Chapter 2

• Meanwhile, on the other side, Harvey glanced at his round watch, which showed it was 7:00 PM. He noticed that Poppy still hadn't entered his office. Harvey took a sip of bottled water and got up from his chair. He was curious about what Poppy was working on that kept her from coming into his office. He looked out the window at the darkening sky, observing the towering skyscrapers from his vantage point.
• Harvey stood up and walked to Poppy's office, which was right next door to his own. He saw Poppy inside, and after a moment, she noticed his presence, and they locked eyes.
• "How's it going? Is it almost done?" Harvey asked.
• "It's nearly finished, sir," Poppy replied.
• Harvey approached Poppy and stood right behind her chair, wanting to see the result of Poppy's work. "Scroll up, I want to see your work," Harvey requested.
• Poppy swallowed nervously, aware of Harvey's close proximity. She could detect his scent, a blend of spice, citrus, sage, and rosemary. Poppy knew it was the distinctive fragrance of Giorgio Armani. It had a unique and captivating aroma that made anyone feel comfortable being close to it.
• Poppy scrolled up with her wireless mouse, knowing that Harvey was inspecting her work. In this close proximity, she could feel his presence and couldn't help but be conscious of it.
• "Where did you get this?" Harvey asked.
• "I got it from the PR Manager, Mrs. Bella."
• "Make sure to cross-reference it with previous MOUs. Double-check it for any missed clauses," Harvey instructed.
• "Yes, sir."
• Harvey nodded in understanding. "There's a typo in the 'Force Majeure' section. You need to be more diligent."
• "Yes, sir."
• "After that, print two copies and bring them to me," Harvey said.
• "Alright, sir."
• Poppy felt relieved when Harvey moved away from her desk. She watched him as he glanced at her and then disappeared behind the door. Poppy hurried to complete her work, glancing at her round watch, which indicated it was 8:10 PM. She hadn't realized how late it had become. Working overtime was not a new occurrence for her; it had become a daily routine. In her heart, she wanted to resign, but she still loved her job. This office was her dream secretary's room, and she had worked hard to achieve this position.
• Truthfully, she wasn't the kind of woman who wanted to run a business. Her dream had always been to work in her own office like this, with a comfortable chair and a spinning desk, located in a skyscraper with a two-digit salary. She had gone through many obstacles to reach this position. It would be a shame to resign just because of Nathan.
• Poppy finished her task and walked to Harvey's office. She saw him focused on his laptop. Harvey looked up as Poppy approached with a clear folder in her hand, and she smiled at him.
• "Is it done?" Harvey asked.
• "Yes, it's done, sir," Poppy replied.
• Poppy then took a seat in an empty chair in front of Harvey and handed over the completed MOU. So far, Poppy had been performing quite well in Harvey's opinion. She never complained about working late like this and was always ready to stand in for him when meeting clients. He considered her a highly capable woman. He was actually very satisfied with Poppy's work.
• Harvey carefully read through the MOU because he considered it crucial. He glanced at Poppy, who remained silent.
• "Okay, this looks quite good to me," Harvey finally said.
• Poppy felt relieved that Harvey didn't ask about the details within the clauses. "Thank you, sir."
• Harvey closed the folder and placed it on his desk. "You may go home now."
• "Yes, sir," Poppy replied.
• Poppy got up from her chair, walked to her office, shut down her computer, and retrieved her bag from the drawer. She looked at herself in the mirror, making sure she didn't appear tired. Appearance was essential to her. If she had her own apartment, she wouldn't need to go home after work.
• Poppy waited for Harvey to leave his office, as per the rule that when Harvey left, she could leave as well. She watched as Harvey exited his office and followed him. Before leaving, she turned off the lights and locked her office.
• Harvey rolled up his sleeves to his elbows and glanced at Poppy, who was walking beside him. They both looked around the office area, which was now empty except for a few IT staff who were still working late. It was common for the IT staff to stay late.
• They descended the stairs and pressed the ground floor button in the elevator. Throughout the journey, neither of them initiated a conversation, as they were lost in their own thoughts. They only discussed work-related matters.
• Upon reaching the lobby, they both noticed the security guard still stationed by the entrance. Harvey looked at his BMW parked there. He glanced at Poppy, who lowered her gaze, and they parted ways. Harvey got into his car, and Poppy chose to continue walking to the front of the building, where she would decide to take a taxi home.
• ***