Chapter seven

"The list is out." was the first thing Janelle said to Kylie when she stepped into the office.

"List?" Kylie raised a brow.

"Yes. The list for the layoff." 

"Have you checked it out?" Kylie asked, sitting down.

"Yes, I have. We still have our jobs." Janelle grinned.

"We do?" 

"Yes, Ky. We do."

Kylie's disbelief was evident. She didn't expect Mason to not lay her off. She thought he might not buy her pregnancy stories and still fire her but he didn't. And apparently, he also didn't fire her best friend. She was so elated.

Kylie beamed at Janelle. But then, she noticed apprehension in Janelle's eyes. 

"What's wrong? Aren't we supposed to be happy?" Kylie asked.

"We are. It's just that some things were changed. Some employees have a different job now."

"So….?" She urged Janelle on.

"I think you need to see the list for yourself. It's on the notice board down the hallway."

Kylie stood up suspiciously and went out of the office.

She decided to check Janelle's name first. And Janelle wasn't moved to another department. Kylie wished that was the same for her. She loved working in the Designs team. She didn't want out. She wanted to remain there.

But clearly, Mason had other plans for her. She saw her name in bold print right across her new job— Personal Assistant.

She took a step back, away from the notice board.

PA? 

She had no qualifications for that job. Hell, she didn't even know the basics about that except that they always followed the boss around. 

Lord, what was all this? She needed to speak with Mason Asap. 

She marched her way to his office with her hands balling in anger and steams practically coming out of her ears and nostrils. He called for her to come in after she knocked twice.

"To whom do I owe your pleasant visit, Miss Watson?" He beamed at her from behind his desk.

His smile was so handsome that it made her even more angry. He was mocking her but he was also her boss.

"Good morning sir. How was your night?"

"It was good. How was yours?"

Kylie wanted to cut through all thithesermalities, grab his tie and choke him to death.

Okay, that was extreme but you couldn't blame her. 

"It was fine, sir." She replied.

"Have a seat, Kylie. I see you have assumed your duty as my personal assistant." He stated.

"I came here to talk about that, sir. I wanted to ask if you can, please, reconsider your decision. I can't be your personal assistant, sir." 

"You can't? So you prefer being fired?"

She gritted her teeth and wrung her hands together in an attempt to keep them in place and not reach out and grab that tie that looked so appealing.

"No, sir" she replied instead. "What I mean is, I have no qualifications for that, sir.  I'm supposed to be in the Designs team. That's where I'm experienced. I don't know a thing about working as a PA, sir." She hoped she sounded like she was pleading. 

"You know something about you? You always nag and complain. You are never grateful. I give you money, you complain you don't need it. I decided to lay you off, you complain. I don't lay you off, you complain. I give you a new role, you complain. What the hell do you want Kylie?"

Okay, this man was exaggerating. She didn't complain that much. 

She lowered her gaze and tried not to glare at him.

"I want to remain in the Designs team."

"Done." He said.

"Done? Seriously?" Her lips lifted up in a grin. Maybe he wasn't so bad after all.

"Yeah, because you think that's how it's done. News Flash…it isn't. The world doesn't revolve around your whims" 

Her jaws dropped. This man was so infuriating. And she was beginning to think he was actually good.

"But I don't have the qualifications." She argued.

"I looked through your Resumé as well as your job profile in this company. I also went through your past projects and all and they were impressive, I must say. But not impressive enough for me to retain you there. I have a better designer to fit into your place."

Her hands balled into a fist. How dare he say that? He was getting on all of her nerves, every single one of them.

"With all due respect, sir, I'm more than qualified to work there. My designs were impressive enough to make the largest sales under Mr. Simpson's administration. I'm proud of my work." She chewed out.

"You should be. I did say that they were impressive. But you could also use that smart brain of yours to learn how to be a very good PA. It's not as hard as it seems. Just a little bit of diligence and more of organization  and accountability, you are good to go." He grinned like he just solved the world's hardest riddle.

"What I don't get is why you so desperately want me to work as PA. If I didn't know you better, I'd say you want me as close to you as possible." 

"You see, now you are using that smart brain of yours to good use. You aren't so far from the truth. You see, the reason why I need you to work as a PA is because I want to keep an eye on you. I don't really trust you. You may or may not be carrying my child. If you aren't, then you'll be fired immediately but if you are, you will be retained till you bear the child and then be fired when the child is one year old. So I need to watch you closely."

Kylie was beyond mortified. What type of stupid rule is that? And why does he seem to have the upper hand now? Either way, she was going to lose her job. She better start looking for another job because she was sure as hell she wasn't pregnant.

But all she could do was stare at him.