CHAPTER FOUR

NARI looked down on the floor and tapped her foot on it lightly. Doesn’t it have any plans of opening up? She’d be more than willing to be swallowed.

“Why him?” she said under her breath.

“Nari?” Maggie called. There was confusion in her voice. “`You okay?”

“H-hmm?” She forced a nod. “I’m okay,” she replied, her voice barely audible.

“This is Jose Antonio Yap, vice-president for operations of Merryland. Sir Jai, this is Nari Pio. She was the former executive assistant of Mrs. Grace Martinez of Pipol’s Sardines.”

Jai smiled at her. It was a smile that reminded her of the two most embarrassing nights of her life. Her heart began pounding again. Will it be the end of her?

“I am sure you’ll get along well,” Maggie said, amused, looking at Jai and then at Nari.

Nari shook her head a couple of times with her lips pursed.

“Is there a problem, Nari?”

She shook her head again.

“Are you sure, Miss Pio?” Jai asked.

Nari felt as if her heart was in her throat. There’s no alcohol involved here this time, but why does she keep on being involved in such unfavorable situations?

“Can you leave us now? I’d like to get to know Miss Pio more.”

She was hopeless.

“No problem, Sir,” Maggie said. “I need to go back to work now. Sir James has still a meeting.”

“Jameson, you go with Tita Maggie,” Jai told his nephew.

“Later, Tito. I still want to play with you,” Jameson answered.

“I’ll let his dad know then,” Maggie said. She pressed Nari’s shoulder. “Do your best, okay?”

“Please don’t leave me,” Nari said, her voice muffled.

“What?” Maggie chuckled. “I can’t hear you. I’ll see you later, anyway.”

Nari could only watch Maggie and Mike leave the room. When the door closed, Nari felt like her ill fate has just begun.

“Jameson,” Jai called, but his eyes were fixed on Nari.

Nari was waiting to melt like ice cream.

“Yes, Uncle?”

“Would you like some chocolates?”

“Really?” Jameson sounded surprised. “But Mama said I can’t eat chocolates anymore.”

“It’s your favorite chocolate drink. Trust me, she won’t know.”

“Okay!” Jameson ran toward the other side of the room.

Nari took a deep breath, but it was not enough to ease the tension in her body. She took a step backward when Jai started walking toward her.

What is she going to do now?

“Don’t you dare run away just like you did the other night. Miss Pio, right?”

“I can’t even move.”

The closer he walked, the more steps Nari took backward. She almost squealed when her back felt the door. Her knees buckled a little when Jai leaned his one arm just above her head and the other on her side. His familiar muscular scent filled her nostrils.

“Shall we start the interview?” he asked, one eyebrow raised.

“A-am I not yet fired, Sir?”

“For all the trouble you caused me, firing you would not be enough even before you could start working.”

Nari gulped. She knew it.

“W-we can talk about it peacefully, Sir. You know…”

“Well, you’re right. But why give me that face? Why are you so tense?” he asked nonchalantly.

“I can’t believe you’re actually asking me that.”

Nari gasped when he snatched the folder from her.

“Let’s talk without something covering your mouth, Miss Pio. Is this your CV? Great.”

Jai moved away from her. Nari took the opportunity to gasp for air when he turned his back at her.

“Sit down,” he ordered. He motioned the couch across his office table.

Nari went to the other side of the room with her knees weak and sat down.

Calm down, Nari. Just calm down.

She tried to sit up straight. She gasped and leaned backward when Jai sat on the center table itself!

What kind of interview is this?

“Just tell me when you’re ready.”

“I’ll be ready tomorrow, Sir.”

"Funny," he said with a grin.

Should she be thankful?

Nari cleared her throat and straightened her back.

“I really apologize for my behavior, Sir,” she started, clenching her fist unconsciously. “I am not like that all the time. If you ask Mrs. Martinez, I am always professional with my job.”

“I know. It’s just that you don’t get to splutter someone’s face with beer, who then becomes your boss all the time, right?”

Nari pursed her lips tight to suppress a frown and pressed her palms altogether.

“I really apologize, Sir. I was startled and I panicked. That’s why I ran away. I am truly regretful of my actions. Believe me.”

“The first question,” he snapped. “Do you always tell ‘that’ to every man you meet whenever you are under the influence?”

Nari stared. What was he talking about?

“P-pardon?”

“You were the one sent by the universe to be the father of my children.” He cocked his head to the side and raised an eyebrow.

Nari’s cheeks went red.

“N-no, Sir. You were the first. And I’m sure you’ll be the last.”

“But of course.”

“It was my birthday. We were just having a good time,” she added.

"Really?" He opened her CV. "You just turned thirty-four. You're not married.” His tone lifted a little. “Are you in a relationship?"

"N-no, Sir."

"Do you have a child, by any chance?"

“None, Sir.”

"You're not dating anyone as of now?"

“I don’t have the time.”

“Am I handsome?”

“Super.” Nari brought her hand on her mouth upon realizing it.

Jai, on the other hand, grinned in satisfaction.

"I like you. You're honest."

"Thanks," she replied absent-mindedly.

“But if my good-looking face will keep you from being efficient, I’m afraid I won’t hire you,” he said sternly.

“May I know how old are you, Sir?” Nari asked.

“Twenty-eight and a half.”

“`You have a girlfriend?”

“I don’t have one.”

“A child?”

“As far as I know, there’s none, too.”

“You are indeed handsome, Sir, rich, educated, and younger. You’re out of my league. We won’t have a problem.”

Jai stared at her. A short silence passed between them.

“Okay,” he said a moment later. Jai rubbed his jaw thoughtfully. “What if I seduce you then?”

Nari blinked and stared at his handsome face.

“Are you, by chance, bored with your life, Sir?” she asked.

“What kind of question is that, Miss Pio?”

“Nothing. I didn’t expect that you have a sense of humor.”

“Why did you resign from your previous job?”

“For a change, Sir. I’ve been working for the last eleven years of my life. I want to do myself a favor. I want to have my own business and date whenever I had the chance.” Nari smiled shyly at her last sentence.

“What kind of man would you like to date then?”

“I want to date someone like Senator Escudero, but unfortunately, he’s married. But if there’s someone in the world who is just like him, definitely, it would be him.”

“Okay.” He studied her CV again. He seemed like thinking of another question for her. “It’s not that hard to tell that you’re a hardworking person.”

“T-thank you.”

“Mike is getting married in two weeks. That’s the reason why I am looking for a temporary assistant. He will orient you with your job for two weeks. I hope you don’t mind traveling.”

“It’s fine as long as it’s job-related.”

"Great."

Jai leaned a little, and Nari backed away. She stiffened on her seat when she felt his hand at the back of her head. Without a word, he pulled her tie, and her shoulder-length hair fell freely. She blinked and stared at his face.

“You’re prettier when your hair’s untied.”

Nari’s face flushed once again.

She was only distracted when the couch moved. Jameson had climbed up with a chocolate drink in his hand. He grinned at them.

“What the—”

Nari saw how Jai’s eyes widened in horror. There were chocolate stains on Jameson’s hair and shirt.

Jameson giggled.

“It’s really delicious, Uncle!”

“Your mom’s gonna kill me this time,” he said, rubbing his face with his hands.

*