The Billionaire Prince and His Secretary

Chapter 6

Ember POV

The Broadway show was spectacular, and our late-night pizza dinner afterwards was even better. John and I laughed, talked, and enjoyed every minute. However, all good things must come to an end, or at least a pause. After dinner, John gave me an hour to prepare because we had to fly back to Solandia.

After freshening up, I made sure I had everything we purchased during the trip before we headed to the airport. Once everything was accounted for, we went straight to the airport and boarded his private plane. Jet lag was catching up with me. I was exhausted, but my mind wouldn’t settle. It was already morning in Solandia and my body knew it was supposed to be working.

I managed to get a couple of hours of sleep, and when I woke up, John was on his laptop, still working diligently. He looked up when he noticed me stirring.

“Morning, sleepyhead,” he said with a smile. “I hope you got some rest.”

“A little,” I replied, stretching out my arms. “What about you? You need to sleep, too.”

He shook his head. “I’ll take a power nap after I finish answering these emails. There’s always something to do.”

“You should take care of yourself, John. You’re not invincible,” I said, concern showing in my voice.

He chuckled. “I’ll be fine, Ember. Don’t worry about me.”

When we landed in Solandia, the reality of our situation hit hard. Edmund, John’s driver, handed me the morning newspapers as we settled into the car. My heart pounded as I saw our faces plastered across the front pages: “The Prince of Solandia Dating His Secretary!”

Photos of us from the auction were prominently displayed. I passed the papers to John, my hands trembling slightly. He glanced at them with mild interest, then handed them back.

“We look good in these photos,” he said casually, as if it was no big deal.

I didn’t respond, too overwhelmed by the media frenzy. Sensing my uneasiness, he looked at me and asked, “Are you okay, Ember?”

“Not really,” I admitted. “This is…a lot.”

He sighed. “Don’t mind the papers. People will forget about this tomorrow.”

However, when we got back to the office, it was clear that people weren’t going to forget anytime soon. Whispered conversations stopped abruptly when we walked by, and I could feel eyes on us everywhere we went. It was uncomfortable, to say the least.

A few remarks were especially hurtful, insinuating that I had slept my way to my position or that I was just another of John’s toys. The worst rumor was that I was aiming to become the next queen of Solandia.

At first, I tried to ignore the gossip, but it became too much. I eventually discovered who was behind the most malicious stories. Her name was Linda, a senior staff member who seemed to have a personal vendetta against me. I had heard from a few people that even when it was John’s grandfather who was managing the company, Linda already wanted to be the CEO’s secretary. She applied twice but didn’t pass the interview.

I decided to confront her professionally, recording our conversation to ensure I had evidence. “Linda, we need to talk,” I said as I approached her desk.

She looked up, a smirk on her face. “What do you want, Ember?”

“I want to know why you’re spreading lies about me,” I said calmly, though my heart was racing. I was not the type of person who was confrontational. “It’s unprofessional and damaging.”

“Because it’s true,” she snapped. “Everyone knows what you’re after. You’re just a gold-digger looking to climb the social ladder.”

I took a deep breath, keeping my composure. “I work hard, and I don’t deserve these accusations. If you have a problem with me, address it directly. Stop spreading false rumors.”

She scoffed. “You’re nothing but a—”

“Enough,” I interrupted, holding up my phone. “I have this entire conversation recorded. I’m taking it to HR.”

Linda’s face paled, but she didn’t back down. “Go ahead. It won’t change anything. You are still a w***e. Ha! You are even pretending to be a friend of the princess!”

With a smile on my face, I went straight to HR, presenting my case without informing John. I didn’t want to add to his concerns. However, after checking with HR, I had to notify my boss. When I told him what happened, he was furious.

“Why didn’t you tell me about this sooner?” he asked, his eyes flashing with anger.

“I didn’t want to burden you,” I said softly. “You have enough on your plate.”

John shook his head, his expression softening. “You should never have to deal with this alone, Ember. I’m sorry.”

He fired Linda immediately, making it clear that such behavior would not be tolerated. Despite his insistence that I take the following week off, I decided to stay. I didn’t want to leave him to handle everything alone. John understood but made me promise that I would take a vacation soon. I promised, and we never talked again about the office rumors.

Falling back into our routine was a comforting return to normalcy. Each morning, I would prepare John’s coffee and place the documents for signing on his desk, ensuring the urgent and important ones were on top. I would check his schedule, print it out, and set alarms through email to keep him on track. Using his schedule, I would draft speeches and letters and even presentations, if and when needed, then submit to John for approval. The memos and reports from other departments crossed my desk first, and I would leave detailed reviews. If there was anything I didn’t understand, I would write it down. If John had time, he would explain the report to me. This process was part of John’s training regimen for me; he didn’t want me to remain a secretary forever, as he believed I had more to offer in the business world. That was why he wanted me to understand the inner workings of each department and their cases, to prepare me for a more significant role.

