I can’t accept this.

GEORGE

Deep in the woods, somewhere on the outskirts of New York City, a large expanse of land was fenced off with a huge Chinese-themed palace on it. It was bordered by thick jungle vegetation, with tall trees covering it completely from human view.

The compound covered over fifty thousand square feet of land. The Chinese palace stood in the middle of the compound, easily occupying about twenty thousand square feet. It had pillars and a door made of pure gold and was about three stories tall. It was such a beautiful building that anyone would think royalty actually lived there.

There were six other smaller Chinese structures like houses built in closer proximity to the fence than the palace, and in one of these houses was Reynolds Riggs. I was seated cross-legged on an armchair with a cigar in hand, a half-filled bottle of vodka and an empty glass at his side, and a grave in front of him.

The inscription on top of it read; Eleanor Grail.

"This is perfect, isn't it?" I asked with an English accent. "It's the two of us alone as always."

His phone rang and again, the caller ID read a name that was displayed was beginning to annoy me; Annabel Dean.

"What is it this time?" I muttered as I answered the call.

"What is it, Miss Ana?"

"I can't accept this, sir," she said immediately. "I haven't even had a proper first day of work. I can't accept a house like this. I can't possibly pay this back."

"When were you asked to pay, Miss Ana?" I asked as I laid my head back and blew some smoke in the air.

"I can't possibly take all this for free," she retorted.

"You just said you couldn't pay for them, didn't you?" I sighed.

"The point is that I can't accept it," she said. "I'm contented with my residence for now."

"I really hate having to repeat myself," I sighed again. "Do what you want."

"Tha-"

"But...."

Annabel hesitated for a second before answering. "But what?"

"If you are even a second late to the office, or I make it to the office before you, that would be the end of your job," I stated.

There was silence on the other end as Annabel couldn't think of anything. She lived a long way from the office and she also had to take Dylan to school in the morning. There was also the occasional traffic jam like this morning. She knew this wasn't the last she was gonna be late to work.

"Stop being a retard and stay put where you are," I said and ended the call when she was still trying to think of something to say.

"Smoking again, huh?" an older feminine voice asked from behind him. She had a strong English accent.

"Only when I'm with her," I said without looking back. "She loves this brand."

"I don't like the fact that you are still smoking," the lady insisted as she walked in and placed her hands on his shoulders. "It would hurt me to see the kid I raised die from cancer or some terminal disease because he wouldn't listen."

"That's not gonna happen," I sighed as I stood up, turning around to look at the elderly woman. I easily towered over her 5'1 feet frame, casting a huge shadow over her body. "Hannah, you get shorter every day but you never seem to age."

"Shush, your little trap," she punched me lightly with a smile. Her barely visible wrinkles creased with the motion of her lips. "When would you learn to give a compliment without including an insult?"

"The day you realise that you've aged and you should be resting more," I replied with a stoic expression.

"Meanie," she pouted and turned away from him, whipping her flowing, greying hair on his chest.

"What's for lunch," I asked as I held her by the shoulders and led her out of the building.

"I know you don't want lunch," she replied. "You are just trying to get me out of here."

My phone rang again and the caller ID was the last straw.

"What is the problem this time?" he hissed.

"There's a car in the garage, sir," she said. "I would like you to come pick it up. I don't want it."

"Are you stupid?" I groaned. "If you are such a moral freak then why get a job in the first place?"

"I'm not a moral freak, sir," she retorted. She had finally had enough of his subtle insults and domineering attitude like he controlled her life. "I don't like freebies because they always come with a price."

"And?"

"And it's unnatural to give all of this for the my position. There was no clause regarding this in the documents I signed."

"I see," I said. "Anything else?"

She hesitated for a few seconds considering if it was okay to say what she had in mind. What she wished to say next might be offensive to him and she would like to avoid that as much as possible. His voice already told her that she was stepping on his toes.

"Damn, you're slow," I sighed as I made to end the call.

"Well, I do have something to say, sir," she hissed. Those words helped her make her decision. She hated being belittled and he has done that multiple times already.

"You are the reason why all of these benefits look sketchy to me," she continued. "You are a pervert who objectifies women, telling me to dress in skimpy skirts and show more cleavage. My job description is working as a secretary and not a slut. I wasn't meant to feed your eyes or lustful desire."

"Is that all?" I asked with boredom in his voice.

"Actually, no," she retorted, mad that her words got no reaction from him. "You must have been raised as some spoiled brat with a golden spoon in your mouth, but that doesn't make you any better than me. Do not talk to me like I'm some sort of insignificant being."

"Noted," I replied. "Now hear me out."

"What?"

"You're fired."

I sighed as I ended the call.

The new secretary had better be a little better than this, right?