The streets of Los Angeles were unforgiving that morning as Lily tried to make her way through the bustling city of crowded people.
Well, what did I expect to see on a Monday morning? She thought .Her clothes were not appropriate for the appointment and she knew she had to stop somewhere for a quick fix.
The call from the Hr department at the office a few minutes ago had reminded her that she was going to miss the appointment if the boss arrived before her, he despised lateness.
Losing track of time stung for Lily , as she had always awarded herself for professionalism and punctuality to any event. She had to get this job by all means. Ash’s boyfriend, Dan, had pulled some strings to get her a spot.
“Taxi!”, she yelled as a yellow and black car pulled to a stop in front of her.
She got in,”Santee Alley please. Can we take the fastest route?”
The driver nodded in agreement and they were on her way. Lily clutched her bag beside her. She felt the beignets she had packed earlier on at the last minute, she knew she would have to eat something even though she had refused the offer earlier on. But now, she was too restless in her spirit to even take a bite from anything.
Her hair was still slightly wet from the bath she took at the suite, she wound the windows down so it could dry faster.
The taxi pulled to a stop and she dashed out without waiting for her change. ‘One Dollar Dash’ was always a lifesaver for cheap and quality items, she hoped they had something appropriate as she entered.
Lily hastily pulled a white shirt and a dark brown skirt from the first old rack she set her eyes on and hurried out back to change into them. They fit perfectly.
She dashed out again after paying, hurrying to her next ride,” Taxi!!”
BANKS CORP was even bigger than Ash had described. With a deep breath, she pushed open the large doors and stepped in.
The lobby was vast and quiet, the only sounds being heard were the soft footsteps of people passing. Their steps voiced confidence and purpose. She hoped that she too, would walk these floors with the same confidence someday.
The blue windows and high ceiling were subtle reminders of the company’s innovation and creativity.
The receptionist greeted her with a practiced smile as she approached her desk.
“Goodmorning, I have an appointment with Ms. Jane Hue.”
“Good Morning ma’am. Your name please?”
“Lily Waters.”
“Please hold”
Lily watched the receptionist make a short call and then say,” The second floor ma’am, first office to your right. She’s been waiting.”
“Oh thank you!”, Lily said, dashing towards the elevator.
Heart pounding like a drum, she stopped at the first door to her right once she got to the second floor . She knocked softly and was ushered in.
Ms. Jane Hue sat behind her desk. It was organized with pens and neatly placed papers and files stacked on each other. Her tailored suit accentuated her professional demeanor. Her hair was stretched into a short black Bob, a stark contrast to Lily’s red madness.
She looked at Lily through her glasses ,” You are late Ms Waters”
“I am so sorry, Ms. Hue. It has been such a morning.”
“I can tell. Please sit, let’s begin”, she opened a file, “ I’ll take the interview and talk with the boss later since he isn’t here yet, then I’ll get back to you after an hour and if you get the job, you’ll meet with him shortly.”
“Yes ma’am “, Lily gulped and sat facing her.
“May I have your portfolio?”
“I didn’t come with it”, Lily said sadly.
Jane stared at Lily and had an instant mix of liking and pity for her,” If you have it in soft copy, it’s not allowed but_”
“Oh yes I do!”Lily gushed out happily,” Thank you so much “, she opened the document on her phone and handed it to her.
Jane viewed it quietly, asking a few questions as she read. Lily gave her understanding of statistical concepts and passion for analysis perfectly. The conversation lengthened as she explained her proficiency in regression analysis , forecast trends and company decisions.
“And you said you’ve not been to college?”Jane was clearly impressed.
“Not yet ma’am “
“You’re 21”
“Yes ma’am “
“Really impressive brains you’ve got there”, Jane smiled, “I’ll meet with the boss and get back to you”
“Okay ma’am “
Jane stood up, “You can wait right here for me. Fingers crossed, I won’t be needing an hour to give you feedback.”
Lily nodded and watched Jane leave quietly. Once she was alone she scanned the room and embraced its contents and details.
