Love at First Night: The Billionaire's First Love-Chapter 31: A toy

>Noel Castillo

"If you’re done with the revision of the new project proposal, can you email me a soft copy?" I asked, leaning slightly toward the project manager’s table. My tablet was clutched in my hand like a lifeline—because if I missed even one deadline today, I was sure the heavens would split open and drop a resignation letter on my desk themselves. As much as I would like that, I also can’t afford it.

I’m basically running on loyalty as my fuel to retain this job.

This company was too busy. Too busy for any living human being to handle all the secretarial work by himself.

Ahhh... How I long for a vacation. A real one. One with sand, silence, and absolutely no emails.

I pinched the bridge of my nose just as I heard fast footsteps and panicked huffing heading straight toward me.

Wonderful. A new problem, right on schedule. I turned to look at the source of that.

"Mr. Castillo, Mr. Bryce has come to see Mr. Archeval," my assistant secretary, Ms. Love, reported. She was still new—my third assistant this month. Apparently, I was the only one built strong enough to survive Young Master’s standards without spontaneously combusting.

Bearing a news that another devil had arrived to make my day harder. Perfect.

"I understand. Where is he right now?" I asked, forcing a smile so professional it deserved its own award.

"He’s in the CEO’s office already," she said.

I nodded, straightened my back, lightly tapped the assistant secretary’s shoulder as a silent ’Thank you’, and walked toward the office. I didn’t even get to breathe before opening the door.

And there he was.

Kaizer Bryce, with that impossible red hair of his standing out as soon as I opened the door, lounging on the sofa like he was posing for a magazine. One leg crossed over the other, arms stretched, posture screaming I own this place, even though he absolutely did not. His company is not even at the same line of business.

He lifted his head the moment he heard me.

"Oh! Noel! Where’s Venz?" he greeted, flashing a smile so bright and annoyingly perfect it made you angry on instinct. His good genes were doing everything they could to preserve their dignity despite belonging to a man like him.

I returned the smile—because I too was a professional, not because I wanted to. "Honestly this may sound strange. But I have no idea."

And oh, how true that was.

——

Earlier that day, Young Master and I had been reviewing reports.

He sat on the office sofa with one leg crossed, glasses glinting in the light from the window. He held a document in one hand, tapping the edge with his index finger—his thinking habit, the one he usually does when he’s deep in his thoughts.

"About the sudden dip in sales of our new products," I began, pointing to my notes, "I suggest we make some revisions in our marketing strategy—"

His phone buzzed on the glass table. Normally, he ignored everything until we were done. He’d just glance at it, then return to whatever we were discussing.

But not this time.

He froze. Stopped tapping. Stopped breathing, I think. Then he set the document down, grabbed his phone, and shot to his feet.

"Compile all the documents and email them to me. I’ll check them in the car," he ordered.

"Sir—wait, what car?" I turned, but all I saw was the door swinging shut and the faint echo of his rushed footsteps.

He left me alone, holding my tablet like an abandoned lover. Right, my worked just absolutely doubled.

I tried messaging him. Called twice. Nothing. My notifications were still as empty as my will to work.

——

Back in the CEO’s office, I returned my gaze to the red-haired man reclining on the sofa.

"But he told me to come see him as soon as possible because it’s urgent!" Kaizer complained, sitting up dramatically. "I even had to miss his wedding because I had to fly overseas to take care of it!"

I blinked. "...His wedding?"

"Yes! His wedding. You know—the one thing I absolutely could not miss? The thing I did, in fact, miss!" He threw his hands up. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

So, he wasn’t at that wedding, huh? No wonder it’s so peaceful even after all those catastrophic scene.

But what did this man expect me to do? Go fetch Young Master from wherever he ran off to? Summon him with a ritual? Drag him back with performance reviews?

I smiled politely even though my veins twitched dangerously. "I’ll try reaching out to him. Would you like some tea while you wait?"

He groaned, dropping back into the sofa. "What is wrong with everyone today? Mara’s not responding, my wife-to-be is not home, and Venz is out of reach. What the heck happened while I was gone?"

You left the country for almost a month, I wanted to say.

Instead, I stood by the small counter, boiled water, and prepared him tea. His eyes followed me like a starving cat watching someone open a can.

When I placed the cup in front of him, he sighed, brushing a hand through his hair. "Damn it... If I didn’t leave the country, I’d be married by now."

I nearly dropped the kettle.

Married? Him?

This was the same man who, three months ago, brought home a boyfriend he apparently picked up abroad just to spite his grandfather. Before that, he also dated a random girl he met at the café whose name he forgot during the date. And before that, he... oh, right, I lost track. Who could keep up with all of those?

I’m not even his secretary and I still feel absolutely tired of him.

Poor, unfortunate woman. Or man. Whoever that wife-to-be were, I would pray for them.

I was about to call Young Master again, when Kaizer beat me to it and dialed first. His call connected after two rings—something I didn’t know was possible.

"Where are you?" he asked immediately. "Alright."

He ended the call with a frown.

I straightened. "Is he coming here, sir?"

"No," he muttered. "Apparently, he moved out."

"Moved out?" I echoed. Oh, to his marital home. So, he came back home? Did he leave because of his new wife?

I feel bad for that woman. Crossing paths with someone so incapable of affection. I’m sure he was just treating her as a toy that caught his interest.

Soon enough, he’ll get tired of her too. Now that he already got his hand on her.

"Dang! I didn’t know he’d actually do that..."

He looked at me, determination settling into his expression like he had just been given a quest.

"Noel, send me the address to his home. I’ll pay him a visit."

I stared at him, my left eyelid twitching.

"Alright." I replied simply.