My CEO Bestie And Me

CHAPTER 1

After finishing her office work for the day, Lerisa Jonah got up from her seat—as executive secretary on the third floor of L.H. Group.

As she was already leaving for home, she picked up her black purse from her desk and left her office chair, where she works as Anthony Gregson's secretary.

Lerisa is a twenty-four-year-old woman with a fair complexion who was dressed in a black pencil skirt, black shoes, and a yellow shirt. She questioned why she had not noticed Anthony leaving his office.

She was aware that Anthony typically leaves the office before 6 p.m., which was the regular closing time, and he closes by 5 p.m.

To find out what was still holding up her boss, she headed for Anthony's office door. Since it was past six of the clock, and the majority of the employees had already left for their homes.

Lerisa went to knock on Anthony's office door and heard him say, "Come in."

As she entered Anthony's office, she pushed the door open just enough to see him sitting on his executive office chair, gazing at a red ring box in his hands.

When Lerisa entered and saw the stunning, glittering diamond ring in Anthony's hand, her heart fell.

She was aware at the time that Anthony and Clara Harry were deeply involved. And Anthony would soon ask Clara to marry him.

Lerisa wanted to cry because she was secretly in love with Anthony as well, but she lacked the courage to tell him the truth.

She looked down to conceal the sad expression on her face, as her pretty yellow face instantly turned red with sorrow.

Anthony did not look at Lerisa because he was too preoccupied admiring the diamond ring in the box he was holding.

Because their fathers were close in the past, Anthony and Lerisa were best friends as children. Lerisa's father used to be Anthony's father's assistant when they worked together. He helped Anthony's father establish the shoe business, which Anthony now owns.

Lerisa was aware that Clara Harry was unworthy of a man like Anthony because she was a cheater. Although Lerisa had seen Clara flirting with other men on multiple occasions behind Anthony's back, she was unable to counsel Anthony to end their relationship.

Lerisa saw Clara pay Anthony a visit in his office, and she also caught them sharing a kiss. Knowing that Anthony was genuinely in love with Clara caused her heart to sink.

Anthony was a black man in his 30s. He looked dapper in a black suit with black shoes and a red shirt inside.

His short beards add to his good looks and give him a charming manly appearance.

At last, Anthony looked up at Lerisa's face in his office, where she was looking down. Having spent the day with her, he pondered what she desired.

He was so engrossed in admiring the ring he had purchased that he forgot his business had closed. The next day, he planned to ask Clara to marry him.

"What do you want, Lerisa?" Anthony asked.

"I... I..." Lerisa spluttered, sounding heartbroken at the sight of that beautiful ring, and did not know why she was in his office.

Anthony did not look up at her face once more when she arrived to inform him that she was already leaving for home. His thoughts were on whether Clara would like the diamond ring, which he was admiring.

“What do you think of this ring, Lerisa?” Anthony asked. "Do you recall that I invited you and the other employees to my family's house tomorrow for my birthday celebration? I would like to pop the question to Clara tomorrow. However, I am not sure if she will accept this lovely diamond ring that I ordered from overseas for her. Yes, I adore Clara. Lerisa, what are your thoughts? Do you believe Clara will accept and love this ring? I purchased it to show her how much I loved her."

Lerisa was even more devastated by Anthony's foolish question.

She noticed his charming smile at the ring. Anthony kept his eyes on the ring, looking down. "I assumed you had closed, Sir," she retorted. "I am here to retrieve the office key from your grasp for that reason. However, you did not seem to be ready to return home just yet."

Anthony could hear the sadness in Lerisa's voice right away.

He closed the red ring box and got up from his desk. He asked her, "What is wrong, Lerisa?" as he went outside to greet her.

With hot tears pouring freely from her eyes, Lerisa turned away from Anthony.

She was in love with Anthony, but she was unable to tell him the truth. Despite their lack of kinship, Anthony only viewed her as his sister.

"Lerisa, what is wrong?" When Anthony finally got close to Lerisa, he turned her around so she was facing him.

Although Lerisa sensed the sparks, Anthony focused on her face instead.

"What is wrong with you, tell me?" Lerisa trembled in his grasp as he repeated the question in a firm tone, but she shook her head indifferently.

"Nothing, Sir," she told him in deception. "I am just here to let you know that I am leaving for home. To pick up the office key from you, the business has closed for the day."

“Sir?" Anthony asked once more, while maintaining a chilly gaze on Lerisa's face. He squinted at her in agony.

"Lerisa, how many times must I tell you to stop referring to me as Sir?" Anthony remarked, "You are like a sister to me, and not just a staff member here." Lerisa shuddered, hating that he constantly reminded her that she was like a sister to him.

Mark Terry, Anthony's assistant, entered his office to greet him as the door pushed open.

Mark appeared taken aback when he saw Anthony tightly holding Lerisa's arms to his chest. Anthony's eyes were fixed on Lerisa's face and not on him.

"Are they interested in sharing a kiss?" Mark pondered in his head, but he quickly composed his startled expression and said, "I am sorry, boss," to them.