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Chapter Three

•BRIANNA•

I sat for about fifteen minutes before I was finally called upon. I got up, straightened my clothes, and walked into the office.

I was dumbfounded by what I saw when I stepped into the room. The man who fired me yesterday sat in a swivel chair behind a mahogany desk. He sat majestically and pressed his phone like he didn’t have a care in the world. He was so engrossed in whatever he was doing on his phone that he didn’t notice that someone had come in.

He finally looked up after some minutes, and my breath somehow got caught in my throat. I forgot how to breathe for a moment and stared at him like a fool. I couldn’t stop my eyes from wandering over his physique.

He had dirty blonde hair, bushy eyebrows, and hazel eyes with grey flecks. He had a pointed nose, small pink lips that looked kissable, and a neat beard. I didn’t have the time to check him out yesterday because of his display of assholery.

“Are you done checking me out?” he asked, a smug look on his face. The moment he asked that question, I snapped out of my daze. His eyes raked all over my body, and my body warmed under his intense gaze. I cleared my throat, and he instantly looked up at my face, his eyes growing wide when he saw me.

“You!” he shouted. A look of familiarity crossed his features, and then anger completely took over.

“I’m sorry. Do I know you?” I asked in pretence.

“You are so bad at pretending. Drop the act. Are you not the crazy bitch that kicked my dick yesterday?” he quizzed, looking like he would descend on me any moment now.

“No, I’m not. I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I responded, feigning innocence.

“Oh, cut it out. Who are you deceiving?” he said with a scoff as he rolled his eyes.

“Fine… I’m the one,” I admitted in defeat.

“Ha! I knew it was you,” he exclaimed, a look of triumph on his face.

“Whatever. You got me fired, remember? I snapped at him, and he rolled his eyes as if he had grown fed up with hearing my voice.

“And I will do it again and again without getting tired.” He said, and I bit my tongue, trying to keep my response to myself.

He spoke up again when he saw that I wouldn’t talk back.

“What are you doing here anyway?” he asked, waving off the earlier topic.

“I’m here for the interview. I just wasn’t prepared to meet an asshole here,” I stated, damning all consequences. “By the way, where is the interviewer?”

“Isn’t it obvious? I am the interviewer and the CEO of this remarkable industry.” He spoke with his shoulders squared, resembling an arrogant peacock.

The moment he said that, it was as if the AC had broken. I began to feel hot from the inside out. If he were the CEO, as he claimed to be, then it was evident that I could never get the job.

Maybe, just maybe, I would stand a chance of getting the job if I apologised for everything I did to him.

“I’m sorry about the other day. It was a mistake; I didn’t mean to,” I said, mustering my best apologetic voice. He looked taken aback for a few seconds. Then, his face went blank, and I couldn’t guess his thoughts.

“Wow, seeing you apologise is so shocking. Apologising does not look good on you.” He said it in mockery, and I sighed.

“Can we just forget about yesterday? “Let’s start this interview, or send me out if you want to do that,” I said in a weary tone.

“Well, I could send you out of here, but I won’t do that. Let me see your credentials. You are the only one here in appropriate clothes and not trying to seduce me.” He muttered, and a smile broke out on my face.

I reached into my purse and handed him my credentials. I stood, taking in his face as he glanced through them.

“I know I’m hot, but are you going to keep staring at me, or are you going to take a seat?” he asked with an air of superiority, keeping his head lowered and avoiding eye contact with me.

I cleared my throat, feeling uncomfortable. Then, I sat in the chair opposite his, divided by a polished mahogany desk. I sat in silence for a while, waiting for him to say something, and at last, he spoke.

“You didn’t go to college, according to what I see here. But your high school results were impressive. The teachers’ and principals’ feedback was excellent. It says you were a brilliant student.” “I will give you a chance to prove your worth as my assistant,” he said, calm now. Any trace of the arrogant man from earlier had vanished.

I felt overjoyed when he said he would give me a chance, but I kept a straight face, trying to hold back my happiness. If I succeeded in proving myself to him, then I would be able to get the money for my mother’s anaemia treatment in no time.

“You are to resume work by 8:00 a.m. tomorrow. If you are thirty seconds later than that, your chances of proving yourself will be at risk. I don’t condone any form of tardiness. Do you get that?” he explained, then asked.

“Yes, Mr. Adrian,” I replied.

“I will introduce you to the secretary. He has my schedule. Please review it before coming tomorrow. It will give you an idea of my day. Am I clear?” he uttered.

“Yes, sir,” I grumbled.

“Hey. You don’t get to talk to me like that. I am your boss now, and your employment lies in my hands. A slight form of unprofessionalism, and you’ll get fired; you get that?” he asked in a mocking tone.

“Yes, sir,” I mumbled.

“Good.” He commented with a satisfied smirk I wished to wipe off with a punch.

He picked up the telephone on the desk and called someone. After a few minutes, a young man with brown hair and brown eyes came into the office.

“You sent for me, sir,” he said after greeting Mr. Adrian.

“Yes, I did. Tell the others waiting to be interviewed that I’ve picked one. As she leaves, give this lady my schedule. She is my new assistant,” he said.

“Yes, sir.” The man replied calmly and left the office to carry out the orders.

I turned back towards the Boss to find him staring at me.

“I look forward to working with you, Miss Brianna.” He uttered, stretching forth his hand to me for a handshake. I couldn’t help but notice a mischievous glint in his eyes, which made me shiver slightly.

“Same here, Mr. Adrian,” I replied, shaking his hand with mine, which looked smaller than his. Immediately after our hands touched, I felt sparks working up my body, and I squirmed. He must have felt it, too, as he immediately broke off the handshake.

“Well, you can go now. We will meet tomorrow,” he said. I got up and strolled to the door. I glanced at him one last time before I walked out without looking back.

I saw the man who had come into the office earlier. He had just finished addressing the other interviewees. When they set their eyes on me, they began murmuring among themselves, but I could hear them.

“I’m pretty sure she slept with him to get this job.” One of the ladies said, staring right at me. She didn’t even conceal the look of disgust she was throwing in my direction.

“Ugh, she’s such a bitch.” Another one uttered.

I decided not to pay any attention to their comments as I had already gotten the job, and they could do nothing about it.

After all the interviewees had left, I met the man.

“Hi there! Mr. Adrian said that you would give me his schedule,” I said when I got to him.

“Oh yeah. Follow me to my office; let me get it for you,” he replied, already turning toward his office. I followed behind him and waited outside while he went inside to get it.

He handed the schedule to me when he got out.

“Thank you,” I said after collecting the notepad from him.

“You’re welcome.” He responded with a short smile. “Hope you have a good first day of work tomorrow.”

I smiled at that and thanked him once again. Then, I went to the elevator to return to the first floor and leave the building.

•ADRIAN•

A sinister smirk appeared on my face as I watched her walk out of the office. She had absolutely no idea what I was going to do to her. She won’t know what hit her when I start to deal with her.