Please Be Mine, Miss Secretary

"Mia, may I ask you something?" Julian's question successfully made the secretary stop walking. Two seconds later, the girl who was initially going towards the door, turned to face him.

"What is it, Sir?"

With hands in the pockets, the CEO circled the desk and stopped right in front of his secretary.

"Max, you, and I grew up together since childhood. In other words, you must already know us very well," he said with an expression that was difficult to predict. That was the first time Mia had seen such an expression. "What kind of person do you think my brother is?"

Getting a ridiculous question, the secretary almost furrowed her brows. However, out of respect for the boss, she was forced to maintain an even face.

"Mr. Max is a smart and caring person. Even though he is assertive and ambitious, he still put family as his priority. The type of man that many women dream of," Mia answered honestly.

"Is that so? Then, have you ever had a crush on him?"

Hearing the unexpected question, Mia suddenly raised an eyebrow. "Sorry?"

"You said that my brother is the dream of many women. Are you one of them?"

"Why do you suddenly ask such a thing, Sir?" the secretary replied, tilting her head.

Julian shrugged slightly. "Just want to know. So, do you ever like him?"

After a moment of contemplation, Mia nodded firmly. "Yes. Even now, I still like him."

In just an instant, the CEO's heart was beating wildly. He didn't expect the spontaneous question to cause more anxiety.

"Is that why you never accepted my love? Because you're still in his shadow?" Julian asked as he couldn't hide his surprise.

Instead of answering, Mia sighed in disbelief. "Why do you think so? Of course not."

"But you just confessed that you still like him," the man argued with a roaring breath.

"Didn't you say earlier that the three of us grew up together? I've always thought of Mr. Max as my brother. So, it's natural that I like him. He's always kind and thought of me as a little sister."

Realizing that he had misunderstood, Julian blinked wordlessly. The man did not know that a small talk can also harm the heart.

"Are your emotional outbursts relapse, Sir? Your mind seems a bit muddled," Mia quipped innocently.

"Of course not. I'm just testing you," Julian muttered, scratching his temples.

"Test what?"

Annoyed that the girl in front of him was completely insensitive, the CEO spontaneously snorted. "Your loyalty to Gabriella. Who knows, you might suddenly betray your friendship and take Max away from her."

"It seems that you are not testing my loyalty but my patience, Sir. Before we fight again, let me get back to work."

When the girl was about to turn around, Julian suddenly grabbed her arms.

"Sorry .... I was just kidding. Actually, I want to know your opinion about me. How is Julian Evans in your eyes? Why don't you take it seriously every time I tell you how I feel?" the man said in a gentle tone.

Mia could feel the sincerity in those warm eyes. Therefore, before she drowned in it, the girl quickly brushed the CEO's hand away.

"Sorry, Sir. We're in the office, and now it's working hours. We must not interfere the personal matters with work."

"But all today's agenda has been carried out, and we just have to wait for the time to go home," Julian persuaded hopefully.

Mia already knew the man's behavior. After holding her off, Julian would explain how much he loved her. Then, she would deny and their conversation ended in a fight.

"Sorry, Sir. Today, I'm in a bad mood. Better, we'll talk about it later," the secretary implied flatly.

"Later, later, later. How long are you going to put off this discussion?"

"What discussion, Sir? Haven't we reached a conclusion? I can't reciprocate your feelings."

"Impossible!" Julian rebuked, shaking the secretary's arm so that the girl's eyes widened. "You have the same feelings as me, Mia. I can feel it."

Sighing, the secretary shook her head faintly. "Please don't make it up, Sir."

"I said what it is. You do love me, Mia. Have you forgotten how panicked you were when I was attacked by the criminal back then? Don't you realize how much attention you always give me?"

"That's because I am your secretary as well as your personal assistant, Sir. Please don't get me wrong," Mia said as she tried to free herself from the CEO's grip.

Suddenly, Julian scrutinized the girl's eyeballs closely.

"Now, tell me. What keeps you from avoiding me? I've thought of all kinds of possibilities. The worst thing is that you secretly have a crush on Max. Since it's not true, then what?" the man inquired in a slow, stressed voice.

Looking at the seriousness of the man, Mia didn't move. Her eyes were shaking, while her jaw clenched tightly. With such a cold expression, Julian wouldn't be able to break through her defenses.