One day, I realized we were out of coffee. I forgot to replenish our pantry when I used the last of John’s coffee grounds the previous night. I decided to walk to the store just across the street to buy some more so I could make John's coffee. As I stood in line, I thought I saw the man from the auction–the one wearing dark glasses who bid against John for me. He looked eerily similar and sent a chill down my spine. Trying to shake off the uneasy feeling, I hurried back to the office.

John noticed my distraction. “Ember, is everything okay?” he asked, concern etched on his face.

“Yeah, I just saw someone who looked familiar. That’s all,” I replied, trying to brush it off.

“Familiar how?” he pressed.

“Probably just a look-alike,” I said, forcing a smile. “Nothing to worry about.”

I shook off the feeling and threw myself into work. By the time I finished, it was late at night. The office was quiet, and I was the last one there. The unsettling image of the man lingered in my mind. I decided to stay at my desk, unable to shake the feeling of being watched.

John emerged from his office, looking tired but alert. “Ember, what are you still doing here?”

“I, uh, just had some work to finish,” I said hesitantly. “Actually, I was wondering if I could stay in the staff room tonight.”

He raised an eyebrow. “I’m sorry, but I cannot let you work overtime. That is too much. You need to rest.

My heart sank when I heard the words. John would not let me stay in the staff room and that would mean I had to take the bus to my apartment.

“Come on, I’ll take you to your apartment,” John said as his expression softened.

Embarrassed but grateful, I accepted his offer. The ride home was silent, but John’s presence was comforting. The next morning, I decided to take the bus to work. As I got off at my stop, I had the unnerving sensation of being watched again. I quickened my pace towards the office, my eyes scanning the street.

I saw him again–the man with the dark glasses. He was standing in front of the store across from our office building. My heart pounded as I entered the building and headed straight to my desk. I tried to do my tasks but had trouble shaking the feeling of uneasiness. Seeing him once was okay, but seeing him again at the same place was unnerving. It wasn’t a coincidence anymore. He was definitely there for a purpose other than buying stuff.

“Ember?” John asked with concern in his voice. He looked up at me after I placed his coffee on his desk. “Is there anything bothering you? Your hands are shaking. Did you sleep well? Are you feeling faint or anything?”

I couldn’t hide it anymore. “I think I saw him again.”

Concern flooded John’s features. “Who?”

“The man from the auction. The one who bid against you. Do you remember? I saw him yesterday, and now he’s outside again. At first, I thought he might be a different person and just looked like the man from the auction, but then I saw him again this morning. Maybe it’s not him, but I just feel unsettled.”

John stood up, his expression turning serious. “Stay here. I’ll have security look into it.” He guided me to sit on the chair in front of his desk, then he returned to his seat. He made a few calls, then turned back to me. “I am having him investigated. You can stay in my quarters for the meantime.”

“Oh, no! I’ll be fine. I just need a few more minutes to calm myself,” I said.

John stood up again and guided me to his reclining chair. “Sit here for a moment. Rest your eyes.” Remembering something, he left me for a few seconds before returning with water. “Here, drink some water.”

I did not have the energy to reject John’s ways of comforting me. After drinking some water, I sank into his reclining chair. After about fifteen to twenty minutes, I went back to work.

The rest of the day was a blur of activity, but I couldn’t shake the feeling of uneasiness. Security reported no sign of the man, which only made me more anxious. By evening, I was exhausted, both mentally and physically. As I prepared to leave, John appeared at my desk.

“Ready to go?” he asked.

I hesitated. “I don’t want to be a bother…”

“You’re not,” he said firmly. “Come on, I’ll get you home.”

The ride home was quiet, but this time, I felt a lot safer with John by my side. When we arrived, he escorted me inside my apartment and even checked the windows and the main door before going to his own apartment. That night, I barely slept, the image of the man haunting my thoughts. I was not even sure why he had such a negative effect on me.

The following day, I took the bus again, determined not to let fear control me. Near the building, I glanced around, even though I told myself not to do so. However, I couldn’t stop from scanning the street. There he was again, the man with the dark glasses.

Panic gripped me as I rushed inside our office, heading straight to my desk. I took deep breaths and then put my head down. I must have been in that position for a long time because when John arrived, I had not yet started with my morning duties. I scrambled to my feet and then as calmly as I could I informed John of what happened. “He’s there again.”

John’s expression hardened. “This is getting serious. Stay here.”

He made another round of calls, instructing security to intensify their search. When he turned back to me, his eyes were filled with worry. “We’ll find him.”

As the day wore on, I tried to focus on my tasks, but the sense of unease lingered. What was worse was the whispers and rumors still circulating in the office, probably because someone had seen me riding in John’s car when we left the office. Despite all the rumors, I found comfort in knowing John had my back.

The next few days passed in a blur of heightened security and constant vigilance. The man with the dark glasses seemed to have disappeared, but I remained on edge. John assigned a car, a driver, and a bodyguard for me. However, on most nights, he would be the one to accompany me on my way home. It helped to put my mind at ease, and I hoped never to see the man with the dark glasses again.