Meeting Mr. Mogul: A Billionaire Contemporary Romance (45 page)

“William…” I started softly, my resolve quivered by his words. “…Goodbye.” I whispered, my stubbornness got the better of me.

I didn’t wait for his reply, knowing that this is never a goodbye between us. I’m not going anywhere. I’m staying here in this city. But I’m not going to give in to him. I knew how this would work, and I didn’t want a recap my last relationship. We were too different. Though in truth, I wanted the assurance of his words. I don’t want him to throw me away. I hope he wouldn’t forget. I hope he will come and find me.

I felt another sense of déjà vu as I entered the building for my first day of work. I couldn’t hide my delight when I announced to my father that we don’t have to move back since I had a job. Though I already know that I have it before he was released, I kept quiet for a few days. After that short event with him knowing that I quit my previous job, his belief in me slightly went down. But now that I’m on my feet again, I think he had forgotten that already. It’s what I hoped for.

“Are you excited to go to your new job today?” my father asked after eating his breakfast.

“Yes. I’m pretty excited,” I replied with a beaming smile before taking one last sip on my juice.

I jumped down on the stool in the island counter. After quitting my previous job, I moved out of my classy apartment. I left a note to Alexandra since I didn’t want to have another discussion about keeping that place. It was too grand for me anyway.

So with Terry’s help, I was able to find a new place a few days after I moved out. We had to crash at Terry’s for a day or two before the place had to be cleared out and finalized the paper. My new apartment is a two bedrooms and one bathroom unit. It was perfect and had a homey feel of our old place. The apartment was located a few blocks from Terry’s place, which didn’t take long for me to find it.

As I entered the building of my new job, I felt a little out of place. I studied each person that walked pass me. No girl or boy here was wearing anything less than a polo shirt, which looked like it has a high-class fabric. I quickly made my way to elevator and pressed the close button after pressing my floor number. I let out a sigh of relief that I was the only person inside the lift.

I looked at my reflection on the elevator door and felt a little disappointed. Working for a high-end company, my fashion sense hasn’t change at all. I was still wearing my jeans and shirt but at least I wasn’t wearing any sneakers today. I took liberty on buying something new on my last paycheck.

When I reach my designated floor, I felt shy as I walked in. A few people stared at me as I walked towards my new boss’s office. But I didn’t let it get to me. I was going to work here so might as well get used to it.

As I reach the door of the department head, I looked at the name outside in shock. My eyebrow scrunched together in confusion. I knocked on the door twice, which the person on the other side directly answered. I entered with a calm façade and expected what came next.

“Andy! Good morning!” Ally greeted as she glanced up from her computer screen.

I gave her a small smile. “Ally. Hey! I didn’t know you work here.”

“I did tell you that I work at a magazine company,” she replied shyly.

“Can I except that the reason why I got hired because you knew me?” 

“Well, I was the one who reviewed the applicants for the last interview and I saw your name. I didn’t know you applied here. You could have told me, or something. But aren’t you working at Maxwell Enterprises?”

“Ah, about that… Well, it wasn’t really for me… So, here I am,” I replied hesitantly. I didn’t want to discuss about William for now.

“Oh, okay… I’m glad that you’re here now. And welcome to the art department. Do you want me to show you around?” she asked and stood up from her desk.

“Well… thank you. But, you looked busy here…” I stated and trailed off as I looked her messy desk and computer.

“This will only take a while, and I need a short break anyway. I’ve been here since five this morning,” she replied, showing her exhaustion as she hunched her shoulder.

I chuckled at her actions and opened the door for her. “Well, lead the way.”

The tour on the art department floor was short. But I can’t say that the floor was small either. The whole floor was able to accommodate a few studios, a huge boardroom, a break room, and at least twenty cubicles for the employee. I didn’t know you need this much manpower for just one department.

