Love like this

Chapter 15 – Fate

Usagi sighed as she closed the thick binder in front of her and looked at the clock on the desk. 9 pm...

She stood up brushing the wrinkles in her skirt and blouse. Lola's going to be angry again... She quickly packed her things and exited the office building.

Searching for her car keys, she rummaged through her bag. Tomorrow she'll have to meet the new CEO. She had been working under Frank as his secretary since she graduated from college. She had been lucky, he was a wonderful man but now he was retiring, she'll be working under the new CEO and from what she's heard he sounded like an arrogant bastard. Things has been spreading around that the new CEO was a gorgeous looking man. All the girls in the office had been talking non-stop; there has also been a rumour that the new CEO has multiple relationships at once. She smiled quietly as she sat into her car. Gorgeous...She'd really like to see...she couldn't picture another man that would be more gorgeous than him. Starting the car, Usagi looked at herself in the rearview mirror and brushed her bangs out of her eyes. Pale blue eyes stared back at her; she squinted her eyes and ran her hands over the barely visible lines around her eyes.

It has been 6 years hasn't it...?

She wasn't a girl anymore..She left the orphanage at the age of 18 and went to college. After she graduated she went back to visit the workers and people that took care of her while she was there and that was where she met Lola.

She remembered seeing her sitting in the corner by herself, reading a book that was too big for her. Usagi didn't know why...the child looked so lonely and in some ways her hair curled into two small buns resembled Usagi's long ones. She couldn't leave the child in the orphanage, she had signed the contract right after her job became stable and all paper works and took Lola under her care. The child was just a couple of month when she took her in. Usagi grinned as drove out of the parking lot. Now she was a 6 years old little monster.

Mamoru...she's never forgot. But she was slowly moving on. She wondered if Rei was married now. Usagi's jaw clenched. She wondered if he would remain faithful to Rei. She missed them. She wanted to know how they were doing..How he was doing. She smiled sadly, she was grateful. Life had treated her good. She had a family with Lola, she loved the young girl like a dear sister. She had a stable job that supported her, life was quiet and nice, what else could she ask for?

As Usagi pulled up the driveway, Lola came sprinting through the doors in her soft pink pajamas and stopped right by the car door.

"Usa late". The 6 year old frowned at her seriously.

"Lola! You're going to catch a cold!" Usagi scooped up the smaller girl and headed towards the door.

'Mama can we please have food?" Lola tagged a piece of Usagi's bangs and poked the thick bun at the back of her head.

Usagi groaned inwardly. "Lola it's U-sa-gi, not mama" She had tried to fix the name calling, but Lola seems to often revert into calling her that in between sentences. She was not ready to be called a mom. "I'm sorry Lola, i had to stay behind today but we'll have cake today after dinner ok?"

"Yes!" Lola bobbed her head back and forth, her chubby cheeks squeezing into a huge smile, eyes sparkling. She was an adorable girl, she had Usagi's hair color but much lighter it almost looked silver, but she had the same blue eyes as Usagi. When Usagi first took in the smaller girl's appearance, she made a sour note that if she ever had a child with Damon, Lola would be a good representation of their baby. The thought itself disturbed her and the food in her stomach. This was her life now, she was every bit of a house wife expect...a husbandless one, but to her this was enough.

Usagi groaned as she slammed the alarm shut for the fifth time. She rubbed her eyes and stared tiredly at the ceiling. Turning her head, she stared at her alarm clock.

8:30....

8:30! Letting out a yelp she bolted out of bed and into the washroom. She was late! Groaning inwardly Usagi brushed her teeth and pulled her outfit out of her closet. Her first day meeting the new CEO and she was late, she really wasn't making a great first impression and from what she heard, he was a man of low tolerance and high standards.

"Lola!" Usagi peeked her head into the other room. "Wake up sleepyhead i'm late".

The younger girl mumbled something Usagi couldn't hear and flipped onto her tummy. Usagi looked at her watch and sighed. "Alrightt you can sleep in but make sure you open the door for Sara later!" Usagi turned to leave. "And don't open the door for anyone else!'

Usagi winced as she ran down the stairs, she'd have to call and thank Sara later. Sara lived in the small townhouse next to theirs, she was a wonderful lady that offered to take care of Lola while she was at work for free. She had three kids of her own so Usagi never had to worry about Lola when she was at work, but Sara had to leave every night at 8 latest to take her kids to dance class. She should really start coming home earlier, she didn't feel right leaving Lola all by herself for an hour or two.

Starting the car, Usagi brushed her bangs back and looked at the mirror to see if her makeup had smudged. After making sure her hair was pinned neatly into a thick bun above her head and make up was clean and clear, she turned on the car and sped out of her driveway.

