"Mackenzie, the president wants to see you again!" Savannah Bailey whispered, her concern evident in her voice.
"What did you do to get on the president's bad side? He's always calling you in for private meetings. I hope he's not mistreating you or anything like that."
Mackenzie Atkinson let out a heavy sigh. "I haven't done anything."
With a faint smile, she stood up and reassured Savannah, "Maybe he just doesn't like me for no reason. It's alright, getting scolded by the boss is a normal part of being an employee."
Savannah looked at her with teary eyes. "Oh, poor Mackenzie."
Mackenzie gently pinched her cheek and offered a reassuring smile. "Don't worry about me."
With that, she walked confidently towards the president's office.
As she knocked on the door and entered, she was immediately embraced in a tight hug.
Suddenly, a large hand covered hers on the doorknob. Without hesitation, the person closed and locked the door, and before she could even look up, she was swept into a passionate kiss that left her breathless.
Mackenzie felt a loss of control from the very beginning, and when she finally caught her breath, her legs felt weak beneath her.
"You're late again today," Antonio Anderson said, wrapping his strong arm around her waist and pulling her closer. His lips brushed against her ear as he spoke in a low voice, sending shivers down her spine.
"Who's to blame?" Mackenzie lifted her gaze, intrigued.
After the passionate kiss they had just shared, her eyes still had a hint of redness. But when she glared at him, it lacked any intimidating effect. Instead, it carried a playful and flirtatious tone. "Who kept me up all night yesterday? And who didn't wait for me this morning and just drove off on his own?"
"Are you upset because you're holding a grudge?" Antonio looked at her, a playful smile playing on his lips.
Mackenzie turned her head away, not saying a word.
"So, do I need to make it up to you?" He lifted her face, determined to make her look at him.
Mackenzie furrowed her brows, sensing that this offer of compensation might not be a good thing. "I don't..." she began, hesitating.
But she never had the power between her and Antonio.
Before she could finish her sentence, Antonio's kiss silenced her.
By the time Mackenzie returned to her office, an hour had already passed.
"Why are your eyes red, Mackenzie? Did the president make you cry again?" Savannah asked, concerned about her reddened eyes.
The use of the word 'again' in this context was quite telling.
For someone like Antonio, his secretaries were divided into different tiers based on their responsibilities.
In the past, only the top-tier secretaries had the privilege of interacting with the president. The rest of the employees simply followed the president's commands.
Usually, interns wouldn't even have the chance to meet Antonio until the end of their internship.
But Mackenzie was different. She was summoned to the president's office every few days, only to be scolded and lectured. It was really tough for her.
Mackenzie avoided Savannah's gaze, feeling guilty and embarrassed. It wasn't the first time Antonio had done something like this in the office.
Did this office have some kind of power over him? He always seemed more ruthless and intense here than anywhere else. If she hadn't begged for mercy with tears, she wouldn't have been able to leave the office.
Recalling their intimate encounter, Mackenzie felt a slight soreness in her waist.
"I'm fine," she gathered her thoughts and reassured Savannah.
Savannah furrowed her eyebrows. "You say you're okay when you're crying like this? Don't be sad. We're having a gathering tonight, and I'm treating everyone. Come on, let's enjoy some delicious food and forget about all the troubles."
Reagan Hall, a fellow intern and college classmate of Mackenzie, walked in from outside and overheard their conversation.
Reagan came from a wealthy family and was recruited as an intern at the Anderson Group. Because of this, many interns gossiped about her behind her back. However, Mackenzie never participated in such conversations because...
She, too, was an outsider who had been brought in abruptly.
Of course, Antonio had intentionally kept this a secret, so no one in the company knew about it.
"I won't be able to make it," Mackenzie exclaimed. "I'm ready to head home and get some much-needed rest after a long day."
Working in the office all day had left her exhausted.
"You're not going?" Reagan asked, her smile hiding a hint of unfriendliness. "Everyone else is going, but you're not. Are you trying to show everyone how much of a misfit you are? Or do you want everyone to see that you, an intern, are absent from a dinner party attended by senior employees? What kind of impression do you think that would make?"
Although Reagan smiled as she spoke, her underlying meaning was far from friendly.
They were colleagues in the same department, and the internship would be over soon. It was unnecessary to strain their relationship.
After careful consideration, Mackenzie replied, "I didn't think it through. Thank you for the invitation, I'll be there on time."
