The work is a spin-off of (A SURPRISE FOR THE CEO)

Giane

Exactly seven days ago, my life turned upside down.

I can't go to work with "Enthusiasm" because my "former" boss is back and worse than before.

Even in my house, which I considered a place of peace, has turned into a complete nightmare. Exactly one week ago, a new neighbor moved in and won't leave me alone with his companions who scream louder than a newborn calf.

"Ohhhhh this," someone moaned on the wall next to me. The balcony railing was practically the same, and I'm sure that if I went outside now, and if it wasn't for my blackout curtain, I would see live pornography.

"What a hell," I shouted and stood up, stomping my feet on the way to the kitchen to make coffee. It was six in the morning, who spends the night f*cking and still does it in the morning? "I can't take it anymore, I'm going to complain to the building manager."

"Talking to yourself, honey?" my mother said, appearing in the kitchen with a suitcase, and I grimaced. "Don't forget that this apartment was a gift."

"Which turned into a nightmare," I concluded and she smiled, whether at me or towards me, I wasn't sure. "I am very grateful to Mr. Parker for helping us so much, but I think it's time for me to grow a pair and rent an apartment that gives me some peace."

"Oh, how long has it been since you f*cked, Giane?" my mother asked, and I spit out the coffee.

"MOM," I yelled, embarrassed, and went to find a cloth to clean up my mess. Did we live in a penthouse? Yes. Did we have a maid? No, because the apartment wasn't even ours.

"Oh, come on, my daughter, let the young ones be happy. You should do the same," she said, and I crossed my arms as I stood in front of my mess.

"Let the young ones do that, right? But it's not me who is running away," I said, pointing to her suitcases.

"I'm going to spend a few days at your aunt's house," she said, and sometimes those days of hers would last for months. "I love you, my daughter, don't get into trouble, find someone to make up for lost time."

"For God's sake, enough," I said, focusing on cleaning. "You are my mother, you should set an example."

"You've been stressed like this ever since Peter became your boss again," my mother said, and I bit my lip to keep from saying anything. It was incredible how that idiot toyed with my heart, but if he avoided me first because I did the same, I never chased after a man and I'm not going to humiliate myself for him who can't see the truth right in front of his eyes. I still held a grudge against everything he said that day, but I remember the punches Paul threw, and my anger subsides. "Look, my daughter, he doesn't know the truth."

"He doesn't want to believe the truth, Mom, it's different," I said and sighed. "I don't care either."

"Come here, drop that cloth," she said, throwing the cloth away, and I pouted knowing that I would have to pick it up. I went into her arms and hugged her tightly. "I love you, my baby, now go get ready for work. Mom will call every day, okay?"

"I love you," I declared, and she squeezed me before stepping away, shaking her bracelets on her arms.

I took my mother to the elevator, and as soon as I did, the hag from the apartment next door came out with wobbly legs and a satisfied smile on her face.

"Good morning," she said when she approached with a smug smile on her lips.

"Good morning for who?" I said, and instantly the woman widened her eyes. I was in a bad mood, barely had my coffee, and on top of that, I didn't sleep a wink because there was a hag in the apartment next door. "You know, now I need to work, and I couldn't sleep because there was a hag in the apartment next door. Next time, there's a motel on the corner."

"Giane," my mother reprimanded me and pointed to the apartment. I went inside since I needed to get ready. Was I being childish? Yes, I was. But I really hadn't slept at all, and that had a big impact on my mood.

To top off my day, my car wouldn't start. My Mini Cooper meant everything to me, the result of my hard work.

"Sir, I know I haven't been a good daughter, but do you mind fixing my car?" I asked and turned the key again, luckily it didn't start "Are you kidding me?"

I looked at the clock and it was twenty minutes to go, how can someone wake up early and still be late? I don't know.

I got out of the car that won't start and went to the street to hail a taxi, which arrived quickly as the street I live on is busy.

"Fera hasn't arrived yet, Giane" my friend said and I thanked her as she handed me a cup of coffee "here's the coffee."

"You're an angel" I thanked her, giving her a kiss on the cheeks and at that moment, as I was about to run to the elevator, I stumbled.

"One of these days, you'll kill yourself, girl" Mr. Toby said and I smiled shyly."

I went up to the floor of the presidency and almost cried at the thought that my dear boss Paul is not here, and now I have to put up with that insensitive idiot.

Twenty minutes later, the owner of my heart and my hatred arrived, with his perfectly combed hair, a shaved beard, and his usual rogue smile, his perfume was heavenly.

