Episode 7

It's ten in the morning, I'm arriving at the office, and I see my other colleagues starting to turn on their computers.

"Hey, Julen! How was your weekend?" Erick approaches to greet me.

"Everything's great. It was good. How about you?"

In his hand, he was carrying a Starbucks coffee cup.

"I had a good time. I went out for a few drinks with some college friends."

"Sounds good! Did you get drunk again?"

"Nah, I don't usually get drunk on Sunday. Monday is the next day! You have to come to work," he replied.

I laughed.

"Good thing you're cautious."

He looks away to my desk.

"The boss isn't here yet? That's weird; he's always on time," Erick focuses his gaze on Christian's office.

"He won't arrive until after the afternoon. He has a matter to attend to."

"Well, I guess you'll be less stressed while he's gone."

"Less stressed?" I asked curiously. "The boss doesn't stress me out. He's cool!"

In his eyes, I noticed surprise at my words. Why was he looking at me like that?

"You get along with him? I heard he always makes his secretaries suffer."

"Well, he has always hired women for the position. I'm a guy! And so far, he hasn't made me suffer."

I turned on my computer. I connected my headphones and pressed play. YOUTH83 started playing. I started capturing an organization chart and analyzing various proposals for Christian.

It was eleven in the morning when I looked up at the hallway and by chance, made eye contact with Christian's personal driver. The man was coming in my direction; he surely needed something from the boss's office. It took him a few seconds to reach my desk.

"Hi! How was your weekend?" I asked him.

"Very good. My family was happy; the boss was very generous with me by allowing me several days off."

I nodded. And so, I noticed the bouquet of flowers he was carrying in his hands.

"Did the boss buy flowers?"

"Yes. He asked me to give them to you."

"Are they for his date?"

He shook his head slightly.

"No, they are for you. The boss asked me to give them to you, he wants to see them on your desk."

I was shocked! I stood up. I received the bouquet of flowers, and when I touched it, I remembered the day that I myself was in charge of choosing and arranging the dahlias. This is crazy! It seemed like I always ended up with the flowers that his girlfriends rejected.

"Thank you very much."

"I have to go buy some things that the boss asked me to get. See you later."

"Sure."

I felt the eyes of all my coworkers focused on me. Why was this happening to me? Suddenly I didn't understand why Christian had given me the bouquet of flowers he bought the other day at my friend's shop.

The flowers made me feel strange.

...🍬🍬🍬...

"So, the boss gave you flowers?" Jessi was very interested in that.

It was lunchtime, and I wasn't very hungry.

"You're so nosy. They're not for me! He sent me the bouquet to keep for him. The boss is dating."

Kevin fixed his gaze on me.

"Are you saying the boss is looking for a girlfriend?"

"Well, yeah, I think so."

I caught a piece of meat with a fork and put it in my mouth. It tasted delicious!

"Well, that's good. It's been over three years since he got divorced," she added.

"Three years?"

"Yeah. And he fired his last secretary because his ex-wife managed to get the boss's personal number. His ex is already married! I talked to Christian about inviting him to their wedding, and that's why he blew up the other day."

Hearing about it caused a feeling of curiosity and sadness in me. Why did they get divorced? Did they stop loving each other? Whose fault was it? Why did they get to that point?

"That's why I'm not getting married. If things don't work out with my partner, we separate, and that's it. Better that nobody says I'm divorced," Erick seemed sure of what he was saying.

"I guess nobody would like to end up divorced," Kevin added.

My mind was immersed in Christian and the subject of divorce.

"Do you plan to get married?" Erick asked me.

I returned to the conversation.

"Well, yes, I would like to. I'm not ruling out the idea."

"At what age?"

"Right now, I don't know. Marriage is not something I long for."

"Have you been in a relationship recently?" I felt like Erick was being a bit intrusive.

"No. And you?" I wanted to be intrusive too.

"Half a year ago, I had a girlfriend. We broke up because she didn't want to have an open relationship with me."

"An open relationship?" I asked, taken aback.

"Yeah, you know. You have a girlfriend, but, once in a while, if you want to sleep with someone, you sleep with them without fear of hurting the other person."

His words shocked me.

"Are you saying that even if you have a girlfriend, you can sleep with half the world without hurting the other person?"

"Yes."

"Well, that doesn't appeal to me. In the end, I think you do hurt the other person."

"We live in twenty twenty-four; you should update yourself," Erick suggested.

I shook my head resolutely; I didn't like that topic. Update myself? What was wrong with him?

"Even if we live in twenty thirty, I wouldn't want to have an open relationship. If you think that's the best thing for you, fine. Don't ever judge someone else's ideal when it differs from yours! I don't think the same way, and that's valid."

"Did you get mad?"

"I'm done eating; I'll see you later."

...🍬🍬🍬...

It's seven in the evening, and it's the first time I haven't seen Christian all day. I turn off the computer, tidy up my desk, and take my things. The afternoon flew by! I connected my headphones, and Lunar Isles' Porcelain started playing.

What should I do with these flowers? I thought.

I grabbed the bouquet and took it with me. I said goodbye to everyone and got into the elevator. I liked the song that was playing! From the tenth floor, I reached the ground floor. The elevator stopped, and the doors opened.

His eyes appeared before me. Was it really him? I approached until I was very close and, without shame, gave him the bouquet of flowers.

"Here, give these flowers to the next girl you go out with," I said.

And since I was wearing my headphones, I continued on my way. I decided to ignore him! I didn't feel like being here. The lobby floor was very bright, my feet were walking hurriedly, and my thoughts were a bit altered.

I felt his hand grabbing my wrist. He made me stop. He let go of me. He was holding the bouquet of flowers in his other hand! He brought his left hand to my right ear and removed my earbud.

"Really? You know high volume can damage your health."

"I know."

He hands me the earbud.

"Why did you ignore me?"

"My working hours are over."

He ponders the latter.

"Want to go to dinner?"

I saw my coworkers getting off the elevator. Gossipmongers!

"I don't think so. I have plans."

"Julen."

But, even I didn't understand why I was behaving like this, so curtly!

"You have a meeting with the marketing team. A trip to the factory at midday and two appointments with some investors."

"What are you saying?"

"Your to-dos for tomorrow. Since I didn't see you today, I thought you should know."

My colleagues stopped very close to us.

"Thanks! I'll keep that in mind."

I nodded and smiled.

"I have to go."

"Wait."

"What's wrong?"

"These flowers are for you! Why are you giving them back to me?"

He extended the bouquet to offer it to me.

"For me? I thought they were for your date. What happened to Juls?"

Our eye contact radiated many emotions. What was happening? Why did he seem to want to tell me something very important?

He leaned closer to me, tilting his face to my ear.

"You are Juls," he whispered surely.

His voice sent shivers down my spine.

***This work has been signed with NovelToon, and piracy such as reprinting without permission is strictly prohibited.***

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***