His woman, his addiction

"Allie. Allie! "Mr Austin yelled repeatedly for the umpteenth time today.

They are at the shooting scene for their new magazine project. She was the one assigned to the project but she doesn't understand why he won't let her focus.

She sighed tiredly, already stressed at the rate at which she's been sent on errands the past few days. Her boss Mr Austin has been on her neck. But of course, she couldn't complain, if not, she would be laid off which is something she doesn't yearn for.

She has been working as a staff at the "Diamond" magazine for the past two years. She loves her job even though the Smiths aren't pleased with her type of job mainly because they have their firm "Royals" , a brand that is worth billions of dollars on its own.

Immediately after she was done with college, she was fortunate enough to find a job that she thinks suits her taste. Allie has a passion for taking pictures and videos of scenes. A shooter.

She was offered a job at a larger firm but she declined. She wants to be on her own, find a job, and be successful.

The Smiths tried their best to convince her that no one would bother her or look down on her since that was her fear, but she thought otherwise since most people in the company were aware she is like an adopted daughter.

Unknown to them, she wasn't legally adopted.

They suggested that she be at least a non-regular worker, but she still defied them before she decided to work at a non-popular company in a secluded area. The pay is ok at least to cover her bills.

She was grateful for their love and care for the past few years. She only promised to be that determined independent woman she had always wanted to be without anyone interfering in her life.

~~~

Her legs hurt due to the heels she was putting on.

"Yes. Boss, you summoned me" she answered, panting heavily.

"Don't you think you guys need to reschedule when the shooting for Carlos(a celebrity) should take place, I don't think the set goes with the trend you know... latest styles" he indicated.

"Well... you told me it was perfect earlier" she muttered, baffled by his sudden change of words.

"I just found out it isn't good enough," he claimed, shrugging his shoulders.

"What do you want us to do now? " she asked, screaming inwardly.

"We need to change it" he announced, daring her to complain.

"Oh my boss, you know how cocky the young star is. He won't oblige, and we might miss this opportunity" she reasoned frustrated already.

"What if we publish the magazine and his fans refuse to purchase it? " he argued, folding his arms now facing her like he is interested in whatever she had to say.

"But..but the scenario isn't even bad. I don't understand why you insist we change it" she grumbled.

" I insist you change it. What's wrong with that? "

"It's not necessary though" she pouted with puppy eyes hoping he would be convinced but he shunned her instead.

"So...what you are trying to imply is that I don't know my job, Allie. I noticed that these days you've been all over full of yourself!" he said, gritting his teeth together so that the other staff present wouldn't detect anything.

"No... No that's not what I mean" she clarified, already aware of where the discussion would lead. She has had enough of this man whom she silently has feelings for even though he hasn't been his usual self these days.

"Then what do you mean? make me understand then" he sneered, his eyebrows overlapping in confusion.

"I told you before that isn't what I mean boss"

"So it's true that you've been yourself behaving like you are in charge. I guess I caused this after all. I was the one that initiated our closeness. It is not your fault"

Allie could not hold it anymore as she flared at her boss's harsh outburst.

"You're the one who has been acting differently these days. You find fault in everything I do boss even though I tried to ask you if I had unintentionally offended you " she voiced out.

"Shut up, Allie! always endeavour to listen to those who are more experienced in this field. I know what is ok and what's not okay" he said audibly enough to other staff.

Allie furrowed her eyebrows and slightly bowed down, obviously embarrassed.

"I am so sorry" she apologized feeling remorseful.

"You know what? I am out of here" he walked out slamming the giant door of the building.

She skimmed her eyes around the room and most of them were giving her a farce expression. She ignored them, raised her chin, and moved towards them to announce the sudden change.

Not only that, but she walked into Carlo's dressing room to tell him also. His manager quibbles non-stop but he has no choice after all he had already signed the contract with them which makes it easier for her to convince him.

~~~~~~~~~~

7:25 pm

Allie was moving towards the space she parked her car ready to go home, but she still reminisces about what happened earlier.

She was surprised and embarrassed by his action, but still, she tried to cover up for him, thinking she was the one at fault.

"Maybe she was too rude, and perhaps she was cocky and arrogant," she thought sadly.

"But we do talk informally most of the time," she continued, raising her eyebrows even though she was the only one in the car.

She reminded herself that they had both gone to a housewarming, and she was the one he picked as his date. Why did he show interest in her in the first place? Now that she has figured out she is in love with him, boom! he started behaving weirdly.

Oh crap!

Her body system was in turmoil as she thought of answers that could solve the whole situation.

"Guess we were not more than boss and worker relationship" she huffed, flinging her heels to the back seat.

"Oh good lord just because he snapped at you doesn't mean he dislikes you, get your shit together" she encouraged herself grabbing a full portion of her hair hoping it would make her focus.

"I would apologize to him tomorrow." She concluded before igniting the car to zoom off to her condo.

~~~~~~~~

The next morning, she wakes up to the rays of sunlight reflecting through her room windows. She glanced at the wall clock, and it was 7:59 am. She sprang up panicking at the realisation that she was late.

"Oh God, I'm late!" She exclaimed, rushing to the bathroom, careful enough not to slip over the floor. The next few minutes, she was already dressed, her hair tied in a rough bun ready for work.

She zoomed off, hoping her cranky boss would look over her lateness and silently wishing there won't be traffic today.

Luck wasn't on her side as the road was already clogged up in heavy traffic.

She intentionally hit her forehead on the steering wheel, already fed up. She refused to pick up her ringing phone.

45 minutes passed before she was able to get through the traffic. Surprisingly, Mr Austin wasn't in the office. The junior retinues were throwing weird stares at her because of how she was sneaking into the staff room, but she was rather not bothered.

Relieved that she was able to scale through, ready to sit when she shuddered at the loud voice of someone.

"Look who finally decided to show up," Becky said.

"I am not ready for your unnecessary tantrums Becky. As you can see, I am busy" she replied, sincerely.

"Busy doing what? wait, don't tell me you don't know we were supposed to have a meeting today" Becky scoffed.

"Just so you know, every one of us were in the meeting room including the boss. We are done after all, but you were supposed to be his business confidante right?" she mocked.

"You were?" Allie panicked inwardly but refused to let it be observable.

"I guess I did not notice their absence when I came in. How can I be so stupid!? " she whispered.

"Allie!" they all exclaimed coming inside one after the other surprised that she was in the staff office.

"I called you close to 10 times this morning, is everything ok?" Layla, the only friend she was close with, said with concern laced in her voice.

She nodded before she scurried off to the meeting room, and truly, they had a meeting since a majority of them were back discussing in the staff room.

She dust-up her frock anxiously, then pressed the knob to the meeting room door to meet Mr Austin only to be welcomed with a word she dreads vastly.