Page 45 of Love Not Qualified

HAELYN

The next morning when I passed Mr. Graves’ office, my eyes scanned the empty view. He was nowhere to be seen which was unusual at this hour. He was always here earlier.

I searched for my phone to call him and ask if everything was all right, but then I suddenly stopped.

What was I doing?

He was my boss and I had no right to get involved in his personal life. I shook my head, walking away.

Yesterday, I jumped into his arms and now I was on the verge of calling him like I was his goddamn girlfriend. I had to stop being so friendly or I was going to get fired.

I fit my thumb into the fingerprint scanner placed at the entrance of my office and the door unlocked with a green light. Since I already had my phone in my hands, I opened the conversation with Chad. I didn’t expect him to text me last night, but I was glad he did.

Me

Did your family forgive you yet?

I shook my head with a smile, put my phone back into my bag, and switched the lights on. My eyes almost few out of my head.

What the hell?

The desk in the middle was entirely covered with designer bags, including the entire floor in front of me. I looked from side to side, expecting a clown to jump at any second and tell me it was a prank, but after several harsh breaths, no one came.

Maybe these were meant for someone else.

I gawked at the black envelope on the floor where a bouquet sat, filled with flowers I didn’t even know existed. I leaned down, and grabbed the envelope with shaky fingers before taking out the white paper.

I’m out of the office until Monday, but please accept these thank you gifts.

- Tristan Graves

The note was the confirmation that the bags were indeed for me, I just couldn’t make myself believe it. Why would he spend so much money on a new employee? Sure, I got him a meeting and I understood that he wanted to thank me, but the bouquet would’ve been enough.

So, why?

My mouth dried and I swallowed, but it did nothing to dim the hoarseness in my throat. I glanced at the bags through a glassy stare, while I worked my way to unbutton my shirt. Every cell on my skin flared.

I raised up to my tip-toes, throwing a curious glance at what was inside the bags. I barely held a gasp at the sight of beautiful heels hiding under those designer’s names. Because my curiositywon, I buried my hand in the first bag I saw and took out a pair to analyze it.

There were gold details everywhere with sharp heels I could easily use to kill someone and it could still count as elegant. My fingers smoothed over the small diamonds, their texture rough to the touch. They were so elegant, yet so daring and revealing.

He bought me shoes because my heel broke at the meeting with Gorig.

A heavy breath got stuck inside my lungs as I took a step back, taking in the large number of bags in my office.

How could I accept this? He must’ve spent a fortune but for what? Just because I did my job? Did he treat every one of his employees the same way?

I could call him and tell him I couldn’t accept these.

No.

All my life I prayed for good things to happen to me and now that it has, I was stupid to refuse or question destiny for giving me what I asked. Just by selling a pair of these, my life could change.

However, I didn’t have that in my plan. Gifts couldn’t be sold for moral reasons and now I had a high salary as well. I didn’t need to sell everything I had in order to take care of my mother, and even if the realization excited me and relieved me at the same time, it was hard to fully accept it was true.

That my life was on the verge of changing.

Me

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