Chapter 5 Let's Trap!

"Sir, isn't this a bit too much?"

Haris cleared his throat to hide the still amused grin on his face. He lifted his head to look at Astoria, who seemed hesitant during her lunch break. The middle-aged woman stopped eating and looked at him with an expression of concern, although it was clear that her concern was not for him. Instead, her concern was for someone who happened not to be sharing her meal.

"Well... a bit too much?" Haris asked, pretending not to understand. "What do you mean, ma'am?"

Astoria let out a long sigh, this time deciding to put down her spoon and fork for a moment. The thirty-eight-year-old woman who had served him diligently for the past four years looked at her boss, who had an air of youthful arrogance about him.

"Sir, if your father were to find out about this-"

"Sshh!"

Haris hastily put a finger to his own lips, making a silencing sound, and his eyes widened.

"Hush, ma'am, hush. Let's not say anything strange. An angel may pass by and then it will be a prayer."

Astoria bit her lip and swallowed the words she had prepared earlier. Haris breathed a sigh of relief.

"Dad won't find out unless someone tells him, and if he does, we already have a reason. The same reason we gave Vanny," Haris explained, followed by a broad smile. "Because you can't accompany me everywhere full-time."

Astoria's shoulders slumped, but her face could not hide the truth.

"I feel sorry for Vanny, sir. She seems really stressed about the punishment."

Haris quickly covered his mouth, but it was too late. His laughter broke out uncontrollably.

"Hahaha."

Laughing at someone else's suffering? That was the reality. Astoria had witnessed it firsthand. While a girl looked distraught upon discovering a billion dollar fine, a man laughed uncontrollably.

"She doesn't have to pay the fine if she decides to keep working here. The fine only applies if she quits this job. Simple, right?"

It was not that simple. Astoria knew that.

"Actually, I'm being nice, ma'am. I just want to make sure Vanny makes the most of this job opportunity. Finding a job is hard. But she wants to quit when she wants."

"What you said is true, sir," Astoria replied, holding back her amusement. "But you don't have to go that far, sir. Anyway, I can tell that Vanny really doesn't want to work as your secretary. She acts as if she doesn't want to be close to you."

Haris' laughter disappeared immediately, replaced by a pout.

"Could you be a little less brutally honest, ma'am? You're putting me in a bad mood."

Astoria let out a long sigh. Reluctantly, a hint of amusement crept to the corner of her lips.

"I can't, sir. As your right hand, I'm expected to be honest."

Haris pouted and decided to wet his parched throat with a few gulps of water.

"Especially about this."

This time, Haris's face looked disheartened and his shoulders slumped.

"Don't you feel sorry for Vanny?" Astoria asked. "She looks very stressed, sir. Her face is wrinkled ever since she found out about the penalty in the contract."

Haris suddenly lost his appetite. His stomach suddenly felt full, even though half of his meal remained untouched.

"Poor thing," Haris muttered. "She wasn't very understanding when she dumped me. I got dumped when I was still in love.."

Astoria dramatically closed her eyes, shook her head, and raised her hand to gently massage her temple.

Reluctantly, Astoria remembered the reason why she still held the position of secretary at EcoScape Constructors. A role usually filled by young, intelligent, attractive, and sexy women, she seemed to be an exception. This was because Archer Corbyn, the previous boss, had asked her to play a dual role when the leadership passed to his son. Not only as a secretary, but also as a guardian figure for Haris when he was in the office.

Having been Archer's secretary for a long time, Astoria could not ignore the fact that Haris, being an only child, was often spoiled by his mother, Sienna Jade Malone. Being close to the family, she also understood how Haris' personality had developed. He was intelligent and responsible, but his spoiled behavior was a constant. And when it came to being spoiled, Haris and his only child ego were second to none.

Slowly Astoria opened her eyes and looked at Haris.

"You mean this is all because of that?" Astoria asked incredulously. "Isn't this some kind of trap for Vanny?"

"A trap? Um..."

Haris rubbed his chin and cleared his throat rhythmically. His eyes seemed to wander aimlessly upwards.

"I didn't really intend to set a trap, ma'am. But it's okay if I'm seen as setting a trap."

Shamelessly, Haris seemed unfazed by Astoria's accusation. In fact, he seemed rather pleased, if only a little.

"It's her fault, really. If she hadn't started it first, I wouldn't be like this," Haris grumbled. "She trapped me before, too."

"How did she trap you?"

"She trapped me in memories."

Astoria closed her eyes immediately. She tried her best not to slap her forehead. But how could Haris say such a thing?

Um... it seems that Haris was not aware of what he was saying. Because a moment after those words slipped off his tongue, he seemed to be chuckling with a stiff face.

"I-I mean... this doesn't really hurt anyone, ma'am," Haris continued. "You have someone to help you with your work, and as far as I know, Vanny is smart enough. For the category of second secretary who becomes an errand girl... she's competent enough."

In her heart, Astoria could not help laughing. The second secretary who becomes an errand girl? In all her life, Astoria had never heard of a secretary's duties being expanded to include being an errand girl. It was ridiculous.

"So, you won't quit?"

Haris' eyes widened and he quickly raised his hand to his chest. "Why should I quit? Do I have to pay a billion-dollar fine or something? No way."

Oh, my goodness! But this time Astoria could not hold back any longer. She finally slapped her forehead.

*

If I could save one million every month, it would take me about a thousand months to accumulate one billion. In other words, it would take 83 years to collect the money. And right now, I'm twenty-nine years old. Is there any guarantee that I'll live to be a hundred? Or am I really passing on a debt to my descendants?

