The Billionaire Heiress' Love Game

Chapter 2 – The Cookie Monster

Neil furrowed his brows, a crease forming between them as he considered the invitation. He needed to distract himself, and sitting down seemed like a good option. With a decisive nod, he sat on the worn, leather executive chair, lifted the document before him, and pinned his eyes on it. His manhood, hard and throbbing the moment he saw Brianna in the lobby, understood the underlying meaning behind her invitation. But he would not hurt his mother’s soul and send his to hell.

“You’re the boss?” She asked in her arrogant voice and leaned forward.

“Yeah,” he answered briefly and lifted his hand, palm facing Brianna to stop her from leaning closer.

His heart was pounding hard, afraid he would disregard the agreement he signed and pounced at the gorgeous woman obviously seducing him. He never looked into one person's character based on beauty, but Brianna was a magnet. She has a charm that makes people look at her, and right now, she was affecting him.

“Ah!” Brianna lifted a brow, analyzing what type of man Neil was.

He was the taken type. Attractive. Panties-melter kind of guy, but he was either married or in a serious relationship. Or gay since he did not bother to look at her. She bit her bottom lip, weighing her options, whether to let her sexy dress slip to the floor or to tell him who she was.

“You don’t know me,” she murmured in disbelief, gripping the handle of her million-dollar bag.

“You’re Brianna Thomson, my new assistant,” he said, glancing at her and gesturing his hand to the table near the door. “That’s your table. Your ID’s there. We have two security guards here, and both won’t let you in if you forget it. No ID, No Entry.”

“Is that a joke?” She curled her lips, narrowing her eyes as she studied his face. “Do your customers have ID too? No one showed their ID when they entered the bakeshop.”

Neil let out a sigh, glad that he had a meeting. “I’m paying you, so work hard.”

“Work hard?” Brianna murmured, turning her head on the old wooden office table.

“Let’s skip the getting-to-know-each-other part for now.” He glanced at his wristwatch, standing up. “I have a meeting at ten.”

He lifted the box and put it on top of her desk. When his mother’s assistant resigned a month ago, he was the one helping her while looking for another person to do the bookkeeping and filing job.

“While I’m out, sort those receipts and enter the data into the computer. Make sure to staple -”

“Staple?” Brianna blinked her eyes in disbelief. This man was already making her upset.

“With a stapler?” Neil muttered slowly. “I hope you’ve seen a stapler before.”

“I’m not dumb, Mr. Scott,” she said, trying to keep her cool. “But let me be clear. I’m not here to work and do those petty stuff. I am Brianna Thomson.”

Neil pursed his lips and sighed. He paused for a while, contemplating what to say next. If he weren’t afraid his mother would rise from her grave, he would gladly open the door for her to leave.

“Unfortunately, Brianna Thomson, you’re here to work for me for three months.” He glanced at the calendar on the wall. “It’s October. If you successfully do those petty stuff, you’re free by January.”

Ignoring Brianna, he walked toward the door, afraid she would erupt in anger. He was about to exit the door when he remembered something.

“Ah! Robert sent your assistant home. And your driver,” he said, immediately closing the door.

Brianna stood with her arms crossed, glaring at the closed door. She pressed her lips together in a tight line, her nostrils flaring in anger as thoughts raced through her mind.

“Who are you, Neil Scott?” She gritted her teeth, vowing to dig deeper to know who he was and stop whatever sinister schemes her father was into, preventing her from doing what she wanted.

Rolling her eyes, she sat on the office chair and lifted the blue metal stapler. She had to think of how to annoy his father.

***

“What can possibly go wrong?”

James' question echoed in Neil’s mind as he returned to his office. His meeting with the client took longer than expected, and he couldn’t leave his mind to the twenty-five-year-old woman he left in his office.

“She’s twenty-five. I’m sure she knows how to use a damn stapler!” he murmured worriedly as he opened the door.

His heart stopped beating when he didn’t see Brianna in her seat. Even if she had taken her lunch, she would have been back by then. As expected, she did nothing, not even open the box.

“Done with the meeting?” Brianna asked.

Neil turned his head, finding his assistant sitting on his chair, taking a selfie with the cookies he left on his table. His eyes narrowed, and his heart pounded hard. Not the cookie!

