“Carlson,” Leila breathed out.
“Leilani.” He smiled. Those familiar emotions of anger that she had buried since their failed date bubbled inside her. “I didn’t think I would be seeing you anytime soon.” Neither did she, she should have looked first before hopping into his car like a rabbit. “I’ve been trying to reach you.”
“Oh.” What was the kindest way to tell someone she blocked him? Her fake smile became faker. “I changed numbers. Might be why you couldn’t reach me.”
“Sweet. Can I have your new number?”
“What?” she squeaked out.
“Your new number. I’ll give you a call later.”
Today he was wearing a beanie so she was spared the sight of his thinning hair. When his head tilted to get a fuller view of her, she froze.
“Look, we got off on the wrong foot. I apologise.”
“It’s okay. Can we just go?” she asked.
“Where to?”
“Straight ahead. I’ll let you know when to stop.”
Carlson burst into a 

Minutes later, the food was ready. Leila set the tray on the table, her smile, big and bright as she marched to the study to get her husband. She met him on a call. His voice was so low she barely heard a word he said. She leaned on the doorframe, a small smile on her face as she watched him massage his forehead. Even when disturbed, he looked cute. They might get along.
The call ended and he turned to her. Leila smiled, ready to speak but he cut her off. “What do you want?”
Wow. His words were like ice poured over her, she took a subconscious step out of the study. Her hand curved in the direction of the dining.
“Dinner is ready.” She tried and failed to smile but his reaction hurt her. Here she was, trying to be a good wife and he was being rude. “I came to tell you that.”
She was a few steps out of the study when he called her. “Leila.” She stopped but didn’t turn. If he would be rude