"When Stella comes up, send her straight to my office" he said, and I stared at him. Where's the good morning? Besides having to put up with these two and my new neighbor, I don't even deserve a simple good morning?

"Idiot" I mumbled and he stared at me as he passed by his door.

"Rude" he said and slammed his office door. I felt like spitting in his damn coffee. Is it too much to ask for my dear boss to come back? Why didn't Mr. Parker stay in his place instead of going to Brazil? Doesn't he pity me?

Giane

By lunchtime, I feel tired, not because I worked too much, since I hate being idle, but because of all the emotional burden. I'm sure Peter only took Paul's place to punish me after the tragic day we had when he openly declared that he would never be with me - a part of me that loved him broke.

I could say that what happened between us from the beginning was love, we never had anything more than exchanged glances and an incredible immediate connection, but as soon as he found out who my father was, my life turned upside down, and being protected by his father and friends with his brother made the situation even worse.

"Jane, take these documents to Stella," he said, throwing a folder of papers onto my desk. Sometimes, he just liked to think he humiliated me by spending the morning with his "lover" or by using me as a messenger, but all I felt was pity.

"Right away, boss," I said with a huge smile on my face. He stopped in his tracks, turned around, and stared at me in confusion. "Anything else, Mr. Mason?"

He shook his head and went to his office. He knew I hated that ridiculous nickname he gave me, but I wouldn't give him the satisfaction. I would endure these three months of Paul's leave and not lose control. Soon, my ex-love will be gone.

And the good thing about doing what he asked now is that I can take my lunch break right after. I made plans with my friend Nelly from reception to have lunch together. The only downside is that she keeps trying to set me up with her architect brother, who works for one of the biggest architecture firms in the country, Beckers Company.

"Mr. Mason sent a document for your boss," I said to the secretary on the floor, and I heard a clearing of throat behind me.

"Why didn't you come to my office, Giane?" Stella said, taking the papers from my hand. "You have to understand that we're not enemies."

"I don't consider you an enemy, Stella," I warned, and as I was leaving, she placed her hand on my arm.

"I don't know what happened between you and Peter, but believe me, I won't let him use me to make you jealous," she said, and I furrowed my brow.

"Don't worry, Stella. The only thing that exists between Mr. Mason and me is a work relationship," I said, and I saw him coming towards us. Why did he ask me to deliver the documents if he was coming here? Idiot. "Between Peter and me, nothing will ever happen. I don't want it, he doesn't want it, and I would never do that to myself. I have respect for myself."

I pulled away from her grip and walked past my boss without making eye contact. We had become strangers for a while now, but who cared? I knew he had heard, I knew my words didn't hurt him as much as his hurtful words to me. I still have nightmares about that day.

"What's with that face?" Nelly asked after we finished eating and I declined the dessert we usually ordered, pretending to be on a diet. "One day, you'll tell me what happened between you and our new handsome boss."

She was new to the company, well, almost three months now, and we got along well from her first day. Maybe it's because we're around the same age, I'm just a year older than her.

"First of all, he's ridiculous," I thought, completing her sentence in my head, "ridiculously attractive." "Secondly, I have nothing to tell if nothing ever happened."

"Okay, fine then. Next weekend, we're going to a party. My brother got free passes from the boss. Apparently, Mr. Becker used to own the club, and whenever he can, he gives out tickets to some employees," she said, thrilled by her brother's success. "Oh no, that look means you're going to decline."

"My mom's traveling," I told her, and she celebrated. "Actually, I'm thinking of going to your place for a peaceful night of sleep."

"Still having problems with the new neighbor?" she asked, and I nodded.

"Today, a jaybird had the nerve to greet me with a good morning, can you believe it?" I said, crossing my arms.

"I bet she was grinning from ear to ear" she said dreamily "after all, not just anyone gets that lucky all night long."

"Oh, even you?" I scoffed "let's go, my boss is in a bad mood today."

"I don't understand how you talk to him like that and still have a job" she said, not understanding my relationship with the Mason family and my friendship with Lilith, my boss's wife.

"You don't need to understand, you just need to support me and not let me punch that idiot in the face" I said, and she smiled as I pretended to throw punches in the air.

"Listen, Giane, the more you deny love, the more it grows" she said, and I ignored her, pretending not to hear. If only things were that easy. I started talking about my neighbor and how I was itching to report him to the building superintendent or just make a scene at his door.

Giane

"Is that all, Mr. Mason?" I asked Peter when once again he made me search for an old file just to make me work. He wants me to give up, wants me to freak out, he can keep wanting.

