Why, oh why?
Austin had never seen it coming. On his way to talk to her the next day, he stumbled upon a scene that left him speechless. There she was, messing around with a new guy at the office in the very same way she had toyed with Austin. She cheekily complimented the newcomer, saying, "Hey, you've got quite the peach, don't you?"
The new guy blushed a deep shade of red, while she chuckled like a mischievous rascal.
Upon seeing Austin, she acted as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened, maintaining the professional distance between boss and employee as if it were business as usual.
She had this unique style, constantly flipping between savvy and clueless, leaving Austin bewildered at her true intentions. Was she genuinely forgetful, or was it all an act to play innocent after getting what she wanted from him?
She seemed carefree, with her ultimate life goal being to strike it rich and surround herself with male models. To her, kissing guys or commenting on their butts seemed as casual as grabbing a coffee. "To be honest, I thought you were just messing with me," Austin confessed.
"I really don't remember!" Joy tried to swear her innocence, but Austin gently stopped her, "No need for promises, I believe you really forgot. You're an open book, incapable of hiding anything." Joy gave him a puzzled look, "Thanks, I guess."
She wasn't the brightest, but she wasn't entirely foolish either. "So, this whole flirting thing between us, it's not some sort of revenge, is it?"
"Do you think it is?" Austin countered.
How could Joy possibly guess what was on the mind of a capitalist like Austin? If she could, she'd have led a revolution in his place by now.
"Is it?" she probed carefully.
"That's exactly what it is," Austin confirmed.
A bitter feeling rose from Joy's stomach to her chest.
It reminded her of the time she'd been utterly smitten by Austin during her interview, calling out to him with a mix of excitement and warmth when they bumped into each other on her first day, only to be met with a fleeting look of unfamiliarity in his eyes. It dawned on her then that his sweet nothings during the interview were probably rehearsed lines he'd used on many before her.
This feeling of dejection stirred an irritation inside Joy, who muttered under her breath, "Such a petty man, making a big deal out of a little butt tap."
Jumping off her desk, she turned around, presenting her backside to him, "Go on then, even the score. I've got a pretty decent peach too."
Austin fell silent. After a long pause, he sighed in a mix of frustration and resignation, "Joy, you really are something..."
"What's that supposed to mean?" she snapped, not understanding her own irritation.
"Forget it. Let her think what she wants," thought Austin.
Austin pinched her cheek, shaking his head, "Sometimes, you're an adorable dumb-dumb; but other times, I swear you're gonna be the end of me." Joy's ears perked up at the first part, "Excuse me? Do you know what happened to the last person who called me dumb?"
"And what happened to them?"
Well, Curtis, that scoundrel, didn't exactly suffer any dire consequences... Joy's bluster fizzled out, "They lived a life of misery."
Austin chuckled, "Sorry to disappoint, but I'm not miserable. I quite enjoy our little flirtations."
Later that evening, Joy lay curled up on her couch, flicking a lamp on and off. She couldn't quite figure Austin out. Sometimes she felt there might be something between them; other times, she thought she was just
Imagining things. Content belongs
Always accusing her of chasing him, when it really seemed like he was the one keeping her on the hook. What kind of boss flirts with their employee for fun?
If he weren't so handsome, she wouldn't bother with him at all.
And he thought this was revenge? Please. Joy scoffed at the thought, "See, got your butt touched again."
Then the flu hit, sweeping through like a storm. Leanne caught it, and Curtis, that lowlife, was back on the scene.
Joy panicked, rushing to Leanne's side to stand guard and ended up staying with her for three days. At work, she heard Austin had fallen ill too.
The news came through a
grapevine, from her team leader,
who heard it from the director, who got it from Austin's secretary. And amidst the chatter, another rumor surfaced.
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