Against Her Wil

"I want you to become my temporary Personal Assistant with the absence of my butler. Pack your clothes and some other necessities you will be staying at my house by next week."

Xia's large eyes bulge out of her eye socket. She can't possibly misheard his words. Wait! Wait! Did Zachary Benedict just ordered her to pack her things and live on his house without her own permission?"

Xia upon recovering from her shock looked directly at Zachary Benedict's piecing brown eyes. Unexpectedly she smiled at him— one of her sarcastic smile that says a lengthy argument was about to begin.

"Excuse me Hary, but I did not seem to comprehend your words." She retorted in a sarcastic manner making him raise an eye brow.

"You heard it right Ana, I want you to become my temporary Personal Assistant." He spoke calmly as if it was just a small matter. He was too confident that she would agree immediately without a violent reaction. Unfortunately, he was mistaken.

Xia raised an eyebrow. She was becoming irritated by his high-handedness. He could not simply tell her what to do just because he was her boss and she was just his secretary. She was not his dog that he could exactly order to do what he wanted!

She hate to ruin his expectation but she will not agree so easily to his demands. She want him to realize that she was human—she has feelings and emotions of her own. Not just because she work for him does not make her less of a person and he could treat her like a dog.

"I did not remember to be in an agreement with you Mr. Zachary Benedict."

The first sign that Xia was not acquiesce to his plan was evident on her tone of speaking. Having her called him by his full name was an additional sign he was about to enter a battle field with her.

"I am the boss. I can order you what to do."

"I understand that but there are certain limitations Mr. Zachary Benedict. Not just because you hold the upper hand does not mean you could tell your employees to do something against their will."

"How could it be against someone's will when I'll be considerate enough to give an additional increase to my employee's salary."

Xia pursed her lips and look at him, allowing annoyance to be clearly visible on her face to make him see she was not happy with his overbearing attitude.

If he thinks money makes the world go round he was mistaken. If money could buy everything he should atleast go buy some good attitude for himself—if there was any available.

"We are not talking about compensation Zachary Benedict." Xia was shaking her head violently. "I'm talking about the fact that before you decide something, it won't hurt to make an appeal to your employee first. Atleast just to make sure they would agree"

"I know what you're talking about but I wont adjust to my employees. My employees should adjust for me"

Xia can't believe how arrogant this man was. She was through with this pointless argument. He would not listen to her point. She's wasting her time and effort.

"I'm sorry for arguing with you but I'm telling you to just be considerate for the people around you!! You don't own anyone. Please excuse me!!"

Without looking back Xia march to the adjoining door that is connected to her office. Frustrated, she sat down on her swivel chair then took the little teddy bear she displayed at the top of her table. Still a bit irritated, she began pinching the cheeks of the stuffed toy she just named Hary.

***

Zachary Benedict blinked his eyes a couple of times. He could not believe what just happened. His secretary just walk out. But it was not the first time she did that actually. Among the secretaries he had in the past, she's the most courageous one not to mention extremely feisty.

He frowned deep. He did not remember saying anything offensive at all. Well atleast for him everything he said was not offensive at all. Did he hurt her feelings? Isn't she glad for the additional salary he was offering? He don't understand her at all.

Zachary Benedict who have nothing more to do in his desk decided to open his laptop and began surfing the internet. 'How To Understand Women?' He typed and nervously eyed the door in case she came barging in.

It seems so stupid but he should atleast try to know and he might be able to become considerate just like what she told him to do.

'SORRY THIS SITE IS TEMPORARY UNAVAILABLE.'

His frowned deepened. Wondering why did he repeatedly encounter the same problem in the websites he visits.

"Seriously? Error?" He can't believe how ironic the result was. 'How to understand women,' answer 'error.'

"That's because you can never understand women. They are unpredictable."

"Holy shit!" Zach muttered almost knocking his laptop to the floor. He annoyingly stared at his intruder who was quietly ducking behind him while curiously reading what he was searching through the web.

"Hello Zach." Ezekiel greeted him as if nothing had happened.

"You scared the shit out of me."

"Sorry did I?" Ezekiel smiled. "You scared me too. I did not now that you're capable searching that in the internet."

"Shut up Ezekiel." Zachary Benedict immediately closed his laptop. His cheek was tomato red.

Ezekiel smiled after seeing his best friend's expression. "Want to ask why I was here?"

Zachary was glad for the sudden change of topic. "You're getting married again?"

Ezekiel chuckled. "I came here to drop the invitation card."

"I told you I will not attend your wedding even if you put a shut gun on my head Zeke."

"I think I don't need to force you with a shut gun Zach. I have my own gentle ways."

"Let's see Zeke."

"I will show you. Just wait." Ezekiel smiled mysteriously. His eyes glitter with determination.

"I will wait for that day." Zach replied.

"I gotta go Zach. Anyway I shall pretend I did not see anything strange. See you on my wedding day."

"As if I will be there."

Zachary Benedict watch his bestfriend walk out of the door with an annoyed look on his face.

****

Zachary Benedict cough several times after taking a sip on his scalding hot coffee. He suddenly wondered if Xia was still mad at him to the extent that she put too much coffee and forgotten to add some sugar. His mug of coffee was so bitter that he almost spit the contents of his mouth after tasting it.

He walk into her office a while ago and he saw Xia's favorite teddy bear with its little scarf tied to it's neck too tight. He even wondered if she did it on purpose.

Seeing the strangled teddy bear, he suddenly thought that it was already a bad omen that he shouldn't have bothered her but then he still insisted to himself that he wanted coffee. He should have listened to his intuition.