Chapter 80 - I ? U I Do 13: Food Stealer (1/2)

Liam gripped his pen so hard in between his hands that it was not surprising when the poor thing snapped into two and the young president placed it back on the table with an audible sigh.

”And may I ask who pissed you big time that you had to do that to the poor pen?” Ken asked and Liam scowled at his friend's amused expression.

They were seated in front of each other in the president's office, discussing the recent development of one of their products when the president suddenly fell silent.

”As if you don't know,” the boss countered making Ken laugh. ”What the heck's so funny? Is my suffering that entertaining? What kind of a friend are you?” he snapped and the vice president cleared his throat before he answered.

”Who's not going to laugh? Man, I've never seen anyone who's as slow as you when it comes to getting your lover. You're like a high school kid. It's been what? One? Two weeks after the gala and until now you haven't even confessed to your ȧssistant!”

Ken's words made Liam's brooding worsen.

”It's not like I didn't want to confess. It's Marian's fault. She wouldn't give me the time of day!” All his frustrations coming to the surface, Liam rested his head on top of his table.

On the day on the gala, after Susie's blunder, he had noticed Marian's withdrawal. He knew his ȧssistant had been sick but that night she appeared to have worsened and so he made sure they left the party earlier than planned. The president wanted to confess on their way back to her apartment, but his ȧssistant chose to sleep on their ride home, giving him no choice but to cancel his plans once more.

As soon as they reached her apartment, the young president tried to talk to her once more. But one look at his weary ȧssistant made him stop and let the other go and rest for the night. He reckoned he'd just do that when Monday came, but it's already two weeks after the gala and until now he hadn't had a chance to talk to her about anything not related to work. If possible the Ice Queen had returned with a vengeance that no matter what, Liam couldn't make his ȧssistant entertain him.

”Have you tried asking her out for a meal?” Ken prompted.

Liam gave him an ”are you kidding me” type of look which indicated that of course, he had tried that. It was the norm, right?

”Er… How about trying to have a small talk with her? Do you know? Like just say something— anything under the sun that would break the ice,” Ken suggested.

Liam raised a brow. ”Bro, have you seen Marian lately? How am I supposed to break that ice?”

Urgh…

Ken too imagined how Marian James was lately and he smiled sheepishly. She gave new meaning to the title ”Ice Queen”. She was so cold and solid that she wouldn't even break even with an atomic bomb thrown at her.

”What did you do by the way? Why is she like that?” Ken asked curiously.

”Why are you asking me that? How would I know?” Liam countered with a frown. ”I honestly have no idea. She was just like that suddenly. I can't even ask anything else that's not work-related.”

”Oh, man…”Ken gave him a sympathetic pat on the shoulder as he scratched the side of his head as he too thought of something. ”Did you not really do anything that upset her?”

Liam shook his head. ”I'm a hundred percent sure I didn't. I haven't even gotten the chance to confess.”

With another frustrated sigh, he raked his hair with his fingers. At the age of twenty-seven, he found himself at a loss as to what to do.

”I think Jay's wrong. I think Marian doesn't like me…” He had sulked as he pondered this dreadful thought.

Meanwhile, at the cafeteria during lunch hour, the object of the president's frustration sat with a frown as she looked at the full plate of meat buns in front of her. Her gaze then turned to her junior's which was similar.

”Are you going to eat that?”

Jay raised a brow as he pulled his plate of meat buns away from her. Marian had been eyeing his food again today.

”Yes I am— and no, I'm not going to give you so don't bother asking,” the secretary said sternly knowing what would happen next.

For the past few days, Marian had developed a habit of taking his food during lunchtime. He noticed that she had acquired a healthy appetite for eating anything that's on Jay's plate – and by that meant that regardless that she also ordered the same food would insist on eating what Jay was about to eat, switching their plates much to his chagrin.

Despite having a bigger stomach for food, eating more than she usually did however, Marian's body still seemed to lose weight— or did she gain some? Jay was confused. In his eyes, though, she seemed to be very fragile these days that he had urged her continuously since last week to visit the hospital for a checkup.

”It's not that I'm going to leave you without something to eat. I'll just trade with you,” Marian stated sulkily as she tried to grab Jay's plate but the younger one already had it out of her reach.