Chapter 26: Victoria Henderson

The rest of the night went regularly. Nick and Seven had small conversations about work and businesses. While Seven was composed, talking casually with no worry in his mind, Nicolas was stressed.

When Nick realized that he had feelings for the assistant, it was like having a demon and an angel on your shoulder giving you options to consider. The demon telling him to fuck it and tell him right there and then about his feelings, but then the angel would remind him that Seven felt nothing toward him and he'd be risking the way their friendship is now. Nicolas wanted anything but to do that. He hadn't felt in love since high school. When he realized where his emotions stood, he didn't know what the next step was. Whether he should go along with his day and not say a word, or tell Seven and risk it.

The next day went casually with no mention of the dinner date. Serene had been out of the office running errands and meeting up with company members to schedule meetings and such. Coming back around 4 o'clock wasn't any more active. He sat on the sofa at the office and stared at his laptop, working on convincing WebBaze. He rested his chin on his right palm while his other hand lied on the coffee table, his fingers tapping lightly near the laptop.

Nicolas sat behind his desk, sliding papers to the left side as he checked each one that he grabbed. Though he looked focused and exhausted with his eyes glued to his desk, he was actually dozing off. He didn't read any of the documents he was checking out since his mind was already filled with what had happened at the dinner event; the demon and the angel on his shoulders arguing back and forth about the situation.

"I can't do it," Seven groaned, breaking Nick's train of thought as he gazed up. Seven rubbed his face, leaning back onto the sofa.

Nicolas raised an eyebrow, hearing the pessimism escape the assistant's pink lips, "Regretting your resume that clearly stated you won several debating competitions during your college years?" he teased, a smirk appearing on his face.

Seven dropped his arms on the couch, staring at the ceiling as he heard the CEO, "In my defense, the majority of the opposing teams were confused about the topics we were debating about." Seven sat up straight, taking a harsh and quick sigh before standing up from the couch. He put his hands on his hips, leaning to the side, stretching his abdomen.

"Are you giving up then?" Nick asked, setting aside his work and standing up from his chair as well, keeping his blue eyes locked on Seven. The assistant picked up his cellular device from the coffee table, scrolling through his emails, "Giving up? Why would I be giving up?"

Nick smiled, stepping around his desk, his hands inside the pockets of his black jeans, "You said you couldn't do it." he mentioned.

Seven turned off his phone and peered up at Nick who was walking towards him, "It was me... motivating myself~" he convinced, giving him a slight nod as he put his phone back on the table.

Nicolas stopped walking, six feet away from his assistant. He tilted his head, pressing his dry lips together, "You motivate yourself by being negative?"

"I'd like to prove myself wrong once and a while," Serene answered. He kept his eyes locked on Nick for a few minutes and the two stood in silence with their eyes at each other. Seven felt a bit awkward when nothing was said for the moment, but Nicolas was completely on cloud 9. A grin grew on his face, his ocean blue eyes admiring the freckles on the assistant's face. Finally, he took a step towards Seven without losing eye contact.

Seven's eyes widen by the sudden step that went without a word. He tilted his head slightly, his eyes dropping to the CEO's moving feet.

"I think you can do it without the negativity," Nick softly said.

Seven's eyes met with Nick's again. His smile faded as Nick stopped a foot away from him. He didn't expect the kind comment and having Nicolas close to him didn't help with the awkward situation. Seven cleared his throat, looking up at the CEO, "Sorry?" he choked up, feeling his stomach turn as Nick's short warm breaths hit his freckled cheeks.

Nick's grin softened, "I believe... you can do it without the negativity," he sighed, "You're smart and I think now that you know that I believe in you, you shouldn't have to rely on degrading yourself to send an email."

Seven raised an eyebrow at the explanation that was targeted to encourage him. He didn't know what to think of it, especially when Nick was so close to him. His lips separated as the two stared at each other. Seven wanted to say something to break the uncomfortable silence between them but didn't know what words to choose. The breaths that hit his cheeks reminded him of the night of the donation party, how close the two were. For the past days, he's been trying to shrug it off as a one-time thing, but sometimes when he's alone at home, he'll just remember how that night went. And he hated it.

