Accident Prone

Brianna didn't move and she looked at him questionably. If she remembers well, that was the office his parents used, and she is not going in without an explanation.

Quentin's secretary was doing her best to pretend to work and not look at them.

"Before we go to my office, I would like to show you yours.", Quentin said.

Brianna was not sure if she heard him well. "My office?"

Quentin confirmed. "You are welcome to use mine whenever you want, but I thought that by giving you your space, we can make your presence more official."

Quentin pointed at the nametag on the door which said: 'Brianna Harper'.

Brianna blinked. "Why did you give me an office? I am not an employee here. Why are you making me a moocher how your mother was?"

Quentin rolled his eyes and made a few steps toward his secretary, grabbed a folder from her desk, and returned to Brianna's side.

Quentin gestured toward the folder and explained: "I would never make you a moocher. You are an employee of Reynolds Publishing in the role of a special advisor to the CEO." Quentin gestured toward himself and grinned. "Welcome to your first day at work, Mrs. Reynolds. Your work hours are flexible, and deliverables are optional. Inside this folder, you will find your employee badge and contract that only needs your signature to make all this official."

Brianna was speechless and Quentin smiled smugly.

Quentin opened the door, placed his palm at Brianna's back, and nudged her inside. "I told you that you can come every day. With this, you don't need to announce that you are coming, and you are the only one who can come into my office without an appointment. I didn't allocate a secretary for you, but I can do that if you wish to have one."

Brianna observed her new office that is comparable in size to Quentin's. When she peeled her eyes away from massive windows that provide a great view of Seattle, she observed a big executive desk with a comfy-looking leather chair behind it. On the right, there is a sitting area and plenty of space to move around. There are two doors, one on the right and one on the left. Based on the layout, Brianna guessed that the door on the right is for a private bathroom, and she knew that the left one connects her office to Quentin's.

"What did I do to deserve all this?", Brianna asked.

Quentin pulled Brianna into a hug and rested his forehead on hers. "You exist in my life. That's enough. I can't force you to stay by my side, but I want you to know that the door is open, and you are welcome anytime. In front of you, I have no secrets."

"You are treating me well, Mr. Reynolds."

Brianna was no sure what ulterior motive he can have. They are married and everything. Is there anything left? "Like?"

Quentin took a deep breath and showed his best smile before answering. "Mrs. Durbin is close to retirement and I will have an opening for a director of finances."

It didn't take more than two seconds for Brianna to connect the clues. "You want me to work for you?"

"The company is ours, so technically, you would be working for yourself. Besides…" Quentin reached into the folder and pulled an employee badge with the name 'Brianna Harper'. "You are already working here. Director of finances is a role you are qualified for, and it's yours if you want it. I'm only asking you to consider it."

Brianna narrowed her eyes at Quentin. "You know, my current job is almost like working for myself."

Quentin could not deny this, but… "The keyword is 'almost'. Currently, you are working for your father and you always have a shadow of your cousin hovering over you. If you come to Reynolds Media, your boss will be your equal, we will collaborate, and I will not tell you how to do your work. Instead of chasing clients and contracts, you can work with me in growing this company while advising me to put the money where it counts. The job will be less stressful than your current one, the salary and bonuses will be comparable to your current ones, and this job comes with the CEO personally driving you to work and back. Also, I will make sure that my every lunchbreak is exclusively yours."

Brianna thought about how his words make sense, and she likes his silver tongue. She admired how he mentioned all the perks she would be interested in and framed everything to sound like she has nothing to lose and plenty to gain. No wonder he can manage this company successfully.

"Is this office included in the deal?"

Quentin's face lit up. "Absolutely."

"Alright."

Quentin was not sure what that 'alright' means. Did she accept to work as director of finances at Reynolds Media? Is it that easy? He needed confirmation. "You accept the role?"

Brianna smiled mysteriously. "No. I accept to think about it."

