ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴡᴏᴍᴀɴ

Lunch With The Boss

Sofia arrived at the restaurant a few minutes early, feeling nervous and a little out of place. The Ritz-Carlton was one of the most expensive and exclusive hotels in the city, and she was dressed in her usual work attire, feeling underdressed compared to the other patrons.

Xavier arrived a few minutes later, dressed in a sharp suit and looking every inch, the successful businessman. She couldn't help but feel intimidated by his presence.

"Thank you for joining me, Sofia," he said, leading her to a table in the center of the restaurant. "I hope you don't mind me springing this on you at the last minute."

"No, sir, of course not," Sofia replied, trying to sound confident. "I'm honored to be here."

They sat down at the table, and a waiter appeared almost immediately to take their drink order. Xavier ordered a glass of red wine, while Sofia opted for water.

As they perused the menu, Sofia felt Xavier's eyes on her, his gaze intense and penetrating. She tried to make small talk, asking about his weekend and his plans for the rest of the day, but he seemed distant and preoccupied.

When the food arrived, they ate in silence, the only sound the clink of silverware on plates and the soft murmur of conversation from the other diners. Sofia felt uncomfortable, as if she were intruding on Xavier's private thoughts.

Finally, Xavier put down his fork and looked up at her.

"I wanted to talk to you about something," he said, his voice serious.

Her heart sank. She had a feeling this wasn't going to be a casual conversation.

"Of course, sir," she said, trying to keep her voice steady.

"I've been impressed with your work," Xavier continued. "You've been an invaluable asset to my team, and I want to offer you a promotion."

Sofia felt a surge of excitement, but it was quickly followed by a sense of dread. She knew that a promotion would mean more responsibility and more time working with Xavier, whom she still found intimidating and difficult to read.

"Thank you, sir," she said, trying to sound grateful. "I appreciate the offer."

Xavier leaned forward, his eyes fixed on hers.

"But I need to know if you're up for the challenge," he said. "This job requires a lot of dedication and hard work. Are you ready for that?"

Sofia felt her palms start to sweat. She knew that she was capable of doing the job, but she wasn't sure if she was ready for the pressure and scrutiny that came with working for Xavier.

"I think so, sir," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

He nodded, seemingly satisfied. "Good. I'll have my other  assistant draw up the paperwork and get it to you by the end of the week."

"Thank you." She said with a smile.

"You will still be my assistant while you're in training." He told her. Deep down, he wanted to spend more time with her.

After they finished their meal, Xavier paid the bill, and they walked out of the restaurant together. Sofia tried her best to walk confidently beside him, but her heart was beating fast, and she felt nervous about accidentally saying or doing something wrong.

As they walked out, Xavier said, "I hope you enjoyed the meal."

Sofia nodded, "Yes, sir. It was a great meal. Thank you for taking me."

As they walked out of the restaurant, Sofia's left hand brushed against Xavier's right hand. She could feel her heart racing as he turned to look at her.

Their eyes met, and for a moment, Sofia felt as if she was staring into his soul. She tried to look away, but she couldn't. Xavier's intense gaze held her captive.

Suddenly, Xavier's phone rang, breaking the spell. He quickly answered it and started walking ahead of her, leaving Sofia behind.

She felt a pang of disappointment as she followed him out of the hotel. She had hoped for a moment more of connection with her boss, but it seemed as though he was already moving on to the next task.

Sofia's heart was racing as she dialed Anna's number.

"Anna, you won't believe it." Sofia said as soon as her friend answered the phone.

"What? What happened?" Anna asked eagerly.

"I just got a promotion at work." Sofia exclaimed, barely able to contain her excitement.

"Oh my god! Congratulations bitch! That's amazing news!" Anna replied with genuine enthusiasm.

"I know! I can't believe it!" Sofia said, her voice filled with emotion.

"You definitely deserve it. Let's celebrate tonight. Let's hit up that new club downtown and have a few drinks to toast your success!" Anna suggested.

Sofia hesitated for a moment, thinking about how exhausted she was from work, but then realized that she needed to celebrate her achievement.

"Okay, let's do it. I could use a night out to let loose," Sofia agreed.

Little did she know Xavier heard every word.

They made plans to meet at the club later that night and hung up the phone, both of them excited for the evening ahead.

Sofia spent the rest of the day buzzing with excitemen. She arrived at the club to find Anna waiting for her outside, dressed to the nines and ready to party.

As soon as they entered the club, the music was blasting, and the energy was palpable. They made their way to the bar and ordered a round of drinks to kick off the night.

As they clinked their glasses together, Anna turned to Sofia and said, "To your promotion! You deserve this and so much more!"

Sofia smiled, feeling grateful to have such a supportive friend by her side.