The Billionaire Prince and His Secretary

Chapter 19

Ember POV

Returning to work after the whirlwind week with John felt like stepping into a different reality. Despite my protests about maintaining my routine, John insisted on picking me up the next morning. I appreciated the gesture, but it also meant breaking my carefully crafted morning schedule. I preferred to be in the office before him to ensure everything was ready for his day.

“Ember, I’m picking you up. No excuses,” John said firmly when he called just when I woke up.

“But, John, it’ll ruin my routine,” I argued. “I need to be there early.”

“Don’t worry about it,” he said. “I’ll be there at seven. We’ll have breakfast together.”

True to his word, John arrived at seven sharp. He greeted me with a sweet, lingering kiss before guiding me out of my apartment. As I slid into the passenger seat of his car, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and assorted pastries filled my senses. He really brought breakfast for us!

The drive to the office felt like a scene from a movie, the kind where the leading lady’s life changes overnight. We were greeted by curious stares and whispered conversations as we walked through the building. I tried to act natural, greeting back those who acknowledged us.

In John’s office, we sat down to enjoy the breakfast that he brought. As I went over the agenda for the day, John interrupted me. “Love, relax. Let’s just enjoy breakfast. You can brief me after we eat.”

I forced a smile, trying to ease the tension in my shoulders. It was hard to relax when the boundaries between professional and personal life had blurred so dramatically.

The day was a whirlwind of meetings and tasks, leaving no room for idle gossip. John worked tirelessly, and I matched his pace, trying to stay ahead of the demands of our dual roles.

This had been our routine the following days. Every evening, he insisted on taking me home. However, there were days I would finish work early, so I had to get the services of my driver.

As much as I enjoyed spending more time with John, being his ‘woman’ in the public eye was a different story. The constant scrutiny made it difficult to maintain any semblance of normalcy. I long for moments of anonymity, simple things like buying groceries without being noticed.

When the weekend arrived, I decided to brave the outside world. Donning sunglasses and a cap, I hope to move about unnoticed. I managed to shop in peace, filling my cart with essentials. But as I exited the store, my heart sank. There, amidst the crowd, stood a man in dark sunglasses. It was him! He looked in my direction, seemingly aware that it was me hiding behind my sunglasses.

Panic set in. Clutching my grocery bags, I ducked into a nearby salon, which was busy at that time so no one really gave me attention, and quickly called my driver

“Get here as fast as you can,” I whispered into the phone.

He arrived within five minutes, and I darted out, hoping the man hadn’t seen me. As the car pulled away, I spotted him emerging from the grocery store, scanning the area.

“That was close,” I muttered to myself, my heart still racing.

Back in the safety of my apartment, I couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched again. The week had been a rollercoaster, and the encounter at the grocery store only added to the unease. I realized that balancing my new life with John and maintaining my independence would be more challenging than I had anticipated.

As I unpacked my groceries, I vowed to stay vigilant. The man in the dark sunglasses was a reminder that my life had irrevocably changed, and possibly could change further.

After putting my purchases in their places, I set about cleaning my entire apartment. I scrubbed every corner, dusted every surface, and then tackled the laundry. The rhythmic hum of the washing machine was oddly soothing, a momentary distraction from the swirling thoughts in my head. After hours of chores, I finally took a long, hot bath. I missed my rabbit though, which was probably laying around in John’s bathroom. I just hoped he hid it, away from the eyes of the palace staff.

Feeling refreshed, and forgetting the earlier ordeal, I called my parents, eager to catch up and tell them about my visit the next day. “Mom, I’m planning to come over tomorrow. Are you free?”

“Ember! Of course, we are free! Yes, you better come and visit us. We have been waiting for you for a long time already. You might have forgotten about us,” my mom exclaimed dramatically.

“Oh, I’ve missed you, too, Mom,” I replied, trying not to laugh. “I’ll bring some souvenirs from Greece,” I said.

We talked for a few more minutes before I hung up the phone. As I did, my phone buzzed with an incoming call from John.

“Hey, John,” I answered, feeling a flutter in my chest.

“Hi, love. I was wondering if you’d like to spend tomorrow with me at the palace. We could have a quiet day together,” John suggested. He sounded hopeful.

My heart sank a little. “I would love to, John, but I’ve already promised my parents that I’d visit them. I haven’t seen them in a while.”

I heard a sigh on the other end. “I understand. Maybe another time then. I wished I could join you, though.”

“Yes, next time you should come with me,” I said, trying to cheer him up. “How was your day? Did you enjoy playing golf with those hotshot businessmen?”

“It was fine, but it would have been better if you were there,” he replied, a hint of playfulness in his tone.

I laughed, feeling a warmth spread through me. “You’re such a goof. I had a pretty productive day too, cleaning the apartment, doing laundry, and grocery shipping.”

“Sounds like a busy day,” John remarked. “You didn’t get into trouble, did you?”

I paused for a moment, considering whether to mention the man at the grocery store, but decided against it. “No trouble at all.”

We spent the night talking, sharing stories, and laughing. John wanted to come over, but I insisted he needed rest for his early tennis game the next morning.

“You know what happens when you’re here,” I teased. “Neither of us will get any sleep.”

John chuckled. “You’re right. I will not be able to keep my hands and mouth off you.”

We spent the next minutes talking dirty, but then we agreed to stop since it wouldn’t do us any good. John would insist on coming when it was already late at night.

After ending the call, a smile was still pasted on my face. It felt like being a teenager again.