He hated how good he felt and the pleasure that the CEO brought him in bed. Maybe it was because Nick was his first time, but then again - he's his boss. Seven's a mature person and he believed sleeping with the CEO was probably the biggest mistake he's ever done. With the voice behind his head reminding him about how good the assistant felt, Seven's pride got the best of him, and cleared his throat, turning his back to Nick and taking a step forward, "I already emailed them anyway. It's just the 20th email today and I hardly think I'm budging."

Nick's lips parted, now seeing Serene's slender back. He didn't know what to expect from his comment, but it surely wasn't Seven turning around. He sighed to himself, his chest aching as pressure built up inside of him. His intentions from his comment - he wanted to give Seven this sense of reassurance and maybe, maybe a 'thank you'. He wanted to tell Seven right there that he was in love with him. That the night of the donation party meant the world to him.

How do you tell someone you love them when they don't love you?

Nicolas wondered for the time being. He wanted an answer, he really did.

He wanted to ask if his assistant really did feel nothing that night, and even if he didn't, Nick can't ignore the weight on his shoulders.

He inhaled deeply, taking a step forward and grabbing Seven's thin wrist from behind, "Seven-" he called out, pulling his assistant towards him carefully. Doing this, all he wanted was to turn the PA around to face him, but as Ochoa turned, he tripped on his foot, falling onto Nick.

Seven's face was against Nick's chest, his right hand being held by him. Everything went silent after that. Seven's emerald eyes widened at the sudden situation he was put in, feeling a lump grow in his throat, not wanting to look up at his boss. His shoulders tensed, pressing his lips together.

Nicolas, on the other hand, was on cloud 9. It was supposed to be a simple turn but it became a different situation as the two stood in silence, against each other. Seven's other hand was on Nick's chest and the warm touch and the general warmth that the PA's body gave Nick's reminded him of when they slept with each other. The CEO's legs trembled, feeling himself leaning in a bit closer to the touch, wanting more. His head was empty and it felt like something was keeping him from breathing. His only worry now was if Seven could hear how crazy his heart was pounding against his chest.

Breathing in, fresh air went inside his body, bringing him out of that 'cloud 9' moment. He eyed down, hoping to see the assistant looking up at him. His heart thumped faster... just the idea itself made him nervous. Having the assistant looking up at him could make Nick initiate a second kiss. The fresh coffee smell of Serene's chestnut-colored hair was the first thing he noticed before the door to his office opened, making the PA push Nick away softly, turning his back around again.

Nicolas' lips parted, wanting to say something, but no words came out. He frowned, furrowing his eyebrows at how quickly Ochoa pushed away from the touch.

The CEO took his attention off of the PA, looking at the door and seeing Marcel with raised eyebrows, looking like a lost puppy, "Uh- Nick, Ms. Henderson is here to see you."

Marcel turned to the assistant as he stepped aside, letting a brown-haired woman enter the room with a smile on her face. Her maroon-colored lips matched her heels that tapped on the floor. She clapped her tanned hands together, the sleeves to her black coat moving slightly, "Afternoon, Mr. Anderson!" she greeted, her voice gentle. She stepped towards Nicolas, eyeing Serene who was still in shock. Ms. Henderson cleared her throat, "I need to speak to you alone if that's okay."

Nicolas eyed the assistant again and realized that he wasn't going to get a simple gaze from the PA. He eyed down to the floor, "Ochoa. Marcel. Please wait outside."

Marcel's eyes widen at the order, about to say something before Seven rushed by him, looking down at the floor. Marcel's gaze went to Nick who lifted an eyebrow at him, signaling him to leave the room. Following his friends' order, he walked out of the room, shutting the door.

Seven sat on the nearest chair, closing his eyes and leaning back onto the seat. His heart was pounding against his chest like a mailman that's wanting to deliver a package. His mind was foggy; He couldn't even comprehend what had happened or what was happening now. He bit the inside of his cheek until he heard Marcel's voice again.

"What happened there?" he asked, crossing his arms. He leaned against the door, keeping his eyes on the PA.

"What do you mean?" Seven asked, his voice still shakey with the lump in his throat.

"Well for starters, you look scared out of your wits. I also have... never seen Nick so distraught."