"You don't want to talk, huh? You have the heart to make me curious for the rest of my life?" Julian urged while widening his eyes, hoping Mia would be touched by his determination.

However, a few seconds passed, the secretary was still steadfast with her mouth and heart tightly locked. Knowing the attempt failed again, Julian finally lowered his head and closed his eyes. Sighing, he lamented the sad fate of his love.

"Why are you always silent, Mia? At least, tell me the reason you rejected me. I can improve myself, or ... find a solution. But don't hang me like this," the man whispered before lifting his head again, revealing the red eyes. He was really frustrated with his love.

After a moment of silence, Mia's lips finally began to open. A glimmer of hope automatically brightened the man's face.

"Can I go now?" the girl asked, making Julian close his eyes again and take a deep breath. The seeds of hope were dead before they could sprout.

With a heavy heart, the man let go of the secretary's arm. "Yes," he sighed with a sad nod.

With a stiff face, Mia stepped back. Without saying sorry or excuse, the girl left the room, leaving Julian feeling disorganized.

"That girl ... how could she let me suffer like this? Does she do it on purpose? She must want to punish me for a crime I did," Julian thought before ruffling his hair and slamming into the couch. His body felt weak and powerless.

After flinching through the silence, the CEO finally reached for the phone. Once the device was to his ear, he looked up, letting his head rest on the top of the couch.

"What's the matter, Julian?" a woman asked without a chance to say hello.

"The 136th report, my attempt failed again. Mia just kept quiet and looked at me with a flat expression," he said in a low tone.

"What were you doing? Is there anything different from the usual way?"

Getting such a question, the CEO suddenly grimaced. He just realized that his emotions had messed up his plans. "I wanted to get her giving an opinion about me. But, I failed."

"You're rash," the woman said on the other side of the phone.

A second later, the babbling of a baby sounded as if it continued his mother's words. "Yayaya ...."

"Listen it! Even your nephew agrees with me."

After one quick breath, Julian nodded faintly. "Right. I was reckless."

"Later, try to be calm. If you continue to fail controlling your emotions, you will never get clarity from her. Women don't like being urged, Julian. Make Mia speak without pressure or coercion."

Taking a deep breath, gathering hope, Julian straightened up. "Okay. I will try again."

"Remember! Don't let your emotions explode again! I don't want to accept the 1000th report," Gabriella said, successfully coloring Julian's face with horror.

"If that's the case..., you should immediately send me to a mental hospital."

When Julian left the room, his eyes automatically opened wide. For the first time, he did not find the secretary at the front desk.

"Is Mia home yet? Why didn't she wait for me?" the man muttered as he checked under the table. As expected, not a single bag was hanging there. "Mia really left me."

After a brief contemplation, Julian gasped. Something had crossed his mind. Wasting no time, he walked briskly, trying to find the secretary.

"Mia is used to dealing with my emotional outbursts. There's no way she'd be mad," the man muttered, denying his own thoughts. He couldn't imagine if the girl's patience would not last. How to win Mia's heart if the girl no longer listened to his words?

Just as Julian turned a corner, his eyes caught the secretary's shadow. The girl had just entered the elevator.

"Mia!" the CEO called without paying attention to the volume of his voice. A second later, he ran over to the girl. "Mia!"

Unfortunately, when he arrived, the door had closed. A second later, the numbers on the screen started to move down.

"Tsk, why didn't she heed my call?" Julian grumbled with breath starting to roar. "Is she really that angry?"

Sighing in annoyance, the CEO rushed into the elevator next door. He didn't have any idea that the secretary was thinking the same thing about him.

"Is Mr. Julian mad that I went without him?" the girl thought with furrowed brows. Gripping the straps of the bag tighter, she let out a quick breath.

"No, no. I can't waver. From now on, I have to be more assertive. No more attention. Don't let Mr. Julian put the hopes up. His thought about me liking Mr. Max was over the limit. All this must be stopped immediately before other more misleading thoughts arise."

Suddenly, the elevator tinkled. As soon as the door opened, two female staff walked in, laughing out loud. However, as soon as they saw the secretary, they immediately bowed and fell silent.

"Why is she using the public elevator?" the staff with longer hair whispered.

