It began with a kiss (Completed)

Chapter - 13 The Guest

He took the box in his hands and looked at it as if inspecting it or maybe contemplating whether to open it or not, Eva thought.

"It isn't something very big. I mean you already have everything so..." 
Now she was thinking that it would have been much better if she would just had said a simple thank you.
'He is not gonna like it. I guess I just wasted my efforts.'

He opened the box slowly and took out the handkerchief. Eva could feel the nervousness coursing through her body. He looked carefully at his initials embroidered on the handkerchief and then frowned.
"What's this red stain?" he asked.

Eva bent a little to take a closer look at the red mark he was talking about.
"Oh! I am sorry. Yesterday while working on it I pierced my finger and maybe a drop of blood fell there and I didn't notice. Give it to me and I'll wash it."

"No. It's alright." he said and before she could take the handkerchief from him he folded it and placed it back in the box and put the box in his table drawer before finally looking at her.
"Ok. You can leave now. I have some files to work upon." he said looking at her. His expression unreadable.

Eva stared at him for a moment before finally turning to leave the room. She closed the door behind her quietly but inside now she was fuming with anger.

'Seriously! What had I been thinking about? Instead of my hard work all this man noticed was that stain! The blood stain! He is an idiot. Couldn't he have just ignored the stain and appreciated my work? At least a little. He's such a big idiot.' She was fuming inwardly.
"No, actually I am a bigger idiot than him. Why the hell did I put so much thought and hard work to prepare that gift? Damn me!" She was cursing herself and this whole situation while walking towards her office.

"Eva!" she heard her name and turned around to find a smiling Alex.

"What happened? You look down." he asked.

"Nothing." she replied quickly. "You need some help?"

"Yeah. I have sent you some mails so take a look and reply accordingly and I have something important to discuss with Liam so make sure we are not interrupted."

"Ok." she nodded as Alex headed towards Liam's office.

"Alex is so sweet and kind while Liam Richardson is intimidating and cold. I wonder how Alex managed to stay by his side during all these years." She sighed. "Forget it. I need to get back to my work or I will start thinking about him again."

She had just opened the list of mails when she heard the lift doors open and saw an old lady heading towards the CEO's office.

"Uh- oh.. I need to stop her." she quickly ran behind the old lady and was finally able to stop her.

"Excuse me-"

" I have to meet your boss." the old lady said before Eva could question her.

" I am sorry but he is busy at the moment."

"But I have something important to talk about."

Eva tried to recall if Liam had any appointment today but there were none. so she decided to ask,"Do you have any appointment, ma'am?"

The lady looked at Eva that we were for a minute before finally asking,"Are you new here?"

"Yes. I just started working here recently."

"Your boss had promised me and my husband to work on our land but months have passed and the work hasn't started yet. Moreover he ignores our calls. It feels like we were cheated." The old lady stated sadly.

"I am sorry but I have no idea about this. Maybe he took the project before I joined and even though I haven't worked for a long time for him but he seems quite honest, toe at least. I don't think he will ever cheat you. May be there is some misunderstanding. How about you wait here till his meeting is over and then I'll ask him if he could give you some time and listen to your problems?'' Eva  suggested with a slow smile.

The sadness on lady's face was now replaced by a bright smile.
"Oh! That would be lovely."

Eva smiled back. "Then you sit here and I'll bring you some coffee."

Eva made her sit in the waiting area and went to the self help to prepare two cups of coffee. Due to the long hours efforts that she had put in preparing the gift she hadn't got much sleep last night and to  coffee was the only thing that could keep her awake. She gave a cup of coffee to the old lady and was about to leave when the old lady stopped her.

"Would you mind giving this old lady some company?"

"Uh..ok."
Eva sat beside the old lady. 'She was looking sad earlier so if talking to me can help her then I am more than happy.'

"How is your boss?" asked the old lady sipping her coffee.

"He is good and kind." said Eva but her mind was saying something else. 'He is an arrogant capitalist who makes his employees work like slaves.'

"He's handsome." the old lady said.

"He is indeed." That's something that can't be objected.

"Does he have a girlfriend?"

Now Eva was wondering where this conversation was heading to.
"I guess not."

"I guess girls don't like him." said the old lady shaking her head and sipped on her coffee.

"No its kinda opposite." Eva laughed. "As far as I know all the girls in this building have a thing for him." Eva had no idea why she was having this kind of conversation about her boss to a complete stranger. Maybe the gossiping trait in her was kicking in and she just couldn't seem to stop herself now.

"So you too like him?"

Eva blushed at that question. "No! Not really." she defended herself quickly.

"But why? I mean he is good looking, rich and successful."

"Yeah he is all those things but he is a little... no actually he is really intimidating, cold and arrogant." Now she was saying the things which she knew somewhere in her heart she was going to regret later but she was so mad at Liam that she ignored the warning bells in her head and continued talking,"He's a perfectionist but even that trait of his has become troublesome for those who work under him because he want everything to be perfect! You make a small mistake and he will order you to redo all the work. All he sees is work, work and work."

The old lady chuckled at this. ''Oh! That's a pity." she continued. "It seems like women really admire your boss. But the question that arises is whom does he like?"