Taming Mr. CEO

Working in a corporate world is new to me. New and hard as well. There’s a lot of adjustment I have to do in order to get along with the people around me, with those tasks given to me. I have to change my routine to fit in my schedule. It was hard, really really hard but working with the new boss is the worst. I can endure the tiredness, the heavy work but I don’t think, I can still handle him and his worst attitude. Of all people I have met, Logan Ivanov is the worst. Since the day he replaced his dad, everything for me-oh, not just for me, for my co-workers as well- is such a hellish experience.

Every morning, we will come into the office, rushing ourselves just to arrive earlier than him. If he ever arrived earlier than us, we will see the devil automatically. And to add to that, he fired almost twelve employees in just a month. The reason why? Well, those employees just came late. Without further explanation, without hearing their side, the rude CEO fired them out.

That’s how rude he is!

And being near his presence is a total hell for me. There was a time that even though I have a great day, he will ruin it. In just a flick of his finger, he will ruin my day. Last time, he asked me to clean his office before he went out for a meeting. So I did. I obeyed what he just commanded but when he came back from the meeting, he burst out in anger. At first, I thought it was the meeting that made him mad but little did I know, it was me. For what reason? Well, I really can’t name up until now. All I know is, he got mad because I arranged those papers on his table. He asked me to clean his office and his messy table with bundles of paperwork above is part of his office so I cleaned it. I organized it. But instead of being thankful, instead of getting a compliment from him… I only taste his wrath.

He scolded me. And the worst is, he shoved those papers on his table and then asked me to organize them again afterward. That’s how his mind works. He’s bipolar. Insensitive. He is a beast. A beast is lurking inside his downright gorgeous face and body.

However, upon experiencing hell, I can’t help but praise him. To be amazed at how he looks every day. Then even though he is mad, he still looks gorgeous to me… in my eyes. Every time he scolded me, I went speechless. Not because of a total fear but because of tension. Tense not on his rude attitude but his presence. I can’t take to stand near him. Staring at him is a difficult one for me to do. If I tried to, at least just for a short time, my heart went wild. I don’t know why? But I could say that he affects me. An effect that I don’t know how to avoid.

“I salute you, Alice. I really salute you.” I stared at Betty in confusion.

“Salute me for what?” I asked, taking a bite of my sandwich.

Betty shrugged. “Well, I do salute you for enduring our boss’ attitude. Imagine, of all people in our department, you are the only one who’s always with him. Given his attitude, how can you stay being his secretary? Plus the fact that he always scolds you. Tell us the secret, Alice.”

I rolled my eyes. “There is no secret I have to share. But cursing him inside my mind, murdering him most ruthlessly in my mind is my solution. Every time he got mad at me, every time he threw harsh words towards me… I kill him many times,” I shared which made them burst out laughing.

I laughed with them too not until when my phone ranged beside my plate. When I saw the caller ID, my happiness just faded.

“Who’s that?” Betty asked.

My lips twitched before I showed them the screen. “Speaking of the devil,” I blurted and then signed them to be quiet as I answered the phone.

“Yes, boss?” I asked, waiting for him to answer.

“Where are you?” his cold voice asked back.

“At the cafeteria, Sir–”

“Go back here,” he commanded before I could even finish my words. My eyes instantly rolled three hundred sixty degrees out of frustration.

“I will just finish my food, Sir. I’ll be coming in fifteen minutes.”

“I said… go back now.” He dropped the call, leaving me dumbfounded. With my mouth hung open, still in disbelief.

“He is a demon. The hell needs him.” I gritted my teeth before leaving the cafeteria. I was cursing him in my mind as I climbed his office and when I reached the office, he didn’t even give me a minute to rest.

“Go to the flower shop and buy me a bouquet,” he announced, giving me his card.

I am gripping tight on the car wheel as I drove to the nearest mall where I know there is a flower shop I can buy one. But when I am already in the shop, I couldn’t pick which flower to buy as the boss didn’t tell me what exact flower he want. So, when I saw those healthy red roses in the corner, I picked up a bouquet. I went back to the office, holding the bouquet of roses I bought.

“Go buy another bouquet. Claire doesn’t want a rose, she wanted tulips.” Are his words which sent me into anger that if I just can’t control myself, I have shouted at him… perhaps.

I didn’t move which made his brows furrow. “What are you waiting for? Go back to the flower shop and buy another flower,” he snapped.

“How about this flower, Sir?” I asked, glancing at the roses I am still holding.

“Dump it, of course. Unless you want to keep that shit.” He turned around and went inside the comfort room. I was left frustrated at him again before walking to the trash bin and dumping the bouquet.

Why would I keep it? I love flowers but the fact that that flower is supposed to be given to a girl named, Claire. Ugh, no thanks!

