Chapter 5 A Conditioned Forgiveness

James got to his office, opened the door and strutted in. Amelia followed behind him before the door closed. She looked around his office and was lost in its beauty.

His office smelled like new books. Its wall and tiles were white and sparkling clean, the white PVC blind folds that hung on his window were without blemish, and the chairs, desk and couch were seated at the right spot.

Two leather office chairs were in front of his polished wooden desk, and behind his desk was an executive chair for him.

He headed to his desk and sat on its edge. His right leg hung in the air, while his left leg was on the floor.

The right leg of his trousers pulled up as he sat, revealing his thick black socks and a tiny part of his hairy yet clean leg.

"Now, tell me. What are you here for?" He placed his arms on his right leg and stared at her.

"Ermm, I am here to apologize for what happened at the party last night." She bowed her head as she spoke.

"And what happened at the party last night?" He rumpled his eyebrows at her.

Amelia raised her head and looked at him.

'Why is he asking me that? He knows very well what happened. Do we have to go over that again?'

"I made you fall and embarrassed you in front of everyone," She responded.

His glare at her made her so uncomfortable, so she bent her head. She folded her hands at her back and kept her head bowed.

James' eyes trailed down her body, from her head to her toes. Amelia wasn't looking at his face, but she could feel he was staring at her.

"Was that only what you did?" He asked, and she bounced her head slowly.

"So you are going to skip the part where you stole a kiss, and I had to hit my butts on the floor?!" His voice grew louder, and Amelia flinched.

"I... I'm sorry about that too. It was a mistake, and I promise it won't happen again," She said, and James let out a slight cold laugh.

"It won't happen again? You don't have to say that before I know. Nothing would make me kiss someone like you. You should be happy you got that close to me in the first place," He stated, and Amelia nodded.

"I'm very sorry, Mr. James. Please accept my apology." She raised her head and looked at his face. It was the same cold look he had on.

"I don't know who made you believe you could apologize to me like this, and I would listen. You don't know the person you have messed with."

Amelia felt threatened by his words. She was confused and didn't know what to do anymore.

"Please, Mr. James, accept my apology. I'm in serious need of it. My uncle won't be happy until you have accepted my apology. I have wronged you, and I am sincerely sorry. I would do anything to make you forgive me." She bent her upper body lower than before, and she made her two palms touch like she was saying a prayer.

"You would do anything, hun?" He asked and stood up from his desk. He took slow but definite steps to Amelia. And every step he took made Amelia's pulse race like a train.

She looked up and when she saw he was getting very close, she began to move back slowly.

James kept approaching her, and she kept walking backward. She clenched her jaw as she felt pain in her injured leg. She had mistakenly applied pressure on it.

Shivers ran down her spine as different scary thoughts ran through her head.

'What is he going to do? Why is he coming so close? Is he going to hit me? Is he going to push me to the floor as I did at the party?'

James saw that she was very close to the couch, and the corner of his lips curved in an evil smirk.

Before Amelia knew it, she fell on the couch, and her wounded leg sent an agonizing message up her spine and into her brain.

"Arrghh," She groaned and grabbed her left leg in anguish. James crinkled his eyebrows and moved back immediately after he heard her groan.

"What's wrong?" He sounded scared.

Amelia squeezed her eyes and shook her head. "It's nothing. Please accept my apology, Mr. James," She responded, and he scoffed.

"So you pretended to be in pain so that I can forgive you, hun?"

He leaned forward and placed his hands on the backrest of the couch, not so far from her head. Amelia's eyes widened, and she quickly lowered her head.

She felt her heart falter as the same scent she perceived from his body at the party overshadowed the air around her.

"I... I am not pretending. My leg really hurts," She muttered.

James kept his face very close to her head and said, "You look at me when talking." He gritted his teeth as he spoke.

Amelia rapidly raised her head and looked into his eyes. His face was less than two inches from hers.

Her gorgeous blue eyes bore deep into his alluring black and slightly big eyes. After some minutes, the stare was too intense for her, and she slowly dropped her eyes on his straight, downward-pointing nose.

It was so smooth that she wanted to run her finger on it real quick. Under his nose and above his Cupid-shaped upper lip, was his light stubble mustache which connected with his neatly trimmed beards.

Amelia further went on to explore the lips that took the virginity of her lips. His lips were plump and wet like he had a gloss on, but he didn't.

As she kept staring, his sexy lips parted, and Amelia heard his seductive voice in her ears.

"Why do I feel like you want another kiss from me?" James gleamed seductively, and she quickly threw her face to the side.

"No, Mr. James. I want nothing but forgiveness from you. That's all," She mumbled, and James let out a sigh. His fresh, minty breath brushed her face and her eyes fell shut.

James saw her cheeks reddened, and he moved back, letting out a little laugh.

"You said you are hurt, right? Let me see. I can't forgive a liar." He turned the office chair that was closer to him and sat on it. He stared at her, waiting for her to show him her injured leg.

Amelia carefully stretched her left leg forward and rolled up her pants slowly. She was very careful not to touch the bandage that was wrapped around her wound.

She stopped rolling her jeans directly below her knees, exposing her slender leg. James stared at the bandage on her leg and then looked at her face.

"When did this happen?" He asked, and she looked at his face. 'Is he worried about me?' She thought before answering. "Last night."

She pulled down her rolled up pants and dragged her leg to herself.

"Well, that is none of my business," He responded coldly and stood up. He walked to his executive chair and sat on it.

"You will have my forgiveness on one condition."

Hearing his statement, Amelia held onto the backrest firmly and stood up. She hopped forward and looked at him.

"What is the condition, Mr. James?" She asked anxiously.

"You have stolen something from me, and now you are indebted to me. You have to look for what I love the most and do it for me. Then I'll forgive you," He said, and Amelia furrowed her brows. She was lost.

"What do you love the most, Mr. James? I'll look for it and bring it to you."

The eagerness in her voice made James scoff. He knew she was yet to realize the mess she had gotten herself into.

"That is yours to figure out. Leave my office now. I have work to do." He picked up the file that laid in front of him, and opened it.

She opened her mouth to speak but was shunned by James' hand that extended in the air.

"That will be all for now. I don't want to hear anything from that mouth of yours."

He picked up the casing of his recommended glasses and opened it. He put it on and crossed his legs. He lifted the file and began to read it.

Amelia nodded her head slowly and turned to leave. She dragged her feet to the door and opened it. James took one last look at her with a smirk on his face before she finally shuffled out of the office.

She trudged to the elevator and pressed the open button. She waited for the elevator door to open and when it opened, Ava walked majestically out of it.

Amelia's heart stopped beating when she saw her. She was dressed in a very short and exposing pink gown.

She wore a pink fur hat that held her blonde hair together, and on her skinny legs were shining, expensive, pink boot-heels.

She ran her brown eyes over Amelia's body with disgust, and before Amelia could make way for her, she pushed her off the way, and Amelia fell to the ground.

She made sure she protected her bruised leg at all costs, and she landed on her right side.

"A Filthy person like you shouldn't be found in classy places like this. You are going to pollute the air."

She emitted an evil laughter and strutted away, swaying her hips like they weren't firmly attached to her waist.

Amelia stared at her and saw her enter James' office. 'She didn't bother to knock. What is going on between them? Are they together?'