Comforts

"She was trying to walk away and hold on at the same time, that's the mind at war with the heart"

• Viviana •

"Are you alright?" I asked
The car ride had been very silent. An uncomfortable silence
"What do you think?" He said back
"I'm sorry, I just... well I didn't know if you wanted to talk about it" I said.

"Talk about it? Talk about what exactly Miss Romero? How my brother embarrasses our family everywhere we go? We built our reputation over years of hard work. He's a fucking screw up" he said.

"He's young. And we aren't in the office, you can just call me Viviana" I said gently
I think in the heat of the moment he had forgotten how to address me outside of work.

"He's not 'young', he's twenty two. At his age I had my life together, I had a business, a house. He parties all his money away. All our parents' money away" he said.

"People take different paths, his is just taking a little longer" I tried to offer
"And when did you become the spokesperson for my brother's fuck ups?... Viviana" he drawled out, eyes staring ahead at the road
"I'm sorry, I'm merely trying to offer an alternative view" I said.

"Well with all due respect. don't, sometimes it isn't down to an alternative view. Sometimes people are just fuck ups" he said.

His words made me wonder why he felt that way. His brothers actions didn't warrant such a pessimistic view. He had issues sure but who didn't?
Did he think he was perfect all the time?

He's dismissive. Rude. Blunt. Late. Forgetful.
And yet because he's successful, people overlook it.
They call him driven and smart. Good looking and punctual. A bachelor for all women desperately seeking the perfect man.

He was not perfect. None of us are.

"I apologise" I said simply, cutting through the silence
He stayed quiet for a moment, before he sighed slightly
"You're not to tell anyone about tonight. About Caelan" he said.

"I wasn't planning to" I said, as the car pulled up outside my house.
"Thank you, for the ride" I said, opening the door
He didn't say anything, so I took that as my cue and shut the door, I had only just turned around before I heard the car window roll down

"Viviana" he said, I looked back, to see him leaning across the car slightly
"Thank you, for coming" he said awkwardly, he wasn't used to being kind to people.
"Of course" I smiled, turning back around.

I shut the front door quietly, so I didn't wake anyone, and quickly kicked off my heels, heading for the phone to order some food
Seeing as I never actually ate.

•

"Send the next one in" Lucian ordered
I sighed as the intercom shut off, before painting on a smile as I looked up at the next applicant sat in the row of chairs opposite me
"Mr Clemonte?" I said nicely
"You may go in now" I said, he nodded, standing up.

I can't wait for today to be over
Lucian was in a worse mood than usual
I can only assume it didn't go very well with his brother when he had gotten home last night.

• Lucian •

This is a complete fucking waste of time
"Shut up" I said
"Excuse me" she said
"Just stop. You're under qualified as it is and you have no idea what you're even talking about, thank you for your time" I said

"But... I was just telling you my qualifications" she said
"And like I said, you're under qualified, and it appears unable to retain information as well, good bye Miss Roberts" I said, dismissing her
She sat for a moment, before she quickly gathered her references up and left, passing by Eros on the way through.

"Not going well? She looked like she was about to cry" he chuckled, sitting down
"They're all idiots" I said
"Are they? Or are you just used to certain familiar comforts?" He asked, glancing back at Viviana sat at her desk.

"Meaning?" I asked
"Meaning Vivs been here years, she knows you" he said
"She understands her job" I corrected
He laughed
"No. She knows you, inside and out, she knows how you are, what you like, you just can't bare the thought of someone messing up because she brings that certain... familiarity now" he explained.

"That... was a waste of breath" I said simply
He groaned
"Why do you want her around then?" He asked
"She gets my coffee right" I said
She is punctual. Most days. She was tidy, effective.

"Fuck you're an idiot" he smiled
"And you're wasting my time, why are you here exactly?" I asked
He shrugged
"Had a lunch break" he said
"Send the next one in" I said over the intercom.

"Can I watch?" He asked eagerly
"Not much to watch, they're all useless" I warned as Mr... Clemonte came in.

• Viviana •

"He's still being shitty with you?" Isla asked
"He'll be shitty with me until the day I leave" I sighed, grabbing a mug from the cupboard
"I just don't understand why he's so angry I'm leaving, I gave him notice, I'm helping him find a new secretary, I'm training them, why is he so defensive?" I ranted out

• Viviana's Outfit •

"Maybe there's more to you than just a secretary" she said
"What do you mean?" I asked
"I mean, do you never wonder why Lucian has kept you so long, he's never had another secretary that made it past a year let alone this far" she said
"So?" I said.