Everything was neatly and carefully arranged. There was a large drawing board with sticky notes and plans with a calendar by the bottom right. Lily imagined a whole lot of responsibilities Jane had.
Time was ticking, she had her heart in her mouth. She hoped fervently, that the boss was nice and wouldn’t consider her not having a hardcopy portfolio as a sign of unseriousness.
She checked her phone, she had missed calls and texts from Ash, she wouldn’t believe the story she was about to tell her.
Her palms were sweaty when she pressed them together. She tried to distract herself by raking her fingers carelessly through her hair.
Finally, the door opened and Jane re-emerged, smiling ear to ear,” Welcome to BANK CORPS Lily, you got the job as our new secretary. You’ll get directions from the boss through me. I’m so pleased to work with and get to know you”, she stretched out a hand to Lily who received it wholeheartedly.
“Oh thank you! Thank you!!!” Lily beamed, “ Thank you so very much!”
“ You’re welcome! Now the boss’s office is on the last floor, it is the last door facing the elevator. He wants to see you shortly.”
“Okay”, Lily nodded eagerly and made way to the office with Jane’s directions.
She sent a quick text to Ash about the good news and promised to explain everything later.
The top floor was a bit different from the other floors, it had only two offices. The one Jane had described and another by the right, just before it. It had, ‘SECRETARY, BANKS CORP’ nailed boldly on its door.
She guessed that was her new office. The hallway seemed lonely and darker. She wondered if it was the boss’s idea to turn off all the lights. She walked to his door not knowing what to expect. She knocked.
“Come in”
That voice!
She stepped in and stood at the door.
Her boss was backing where she stood, his gaze was fixed on the window and the city outside.
That hair!
“Good day sir”, she swallowed. The atmosphere felt different, she felt her stomach grow tighter with every second that passed by.
“Good day and welcome to BANKS CORP Lily” he said, still backing her.
“T-thank you sir”, she stammered.
“And your last name?”
Why is there so much recognition in his voice?. She thought.
“Waters”, she replied.
“Waters.”, he repeated and turned to face her.
Their eyes locked instantly as silence engulfed the whole room.
Lily’s complexion ashened on seeing his face,like she had just seen an alien from a whole different world!
“Well, it looks like we will be needing another breakfast for you”, the man’s voice rang loudly in Lily’s head.How on earth was her one night stand her new boss! She followed his gaze to the beignets that had fallen out of her bag when it dropped from her hand in shock.She bent down and picked up her bag and the contents that had fallen out except the beignets.“ I didn’t know that _”“_I’m your boss and my name is Ryder Banks”, he cut her short and stretched out a hand to her.She walked over to his desk and received his hand, hers trembling and cold. She wanted to say something but her tongue was tied, she couldn’t get herself to say anything.“You look like you’ve seen a ghost miss”, he said to her.“We’ll it’s just that _”, she cut herself short “No sir, it’s nothing.”“Those beignets, I’m sure you would’ve loved them. I love beignets.”Lily wanted to say something but again, her words failed her. What was most interesting to her was the fact that Ryder’s acting was so perfect,
The afternoon was ablaze with the sun’s golden glow. Rachel Adams and her mother, Reneé Adams both emerged gracefully from their limo. As they stepped out, camera flashes emerged from the paparazzi as they made their way down the street.Rachel’s platinum blonde hair was in an uptight bun as usual. She stood poised, shoulders high and chin raised to portray a flawless jawline. Her deep red lipstick was a center of attraction as she answered a few questions from the paparazzi.Racheal, who are you wearing today? Are the rumors about your new found romance true? What’s your secret to wealth? How do you handle the constant media attention?As usual, she answered only the ones that she knew would keep her fans in awe and fascinated. She loved being famous and loved every attention.She turned to her mother and listened in on the conversation she was having with a particular reporter. She went on and on about her new fashion line.After a long while of attending to their fans, the Adams wa
