Dominated

Chapter 2

Amelia was dreading the end of her workday. She had spent the last hour typing one excuse after another to Brooke but couldn't bring herself to hit send. By the time 5pm rolled around, she still hadn't found a reason not to attend the dinner party. So, she packed up her belongings, shoved her laptop into her tote bag, and then disinfected her keyboard. She took another look at her desk, checking for anything else that needed to be cleaned. When she found her workstation to be spotless, she reluctantly pulled her jacket on and threw her tote over her shoulder.

As she approached her door, Vaughn appeared on the other side with a manila folder tucked under his arm. Her mistake was making eye contact through the glass because he took it as an invitation to enter her office.

"Ms. Lee, you're leaving already?" he asked, glancing at his watch.

"It's five," she responded nonchalantly.

"Well, these are all the clients in need of treatment once they're released from custody," he explained to Amelia as he handed the folders off to her.

Amelia hesitantly accepted the stack. Her body sagged forward when she felt the weight of the folders in her arms. "I'll make this a priority when I return on Monday."

"I don't think you understand me," he said with a shake of his head. "We need to secure a bed for each of them immediately."

"Treatment centers are closed now," she calmly told him. She was surprised that her voice didn't shake, which it usually did when she spoke to him.

"You can start emailing their recommended centers," he suggested, to which Amelia shook her head. "And why not?"

"I have other commitments," she answered. Although she didn't want to attend the dinner party, it beat staying in the office on a Friday night.

Vaughn pulled his brows together. He looked genuinely confused by Amelia's response. "So, you're leaving?"

"I can come in earlier on Monday," she suggested. Her voice was small and meek, but it made Vaughn smile.

"I'll see you on Monday then, Ms. Lee." Pleased with himself, he turned on his heel and then exited her office, leaving her alone to contemplate her offer.

She couldn't explain why she offered solutions for predicaments that Vaughn put her in. He overworked her and took advantage of her inability to disobey him. She had let him get away with it for so long that she didn't know how to set boundaries with him now.

Defeated, Amelia sighed and then turned off the light in her office. Then she locked the door and quietly made her way through the common workspace. Many of the attorneys were still working, too distracted by their computer screens to notice Amelia walking through. They often ignored her anyway. She was the legal assistant with a private space. Meanwhile, they were stuck in cubicles, but when they'd complain about their working conditions, Vaughn would tell his attorneys that an office was unnecessary since they spent most of their time in court. His nonchalant response only made the rest of the staff despise her more.

But Lily, the firm's receptionist, however, never tried to make Amelia feel guilty for something completely out of her control. She grinned as Amelia passed through the lobby and waved her over.

"Where are you hurrying off to?" she asked Amelia.

Amelia adjusted her tote on her shoulder as she stopped in front of Lily's desk. "Brooke's announcing her engagement tonight."

Lily frowned. "To Wes?"

"Yeah," Amelia quietly said. She tried to smile, but it faltered.

"Sweetie, I'm sorry," Lily said. Her voice was gentle, and Amelia could tell she was genuinely upset for her. "I know it's been difficult seeing them together."