Chapter 17

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Ashley's pov

We were eating food in silence when every other woman was stealing a look at him while he was busy relaxing his eyes on me.

And as a woman who had been grumpy in her empty stomach would do in my state I was doing the same.

I was so engrossed in devouring the food that I forgot the time when he cleared his throat I realised I took it for too long.

His sharp eyes and hazel state of mind was telling me he would make me feel worse for being who I am.

However, he didn't he just shook his head and laughed at my poor state.

"Now, come on Ms Brooke, otherwise we will be late," he started striding away with his long legs, only to make me wobble more with my almost broken sandals that were in the state of collapsing on the floor.

"Wait," I tried to reach out my voice to him before I could get lost in this big hotel.

And as jeopardy is in my life is. A storm saw ahead of my eyes invading my whole world when my sandal got broken, and I lost balance when I was in the eye of people looking at me as a lost ghost who is here to entertain them with her miserable life.

When my bum was ready to hurt the floor with my hard and wobbly state, I felt some hard and strong muscles, rescuing me from the biggest blunder of life, until my head got collided with the warmness of his chest.

"Ms Brooke, are you alright?"

His sharp eyes became warm for a second, showing the human emotion for the first time, and maybe my heart picked up a race with a rhythm that one more time he asked me- are you alright Ms Brooke? I will become more like a jellyfish who had no idea how to behave in the propensity of the world.

"Yes, I am alright,"  I tried to say, damn it! When I had to be brave and strong, I am acting like a child who had no above in her mouth?

Why I am becoming more fragile and shaky against his touch, maybe for the first time someone didn't let me fall on the ground, maybe for the first time, someone extended his hand to help me out.

And I lost my balance once again as I was trying to get up with my broken sandals while refusing to accept his hands on my body.

"Oh, your sandals are broke, let's go there is a showroom over there," he started striding away to the exit when I was under his control, as I already took them out.

But the problem here is how could I tell him I cannot afford shopping in a showroom?

How could I tell him I was the woman who used to work in there not the one to shop from there?

How could I say I have always looked at these big showrooms from far away and never tried to be inside.

How can I make him understand I am a broke girl with no past and future?

"This was my mistake, I should have to keep up with your pace, consider this as an apology from my side," he muttered when I was continuously mumbling there was no need to do so. There was no need to gift me a pair of sandals from the showroom as an apology, I don't deserve this! And I won't be able to return it to him.

However, the more I tried to reach out to him with my rapacious movements the more he became consistent to take me inside the showroom.

Finally, I gave up as I had learned in past hours, he was the man who will do anything in his power to make others feel desirable.

Everyone was too watching the scene with their keen eyes, so I thought it's not a better time to argue with him, I will return this too when I will receive another paycheck until then I shall be thankful to him to save my pride.

As we went to the showroom, I realised it belongs to Kapoor Industries.

My stomach churned again in the presence of the name of Kapoor, as I saw the interior in the showroom, I realised how big this world is and how little I am.

There were so many customers, wearing rich brand clothes, hovering over the place and embarking their presence as they belong here.

Mr Steward must be a quite good name in business as when he landed his foot inside the showroom, everyone inside started gawking at him when all the staff members approached him, he guided them to me.

When I was busy turning into the darkest shape of the deep root.

"Let the lady decide whatever she wants, and you guys must help her!" He authoritatively talked to them while getting occupied on his cellphone then he excused himself for a second and walked away to a silent place to attend a call.

My heart was about to explode, I had no idea what was happening in my life, Ashley Brooke, the girl from the road is inside this bog showroom when every other staff was on her tail.

God, what are you doing to me?

I thought of one thing in my mind, to get the cheapest footwear from here so I don't have to spend later any more amount of money.

When I went to the area where they were shining bright under the light of thousands of lights, radiating in every colour I saw a price tag on one of them that was black wedges, and my eyes went wide.

My six-month salary was written on a pair of sandals!

Oh, this hurts to see your amount of hard work was written on there with capital bold numbers.

No, no, I can take this, I gently smiled at one of the staff members and shook my head in a silent move, until my eyes landed on one of the copper colours sandals who were perfect for me, they had no shining thing on them, they were little dull actually and was dying on the corner, calling out my name in the manner of acknowledgement until I saw the price tag on them.

At least they were in the range of my one month salary, however, the staff told me so that this is the cheapest pair here, so I took it out tried before making them bundle it up.

Mr John steward came and handed the manager his card run which steward was written in bold colours.

When it got packed, we left the showroom and was about to reach his car, until I felt the weather was in the direction to change, suddenly it felt like a whole century has passed, I saw the time and I realised I got late! I am half an hour late for the office.

The lunch break has ended a long time ago,

I asked Mr steward to drive fast, and he for the wishful of God, listened to me and drove very fast until we reached Jensen's Industries.

His cellphone started ringing, maybe he has to attend a call, and I cannot wait for him, so I muttered to him sorry, and ran to save my life.

When I reached the elevator, I found it dead, the hell it was not working, there was no one on the ground floor, as it's office hours so I could sense everyone must have endorsed in the work to get it done while I was late when Mr Kapoor has strictly told me that he isn't in any situation is fond of tardiness.

So I ran, barefoot, to the stairs and started running, I reached the tenth floor, with my heavy heart and shaky voice, my trembling figure was on the verge of collapse until I heard the sound of elevators once again,

After pressing the floor, I leaned onto the sidelines, calming myself so that I could catch my breath.

And as I reached the floor, I saw Shawn was already waiting for me impatiently while talking on his walky-talky.

"Where were you, Ms Ashely Brooke?"

His voice came more as a threat, his eyes were dangerous, and his sharp eyebrows were telling me something is wrong.

"Sorry, I-I-" he cut me off and told me Mr Jensen was on the call waiting for me so I better not get late and answer him!

"Hello?" My breath was still heavy due to running to the stairs,

"Ms Brooke, what I said I don't allow tardiness, now tell me where we were you from past half an hour?" I gulped, his voice was dead stone, which made me jump on my foot from the horror.

"Sir, I mean Me Jensen, my sandals they got broke so Mr steward help me out, and-"

"What? My office is not for youngsters to find their love interest, so go back to your work!" And with that, he cut off the call.

What does he mean to say? That I am a broke and desperate woman trying to find love?

You know what Mr Jense, I am not interested in any men, especially that man who are cold-hearted like you,!