The department was louder than before as male and female staff discussed her husband. Leila was mortified as Susie broke down into a commentary about his looks.
Bile rose to her throat and she forced herself to take a sip of water from her flask. One of the rules of their firm was this: No inter-staff relationship. It was forbidden and highly frowned upon, so most of what they were saying would only happen in their dreams.
Still, their thoughts nauseated her. She wasn’t breaking the rules by being married to the boss but she felt like a criminal as she listened to them ogle and try to picture Kelvin without a shirt. He was her husband and she hadn’t even seen him shirtless yet.
Susie was the loudest of the gossipers, her comment about Kelvin’s lips between her legs bothered Leila and she scowled at their backs when they laughed at her remark. Her cheeks warmed when she remembered their near kiss from this morning.
Kelvin was perfect as he was.
Lily dragged a seat close to Leila’s table, Sarah’s instructions seemed to have flown out of the window with this new development. “Have you seen the picture?”
“Yeah,” she answered.
“Just yeah?” She nodded. If she spoke too much, she might lose her temper. “That man is freaking hot. I want to do him,” Lily said with a laugh that died down when Leila didn’t join her. “What’s wrong with you?”
“Sorry. Don’t feel so good.”
Lily’s face contorted in concern, she placed a hand on Leila’s shoulder and pressed the back of her palm to her forehead. “Have you taken anything for it? Gone to see a doctor?”
“Not yet.” She counted to five before speaking again. How could she take anything when the sickness wasn’t real? “It just started. I’ll be fine. Thanks.”
“If you say so.” She motioned to Leila’s phone and the screen lit up with the picture of her husband. “What do you think? Hot or hot?” Lily sighed dreamily and Leila bit her tongue to avoid lashing out at her colleague as she listed his good features. “Did you see his eyes?” Another sigh escaped Lily and Leila counted to twenty to steady her breathing. “Imagine looking into those eyes while fucking. He can bend me over his desk for sure.”
Leila choked on a cough. What was wrong with people? Lily paused to look her over and Leila heard herself saying, “Sorry, it’s the sickness. It will be gone before the end of the day. I know it.”
“Sorry.” Lily hugged her from the side and Leila closed her eyes. What she wanted to do was use those same hands and smack some modesty into Lily. “I don’t stand a chance with him being the boss and all that but do you think he’s single?”
No!
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Lily asked when she bent over. She was more than fine. She just needed some time before she screamed at everyone to shut up. “Maybe go to the hospital right away instead of waiting until it develops into something worse.” Leila glared at her and Lily shrugged. “I’m only looking out for you.”
By wanting her husband to bend her over his desk? No thanks. He hadn’t even bent her over anything. Oh, God. What was she thinking? She didn’t want him bending her over. Yes, they would have sex but... Leila took in another deep breath, she needed a break away from this office.
“What’s going on?”
They both jumped at the sound of the new voice. Lily cursed, Leila froze. Her husband was here. He stared right through her like she was an ordinary staff and she burned with embarrassment when he scoffed before turning to Lily. His fingers drummed on her desk.
“No cursing in the office,” he told Lily. Sparing one look around, he said, “That applies to everyone here.” Leila didn’t remember sitting but her knees couldn’t support her weight any longer. “Who needs to go to the hospital right away?”
A lump formed in Leila’s throat but she didn’t offer a reply. Lily passed her a sorry look. They didn’t know if silence would be best in this scenario.
“Me,” Leila finally volunteered an answer to save Lily from getting into trouble. “I’m the one.”
“What’s wrong with you?”
Kelvin pushed one hand into his pocket, leaned forward so she had no choice but to look up to him. He intimidated her. His voice. His looks. Everything about him.
“Nothing,” she replied. He lifted a brow. “I feel dizzy but it’s nothing I can’t handle, Sir.”
“Do you need to take the day off?”
Leila couldn’t tell if he was asking out of genuine concern or because it was required of him. Her head shook slowly. “No, Sir. I’ll be fine. Thank you, Sir.”
“Whose phone is that?” He pointed to her phone.
Thankfully, the screen had gone black. She tried to remove it from the table but his glare stopped her.
Where was the Kelvin from the wedding?
“Mine,” she whispered. Everyone was staring at them. Some, with pity and others with indifference. The way he focused on the screen cracks made her say, “It just happened today. It fell down when I was rushing up to the office.”
Kelvin turned his back to her without another word and she released a breath when he sauntered to Susie’s table to grill her. Her nervousness turned into annoyance at the ease with which Susie answered his questions.
He wasn’t flirting with her, was he?
Sarah walked in seconds after to give a general introduction of the department. Leila forced her name out of her lips when it was her turn to introduce herself and she looked away when Kelvin frowned at the use of her former last name. Collins. At the office, she would be Leilani May Collins.
Besides, if he was so comfortable acting like he didn’t know her, why was he pretending to be upset?
“Leila is the staff of the month,” Sarah offered after the introductions were done. She shuffled to her feet and her eyes found the ground at Kelvin’s stare. That was nice of Sarah but she didn’t think her husband cared about her achievement. “Has been for a while.”
It might have been her imagination but she caught Kelvin’s curt nod before he left her office. When the door shut again, she began to breathe normally.
“I think the boss hates you,” Susie said as she walked past Leila’s table. Leila threw a paper napkin at her head and Susie laughed as she ducked the flying object. “But he does like me.”
“No one likes you, Susie,” Lily screamed. “Fuck off.”
Some people laughed, including Leila. Playful jabs were common with them. A look of mischief settled in Susie’s eyes. Drawing closer to Leila’s table, she wiggled her brows. Leila braced herself for what was coming and Susie didn’t disappoint by grinding her hips like a belly dancer.
“Wait until I have him under me like this,” Susie whispered so only the two women heard her. Grabbing Leila’s desk, she thrust her hips forward and added, “Yes, Kelvin. Yes! Right there.”
Lily snorted, she pushed Susie and both women doubled over in laughter. Leila’s cheeks hurt too much from putting up a fake smile.
“If that’s the face you make, Susie, you won’t be getting any man.” Hissing, Susie cat-walked to her desk. She flipped Lily her middle finger. Lily returned the kindness by blowing her a kiss. The office was quieter when Lily finally turned to Leila. “Sorry. I almost got you into trouble back there.”
A corner of her lips twitched. “Not at all. It’s fine.”
Leila’s eyes darted to the clock on the cream walls, she couldn’t wait for closing hour. She wanted out.
The rest of the day passed without any hiccups. But the gossip didn’t cease. Each time Lily tried to involve her in the chat, Leila dismissed her with a polite answer.
Leila was the last one to leave the office. It was a big room divided by desks and slabs. If she ever got a promotion, she would get an office to herself.
On her way home, she stopped by a store to get some stuff for a quick dinner. Kelvin didn’t let her pick out any food items from her house. Yesterday, he asked her to order for them but she chose to make noodles because she didn’t want to spend his money.
Leila wasn’t sure what kind of food Kelvin liked and she didn’t want to ask him over the phone. She didn’t want to talk to him just yet.
It was a few minutes past six when she finished grocery shopping, more than an hour since work closed. Her heart sped up at the number of missed calls from Kelvin, she rushed to the street and flagged down a taxi.
A yellow cab slowed in front of her, she dumped her grocery in the backseat first before entering.
“Where to, ma’am?” the driver asked.
The familiar voice caught her off guard, Leila lifted her head and her body went completely still.

“Carlson,” Leila breathed out.
“Leilani.” He smiled. Those familiar emotions of anger that she had buried since their failed date bubbled inside her. “I didn’t think I would be seeing you anytime soon.” Neither did she, she should have looked first before hopping into his car like a rabbit. “I’ve been trying to reach you.”
“Oh.” What was the kindest way to tell someone she blocked him? Her fake smile became faker. “I changed numbers. Might be why you couldn’t reach me.”
“Sweet. Can I have your new number?”
“What?” she squeaked out.
“Your new number. I’ll give you a call later.”
Today he was wearing a beanie so she was spared the sight of his thinning hair. When his head tilted to get a fuller view of her, she froze.
“Look, we got off on the wrong foot. I apologise.”
“It’s okay. Can we just go?” she asked.
“Where to?”
“Straight ahead. I’ll let you know when to stop.”
Carlson burst into a string of apologies as their ride began. Leila cursed her fate over and over again. She should have 

Chapter6: Boyfriend? Ex?