he leaned forward, pressing his chest against the table. “You have to learn to respect me, I'm your boss.”

“I know that,” I added impatiently. 

He nods. “Attend to your sister and make sure I don't arrive earlier than you tomorrow.”

Instinctively, my face broke into a smile. I was expecting him to fire me right now and I had already braced myself for it. “Thank you, thank you,” I said repeatedly with a wide grin plastered on my lips.

“You may leave, Miss Jennie.”

Without further ado, I rushed out of his office and hurried into the elevator. When I arrived on the first floor, I rummaged through my phone to check the address Joanna's teacher sent to me. Then I flagged down a taxi. 

The taxi screeched to a halt in front of me, creating an earsplitting noise. “Boulder city hospital,” I told the driver immediately and he beckoned for me to get in.

I opened the door and slipped into the back seat then the car zoomed off. Within a few minutes, we arrived at the general hospital. Thankfully, there was no traffic on the way and I couldn't be more grateful for that. 

“Miss Jennie, thank goodness you are here.” Joanna's school teacher said to me the moment I alighted the taxi and paid off the driver. 

“Where is she?”

“Ward 54.”

The both of us rushed into the building and took the elevator. Within seconds, we arrived at the ward and when I saw Joanna, my heart shattered into a million pieces. An oxygen mask was fixated on her nose to aid her breathing.

“How did it happen?” I asked her school teacher. My voice cracked. Tears were filling my eyes. 

“She was asked to answer some questions, she stood up not knowing the correct answers, then the kids teased her. I was cautioning them to stop when she started crying, and afterward, she had an attack.”

A lone tear escaped my eyes. “What? How dare they tease my Joanna? She is the most intelligent kid I had ever seen.”  I blurted out, pressing my lips into a grim line. 

Taking a few steps I tucked some strands of her hair behind her ear and studied her pale face. “Thank you, Mrs. Higgins, I will take it from here.”

Reluctantly, she gave me a nod and walked over to me. I cast a cursory look her way, sniffling back tiny sobs. “Please take care, Miss Jennie. I'd call to check up on her later. And it's totally fine if she doesn't attend school tomorrow. I will make sure to give her extra lessons when she does.”

I feigned a small smile. “Thank you so much.”

Mrs. Higgins nodded then she picked up her bag from the chair and walked out of the ward. 

I plopped on the chair beside Joanna's bed. Taking her fragile hand in mine, I inhaled deeply. 

“You scared me so much, Jo. I almost thought I lost you. Please be strong and don't scare aunty like this in the future. I also promise to buy you your favorite popcorn when you wake up.”

★

DAMIEN'S POV

Staring at her resume, I let her name roll off the tip of my tongue. “Jennifer Gaston.” There was something very amusing about her. 

She is brave, bold and very pretty...I must say. Also, no one has ever pleasured me as she did that night. I knew she doesn't know I was the one she had a one-night stand with. And I don't plan to make that known any time soon.

Alas, she was the main reason why I agreed with my father to work as the CEO. I wasn't cut out for this kind of job. Toss me a surfing boat and a life jacket and I'd worship you for the rest of my life. 

Yes, I love surfing very much. It was the one thing that kept me going up until now. Surfing has been like my savior; it helped me get away from my family issue and unending dilemma. 

But when I saw Jennie's resume as the secretary that was going to be working for me, I agreed to the job right away. 

However, it seemed as though her life wasn't as perfect as it appeared. Maybe, I'd propose a deal to her. Perhaps, it might pique her interest and it's going to be a win-win for both of us. 

That'd be if she accepts my offer. 

The door to my office flung open and I immediately shoved Jennie's resume into my lower drawer. Faking a smile at my dad, I ignited his piercing gaze and readjusted myself on the chair. 

“How is my favorite son doing?” He said, pulling out the chair in front of me and sitting on it. 

I struggled not to roll my eyes at him. “You know I'm not your favorite son, Dad. My brother is.”

My Dad shrugged. “Well, who says you can't be, Damien?” His black orb eyes squinted at me and I twitched my lips but said nothing.

Dad looked around the office, scanning the whole place. “This suit you, son. By the way, where is your secretary? I came in and I met no one there.”

Thinking hard and fast, I responded quickly. “I sent her to get me something to eat.”

“Oh!” my dad nod then he began to drum his fingers on my desk. “How is she coming along? Do you need to change her? Or you can manage?”

“So-so, Dad. I think she will do just fine.”