Quentin's excitement dwindled. He told himself to stay optimistic. She didn't reject him. But he is not the one to give up easily. He got an idea. "Let me know when you want to negotiate benefits. Other than this glorious office that connects to mine directly and provides you with unrestricted access to me, you would get a chance to watch over all those models who are coveting your husband and keep them at bay."

Brianna grimaced. "Really? You are brave enough to remind me of your past of bedding models?"

Quentin shrugged. "I think that risk is worth it, if it will make you see how this is a win-win deal."

Brianna stifled a laugh at his cheeky behavior. "Before all those models, we should deal with one woman who is coveting you."

Brianna gestured toward the door on the left and Quentin made a face.

"How do you want to deal with Kendra?"

Brianna tilted her head. "Didn't you say you will fire her?"

Quentin nodded in confirmation. He wanted to fire Kendra, but after the meeting when the paperwork of her termination as an employee is over. Now he needs a different strategy.

"I want to watch.", Brianna informed Quentin and he agreed.

…

In Quentin's office, Kendra was sitting on the sofa and playing with her fingers while biting her lower lip nervously.

She heard some sounds from the office next door, but it was too faint to make out the voices.

Kendra frowned at the sight of the door. Since when is there a door connecting two offices? But she didn't have time to think about it, because this time… she is in trouble.

Only a blind person would miss that Quentin didn't approve of Kendra's behavior.

Other than dissing the models, Kendra was rude to Brianna as well, and Kendra is aware that Brianna is special. After all, no matter what Kendra tried with Brianna, she was unable to repel her, and Quentin was fixated on Brianna to the point of neglecting his work sometimes. Kendra is with Quentin for more than five years, and she knows that no matter what happened in Quentin's life, he never neglected his work... until Brianna showed up.

Kendra was shocked on Saturday to hear that Quentin got married. Wasn't that just a date that included hanging out with friends and an event to celebrate the expansion of Reynolds Publishing into Reynolds Media? Quentin didn't discuss details with Kendra (other than the event), but she knew that Quentin booked three suites, so that was a giveaway on how others who are close to him will be present.

Kendra was not sure how Brianna managed to convince Quentin to marry her. Quentin was never the type to settle. Kendra came up with all kinds of theories, from him being drunk to having it as a bet he lost. Or did Brianna force him?

And then she saw them getting handsy in the storage room. Kendra knew who was in that room before she entered. After all, the whole evening her eyes were on Quentin, and she saw Quentin and Brianna sneaking in. Kendra wanted to stay away, just like many times before when Quentin would seduce models and Kendra faithfully waited for him to finish so that she can tidy up afterward (if needed). But when she heard a loud bang, part of her hoped that something squished Brianna and hurt her badly, or at least made her a cripple, and there was also a possibility that Quentin was hurt and Kendra gets her chance to save him... and Kendra had to get inside and see for herself. Unfortunately, the only thing she saw was Quentin and Brianna being lovey-dovey and Quentin even agreed to pay for all the garments. That was a small fortune! How Kendra sees it, Brianna does not deserve such treatment.

Since Saturday evening, the bitterness was simmering inside Kendra, so she decided to come and steam out on the models, first thing in the morning. What Kendra didn't expect was Brianna and Quentin to catch her red-handed.

Kendra knows that those models don't have anything to do with Quentin, but those girls represent every Quentin's hookup that Kendra had to ignore and pretend that it does not mean anything. Well, none of those numerous models meant anything to Quentin, but each of those was a stab in Kendra's heart. Why wasn't she enough? Kendra convinced herself that if she stays by his side, he will eventually get bored of those empty-headed dolls and he will return to her, but Brianna showed up and Kendra realized that something is off. Since that afternoon when Kendra styled Brianna, Quentin stopped looking at the models and his infatuation with Brianna was obvious, yet no matter what Kendra tried, nothing worked. Kendra was helpless.

And now, she is in trouble.

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