C1 Chapter 1

"James McGregor, CEO of McGregor industries, has passed away yesterday evening after a long battle with cancer. James McGregor, aged 63, was one of the-"

Elizabeth shut the TV off, she couldn't bear to listen to this... She had been there when it happened, she did not need it to be repeated.

She poured herself another glass of Whiskey and brought it up to her mouth intending on throwing it down in one go. For a second she wavered, doubting whether this form of grieving was a good idea...

She held the glass up and looked at the orange liquid that was inside it. Sighing as she remembered the first time she had drunk whiskey.

It had been with Mr. McGregor, he had just closed a business deal and looked to celebrate. Opening the globe in his office he removed a bottle of 20-year Whiskey and two glasses.

Without asking her if she drunk at all he poured her a glass. She sat there not knowing how to respond as he handed it to her.

"I don't know if you drink. And I won't ask you, but please have a toast with me to the deal." He had said with a kind smile.

She chuckled to herself thinking back at it. Remembering the burning sensation as it slid down her throat making her cough. Ever since that moment, she hadn't touched the stuff, until now. She hung her head low and threw the Whiskey down the kitchen drain before heading off to bed.

It was a week after James McGregor's death that his son walked into his office. James jr. was quite an intimidating man at his height of 6'4. He entered the building in his Armani suit striding across the hallway.

The second his foot touched the marble floor everyone fell quiet. For they hadn't seen James jr. in this very building in nearly three years.

The secretary that sat behind the counter nervously picked up the phone and spoke, "He's here."

People parted as he made his way to the elevator and took it up all the way to the top floor.

He felt little to no emotion as he left the elevator. At this point, he was alone, away from all the stares.

He took a look around, taking in everything that had changed. Last time that he had been here there had been no paintings, no flowers and overall no decoration.

He walked past the empty desk of the personal assistant, noting the fact that it was empty. He had heard of the so-called 'perfect' personal assistant and had expected her to be sitting there.

As he walked into his father's office and immediately reached for the phone.

"Come up here, now," he said to the secretary at the other and of the line.

Natalie had been scared from the moment that she saw him this would happen. In fact, she had been scared from the moment that she had heard that he would come to the office. She had been working at McGregor industries for the last five years as the secretary and in those five years, she had met James Jr. three times.

The first time had been after she had only worked there for a month. He had been partying at the time and photographs had appeared in the news. His father had not been particularly pleased with his actions and cussed him out in front of the entire office.

The second time was well over a year later, she could see that he had changed. Instead of his usual jeans and leather jacket, he was wearing a vest with matching trousers. His hair had actually been combed and his stubble was gone. This time the meeting with his father was different. They spoke more as a boss and employee then as a father and son.

The last and final time that she had seen him was a little less than three years ago. This time he was wearing a full-on suit. He had an argument with his father as he stormed out of the building, no one really knew what the argument had been about, all they knew was that after that, he never visited his father at work again.

Now he was back again. The second she saw him entering she knew what she had to do. She had to tell Elizabeth to leave, and she did. But she also knew that he would want to know where Elizabeth was.

She ran up to the elevator and took it up to the top floor. During the ride up she made sure to straighten her dress and fix her hair before she calmly walked out of it. Almost holding her breath she walked over to the man currently in her old bosses office.

"You called?" She said standing in the door opening. James turned around to face the blonde woman. "Where is she?"

It had been 7 o'clock when Elizabeth entered the office. Smiling to herself as she walked over to her desk. Nearly every day for the last three years she had entered this office exactly one hour before her boss would.

Today however she didn't know if she would see her 'boss' in an hour. Mr. McGregor jr. was quite unpredictable. Yesterday she had avoided him on purpose, feeling that his first time back in the office should be without her.

She had only met the guy once. It had been in her first month working there and in all honesty, she really did not want to be reminded of it. Closing her eyes as if to rid herself of that old memory.

Though she did only meet the guy once, she had read enough about him to feel like she knew him. Every now and then he would pop up in one of those gossip magazines, being a dick like usual. Even the way he had treated his own father told her that he was no good.

