DANIEL'S POV:

I don’t know who the girl on the other end of the line is, but she just starts firing questions at me without pausing for breath.

I find myself lost in her words, a warm feeling spreading through my entire body. I can't remember the last time someone asked me if I was fine and actually meant it. I can hear the concern behind her words and for some reason I never want this conversation to end. I try to reassure her, but she speaks over me again, demanding to know who I am. If this was anybody else, I would have lost my temper right about now, but somehow I find myself patiently asking her to give me time to explain. I do not want to scare this girl, which is a first for me.

I reassure her that miss Joseph's family is doing well, wondering whether she and miss Joseph are close friends. They must be, if her first instinct was to be concerned for miss Joseph's family. I wonder if she is as close to her own family, but stop myself. I have no business thinking about the personal life of miss Joseph's friend.

I thank her for asking about my well-being, realizing that this is the first time I've thanked anyone in years. It feels good to know that someone cares about me without knowing about the money or power I have. Not very many people have ever cared about me just for me. They all want my money or some sort of favour.

As I am talking to her, I notice that the empty feeling in my heart is gone. Somehow, this girl, whose name I don't even know, has fixed all that is wrong with my life. I feel complete for the first time in years.

She informs me that miss Joseph is sleeping "like a dead buffalo" and I almost laugh out loud, but manage to simply agree when she offers to wake her, and asks me to wait. This is the first time in eight years anyone has told me to wait, but I find that I don't mind, as long as I can still hear her voice.

She murmurs sweet words to miss Joseph, trying to coax her from dreamland and suddenly I wish I could trade places with miss Joseph. How nice would it be to wake up to the sound of that voice every morning?

I shake my head. What is wrong with me? I hate girls, and yet I want this one to wake me up daily?

She speaks again before I can conduct a thorough self-examination. “Sir, she is really tired and it is going to prove close to impossible to wake her. Your boss really gave her a lot of work today. If you'll send me her work to her number, I'll finish it so that she won't get into trouble by your boss and this way you can get some sleep as well. You're only working because you are afraid of your boss, right? I have no chance of sleeping now, anyway, so I might as well help you out so that you can get some rest and be ready to face your boss in the morning."

I realise, with a pang in my chest, that she doesn't know who I am and decide that I quite like that. I do not want her to know me as the heartless, cruel boss that worked her friend to exhaustion. I want her to like me; something that isn't likely once she knows my true identity. I also know that I can't let her work this late. Yes, I am fully aware that I called Ms. Joseph with the intention of making her work, but it is different with her friend. She isn't my employee, and yet I care about her even though that makes no sense since I don't even know her name. “Sir, are you there?" she asks softby, breaking through my thoughts.

“Yes, I'm still here. Don't worry about Miss Joseph's work. I'll just ask my boss to postpone the meeting to tomorrow afternoon. We both need some sleep now. Are you a friend of Miss Joseph's?"

“Are you sure that he'll postpone the meeting? Cathy told me he doesn't listen to anyone aod will do what he pleases. Yes, I am Cathy's friend."

“No, it's not like that. I'm sure he'll agree to postpone the meeting to tomorrow afternoon when I ask."

“If he doesn't accept your request, just give me a call and I'll finish Cathy's work."

I smile because I've finally convinced her to go to sleep. I reassured her that it really won't be necessary, and that I am perfectly capable of handling my “devil boss" adding that she doesn't have to explain any of this to Cathy and that I'd explain everything to miss Joseph once she gets into the office. This way, I hope Ms. Joseph's friend will never find out that I'm the devil boss.

She agrees and wishes me goodnight before expressing a wish that I won't get in trouble with my boss. I smile, reflecting that I want to grant her every wish just because it would make her happy and I rather think that if miss Joseph's friend is happy, I'll be quite happy myself.

After she hangs up, I notify everyone that the meeting is postponed until tomorrow afternoon, and then proceed to get ready for bed.

I know I will sleep well for the first time in years, because I have the memory of a conversation with a girl I hadn't known fifteen minutes ago. I suddenly realise that I don't know her name, so I gave her an Italian nickname. Mio Tesoro. (my treasure).

Will she like it? What if she didn’t like the nick name? Daniel, wait…you should first meet her, then you should ask her name, then you should get close to her, then you can tell her the nick name and then only you will know whether she like it or not.