Chapter 3 Third

Julie couldn't sleep well. Her dreams kept her awake all the time. When she wanted to sleep for good, the alarm clock screamed for her to wake up. She did, of course, and her head was aching.

"Morning, Sis! Here, breakfast" Jack was trying to be useful, since his sister was working more for him than for herself. In the 18 years of his existence, he has always felt like "trouble" should be his real name. His mother died giving birth to him and his sister got the burden of raising him.

"Good morning. Thanks for the breakfast. Could you give me something for a headache? I didn't sleep well."

He just nodded and gave her the medication. She took it with her orange juice and, after eating a slice of bread, got her stuff, gave Jack a kiss and headed to work.

Traffic was fine, and she was thankful for that. She was praying that this medication started kick in pretty soon, because every step she took was like a hammer right into her head.

She greeted people good morning and went to her desk. When she opened the email, it was full. Mr. Schmidt congratulated her for yesterday's work, and, since she was so good working, he felt like he could rely on her to do a bit more. By lunch time, her head was feeling better, but not 100%.

When she was going to the cafeteria to eat something, she bumped into someone.

"Oh, I am so sorry..."

"Again. All that is to touch me?"

Mr. Crane. Oh, shit! Why always him? Wait, touch him? He thought she was using this as an excuse to touch him??

"Sir, It was not my intention. I really was not looking ahead, so I didn't even know it was you, until you spoke something."

She was looking at him very seriously, hands on her hips.

"Then, you admit you were not looking where you were going. As always. Anyways, you are in the wrong, Ms. Jones. I think we should have a little chat about it. My office. Now." He went straight to his office, while she was feeling uneasy all of a sudden. Was he going to fire her? It was just her second day! Oh, no. She followed him, before he said anything.

"Close the door." He ordered. She did as he said "Sit." His face was unreadable.

Seriously. She was so afraid. She decided to start talking, apologizing.

"Mr. Crane, I am so sorry. I swear, I was not doing that on purpose, I mean, bumping into you to touch you. And not looking to where I was going just to bump into you. I woke up with a terrible headache today, so..."

"I didn't ask you this, did I, now? And what did I tell you about how you should address me?" He interrupted her.

She stopped talking. He was looking directly into her eyes. Then, he lowered his sight to her

bust, her legs and, finally, back at her eyes. She was feeling like she was naked in front of

him. How rude of him!

"I am sorry, August", she apologized. His lips twitched upwards slightly, without her noticing.

"You say that too much for my taste. Now, tell me, Ms. Jones, would you marry without love? And not only that, but, with no hopes for love, at all. In fact, love would be one of the causes for a divorce. Would you do that?" First she thought she heard it wrong and that he was joking, but when looking at his face, she knew he was being genuine.

She was confused. What kind of question was that? She just bumped into him. What does one

thing have to do with the other?

"Ah, why would I do that? No one would marry with this kind of condition." Was all she could say.

"At all? No exceptions?" His face darkened.

"I know some people marry without love, only for convenience. But after losing so much, all I

have left is marrying for love. If I do marry, it is. I have a sick brother that depends on me. The

man with whom I may marry in the future must know and accept that I am not leaving him, no matter what. A man who doesn't love me won't accept it, I think."

He was silent for a few moments, and she was extremely uncomfortable. This conversation was so weird.

"And your brother would stay by your side, always?" August inquired.

"Of course. That is what I just said." She answered without a doubt. " He is sick, I am the only one taking care of him. How could I abandon him?"

"What is his sickness?" He already knew it. He always did research about all his employees.

"Cardiac insufficiency. His birth was not extremely easy, mother died in the process. He

has always been very weak, fragile. His blood pressure was always high, but I am no doctor and my father didn't think it was too serious, until, when he was ten, we found out his heart was not particularly good. I have been working as much as I can, since I was sixteen, to help with

his medications." She said, a bit sad.

"And your father? Why wasn't him paying for his medications?" August asked, already not liking the man.

"He never let go of the fact that my mother died. He blamed my brother. He only did what he was obligated, by law, to do. It is, give food and shelter. He never gave any affection. And his new wife never helped much in this matter. On the other hand, his wife's daughter was precious to him. And since I was by my brother's side, it was like I was the enemy." Julie was almost crying, now.

"Interesting." August said, looking at his fingers, but suddenly looked at Julie. " Go have your lunch and get back to work. Your brother needs it."

She took a few seconds to understand the dismissive. She stopped by the door when he spoke to remind her to wait for him after work. She nodded and left.

"Hey, Julie. I received your last designs, and I am incredibly happy with them! You really

have talent, and I can see we are going to accomplish many projects together." Mr.

Schmidt said, while she was eating. He did not sit with her but passed by smiling. She was

satisfied with eating alone.

Her "chat" with Mr. Crane was making her think why would he ask all that. On the other side of the room, Amanda was looking as if she could kill Julie. She was working there for a while and Mr. Crane never, ever, gave her any time of his day. Now, this girl comes in and is trying to climb into his bed, like a little slut! And the worst is that he seems to be accepting it!

Julie did not see Amanda at all. When she finished eating, she went to her office to finish her work. She needed to show that she was efficient and that her work was excellent, once her brother needed medication, and only by working she would be able to buy it.

Amanda followed her with her eyes until Julie could no longer be seen.

At 6:00 p.m., Julie was waiting for August. Yes, August. She had to remember he asked her to call him like this. Very strange. But, he was the boss and it was not something immoral, after all.

"At least, you are punctual. Let's go." She followed behind him, saying nothing.

Where are we going? Once she saw him entering the car, she was dumbfounded. He asked her to wait for him so she would accompany him to his car?

"Are you going to stay there? Our reservation is awaiting. Get in the car. Now!" He was with very little patience.

She had no time to think. He didn't have to scream, as if she were stupid. He was the one

acting weird, in the end!

"Where are we going?" She finally asked him, while fastening the seatbelts.

"You will see. We have something especially important to discuss, Ms. Jones. Especially important, indeed."

She was about to ask what it was, but he started the car and hit the accelerator. Shit. She

hated high speed.

"Are you afraid? Don't worry. My driving skills are perfect." He said it with a smirk on his face, without looking away from the road. But the torture did not last long, since he was so fast, they arrived in no time at their destination. "Here we are, my lady."

"Thank God!", she whispered to herself.

He got out of the car and opened the door for her, offering his hand. As she was only looking from his hand to his face, he got impatient.

"Are you going to get out or not? Is my hand unworthy of yours?"

"What? No, of course not" She got his hand. " I was surprised. No one has ever..." She stopped talking when she saw his eyebrows arched.

"No one has ever, what, Ms. Jones?" he asked.

"Be kind. Well, except for my mother." He moved his hand, as if asking her to take it at all. And she did. The warmth she felt was electrical. Their eyes met, because he felt the same, but kept a neutral face.

"Come. We have to discuss something, and it is an especially important matter to me. And, I think, for you too." He said, with a pleasant face.

"Okay. Let's go in." She replied.

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