The CEO's Assistant

Liam hadn't left his study in over a week, his luggage from their trip to London, still stood unpacked in the hallway near his bedroom. Every now and then you could hear Liam yelling, throwing things and smashing glass. Juliette tried to get inside, but he'd locked the door and just told her to go away.

It took her about five days, but finally she managed to pick the lock on her brother's door, when she opened the door the stench of sweat and alcohol drifted out of the door, both Juliette and her boyfriend Felix covered their noses and held their breath. They walked in to see Liam laying on the ground, surrounded by empty bottles, broken glass and sheets of paperwork. His shirt soaked in whisky and wine, and the photo of him and Chloe was covered in scorch marks from where he'd tried to burn it.

"Oh shit..." Juliette could barely look at her brother, her heart broke, never in their lives had she seen him this low.

"Well let's get you into the shower." Felix bent down to pick up his brother-in-law. Throwing his arm over his shoulder, pulling the drunk up and headed to the bathroom. Juliette's heart warmed a little as she watched her boyfriend take care of her broken brother. "Arr... babe?" Felix's voice echoed from the bathroom.

"What is it?" Juliette entered the room to see Felix barely able to hold up his weight and Liam's as he was slowly collapsing.

"N...never... n...never again..." Liam's drunken voice filled the bathroom. Juliette ran over to support her brother to avoid the boys falling into the tub of running water. "N...no...no m... more g...girls for me!" The drunk declared as Juliette removed his one remaining shoe and socks. He reached over putting his hands on her shoulders. "I... it's up... t...to you now, Julz... you m...must c...carry on the f...family name... I... I will d...die al...alone." He was mumbling through the hiccups.

"Alright drop him in the tub." Juliette said as she turned off the hot water fixing her now rolled up sleeve.

"Clothes and all?" Felix was unsure.

"Well are you going to undress him? Cause I'm not." Juliette raised her eyebrow, looking at her boyfriend curiously.

"N...no!" Felix blushed, he reactively let go of Liam, causing him to fall into warm lavender scented bath.

"Holy shit!" Liam sat up in the bath as he'd quickly sobbed up, Juliette stood there giggling, while Felix looked rather embarrassed. "What are you two doing here and how did I get into the bath? With my clothes on?" Liam raised his eyebrow looking at his sister.

"You stank," she shrugged nonchalantly, "we will leave you to wash yourself then." She smiled cheekily, grabbing Felix's wrist leaving the bathroom.

About 20 minutes later, Liam finally came out of the bathroom heading to his bedroom to find clothes that Juliette had laid out for him. He wore navy blue slim-fit trousers with black leather shoes and a white business shirt with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, the top of his dirty blonde hair combed to the side and set in place with hair gel, his perfectly sculpted face was freshly shaved. He looked like his old self again.

"Much better." Juliette giggled with her hands on her h.i.p.s, as her eyes ran up and down her brother, she smiled satisfactorily. Liam didn't say anything just stood there coldly with his arms folded across his c.h.e.s.t. He was still hurting but was not going to let his sister and her boyfriend know, let alone the rest of the world, so he had to resume his normal life. He picked up his phone for the first time in two week, May 18th. He was supposed to get married today.

"Today..." He finally spoke, but his words were cold and indifferent like he was speaking to client or business associate. "What do people think?"

"Our parents know the truth, but everyone else just believes you two had a falling out and ended things on mutual terms. Most of the socialite and prestigious families aren't surprised, considering she's from a more... humble family." Juliette looked at her brother awkwardly. "Mother has been keeping an eye on all the rumours about your break-up and father, well, he's been busy looking for Chloe and Marcus."

"Well they won't live to see autumn now will they." A devilish grin spread across Liam's face, knowing full well just how ruthless his father can be.

"Chloe knows too many family secrets." Felix's timid voice chimed in, as an outsider of the family Felix knew full well what it meant if they betrayed the Clair family and it wasn't good.

"So where are we going, this late at night?" Liam analysed his sister and Felix's outfits.

"To a bar." Juliette's devilish smile was identical to her brothers. She linked her arms with two towering men either side of her and pulled them towards the door. Seeing his girlfriend finally smiling for the first time in two weeks, Felix's expression softened as he gazed lovingly at the back of her head.

Liam caught sight of Felix's expression, it reminded him of how he used to look at Chloe. Perhaps spending time with a couple wasn't the best way to heal a broken heart. However, not wanting to hurt Juliette, he decided to remain silent and followed along.

~ ~ ~

The three of them had been at the bar for over an hour and Liam remained silent, watching the couple intensely. When Juliette finally went to the bathroom, leaving the two men sitting at the bar by themselves.

"It's okay, I won't betray Juliette." Felix said with unusual amount of confidence.

"How'd you know that's what I was thinking?" Liam asked coldly.

"Because you've been staring at us since we left with a questioning aura around you." Felix took a sip of his drink.

Liam wanted to ask how he could be so sure, but then he remember what his sister said '...considering she's from a more... humble family.' Like him and Juliette, Felix grew up in a rather prestigious family and their families had been friends since before they were born. Felix would gain nothing out Juliette's inheritance. Besides that Felix had been head over heels for Juliette since they were children, he was always her shoulder to cry on, he was there when she needed a friend and he never pushed her into returning his feelings. For Felix it was simple, he would die before make her unhappy and every girl who flirted with him, he ignored because no-one could compare to his Juliette. Suddenly this made Liam envious, while he'd never realised it before, all he ever wanted was a love like theirs, they were best friends, lovers, companions and their trust ran so deep, he wondered if it could ever be broken. "That's good." Liam finally spoke.

"A... actually there's something... I want to ask you," Felix didn't look up he stared into brown liquid circling in his cup. "I... I already asked your father, but I wanted to check with you too. I... I want to ask for your blessing, to ask Juliette to marry me?" If he was sober, he wouldn't have asked him now, he knew this time and today probably wasn't the best time to ask him for that kind thing, but he was a bit of a light-weight, so after three drinks he was starting to lose sense of what is right. "Oh shit, sorry this isn't the best time to bring this up. Forget I said anything."

Liam laughed, for a moment he stopped thinking about his own pity and thought about his sister's happiness. "Of course you have my blessing." Liam patted him on the shoulder as Felix looked up in surprise.

"Really? Are you sure?"

"My sister has been waiting for you to propose since she was 23. It's about damn time." Liam took another shot, then saw Juliette stumbling out of the toilets, when a drunken reject started flirting with her. "Well you better go get her before someone else tries taking her home." Liam nodded his head gesturing towards the bathroom door. As the drunken mess that was Felix marched over to claim his girlfriend. Liam watched them with a faint smile.

"This seat taken?" A tired and slightly tipsy voice asked beside him.

"Go for your life," he took another sip, not moving his gaze from his brother-in-law protecting Juliette from Paris' very own sc.u.mbag that was Michael Claud. "Just don't expect me to talk to you." he continued rudely. "I've had enough of women."

"What a coincidence. I've had a enough of men." she replied after ordering her drink. He recognised the voice, he turned to realise she was the women who had just reject that very sc.u.mbag.