Chapter 73 - I ? U I Do 6: Ice Queen & Dreamy Princess (1/2)

WHAT?

Hearing the secretary's name, the object of his jealousy, Liam's smile vanished, replaced by a cautious expression.

”Oh yeah?” he asked casually so that the ȧssistant would tell him more.

To be honest, he didn't want to hear Marian talk about Jay Co or any other man, but Ken said that in order to be sure that there was nothing between them, he had to hear the words from her own mouth. Even if this hurt him, he would persevere. He would ask. He would know.

”You and Secretary Co are pretty close,” Liam commented casually and she nodded.

”He's like the baby sister I never had— I mean brother,” Marian said making Liam's ears as big as Dumbo's, his eyes blinking as if he couldn't believe what he just heard.

He was, after all, bracing himself on finding out that his secretary and personal ȧssistant indeed had something romantic going on.

”Brother?” he commented as casually as he could again. He wanted to check if he heard right, though deep inside he was praying that it was the case.

Marian nodded but then hesitated.

”What's wrong?” Liam asked and she frowned.

”I'm sorry, I- shouldn't be talking about personal matters,” she said embarrassedly and Liam waved her embarrassment away.

”It's okay, I'm the one who asked,” Liam ȧssured her. ”In fact, I'd love to know more about you – I-I mean about you and Secretary Co since you guys have been working with me for quite some time now,” he said hastily, nearly kicking himself for the slip.

”I see,” Marian answered and nodded politely. ”Well, I grew up with my cute little cousins so when I was young I always wanted to have a brother for a change. I mean I have a younger brother but he's in the US. When I got to work with Secretary Co, I got my wish,” she continued. ”Secretary Co, on the other hand, is an only child so I think that's why we hit it off,” she added and watched as the boss' face brightened. He seemed happier than he was earlier.

”Brother, huh?” Liam murmured as he nodded enthusiastically. ”I actually thought you guys have a romantic relationship going on,” he added and laughed as Marian's eyes widened like saucers.

”Good God no!” Marian was aghast which all the more made her boss pleased. ”He's really like a brother to me, and if Jay's going to have a romantic relationship at all it would be with food,” she continued comically making him laugh.

”Secretary Co's a very interesting person then,” Liam commented and Marian's eyes widened in an epiphany as she studied the president's expression as he talked about her junior and she slipped into silence.

Thirty minutes after, Marian was sitting in front of Jay's table with her elbows propped and her hand supporting her chin. Her face looked serious as she watched her junior happily open the take out packages from the restaurant he and Liam went to earlier.

”Oh my God, I'm so happy,” Jay announced as he opened one box and smelled the delicious aroma of the Italian takeout.

After eating, Liam asked the waiter to wrap several orders for the secretary and the president happily helped Marian with the packages too on their way back to the office.

”I'm touched. Our boss is really such a nice guy,” the secretary continued making Marian all the more forlorn. ”What's wrong big sis? Why are you looking like that?”

”Nothing,” she said and then frowned. ”No, actually there's something,” she said as her frown deepened. ”It seems our boss made our lives miserable earlier because he was jealous,” she stated and it was Jay's turn to frown.

”Jealous?” he asked and Marian nodded as she sighed again.

”It seems he's in love and seeing us together made him angry earlier,” she said softly as she remembered how she was being punished earlier with all those shopping bags.

”In love? Jealous?” Jay asked and she nodded.

”Well, he spent our lunchtime asking a lot of things about us,” she added and the secretary's eyes widened.

”Oh, congratulations then,” he said with a full smile, and Marian scowled at him.

”Jay Co, you're really dense,” Marian said impatiently, making her friend frown again.

”How come I'm dense?” he asked and the older one rolled her eyes heavenwards.

”Because I just discovered our boss likes men! The one he's in love with isn't me. It's you,” she deadpanned making Jay standstill, the box of food falling on the floor with a plop!

”WHAT?!”