BRIANNA

After more than an hour of driving, the car finally pulled into the parking lot of the mall. It was by far the biggest mall I had ever seen. People were constantly streaming in and out, making me wonder who the owner was. Whoever they were, they must be incredibly rich.

“Are you going to get out, or are you just going to keep staring at the mall like you’ve never seen one before?” Mr. Adrian’s voice broke me out of my reverie. I rolled my eyes at his ridiculous statement. He never ceased to get under my skin, and it made me want to punch his handsome face or slap him senseless.

“Oh please, as if seeing a big mall is some sort of achievement,” I said coolly.

“Seeing one isn’t an achievement, but owning one is,” he replied with a smug smirk before getting out of the car.

It clicked in my head—he was the owner of the mall. Just how many industries did this man own? He had a tech company, an automobile industry, restaurants, and now a mall? I was working for him and didn’t know much about him. Great job, Brianna! I should really start researching this guy.

I quickly got out of the car before he could yell at me to do so and jogged to catch up with him.

“You’re the owner of this mall, right?” I asked, even though I already knew the answer. I just wanted to hear him say it.

“What does it look like to you?” he replied with a question of his own.

“It looks like you own this mall,” I said simply.

“Exactly! Never thought you’d be smart enough to figure it out so quickly,” he said, his grin widening.

“Is that supposed to be an insult or a compliment?” I shot back.

“Take it however it sounds to you. It might sound like a compliment to you, but it’s definitely an insult to me,” he teased.

Gosh, I so badly wanted to wipe that smug grin off his face—or better yet, strangle him. This man brought out the crazy side of me. Anything to get him to stop being so arrogant and quiet for once.

“I won’t dignify your comment with a reply,” I stated firmly.

“You literally just replied,” he said, rolling his eyes.

“I replied to that one, but I’m not going to reply to this one.”

“You just replied again, lady.”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Yes, you did!”

“No, I did—” I was saying, but he cut me off with a loud voice.

“That’s enough. Just shut the hell up,” he sneered. “Two grown-ass adults are bickering like kids in front of a mall. Look at how people are staring and pointing at us.”

I glanced around and, sure enough, people were staring and whispering.

“Let’s just go inside, get what you need, and leave. I don’t want to read or see headlines tomorrow about Billionaire Businessman Adrian Carter seen acting like a child in front of a mall,” he snapped, walking ahead of me, leaving me to jog to keep up.

We finally entered the mall, and I followed Mr. Adrian to the counter where a lady stood behind it.

“Good afternoon, Sir,” she greeted him with a respectful nod, and Mr. Adrian only waved slightly in acknowledgment.

“Where’s Isabella?” he asked her.

“She’s in her office, Sir,” she replied.

“Ring her up for me, and let her know I’m here,” he ordered. The lady did as instructed, and a few moments later, she returned.

“She’ll be here in a minute, Sir,” she said. Mr. Adrian simply nodded.

A few seconds later, a stunning woman appeared. She had brown hair braided into a neat French braid and an oval-shaped face. She wore a red dress paired with black heels. Tall and somewhere between slim and curvy, she was incredibly attractive.

“Adrian!” she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling when she saw him. “I’m so sorry for keeping you waiting.”

“It’s no problem, Isa. Long time no see.” Mr. Adrian smiled slightly as they embraced each other.

Hmm. Is there something going on between them? They looked awfully cozy.

“It’s been a while since you’ve come by. What brings you here today? And you even have a guest with you,” Isabella teased, her smile radiant.

“Work’s been as strenuous as ever. I didn’t have time for visits,” he replied.

“I understand. Even if work wasn’t so hard, you still wouldn’t come visit me, I know you,” she said, giving him a playful glare. A deep, rich chuckle escaped Mr. Adrian’s chest.

“So, who’s the beautiful lady?” Isabella turned her attention to me and asked. Mr. Adrian glanced at me for a moment before replying.

“That’s my personal assistant, Brianna,” he said simply.

“Hi,” I offered, giving a small wave and a slight smile.

“Hey there, Brianna. I’m Isabella. Nice to meet you,” she said, moving closer and giving me a warm hug that caught me off guard. I awkwardly returned it. She sure was a hugger.

“That’s enough hugging, Isa,” Mr. Adrian snapped, and Isabella slowly pulled back.

“Killjoy,” Isabella muttered under her breath, but I heard her clearly, and a soft giggle escaped my lips.

There definitely seemed to be more than just a professional relationship between them. It felt like they had known each other for a very long time.

“So, what brings you here?” Isabella asked, turning back to Mr. Adrian.

“We’re here because of her,” he pointed at me. “I need you to help me get a beautiful red dress for the gala, along with shoes and a purse.”

“You came to the right person,” Isabella said, her face lighting up with excitement.

“Of course. This is one of the things you do best,” he added with a grin.

“Exactly! Come with me, Brianna. Let’s go find the perfect dress for you,” Isabella squealed, taking hold of my hand and practically dragging me along before Mr. Adrian stopped us.

“Oh, and Brianna, feel free to pick out some extra dresses and shoes. You look like you could use a wardrobe update.” His words hung in the air, and I was left unsure whether to take it as an insult or a favor. Well, either way, I was getting new clothes.

With that, Isabella grabbed my hand and led me toward a section of the mall, leaving me to wonder what other surprises this trip would bring.