Chapter XXIV

"You fucking son of a bitch! You have one job to do and you even make a mistake?!"

I simply turned my head at Sir Sebastian who was on his phone talking angrily to Sir Kyle, the lawyer of Huntington Inc.

"You can't even fucking close a deal, you moron! How can you fucking call yourself a lawyer, you shitty meathead?!"

I secretly drew a wry smile as I settled his papers from his desk while he was beside me, sitting on his swivel chair. He had asked me to arrange his paperwork to earlier to later dates.

And here I was enduring his loud, angry voice that sent shivers down my spine as he exploded a series of expletives to the caller.

"You better get the deal or else I am going to make sure you will lose your license!"

I stepped aside when I was finished at the same time, Sir Sebastian was finished on his call. I flinched when he violently placed his phone. He leaned on his seat and pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes.

Damn it. Why was he so grumpy after we returned from Thailand? It has been days since he was like this, torturing his employees again. I had thought that the two-day Thailand vacation may help him ease his mind when we go back but I was wrong.

I checked my wristwatch. It was almost lunchtime and we had to get ready for the next appointment.

I took a deep breath before I decided to speak. "Sir," I called.

"What?!" He snapped his eyes open and glared at me. His frightening aura was revolving around him like he was a villain.

I inhaled sharply, calming myself. If he snapped at me one more time, I would snap back. "It's almost lunchtime. We also have your next appointment after lunch so I suggest you need to eat."

He averted his sharp gaze from me. "I am not in the mood. You go ahead."

I narrowed my eyes on him. This grumpy man... That hostile personality is emitting again.

"Fine," I said coldly and walked back to my desk to get my things.

"Did you just snap at me, Ms. Merryweather?"

Turning my head at Sebastian, I smiled sweetly. "No, I don't. You must have misheard me, sir." There was a slight bitterness in my tone. Also, he was starting to get on my nerves.

Sebastian arched his eyebrow. Even though his face was still in an irritable state, there was an amusing expression written in his eyes. But dang! He looked so damn handsome! So freaking unfair!

I looked away so as not to keep on staring at his godly tier look. Damn this man. He really looked so attractive whenever he was mad.

I took my handbag and was about to leave when he spoke. If he didn't want to eat, he mustn't include me to starve for the meeting later.

"I'll never win against you, won't I?"

"Huh?" I turned my head at him with a creasing forehead. "What are you talking about?" He just arched his eyebrow as a response. That made me confused. "Sir..."

He stood up from his seat and took his papers, inserting them into his briefcase. Bewildered, I wondered what he was doing and he was packing his things. When Sir Sebastian passed by me, his annoying tone wavered in my ears.

"What are you doing standing right there? Aren't we going to have our lunch?"

"Uh... What?" I looked at him weirdly. "I thought you're not in the mood?"

"Not anymore. So let's go."

"What the hell..." I murmured when he was away, and I decided to follow him, confused. What sudden change of mind for this man? He said that he wasn't in the mood earlier. He clearly stated that to me and now? He suddenly changed his mind?

I hurried my steps and walked behind Sir Sebastian. We stopped at the closed elevator as I pressed the button. We entered an empty one as I pressed the ground floor button.

"What sudden change of mind?" I asked as he was busy on his phone.

"What?" he asked, not looking at me.

"You. You said that you're not in the mood earlier." I couldn't help rolling my eyes when he caught me through the stainless steel door which we were facing.

"It's none of your business."

"Okay, grumpy old man." I arched my eyebrow when he met my gaze through our reflection.

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that, Cejay. I am not in the mood to argue with you."

"I stated facts. I didn't ask for an argument."

I watched as he kept his phone inside his pocket, giving me the attention through the reflection. "What's with the bitterness I am hearing? Are you angry at me?"

I snorted. "Why would I even be angry at you?" I clenched my teeth after that, calming myself as Sebastian was starting to get on my nerves.

"Oh wow. Sarcasm at its finest," he said mockingly.

I shot him a glare. "Oh, at least I was not the one who answered nonchalantly when being asked properly," I said sardonically.

