Chapter 71: Chapter 71

**Cassie's Point of View**

I THOUGHT my new work would be more chaotic than my last one, but by chance, I met another unique and difficult supervisor.

Dale is crazy crap, there is no denying that, and what I am saying is true, yet to my surprise, he is far superior to Derek.

Dale possesses legendary vampire features. His face and figure are enticing, just as in vampire tales and movies. He is tall and pale, and his hair is a dark raven color. His lips are always red and wet, he has a sharp jawline and almond eyes, or, to put it another way, he is devilishly attractive.

"You know what, Ms. Cassie, you should confess what you truly feel towards me," he continued, smirking. He sits at his table, eats some red apples, and does nothing! He's so aggravating, but at least I know he's not alone.

"Shut up, jerk. "If you talk like that again, I'll call Alice," I said. He laughed. Yes, I met his human mate, who is an amazing person. At the very least, I'm no longer worried about potential relationship troubles. Never again with a situation like this.

"You've been working here for a month; don't you know how to smile?" he inquired, his strange expression on my face.

"Do I get paid to smile?" "Because if you give me another bonus for that, I might consider being your clown," I added my voice a touch husky.

"Yeah, yeah, I just wanted to let you know that you will be assisting me with the new investors, okay?" "I prepared the new slides and reminded Angel about revising the final part of the proposal," he remarked before leaping from his desk and disappearing into thin air. Such a display of his might.

I sighed deeply before continuing with my work. If you're wondering why I'm sighing like this, it's because I'm going to see my boss again.

I'm not sure how I feel about that. I'm terrified and nervous, and that's only scratching the surface of my feelings. I'm not kidding when I say I'm nervous.

But I knew I needed to quit overthinking. I should quit making a big deal out of this one-time meeting. My strategy is to simply ignore him.

THE NEXT DAY IS ALSO MY DREAM. I'm inside Angel's condo, and Art is also present.

"If only I could take that job, but I'm committed to my current task, and our boss is such a jerk." But Dale is far superior to Derek, so let's just assume this is a one-day hell, okay?" she told me.

Dax is by my side, reassuring me with a beautiful smile. My son is with him, and they are playing games on his phone.

"I can ask your boss for a favor, he is my high school best friend," Dax remarked. Well, I'm shocked, and it sounds appealing, but I don't want to appear to be upset over my recent boss. If I avoid this situation, am I as guilty as I appear?

"I'll be fine, don't worry, well, it's partly my fault because I look worried, but it's doable," I answered dismissively. This is nothing compared to the recent happenings in my life.

"Is Uncle Derek a bad person, Mom?"" questioned my son, causing my mouth to drop to the floor. I forgot my son was here!

"Ah, of course not!" "Son, your uncle Derek is a nice guy; it's just that there are some complicated things going on that I can't explain right now," I explained, knowing it was a pathetic excuse. But something deep inside me tells me that I will feel horrible if I give my son a negative opinion of my ex-boss.

Charlie nodded and returned to his work. I requested Art to babysit my son for the day because it is Saturday, and I vow to return as soon as possible.

I take Angel's car and drive straight to the meeting location, which is a usual type of posh cafe. I made it there, and I should credit myself for doing so; I can keep a straight face while my emotions inside of me crack and something.

I inhaled deeply and went inside. I inquired of the manager, who escorted me to a private room. I went inside, and despite the fact that I expected to see him again, I felt a tingling sensation.

I became concerned because I couldn't believe this was the same man I'd been dating for almost a year.

"Derek," I almost muttered in hushed tones.

He appears to be skinny, lifeless, and pale. He appears fatigued, and before he saw me, his eyes appeared lifeless, much different than they do now.

He abruptly raced away from us and hugged me. I sensed both his affection and his loneliness. "Can you tell me what happened to you?" I inquired, my voice apprehensive.

He shifted his attention elsewhere. "When you departed, I assumed things would return to normal. But I can't survive without you. I attempted to visit you, but your brother refused. "I tried, Cassie, I tried to stop myself from coming back to you, but I need you like I need to breathe," he murmured, impassioned, and I, too, was on the point of tears.

"How did you allow yourself to become this way!" Are you eating correctly? Sleeping? Huh? You really should..." I can't stop weeping.

"Shh, I'll be fine now that you're here." "Please don't remove me from your life," he begs. And it is as ludicrous as it sounds. Kaiden's remarks were practically audible to me.

