Episode 10

Episode 10.
Riccardo's POV.
I know one thing for sure. Nothing is ever permanent in this cruel world. Not the pleasure, not the good things,not even the pains. So why hold on to hope knowing it's coming would not last. Why give in to temptations like lust or love especially when those peasants called women are involved? When I fired Meredith, it wasn't entirely because she wanted to sleep with me, that I wouldn't mind of course but because she's dead in the brains. Having women like me and wanna jump into my bed has been a norm I've had to live with and honestly, I'm not complaining, so far they knew just the right buttons to push on my bed.
But then among all these women,there's Ashley Shawn, my newest assistant. The first time I'd laid eyes on her in my office,if I was holding a cup of coffee I'd have spilled it and I would not be proud of that. She's the type of woman you wouldn't see in this century. Her simple yet elegant sense of dressing had had me questioning myself about the type of woman I'd asked Mona to hire for me. Of course,I'd left her no choice. She had gone for her because girls like her always appeared to have the brains. I'd thought otherwise until she organized my schedules. But I thought it normal to be that way on a first day. But then she totally proved me wrong when she spoke at the conference meeting. I'd asked Mona afterwards to send her résumé and took a rather big interest in her major. Everything impressed me.
But as the weeks passed by,unlike the previous women-my non workers included-,she has proven to be stubborn and cares not about me or my looks or my money or my ability to make women jump into my bed. It angered me. And for this past weeks,I've found myself listening attentively to her presentations at the conference and her very interesting conversation with my business partners at my numerous meetings. They all think her amazing. While I'm giving her more attention and credits for her looks and intelligence, I'm also getting concerned about her sudden closeness with Trevor.
A man is known for his protectiveness over what's his and I'm no exception. Claiming Ashley isn't so wrong,after all, I'm her Boss. The thought of the possessiveness causes me to smile as I sat in my office,waiting patiently for her to walk in after phoning her just a second ago.
My door pulls open and my eyes move forward to meet her face. The tenderness of her face's skin is slowly inviting, the curves of her slim body mesmerizing as I watched her walk up. I blink once,so quickly, like she was gonna disappear if I even as much as close my eyes for a second.
"Yes?" Her sonorous voice speaks,a small smile on her pink bottom heavy lips.
I glance over my desk to my laptop and replied "pick that laptop up,will you?"
She looks confused but slowly picks it up anyways.
"Sot over there," I point at the black lounge chair sitting just across from me "you'll find a couple of names on a long list on the table,I want you to tabulate it"
Her face expressions changes immediately before she spoke "again? But,I'm still on the one you gave me on Friday"
Clasping my hands together on the desk,I replied "that was a job for Friday,Ashley. This is a job for today,got a problem with that?"
"Yes,sir. I do. Don't you think this is too much? I Haven't even found the James Albert yet and I'm still typing that.....I can't get this done today"
"If you have a problem with the job I give you then you're telling me you don't want the job,Ashley. Do I need to fire you too?"
She doesn't speak,but just stairs at me,anger written all over her pretty eyes. Eyes that struck my heart with lightening.
"You know I can't finish this today" she said quietly now,eyes buried down.
"Then I say you get started" I could tell the smile on my lips annoyed him but I don't budge. Slowly, she walks over to the lounge and sits before the table. I watched her sit there like an upset angel. Do angels get upset? I doubt that. I suppress a laughter at the sight of the anger in her face. Honestly, the moment is priceless.
I might as well keep her busy and away from Trevor. I didn't care if she suffered for that.
Two hours later,she's still typing from the long seeming endless list. It's past 12 now. I rose to my feet and walked over to her but she still doesn't look up at me. But I speak anyways "it's lunch hour,you should take a break with me. Let's eat outside"
My smile disappears with her cold reply,"I'm not hungry". She doesn't even look me in the eyes to say that. She just continues to type away. I wanted to reach out and grab her arm and yank her into me but I fight the urge to do so. What am I becoming, huh?
Clenching my teeth,I replied "Fine. See if I care"
I stormed out, angry not because she'd refused to even look at me but because I've been turned down. By her. Whatever. She can go to hell for all I care.
Ashley's POV.
my knuckles hurt and my head throbbed heavily. What was I thinking? Why didn't I just tell him to fire me instead of hurting myself this way? If this is what it means to be his assistant then I don't want any part of it. I think I'd rather be home jobless and sleeping peacefully.
I tried to think about the reason behind his attitude towards me but I found none. I've done everything he asks,I do more,so what's his problem? I am so done with putting up with his shits. He wants me to quit? I'll quit.