"So, he likes you, and he doesn't like many people, you're the only employee that gets a goodnight from him in the evening, the only employee with a key to his office other than him and the only person in this entire building that has his personal phone number" she said.

"Those are requirements of my job Isla, as for the goodnight, he's just being polite" I said
She scoffed
"Yeah, and when does that ever happen?" She chuckled
"I'm just saying, you're one of the few people in this company he can tolerate, can't blame him for not wanting to start all over again" she said.

Maybe she was right. He was being very short with me lately, but maybe it was out of some kind of tolerance for me
"So, office party, you're coming right?" She asked, changing the subject when I hadn't said any more on it.

"Didn't plan to" I said.

"You have to come, otherwise I'll be left with the girls from marketing and they're... they're so fucking dull Viv" Isla whined, grabbing her mug from the coffee machine
"I just can't be bothered to mull around all evening while all the old guys talk about their day and the way the law has changed" I complained.

That's all office parties were
They were boring.

"Please" she begged
"You're aware you don't have to go?" I said
"I do, Teddy needs me there for 'image'" she sighed
Teddy... the thought always made me chuckle
Theodore was high up in Lucian's company, and he'd swooped Isla off her feet many years ago, the only downside for her was she was obliged to attend work parties and conferences, dinners and events.

And she hated it.
"I have better plans" I said
"You have no plans, please, it's only a few hours, and I promise I'll save you from any of the fossils attending" she laughed
"Maybe" I said simply, moving away from her, back to the elevator.

"Viviana" Casper greeted, already stood waiting
"Mr Rhodes" I smiled
"Casper" he corrected
But I left it in the air
"What mood is he in today then?" He asked
"A bad one" I answered.

He laughed slightly
"Great, he'll love my party plans then" he smiled
He'll hit the roof about the office party plans right now
He hated them just as much as I did.

"I assume you'll be attending?" He asked
"I'm not sure" I said, I despised office parties
"Well if Lucian has to come, I bet you will too" he laughed.
"Not if I can help it" I joked back.

Before the elevator pinged and we both walked out
Me to my desk and him straight into the office

• Lucian •

"Where have you been?" I asked
"Lunch" he said
"With Miss Romero?" I questioned, they never spent time outside of work together
"No. I met her in the elevator on the way up, why?" He asked, amused
"Curiosity" I said.

"Why? Worried I'm fucking your secretary?" He joked
"Shut up" I said.
"No, it's fun to wind you up" he said
"Is it fun to be employed? because I suggest you stop if you wish to remain so" I warned.

"Oh come on, you're telling me you wouldn't?" He asked
"Wouldn't what?" I asked
"Fuck her?" He questioned
I sighed
"No, stop acting like a child and either do some work or leave me alone" I said with finality.

"You're such a bad liar... boss" he chuckled.
"I'm not lying" I said, he scoffed
"I see the way you look at her, you'd totally fuck her" he chuckled
"Casper" I warned
He was really starting to get on my nerves.

He stopped, opting to get his work out of his briefcase and save himself his job
Idiot

•

"Here are Mr Rhodes finalised plans" she said, placing Casper's moronic party plans on my desk
"Thank you" I said
"Mr Clemonte will be here tomorrow morning" she said.

Fuck sake. He was going to be a fucking burden
Teaching him will only slow her down
And I can't imagine the man will be competent enough to take her over anyway
He won't last a week.

"Okay" I said
She moved to leave, before hesitating and then stopping
"Is there anything else I can get you?" She asked
"Another coffee" I said, looking back at my laptop.

I watched her nod in my peripheral vision, before she walked out, the sound of her heels clicking echoing in my head
I looked up, watching her pull her coat on as she walked to the elevator
I had never seen a woman walk with as much grace as her.

Elegant was a better word for it.

• Viviana •

As I got out of my car, walking down to the coffee shop, my phone rang
"Hello?"
"Ehi farfalla, sei impegnata?" He said cheerfully
'Hey butterfly, are you busy?'

"Tipo, stai bene? Il nonno sta bene?" I replied, heading into the coffee shop
'Sort of, are you okay? Is grandpa okay?'
I was worried sick something would happen before I got home.

"No, no, niente del genere, volevo chiederti se potevo davvero venire a trovarti, aiutarti a fare le valigie prima di tornare a casa?" He asked
'No, no, nothing like that, I wanted to ask if I could come see you actually, help you pack before you come back home?'

"Of course papá" I said.
"Brilliant, I'll let you get back to work" he said happily
"I'll call you later with details" he said
"Okay, bye dad" I said, hanging up.

It would be nice for dad to come here for a week or two.
See my life here
Everything I had done for myself
Everything... I was giving up.

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