“ARIA look at this girl! Read it!" Aria's eyebrows met as she saw Jocel's reaction.

"What is that?" all she said after reading the message.

Jocel rolled her eyes. “This is the owner of the company I work for. Looks like you don't have to go to the job fair anymore. It looks like you have been hired! ” her best friend said cheerfully.

Aria smiled broadly."That man did good karma to me somehow," Aria is talking about Norman.

"Of course! I wonder what position will the company give you? I'm excited!” the excitement was in Jocel's tone.

Aria laughed then sipped the coffee in her cup. "We will know about that tomorrow," she replied.

ARIA woke up early the next day. Last night when she got home, she arranged all the requirements that could be asked from her in the interview.

As well as the clothes she will be wearing. It was past six o'clock when Jocel came to their house to accompany with her car and also because that was the order of her boss. They are already in the office at seven-thirty.

After Jocel talked to the receptionist of the building, the latter allowed them to go upstairs. The owner's office is on the sixth floor so they go straight there. When the elevator opened, a woman who was about forty-five to fifty years old greeted them.

"Sir is already inside, he's waiting for you," the woman who is according to Jocel is said to be the secretary of her boss.

Her friend confronted her because of that. "I'll go in first, are you okay?"

"I'm nervous of course," she said following her words with a soft laugh. "but I'm okay, don't worry," she even added.

Jocel nodded then turned her back on her. After a while, she came out with a nice smile. "He told me to let you in," her best friend told her.

Upon hearing that, Aria's chest throbbed even more. "All right," she said nervously then let out a deep sigh before turning the doorknob open.

"Hey," the opening greeting of the man standing against the glass wall of the office.

Aria's eyes widened when she recognized the man. "Y-You?" she said in a trembling voice.

“Small world huh!” the man said while smiling.

ARIA

"HAVE a seat," the man pointed to the chair in front of his desk.

The young lady obeyed reluctantly. When she remained silent James spoke again."Can I see the one in your hand?" he refers to the folder she is holding. "Sorry," she apologized then handed the folder to James.

The young lady's chest throbbed as she bowed her head while waiting for James to say something. He read her resume for a while before speaking.

“Aria Alexandre Samonte. You have a very pretty name I might say,” James breaking the silence that for a while fall between them.

"Thank you, s-sir," Aria said as she took a glance at the man who doesn't seem to get tired of staring at her face. And when she thinks she can not stand his powerful gazes, it was when the young lady decided to look away.

“I should ask you, look at me,” upon hearing the firm tone of command in his voice, Aria obeyed despite the intense nervousness she was feeling.

“S-Sir?” she asked in a trembling voice once again.

The corner of the young man's red lips rose then he spoke.“Why did you refuse to tell me your name?” he said in a tone that Aria could not determine what."Why did you leave without saying goodbye?"

It is difficult to define the emotion attached to that last question of James. But despite that, Aria still tried to speak. Even the fact that it seemed like suddenly it became difficult for her to do that.

"Please, do I have to answer that question?" she asked hesitantly in her voice. "Sorry, but I think your question is too personal," Aria said in a pleading tone.

"You will be working as my personal assistant so I guess it is only right that I know personal things about you," James said shrugging his shoulders afterward.

"Personal assistant?" Aria asked in a tone of disbelief as she repeated what James has told her.

James nodded and then moved and sat down in the chair opposite her.“Your salary is seventy thousand pesos a month. All you have to do is be with me every day.”

"What? Seventy thousand pesos?" Aria asked in surprise. "Will I just accompany you every day? That's all I have to do?" the young lady even added. As far as she knows, the normal salary of a personal assistant in the Philippines is less than twenty thousand pesos.

“Yes, every day including Sundays and Saturdays,” James replied.

"You mean I don't have a day-off?" Aria asked in shock.

The young man laughed softly at her reaction. "Of course, there is a day-off, but I still need to be there with you," he said with twinkling eyes as he watched her reaction.

"I guess that's difficult sir, what if I need to go somewhere or need to take care of something? Do you need to be with me? ”

“Exactly!”

“This is impossible; tell me, why are you doing this? What is your reason?” when she can no longer stand it, Aria decided to ask away.

"I want to see you always and I also want you to be with me always," the young man's unwavering answer.

Aria was surprised by the man's answer. If only she could tell James that she feels the same way about him.

And that the truth is, what happened between them is the reason why she finds it difficult to sleep at night.

“What do you think? If seventy thousand pesos is still not enough for you, just name your price,” when she remained silent the young man spoke again.

"All right," Aria answered instead and then met the man's dark eyes.

Black eyes are natural to Filipinos.

Although nowadays it seems that more of them have dark brown eyes, many Filipinos have a mix of other races, particularly the Spaniards who colonized the Philippines for three hundred and thirty-three years.

And that is the reason Aria sees why her eyes and hair are brown.

But James' eyes were different.

Dark, impressive, powerful, and captivating.

They seem to be hiding a lot of secrets and when they stare at her, she seems to want to know what are the secrets hidden behind those dark windows of his soul.

"All right," Aria replied instead then met the man's dark eyes despite the intense beating of her chest.

“We’re settled then, today is your first day,” with James' beautiful smile, he was happy with her answer that he even managed to wink at her. That's why Aria couldn't stop herself from blushing so hard.

"Thank you, Sir James," she replied.

"Maybe now you will tell me the truth," he told her.

“What do you mean, Sir James?”

"Stop calling me sir when it's just the two of us," he said in an authorized tone.

"But..."

"How many times have I asked you what your name is, why did you choose to do that even though you are still a virgin?"

Aria could not understand but James' tone was reprehensible. "That's okay with me because for me after what happened, I know I don't look like I can still face you. That is also the reason why I chose to leave without saying goodbye,” she explained.

“So for you, it's okay to have one nightstand for your first time?”

"It's not like that sir…"

"Call me that once again and I'll fuck you right here, right now," James threatened her.

A strong sigh escaped Aria's lips, along with a delicious shiver all over her body. "That should not have happened," she said referring to what happened to them the other night.

"I do not regret that, because I want to do that again, with you, right now," James emphasizing the latter.