Published: April 07, 2019--Jan. 02, 2020

Katelyn was happy to awake earlier than her alarm clock as she was able to use the bathroom first as well as did not disturb Jared's much-needed sleep. She hopes he will still be in his dreamless world when she finished.

Though she was always the last one to wake up and take a bath in the mornings, today was different. She wanted to be earlier than her "roommate" because arriving at work in his car and be caught by her colleagues were not on her plans.

She can already imagine how all the haters and envious eyes will surround her until she looks like a trapped rat that can't escape their perusal.

Of course, she doesn't know his reason to suggest it, but one thing for sure. She will do her utmost not to pay the price of breaching their contract. As far as she can remember, they agreed that she must always make sure that their relationship will remain a secret to the public. It was the reason he had consented to Meme's opinion regarding marrying her.

So, it was a surprise for her that he even suggested it. Maybe he just wanted to save on monetary expenditure on her as she was not the real deal wife. On the other hand, he also gave her an expensive gift. In which she is going to use a watch of Cartier in white gold. Gemstones decorate the whole dial of the timer, and the timepiece is in blue. She is sure this is an expensive one, and she hopes her friends will not notice it much. Anyway, she can always lie.

As Katelyn walked out of the bedroom, she realized something. It can also be that Jared regretted consenting to Meme's suggestion of marrying her, and by going to work with her, there will be a time that someone will notice it and will talk about it, resulting on her breaking the rules. He then has a reason to divorce her without Meme complaining. "Probably, that was his reason."

Upon seeing the empty bed, Katelyn was a bit sad about the knowledge that her time in this place was getting shorter. At the same time, she is afraid of the consequences of unfulfilled commitment. She walked to their bedside table to put her bag and then remove the pillows thrown on the floor.

While flipping the pillow, Katelyn heard the sliding of the terrace door, and then footsteps going on her direction. She felt Jared nearness but continue with what she was doing. At the same time, summoning some strength so she can directly tell him of her refusal to go to work with him.

Upon knowing her readiness, she arranged the pillows properly on the bed. Straightening herself, she turned around only to see Jared's back on her, walking to the direction of their bathroom.

Left with her mouth open, she immediately closed it and shrugs. She heard the door open, "Let us eat breakfast together once I finished in the bathroom," Jared told her without turning his head and then entered and closed it.

She blew out some air in annoyance on his action at the same time her reactions to him that made her ponder, "it seem like with his back on her, he looks so intimidating that she lost her courage to say what she wanted to be said. She was not a chicken; it was because of his sexy back she forgot whatever there is to say," she reasoned out to herself.

Now she was left with the same problem, how to tell him that she has no plan of arriving at work in his car. Maybe she can escape as she initially thought of earlier, but then she still needs to eat her breakfast. A free breakfast means a penny saved, and she needed to do that. Shaking her head of her useless ideas, she walked to the other side of the bed and did arrange the pillows and mattress.

Once all was done and properly in place, she grabbed her bag in the table, walked to the dining area to make him a coffee, and wait.

In the end, Katelyn was not able to say anything to Jared. Once they had finished their breakfast, she just followed him to the car. She felt defeated, but upon seeing Mr. Miller, or Mark, as called by his boss, sitting beside the driver seat, Katelyn concern ebb.

She forgot about him when she was anticipating those scenarios. She almost laughs out loud with her overthinking, only Jared's back facing her again, made her feel grounded on her behavior. As her problem was solved, she began to relax and entered the car while the driver opens it to her.

"Good morning, Mr. Steele" once inside, she heard Jared's PA greet him and then turned to her too, "Good morning Mrs. Steele."

Being called Mrs. Steele had made Katelyn remembered again what does it mean, to be always on guard on her behavior.

"Good morning," in her most serious tone, she answered and then straightened herself and sat on the car in her lady-like posture.

Riding to the company, Katelyn heard Jared and his PA talked about his schedule for the day. Out of boredom with nothing to do but just maintained her poise Katelyn just looked at the streets they were passing by.

Upon arriving in his private parking area, Katelyn, whose body became so tired of maintaining her posture, hurriedly open the door of the car before the driver can even go out.

A hand stopped her. It made her turned back on the guy beside her, "so in a hurry to go out?" he asked her in an expressionless face. It made Katelyn curious about what he was thinking. Of course, he did not prolong the suspense, " at twelve go down here and we will have lunch together outside of the office," after he said his piece, abruptly, he removed his hold on her.

Katelyn reacted immediately too as if finally her tongue was freed from being tied, "I can't, I had promised my friends that we would be eating our lunch together." She immediately opened the door and went out; not giving him a chance to stopped her.

"Always ordering me around," she murmured to herself, and then an idea came into her mind again on how to irritate him a bit.

Before closing the door, she turned and looked at the surprise face of Jared. She smiled at him and said, "I will go to the mall after work, bye..." forgetting her pretentious self in front of him, she closed the door and walked away from him.

Jared was left stupefied of Katelyn behavior, but then after a minute, he burst out laughing that made his PA looked at him with bewilderment. Of course, he has no plans of letting her do what she wants; let her rejoice in her moments of winning as of now.

