Her Resignation

~~~CAT'S POV~~~

Alvin told me that it was my boss who brought me to the hospital when I had a flare a couple of nights ago. And he also told me that he had to tell him about my condition. At first, I was mad at him for divulging my medical condition to my boss but he was right when he said that it is my employer's right to know about it. And I was wrong to keep it from my boss or anyone in the company. But I just did that to keep my job.

And now I don't think that I could keep it. Since my boss already found out about my illness, he would think that I am not capable of performing my job. Especially since he is the one who witnessed my flare.

I sighed as I stared at my resignation letter that was in my hand. Sitting here on my bed still contemplating what to do. I glanced at the clock on my bedside table. I still got an hour before office hours.

Yesterday I was discharged from the hospital and Alvin insists that I take the day off. Grace too agreed and helped me to file a day off which I was sure will be approved because I will no longer have the job anyway.

But instead of waiting for my boss to fire me, I will pass my resignation. I think it would be better to resign than to get fired for the sake of my reputation.

Right! I should resign now before he could fire me. Then I thought about Aenid and Faye. What will happen to them once I resign? Especially Faye who is still having school anxiety.

Oh, God! Why am I even concerning myself with them? But I will miss them. I just hope that my boss will find a nanny that will treat them better than I do.

Okay! I have to do this. Then start looking for another job. I cheered myself internally. Then I stood up to take a shower and prepared to go to my office, which will be my former office.

After almost an hour, I reached my office and I almost freaked out when I found out from the guard that my boss was already in. He is even an hour earlier than me.

I put down my satchel bag on the table and took out my resignation letter.

I took in another deep breath before I started to walk toward my boss's office. I raised my hand to knock on the door. God! I can't believe I'm losing my job now that I worked so hard for almost eight years. I feel like crying now but I hold in my tears. I'll save that for later. Maybe when I am back in my apartment after I packed all my things from my office.

I knocked on my boss's office and heard his crisp voice.

"Come in," I heard him say and I swear the first thing that comes to my mind is how I'm going to miss that voice. Yes, he's been a jerk around me but I don't know why he has that kind of effect on me even though he made me pissed at him most of the time. Yes, I am romantically attracted to him but I know that we are impossible.

I opened the door and I saw him head down on his desk. Why do I find him especially mesmerizing whenever he is seriously working on his desk? I stared at him for a moment before I shook my head and reminded myself why am I here.

"Mr. Vann?" I called out for his attention and he eventually raised his head when he heard me. I could see his surprised reaction before it was replaced with worry.

Wait. What?

Worry?

Why would he be worried about me? Maybe I just mistook his reaction as worry. Then he started to speak.

"Catherine..."

And I was frozen in my place. Why not? That is the first time that he called me by my first name. And I even wonder, had he ever addressed me with my name? And I swear I love how my name rolled out of his tongue. I was hoping to hear more of my name from him but unfortunately, this could be the first and last.

"Why are you here?" Did he ask with concern?

Am I in pain and am starting to hallucinate that I am seeing emotions from him that I am probably hoping to see but in reality, that is impossible?

"Aren't you supposed to be at home?" He asked again.

Was I fired yesterday or the day before that and was not informed? Because of the way he spoke to me, it seems like he is not expecting me to appear in his office anymore.

"I'm sorry Mr. Vann, but I was not informed," I said and silently cursed Grace. She should've informed me at least. But she said that she filed a day off for me yesterday. Then does that mean I am not yet fired? Now I am confused. Then I saw my boss's reaction, he was confused as well.

"Uhm...am I fired already?" I asked with uncertainty.

"What? No!" Is he angry or what? Then I saw him shake his head.

Great! I am not fired yet. But he might fire me any moment so I have to seize the opportunity to resign before he could fire me.

I raised my hand and put the resignation down on his table.

"What's this?" He asked with a frown.

"Sir, I would like to thank you for taking me to the hospital that night. And I am sorry for not being honest with my condition. I am sure that you are now doubting my capability to perform my job well and I cannot blame you for that. That's why I take the initiative to file my resignation."