Seven opened his eyes, staring at the bland ceiling, hearing Marcel describe him as 'distraught'. He realized that he didn't even bother to glance at Nick. He was too nervous to initiate anything - as if he were frozen on his feet. When he heard the door open, he didn't think of anything else, but to shove him away and it probably caused Nick's 'distraught' expression. Of course, that's what Seven believed.

What had happened that made Nick look so troubled was how quick his assistant was to push him away without even looking up at him.

"Nothing happened," he convinced, avoiding eye contact with the lawyer. Seven cleared his throat again, turning to Marcel and giving him an unsteady smile, "Who was that?"

"Ms. Henderson. She's the daughter of-" he dragged his words, tilting his head as if trying to find the right information in his memories, "-the owner of the B&H company."

Seven's eyes blinked, turning his attention to Marcel, "The publishing company?"

The lawyer nodded, rolling up the sleeves to his blazer, "Mhm."

The assistant squinted, tilting his head, "Aren't you surprised? That company is extraordinarily popular. If I had known who she was, I would've greeted her formally."

Marcel scoffed at the comment, "Oh, I'm surprised. Not because of that though, but because Nicolas asked us to leave the room."

Seven raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean? Ms. Henderson asked him-"

"Yeah, she did." Marcel clicked his tongue, turning his attention to the waiting room door in front of him, "They're partnered with Anderon's company since B&H has a blogging department that often writes about the video games GamerCave produces. However, they work a few states up and they rarely come down here for a meeting." he stopped, leaning away from the door, walking towards an empty chair that sat in front of Seven, "If they want to communicate, they usually call via telephone or do a video call on the computer. Why I'm shocked is because Nicolas never directs his assistants or me to leave the room especially if it's something serious."

That caught Seven's attention. Though, it sounded a bit absurd to overthink the situation... actually, Seven found it quite ridiculous. He didn't think being asked to leave was a big deal, but hearing Marcel explain that Nick had never asked for 'private time' in his office got the assistant thinking.

"Why do you think she's here?" Serene asked, now curious.

"Nick asked us to leave. I guess that they're talking about something that even I don't know about."

Seven frowned, hearing Marcel admit that he was being left out of this conversation with his friend. He couldn't guess what the conversation topic would be about that Nicolas would be keeping from the lawyer. Though, the donation party comes to mind, but what would the daughter of a publishing company have to do with that? Seven threw his head back again, staring at the ceiling as he wondered.

Not about Ms. Henderson, but about what had happened before that. He didn't know why Nicolas went to the extent of pulling him towards him, especially to say something. He could only guess it was another one of his games, but even then, being against his chest felt like hours, hearing his heart pound, begging for an escape.

"So, what got Nick so distraught?" Marcel brought up again.

Seven sighed, dropping his chin and staring at Marcel with a frown, "Do you ever mind your own business?"

The lawyer scoffed, crossing his arms, "I'm curious~"

"Curiosity killed the cat, Marcel."

"But satisfaction brought it back."

The two stared at each other, both waiting for something to be said. Seven couldn't think of an answer and he definitely didn't want to say that Nicolas pulled his assistant to his chest.

Fortunately, the door opened, making Seven exhale softly, thanking for the interruption. Marcel was the first one to stand up, nodding at the woman that walked out of the office.

Serene finally stood, putting his hands behind his back, giving a small smile to the woman that looked older than him, but also younger than Nick. Her blue eyes were lighter than Nick's and the highlighter she wore glowed underneath the bright light on the ceiling.

She stepped out of the waiting room without saying anything and before the assistant even realized, Marcel was already back into the office.

"What was that all about?" Marcel asked, walking towards Nick. Nicolas leaned against the desk, rubbing the bridge of his nose, "Nothing important."

"Nothing important? That's... what? The second time you've lied to me this month?" Marcel stepped forward again, glaring at his friend.

Nicolas sighed, frustrated. He clapped his hands together with an obviously fake smile, "It was Victoria Henderson," he answered.

Marcel nodded slowly, knowing that much already. Nicolas was going to finish his sentence before his eyes darted to his assistant who was just getting inside the office. The PA kept his expression calm, walking towards the coffee table. Nick's smile dropped slowly, remembering what had happened before the door opened. He felt shitty, to say the least. Seeing Seven walk in without even eyeing him was terrifying... saddening.