"Maybe she's in a fight with Mr. CEO," her partner said, looking at Mia's reflection in the shiny elevator door. "Or perhaps, she was tired of chasing after him. She failed to get Mr. Max. And now, it's been more than two years, but Mr. Julian still hasn't proposed to her. She must be disappointed that their relationship is suspended."

Hearing such talk, Mia's heart heated up. However, with all her might, she kept a straight face.

"I heard she's the daughter of a servant of the Evans family," the thin-lipped staff whispered again.

"Is that true?"

"Who knows? But, if that's true and she's still trying to get close to Mr. CEO, she really is shameless. Even though her position is secretary, she still came from a lower class. The Evans family's dignity could fall if Mr. Julian marries her."

Without thinking about Mia's feelings, the long-haired staff immediately nodded.

"Right. Look at Mr. Max as an example. After marrying the poor girl, he was immediately kicked out of the company by his own father. Even though he's starting to rise now, still, his status has dropped in the eyes of everyone in Quebracha."

"But, I can understand if Mr. Max fell in love with Gabriella. Have you ever seen her in person? She's really beautiful. I heard she's a genius too. It's natural that Mr. Max would make her his wife."

"That's true. And their son .... Have you seen him? He is very cute. I follow his daily life through social media. He's very adorable," the woman said as she began to forget controlling her voice. She didn't seem to care if Mia could hear.

Suddenly, the thin-lipped woman patted her partner's arm. "Then, can you imagine if Mr. Julian marries Miss Secretary? There's nothing great about her. Their child will definitely not be as cute as Mr. Max and Gabriella's son. What can they rely on to maintain their dignity?"

Hearing such rude words, the air in Mia's lungs rumbled more and more, while tears had prepared to cover her vision. She didn't know how much longer she could hold on.

Luckily, the elevator suddenly stopped. As soon as the door opened, a group of employees rushed in.

Being around so many people, the slanted talk about Miss Secretary was discontinued. The sadness slowly began to fade. Mia was finally able to take a deep breath from her mouth.

"Thank God," the girl thought as she glanced at the women who wore innocent looks. The two of them didn't feel guilty at all. They didn't even care if behind the secretary's cold expression there was deep sadness.

Arriving at the lobby, Mia walked with unsteady steps. Her mind was still on the staff's words, until suddenly, someone jerked her arm.

"Why did you leave without telling me?"

In just an instant, the girl's eyes opened wide. With a sigh of disbelief, she checked the surroundings. People were excited to see their CEO's behavior. Julian had to be awakened immediately.

"S-sorry, Sir. But, I'm in a hurry," Mia answered flatly. With a stiff expression, she pushed the man's hand to let go.

"Where are you going?"

Quick as lightning, Mia made up an excuse. "Visit my mother, Sir."

"What's wrong with Auntie?" Julian asked, ignoring the eyes around.

"Nothing, Sir. I promised to spend some time talking to her after work. Lately, I've been too busy with work," Mia explained with a slightly downcast face. She wasn't usually worried if her lie was detected.

"Then, let's go together. I have to go there too. Cayden is waiting for me," Julian said with a firm nod.

Mia spontaneously glanced around her. Many eyes were still watching their movements. If she refused, there would definitely be a commotion or misunderstanding. With such conditions, the girl was forced to accept the offer. "Okay."

Without waiting for Julian, Mia walked to the CEO's special elevator. The girl didn't want to be a spectacle any longer. The sooner she disappeared from the cynical gazes of the female employees, the sooner she could scold the CEO for such an irrational act.

"Why did you do that, Sir?" Mia attacked as soon as Julian got in and closed the car door.

With high arched eyebrows, the man replied, "Did what?"

"Stopped me in the lobby and blatantly offered me a ride," the girl snapped.

"Is there something wrong with it?" Julian asked, completely carefree.

Receiving such a response, the secretary spontaneously released annoyance in the air. "Of course it's wrong. Have you forgotten that you are already a CEO?"

Without thinking, the man shook his head. "No."

"Then why don't you keep your reputation?"

Suddenly, Julian's eyes narrowed. "Do you think that offering you a ride can damage my reputation?"

"Of course. Everyone who sees it will badmouth us."

Hearing the tone of the voice that began to rise, the man shook his head, not understanding. "For the past two years, we always went home together. Why do you suddenly think so and object now?"

"Because I just realized. A CEO shouldn't be too close to a secretary. It can cause envy in the hearts of other employees," the girl replied with a small frown at the base of her eyebrow.

