Filed To Story: Finding the Secret Daddy for My Baby Novel
Not long after that, Grace pushed the door open from outside and she came in with a cup of coffee in her hand. “Here, Anastasia. This is for you,” she said to Anastasia.
A frown began to appear on Anastasia’s face as she looked at the coffee before she asked, “Who is this from?”
“Didn’t you know? Miss Dora has gotten all of us coffee. The coffee beans are freshly ground!”
Knowing that this was a common thing for the newbies to do to start off on the right foot with their colleagues, Anastasia gave a small ‘oh’ before she unhesitantly took the coffee and drank it.
“Anastasia, everyone is saying that Miss Dora is the president’s relative. What do you think?” Grace came to her to pick up more gossip.
To her disappointment, Anastasia only shook her head with a laugh. “I am not sure about that.”
Grace could only absent-mindedly blink as she mumbled, “You don’t know as well, huh?”
Anastasia was not a busybody who would spread this kind of gossip. She wouldn’t say a word even if Aliona was the daughter of Elliot’s father’s close friend.
“Stop your tittle-tattle and get back to work!” she urged Grace.
Anastasia’s female instinct was telling her that Aliona had come to Bourgeois for Elliot. Ah, she thought. Elliot has another suitor again.
The man had so many admirers that whoever ended up marrying him would definitely live a married life being constantly worried. Even if he had never approached women, there were a ton that would throw themselves at him.
It was at this moment when the landline in front of her started to ring. She then reached out to pick it up. “Hello?”
“I might not be able to pick up Jared with you this evening. I will go with you tomorrow.” He sounded apologetic as he informed her that in his low voice.
Anastasia immediately knew that Elliot had a prior date tonight and he wouldn’t be able to spend time to accompany her in picking her son up. “Don’t worry about it. I understand that you are a busy man, President Presgrave. You don’t have to worry about picking up Jared from now on,” she said politely.
He teased her again in his magnetic voice. “Are you angry?”
I definitely am not angry, she thought as she responded, “Why would I be? You think too much, President Presgrave.”
The man still added another explanation. “I have a dinner that I can’t say no to tonight.”
“You don’t have to explain yourself to me.” As soon as she finished saying that, she hung up the phone and left the office feeling slightly irritated. She went to the pantry to get herself a glass of lemon water, but just as she was about to look for a place to sit, she heard someone entering from the door.
Aliona had a leery old bird of an employee who also happened to be single sticking close to her side. “Miss Dora,” the man pestered. “Are you free tonight? Let’s have dinner together.”
She only turned with a polite smile as she rejected him. “My apologies as I have a date tonight.”
When he heard that, the man tried to speak in a roundabout manner to fish out more information. “Oh, so you have a boyfriend, Miss Dora.”
Her sharp gaze fell on Anastasia at that moment and she only smiled without giving a definite answer. “I am really sorry! I have dinner with someone really important to me.”
Anastasia automatically knew that she was talking about Elliot when she said that it was an important person.
The male colleague somewhat awkwardly laughed as he left and when he did, Aliona poured herself a cup of tea before she sat across Anastasia. “Anastasia,” she called out abruptly, “we have actually met before.”
“Oh? When was it?” Anastasia tried her best to recall but to no avail. It was impossible for her not to have any recollection at all if she had met such a beautiful woman before.
Aliona laughed gently. “It was during Old Madam Presgrave’s birthday banquet. I also know about how you fell into the pool. I was there at the time. You really had me worried when you fell in!”
Anastasia’s face turned pink when she heard that. Aliona had probably seen Elliot giving her CPR those few times if she was present at the banquet.
“I must have looked silly,” Anastasia calmly replied.
“Anastasia, your relationship with President Presgrave must be quite good! I can see that he worries about you,” Aliona probed. Even though she knew the truth behind Anastasia and Elliot’s relationship, she tried her best to pretend like she didn’t.
When Aliona said that, Anastasia immediately denied. “No, no. Our relationship is strictly professional. He is my boss and I am his subordinate. That is all.”
She actually is denying having a personal relationship with Elliot? Aliona’s heart skipped a beat. “Please take care of me since I am new here, Anastasia.”
However, Anastasia unexpectedly comforted her, “Don’t worry, I am sure President Presgrave will take very good care of you.”
Aliona’s thoughts immediately went haywire at that. Does she not feel the least bit jealous? Isn’t she supposed to really like Elliot? Did Father’s resources give us the wrong information?
Instead of continuing beating around the bush, she spoke bluntly, “Anastasia, do you like President Presgrave?”
Pfft! Anastasia choked on her glass of lemon water. After letting out a small cough to clear her throat, she nonchalantly explained, “We are merely a boss and his subordinate. Please don’t misunderstand if you were to hear any rumor about this, Miss Dora. President Presgrave and I are innocent. There is nothing between us.”
Aliona was slightly caught off guard when Anastasia had denied it without even needing to give it a second thought and she couldn’t help but wonder, Could it be that she really does not like Elliot? Does this mean she won’t get in my way?
“I am sorry that I was being presumptuous,” Aliona hurriedly apologized.
“It is fine.” Anastasia smiled with pursed lips as she picked up her teacup. “I will be heading back to the office then.”
Aliona’s gaze seemed to darken as soon as Anastasia left the pantry. She wondered whether the reason Anastasia denied having a relationship with Elliot was because she was being careful or if she really didn’t like the man.
Anyhow, no one could disrupt her plan. She admitted that Anastasia was a gorgeous woman, but Aliona was confident that she would be able to win over Elliot.
She was going to look her best during dinner tonight with Lucas and Elliot.
Anastasia had just returned to the office when the landline began to ring again.
Picking up the call, she spoke into the phone. “Hello?”
“Come up for a bit,” Elliot’s voice came through the other end of the call.
“It is almost time for me to get off from work.”
“It is about work.”
And of course, Anastasia wouldn’t possibly believe him. “Let’s talk tomorrow.”
“Anastasia Tillman, can you please show your boss a little respect?” he grumpily huffed in reply.
New Book: Returned To Make Them Pay
On her wedding anniversary, Alicia is drugged and stumbles into the wrong room—straight into the arms of the powerful Caden Ward, a man rumored never to touch women. Their night of passion shocks even him, especially when he discovers she’s still a virgin after two years of marriage to Joshua Yates.