"Have you sent the review of the Beta gamers to Mr. Salvador?" Maya asked Jessica, even as she typed into the computer referring to Tyler.
"Not yet." She whispered uneasily, "I'll do that later today along with the report of the engineers once they are done testing the design of the app."
Maya nodded, her eyes still fixated on the computer screen.
Playit was launching a dating app soon and it had been taking a chunk of her time, as everyone had been on deck to make sure this particular job was just as perfect as the others.
She smiled at Jessica, not even blaming her for slacking a bit, even as she told her she could leave now.
The landline in her office rang, she picked up the call, her eyes still on her screen.
"Maya,"
She smiled, "How are you doing?"
"Fine but I don't know about you. I didn't know when you came back home last night and this morning before I woke up, you have already left." She could tell he was resting on his chair, his eyes narrowed in annoyance, "Don't tell me my brother is overworking you like a mule."
She sighed, "We are trying to launch a new app and we are so busy testing it out, doing promotions, sealing partnerships. It's been so hectic here, you should understand."
"I don't Maya. Should I talk to Tyler?"
"No, Christ! Don't you dare," she warned even as she pushed her chair backward standing up, "Christ, Xavier everyone is busy and nobody has called Tyler asking him why the other staff have been doing late nights or overstressing."
"I don't like the thought of you driving that late." He whispered after a few seconds of her outburst, "I'm worried sick about you. Did you eat before leaving for work this morning?"
"Yes," she replied without missing a beat. Munching on an apple as she buttoned her shirt, could qualify as breakfast right?
"Next time you'll be late just call me. I'll come to pick you."
"Xavier I don't need you to be stubborn about this, it is not like someone is waiting to abduct me because I came back a bit late!"
She bit on her lower lip realizing what had slipped out of her mouth. Even until that moment, her kidnap wasn't a topic she discussed with Xavier without seeing a flicker of pain in his eyes or guilt because he still believed that she wouldn't have undergone something so traumatic like being held against her will if not for him.
"That wasn't funny," his voice was gravelly low. She had been the one kidnapped but by what Melissa had briefly told her the last time she had stopped by the mansion, Xavier had suffered.
She didn't want to believe her because well, they did believe she and Xavier were engaged so she will see what she wants to see. Of course, she believed that Xavier had felt bad when she had been kidnapped, he had come to get her for crying out loud.
But suffering? Was it that serious? Wasn't it too far-fetched?
I'll come to pick you up when next you are going to be late."
"Xavier I..."
"Please, Maya I understand that this is your job and I'm trying hard not to interfere with this. For your sake," she pursed her lips closing her eyes, "Please just let me do this so I can be sure you are safe."
"Why do you have to be so stubborn?" She whispered, softly sighing.
"I learned from the best." He replied and she could hear the smile in his voice, "So?"
"Did I ever have a choice?"
"I just want you to be safe."
"And I'll be. Your dad is in prison Xavier, Sorry Mr. Dominic__"
"You can call him my Dad." Xavier whispered, making her blink shocked, "It is a bitter reality I'll have to live with all my life."
"Besides," she continued smirking, "How can I ever get hurt when I have my own personal good-looking bodyguard."
He chuckled lightly, "Bye."
She glanced at the landline phone even as she hung up, a soft tender look on her face.
She heard a firm knock on her door making her jerk realizing she had zoned out thinking about Xavier.
Flustered and thankful she didn't have an audience to see her daydreaming when she had piles of workload on her hands. Things to confirm, files to report, compile. Codes to test run.
"Come in," she said, going back to her work.
"Maya," soft timbre-like voice that was both cajoling and nice to the ear let out.
She looked up to meet the playful smirk of Jared. She have seen his pictures and had thought he was the direct opposite to Tyler but seeing him in person even with his sneakers and a plain T-shirt with black pants, hair left in a carefree she could tell effortless curls, she could see why they were great friends.
His personality was a split reflection of Tyler's.
"Mr. Gregor," she whispered even as she stood up, bringing her hand out for a shake, "So nice to see you."
They had only spoken on phone once or twice to discuss some files directly handled by him since he had been handling some business-related affairs in Europe, where one of the offices was located at.
"God, you make me feel like my old man. You can just call me Jared, even my cook calls me that," he gave her a little smirk, "So please don't make me feel like I'm in my late sixties."
"Oh," she mumbled speechless taken aback by how utterly casual he sounded and how free he was.
"Tyler is more the business type, I'm just handling the forte of running this place, and well he was right about you, you are really doing an excellent job even though it hasn't been up to two weeks you started with us."
She gave him a little smile she hoped was polite and still friendly because inasmuch as she was trying to be as professional as possible she didn't want him to feel like she was rejecting his friendly approach.
She could do with a little loosened-up person especially in such a tense moment when everyone was so jerky and busy.
"So I'll leave you to it," he mumbled, "See you around, Maya."
She glanced at his retreating figure with a smile. The media was right and Tyler had not been exaggerating, he was really a goofball and he was humble while at it.
She would never have guessed he owned more than a rack of Nike sneakers with his politeness and humility unlike someone, she thought her mind drifting back to Xavier as she couldn't help comparing how different the two were yet somehow she preferred her royal asshole.