Jared then went out of the car, which was opened by his driver. He then walked to his elevator, followed by his PA.

On the other hand, Katelyn was tired from running into a place to hide before making sure the parking area was clear before proceeding to another post after she went out of Jared's car. If someone knows it, they will surely tell her not to go to work with him again.

It was only after three posts away from his car that she was able to walk comfortably and go to the elevator, only to meet the paparazzi of their workplace, Emily. Of all the people to meet, why should it be her?

They are not friends, and she doesn't know her personally. Only her reputation of being gossipy as Nicole pointed out. So she has nothing to worry about; besides, she is sure Emily did not see her going out of Jared's car." Katelyn reasoned out to herself and relaxed.

Katelyn noticed Emily's inquisitive brown eyes looked at her from top to bottom. She then opened her bag and pulled out a tissue and handed it to her, "dear, wipe your face. You look as if you had just come from a marathon race."

Does she look like that? Katelyn face the mirror and thought that Emily had exaggerated it too much, it's just her forehead that became a bit wet, but still, her foundation was there. Anyways, she doesn't want to argue with anyone so early in the morning, so she accepted the tissue graciously.

"Are you one of the newly hired?"

"Yes," Katelyn answered while patting her face.

"Which department are you?"

"Finance," Katelyn smiled at her while she answered, but the other one's eyebrows rose upon hearing her department.

"Hmm...With Nicole," then she looked at her face intently and continued, "You have the looks and the body, surely Nicole would love to go out with you to boost her ego," Katelyn hated the insolent tone in her voice.

The arrival of the elevator on her floor saved her from reacting in Emily's comment. Katelyn smiled and thanked her again for the tissue. She then walked out of the elevator and directly went to the bathroom.

Once Katelyn entered their office she became busy with reviewing the reports on purchases made by the housekeeping department that needed sorting out for the monthly report. Even the ooh's and aah's sound made by her colleagues as well as the scraping of the chair as they all stand up was not able to disrupt her. She heard them greet someone, Mr. Steele. On her mind, it was impossible as he doesn't go to their department, as mentioned by Nicole.

"Katelyn, "she heard Tess's voice called her, and in her startled state, she immediately stood up and answered in a loud voice, "Yes?"

Everyone's eyes in the room were upon her, embarrassed she looked around and smiled like a guilty person caught eating while everyone was fasting. When her eyes met of that in the middle of the room, her eyes bulge as it will fall out of their sockets. She looked at the person beside him, their manager, who was trying to send her a message "let us talk after he left."

"Who is she?" Katelyn heard him asked their manager.

She saw her colleagues' eyes on her, some with envy and others with fear for her of a reprimand.

"Mr. Steele, I am sorry, but she is our newly hired staff, and as of now..."

'I am only asking her name," he interrupted, and that made their manager answer," She is Miss Darcy, one of our financial assistance..." she stopped telling him upon seeing him waved his hands while following him towards Katelyn's front desk.

Katelyn, who was still standing, just trailed his progress towards her. Once in front of her, he looked at her triumphantly, which made her wonder the reason for his attitude.

Then she remembered what happened this morning and upon realizing it looked at his face and saw him smirk.

His expression made her looked at him with daggers on her eyes. "So childish," what does he think this is? Their playground in which he has to make even just because this morning she had left him before he can say anything?"

But the presence of her manager and Tess nearby made her only say, "I am sorry, Sir, for the loud sound I had made."

He ignored what she said and walked to her side.

He looked at the papers on the top of her desk. It made her look at her computer screen and saw that it was still on their company website, and the page was all about him. Usually, she will check on the news update of the company but never visited his profile, but of all the time, on her first time to open it. She was caught red-handed.

He smiled smugly upon seeing it and good thing he did not look at her, or else he will see her blushing.

He walked back to where her manager still stood," Miss Darcy is a model of a good employee, very dedicated to her work and company," he told everyone and then looked back at her, "Keep up the good work." He told her and then looked at her hand. It was empty of anything. Jared's brow wrinkled as he walked away from her and be ushered by their manager to her office.

His action reminds Katelyn that she had removed the watch when she went to the bathroom to freshen up and put it on her bag. In a hurry to be in their office, she did not put it back.

"I'm sorry Kate, if I didn't call you earlier, you will not be surprised, and made that reaction," Upon hearing Tess apologizing to her, Katelyn remembered about her friend who was still in front of her, eyes filled with remorse.

Katelyn walked to Tess side after seeing her expression, " Don't be sad, Tess," holding her hand, Katelyn looked at her and smiled, "He did not scold me. He praised me, so no worries,"

"So, we are still bosom friends?"

"Of course, we are," Katelyn assured Tess, and in return, the latter's relief reflected on her face.

"Don't forget about the party, it's Saturday already tomorrow," Tess reminded her while looking around at their colleague that made Katelyn scanned the room too and saw that they were all on their desk and busying themselves with whatever they are doing.

Looking at them brought relief to Katelyn because they were fast to forget what had happened.

"See...now, I'm sure the company's chat room is busy with the news, and the topic will be you," Tess told her, and then they looked at each other and immediately returned to their table to check on it.

END OF PART 6

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