So, just like what Logan said, I went back to the flower shop. Finding a bouquet of tulips but to hoodoo, the shop runs out of a tulip so I have to find another shop. To the next mall, farther from the company, I go search for a bouquet of tulips, and luckily, I have found a fresh one. After I bought the flower, I drop by the nearest coffee shop and bought myself a cup of cold latte.

“Here’s the tulip, Sir.” I placed the bouquet on the table and was about to go back to my table when he called me again. Asking for another task that meant to frustrates me… over and over again.

“Dang him! Damn it!” I silently cursed while riding the elevator down to the parking lot. When I reached my car, I harshly hopped in and drive to the cake shop as the devil is asking me to buy a dessert.

Good thing that the shop was just a quick drive so I came back into the office, fast. Holding a box of cheesecakes. I am forcing myself to smile as I entered the boss’ office but that smile faded completely when his eyes narrowed as he stared at the cheesecake in front of him.

“What’s this?” he asked, staring at me, stoic.

I bit the inside of my lips before answering. “Uhm… cheesecake, Sir…”

“Yeah, I know this is a cheesecake.”

“Then why are you asking like you didn’t know?!” I replied pedantry inside my mind.

“You supposed to buy a dessert with chocolate flavor, Alice. Claire doesn’t want cheesecake,” he announced that cut the string of my patience.

“You didn’t mention that flavor, Sir. All you have said earlier was for me to buy a dessert. You didn’t give a flavor,” I reasoned out.

He scratched his brow. “You know that chocolate is the popular flavor. So, why the hell do you buy a cheesecake?”

“Cheesecake is popular too, Sir.”

Oh, come on! Remind me that killing is a sin or else, right at this moment, I will strangle this jerk with my bare hands.

“I wonder why Dad hired an idiot assistant when he can have the best one.” He eyed me from head to toe. His eyes shout insult towards me which made me boil and was about to explode in anger when suddenly, the phone inside my pocket stopped me.

I hastily took it out, only to find Helena on the screen. When my eyes went back to the boss, I saw him staring at my phone.

“Who’s that?” he asked but I didn’t bother to give him the name, I just excused myself and went out of his office.Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.

“Hello, Helena?” I answered Helena on the phone. Silence is the first one that welcomed me before I heard her, sobbing.

My heart skipped a beat instantly as I heard her sob. “Hey, what happened?” I asked, panicked eats me slowly.

“Alice…” she trailed.

“What?”

“Alice… I couldn’t find her.”

“Find who?” I asked, clueless about what she was saying.

“Aisle… I couldn’t find her. I am supposed to fetch her in her school but there was no Aisle there. I already roamed the whole school, asked for her to everyone I am seeing. Even the teachers and guards but only say that they don’t see her. Alice… Alice, Aisle is missing…” she announced, her voice’s coated by panic and fear.

Before I could even answer, the harsh sound that came from my phone that fell on the floor engulfed the whole room as I stand weakly, only depending on myself on to the table near me. Without that table, I am sure that I already stumbled on the floor. After recovering from the shock, I immediately look for my phone again and picked it up before I went inside the boss’ office. He stared at me in confusion but I don’t see any concern written in his eyes given that I am crying. Oh, why would I expect a concern from him? Have I forgotten that he is ruthless?

“What’s with the look, Alice?” he asked, lowering his eyes on the magazine he is now holding.

“S–Sir… can I ask for an absent?” I asked, hoping that he will give me but when his brows knotted, shouting his disapproval, I lost my temper but still contained myself.

“As far as I remember, you still have a task to do. I told you to get me a chocolate dessert, right?”

“Yes, Sir… I didn’t forget that but I need to be absent right now. There is an emergency at home so I need to be with–”

He raised his hand, stopping me from explaining. “You don’t bring personal problems at work, Alice. You are here in my company to work and you should be focused. When you’re already in your home, then there, you can solve your problem. But since you are still in my company, focus on your task. Now, go buy me a chocolate dessert ’cause any minute from now, Claire is coming.”

My mouth hung open. I clenched my hands into tight balls as I stared at him with my teary eyes. Soon, I shook my head out of disbelief. Disbelief in how she acts, on how rude he is.

“What are you waiting for? Are you just going to stare at me?” His brow rose.

I bit my lips, trying to surpass my anger but later on, I just boomed in anger making me open my mouth. Telling unexpected words towards him. I spoke fast to the point that I couldn’t even remember the exact words I have told him. All I can remember is that I shouted at him so hard before I slammed his office door.

Jerk. The jerk was the last word I can recall as I drive through Aisle’s school.

“You are nothing but a ruthless jerk!”

These were the exact words I threw at my boss.