"Your words really don't make sense, Mia. Anyone knows that a CEO is indeed closest to his secretary."

"But working hours have ended, so has my duty as a secretary. Your attitude could cause suspicion and bad news about us. They will think that we are in a relationship. You can be labeled as a CEO who is unprofessional and has low taste," Mia said firmly.

The silence was gripping for a moment. Julian had just read something in his secretary's eyes, something he had been looking for in a long time. Honesty.

"Is that the reason you rejected me all this time?" the man sighed in disbelief. "Are you afraid that our relationship will destroy my reputation?"

In just an instant, Mia gasped. Her lips trembled wordlessly. She had said something Julian shouldn't have known.

In order to cover up the heart that had been revealed, the girl shook her head quickly. "No. Obviously, that's not the reason."

"So, what?"

"Because you are not to my taste, Sir. A man who has neither courage nor self-control is completely unreliable. It often makes me sick."

Hearing this statement, Julian's breath suddenly roared. His heart was torn apart by turmoil of feelings that were difficult to describe.

"Have you ever loved me?" Julian asked in a low, emphatic tone.

While clenching her fists, Mia forced her stiff head to move. "I never loved you, Sir."

"Nonsense!" The man's rebuke succeeded in making the girl hold her breath. "You obviously have the same feelings as me, Mia. Several times, I saw it in your eyes. But, why do you always deny?"

"It's just your imagination, Sir. I never had that kind of feeling. Our relationship is only limited to subordinate and superior."

"Lie!"

A second later, Julian clutched his head and grimaced. "If you never love me, then why are you always faithful to be by my side?"

"Because I owe to the Evans family. It is my duty to help you in any trouble."

Hearing such an excuse, the man shook his head and sighed. "Impossible. You even cried when I almost died. Your kindness and concern are not only because of obedience, Mia, but because of love," he said in a pitiful tone. The man had succumbed to emotions that resembled a roller coaster.

Unexpectedly, the secretary snorted.

"I wonder why you insist on believing things that are not real. The love between us is just your wish. If you consider my attention as a form of affection, I'm sorry, Sir. You are wrong. Rather than love, it's closer to pity," the secretary said with teary eyes. It took all her strength to say such a cruel word.

"Pity? You feel sorry for me?" Julian mumbled with maximally arched brows.

While clenching her jaw, Mia nodded. "Yes. Because of that too, I never mentioned the reason why I couldn't accept you. It's clear that you would be hurt, just like this time. Sorry if I hurt your feelings, Sir, but that's how it is."

In the silence, Julian looked the girl in the eye. He saw no honesty in it. But why, the secretary's words sounded so steady?

"What makes you feel sorry for me?" the man asked in a low voice. He still hoped to find a gap to break the defenses of the girl's heart.

"As you said, we have known each other since childhood. Good or bad, your character has been recorded in my brain, "Mia answered smoothly.

"Then, how is Julian Evans in your eyes? What makes you feel pity?"

Knowing that the man was testing, Mia lifted her chin. "Didn't I mention it before? You don't have the courage. In just one day, these fingers are not enough to count the number of times you have asked me for confirmation in your decision making. You are too afraid to take risks or mistakes."

Before Julian could respond, the secretary had resumed talking. "Besides, you also lack self-control. Have you ever counted how many times you vent your emotions in one day?"

"You always mention those two things. Isn't there anything else?" Julian challenged as he was still hopeful. He thought that the girl would stutter or be confused looking for an excuse

"Yes," Mia said unexpectedly. "Julian Evans is the most selfish man I have ever met."

Hearing the new nickname, the CEO's brows automatically furrowed.

"Wait a minute. I accept being called a coward or having low emotional control. You must know that I'm trying to fix those two things. But, selfish? Since when did that word stick with me?"

"Since you forced your will on me. Are you aware every time you claim that your love is reciprocated? I think it's been more than a hundred, if not thousands of times. Isn't that just your wish? A form of selfishness."

Suddenly, Julian laughed in a bitter way. The madness in his brain was almost activated.

"I'm trying to get you to accept reality, but you're calling me selfish?" Shaking his head in disbelief, the man snorted. "How unfair," he muttered as he started the engine.