Someone faked a loud cough in the middle of his close hug. My cheeks began to warm up as we realized how intimate our situation was, while my new employer stared at us, his grin unmasked.

"I think this is more of a romantic scene than a business meeting, which is a shame," he teased. Dale understands how to set off my temper.

"Whatever, Dale," I hissed. He lifted his hand as if he were surrendering.

"Hey, I felt like I wasn't the boss here," he said as usual.

The meeting began, and I was astonished to see that my current boss, Dale, who I perceived as serious the entire time I worked for him, suddenly appears to be a highly reliable, smart, humorous, and sharp sort of businessman.

When Derek abruptly held my hand under the table, my attention was drawn to him. I stared at him, knowing that if my supervisor caught us, he'd start taunting us again. What the hell is going on here again?

“Aha! This appears to be more of a romantic date than a business one, so I should leave this VIP room and unpack my items so you can solo my Secretary," he said shamelessly. I occasionally fantasize about ripping his head off.

"Sure, I'll accept your proposal and we'll discuss it later; by the way, can I get my previous Secretary back now?"" Derek inquired, unfiltered. Why is this man so forthright?

"Ah, that's a different story." "She's one of the sassiest and most annoying people I've ever met, but she's also very competent," Dale added. And I was flattered that he thinks of me in that way.

"Are we able to bargain?" he proposed. I locked my gaze on the man by my side.

"Of course!" says one." Wow, am I such a jerk here?

Dale just left this room at the speed of light, and Derek is looking at me with a huge smile. But inside down, I'm thinking Derek looks emaciated, tired, and not in the best of health.

"You should begin visiting your prior self. Take care of yourself once again, please." I began to rant. I can't believe he did that to himself. He is not like this; I may not have known him for many years, but I know he is the type of person who values his health, body, and well-being.

"Of course, as long as you're on my side, I'll always have a reason to do well," he murmured, aching for something or someone.

"Have you had anything to eat?"" He made a shaky motion with his head. I started ordering food, knowing that even if it was expensive, he would pay for it.

When the food arrived, I noticed how quickly he ate, and his dish was empty. I know he's hungry, but I've been in a situation where I don't have any appetite.

But what's strange is that that moment coincides with my grief. I lost my husband, my mate, my life's love, and how I perceive Derek is simply symptom of the long-distance loneliness of being separated from a mate. It's been a month, and his body weight has changed so drastically.

"Are you finished?" I inquired. He nodded and hugged me once more. I grinned because he was being so clingy right now.

"I can't imagine living without you," he muttered, glancing away, his face flushed with rage, as am I, but I'm trying not to show it.

"I don't want to give any assurance without being assured, and I don't want to make any promises that I won't be able to keep," I said. "But one thing I can promise is that I will hold your hand and be with you until everything between us becomes clear." He smiled and rested his cheek on my nape. He's sniffing me now, which is strange behavior for a mated werewolf.

I immediately remembered my dream, it was all about Kaiden and his change into Derek's face, that is so strange, is that some kind of foreshadowing? I'll never dream of something like that again; the last time was the war's warning.

"How is Charlie doing?" "I miss that big guy," he added, as though he knows how sincere he is. I got the impression that he desperately wanted to be with my son. I also know Derek considers my son to be his son.

"The thing is, I felt a little guilty for separating myself from you, which also resulted in the separation of you and my son, and that felt like a burden inside of me." "He misses you, my son misses you, because he treats you like his best friend, his father, someone he can always count on," I told him. "Perhaps you should visit us occasionally, but first you should fix yourself; if Charlie sees you in that state, he will be concerned about you," I suggested.

He nodded and smiled broadly. "Of course!" says one. Just give me a few weeks and I'll be OK." I'd like it if he could do it as quickly as possible, and I'm eager to assist him.

We had a little more of a talk before I insisted on him taking a break, and I told him that we will see each other again because I have some form of business in his company.

When Chris departed, I felt someone on my back, and it was Dale, who was staring at me with mischief in his eyes. "Is he your friend?" "I've known him for a long time, and I saw him about a month ago; it's strange that he's as skinny as he looks without ."

"Derek, you are still welcome to come to visit; we will see each other frequently because there is a business between your company and Dale's company."

"You know, I love it," he said abruptly.

