Chapter 1 So Much for Relationships

I adjusted my lipstick, giving myself another glance in the mirror. I looked great, nothing like a girl who had just been dumped by her high school sweetheart barely a day ago. I growled, letting go of my lipstick as a memory came to mind.

"Why did I even beg?" I muttered, grabbing my lipstick and putting it in my purse.

As I stared at my heels, I felt nothing. He was like a rock, someone I thought was safe and would never leave me. I thought we could be happy together, at least until he dropped that bombshell on me:

"I'm in love with someone else."

Like I would have begged him to stay if I was capable of falling in love with someone. It didn't change the fact that he would see me as a desperate woman, and I wasn't looking forward to running into him today. We were in the same department, was it even possible to avoid him?

My watch beeped and I stared at its small screen with wide eyes.

"Fuck," I muttered, dashing out of my house.

How did this happen?

I, Tyra Claude, the employee of the month six months in a row, was actually late. Knowing how quick rumours spread in my workplace, my co-workers would think I was late because of the break up. If only my boss would believe that.

My workplace was only a short walk from my house, a move I made so I wouldn't have to pay for the bus. Call me a cheapskate, but it worked. I dashed inside, ignoring the stares of everyone as I went to the elevator. I could hear the familiar sound of the door opening and mumbled prayers which were quickly halted when I crashed into a wall.

I stumbled, falling on my butt. I scanned the place, trying to determine how many people had watched me make a fool of myself.

"Are you okay?" I heard someone ask in front of me and let out a small laugh.

"If you consider fine as humiliating yourself, then I'm fuck-"

I cut myself short when my gaze shifted to the person who spoke. Dark grey eyes, shiny brown hair and a body that made any girl-besides me-swoon. I had just bumped into my boss, Ashton Pierce, and technically swore in front of him.

"Ms. Claude, you were saying something?" He asked, amusement clear in his tone as he cocked his head to a side.

He knew my name? Technically not my name, but he knew my last name.

"Y-you know my name?" I asked, instantly face palming as I realised what I had just asked.

"Of course I know your name. Who wouldn't know the name of their secretary?"

Secretary? I wasn't his secretary.

I quickly got up, dusting the imaginary dirt off my skirt. "I'm not your secretary." I muttered, slightly offended that he thought I was. "I'm in the first marketing team."

He leaned closer to me and it was the first time I noticed the stares of two other men clad in suits who were behind him. "It seems you don't read your E-mails. Starting today, Tyra Claude, you're my new secretary."

^^

"...How the fuck did that even happen?!" I yelled, glaring at my best friend, Joanne, when I heard her laugh. "This isn't funny." I said, my tone flat and my face not giving anything away.

She shrugged as she took a bite of her sandwich. "I mean, it kinda is. Maybe he likes you."

I gave her a disgusted look. "Nope, you're stupid. Besides, liking me isn't a valid reason for him to change my position. Being hot doesn't mean he can do everything that he likes."

I could see Joanne's face darkened, but it quickly went away when she looked at me. "D-do you still have feelings for Zeke?"

Ah... Zeke, my ex-boyfriend. Of course I didn't. A part of me didn't want to tell Joanne that, she was making me uncomfortable right now. What a random topic to switch to all of a sudden.

"I-I don't have feelings for him. I didn't break up first because he was safe... someone I didn't have feelings for, but I was still comfortable around..." I trailed off. The way Joanne could make me say everything on my mind was scary.

"Hmm..." She mumbled, taking another bite of her sandwich. My face twitched, the way she responded irked me.

"Look, I-"

"I'm going to the restroom," She cut me off and quickly left.

I blinked a few times and decided to ignore her weird behaviour. She was like that sometimes and it was something I needed to get used to.

A few minutes had passed and Joanne was still nowhere in sight. What could be taking her time? My lunch was finished and with break being almost over, I decided to check up on her. I ignored the stares I got as I walked down the hallways, rumours must have already spread that Ashton made me his secretary.

When I pushed open the door of the girl's restroom, it was empty. No one was in the stalls and I became confused.

"Where is she?" I muttered and left the bathroom.

I was about to leave and ask her about it when I saw her later, but that was when I heard something. Wait, more like two somethings.

"Moaning..." I muttered and looked around. Across the female restroom was the janitor's closet and as I pushed the door open, my eyes widened in shock.

Whoever said that ignorance was bliss, was right.

"J-Joanne, Zeke?" They pulled away from each other, the both of them refusing to meet my gaze. Joanne made slow steps towards me and attempted to hold my hand but I took a few steps back.

"Y-you don't need to explain or apologize." My gaze shifted to Zeke. "W-we broke up right? You can make out with whoever you want, even if it's my best friend."

I didn't wait for them to speak before I left. I wasn't in the mood to hear apologies they probably didn't mean. I bit my lip to stop myself from crying. Zeke, the person I thought of as my rock, was making out with my best friend. Were they screwing each other while we were dating?

My thoughts were cut off when I bumped into someone, the person caught me before I could fall, and through my teary gaze, I could make out Ashton's face.

"A-are you okay?"

I tried to speak but no words came out. Instead, I squeezed my eyes shut and shook my head. "I-I'm not..." I stuttered, only stopping when he let go of me. And without another word, I ran off.