The Chrysalis Project - Chapter 26

Hayden and I were alone in the Dean’s office, there was a slight moment of silence before Hayden had broken the tension.

“Sienna,” Hayden said, causing me to turn to him. He was now properly seated and no longer slouching like he was when he initially came into the Dean’s office.

“What?” I asked, “I’m just having doubts about this entire thing. It sounds like a program made of excuses just so elites can have some fun with less fortunate folks they enjoy being around.”

“That’s what it is, but it’s not some random person, it’s me and that makes all the difference,” Hayden explained.

“I’m just uncomfortable, I can’t feel like that?” I asked, slightly frustrated that he wasn’t handling my explanations properly.

“Listen to me,” he asked with a serious expression on his face, directly staring into my eyes, “Do you trust me?”

“I’ve known you for such a short time, do you really want me to answer that question?” I asked back hesitantly, unwilling to meet his eyes.

“If you trust me, and I’m hoping you do, sign the paper for me, you’re not going to be in trouble or have bad luck,” he guaranteed.

“But-” I protested.

“No buts,” Hayden interrupted, “if your call last night was genuine and serious then you’d sign those papers for me. You promised you’re willing to try, but now you’re too chicken?”

“I’m not chicken,” I protested again, slightly pouting, “I’m just trying to cover my ass in case something bad happens, okay?”

“If something bad happens, the responsibility will be on me, and not you.”

“I just don’t want this to not work out, you understand that at least, right?” I pleaded, knowing very well my conversation with him last night meant that I had to accept change. But this didn’t mean that I had to give into every one of his requests, Hayden trying to help me discover myself didn’t mean that I had to follow his every move, I only really had to take his suggestions if anything.

“If it doesn’t work out, I’ll cancel the contract myself and you can just stay my assistant, literally nothing changes,” he reassured.

“Okay, fine.” I sighed as I borrowed a pen from Dean Clark’s pen holders and neatly printed my name in the appropriate blank spaces and turned to the last page to place my signature, completing the contract.

“You won’t regret this, you know that right?” Hayden asked.

“I sure fucking hope so,” I sighed deeply.

“Ah, I see you’ve decided to sign after all,” the Dean said as he returned from his short break, a nicely delicate cup of coffee in his hands.

As the Dean approached his desk, I had already tidied the entire contract and placed the nicely collected paperwork on his desk.

“Well congratulations, you’re now a Chrysalis now,” Dean Clark smiled widely as he collected the contract and put it back into his filing drawers.

“Thank you, sir, it was a pleasure meeting with you,” I said standing, shaking his hand once more, “I think we’ve taken over enough of your time for today.”

“I should head out as well,” Hayden also said as he stood up to leave, “I have some errands to run and people to deal with in a bit, but you should go and take your sister and Margaret out for a nice lunch and I’m dropping by when the new unit is ready.”

“Okay, sure thing,” I responded casually.

“Close the doors when you leave please,” the Dean said.

We said our goodbyes before walking out of his office and shutting the door quietly behind us. it’s unlike I’ll see Dean Clark anytime soon unless I had other unplanned paperwork to sign, but what are the chances of that happening?

“Sorry I can’t stay, I have some business with family,” Hayden said as he turned towards me as we were walking out of the building.

“That’s okay, I can handle myself fine, I’m not exactly a damsel in distress.”

“I wouldn’t be too sure about that,” Hayden said teasingly.

“Oh shush, I did you a favor today,” I teased back.

“You did yourself a favor, I just did all the convincing,” he shrugged.

“Can I ask why you wanted this so much? I just have doubts and I’m curious, it makes little to no difference whether I’m in that Chrysalis thing, I’m still your assistant at the end of the day.”

“Well, I didn’t want to explain it in front of the Dean, but I’m glad you trust me,” Hayden smiled.

“So prove it to me that my trust in you was the right decision,” I demanded.

“Remember how I was rude to you before? Same applies here, a lot of women tend to want to get near me for obvious reasons,” he gestured at himself confidently, “I’m a Whitehall and I think I’m attractive enough physically and emotionally.”

“I’m not surprised, continue.”

“My family, the Whitehalls? They don’t like that kind of attention for their son, at least people who don’t benefit the family, so they tend to use unorthodox measures to get these women off my back.”

“And that correlates to this because…”

“Because I admitted that I genuinely am interested in you, so I really don’t want them to interfere with your private life, let alone your time with me. This sponsorship, the Chrysalis thing I mean, will at least give me somewhat of a reason to have an excuse to hang out with you,” he said casually.

“But I’m your assistant, that’s a legitimate excuse,” I added.

“Believe me, they know if we’re fooling around or not,” Hayden sighed, “I don’t have business to deal with, so when do I need an assistant for honestly, it’s too obvious.”

“Gee, saying we’re fooling around already,” I said sarcastically, “seriously, how many girls do you have charmed with that line?”

“Well actually, I have another sponsee, but that’s only because my parents made me sponsor her,” he admitted truthfully.

“Oh,” I mouthed. I hadn’t expected that and I wasn’t sure how I felt, but it was a mix of slight disappointment and surprise if I were to try and pinpoint that feeling. I guess I wasn’t the only girl he took an interest in; I wasn’t special. His kindness, humor, and hospitality weren’t only for me.

“Don’t sound so disappointed, I don’t take interest in her if that’s what you wanted to know,” Hayden winked, “she’s just an old family friend that had a situation that needed some financial help.”

“That obvious, huh,” I blurted out.

“Yeah, you’re not exactly hard to read,” he laughed, “I’m happy that you’re at least starting to care, even if it’s a little bit.”

“Well, I’d hate to keep you from your family,” I said, changing the subject.

“Okay then,” Hayden sighed, not impressed with my obvious subject topic change, “until later then.”

I know I did say I was going to try and see him in a different light and take this seriously, but I didn’t want to get ahead of myself. There was still much to discover about Hayden Whitehall, and even if my existing feeling betrays me now in moments like these, I want to take all of this slowly and carefully. He was a Whitehall after all, and elites like him can be dangerous to be around. and waved goodbye.

“Until later,” I muttered as I watched him disappear off in a distance.