CEO's Personal Secretary

The Ball Night

"You asked for me, Mr. Atticus?" I asked him as soon as I walked in his cabin and his sharp gaze narrowed in displeasure when he looked down at his watch before he looked at me again.

"I asked for your presence in thirty minutes. And you took forty five minutes, Miss Wilson." He said and I rose my brows at his hostile behaviour, really now?

"I was on leave, Mr. Atticus. I was quite far from your office. You can't expect me to be on time just because you had an emergency on holidays." I gritted out and he glared at me but said nothing. Even I had to leave my brother alone when it was our day.

"Anyways, I called you here, not to argue with me but to make some last minute changes in the Atticus Night Ball." He said to me and I narrowed my eyes at him.

"What changes?" I asked him fearfully and he cleared his throat, handing me a thin file and I gingerly held in in my palms. Please don't let it what I am thinking he is asking me to do.

"Your royal theme with vintage touch— work ahead with it." He said casually and my eyes widened as I looked at the man in front of with with shock. Was he for serious?

"But the decorations are almost done! Things has been bought! First you changed the entire theme into this boring theme of yours and now that everything's almost done, you want to change it entirely, again!"

"If you have forgotten, Miss Wilson, this is my ball night. I am going to pay for it—both, for the ball night's decoration and your salary. So, stop complaining and get back to work. Fast. We don't have time." He said sternly and I locked my jaw in annoyance. He was correct. He was going to sign my paycheck!

"I wonder why." I mumbled under my breath as I left his cabin and made a call to the event manager and explained him all the last minute changes. Or basically the entire change in the decoration.