Seven took a while to get inside the office because he was trying to calm himself down before entering the same room as Nick again. Walking in, he immediately regretted it as he noticed the CEO staring at him, sending chills down his neck.

Seven took a seat on the couch, keeping his eyes fixed to the laptop's screen. Nicolas pressed his tongue to his cheek, moving his gaze back to Marcel, "She said she was the one I'm marrying."

Marcel stood, his arms crossed as he heard Nick finally answer him.

"She didn't say anything about that when she came in the building," Marcel dropped his arms, "She just asked for your presence and followed me."

Nicolas nodded, leaning against his desk, "What were you doing here anyway?"

"Does that matter? Nicolas, did she even ask if you were fine with it?" Marcel scowled at him, getting frustrated with how his friend has been neglecting the problem.

Nicolas shook his head, "This isn't about me, Marcel."

"Huh? Then who is this about?" Marcel scoffed, shaking his head, "I know you're doing this is for the company, but you can't- I mean... this is your future, man. "

"More the reason why I should do it! My feelings aren't the main topic in this decision. This is a financial decision that will benefit GamerCave in the long run." Nicolas pressed his lips together, shoving his hands into his pockets.

Marcel stepped toward him once more, his eyes pierced at his friend, "For the company?" he echoed.

Nick returned the glare, "For the company."

The two seemed like they were having a staring contest at this point. Seven sat still, hearing the conversation go on. He kept his eyes glued on the computer screen, but his ears were on the two friends.

"You'd do it even if it means putting your morals on the line?" Marcel responded calmly, stepping back. The tension-filled room went silent again.

Nicolas leaned back, tipping his head, "It'll improve the business-"

"Fuck the business, Nick!" Marcel yelled, clapping his hands repeatedly like a magician clapping someone to reality, "Listen to me, okay? If you don't talk to your dad about this, you won't get a chance to marry someone you like... you want that?"

Nicolas stood silent. His lips separated, his eyes moving to where the assistant was sat. For a moment, he wanted to say it - wanted to say how Seven was the person he imagined marrying. Though no words came out of his mouth and his eyes dropped to the floor, "I do." he responded.

Marcel groaned, stepping forward, shoving Nicolas against the desk," You're acting as if I've only known you yesterday. We've been friends for a long ass time and you dare try to convince me I don't know you enough to identify when you're lying?"

Nicolas shut his eyes, feeling his back against the desk as pain crept in his lower waist from the shove. He didn't blame his friend for the sudden violence, although he didn't expect it either. Marcel had only been violent to him a few times in the past and it's whenever Nick kept something from him. Whether about a relationship, or a fight he's been in. Marcel has always found a way around Nick's secrecy and that's what's gotten the lawyer so close to the CEO. Nick didn't hate it either. He often kept things to himself because he didn't see it as important, but Marcel always thought otherwise.

Marcel shook his head, giving up on the conversation, "I came to tell you that I found a sponsor for your company that wanted to speak with you." Marcel turned around a bit, seeing Serene who remained still as if nothing was going on in the room, "I'll send your assistant the information since he's the only one in their right mind." He then turned toward the door, walking out of the office.

Nicolas groaned, brushing the guilt off on his face. His legs relaxed, letting any stress that was left in him out. He didn't know what else to tell Marcel. He didn't want to say he was right because then, he'd have no choice but tell his dad about the marriage. And if he told his dad, Nick knew nothing but disappointment would be thrown at him. Nicolas has felt that for a long time because of his mom, he didn't need to be reminded of it again.

Serene stood up from the couch, not taking another step, "Are you okay?" he muttered. Nicolas gazed up, gulping down his anxiety.

"I'm fine. Notify me when Mr. Adams has messaged you." He turned around, putting his hands on his desk, his eyes closed.

Serene gave him a small nod before hearing his phone buzz. His hand grabbed the telephone from the coffee table, seeing the information that was given by Marcel.

"Is that him?" Nicolas asked.

Seven nodded to himself, sliding the notification to view the rest of the text, "Excuse me if I'm intruding, but will you and Mr.Adams keep speaking to each other?"

Nicolas didn't answer, but he grabbed his car keys that sat on his desk, "Message the sponsors that will be meeting them right now."

Serene frowned, watching his boss exit the door. Doing as he was told, Serene followed.