Lily sat on the old park bench, gazing into thin air as she awaited her best friend, Ashley. She had arrived early at Funtimes Park just as they agreed, she wondered what took Ashley so long.Her mind was in turmoil, thoughts swirling like a hurricane. She couldn’t shake off the feeling she had gotten since she read the threatening text earlier in the morning. She suspected it had to do with the man she had her one night stand with the previous night who was now her new boss and so she decided to stay away from him for good. Maybe he had a girlfriend or perhaps a wife?Just as Lily raised her head up, she spotted Ash running towards her, her face hinting all signs of worry.“Sorry I’m late friend! Traffic was insane”, she tried to catch her breath,” You said we needed to talk urgently?”Lily gave a small smile as she adjusted for Ash to sit, “Something really strange happened Ash”“ Of course something strange happened girl! Where were you last night?”And so, Lily narrated the whole
As Racheal walked down the long hallway, she was filled with nothing but excitement. The atmosphere reeked of the smell of fresh flowers all around.Her mind rehearsed all the things she had discussed with her mother from an hour ago. Don’t slouch, always smile, induce conversations of the company and the requirement to have a wife, try to rekindle your old love.Although these thoughts pressured her somewhat, Racheal knew her mom was right. Ryder had just inherited the company from his father and needed a wife to be by his side for at least three months to keep the position permanently. Racheal had sworn to herself, she was going to do everything possible to be the wife to Ryder banks.Racheal Banks, she thought to herself and giggled like a child.The familiar butler greeted her with a smile,” Goodevening Miss Racheal”“Goodevening Scott”, she smiled back.Scott opened the door before her,” The Banks family will join you shortly.”“Family? I thought I was dining alone with Ryder?”“
Racheal watched from a distance as the Banks family talked to the police men. The noises had attracted them to the house as they were already somewhere nearby. And of course, her intended romantic dinner with Ryder was more than ruined.It was cold outside, she felt chills run down her spine. Everything had been ruined by the good-for-nothing Aiden. It took some couple of minutes before Ryder walked up to her.She looked up at him,” Hope there’s no much problem?”“No. My dad has handled it” he paused for a moment “ I’m so sorry for what happened tonight.”“Don’t say, it wasn’t your fault at all” she looked at his torn shirt,” When did all these start?”“Walk with me.”Racheal’s heart gave a happy jump as Ryder held her hand and led her towards the garden at the back. Racheal looked around, she remembered the tree house that was in that same garden many years ago.“Everything feels the same”, she said when they stopped walking.“Everything?” Ryder sounded unconvinced.“For the most par
Lily paced around her work desk anxiously as she waited for her boss. It was officially her first day as his secretary so she was waiting for him to arrive and give her orders.He had told her earlier to receive instructions from Jane, his personal assistant but on arrival this morning Lily learnt from Jane that the boss had changed his mind and wanted to give the orders himself.Lily glanced at the clock, it was almost 8. At intervals, she mindlessly adjusted her blouse or her skirt and made sure her hair was still tightly tucked in a bun.She had just sat down when she heard footsteps pass by her door. Anxious, she stood up again immediately. She listened closely as his door unlocked with a low beep shutting quietly behind him.He’s around. She thought. HE’S AROUND!! She was so nervous that she felt her palms get sweaty as she thought of what to do. There was paperwork jane had given her to ask for instructions from the boss, grabbing them, she made way to the door.Immediately she
It was late afternoon when Lily finally wrapped up the paperwork she was assigned to. She was arranging them when she heard a soft knock on her door,”Come in”, she said softly.Lily’s eyes instantly fell on a man with chocolate skin. He was tall, around 6’2 inches with an athletic build. It was obvious that he took care of himself as his skin glistened under the office lights. He smiled at her as he stretched out his hand, revealing a set of pearly white teeth, “ Hi,I’m Will. Nice to meet you_”“Lily”, she smiled back accepting his hand. Damn! He was sexy.“I can see you got the flowers”, he grinned proudly.“Oh! These were from you?”, she stood up, “ Thank you so much!”“ You’re welcome. Although it’s nothing for a lady as beautiful as you are. I’m sure you get a lot of these.”“These were actually my first “, she smiled shyly,” The note was really sweet too.”“Oh!”, he blushed,” Thank you. I’m sort of a poet.”“Sort of?”“People don’t usually see my work. It’s a bit personal. I do i
