Just Love Me, Darling

Mr. Holt asked me to supervise his son during his internship at the company.

When I asked him to get coffee, he added mustard to mine.

He even said that an old woman like me wouldn't even catch a dog's attention, so I shouldn't bother aiming for their family.

In response, I assigned him to organize files in the archive room for three days to give him a taste of the harsh realities of work life.

Did he really think I couldn't handle him?

1

I was Anna Moore, the chief secretary to Mr. Holt at the Holt Group, known as the "workaholic demon."

This time, Mr. Holt entrusted me with a very important task. As soon as I opened the door to his office, I felt an intense gaze scrutinizing me.

Turning my head, I saw a young man with red hair, a headband with letters, obsidian earrings, and a hip-hop style outfit adorned with jingling metal accessories. He looked fresh out of college and was eyeing me with disdain.

"Anna, you're here. Please, have a seat."

I sat across from the young man, wondering what significant task Mr. Holt had for me this time. Could this young man be a difficult business partner?

As I speculated, the young man suddenly spoke up:

"So, you're my dad's most capable secretary? Whatever your intentions are with him, I advise you to give up. An old woman like you wouldn't even catch a dog's attention."

What?

Only a meme with a confused face, like the 'confused Nick Young' meme, could fully capture my bewilderment at that moment.

Although I'd been accused of having ulterior motives during my years as Mr. Holt's secretary, I didn't mind because I was here out of gratitude. No matter what others said, as long as I could continue working for Mr. Holt, I was content.

But his words made it sound like the legitimate wife had sent her son to confront me, the supposed "mistress."

"Kevin! How can you speak to Anna like that? She's your superior now, understand? Is this how your mother taught you at home? Apologize right now!"

The young man on the sofa ignored his father's angry glare, lazily picked his ear, and scoffed, "I'm tired. I'm leaving for today. Remember your promise: if I come back to manage the company, you won't interfere in my life anymore."

With that, he leisurely got up and left the room.

Watching him leave, I thought to myself, Mr. Holt's son was quite the rebel.

Mr. Holt sighed heavily and explained to me, "Anna, don't mind him. That's my son, Kevin. He's been spoiled by his mother and doesn't know any better. Don't take it to heart. I called you back urgently because of him."

"What exactly do you want me to do, Mr. Holt?" Like Han Solo, I had a bad feeling about this.

"You've seen how rebellious my son is. He's been wasting his time and not learning anything useful. I'm getting older, and the company will eventually be his. After much thought, I feel most comfortable with you guiding him."

"No offense, but Kevin seems quite difficult to manage."

"Precisely because he's difficult, I need you to handle him yourself. I know your temperament; you can keep him in check. You've been with me for so long, and I trust you the most. There's no one better suited for this task than you."

"But Mr. Holt, I... "

"I'll add an extra $50, 000 to your year-end bonus."

"That's generous, but... "

"And an additional fifteen days of vacation this year."

"Alright, Mr. Holt. I'll put my heart and soul into guiding him."

I wasn't sure why my boss thought I could handle his rebellious son, but the offer was too generous to refuse.

"I trust you. He'll start his internship tomorrow. Treat him like any other intern. Do what you need to do without worrying about me."

"Understood, Mr. Holt."

2

To be honest, I anticipated that Kevin might not listen to me and that he would be rebellious, but I didn't expect him to be this defiant.

At eleven o'clock the next morning, after I'd already been working for two hours, Kevin finally strolled in, yawning.

"Didn't Mr. Holt tell you our company starts at nine?"

"He did."

"Then why are you only arriving now?"

"I overslept."

I took a deep breath to calm myself, deciding to let it slide for the first day. But seeing him in a tank top and shorts, I couldn't hold back.

"Please be mindful of your tardiness next time, and avoid wearing such casual clothes to the office. Try to dress more formally."

"Oh."

Kevin responded nonchalantly, and I couldn't tell if he was listening. I decided not to waste time on trivial matters and assigned him tasks for the day.

"Mr. Holt should have informed you that from today, you're my assistant. Over the next period, you'll learn about our company's basic operations.

Take a look at last quarter's report from the marketing department. If there's a project you're interested in, I'll explain it to you in detail."

"Not interested." Kevin didn't even lift his eyelids, tossing three words my way.

I took a deep breath, thinking of my $50, 000 bonus, and continued patiently, "Then look at this one. These are simpler projects handled by interns."

"Not interested."

"What about this?"

"I don't even understand."

I was speechless.

"Can you at least make coffee? Go get me a cup."

I tried to calm myself, but my anger was boiling over.

Kevin seemed pleased with my frustration, and surprisingly, he obediently went to the break room to make coffee.

As I sat in my chair, trying to calm down, I watched him walk away to make coffee and felt a bit puzzled. He refused to read documents but was quick to fetch coffee. Was I giving him tasks that were too complex? Should I be more patient?

But soon, I changed my mind.

"Cough, cough, cough! Did you put mustard in this coffee?!"

"Hahaha! What an idiot! You're just wasting your time here. No matter what your little schemes are with me or my dad, I'll make sure you never succeed, you naive woman!"

I put down the cup, my expression unusually calm, staring directly at him. Those who knew me would realize that I was angry.

3

I was the kind of person who got calmer the angrier I was.