Usagi swore as she cut through cars, traffic was so bad in the morning. She pulled on her black her waist skirt and tagged on her white blouse. Everything had to be right today, she had to be at her best today else her life from now on will be a living hell. The new CEO didn't sound very friendly and she did not want to get on his bad side right from the start. She looked at the time as she pulled into the company's parking lot. 9:05.

She was already 5 minutes late and she didn't even have coffee ready for him. What type of coffee does he like anyways?? Picking up the files and her cell phone, she quickly stepped out of her car, nearly tripping over her black heels. She smoothed out her dress and called Mina.

"Hello?"

"Mina! It's me Usagi"

"Usagi! Where are you! The CEO is already here and he's asking for coffee, get you butt up here now!"

Usagi wailed silently inside. "Oh no is he looking for me?"

"Well he's been asking about where the secretary is, and he said to get you here in 10 minutes or you're fired."

"What!! He can't do that!" Usagi's mouth dropped.

"Oh yes he can, he is the new CEO and he is drop dead gorgeous...anyways get up here now! I can't talk anymore, he's coming over. Usagi you wont' believe this he's got the most gorgeous looking ey---"

"Mina! " Usagi cut her off impatiently. "Please what type of coffee does he like, i will be up in 5"

"Oh apparently black coffee, naked and nude..."

Usagi groaned at the other girl's tone of voice. "Oh Mina, alright gotcha, thanks! I'm coming up now!"

Usagi quickly hung up the phone and ran to the coffee shop downstairs. Grabbing a large plain dark coffee, she ran to the elevator.

Tapping her foot impatiently in the elevator, Usagi stared at her reflection and to her dismay, her bangs had become disleveled and her face flushed.

Oh well no time to worry...go go go..Usagi screamed silently, it seemed like forever until the elevator finally opened. Usagi bolted through the doors and down the corrider.

"Usagi!" Usagi turned around and saw Mina waving at her from a cubicle.

"Is he mad?" Usagi panted as she reached Mina's desk.

Mina's eyes were glazed with a grin stretched so big it was unnatural. "No but you better get in there now, tell me what you think after! " Mina winked and quickly sat back down.

Usagi let out a breath and walked quickly over to her desk outside of his office and placed all the paper works on it, and then straightening out her skirt and blouse, coffee in hand she knocked on the door.

"Coming" A deep voice rang out from inside the office.

Usagi's heart skipped a beat, she didn't know why, maybe because she was nervous but there was something nervewracking about this voice.

She opened the door and stepped inside.

A man stood with his back to her looking out the window, paper in hand and ..coffee in the other.

Usagi winced inwardly, he's already gotten coffee for himself.

She cleared her throat awkwardly, before she had the chance to say anything he already beat her to it.

"Miss, I don't know what your old CEO is like, but if you're going to be my secretary, the first thing I expect from you is being on time. If you can't fulfill that duty then you might want to take your leave now. Having said that, I expect my coffee on my table at 9:00 am sharp every morning."

Usagi swallowed what seemed like a large lump that had formed. What was it? What was it about this man's voice that was sending her stomach flipping up to her throat.

"I..I'm sorry." Clearing her throat, she stared at the back of the taller man. " I will remember that. My name is Usagi Tsukino, I will be your secretary from today on. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Standing awkwardly, Usagi waited for the man to turn around and introduce himself. But the man didn't move an inch, the tension in the room suddenly felt so thick she could feel it clogging up her nostrils. Please..Say something...Usagi inwardly begged, the man if anything suddenly seemed tense. Had she made him mad already?

The next 10 seconds seemed like forever before the man finally straightened up.

Usagi breathed out a quiet breath of relief, a smile forming on her face ready to properly greet her new CEO. But as the man turned around, Usagi couldn't move an inch. Everything froze, she couldn't think, couldn't even wipe the smile off her face.

"Nice to meet you Miss Tsukino, I'm Mamoru Chiba. I am your new CEO. It will be a pleasure working with you." His voice was smooth and calm but his dark blue eyes pierced through her like a knife.

Usagi stared at the face that she had buried into a tiny corner of her heart, which suddenly seemed to her bursted with a force so huge it bursted her heart along with it.

Usagi froze, she couldn't even look away as Mamoru Chiba's eyes burned through her.

TBC.....

Author's Note: So i lied once again about the soon update, i am so sorry everyone for making you guys wait so long and thank you so much for waiting haha. I will no longer make false promises about quick updates haha but please maybe one day there will actually finally be quick updates from me. Thank you so much for the reviews haha they are very motivating. Anyways, i hope you all like the update! And i will update...again in a very xxx amount of time.