Contractual Romance

11

Anthony's POV

I was feeling hungry from all the work I'd been doing since I arrived. It was already lunchtime, and I needed a break, even if it was just five minutes before I returned to continue doing my work. Besides, the important meeting I was supposed to be having wasn't looking successful at all.

I rubbed my nose and exhaled before rising. I grabbed my suit jacket from the back of my seat and slipped it on then took my phone, followed by my wallet.

"I'll go check if Sandy will have lunch with me," I said as I walked to the door. I opened it and left the office. I nodded at my secretary across the hallway and turned my body toward Sandy's office door.

Before I got close, I saw something that made me stop walking. Sandy had a transparent part attached to her door which made me see the back of a man. With the way she was smiling and speaking to him, it was as if she knew him but what caught my attention was the way they were holding hands. I wasn't sure if it was a handshake but from where I was standing, I could see the way the man was rubbing his thumb against the back of her hand.

Feeling curious, I walked closer to the door and opened it, startling them apart. Sandy looked like she was caught doing something bad and that made me more curious and when the man turned around, I gritted my teeth at who he was.

"Mr. Flintwood. You're finally here. I was beginning to wonder what took you so long," I said with stiffness in my voice.

He smiled. "Hello, Mr. Hogan. I was just entranced by this beautiful lady. I got to find out that she is your assistant. It'll be lovely working with such a great personality."

I gritted my teeth. Something about what he said didn't sound good to my ears. It irritated the fuck out of me. His fucking smile irritated me and the way he was looking at Sandy irritated me too.

"I'm sure you are... That's why she's my girlfriend," I blurted out and Sandy's eyes widened.

"Girlfriend?" Trent Flintwood asked in a way that I could sense mocking in his voice.

"We have a meeting together. Shall we go to my office?" I motioned at the door, and he nodded.

What the bastard did next almost made me want to fire him already. He took Sandy's hand in his and brought it to his lips. He kissed the back of her hand while staring into her wide eyes. Sandy even looked flushed. She was falling for his charms, and it made me feel uncomfortable.

"I hope I see you again?" The bastard asked in a sly tone and Sandy could only nod.

I cleared my throat, and he stood straight. I watched him leave the office before I glared at Sandy who was staring at the door. I shook my head and left the office to mine where he was waiting. He still had the shitty smile on his face which I grimaced at before opening the door for him. He walked in and I followed suit.

Once I got to my seat, I sat down and pointed at one of the seats in front of me. He sat down and crossed his legs while looking around the office.

"My father said you'll be coming today. So, you're the man that was supposed to take over my position," I said curtly, and he nodded. "Well, seeing that it won't happen again. What exactly are you doing here?"

"Your father has started making drafts of my transfer to the branch here. He wants me to take up the position that you're currently in if you successfully become CEO. From the looks of things in the company, you've done a good job."

I ignored his words and turned on my laptop. I quickly opened his data I had on my laptop.

"So, what makes you think you can do a perfect job as the COO when you are only a manager from the Washington branch?" I asked.

I already didn't like this man just for what he did in Sandy's office. I am always protective of my best friend. I didn't enjoy it when men I didn't know hit on her and now that we were having a fake relationship, I didn't want to tolerate such even though there was a rule supporting it. I just didn't feel comfortable with him.

"Your father sees me as a perfect fit for the role of the CEO, so I'm certain that my being a manager helped me. Besides, from what I've learned about you, you don't seem like the perfect fit either if you are questioning my abilities," he taunted me with a sly smirk that I desperately wanted to punch off his face.

"What you learn about me and what I do here are two different things. People have what they say about others, but I am very passionate about my family's business. Which is why I am declining the idea of some stranger taking a position that doesn't belong to them. You may be the new COO when I become CEO but that doesn't mean that it proves how good enough you are. You just got this position through privilege, which I don't even know why," I said, trying to play with his mind but the way he was relaxed, he didn't seem moved.

"Trust me, Mr. Hogan. When it comes to working, I do what I have to do. Besides, I think having Miss. Hathaway as an assistant to the COO would make things so much easier for me. She seems like the perfect one for me to succeed in this company."

I fisted my hand that was resting under the desk while I kept on a blank expression. I didn't want this man near my Sandy. He looked like the type to ruin things and from how he was behaving when I told him she was my girlfriend, I could tell he barely believed me.

"That will be all for now. You can leave," I said with a forced smile on my face.

Trent nodded and rose to his feet. He adjusted his suit and made his way to the door. Once he left, I called Sandy's office phone and she answered immediately.

"Babe. We're going out for lunch together. Take it as a date," I said and ended the call.

I had to do everything to make sure Trent wasn't anywhere close to Sandy. He was going to be trouble to my plan. He seemed like the type to fight dirty. The CEO position was still open, and anything could happen anytime and losing Sandy to his charms would jeopardize everything.

"I have to act smarter."

A/N: Read ahead on Radish Fiction or Goodnovel.