I had a feeling that this Night Ball will be more trouble than I had originally thought.

~~~~~~

"Here's the profit file, Sir. Mr. Hillary said that he would submit the remaining files by tomorrow." I said and he nodded his head, taking the file from my hand, without even looking at me. He was working.

"Very well, Miss Wilson. How are you planning to reach the venue?" He asked me and I blinked at his question. Venue? Oh...... Atticus Night Ball. Correct.

"I am also done with my work today. Now, I'll call a cab and reach the venue. Do you need something from me before you leave?" I asked him and he shook his head, shutting his laptop down before he graced me with his presence.

"No. And no need to call a cab. You'll be coming with me. In my car." I froze at his order. I'll be going with him? In his car?

"That shall not be necessary, Sir. I'll call a cab. I even need to purchase a dress before I leave for the ball." I said and his eyes narrowed as he stood up from his chair.

"I thought I asked you to arrange a dress for yourself beforehand, Miss Wilson."

"I was going to yesterday but you had some urgent work. And it's not like I have time to go and purchase for dress when you call me early in the morning and only leave me at midnight." I shot back and he sighed, rubbing his temple.

"We'll buy your dress on our way to the party, hm?" He said as he removed his keys from the drawers and slipped it inside his back pocket.

"As you say, Sir. But may I ask why do I need to come with you?" I asked him as we both left his office from the back gate so that no-one can see us together. Weird, I know.

"Because you don't have the pass. And no-one will question your presence in the ball night if you're with me." He said as if he was the last genius of the world. And I rolled my eyes at him.

"Or we can simply get me a pass. After all, it's your party, Sir." I said and sat in the passenger's seat and he snorted.

"Or you can simply walk inside me, saving a paper, saving the nature. No, Miss Wilson?" He shot back and I clamped my mouth shut. He was planning something else. I could feel it. I knew it.

He stopped near a botique before we both got inside. The shop didn't look very expensive but not very cheap either. The salesperson rushed towards us as soon as she saw us entering the shop.

"Good evening, gentleman and lady. What may I show you today? Suits? Gowns? Lady suits?" She asked us— me and I shook my head, smiling politely at the lady in front of me.

"Show me some gowns for parties. Make sure they are not very expensive."

"And make sure they are not cheap either." Mr. Atticus interjected, making me glare at him. When the lady went to get the gowns, giving us a confused glance, I turned to look at him.

"Are you going to pay for my gown? No, right? I don't have money to spend on a dress, I know, I won't be wearing again." I said and he sucked in a breath, shaking his head.

"You need to blend in the rich, Miss Wilson. How are you going to do that if you won't look rich?" He asked me hotly and I took a breath in, to calm myself down. It's okay, don't get angry, Bellarosa.

"But I am not rich, Mr. Atticus. What about that? I'll take a gown that would look expensive but won't be expensive. Is that fine with you?" I asked him and he sighed, nodding his head.

"Do whatever you want but do it fast!" He said with a bit hurry and I nodded my head.

I was quick to select my dress. It was a red long gown, with absolutely no work, no embroidery and no laces work. It was simple and yet elegant. I liked dresses which are light and more elegant than being lurid.

"If you don't mind, can I change my dress in your boutique? I have a party to attend." I asked and the salesperson nodded her head with a polite smile as she took me upstairs, where there was a trial room.

I quick checked for any cameras in the small room. And after doing investigation upto my satisfaction, I removed my white shirt and formal pencil skirt and slipped in the gown instead. For once, I was grateful for the gown to fit me perfectly. At least, we wouldn't have to waste our time in altering the measurements.

I pulled my hair out of the ponytail and ran my fingers through them, to smoothen my hair. I painted my lips with nude lipstick as I quickly slipped a pair of earings I had brought with myself and applied a coat of eyeliner on either sides before walking out, in my heels. I can't even forget the horrors of heels. Mr. Atticus had made me walk fourteen floors twice in them.

When I walked downstairs, Mr. Atticus was on his phone and for a minute, he froze when his eyes fell on me and I suddenly felt nervous. To have his gaze on me, him staring at me, made me nervous. Licking my lips, I walked downstairs and stood beside him.

"Is this rich enough, Sir?" I asked him and he blinked, nodding his head and I smiled brightly at him, flipping my hair and he rolled his eyes.

"We're late, Miss Wilson. We should leave now." He said and with that we got back in his car as he started to drive towards his farmhouse, where the ball night was organised. By me.

The decoration of the ball won't be an excitement for me, considering how I had sacrificed my holiday for its decoration. But what definitely astounded me was Mr. Atticus offering me a hand as we got down his car. And I couldn't help but show my suprise to him.

But then my curiosity and confusion got answered when I saw media outside his house. Clicking our pictures together. And suddenly everything made sense to me. Mr. Atticus wanting me to dress in a beautiful gown. Mr. Atticus wanting me to come with him in one car. Mr. Atticus offering his hand to me. And most importantly, Mr. Atticus holding my hand in public.

Everything made sense to me now.

"Smile, Miss Wilson. Trust me, you don't want tomorrow's newspapers to have your shocked expressions on their first page. So, smile." He said, gripping my palms and I smiled bitterly at him.

"I am understanding everything now, Mr. Atticus. Why this gown. Why asking me to come in your car. Everything." I whispered and he stiffened, making me pinch his arm with a tight lipped smile.

"Tch. Tch. Smile, Mr. Atticus. You would not like to have your shocked expressions on their first page. Correct?" I said and he smiled dangerously at me as we both walked inside his farmhouse.

"Now keep your sarcasm and sass at bay. You're a rich lady now." He said with a forced smile as soon as we walked in the hall, filled with people, enjoying their drinks.

"But you're not a good host, Mr. Atticus. Arriving late to your own ball night? Tch. Very rude." I said, wrapping my arm around his bicep and his expressions were worth all the acting.

Oh, how nice it feels to be incharge of something, for once in my life.

"I'll see you in the office, Miss Wilson." He threatened me and I smiled brightly at me.

"I'll be looking forward to that, Sir." I mumbled, smiling at the shocked public in front of us.

"Hello, Mr. Atticus. I never thought you would come. Especially with a woman as beautiful as her." One of the men in the crowd said as he greeted Mr. Atticus with a handshake.

"Oh, she was the reason we arrived late tonight. Wasn't ready to leave me alone." He lied smoothly, making me grind my jaw. "By the way, this is Rose. My date for tonight."

"Hello, Miss Rose, I am Henry Stewart. But I must say, you have a charming persona around you." He said, taking my hand and placed a kiss on the back of my palm, making me cringe mentally. What the hell, man!

"Hello, Mr. Stewart. Thank you for your kind words. But who isn't aware about the fact? Charm follows everywhere I go." I said and the man in front of me smile but the man beside me, oh, Lord, he was burning in rage.

The fun had just begun, Mr. Atticus.