Chapter 54: Now Or Never

"So you liked her or did you accept her because I love her," Austin asked while driving.

"To be honest, I never doubted your choices. Even this time. I knew you'd choose a perfect partner for you. If you are thinking that I accepted her because of you, then let me correct you. I loved her the moment I saw her, no wonder you've been in love with her all these years," she said looking at her son whose lips were slightly curved upwards into a smile.

" Do you think she'll be able to face people when everyone gets to know about you both ? "Alicia asked Austin.

"She will mom," he said confidently.

After dropping his mother at her home. Austin returned to his house and fell on the bed. He was happy how things were going. He looked at the dream catcher which Jessica hung on the wall before leaving his room. There was a time when Jessica was very nervous to give speech. It was during the time of selection for Q.A.E.S. Even though there was no need for him to come, he came just for her, he saw her being nervous but after he spoke to her she confidently gave her speech. She was nervous to an extent that she wanted to run away but while giving her speech, she was very confident. He wondered where did that confidence came from. That day, he understood that she was the kind of girl who can do anything once she decides to do something.

Little did he know that he was the one who gave her confidence, he was her confidence.

The next morning, Austin came to Jessica's house to pick her up. She told him to drop her little away from the office but he didn't listen to her. He stopped his car right in the front of the entrance of her work place.

She looked at Austin in shock. Does he want me to go inside with him? she thought. As expected, Austin got down from the car and opened the door for her to get down. People who were going inside through the entrance door saw Austin wait for a person who was sitting in the car. People started to talk among themselves as they were curious to know about the person who came along with their president.

Jessica was utterly shocked. She didn't prepare herself for this. If she gets down from the car now, then everyone would come to know that they were dating. If she didn't work in Sanchez then things would've been different but she has been working here since three months. She'll be under the spotlight if people come to know about him and her which she didn't want that to happen, not so soon.

"Jessica!" Austin called her name so that she would look at him.

"Hold my hand," he said.

A chain of thoughts broke when she gave him her hand. She was confident after holding his hand.

As she was getting down from the car, people stared at her in surprise. They never thought that their CEO has a girlfriend and would bring her to his office.

The reason she wanted to get into the top list was because she felt that she didn't deserve to even love him when she was in the last place on the score boaed. She worked hard and since then her life has changed. Today he wants to show the world that she was his girl and she didn't want to step back just because she was not ready. She kept thinking while getting down.

The moment she set her foot on the the ground she thought, "Now or never."

She took a deep breathe before entering inside the office. She thought she had to face everyone right now or else she can never face them. She walked beside him holding his hand tightly leaving everyone in shock.

The day when Jessica was sent to the hospital, there were only few people who clicked pictures and took videos when they saw Austin taking an unconscious Jessica in his arm. After they left to hospital, Steve took hold of the people who were present there and made them delete all the pictures and videos they took but still because of few people, rumours spreaded like a wild fire. People who didn't see the incident didn't believe and made fun of them saying that they were talking all nonsense. Today, after seeing Austin holding a girl's hand, few people who heard about the rumors looked at the bright faces of the people who told them about Austin carrying a girl, they felt like a tight slap on their faces for laughing at the people who told them truth.

People murmured among themselves which created disturbance in the entire floor. Austin looked at the people coldly making them shut their mouths and they continue their work with curiosity to know about his relation.

They both got into his private lift and reached to the floor where she works.

"Are you nervous?" he asked her softly.

" No. I'm perfect," she said with smile.

"That's good," he said and planted a kiss on back of her hand before the lift door opened.

People who were working, looked at her in shock. It took them few seconds to understand what was happening.

Hannah who was talking to a person widened her eyes in shock looking at Jessica and Austin who stood close to each other.

"I'll see you in the lunch," Austin said to which Jessica nodded.

Austin left to his cabin and Jessica sat in her chair. Not even a single person dare come to her and speak about her relation with Austin. They only discussed about work. Jessica observed that her colleagues treated her differently, they were being formal and were showing respect to her. Even though Hannah was close to Jessica compared to others, she didn't dare ask and Jessica didn't tell anything to her. While having their lunch, Jessica noticed that people were feeling awkward, there was pin drop silence even during lunch hour. In their eyes, she is not just a mere employee of Sanchez but their CEO's girlfriend.

Jessica who was upset texted Austin.

*What are you doing ?*

He called her immediately and told her to come to his cabin to have lunch with him.

Jessica brought lunch for Austin too.

As soon as she entered his cabin. He saw a gloomy expression on her face, he understood what made her face look pale.

Austin got up from his seat and walked towards Jessica who sat on a chair with her lunch box.

"The reason I wanted you to come with me ....."

"I understand," Jessica cur down his words. "You want me to get used to your world as soon as possible and I'm happy that you brought me with you, it's just that I'm just not used to it. I don't have any close friends here first of all, it was only Hannah who used to talk to me and now nobody talks to me including Hannah after what they saw in the morning. It'll take time for me to get adjusted to this kind of atmosphere. I'm sorry," she said looking at her hands to avoid his gaze.

Jessica was seated on a wheel chair so it was easy for Austin to pull her towards him. He made her to sit on his lap making her eyes widen in shock, " What are you... "

" You can talk to me. I'm your friend too." He cut down her words amd spoke to her.

Jessica smiled while blushing and said ," let's eat now. I have work to do ..."

Austin who saw the girl's dimple appear on her cheeks while smiling at his words couldn't stop himself from planting a kiss on her cheeks and then on her lips, it was a quick kiss but his kiss made Jessica's heart to pound.

They had their lunch together and that she went back to her work. In the evening, Austin dropped Jessica at her house. News spread everywhere that Austin has a girlfriend. But no matter how much the paparazzi tried to take Jessica's picture, they couldn't take it because Austin was a step ahead in protecting Jessica from them. He bought the place where she stays a day before he introduced her to his mother for her safety. The security was tightened and he made sure that there should be no sign of paparazzi near her place. On the other hand, Jessica has no idea about him buying her flat.

Everyday, they both started to go to the office together and left together and that continued for weeks and people who works in Sanchez got the chance to see her everyday but nobody in the office were allowed to click pictures because of the rule set by him and that's how Jessica was still unknown to the outer world.