He seemed a bit unnerved by my calm demeanor and unwavering gaze, instinctively taking a few steps back.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

I didn't respond, just stood up and slowly walked towards him, maintaining my steady gaze.

As I approached, he kept retreating until he was cornered by the sofa against the wall, and only then did I stop.

"Where did you get the idea that I have ulterior motives with you and your dad?"

"Hah, I've seen plenty of secretaries like you. Aren't you all just using the title as a cover for shady dealings? Don't think I can't see through you. You've been around my dad for years; you must have some hidden agenda. Otherwise, why are you still unmarried at 28?"

Oh, really? Now he was resorting to professional discrimination?

I reached out and gave him a hard shove. Caught off guard, Kevin fell back onto the sofa, his tall frame suddenly looking much smaller. I leaned in close, one hand braced on the sofa behind him.

He was clearly flustered by my sudden move and the proximity, his whole body visibly tense. Our faces were only inches apart as I looked into his eyes and said calmly, "Listen here, kiddo.

Whether I date or marry is my business, and it has nothing to do with your dad. As for your internship, that's your dad's decision. Do you think I enjoy wasting my time on someone who can't even understand the simplest documents? And let me make it clear one more time: I have absolutely no interest in your dad, a married man. As for you... "

My gaze slowly traveled down from his face, past his throat, collarbone, chest, and stopped between his legs.

"A kid who still has a lot of growing up to do? Like you said, not interested.

So I suggest you stop being so jerk. Instead, you should focus on learning how to read reports properly. You're the worst intern I've ever had. I want to teach you quickly so I can take my vacation early."

I stood up leisurely, returned to my desk, and elegantly wiped away the spilled coffee with a tissue.

Meanwhile, Kevin remained frozen on the sofa, unsure if it was my words or our close proximity that had turned his face as red as a boiled lobster, the color spreading to his ears and neck. His glare was like that of a pouty, embarrassed diva.

A six-foot-tall sulking drama queen?

The absurd image in my mind sent a shiver down my spine. I quickly picked up my cup and left to refill my coffee and clear my head.

When I returned to my office, Kevin was quietly seated at the temporary desk I had set up for him, diligently going through the stack of documents I had given him that morning.

I thought to myself, he was still just a kid. If you don't scold him, he wouldn't listen.

So I asked John from the archives to bring over all the project documents and contracts from this year.

"These are the main project documents from the company and its branches this year. Since you don't want to listen to me, read through all of these. They cover all the company's business areas, so you won't need me to explain each one. Once you're done, categorize and file them. I'll check them the day after tomorrow."

For the next two days, it seemed like something had spurred him on. He no longer wore that playful grin and dressed neatly in casual clothes, arriving and leaving work on time. At the office, he buried himself in the documents, asking colleagues from other departments when he didn't understand something. Apart from not speaking to me, he was doing quite well.

I didn't mind. At least it was progress. As long as he worked well, it didn't matter who he learned from. I just needed to complete my task.

On the third day, before the end of the workday, I approached his desk.

"Are you done with the documents?"

He didn't speak, just pushed a stack of files towards me.

I casually picked up the top folder, opened it, and my expression twisted instantly.

I continued flipping through, faster and faster, moving from the first folder to the second, then the third...

.....

"Kevin Holt!"

In the CEO's office, Mr. Holt was still seeing stars from his earlier outburst.

I quickly handed him a glass of water to help him calm down.

"I can hear you, loud and clear; no need to shout." Kevin remained sprawled on the sofa, completely unfazed by Mr. Holt's anger, looking as if he couldn't care less.

"You! Explain to me what you've added to these documents!"

Mr. Holt angrily opened a folder and slammed it on the table in front of Kevin.

The document, aside from its original text, was covered with numerous funny dog emojis, each one grinning mischievously.

Kevin picked up the document, seemingly admiring his handiwork, and casually asked Mr. Holt, "Don't you think it looks good?

I think it looks wonderful."

"You! You! You little rascal, I can't deal with you anymore. Just wait, I'll find someone who can!"

With that, Mr. Holt picked up his phone, dialed a number, and put it on speaker. Kevin, who had been lounging comfortably on the sofa, immediately sat up straight, looking incredulously at his father as the call connected.

"Hello? Honey, what's up?"

"Look at what your baby son has done. I've assigned my best assistant to guide him through his internship, and I've been handling all the company's affairs alone. Yet, he still doesn't take his internship seriously! He even talks back to me. He is too unbearable."

Mr. Holt then turned on the camera, first showing the funny dog emoji-covered document, then flipping it to reveal his own face, looking as if he had suffered a great injustice.

There was a moment of silence on the other end, followed by a voice clearly suppressing anger, "Where's Kevin?"

"Mom, I'm here."

It was the first time I saw Kevin look like a mouse caught by a cat, and I couldn't help but feel a bit of schadenfreude as I watched his expression.

"Your father works so hard every day. Why can't you be more considerate? What did I teach you when you were little? What's the most important virtue?"

"Respecting parents is the most important virtue." Kevin responded with a look of utter resignation to his mother's words.

"That's right, respecting your parents is the most important virtue. Your father works so hard to provide you with such a good life and even arranged his most capable assistant to guide you through your internship. Your father has lost weight from all the work. You should cherish this opportunity, understand? What will you do when your parents are older...

Did you hear what your mother just said?"