My boss just stared at me blankly.

For a moment, I just stood right in front of him watching him look at me with impassiveness. I could not even tell if he was mad at me or something. Then he sighed and leaned back.

"I have no plans on firing you. But I was expecting you to have a break. After all, you've been working too hard these past few days. That's why you've been hospitalized. You needed more rest. I didn't expect you to be here soon." He said in a serious tone then he paused as his face softened.

Am I seeing and hearing things for real? He was not planning to fire me?

"I'm sorry for being such a jerk to you ever since I came. I should've been more considerate of you. Regardless of your health condition, I shouldn't have treated you coldly."

I can't believe what I am hearing, my boss is apologizing to me! I just stood there dumbfounded. Then I saw him take my resignation. Wait! I had that urge to take it back.

"I believe you need this job," He said solemnly and I just nodded my head. "Then you don't need this for now,"

I cocked my head. For now? What does that mean?

"I am asking you to give me another chance to treat you better. Probably a month or two?" He said, staring back at me.

I cocked my head to the other side because I am totally confused right now. Shouldn't I be the one asking for another chance?

"Okay, maybe two. Give me two months to treat you better. And after two months and you still think that I am not treating you enough for you to stay for another eight years or longer as you did with my father, then we can discuss your resignation."

He continued and I was like, wait, what?!

He wanted to treat me better like the way his father does or maybe more. He wanted me to stay? He wanted me to work for him for another eight years or more. Why?

Oh, God! I just can't seem to process the words that he is saying right now. I feel like this is just a hallucination.

"But I have conditions," He added and that made me blink twice.

"What condition?" Somehow I managed to question him and it made him smirk.

"I'll pick you up every morning and I'll take you back to your apartment after work. You are not allowed to commute. You are not allowed to sit, walk or stand for more than thirty minutes, no, fifteen minutes. If you feel tired, or in pain, you must report it to me immediately. You are not allowed to skip lunch. I'll order your food or maybe we could eat outside, and I'll make sure that the food is based on your diet. And from now on, you are working with an assistant. You must delegate the hard work to your assistant. You are not allowed to overwork but if you need to go home early, you must. " He finished and I felt like my head was about to explode.

Seriously?

Does an employer have to do this kind of adjustment just for the sake of an ill employee? It was like telling me to continue working for him but stop working at the same time. What are the odds of finding such an employer? Now I am certain that I am hallucinating.

And I could see my hallucination smiling faintly because he succeeded in making me speechless. He is such a gorgeous devil and I can't help but silently hope that this is not a hallucination. Because his words seemed to me like he cares for me.

Then he frowned.

"Are you wearing those heels?" He asked then he tried to look down at my feet but I am sure that he cannot see them.

I looked down at my feet and nodded my head.

"Sit," He snapped icily, making me sit immediately. Now, what did I do? He took something under his table and stood up.

I was frozen in my seat as I felt him walk around the table and then behind me. I didn't dare to look at him to know what he is up to.

Then my eyes widened when he kneeled in front of me and put his hands on my feet. He gently removes my heels and I am sure that he could hear my heartbeat getting louder and faster with every gesture.

Then he took out a box from a paper bag that I didn't notice he was carrying. He took out black pointed-toe flats and put them on me.

All my blood has probably crept up my face right now while he is putting the shoes on my feet. I might have a heart attack if this continued.

And it is so confusing!

Why is he suddenly acting like this?

"And don't wear those damn heels again," I heard him say and this time, I finally had another reaction. I frowned.

"You are the one who ordered me to wear those heels," I snapped at him. I tried to sound cold but I know that I failed because I could still feel the heat on my face.

"Yes, and I regretted it. Now, I don't want to see you wearing heels again. In fact, I don't want to see those heels again." His voice sounds remorseful and a little bit bitter.

"Why?" I asked. He is already standing in front of me. Fortunately, my face turned back to its normal color but only for a while because his reply made me blush again and put me into a mix of emotions.

"Because I don't ever want to see you in pain again." He replied with his eyes fixed on mine.