AUSTIN'S POV
"Yes, Quinn, I'm up. I'm on my way to the office already," I said to my best friend as I quickly got up from bed.
"Why do I have the feeling you just got up from bed, Austin?" she asked, and I was about to answer her, but I was interrupted.
"Baby, I can't find my red underwear. Where did you throw it?" Could this woman just be quiet? Just when I thought my lie was about to sell, she came from nowhere to ruin it.
The glare I gave her shut her up instantly, and she ran into the bathroom.
"Poor girl. If only she knew there was another girl calling you baby just yesterday," Quinn said, and I chuckled.
"But seriously, Austin, why are you still home? I thought you said there was something significant happening at the office today?" she asked.
"Well, I got carried away. Besides, Mr. Blackwood asked me to meet him at his house, that he'd like to discuss something with me," I said as I walked to the bathroom.
"I wonder what he wants to talk about," she said.
"That's what I'll be going there to find out," I said as I took my toothbrush and put toothpaste on it but didn't start brushing immediately. The blonde I brought home last night, I don't quite remember her name, walked out of the shower and walked to the bedroom. She should be out of my house already.
I had a thing for blondes; it was like I was obsessed with women with blonde hair.
"He's retiring soon, right?" Quinn asked, and I heard the sound of a key like she was opening a door. I had a feeling she was already at the office. She was always early.
Don't get me wrong. I'm a very hardworking and dedicated worker. My position is as the personal assistant to the CEO, Mr. Blackwood, and he can attest that I'm his best employee.
"Yeah, he is. I think his daughter would take over. The poor man has worked hard all his life. Losing his son was a big blow for him, but he managed just fine."
"Yeah, he's a strong man. Retiring at sixty ain't easy," she said.
"I can't imagine the pain he had to go through. After working so hard for his son to take over, his son had to die. Poor man," I said as I started brushing.
"I have to go, Austin. See you later," she said.
"Alright," I mumbled with the brush in my mouth before spitting out the foam from my mouth.
"Take care."
"Okay," she said before I ended the call and kept my phone on the bathroom counter. After brushing, I entered the shower and washed myself before I wrapped a towel around my waist and walked out of the bathroom with my phone in my hand.
"Why are you still here? You should be gone by now," I asked the blonde with a hint of annoyance.
"But I can't just leave, baby. You said you were going to drop me off," she said, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes.
Just because we had sex, she suddenly thinks she's special, calling me baby here and there.
She was crazy.
I ignored her as I walked into my closet to get dressed.
I decided to go with a black suit, sky-blue shirt, and black leather shoes. Then I chose a tie to go. Definitely not a black tie.
When I was done dressing, I combed my hair and sprayed my perfume before grabbing my car key and walking out of the closet.
"I've called a taxi for you. Give him your address. I don't care where the fuck he takes you," I said without emotion as I started walking to the door.
"But I thought... I thought..."
"You thought I was going to drive you home? You thought wrong. Are you going to come, or do you want me to lock you here?" I asked her, and she immediately started walking to the door with a frown, like I cared. I got into my black Bentley and drove off to Blackwood's mansion.
The gate was open for me, and they didn't need to conduct any further search on me because I come here almost every day.
I parked my car in front of the house and walked inside.
"He's waiting for you in his study," one of the maids said as soon as she saw me, and I nodded as I made my way to the study.
I reached there and found Mr. Blackwood busy behind his desk. For a sixty-year-old man, he sure has a lot of passion to still work.
"Good day, sir," I said as he raised his head to look at me.
"Austin, glad you came," he said as he beckoned me to have a seat.
"So you know I'll be retiring soon?" he asked, going straight to the point, and I nodded.
"My daughter is going to be taking over, and I know that a lot of things are going to change and there are going to be uproars. There are a lot of oppositions already rejecting her as the CEO, but my mind is already made up," he said.
I still didn't understand how I was concerned in all he just said, but I didn't question him. I listened.
"You have been one of my trusted employees—scratch that, you're my trusted employee. As my assistant, you have done perfectly well," he said.
"Thank you, sir," I said with a nod.
"That's why I need you to do me a favor," he said, and I looked at him, confused as to what he would want from me.
"I need someone I can trust beside my daughter. People are going to come up against her and try to find fault in everything she does, but with someone like you to help her, it would make things better for her," he said.
"How do you want me to help her, sir?" I asked.
"Here," he said as he opened his drawer and brought out a document.
"I've prepared a contract for you, a new one. Go over it and see if it's something you'll want. Sign it and bring it back to me when you've made your decision."
He pushed the document to me, and I picked it up, but my eyes instantly went wide at what I saw.
"You want... you want..."
AUSTIN'S POV
"Mr. Blackwood, you want me to stop working as your assistant and instead work for your daughter?" I asked, my eyes scanning the contract in my hands. The words were clear, but the request itself was unexpected.
"Yes," Mr. Blackwood said, his voice carrying the same authority that had built an empire. "As I said earlier, I need someone I trust by her side, and there's no one I trust more than you."
I set the document down, meeting his gaze. He was serious. I felt honored that he thought so highly of me, but what about him? I had spent years at his side, learning, growing, proving my worth. This wasn't just a job—I was his right-hand man.
"What about you, sir?" I asked, my brows furrowing. "You also need an assistant. It
would be hard for you to get used to someone else."