And what was that? Asking me to lunch? Huh! He must think I'm a fool. He thinks he can do this to me and just push it all away by asking me to go eat with him? He knows too little about me then! When my stomach rumbled I nearly regretted turning his invite down but I don't. I will not. Sitting at a restaurant with him is just as much hell as it is here in his damned office. I'd rather remain here where the humiliation is a lot less. He wants me to finish this stupid job? Hell,I'll finish it. But I'm also leaving.
He came back a little after 1p.m,talking on his phone with someone I very much suspected to be a woman. Such a pervert,he deserves an award for the biggest mannerless pervert the world's ever recorded. Just as he came in,he left again,without uttering a word to me. I think I very much appreciated that. I was in no mood to talk to him. I finished typing it all just a few minutes after her walked out. Then I walked back out to fetch the previous ones he gave me on Friday. I'm gonna show him what he didn't expect. He wanna see me break down in front of him,I'm not gonna give him that pleasure. I rummaged through my desk for the papers,just in time for Trevor to walk by and stopped at front.
"Um....Ashley? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine" I replied, not caring to look at him.
"No you don't look okay. Where have you been all day?"
"I said I'm fine,Trevor" papers in hand,I walked past him and into Marcello's office again.
At exactly 3p.m,my fingers were getting numb from all the typing. It was only an hour away to closing work when he came back in.
"You've been doing that?" He said but I don't reply. I just continued my work. "Hey,you look at me when I talk to you"
I ended the work and shut the laptop close. Then I rose up said to him "I'm through with it. I'd like to go home now"
"Home?" He walks over to sit on his seat,his eyes scanning my face like I suddenly grew another pair "your work ain't finished yet"
"You can check it out if you want," I placed the laptop in front of him " I'm leaving" I added through clenched teeth.
"Sit back down,Ashely,you're not done!"
"I just told you I'm done! Besides,it's my closing hour!"
"You're not leaving here until I tell you to so just sit your ass back down,okay?!"
"Hell no! I am tired of you bossing me around! This isn't part of my job! I am to leave when the agreed working time is over and you are not going to deprive me of that?"
He laughs sinisterly before replying "oh can't I?"
"I am not sitting here for another minute,Riccardo!"
He stands up so quickly and was right in front of me in an instance . "did you just call my name,Ashley?"
I open my lips to reply but his finger clamps it shut,his face inching closer to mine. I freeze for a split second before realizing that the close proximity between the two of us was making my skin uncomfortable.
"I like you to call me that from now hence forth,Ashely," his voice comes out husky,causing goosebumps to run through my face.
I quickly step back and mustered words to say "I'm leaving!"
"You aren't leaving until I say so,Ashley,and you will sit down there this minute"
"And continue being your slave? I'm sorry but you've been nothing but an arrogant jerk to me since day one! I've tried thinking about what I did to make you this cruel to me but I found nothing! I don't know if this is just who you are or you're just doing this to me but I don't wanna be your little slave anymore!"
"You know you can say all you want but....."
"This is why isn't it? This is why nobody applied for your job vacancy! It seems everyone knew who you are except me! And now it feels like I ignorantly walked into your den! I knew there was something off when I was the only person who posted an applications to your stupid job vacancy!"
"Nobody applied because I have the ability to make them fear!"
"Well congratulations! Because if you think I fear you,you are in for a lot of surprises!"
He watches me for a moment,silently. For a brief second I thought he was speechless until that sick smile crept back onto his lips.
"Sit your ass back down" he said with authority.
"I think you might as well fire me first!"
"Fire you?"
"Yes,Riccardo! Fire me! I don't want no part of this anymore!"
He doesn't speak again but instead smiles like I've just said something funny before walking back to his seat and sitting down.
"Well? Are you gonna fire me or not?"
"I'll fire your when I want,Ashley,not when you tell me"
"Fine! I'm out of here!"
I turn around,feeling his eyes boring hole into my back as I stormed out. I hurried back to my office and grabbed my bag with such great force you'd think it weighed pounds. Then I hurried out into the hall and took the elevator down. When I got down and hurried outside the building,then I heard the slow movement of a car stopping beside me. I turned to see Trevor's head protruding out the window.
"I believe you're going my way,beautiful"
Somehow, in the heat of everything, of all the anger and distress,his smile managed to calm me down and I couldn't help smiling back. He pushes the door open for me and I got in,taking in a sharp breath of relief.
"Are you alright?" He asks the moment the drove towards the road.
"I'm fine. I'm sorry about earlier"
"I know. You were upset about something. Didn't take Sherlock Holmes to know it's Mr Marcello again"
My brows furrow at the mention of his name.
Marcello.