When the tour ended, Ally ushered me to my new desk, which had a stellar view of the buildings surrounding us. I made a quick scan on the neighboring cubicle, studying the faces on the people that I would be working starting today, and then I looked at my desk. It was a fine cubicle with a high-end computer and a landline phone placed beside it. The computer was almost identical to Ally’s on her office.

“This is where you’ll be working,” Ally announced, gesturing at my desk.

“Wow,” I said at the top of my mind.

“If you need anything, you can press number four on the telephone and it would connect to my phone office,” she explained as I slowly caressed my new leather chair before seating down.

“Do you have any more questions?” Ally asked, reeling me back to reality when my mind wandered off when I turned on the computer.

“Oh, no. I’m going to manage.”

“Good. Well then, you’re first assignment would be on the file folder placed on the desktop on your computer. After that, your work will be sent to you via email, and some would be handed to you by Kate, my secretary,” she instructed.

I gave her a stiff nod in reply taken aback by her tone. Since she was my boss now, she had the right to sound authoritative. But her façade didn’t last long as she gave me a warm smile and she headed back to her office.

As the day dragged on, I felt comfortable on my new desk as I worked on a layout on one of the magazine’s page. I also took note the empty cubicle beside me, which rose my curiosity about my neighbor and why he or she isn’t present. Around noon, everyone got up from his or her desk to get something to eat. I quickly saved my work before heading out to get something for myself. But before I could get up on my chair, the phone on my desk rang. I didn’t think twice on answering and picked up.

“Hello?” I asked and place it on my ear.

“Andy, can you come to my office?” Ally’s voice asked on the end of the phone.

“Sure,” I replied softly. I was about to ask her what she needed me for when the phone line ended. I put the phone away from my ears and eyed it in confusion before placing it back.

Without knowing what to expect, I put my computer to sleep and stood up from my desk. I made my way to Ally’s office feeling a little nervous. When I got to the front door of her office, I heard someone else’s voice in the other side. I knocked on it out of courtesy before entering.

My eyes first ran on the girl sitting across from Ally. And then her eyes met mine, a sense of disbelief plastered on her face.

“This is Andy. Andy this is Nerissa, one of the company’s photographers,” Ally gestured at the girl across from her.

“So, you used to work at Maxwell Enterprises…” Nerissa said causally in interest.

“Ah… yes…” I replied with uncertainty and glanced toward Ally in question. Did she tell her something about William and me?

“So, you know William Maxwell?” Nerissa asked, grabbing back my attention.

“Ah… yeah…” I replied again in the same tone, not sure where this is going.

Then to explain the situation, Ally spoke. “Nerissa needed someone to help her with a photo shoot. I read from your résumé that you had studied photography… plus you know the model well…”

“I have a shoot for another spread with William Maxwell for next month’s issue, and my co-photographer is sick today. I wanted Ally to come with me but she said she is busy… And then, she told me about you,” Nerissa explain when I stayed quiet.

“Right,” I mumbled with a nod. I couldn’t help but be furious for a second towards Ally. She did it because it is the truth. At least she told her that I used to work for him and nothing more.

“What do you need from me?” I asked more softly, though my voice sounded a little bit off.

“So, you’ll do it?” Nerissa asked in enthusiasm and ignored my question.

“Yeah, sure. It would be nice to see my old boss again,” I replied with sarcasm and rolled my eyes at the inescapable possibility.

Ally looked at me with an apologetic smile and grinned from ear to ear. She didn’t know what had happened to William and me after my outburst in front of my apartment. I couldn’t get angry at her innocent yet obvious way of setting me up to meet him again.

I thought I would at least get a few more weeks here before seeing him again. But maybe, fate already got tired at my stubbornness. After not seeing him for a few days, I’m starting to really think about what I felt about him. Sometimes distance was the only solution for someone to see the importance on something.

When we reached the location for the shoot, I felt nostalgic to see the building in front of me. I started to get nervous after we parked the car.

