4

2 weeks later

To think that things could never get worse in the office, well they did. Not only have I been a full time errand boy in the office, I've also become CEO's favorite intern which made the seniors dislike me way more. Thompson was harsh on me before but now that Mr. Carter shows favor in me his become the devil.

As I sat at my desk doing another person's paperwork Sandra came up to me with a bag in hand, "Can you take this up to the CEO's office." She said handing me the bag.

I looked up at her confused, "why can't you take it?" I questioned. "He requested you to take it up."

I sighed, feeling the weight of yet another errand, but there was no point in arguing. If Mr. Carter had specifically requested me, there was little I could do. "Alright," I said, standing up and taking the bag from Sandra. Her expression was hard to read, a mix of sympathy and annoyance, but she quickly walked away, leaving me to my task.

As I headed up to the top floor, I couldn't shake the feeling that everyone in the office was watching me, whispering about the "CEO's favorite." Being singled out by Mr. Carter had made my life a lot harder. Thompson had been unbearable, giving me the most tedious tasks and criticizing my every move. And the seniors… well, they acted like I was stepping on their toes just by breathing.

When I reached the top floor, I took a deep breath before knocking on the door to the CEO's office. The familiar deep voice answered, "Come in."

I stepped inside, expecting to see Mr. Carter at his desk, but to my surprise, Daniel was sitting casually in one of the chairs, legs crossed, scrolling through something on his tablet.

"Ah, Anthony," Daniel greeted me with that same easygoing smile. "Come on in. Mr. Carter will be back in a minute."

I nodded, feeling a little off-balance. "Sandra said to bring this to you," I said, holding up the bag.

"Perfect, thanks." Daniel took the bag from me, tossing it onto the desk without even checking the contents. Then, he gestured to the chair next to him. "Have a seat."

I hesitated for a second but eventually sat down, unsure of what to expect. Daniel leaned back in his chair, eyeing me thoughtfully. "Would you like a slice of cake?" He suddenly asked. "Umm, no thank you sir." I replied.

"Are you refusing me again?" He sighed

I blinked, caught off guard by the shift in his tone. "I just don't want to impose," I said quickly, trying to smooth over the moment.

Daniel's lips curved into a half-smile, but there was something calculating behind his eyes. "Impose? Anthony, we're offering you cake, not a life-altering decision." He reached into the bag taking out a small container with red velvet cake. , sometimes you have to take what's being offered."

I chuckled nervously, unsure of how to navigate this conversation. "I guess I'm just not hungry right now, sir."

"Daniel," he corrected. "We've been over this. No need for 'sir.'" He took a piece off the cake stretched his hand out to feed me, "come on just a little bite for me." He smiled warmly.

I froze, completely caught off guard by the sudden gesture. Daniel's warm smile remained fixed, but there was something undeniably intense about the way he held the fork out to me. I could feel my pulse quicken, unsure of how to react.

"Um…" I hesitated, glancing at the door as if hoping Mr. Carter might walk in at that very moment and diffuse the situation.

Daniel tilted his head slightly, his smile unwavering. "What's wrong? I promise it's good. I wouldn't offer you anything less than the best."

Feeling trapped, I decided the easiest way to end this awkward moment was to comply. I leaned forward and took a small bite of the cake from the fork, tasting the rich sweetness of the red velvet.

"There you go," Daniel said softly, his voice almost teasing. "See? Not so bad, right?"

I nodded, trying to smile back, but the whole situation felt off. "It's good," I said quietly, swallowing quickly. "Oh, you got something here." He wiping off my lips.

Suddenly the door swang open and Mr. Carter walked in, "what the hell is going on here?" He asked walking towards us. Daniel licked his finger and smiled. "I was just feeding him cake." "Do you want some?" He asked.

Mr. Carter shot a look at me and then back at Daniel, "I got your favorite, dark chocolate cake." He said grabbing it out of the bag. Mr. Carter sat beside me leaving me in between them. "Come one one more bite for me?" Daniel said giving me another bite.

"Umm sir, I have to go I have work." I said nervously standing up, "work can wait, you haven't tried my cake yet." Mr. Carter said pulling me back down.

I glanced nervously between the two men, feeling trapped. The casual tone of their voices didn't match the tension in the air, and I wasn't sure what to make of the situation.

"Seriously, it's not a big deal. Just try it," Mr. Carter urged, holding out the dark chocolate cake. His voice was smooth but firm, making it clear that he wasn't giving me much of a choice.

I forced a smile, trying to stay polite. "Okay, just one bite," I said, leaning forward and taking a small forkful of the cake from Mr. Carter. The taste was rich and indulgent, but I barely registered it. My mind was spinning.

"Good, right?" Mr. Carter asked, watching me closely.

"Yeah, it's really good," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.

"See, I knew you'd like it," he said with a smile, though there was an intensity in his eyes that made me uneasy. "But mines better right?" Daniel asked looking at me.

"They are both good, but now I really have to go." I said.

"No, you can't go until you decide which one is better." Daniel added.

My heart sank as Daniel leaned closer, his eyes gleaming with amusement. I could feel the weight of both their stares pressing down on me, making it nearly impossible to think straight.

"I really don't have time for this…" I said, trying to keep my voice calm while inching toward the edge of my chair, desperate to get away from the bizarre situation.

Mr. Carter's smile faded slightly as he exchanged a glance with Daniel, but then his expression turned almost playful. "Well, Anthony, you heard him. Which one's better?" His voice was light, but there was an underlying command that made me feel like I was on trial.

I swallowed hard, feeling trapped. "I… uh…" My mind raced, and I forced out a nervous laugh. "I don't think I can choose. They're both really good."

