My Boss's Son

Chapter 14

The warm rays of the sun felt like lava on her skin. Valarie grunted and pulled the pillow over her face. Morning had peeked up a bit too early for her liking. The weekend seemed as though it grew wings as it flew by.

She rolled violently back and forth in her bed until the bed sheet enwrapped her like swaddling clothing. Her mood definitely wasn't in tuned with a Monday's day of work. Her body sluggishly rolled off the bed and crawled its way to the bathroom.

It took her almost twice as long as she usually took to get ready. Though she could not pinpoint exactly what it was, something had pushed her enthusiasm way down and she dreaded the day ahead.

Valarie got herself to work at snail's pace. It was one thing to enter the building but the thought of going to the devil's lair made her stomach churn. She had not forgotten the way Dimitri had responded to her and just the thought of it made her blood boil. She couldn't stand to face him. Not now, not ever. Oh how she wished that time could reverse and things go back to the way it was. Her happiness was off the radar when she worked entirely under Nikolai's watch. Now, she felt dull. The entire setting was everything she was not used to and for the first time in the longest while, a day's work actually felt like work.

Her feet struggled to make it up the stairs. She smoothed her hair as she approached the large double doors that led to Tartarus, the deepest, darkest part of the underworld. She exhaled slowly and opened the door. Cool grey eyes turned to meet hers but they fell back into a web of files immediately after that. Valarie willed herself to do what she should. Not because she wanted to but because she technically had to.

"Good morning" she greeted.

It went unanswered. The room still completely still. Dimitri kept his eyes fixed on what he was doing and his lips sealed. Her feet stood planted in the same position for some moments. Her ears awaited the sound of his voice but nothing but the flipping of papers were heard. Valarie regretted her politeness that very moment and stomped her way to her corner to rest her things down. She clenched her jaw and coached herself to remain calm. This was her job, and that was her boss so she had no choice but to put a filter over her mouth and eliminate half the things she really wanted to say to him.

She pulled out her sketch book from her bag and walked towards his desk. Her lips shifted hesitantly.

"Good morning...sir. I worked on more designs this weekend. They are ready to be viewed."

Silence responded to her statement.

"Sir, I said I have some designs for you to review" she repeated.

With his eyes still glued to his paper and his voice as cold as ice, he spoke finally.

"You don't have to repeat yourself. I heard you the first time. Can't you see I'm busy? When I have time I will deal with you. Go make yourself important elsewhere."

Valarie bit down on her lower lip to the point that her teeth made a large dent. Her hands fisted and she tried to control the anger welling up inside her. She exhaled slowly and turned to walk out the door. Her feet paced left and right as she willed herself to calm down. She needed to find a means of casting him out of her thoughts before she do or say something that she would regret afterwards.

Maybe she could spend the day at Nikolai's office and help him out. She pondered on the thought but soon rejected it. There was no way that he was going to let five minutes pass by without mentioning or referring to Dimitri. That was exactly what she didn't want right now. She either needed an anti-Dimitri hang buddy or a Dimitri-hater. Either one would do the trick.

She walked down the hall in hope of satisfying her inner self.

"Good morning beautiful Medusa" a familiar voice greeted from behind.