"If you don't want to be called selfish, stop urging me to accept your love," Mia pleaded aloud even though her throat had narrowed. The determination to survive was far greater than the turmoil in her chest.

Without giving an answer, Julian stepped on the gas pedal. He didn't care if the engine wasn't heated up. The boiling blood had reached his head. If the debate continued, the man would not be able to control the roaring breath and tears.

Knowing the man's anger, Mia finally fell silent. With the gaze straight through the windshield, she maintained a cold look. Actually, the girl's heart was also beating wildly. However, her unease was not something that could be expressed.

"This is the best way," the secretary thought, calming the struggling heart. "Mia Sanders is not an ignorant girl. I am strong and independent. This feeling will surely pass as long as Mr. Julian doesn't bring it up again. I just need to hold on a little longer."

***

"Hello, Little Prince!"

A woman who was holding her son in the bathtub turned around. As soon as her eyes caught Julian's presence, she immediately waved the baby's tiny fingers.

"Hello, Uncle," Gabriella said, imitating a child's voice.

As soon as his hand left his mother's grasp, Cayden immediately patted the water with joy.

"Why does he take a bath at this time?" Julian asked as he sat on the edge of the tub.

"Max gave him a box of ice cream," Gabriella answered without needing to go into detail. The brother-in-law could already imagine what happened next.

"Where is my brother?" Julian asked after a moment of nodding.

Lifting the baby out of the warm water, the woman replied, "In the workroom, on a call from a client."

After a glance, Gabriella turned towards the door. "Then, where is Mia? I thought you two would come here together."

Hearing that name, a tired sigh immediately escaped from the man's mouth. "That's what I wanted to discuss with you. We had a big fight earlier, and she finally said why she didn't accept my love."

While wrapping Cayden in a towel, the woman raised an eyebrow. "What is the reason?"

"Because I'm a coward, lack of self-control, and selfish. But I'm sure, it's all just a fabrication. She must still keep the real reason."

"Did Mia really say that?" Gabriella asked in disbelief. After a quick blink, she walked into the room with the baby playing with the fluffy furs around his body.

"Yes. She even said that her kindness and concern for me all this time was a form of compassion. Can you imagine the situation in my heart?"

Without thinking, Gabriella shook her head quickly. "I can't believe Mia can say something like that. We're not talking about Amber, are we?" the woman implied as she laid Cayden on the bed.

Hearing the long lost name, Julian's expression suddenly stiffened. "Could it be ... Mia is acting like that since Amber has returned? She could threaten Mia again."

"Impossible. Amber just did a live video on her social media. She was snowboarding somewhere. Maybe, she's starting to forget about you."

"Impossible," the man sighed as he was starting to enjoy playing with his nephew in the towel, as Gabriella opened the cupboard. "A cunning woman like Amber is not to be trusted. She has a million ways to get what she wants. Don't you remember how persistent that woman was when she targeted your husband?"

A second later, a small laugh escaped Gabriella's mouth. "Yes, she is indeed too persistent, but you shouldn't forget. In the end, she let go of Max and turned to you. After that, there's no news of any other men in the vicinity. So, most likely, she still wants you."

Tired of talking about his ex-lover, Julian sighed. "How about we refocus on the main problem. What should I do now? I feel that Mia is getting further and further away from me."

"Yayayaya ..." Cayden mumbled, successfully unraveling the wrinkles at the base of his uncle's eyebrows.

"Right. You must listen to the Little Prince, Julian. Even a child at his age knows what to do," Gabriella said while applying lotion to her son's body.

Witnessing the cooperation of the mother and son, Julian blinked. "What did he say?"

"Don't give up and keep trying."

Getting such a general answer, Julian spontaneously grimaced. "I've tried all the ways and the result is like this, Gabriella," he said almost desperately. "I guess, before Mia's real reason is revealed, I'll still be at the same point."

"How about you ignore your suspicions? Consider the reasons described by Mia as honesty. What would you do?" the woman asked as she put on the baby's diaper.

"If that's the real reason, then I have to correct myself immediately."

Suddenly, Gabriella snapped her fingers. "That's the answer. Why don't you show your sincerity to meet the criteria? Maybe, Mia can be touched and want to open her heart. If necessary, ask her for a challenge."

"Challenge?" Julian repeated the word with a wrinkled brow.

In an instant, the woman flashed a meaningful smile even though her eyes were fixed on Cayden.