Daniel chuckled softly, clearly enjoying the tension. "Come on, Anthony, you're smart. Just pick one."

"I really don't have time for this…" I said, trying to keep my voice calm while inching toward the edge of my chair, desperate to get away from the bizarre situation.

"Don't worry about Thompson, his not going to do anything to you." Mr. Carter.

"You can sit here while you eat." Suddenly Daniel pulled me down on his lap trying to feed me, "if you eat, I'll tell Thompson to stop bothering you." Mr. Carter added.

I hesitated for a while looking at both of them, afraid if they spoke up for me everyone will just hate me. Mr. Carter said gently brushed my hair out of my face.

"You're such a sweet person, you wouldn't want to disappoint your boss would you?" Daniel added

My pulse quickened as Daniel's grip tightened on my waist, keeping me in place on his lap. The casualness of his actions only heightened the strangeness of the situation. His voice was low, coaxing, but there was an edge to it that sent a chill down my spine.

"I don't want to disappoint anyone…" I said, my voice barely a whisper. I could feel Mr. Carter's eyes on me, watching intently, waiting for my next move.

Daniel held a forkful of cake to my lips again, his smile unwavering. "Then don't. Just have another bite. It's that simple."

My mind raced, trying to find a way out without making things worse. I could sense how precarious the situation was—one wrong move, one refusal, and everything could spiral even further out of control.

I took a shaky breath and opened my mouth, letting Daniel feed me another bite of cake. The sweetness turned bitter on my tongue as I forced myself to swallow. My stomach churned, but I tried to keep a neutral expression.

"There you go," Daniel said, his voice dripping with satisfaction as if he had won some unspoken game.

Mr. Carter's smile returned, though it didn't reach his eyes. "See? That wasn't so hard, was it?"

I forced a smile, my throat tightening. "No, not at all…"

"Good." Mr. Carter's voice was calm, almost approving. He placed a hand on my shoulder, squeezing gently. "We like you, Anthony. You've got potential. Don't let things like Thompson or office politics get in your way."

Daniel's grip loosened slightly, and I took the opportunity to stand up, my legs shaky but determined to put some distance between us. "Thank you, sir… Daniel," I said, trying to sound composed. "I'll keep that in mind."

Mr. Carter leaned back in his chair, watching me closely. "Remember, we're here to help you. Don't be afraid to ask."

I nodded, my heart pounding in my chest. "I appreciate it."

Without another word, I turned and made my way to the door, each step feeling heavier than the last. As I left the office, I could still feel their eyes on me, the weight of their expectations and the unnerving power they held over me.

Back at my desk, I collapsed into my chair, my mind spinning. This was no longer just about the internship or dealing with Thompson. Whatever had just happened, it felt like I'd stepped into something far more dangerous, and I wasn't sure how to navigate my way out.

Later that evening as I sat at my desk with everyone gone finishing up my paperwork, "Why are you still here?" Aa familiar voice asked. I turned around and there was Mr. Carter standing at the door, "Oh Mr. Carter!" I said quickly getting up.

"Why are. You still her?" He asked as he walked up to me.

"I just have to finish up some work?" I replied fidgeting my fingers.

"Why do you have so much work?" He asked.

"Because I offered to help out." I lied.

"Pack up right now I'm going to take you home." He said, "but sir…" "I said pack up now!"

, glancing down at my unfinished paperwork. The thought of leaving it all behind felt wrong, but the look in Mr. Carter's eyes brooked no argument. There was an intensity in his voice that made my stomach twist.

"Okay, okay," I muttered, shoving the papers into my bag with trembling hands. "I'll just grab my things."

As I zipped up my bag, I could feel Mr. Carter's presence looming behind me. It was both reassuring and unsettling, like a storm cloud ready to burst. I glanced over my shoulder to find him watching me, his expression unreadable.

"Did I do something wrong?" I asked, trying to lighten the mood, but my voice came out shaky.

He raised an eyebrow. "It's not about that. I just don't want you working late when you can go home and rest."

I wanted to protest, to argue that I had responsibilities and that staying late was part of proving myself. But there was something about his tone that made me reconsider. Perhaps he was right—what good would it do to burn myself out before I even got started?

"Alright," I finally relented, slinging my bag over my shoulder. "I'm ready."

"Good." He gestured for me to lead the way, and as I walked toward the exit, I felt his gaze on the back of my neck, a heavy reminder of the conversation we'd had earlier.

The elevator ride was silent, the air thick with unspoken words. I glanced up at him, but he was focused on the numbers ticking down, his expression still serious. It was strange—he was my boss, yet there was something oddly protective about him in that moment.

When the doors opened, I stepped out into the dimly lit parking garage, the faint sound of dripping water echoing around us. I hesitated, looking back at him. "Thank you for… well, for everything," I managed to say, my heart racing.

He nodded, his eyes softening slightly. "Just looking out for you. It's easy to get lost in this place if you're not careful."

As we walked toward his car, I couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning of something much more complicated. I wasn't sure whether to be grateful or apprehensive about the attention he was giving me.

Once inside the car, the silence enveloped us again. I stared out the window, watching the city lights blur together. "What about you?" I asked suddenly. "Don't you have work to finish?"

"Sometimes you have to prioritize," he replied, his voice low. "You're important to me. Don't forget that."

I felt a heat rise in my cheeks at his words. "I won't," I said, though the uncertainty gnawed at me. What did that even mean?

As we drove through the city, I realized I was navigating not just the challenges of my internship, but also the complexities of my feelings toward Mr. Carter. Was I just grateful for his help, or was there something deeper beneath the surface? I couldn't tell, but I knew one thing for sure: things were about to get a lot more complicated.

TBC