"Ah, what do you love? I was perplexed,'' I said.

"I love how you call me Derek." Oh, I see.a supernatural explanation," he added, dubious.

Dale is correct. "It is none of your business." But I won't say anything about something I don't fully comprehend.

"I am not in a position to tell you what you should and should not feel." It is your thoughts and feelings. I have no control over it, and I appreciate your emotion and feelings because they are genuine. But I'm also not in a position to give you answers on that," I told him.

I noticed the relief in his eyes, and I hope my response addresses some of his concerns. Dealing with the solution is preferable to overthinking the possibilities.

"Thank you; I always sleep late at night thinking about it, and I don't have the courage to ask." You are a wonderful woman, and I believe that is just one of the reasons I like you so much." Wow, I admire his confidence.

He stayed for a few hours before leaving to visit her sister, who lives right next door to my apartment.

The following day, it is not in my schedule to work in the office, so I am at home doing some paperwork. My son is present as well, and he is waiting for Derek. He's overjoyed, and I know he misses his uncle terribly.

When the doorbell rang, I peeked through the hole before opening it. Derek is smiling brightly, although he appears to be nervous.

"What exactly is that smile?" Are you worried?" I asked, a smile on my lips.

"Yeah, I'm a little. I haven't seen my son in a few weeks, and I'm not sure if he'll be okay seeing me like this again." He is significantly better than the last time.

He appears to be on his way down. His body is very thin, he appears sleepless, and he has not eaten properly or on time. But he looks so much better now.

"Come on, he's excited about this." "He almost doesn't sleep because he will finally see his uncle again," I tried to console him, but he grew even more sad.

"I see, now I'm so guilty that I didn't see him for a while," he said, his face laden with grief.

I lightly tapped him on the shoulder. "It's not your fault, Derek, and what matters right now is that you're here." Okay? Got it? Now let's leave because my kid is obsessing over the movie you'll both see."

He cackled and stormed into the living room. As he rushed to his uncle's arm, I heard my son make a loud scream.

“Charlie! "Don't do that, your uncle is still recovering," I told him, before smiling apologetically at Chris.

He gave me a thumbs-up and shook his head. "I'm fine now. "I am as strong as a bull." He has returned to his former self. What a self-assured individual he is.

They entered the living area and began watching an action flick pack movie. I'm not a fan of those; just looking at some bullets and knives made my teeth pain. Sorry, I was a bit traumatized before because I was a pack fighter at the time, and I was frequently injured by hunters wielding silver weapons.

But, returning to my point, I am currently preparing some dishes. I recall my dream, and for the time being, I am preparing some of my late husband's favorite foods. As usual, there will be some meat and fewer vegetables.

"Your lunch is ready, boys!" Please come here and pause the movie first, okay?" If you hadn't noticed, these two have quite similar demeanors. My son appears to be equally astute as this individual. Or, should I say, Derek looks like Kaiden's happy-go-lucky side when he's still with me...

They sat in their seats and began eating so quickly that they were in rhythm when they choked.

"Please, gentlemen, slow down. "There's plenty of meat," I told them.

"This is absolutely delicious!"" Derek appears to be pleased with what I prepared for them, which makes me happy.

"Heh, you know I always cook your food since I committed to getting you back to your healthy side," I said.

"I take your point. But I've discovered that everything you give me always matches my palate." True to his comments... This guy is said to be a finicky eater. Well, he is a multi-billionaire businessman, and he can be fussy, but it is not a good thing.

I nearly felt Kaiden and Derek shared certain characteristics. He constantly reminds me of my beloved mate, and I am still perplexed and unaccustomed to this. I also believe that I am not utilizing Derek; I am still in the phase of allowing Derek to rest in peace, as well as myself and my acceptance.

Almost one in the afternoon, and it appears that my son became overtired due to a lack of sleep and rest, and he returned to his sleep mode.

"Do you not want to return with me?" "I still need one Secretary," he explained. I know that his offer and that of my present boss, Dale, are extremely similar, but for some reason, the thought of seeing Derek again virtually every day makes me so pleased, just like how I feel when I send my kid to school and look forward to seeing Dax.

"That sounds appealing, but I am now committed, and I am confident that your new secretary is doing her job properly and believing in other people," I told him.

"I respect your decision, but I will persuade Dale to consider my offer