Once she opened them she looked at the clock noting that it was 7:10 am, meaning that she'd have to get started.

It was eight o'clock on the dot when McGregor walked out of the elevator. His nostrils immediately filled with the smell of freshly made coffee. He looked around trying to spot the person who made it but found no one there.

He walked over to the office and sat down behind the desk. On the desk stood a cup of coffee and right in front of him lay a note.

Dear Mr. McGregor,

You are expected to be at a meeting today on the third floor at 9 o'clock. Before that, you'll need to read the paper on located on your right. (He looked to his right and saw indeed a paper lying there.) After that, you have a lunch appointment at the Pompadour. As for the afternoon, the reading of Mr. McGregor's last will and testament will be done at 3 pm.

I will be out today taking care of several wishes of Mr. McGregor sr. In case you need me, call or text the number on the back of this paper.

Yours Faithfully,

Elizabeth Waverton

PS. the coffee was made at 7:57, black with no sugar.

He scoffed turning around the piece of paper. 'Who the hell does she think that she is?' As said in the letter there was a phone number written there, quickly he took out his phone and entered the number.

For a moment he wanted to call her but then decided against it, instead, he saved the number on his phone and started reading the paper.

It was around eleven o'clock when James left the meeting. He knew that after that he as supposed to go to lunch, but she hadn't written down what time. So he decided to actually call her.

He took the elevator up to the top floor and was just about to call when the door opened and he saw a young auburn haired woman sitting behind the desk.

At first he thought he was being ignored when he saw that she was on the phone. "Mr. Scanlon, with all due respect, this was arranged months ago," she said in an angry tone.

"I don't care, Mr. McGregor wants the red."

James looked at her surprised at her tone of voice. When he first saw her she had seemed different somehow, not fragile but also not like the way she was now.

The woman was wearing a dark green body con dress that he guessed would end right above the knee. She wore small pearl earrings and a dainty watch on her wrist.

Her auburn hair had been put into a neat bun on top of her head. She wore red lipstick which seemed to be just right for her and just right with the rest of the makeup.

This without a doubt had to be the 'perfect' personal assistant. He had always heard a lot about her from everyone. Most people that were in business with his father, or friends of him, knew the young lady and they all adored her.

According to his fathers best friend, she could make a reservation at any restaurant, even if it was packed full. Another one of his friends once told him that she could speak four languages.

He didn't know if he believed all they said about her, but her knew that even the competition absolutely loved her.

It wasn't until she was standing right in front of him that he had noticed she had finished her phone call.

"Good Morning sir." She started with no emotion, not even a smile on her face. "Your coffee is on your desk as is a copy of your schedule for tomorrow." She said as the two of them walked over to his office. For a moment he listened intently seeing what she was made of but he soon had enough.

"Where were you yesterday?" He said cutting her off. "I beg your pardon?" She said furrowing her brows.

"I will only say this once more, where were you yesterday?" He said steadily getting angry. "I had a personal day." She replied straightening up.

"A personal day?" He scoffed, "You're a personal assistant, they don't get personal days. You are supposed to be here at my every beck and call."

"Mr. McGregor, I am not a lap dog." She said her tone changing ever so slightly.

"O I think that is exactly what you are-" He started but was cut off by a very angry Elizabeth.

"I am not a lap dog! And I am not your personal assistant. I am, I was Mr. James McGregor sr. personal assistant. I will not, not now or ever be your personal assistant. I have already handed in my two weeks notice a week ago."

"You did what?" He said looking menacing.

"You heard me. By the end of the week, I'll be gone don't worry." She said straightening her dress.

"Now to get back to current business. the Young deal has been taken care of and Mr. Young has invited you over to have dinner tomorrow night. As for the gala, most things are prepared, I do need your opinion on the meeting arrangement but other than that it is all done."

With that she started to walk away only to turn around and say:

"Oh, and your lunch reservation is at 1 o'clock."