The CEO's Entanglement

13 Not Needed

Morris POV

I try to tamper down my anger as I make my way to my office. Stepping into the elevator, I'm tempted to scream since I'm alone. Instead, I control myself. When I step onto my floor, my eyes automatically go to the desk where Loreli would normally be waiting. Even though I know she was reassigned, part of me wondered if she would be b*lsy enough to show up like it was still her desk.

I'm grateful when I see a young man who looks like he can't be more than twenty-five years old going through papers. At this point, I'd be willing to go without an assistant. When he finally notices me, he is on his feet and rounding the desk. "Good morning, sir. My name is Daniel. I'll be your assistant. I can't tell you how thrilled I was when your former assistant left me a cheat sheet to help me make sure you got everything you needed. I'll be in with your coffee and your schedule in two minutes" he says, all in one breath.

I can see he's nervous, but he doesn't need to be. I may expect things to be done correctly, but I am nothing like my father. I watched him tear into many of his staff over the years for the simplest mistakes. I always swore I would never be like him. A pang of guilt sits in my chest for hurting my wife. For not protecting her because of my stupid choices. I push those thoughts away and focus on the man in front of me.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Daniel. I want you to relax. No matter what you've heard, I'm not a tyrant. As long as you give me your best effort and follow my directions, we will get along fine." My words seem to ease some of the worry I can see in his eyes. He nods and I head inside my office.

As I take a seat behind my desk, my thoughts go back to my wife. Hearing her say that I love another woman made me feel like I swallowed gasoline. It wasn't that the b**ch had made up lies because that's exactly what it was, a lie. What made me sick was the fact that my wife doubted my love for her. She is the only woman I have and will ever love. I think back to my interactions with Loreli. Wondering if I led her to believe that there was something more than just friendly conversation, but I don't believe I did.

After I meet with Daniel I start to tackle the mound of papers on my desk. Our meeting with the Lincoln Group is this afternoon and I again review the contract before it's time to head to the conference room. Daniel knocks on my door at ten minutes to one to tell me it's time for my meeting. I grab my folder, making my way to the large conference room.

My steps falter when I step inside and notice that Loreli is sitting at the table next to Melissa. Why the f**k did Melissa bring her to this meeting? Melissa is the head of PR and apparently the person that Amber assigned Loreli to. I take a seat at the head of the table as we wait for Wade Lincoln to arrive. As I look around the table, none of the other executives have their assistants with them.

Before I can think better of it, I address Melissa. "Melissa, I don't believe that it is necessary for your assistant to attend this meeting. Her time will be better spent attending to other tasks you need done. I suggest you send her back to her desk." I see something flash in Melissa's eyes before she turns to Loreli. "Lore, please head back to your desk and complete the filing we talked about earlier."

Loreli's eyes meet mine with a hint of hurt, before she leaves without a word. When Melissa turns back toward me, I can see she isn't happy with me, but I don't give a f**k. "Was that really necessary? She is shadowing me to learn what I expect. I didn't think there would be any harm to her sitting in the meeting," Melissa says.

I'm just about to tell her that I'm the boss and I say what the harm is, but I stop myself. "Wade Lincoln is a very private man. He is trusting us with this contract. There is sensitive information involved with the deal and only the necessary staff should be privy to that information." I can see she wants to argue, but she must think better of it.

I know Amber was thinking it was best to put Loreli with a woman because she is a suit chaser, but I can't help but wonder if she hasn't found a sympathetic ear in Melissa. When the door opens, I focus on the business at hand. Wade takes a seat and we start to review the contract. Thankfully, he doesn't have many questions after our last meeting where he basically ripped apart the whole contract I had proposed. An hour later, the contract is signed, and I feel like I can breathe a little easier.

I make my way back to my office. Daniel is so engrossed in his typing that he doesn't realize I'm back from my meeting. "Daniel, could I trouble you for another cup of coffee," I ask, and he damn near jumps out of his seat. "Of course, I'm sorry I didn't expect your meeting to be finished so quickly or I would have had it ready for you," he says.

"Daniel, what did we talk about earlier?" "I'm sorry it's just the notes from the previous assistant said you are very particular. It made me feel like if I screw up, I'll either end up in reception or unemployed," he says. "Daniel, I promise if you make a mistake, I will not fly off the handle." Again, he seems to relax as he makes his way toward the break room to make my coffee.

Elise POV

As I head back into the house, I resist the urge to slam the door. Everything in me wants to believe Morris. I have no doubt this woman is probably a liar and a manipulative b**ch after the messages she sent me. She has set her sights on my hot, rich husband. I am not usually an angry person, but right now, if I had that woman in front of me, I would probably slap the sh*t out of her.

My husband may be an id**t for not seeing her for who she is, but she knew exactly what she was doing when she texted me. She didn't include her name, so he can't prove it's her. Which means he can't fire her as much as I would like to see her out on her a**. "So, what did he say" my mother asks, bringing me out of my thoughts. I look down at Emmy as she plays with her tablet.

"He swore on her that none of what she wrote was true" I whisper, pointing to Emmy. I don't want any of this to touch her if I can help it. If I find out that he is lying, then divorce will happen, but until then there is no reason she needs to know about adult problems. My heart aches just thinking the word divorce.

Even if it came to that, I would never paint her father in a bad light. What happens between me and Morris will never affect our relationship with our daughter. "Do you believe him, baby girl," she asks again, so Emmy can't hear. "I don't think he would ever swear on our daughter unless he was telling the truth. I'm not ready to forgive him, but I'm at least feeling better he hasn't crossed a line we can't return from."

She wraps her arm around my shoulder and presses a kiss on my head. "I think your right about both things. I don't think he has crossed the line, but I also still think he needs to suffer for not using the brains God gave him because of this woman's innocent act," she says. I smile for the first time since I read those text messages this morning. The sound of my phone dinging has the smile fading from my face.