"HERE'S your coffee, Sir."
I said as I placed the cup of coffee in front of him.
"Thanks, Charity." He said, not even looking at me.
I noticed he wasn't in his usual self the past days. It seemed like there was something bothering him. I just didn't know if it was work related or something else. Maybe girl problems? But then he said he doesn't have a serious relationship right now. So I wonder what was it?
"Sir Xander?"
"Yes? What is it that you need?"+" He asked, his eyes still focused on the documents in his hand.
"Is everything okay with you?" This time, I couldn't help but ask him.
He put down the paper on his desk and looked at me. "I'm sorry, Charity. I'm just kind of distracted right now. Am I being a bad boss to you?"
"No, Sir." I shook my head. "I just noticed that you're not your usual self. I wonder if you have a problem or something."
He answered me with a small smile. "Just a little distracted about something. But thanks for asking, Charity. Anyway, how are you and your father? Is he still not talking to you?"
I bit the inside of my cheeks as my eyes landed on the potted plant behind his desk. "I guess he's still mad at me."
Xander motioned for me to sit on the vacant chair in front of his desk as he picked up his cup of coffee that I made for him.
"I'm sure you miss him," he said as he closed the laptop on his desk. Now I could fully see his handsome face.
"Of course, I miss him. But I didn't regret that I went back here to the Philippines."
"Really?" There was a small smile on his face.
"I was enjoying my simple life here." I pursed my lips. "And I enjoy working with you."
"I'm happy, Charity," he said, putting down his cup of coffee on the desk. My eyes landed on the dimple on his cheek. "I like working with you, too."
Those simple words from him was enough to make my heart thump like crazy.
"How about you, Sir?" I asked, acting all casual as ever. "Do you also miss your parents?"
Xander was only fifteen when he lost his parents in a car accident. He was an only child, so it was his grandfather who took care of him. Of course, I knew that about him.
I noticed how his eyes landed on the paper on his desk. Then he looked at me with a small smile.
"Sometimes. Especially my mom. I was closer to her than with my father. She liked to cook for me. That's what I miss about her the most." There was a flicker of sadness that crossed his brown eyes. But it was gone in an instant.
I suddenly remembered my mother. I missed her, too. All the seventeen years that I had spent with her was forever etched in my memory.
"I'm sure your parents are proud of you, Sir." I said, giving him a comforting smile. Well… this was the only thing I could do to comfort him.
The corner of his lips curled. "You think so?"
"Of course, look at what you've accomplished." I said, looking around his office before my eyes went back to him. "You're working hard as the future president of this company."
I was about to continue when I noticed the smile on his lips faded. Did I say something wrong?
"Thanks, Charity. I appreciate that."
That's the last word he said before I left his office. During lunch time, I finally figured out what had been bothering Xander when Pamela talked to me.
"Well, I just heard from Sir Austin that the boards were opposing his presidency."
Pamela said as she dipped her French fry on the ketchup. We were inside the fast food restaurant in front of the VGC building having lunch. "Most of them don't want Sir Xander to lead the company."
"What?" I stopped sipping from my iced tea. "Did something happen?" I asked, frowning. As far as I know, Xander has a good reputation in the company. Even his recent project was approved and commended by the board.
I don't see any reason why the board didn't want him to be the next chairman of the company. He was efficient and passionate in his job. He possessed every character a leader of the company needed to have.
Pamela shrugged. "Well, according to what I've heard, the majority of the board wanted a family man."
"What?" A family man.
"It has something to do with the issue of Xander and his former secretary ," Pamela said as she leaned closer to me. "You know, before his secretary got fired, she made a scene in one of Sir Xander's meetings. That issue got Sir Xander tagged as a playboy. Of course, that womanizer image didn't sit well with the board. They thought Xander was too irresponsible to lead the company."
My lips parted in disbelief. "That's unfair. His relationship with women is separate from how he works. He deserved the presidency. The board was being unfair to him." I shook my head as a deep scowl formed on my face.
"Yeah…that's also what Sir Austin said," Pamela muttered.
I grunted in utter disappointment. I remembered the look on Xander's face earlier when I told him when I addressed him as the future president of the company.
"You okay?" Pamela asked me as we finished our lunch.
"Yup," I answered, giving him a small smile. We stood up from our seats.
"Well… I noticed you suddenly went silent." She said as we left the restaurant.
I let out a sigh. "I'm just worried about Sir Xander. I hope he could still convince the board to consider for the position."
Pamela stopped walking and looked at me with a curious expression on her face. "Why do you seem so affected with this, Charity?" Her eyes slanted as she examined my face. "Oh, you like him, don't you?"
My eyes widened with her accusation. "What the hell? Of course not, Pamela. I'm just concerned because he's my boss. And I've seen him work. If anyone deserves to lead VGC, it's him."
Pamela arched her brow and pointed at my cheeks. "Then why are you blushing?"
I cleared my throat as I tried to keep my voice calm. "I'm not," I denied as I placed my palm on my cheek. "The weather's just too hot today."
"Really? You didn't even develop a crush on him?"
"I told you, I've seen better looking men than him."