Chapter 47: Chapter 47

Traizle

He started talking on his phone a while ago. Who is he talking to?

I entered his office a while ago in the morning. He was talking with someone. Afterward, I returned to his office to hand him some documents, and he was still on his phone.

I picked up my phone and started to message him.

'Oddball, did you check the documents I put on your table a while ago?'

That's what I texted him. After 5 minutes, I received a message back from him.

'Later, Traizle. I am still talking with someone.'

That was his reply. So, I bolted my hands to answer back.

'Who are you just talking to?'

I asked, trying not to be angry early in the morning. I was about to keep my phone when it vibrated again.

'She's one of the candidates I was talking about before.'

Candidates?

Oh, the talk with his candidate wives. They have been talking for a while now. They can talk after their work. He is wearing his earbuds so he can talk to her while checking the documents. He is delaying my work.

Candidate. Candidate.

Wait, what the hell am I thinking? It's okay not to check it already so I can rest for a while, and he won't mess me up.

The break came, and I was now in the cafeteria with the others and Tyler. Zarsuelo told me to have my lunch already. He is still talking with her. Maybe they missed each other too much to talk that long and even postponed his lunch for her.

"Just don't dare to meddle with my work later, or else I will stab him with this knife I hold." I muttered.

Someone tapped my shoulder. I looked at whoever had tapped me and saw they were all looking at me.

"You are saying it out loud." Tyler warned me.

"Oh? I was saying it out loud?" I asked back.

"Is it Mr. Zarsuelo?" He asked back. "What is it now?" He added.

I sighed. "I am just worried that he will bother me later," I shared. "He is talking to his so-called wife candidate. He postponed eating his lunch. I hope he won't bother me later." I added.

"There he is," Alex butted in and pointed to where Zarsuelo was. He is smiling, the rare smile he will show now and then. Wow! The damn oddball pissed me off today. "Calm down, and you are too obvious." Tyler whispered to me.

I turned my head at him. Tyler is grinning at me widely. "Obvious about what?" I whispered back.

He shakes his head and smiles more widely. He is pissing me off too. I don't get what he is talking about. He approached me again, whispering. "Seems like you are now interested in him." Tyler said.

Interested in Zarsuelo? Is that what he is implying?

"You are thinking if you are interested in him, do you?" He added.

I nodded back—hey! Why did I nod back at him? I just saw Tyler laughing like a madman beside me.

"You are secretly whispering to each other, huh?" Claire said, teasing us.

I hit Tyler's arm, and now they are all teasing us. He teased me a while ago, and I am being toyed with him now.

Everything is pissing me off today!

After our break, I went back to my place immediately. I started to review his schedule and the other appointments we have. Lately, he has been mainly invited to TV programs. Yesterday, he was interviewed for a magazine, and he is on the front cover.

My phone vibrated. "Now he is calling me?" I sarcastically said when I saw the caller's name.

"What do you need, Zarsuelo?" I asked.

"Wife—"

"I am not your wife, asshole." I replied, interrupting him.

"Why are you mad?" Zarsuelo complained on the other line. "I didn't do anything wrong today." he added.

Right. He didn't do anything wrong besides calling me his wife today. So why am I angry? "What do you need?" I asked, changing the topic.

"Ahh, I just wanted to tell you that I need to go out early today." he answered.

"Why?" I asked back.

"We decided to meet today. She is waiting for me at the restaurant right now." he replied.

Is he talking about the woman he has been talking to since this morning? "Then go. Why bother telling me that?" I asked back.

He is the boss. He can go out as early as he likes. Who am I to stop him, right? I am just his mere secretary.

"I won't be able to bid my goodbye properly because I am already in the lobby." he answered.

Is he in the lobby already?

"I won't be able to say bye personally, so I decided to call you now. We will be having our lunch—"

"Okay, I got it. Don't worry about us here. You can go now." I interrupted again.

"I am hurt. You are mad at me. You can just tell me not to go. I will stay, you know." he replied, mocking me.

"In your dreams!" I hissed and ended the call.

*****

Zarsuelo, going out with one of his wife's candidates, has continued for a week now. We barely talk because he is always talking with her all day. I no longer ask when he will read the documents I put on his table because he will read them after.

I am free the whole week. No Zarsuelo bothering me, no annoying Zarsuelo, and no babysitting oddball Zarsuelo.

"What's with that expression of yours? Has it been like that for a week already, huh? " Tyler said with his grinning face again.

It's been a week since he started teasing me with Zarsuelo, and it's been a week since he began receiving power hits and punches from me. "I have been dying to kill you for a week too." I told him.

"Care to tell me the reason why you are so grumpy?" He asked.

Can I tell him? Will he find it funny and tease me more?

He raised his hands. "I will be serious too, rest assured." he added.

If this man does the opposite, I will surely leave a bruise on his face. "I don't know the reason, but I feel happy, but somehow I am not." I started sharing.

His eyebrows raised. "And why do you feel like that?" He asked back.

I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't know, and I should be happy because he is not bothering the hell out of me for a week. But it feels like I am empty," I replied. I have been thinking about this too. That maybe... "Am I really getting interested in him?" I asked him.

The moment I looked at him, his smile was too big. "Why such a straightforward kind of woman, huh, Traizle?" Tyler asked me.

Straightforward? I am more forthright. "I am just being honest. You told me you would be serious." I replied.

"So, you are just interested as of now?" He asked back. "Is it in the phase of like or love?" He added.

Where does my interest belong? "Or is it because I am just not used to it? Him being with other girls, especially his wife candidates." I asked.

"But you can feel like you are empty without him." Tyler retorted.

"Ahh, so I like him? Is that it?" I asked him.

"You are too straightforward. I thought you were in the phase of denying it at first. Looking at you right now tells me the opposite." He answered.

I find it easier if I tell him directly. "But I don't think I am ready. My past relationship did not end well. The one I like right now is too much for me." I told him my concerns.

"He likes you, though." he retorted.

He likes me, but will it last?

"Still, he was unreachable." I told him.

"How will you tell him you are starting to like him back?" He asked. "Being jealous of his other wife candidates is the first reason you like him too." he added.

How should I tell him? Should I say it right away or gradually tell him? Should I go with...

"I like you." I told him, started practicing my lines.

Tyler was shocked and shook his head after. "That was too straightforward." He replied.

Is it too straightforward? So should I say it slowly? Okay, I got it.

"Hey, wait, he is here already. Go and talk to him." Tyler said and pushed me.

I turned to him and glared at him. "Asshole, why did you push me!" I hissed.

"Tell me what happened later." he added.

I am still not sure of my feelings. I want to know if this heart of mine is ready. How did I even fall in love with him when all he did was bother me?

I just realized today that I am interested in him. Even before I could enter our office room, I received a call from Zarsuelo. My heart beats fast, although they were always like this. I just didn't notice it before.

I went to his office nervously. I even knock to tell him that I am here already.

"Come in." I heard him say before I finally entered his office.

"What do you need?" I asked him.

He shook his head. "Nothing, I just want to see you when I get home." he replied.

Why are his eyes so sad?

"Where were you a while ago? Were you talking to someone?" He asked.

If I told him I talked to Tyler, he might ask what we discussed. I should lie. "Comfort room." I replied. He nodded and tapped his desk. He was looking sideways. "Why?" I asked him.

"None. You may go back to your office." he answered.

Did something happen before he came here? I guess it is not the right time to tell him.