After returning from lunch with Nelly, he was impassive, probably because of what he heard when I talked to Stella. But I didn't care, there were only eighty-three days left until I got rid of him, yes, I was counting.

"Yes, I want a report on the Leblon accounts" he said and I widened my eyes, but when I saw the smile on his lips, I simply agreed.

"Of course, sir" I said, and he pointed to the exit, so I did, I looked at the time, it was my quitting time, I went back to his office and extended my hand "I'll only work overtime if I get paid in advance."

"How dare you?" he questioned, and I kept my hand extended "go do your job, Jane."

"My name is Giane, and stop behaving like a child" I snapped back, where was my patience? I probably swallowed it without water "the company has a rule, and we don't do overtime. If you want to push extra work on me, fine. Pay for it."

"Alright, Jane" he said angrily but then smiled "I hope you have a great night's sleep, you already have dark circles, so it's better to go home and rest."

"Thank you for letting me off work early, boss. I have a date and didn't want to miss it" I teased him and saw his smile disappear. He put his hand in his pocket, took out his wallet and pulled out five one-hundred notes.

"The reports, Jane" he said, and I looked at the money and frowned.

"Is that all?" I said shamelessly "I miss Mr. Paul, his overtime payments were really worth it."

I provoked him, I shouldn't have, because I know their relationship is still on shaky ground, but Peter got on my nerves. The love I felt for him suffocated me, made me angry, stressed.

"See you tomorrow, Jane" he said and grabbed his coat and left. I sighed, started shutting down his computer and the rest, then did the same with mine and headed home. My friend lived far away and went somewhere different than me, so we never went together.

When I got to the apartment, I immediately felt the absence of my mother, who always greeted me with a hug. I felt so alone in these moments. When I entered my room and looked at a photo of my dad on the dresser, I sighed, and at the same instant, my phone started ringing.

"How is Peter behaving?" Paul asked.

"Endless reports, I've become a messenger pigeon" I teased, and he laughed "you're laughing because it's not happening to you."

"My brother will come to his senses one day" he said and sighed "I'm sorry about this whole situation, Jane."

"Don't call me that for God's sake" I warned, and I heard him getting slapped.

"Ouch, darling, that hurts" he complained, and I smiled.

"I told you not to call me that" Lilith said "hi, darling, how are you doing?"

"It feels like a cart ran over me" I said, and she smiled.

"Well, then you're fine" she joked, and I heard a crying sound in the background "take care, and if you need anything, send up a smoke signal."

"Will do" I said, and I said goodbye to Paul too. They were great, a beautiful family and a wonderful couple of friends.

I just wanted Peter to understand the truth. I know it's not easy for him to believe since he didn't witness everything, but why be so reluctant about it? I know that between him and Sophia, he was the one most attached to Mom because of all the deceit from Mr. Parker.

But what if he saw the truth? Would I forgive him after everything he said to me? He even called me a wh*re. No, I won't think about that, I need to forget him and move on with my life, like I've been doing since then.

In the early hours of the morning, I woke up startled by the moans from the room next door. It can't be, just today when I thought I would have a peaceful night. I go back to close my eyes and try to sleep, but then I hear a different moan, are there two of them?

"Oh Peter, no way" she says and I widen my eyes, it has to be a coincidence, it has to be, he knows where I live and wouldn't be capable of doing this.

Would he?

Would Peter become my neighbor just to pull something like this on me? That would be really low of him, I would cut off his private parts and make him eat them.

"Peter, no way" another one shouts and this can't be possible

I stood up and grabbed my phone, don't do it Giane, you're forbidden, I argued with myself, but before I knew it, I was looking for your contact, the moans continued and I dialed, it rang, rang, and just when I thought he wouldn't answer, I heard his voice.

"Hello?" he says "Giane?" he asks again when I don't respond, the moans stopped or was it my imagination? I hung up without saying anything and instantly, the moans came back.

Should I start believing in coincidences? It had to be, I called again and this time he seemed unwilling to answer.

"If you don't say anything, I'll block you" he said and I focused on the sound, where he was seemed completely silent, I moved my phone away from my ear and didn't hear anything, strange.

"I have some documents to deliver to you right now" I lied

"Jane, it's two in the morning" he said and I could tell he said it with a smile

"okay then, I'll call you on video chat, answer" I said, but what absurdity is this, Giane? What's gotten into you? I argued with myself as I hung up the call, when I tried to call again, he had blocked me.

I can't believe this, oh but this won't be left like this, it won't, he wants a war, he'll get a war.

To make matters worse, the moans returned.