MICHAEL — Always by your side.

As soon as the meeting is over, I feel my tense shoulders relax. My head is throbbing, a pain that has haunted me since last night when I received a call from my father.
Apparently, his retirement has been announced. He will continue as chairman for another six months just to organize everything until his departure.
The problem is that he still hasn’t announced a successor. The board is desperate because of the options, as none of them have the necessary qualifications to be the group’s new chairman. Of course, that’s just a sadistic strategy to get them on their toes and accept Dominic O’Neil’s desire.
Apparently, my half-brother is taking victory for granted, telling everyone that he will be my father’s successor and that the group belongs to him. With the news of Father’s retirement reaching the knowledge of the media, it won’t be long before he finally names me as the new chairman.
When I accepted Dominic’s proposal two years ago, I had a long talk with Julian. At first, he didn’t like it. He asked, *after everything that had happened, how could I go back?* We spent seven years with our ties severed, only to end up doing what was expected of me.
Maybe that sounds a bit pathetic, a rebellion that resulted in nothing but wasted time. But even if I’d been told that things would turn out this way, I’d probably have done it all over again. I think that’s what Angelee says about living without regrets — knowing that despite the pains and thorns we experience along the way, we like how it turns out.
Eventually, Julian also understood that it was my destiny. Even if I try to run away from it... even if I’ve denied it for the last seven years, it’s how it should be, and I don’t have to do that anymore…
I’m honestly tired of fighting.
“Michael.” Amelie’s voice comes like a breath of life, making me pull my hand away from my face to look at her. The worried expression on her face makes smile even though I felt like crap.
She places a glass of water on the table next to a pill and crosses her arms, “Have you had enough sleep?”
“Would you say three hours is enough?” I ask with a sarcastic smile, and she almost rolls her eyes. That’s certainly not the attitude an assistant should have towards her boss, but we’ve been together for so long that Amelie is more than my employee.
She’s been my friend, knowing and understanding me like no one else. She knows everything about me, about my routine, my likes and dislikes, my flaws, and how grumpy I get after a long meeting like this one...
*She knows how my head always hurts when something bothers me.*
“Are you going to keep ignoring Kristen? She’s downstairs, demanding to come up.” Amelie says, looking through the glass walls of the meeting room, even though her eyes can’t find my uninvited guest. “The other employees are starting to get troubled.”
“The other employees?” I stifle a laugh, liking how that sounds. I’d want to ask if *other employees* also include *her,* but I just seal my lips in a mischievous smile, tilting my head and leaning my cheek on my closed fist.
“Should I let her up?” Amelie ignores my question, turning back to look at me with her arms crossed and an annoyed expression. She looks really pretty when she’s angry.
Honestly, I don’t know when I started noticing the way her eyes sparkled, her always elegant posture, and her modest, elegant clothes that fit her curves so well. Even the sound of her low heels I’ve learned to identify, and it’s become one of my favorites because it brings me so much calm.
Her hair, tied up in a neat bun at the end of the day or loose in a quick hairstyle when she arrives for work, always catches my eye. Sometimes, I feel the urge to touch and feel the softness in my fingers, and I even do it casually, just to soften a little of this feeling that has been growing for some time — quietly but strong enough to suffocate me.
“Michael,” Amelie calls me firmly, making me blink a few times in surprise. “Are you listening to me?”
“Yes, ma’am, I am.”
She frowns, and I let out a low laugh that immediately softens her expression, as do her loving eyes.
I swallow the pill dry, shifting my gaze to the other corner.
“Send Kristen away. If she refuses, ask the security guards to throw her out. They don’t have to be nice after fifteen times… just make sure she gets her feet out of my building.”
My building. Not for long. I’ll still retain my position as one of the biggest shareholders, but I won’t be president anymore.
Amelie types something on her cell phone, probably passing on orders, and I observe her long eyelashes, the strands of her hair falling forward, trying to hide her face, yet they let me admire those delicate features, her skin that has not a wrinkle, not a sign. Well, she’s still young... She’s just turned thirty-five, hasn’t she? The same age difference between Julian and me.
“Amelie,” I call her softly, and she looks up, putting down her cell phone. She holds her breath, looking at me, worried. “I’m going to take over my father’s position soon.”