“Why are we at the Maxwell’s main office building? Would had it been better to do it somewhere, like a hotel or something?” I asked

“Well, Mr. Maxwell is a busy man. It took as awhile to even get his approval to do this shoot,” Nerissa replied as we waited for some of the crew to get all the kit from the back of the car.

When all things were set, we walked together towards the lobby. I felt shy as I entered the building. I glanced at the reception desk where Danny stood before we approached her. I stayed at the back of the group and let Nerissa do all the talking. As the group moved on towards the elevator, after pinning the visitor I.D. pass on their clothes, I walked up to Danny with a nervous smile.

“Andy… Is that you? What are you doing here?” she asked in shock as her face slowly turned up in to a smile.

“I’m here with those guys. I work at a magazine company now,” I replied gesturing at the crew who was standing outside, waiting for the elevator.

“Does he know you’re here?” she asked in a whispered, leaning toward me.

“No. And, don’t tell anyone I’m here.”

She gave me a stiff nod but opened her mouth to say something. She was cut short when my crew entered the elevator, giving me the excuse to go. I gave her a brief wave as goodbye before entering the lift. On the way up, Nerissa asked me if I knew the receptionist. I only gave her a small smile in reply.

When we reached William’s office floor, my heartbeat increased its pace. I allowed the crew to go ahead of me as I walked behind the group. I let Nerissa talk to Maggie, who was working on her desk.

“Excuse me, we’re from Face Magazine. We are here for the photo shoot,” Nerissa said in greeting and grabbed Maggie attention.

Maggie glanced around the group, making me look away from her and turned around on my back. “Mr. Maxwell will be with you. Please wait a moment.”

I turned towards the group who were placing heavy kits beside my old desk that was empty. I moved with the group and hid behind them. I didn’t know how I’m going to greet Maggie since I’m adamant at being invisible now.

“Mr. Maxwell is ready for you now.” Maggie suddenly announced, making my heart rate raised like I was a kid again, and the nurse had called me in to get my flu shot.

I looked up towards Maggie’s table again as everyone got their stuff and entered William’s office. For a second, Maggie was distracted by the crew’s heavy equipment that was placed inside black bags. Then finally her eyes glazed in my direction. It took her another second to realize who I was.

“Andy… You’re here…” she stated breathlessly as she stood up from her desk and walked towards me.

“Hi, Maggie. I’m sorry. I don’t know how to say hi after not seeing you for a while,” I admitted shyly as I hugged her back.

“Don’t be shy, dear. And please don’t be a stranger. It’s not like we aren’t friends,” she scolded me like a mother.

“Sorry,” I felt bad at my actions and gave her another hug as an apology.

“Does William know you are here?” Maggie asked after letting me go.

“Partly… I’m here with them,” I reply with uncertainty and gestured at the crew, which had already entered the room.

“So, he doesn’t know you are here.”

“No, he doesn’t.”

She gave me a small, secret smile and patted me one last time before telling me to go in. “Don’t give him a heart attack like me. He has been jumpy since you left,” she stated before she headed back to her desk with a grin.

I looked her one last time for entering the office. Since I was the last to enter the room, I had the privilege on closing the door behind me. I didn’t know that the crew had already started setting up the area they are going to shoot, which was at William’s desk. William had to stand on the side to wait.

And when I entered, everyone turned to see who it was. The first thing I saw was his shocked face before it turned into anger. What the hell?

“You lied to me,” he stated after he regained his expression.

“Nice seeing you, too.” I greeted, ignoring his tone.

“You said you were going home. What are you doing here?”

I made a quick scan on the room and watched as everyone’s eyes were on William and me. I couldn’t believe he was being dramatic about this reunion.

“I am going back. I just didn’t tell you when,” I replied gravely, not allowing him to scare me with his tone.

“Damn it, Andy. I flew to your hometown yesterday and only to find out you didn’t actually go back. And then, I had to ask around where you were. Terry wouldn’t even tell me. I tried looking for you but you just disappeared…” he trailed off with a raged breath, like he wasn’t breathing as he talked.