“What are you doing there at my table?” He asked, controlling himself from going to the executive table and throwing his assistant outside the window. “This is your seat.”

She curled her lips, blinking her deep brown eyes adorably at him. “But it’s not ergonomics. My back and butt hurts.”

“You…” He breathed hard. “You haven’t started anything? I was gone for hours.”

Brianna lifted her cup of iced coffee, sipping from a straw while shaking her head. “The stapler’s too heavy. It hurt my hand.”

Neil opened his mouth but closed it again, horrified as he fixed his eyes on the cookie she still held. “Please tell me that’s not the cookie on my table.”

“It’s the cookie on your table.” She grinned, showing her perfect white teeth. She did not intend to annoy him when she took a bite of the flat pastry. “It’s good -”

“No!” He yelled, startling his assistant.

She swallowed immediately, suddenly afraid her boss would eat her alive because of eating the cookies. “No need to shout. There’s another one here.”

Neil closed his eyes briefly and took a deep breath before approaching her, snatching the cookie in her hand.

“Do you know what this is?” He asked angrily.

“A cookie?” she said, suppressing a laugh.

He glowered at her, and if looks could kill, he knew Brianna would be dead by now. “This is a sampler! For a Harvard graduate, you’re stupid!”

Brianna stood up, her blood boiling at the insult. She matched the glare he locked on hers.

“Me? You’re the stupid one! Why would you leave the sampler on a plate? In your table? If it’s for sampling, you should have had it covered or at least wrapped them. Who knew what kind of harmful contaminants you have here in your office?” she muttered angrily, forgetting he was her boss.

He opened his mouth, but instead of words, a snarl escaped.

“Coming here was a mistake!” Brianna pouted, taking her bag from the table meant for her.

Neil grabbed her arm before she could walk past him. “Not so fast, spoiled brat princess!”

He somehow thought they would meet eye to eye, not until she ate the cookie. It was the last cookie recipe his mother left, and if only he could bake, he would not share it with Lily. He entrusted the baking to her and hoped to introduce it to the market for Sweet Stuff.

“You’re hurting the spoiled brat princess, Mr. Scott,” Brianna winced, brushing off his hand.

Neil gripped her arm harder, unsure what got into their parents, letting them meet them this way. He was sure it wasn’t an arranged marriage. His mother promised not to interfere with his love life, and he was confident that Robert had the same thinking. He would not forbid them from sleeping together if they were meant to end together.

“You’re not going home without finishing the task I gave you,” he said, gritting his teeth.

“Good luck with that!” she brushed off his hand again. “And correction, Cookie Monster. You had the wrong princess in mind. I’m not a Harvard graduate.”

Neil felt like his eyeballs were about to pop out because of anger. “Cookie Monster? You’re the one who ate the sampler, yet you’re calling me the monster?” He snarled, gritting his teeth.

Brianna sneered, controlling herself from biting him.

“You’re right. I have the wrong princess, and now I understand why your father’s sending you here. You don’t deserve to be here, even in this small place. You’re not going to stain the good reputation of this business.”

She lifted a brow, confused. “I ate a few cookies, and now you’re judging my character? You don’t know me from Adam.”

“Oh yes, I know you very well. Brianna Thomson. You're a homewrecker. This is Sweet Stuff. I don’t want you here. You’re fired!” he growled, then pursed his lips, realizing he had gone too far.

“Homewrecker, huh!” Briana fought back the tears and raised her head, locking her eyes on his. “I’m not returning here. Get another assistant.”

Neil released her arm when he saw the welling tears in her eyes. He closed his eyes hard, not stopping her from leaving his office. He expected Robert to call him later and sue him for hurting his daughter.

“Is everything okay?” James entered the room, but his head was still in the hall. “What happened to the princess? Is she leaving already?”

Neil sighed, sitting on his chair and looking at the only cookie left. “She’s fired.”

“Fired? Why?” James asked in a panic.

His lips pressed tightly as he heaved a deep sigh and said, “She ate the cookie.”

“Huh? What?” James blinked rapidly, confused. “She ate the what?

Neil leaned on his seat and closed his eyes. Robert requested to let her work with him until Christmas. But then, three months with Brianna was like an eternity in hell.