Her Photos

~~~NATE'S POV~~~

This morning I had a meeting with the head of the department and the first thing I noticed is the sound of my assistant's heels on the floor as she follows me around.

I must admit it, I had a sense of satisfaction when I saw her come into my office wearing heels. Though it is shorter than I expected, it is still heels.

I am not against flat shoes or obsessed with heels. I don't know what came to me when I insisted on my assistant wear heels.

Maybe I was just used to my former secretary, who is way older than me by the way, who always comes to work wearing high heels. And every day is different. I never saw her wear the same heels twice in a month. Any kind of heels, you name it, she has it.

I was so used to it that when the first time my assistant came to me, I immediately noticed the change. Something is missing. At first, I was not able to pinpoint it until I noticed her feet wearing flat shoes.

That's when I realize what was missing. The sounds of heels on the floor.

And now that she is on heels, I immediately noticed the change. She is not a short or tall woman, maybe a foot shorter than me. Though it was a short heel, she became a little bit taller.

She also looked more confident, not that she isn't, in fact, she has confidence in herself. I can still remember the way she talked back to me yesterday. She has it, though sometimes it falters when I look or rather glares at her.

Then she is more attractive when she walks, the way her hips sway when she struts. She is already very attractive the way she is. Beautiful and simple.

But the way she moved now while she walks in those heels, attracted additional eyes, mostly from men. And somehow, it irks me. It made my mood sour when I saw some of my employee's eyes following her around. And I am surprised that she didn't notice it. She even seems indifferent about it.

Some looked at her with admiration.

Some with lust.

It makes me want to fire them then and there. But I know that is very irrational.

Now what I want is to go back to my office and have her sit back at her desk. Away from the eyes of my male employees.

I regretted making her wear heels. But I cannot take back my words.

This doesn't seem right. My assistant getting attention is not right.

Me, feeling this way doesn't seem right.

This is not the first time that I saw my assistant.

I've seen her before, a couple of times. In photos, with my parents. My parents seemed to be very fond of her. I was still thinking, did they lose a daughter, who was her, before and decided to adopt me just to fill in with what they lost?

But that is impossible because they said that I do look like my mother and there is no doubt that I am their son.

The first time I saw her in a photo with my parents, I already thought that she was beautiful. No, she is beautiful. But aside from that, nothing else. I was already married and so in love with my wife. No one can compare how beautiful my wife is.

But then, last year, my father and I were already discussing transferring the management of the company to me. My father video called me and I was surprised when I answered, it was the face of his assistant that flashed on the screen of my laptop.

I was immediately captivated by her.

It turns out that when my father calls, his camera was pointed away from him and was instead pointed at the face of his assistant that is sitting in front of him without them knowing it.

My father was talking to me but my attention was drawn to her who was talking to someone beside her which I was certain was my mother. The three of them were together.

I was entranced by the way she smiles, the way her eyes twinkle when she smiles, the way she laughs, the way her lips move when she talks, the way her head tilts, the way her hair is messed up by the subtle wind.

I immediately agreed to keep her as my assistant when my father suggested it to me though I acted indifferent about it. And I don't know why. I just know that I wanted to see her. I want her around me.

But I felt disappointed and my mood darkens when the day I arrived, she was not there. I was expecting to see her the moment I stepped into the building but I did not. I was excited to see her in person but her absence dampens my mood.

Did she not want to work with me? Did she intentionally not go to work on the day that I was to arrive? Is she planning to resign and accept a couple of offers to her?

Because as I've heard from my father, some of his friends and business partners offered her a position when they heard that my father will be stepping down from her position.

And I'm glad that I decided to keep her.

My mood became darker when I saw three bouquets on her table. Someone is sending her flowers. I didn't say it but I showed how I hated that someone is sending her flowers.

I had the urge to reach out for the card and find out who is sending her flowers, but I had to stop myself from doing it to save face.

Then I realize, that maybe she is dating someone. Or maybe she already has a boyfriend. Or a husband. Though I don't remember my parents mentioning her being in a relationship. But then, they never mentioned anything about her private life.

The thought of her already in a relationship just ruined my first days at the company. Even after the first time I saw her, I should be happy, but I am not. I am pissed. Pissed at the thought of her being in a relationship.

I am pissed at her presence, yet I don't want to push her away. I am pissed that I want her around me yet I cannot have her.

And then, last night, I saw her.

I promised to take my daughters to the mall to buy some stuff. Stuff that they said they needed. Stuff that they left when we have to move back here. So, last night, I took them to the mall but then I ended up rushing my kids to buy the stuff they needed because I am eager to go home.

Eager to get away from that place.

Because I cannot stay in one place with her being with her man.

I saw her with that man.

I saw that man helping her buy those damn shoes!

She smiles at that man all the time. She never smiles at me the way she smiled at that man.

And as if it wasn't enough, when we were about to leave the place, I saw them again in a restaurant. That man is holding her hand while intimately caressing her cheeks.

I had to remind myself that I am with my daughters for me to not lose control.

It gave me the satisfaction that I made her wear those heels but I didn't expect that those heels would only piss me off more.

"Mr. Vann?"

I snapped out when I heard her soft and melodious voice. How come I didn't hear her come? How come I didn't hear those heels?

No. I don't want to ever hear those heels again. It just reminds me that I cannot have her.

But, why do I want to have her?

Would she want to have me? I was married. I have two daughters. Who would want me?

The question lingers in my mind while I stare at her beautiful confused face.

"What?" I snapped back at her. And I immediately regretted it when I saw her startled face and took a step back.

But she managed to compose herself immediately.

"Your appointment with the headmaster of Northplace is at 3 pm." She said.

Right, I asked her to schedule an appointment with the headmaster of the Northplace though I was not planning to send my daughters there.

Her suggestion, Livingstone is the best school for my daughters. I know because I used to go there.

I was impressed when she did a great job of making research in advance about where to send my daughters to school. And I was even more impressed when she chose what I should've chosen.

I thought that the fact that she knows what's good for my daughters makes her a good candidate to be my daughters' mother.

But then again, that is impossible.

She's already taken.

I cannot have her.

Again, why do I want to have her?

And because of that, I ignored her suggestion and chose another school just to piss her off. And I was satisfied when I saw her dumbfounded reaction.

"Okay," I nodded my head and prepared to leave. She followed me and I heard them again.

I closed my eyes and cursed internally. Those damn heels!

I want to grab those heels off her feet and throw them out of the window.