Even in her worst nightmares, Vanny never thought that she would have to save a billion dolars just to give it away to someone else, especially her ex-boyfriend.

Isn't this the epitome of unhappiness?

More than the epitome-it is beyond unfortunate. In fact, it's so unfortunate that Vanny found herself with no appetite after that day. Her usual two servings of chicken rice seemed powerless against her sudden lack of appetite. Eventually, Vanny could only rely on a cereal drink, which still had a bit of charm in her eyes. Armed with her nutritious drink, Vanny spent her lunch break in the pantry.

"Vanny? Aren't you having lunch?"

Vanny turned to see Astoria appearing at the pantry door. She shook her head, a faint smile on her face.

"No, ma'am. I'm not having lunch," Vanny replied discouragedly. "I have to start saving from now on."

Astoria, who had been making coffee, suddenly froze. She looked at Vanny sympathetically. But she could not do anything. Haris had taken his action and she could not stop it.

A few days ago, when Astoria had heard about Haris' plan to hire a second secretary, she had been enthusiastic. Her body, approaching the age of forty, could not lie. She tired easily and was sometimes overwhelmed. But she was fooled into thinking that Haris's intention was really to improve the secretary's position and not for personal reasons.

In the end, Astoria learned that Vanny was Haris's ex-girlfriend from high school, and a one-sided broken relationship was the main reason why he dared to take advantage of the situation. He hired Vanny as his second secretary, and it seemed that Astoria had some doubts about a thought that had crossed her mind.

Mr. Corbyn isn't looking for revenge, is he? Because if he is, it's clear that the plan is working now. Look, it's only been a few days and Vanny already looks like she's going crazy.

Astoria felt sad, but there was nothing she could do.

"Saving from an early age is good," Astoria pretended not to know. "Because nobody knows what the future will bring."

Vanny grinned, a forced laugh escaping her lips, her face showing frustration. "I don't think I have a future anymore, ma'am."

Once again, Astoria, who had started to reach for her coffee cup, suddenly froze. And again, she turned around, looked at Vanny and could only swallow her saliva.

"D-don't say that, Vanny. Seriously. You might accidentally turn it into a prayer."

Astoria exhaled as she continued her intention to make a cup of coffee, grimacing as she realized she was echoing Haris' words. Meanwhile, she knew full well that the reason for Vanny's distress was Haris' actions.

With a slight nod, Vanny confirmed Astoria's statement. Then she emptied her glass, along with the nutritious cereal water, into her digestive system. Together with Astoria, Vanny then returned to her secretary's desk.

"What about Mr. Corbyn's accommodations in Pineville? Is everything arranged?"

Vanny nodded weakly. "The hotel, the car and everything else is ready, ma'am. Nothing has been overlooked."

"That's good," Astoria nodded. "And how about yourself? Are you all set?"

Vanny looked at Astoria desperately. Suddenly she grabbed Astoria's hand and held it tightly. Vanny's abrupt action naturally startled Astoria.

"W-what's wrong, Van?"

Vanny stared at Astoria with a determined and hopeful look. "Can we trade jobs, ma'am?"

"J-job swap?"

Vanny nodded. "Just let me do all your chores here, whatever they may be, as long as I don't have to accompany Mr. Corbyn on his trip."

"Uh, well, that..."

"I get airsick, ma'am. I get seasick. Even if I'm in a car for too long, I can get car sick. I really can't go far."

Whether Vanny's words were true or not, a feeling of pity began to grow in Astoria's heart. She could imagine how uncomfortable Vanny must feel in her current situation. Working as a subordinate of her ex-boyfriend, who cunningly exploited the situation and conditions like Haris? Astoria could not stand it. But once again, she could not do anything about it.

Even if Astoria wanted to change jobs, as Vanny had suggested earlier, it was obviously impossible. The role of a secretary was not trivial. If Astoria stayed in the office, she would be the substitute face for Haris whenever he was absent. Surely this was not something Vanny, who had only worked there for a short time, could take on.

"I'm not unwilling, Van."

Astoria's words immediately caused Vanny's grip on her fingers to loosen.

"But all the tasks are already assigned and we can't change them at will."

Vanny's hand dropped and hung in the air.

"I'm sorry, okay?"

Vanny could only nod weakly. In fact, even before she tried her luck, she could tell that the likelihood of her request succeeding was very slim.

Riiing!

The phone rang again at just the right moment, giving Astoria a reason to get out of the uncomfortable situation. She grabbed the handle of the phone.

"Hello, sir."

Of course, it was Haris. Vanny was one hundred percent sure.

"Alright, sir. I'll get right on it."

Astoria hung up the phone. She turned back to Vanny, who suddenly tensed. An alarm bell was ringing loudly in her head.

"Vanny, could you make some coffee for Mr. Corbyn and bring it to his office?"

Vanny blinked for a moment. Then she pointed at herself. "Mr. Corbyn wants me to make coffee?"

"Yes," Astoria nodded. "Black coffee, no sugar."

Oh, my goodness. Vanny could not believe it. While she was trying to find a way to escape him-even skipping lunch to save money-Haris was doing the opposite?

Finally, perhaps because of Vanny's extreme stress, an idea came to her. Something that made her run to the pantry through clenched teeth.

"So, you like bitter coffee, Haris? Um... how about sweet coffee?"

Without holding back, Vanny filled half the cup with sugar!

*