She doesn’t seem surprised. And well, none of this is really *surprising.* Neither the fact that I’m leaving J’O Tech nor that she’s found out about it.
“Julian will take over as president in my place and look after J’O Tech.” I sigh, suddenly nervous. I wriggle in my chair, her gaze burning into me. “I’m sure he’ll be a great president. I mean, he’s a bit lazy and skips work whenever there’s an opportunity, especially when it’s to see Angelee and my granddaughters, but just like for me, this company means a lot... We both love it, and it’s in our best interests that it continues to grow and reach new horizons.”
Amelie remains silent, listening to me talk without pausing, trying to convince her of my words… *Or perhaps to convince myself.*
“In these last two years, he’s proved himself very capable. He’s really matured a lot and become a trustworthy man. I’m sure he’ll make a good president, so...”
“Michael.” She interrupts me, and I simply shut up, meeting her steady eyes. “Are you firing me?”
“No! Of course not!” I stand up quickly, alarmed. She tightens her closed arms even more, averting her eyes to another corner of the room. “I just figured you’d want to stay at J’O Tech. I mean... You’ve worked by my side for over a decade… you know all the processes better than anyone.”
“Exactly, I’ve worked *by your side.* Did you think I would leave you? It doesn’t matter if it’s as president of J’O Tech or as chairman of a big group... My job is by your side, Michael.”
Amelie refuses to look at me, and her lips tremble slightly. They seem so sweet that my throat dries.
I approach slowly, and she shudders, keeping her eyes locked on the other side, even though she can probably feel my warmth now.
Our bodies aren’t touching… yet I feel her closer than we’ve ever been.
“You know what? You’re right.” I say slowly, with a subtle, mischievous smile. “You’re fired.”
Amelie finally looks at me, turning her face abruptly in my direction, her eyes widening in surprise, and I don’t let this moment pass. I don’t try to control myself or think too much about the consequences...
I just envelop her cheek with my hand, and she doesn’t try to break away from my touch. In fact, she let me reduce the distance between our faces until our breaths become one.
Amelie closes her eyes, and I seal our mouths gently, almost fearfully, fitting our slowly rubbing lips together. She sighs, and the small gap between them is an invitation for me to deepen the kiss.
I slide my tongue into her mouth slowly, searching for Amelie’s as I feel my heart beating very strongly in my chest. I move my fingers to the nape of her neck, and her trembling hands cling to my shirt as she gives in to the rhythm that becomes more passionate.
Something clicks inside my head, and I grab her waist, turning her around and pressing her body against the table. She gasps, untangling our lips only for a moment.
I press her hips against the table, resisting the urge to sit here there and fit myself between her legs. I know that if I do this… if I let my lips trail down her neck, and my hands explore her body… I won’t be able to stop. We will forever cross the line we have drawn for so many years.
But now that her sweet lips are on mine and her soft tongue entwined in mine, can we really go back?
I don’t think so.
Even with my eyes closed, I know she’s panting. Her heavy breathing is like a melody to your ears, and it stirs my insides.
“Amelie…”
I finally open my eyes and see her flushed cheeks and swollen lips...
Damn, I’m falling completely in love with her.
Even though I have never loved anyone before, my heart seems to be beating hard for someone. It’s a really strange feeling, *finally being alive.*
“Did you just fire me to kiss me?” Amelie asks, still panting, looking at me with surprise.
“I think I did,” I say with a mischievous smile. But that’s a problem… I don’t think I’ll be able to work without you by my side. I’d make a complete mess of my life.”
“It’s true, you always get lost on my vacations. I always come back and find chaos.”
“So what do I do?” I ask, as I always do when I need a second opinion to clear my foggy mind.
“You should hire me again.”
My smile widens, “Is that so?”
“Yes.” She smiles back, fiddling with the knot of my tie, which has loosened at some point.
“But what if I can’t keep my hands off you?” Amelie laughs at my words, but when she notices that I’m serious, she just smiles, and her eyes become affectionate. She adjusts my collar, keeping me trapped in this almost torturous silence.
She knows what I’m asking, even if it’s too early to be clear about it. I’d like her to stay by my side, not just as my assistant, my most valuable coworker, but as someone who gets these very new feelings I’m carrying.
“You don’t have to.” Amelie finally cuts the silence with her sweet voice and strokes my cheek. “I told you, Michael... I’ll always be by your side.”