This Crazy Rich Boy

Anthony is unable to speak for a few moments. He's no idiot; he knows he's speaking to Gabriel Tan's confidante. Bella Xavier, for the rest of Gabriel Tan's employees, is a beautiful enigma. They see her as the only one, aside from Mrs. Gomez, who speaks to Gabriel as if an equal, and they are fascinated—who's this person who is somehow shielded, by divine intervention, from Gabriel's Draconian ways?

So when Claire, as Bella, makes a blunt question about the Legal Department's competence, and honesty, Anthony's jaw drops. Was Bella unleashed upon them by Gabriel to determine the truth? But then again, Bella's so obvious, the question so innocent, if not ballsy, that makes Bella's hidden motives unlikely.

"Knowing about these things is above my pay grade, Bella," Anthony says after a while. "But believe, we did the usual due diligence. There was absolutely no inkling of Michelle's involvement. Why do you ask? Is Mr. Tan still doubtful despite what our CFO told him?"

"Oh, no," Claire says. "I ask it out of my own curiosity. The matter is settled as far as Gabriel is concerned. We're even getting for whatever change is going to take place once Michelle sets up office here."

"Would there be more drama?"

"That's what we're trying to avoid," Claire says, "or at least manage."

Anthony twirls pasta into his fork. "That must be the reason why Gabriel hired you, Bella. You're perceptive." He looks straight at her. "Beauty and brains."

"Stop flattering my friend here," Mary intervenes, pointing a fork at him.

"I'm just stating the obvious," Anthony says, laughing.

"Alright, we're done here, Bella," Mary suddenly says, as she stands up carrying her tray of still unfinished food.

Claire hesitates, but she's compelled to stand up and go with Mary. "Wait!"

"What happened?" Claire asks.

"Remember what I mentioned earlier? One of those guys at the table was into me." Mary purses her lips and looks at Claire. "It turns out I've been so wrong. It was Anthony, Bella. I liked that guy for the longest time. He's so handsome, isn't he? But a few seconds of meeting you and it became obvious I had been fooling myself for so long."

"Look, you may also be so utterly wrong about this," Claire says. "Anthony is just being nice. He's meeting me for the first time, of course he will be polite to me. Especially given the fact that I am Gabriel Tan's secretary. People are compelled to be nice to their boss's secretary, Mary. It's an unspoken disposition."

Mary says nothing. She's looking at her feet as they walk back toward the elevator lobby. "I haven't even begun eating that second slice of steak," she mutters with regret. "I should not have reacted so quickly."

Claire smiles. "That's okay. Consider it a blessing in disguise. At least, we've controlled what we eat. Promise, when we have lunch at the Residence, I'll ask the chef to only serve a calorie-conscious course."

Mary blinks. "Oh, I like that. In fact, I'd love that!"

The elevator doors ding open. "Here's our ride back to hell," Mary says.

Hell? Claire looks at Mary, but keeps her mouth shut. Perhaps it's normal for employees to treat their workplace as hell? Because with all the perks, Gabriel's company doesn't seem to be so bad at all. She's seen other organizations, and they are worse. And she's been working for only over a week now, and she's hasn't felt anything bad about the company itself, only for her boss, the owner. But it's a complicated thing, what she feels for Gabriel. It's never black and white.

Mary goes straight to her cubicle upon catching sight of her boss, Claudia, hovering over her desk. "Oh, God, I haven't printed out Claudia's contract yet!" She runs.

Claire quietly settles in her own workstation. She wonders if Gabriel's already in his room. She can't just barge in there without any pretext. She needs an excuse. But at the moment, she has none. Why not just take a peep? Just open the door a little bit, and see if he's there, Claire, will you? Jesus. Claire fights the urge to just do it—just open the door to take a little peep. What if… What if he's there and he sees her? What's her excuse? She would look foolish.

But then again, it would just be quick. A little push of the door, see if he's there, and close it back. Gabriel often has his head deep in his newspaper or whatever documents he's reading. He won't notice her, right? Right?

Alright! She screams in her head, surrendering to the urge. Just a little peep okay, she tells herself. Just one quick little push of the door, she'll be in and out and that's it. Why is this too hard?

Claire stands by the door, trying to "feel" Gabriel's presence on the other side of it. She looks around; everybody seems busy with their work. She stoops down, carefully turns the doorknob, and…

"Are you looking or someone?" a voice behind her says.

"I'm just checking if Gabriel's here," Claire says without looking back. "He's not in his big boss chair. Maybe he's under the sofa." Then her brow furrows. She looks back and her jaw drops open.

"Aren't you supposed to knock first, Cla-I mean, Bella?" It's Gabriel.

"I-I'm sorry," Claire says, her voice shaking. "I was just… I mean, I'd just like to ask if you…If you need coffee."

Gabriel smiles, but it's the kind of smile that is joyless. "You're blushing, Claire. Your face is so red. Take it easy. And no, I don't need coffee." He steps into his office. "I'll call you if I need you," he says coldly. Then he closes the door. Not rudely. He doesn't slam it. He closes it like a normal, sane person.

Gabriel stands by the closed door, uncertain of what just happened. He's not sure if he wants to laugh or what. Claire stooping down like a peeping Tom looked so funny. And also very sėxy—but no, he doesn't want to think of her in that way. For a moment, he forgot about what he had heard her say on the phone earlier. Perhaps he shouldn't be so hurt about it. After all, she has a point: it's not normal for people to fall in love with the person they work for. Unless he makes the effort. Maybe he should talk to her. But when? And how?

On the other side of the door, Claire is also stunned—she's so embarrassed. She couldn't believe Gabriel would appear at the most inopportune moment—and he even noticed how red she was in the face from embarrassment? But at least she made him smile. At least the ice has been broken. And maybe later, they could talk. Yes, she'd talk to him. She only prays Gabriel's temper won't race past his reason this time.