Page 2 of Ruthless Serenade

Of course, it’s hard to forget her father. Every time I look at my daughter, I think of Maron. She looks so much like him, it’s impossible not to.

Alright Mindy, back to reality.

Tania is on her way to pick up Sharon. That gives me just enough time to do one last task, and then not think of work all weekend, just spend quality time with my daughter. All I need to do is review the last of the expense reports and email it to Mr. Chen. Then I’m off.

I start typing the report and am deep into working when I hear a knock on my office door.

"Come in," I call out, not looking up from the computer screen.

"Ah, Miss Williams. Burning the midnight oil again," Albert Solomon says as he strolls in. His voice is a mix of admiration and concern. "I hope you’re not working too hard on a Friday evening."

I glance up, offering a polite smile to my boss’s husband. "Just wrapping up the monthly expense analysis, Mr. Solomon. You know how it is at month-end. And I had quite the adventure conversing with Mr. Chen earlier."

He chuckles, leaning casually against the doorframe. This suddenly makes me think of Maron Korolev - he stood in the doorway of my office at Global Media exactly like this. Except he was taller. Broader. More masculine. Oozing pure, unadulterated sin.

Dammit, Mindy!

That was centuries ago.

Since then, life has gone on. And Albert Solomon is a very, very far cry from Maron Korolev. Albert is a middle-aged man with a smile that I would like to wipe off. And he has a tendency to appear around young female employees, pretending to engage with them in serious work-related conversations.

"Ah, yes." He smiles that fake smile of his. "Our dear Mr. Chen and his linguistic gymnastics. How do you manage to stay so patient?"

I shrug, trying to keep things light. "Practice, I guess. And a lot of deep breaths."

Albert moves further into the office, glancing over the pile of paperwork on my desk. "You know, Mindy, your dedication to this company is truly remarkable. Not many would sacrifice their Friday evening like this."

"It’s just a part of the job," I reply, feeling a bit uncomfortable with the praise.

He picks up a pen from my desk, twirling it absently. "But it’s more than that, isn’t it? You have a real passion for what you do. It’s… inspiring."

I shift in my seat, sensing a change in the atmosphere. "Thank you, Mr. Solomon. I try my best."

"Call me Albert, please," he says. "I think we’ve known each other long enough for first names, don’t you?"

I clear my throat, desperately searching for a way to change the subject. "Um, well, speaking of work, I was wondering about the new time-tracking system-"

"Always thinking about work," he interrupts, a small smile on his lips. "You know, Mindy, I find myself thinking about the company’s future a lot lately. About the people who make it great."

His eyes linger on me for a moment too long, and I feel my cheeks flush. "That’s… that’s good to hear. I’m sure Mrs. Solomon appreciates your dedication to the business."

"Christine understands the demands of success," he says, waving a hand dismissively. "But let’s not talk about her right now. I'm more interested in your thoughts about where we could take things from here."

The ambiguity in his words makes me increasingly uncomfortable. I’m about to respond when, thankfully, I hear another set of footsteps approaching.

The door swings open and Christine enters, her eyes instantly locking onto me. A flash of irritation crosses her face before she quickly masks it with a smile. "Oh, Mindy. You’re still here."

I breathe a sigh of relief, grateful for the interruption. "Just finishing up."

She glances at her watch, purposefully emphasizing the time. "It’s getting late. I’m sure you want to go home now." Her gaze flicks over to her husband, who looks caught off guard by her presence. "Isn’t that right, Albert? We wouldn’t want Miss Williams to be kept from her personal life because of your endless questions about the budget."

"Of course not, my love," Albert replies obediently, like a loyal puppy. "You’re absolutely right."

A wave of disgust washes over me. I can’t help but wonder if Christine is aware of Albert’s suggestive comments toward female employees. I know for certain that I’m not the only one he’s been doing it to.

"Speaking of personal life," Christine continues, plastering on another fake smile, "I’m sure you have to pick up Sharon soon, don’t you?"

Tania’s picking her up again as I couldn’t finish my end of month tasks because of the ridiculous workload,I want to say.

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