I heard his scoff. "Are you trying to hit me on my nerve, Ms. Merryweather?"

Turning my head at him, I met his dangerous eyes again. I rolled my eyes and shook my head, ignoring him.

"What makes you think I am hitting you on your nerve? Are you going to shout at me later on?" I asked, daring not to look at him but on his reflection to the wall.

I heard his sharp sigh. "You woman..." There was a distaste in his tone.

Before he could even utter some words, the elevator stopped at the next floor. The door opened with more than five employees who were expecting to ride with us.

But the moment they saw Sebastian, their eyes widened in surprise. They were starstruck upon seeing him.

"Are you all just gonna stand there and do nothing?" It was Sebastian who was already annoyed.

They all flinched and decided to enter the elevator, a bit hesitant. I stepped back and settled in the corner along with Sebastian. He and I stayed silent as we waited for other employees to ride to the elevator from another floor.

I took a deep breath, feeling a little suffocated because the elevator was crowded. The elevator stopped to the next floor and a few entered so I had to huddle in the corner, trying my best to make Sebastian comfortable but I was the one who felt uncomfortable because of the many people inside.

I inhaled a sharp breath when I felt a hand circled in my waist and pulled me to its body. My heart raced rapidly, finding that it was Sebastian who pulled to his body and used his other hand to protect me from my front.

His minty breath fanned against my face and to my ear. I looked away and lowered my gaze as I couldn't take his intense gaze piercing on me.

"Are you okay?"

I shivered when he whispered in my ear. What made me shiver more was his lips lightly brushed to my ear. I slowly took a breath and looked up at him.

His handsome face was the one I see next to his ocean blue eyes. "Y-Yes," I whispered back and drew out a small smile.

I gasped softly when he gently grabbed my waist to pull me more to his body as more employees came inside. I had no choice but to clutch Sebastian's suit so I could support myself from this crowded place.

I calmed myself, waiting when this elevator landed on the ground floor. It took forever.

And Sebastian's hand that was on my waist was warm and penetrated my corporate attire. It kept sending tingles down my spine and the hairs from my back had been raising when I felt him sniffing my hair. I looked up to see his mesmerizing ocean blue eyes down to his plump, kissable lips. His hot breath was fanning in my face as well.

It was like he was inviting me to kiss him.

Wait... Kiss him? Since when did I ever find his lips attractive? Also, how did we end up in this kind of position again?

I looked down and felt relief when all of them emerged when the elevator reached the cafeteria floor. As soon as they dispersed, I decided to loosen my grip from his tie and distanced myself.

I was a bit disappointed when I couldn't feel the warmth of his hand that was penetrating my waist. But I bowed at Sebastian, giving him an apologetic smile. He stared at me with his intense gaze and nodded afterward.

"Shall we eat here on the cafeteria floor?" I asked, not pushing the closed-door button as I turned at him.

He hid his hand in the pocket of his pants. "No. I already served a restaurant near here," he said coldly.

"Okay..." I nodded and pushed the closed-door button.

I settled beside him as I inhaled and exhaled, still hearing the loud pound of my left chest. His closeness earlier was still giving me the effect of wanting to be near him. I wasn't supposed to act like this but I couldn't help it.

"I—"

Both of us spoke at the same time.

"You go first," Sebastian said.

I shook my head. "No, you go first."

"Ladies first."

I narrowed my eyes when his words were panting in my ear. "That's misogynistic!" I frowned.

Sebastian arched his eyebrow. "That's not what I meant. I am not trying to be misogynist, Cejay."

I rolled my eyes. "You said—"

"Fine, fine. I am sorry. Is that alright?"

I frowned at him and sighed. "Fine."

"You seem grumpy ever since we came back from Thailand, Cejay."

"What?" I looked at him in disbelief. "Shouldn't you ask yourself that, Sebastian?" The nerve of this man... The audacity!

He huffed. "Whatever you say." He shrugged.

That made me roll my eyes again. My boss was a hopeless case. Sometimes I don’t know what to do with him anymore.