The aroma of gourmet food filled the air as Ryder and Lily walked into the restaurant.As they approached the table at the far end of the grand room, Ryder noticed how the directors sat impatiently, glancing at their watches a number of times. They all had stern looks on their faces.Ryder took a deep breath as he got to where they sat . They barely acknowledged any of their greetings and only told them to sit.“I didn’t know we were going to have company “, the fat man at Ryder’s right said loudly, his eyes on Lily.Ryder cleared his throat nervously,” This is my new secretary, Lily.”“Good Evening gentlemen, I’m Lily Waters. It is an honor to be in your midst.” Lily said confidently.Her greeting was acknowledged with silent nods which indeed was the most reaction both she and Ryder had gotten from the rather impatient directors.Ryder’s heart pounded in his chest as he and Lily awaited the next person to speak from the directors. The directors exchanged looks before the man at the
Racheal sped into the Banks family hallway like she was being chased,” Mrs. Banks? Mrs. Banks??”“I’m sorry Miss. The lady of the house just stepped out .”Racheal turned to see the door man who she had almost pushed off his feet behind the door,” What did you say? She told me to meet her right here in an hour.”“Yes Miss.But, she left indicating that your meeting with her would be held at dinner with the whole family tonight.”“Tonight?”“Yes miss, with Mr. Ryder and his new wife.”“Don’t call her that!”, she warned with her index finger,” she’s not his wife.”The doorman swallowed but didn’t say a word.Racheal stood still , thinking for a moment. Dinner with the whole family was even a better idea. Mrs. Banks loved her and whatever she had in mind was even going to be a better plan.“Okay then. I’ll be back”Ryder walked down the stairs slowly. He heard indistinct sounds from below- people whispering. It was 6:48pm now, almost dinner time. He was going to check on Lily. He met his
Racheal bolted up from the bed immediately her mom barged in, shouting at the top of her lungs, “RACHEAL!”A maid came running in too.“Open the curtains!”, Reneé ordered furiously.The lights almost blinded Racheal as the maid drew the curtains wide open.“Mom, what is it?”, Racheal slurred sleepily.Reneé was red with anger,” I thought you said you had the Ryder situation in control.”“I do mom”“Then, EXPLAIN THIS!”, she dumped a large news paper on Rachel’s lap.Ryder’s heart plopped into her stomach as she mouthed the headlines:‘HIGH PROFILE BILLIONAIRE HEIR, RYDER BANKS, TIES KNOT WITH MYSTERY WOMAN’Rachael stayed staring at the newspaper like she was still dreaming. Slowly she felt anger and frustration well up inside her with each second passing by.“How could he do this?”, she whispered, her voice trembling with a mix of rage and disbelief. She crumpled the edges of the newspaper, her knuckles turning white.Reneé's eyes narrowed as she watched Racheal's reaction. "I truste
Lily closed her eyes as the civil registrar enclosed the last document,”All set. You’re married now.”She heard Ryder’s mother whisper something to his father but she couldn’t make out what.Ash’s words kept ringing in her head throughout the arrangement,’you don’t have to do this Lily, you really don’t have to’She wished Ash was here by her side, maybe she wouldn’t feel as empty as she was feeling now. Sadly, Ash couldn’t be here as Ryder’s mother insisted that the abominable marriage shouldn’t be known by many.She was clearly upset about everything but time was running out for her son to find true love.“It’s going to be okay”. She looked up at Ryder who had just spoken to her and gave a weak smile.She took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves. The room was filled with a tense silence, only broken by the occasional whisper and the rustling of papers. She felt Ryder’s hand gently squeeze hers, a small gesture of comfort amidst the chaos of her thoughts. They walked out of t
The familiar ceiling that met his eyes when they opened reminded Ryder instantly of where he was. Immediately, everything came rushing back into his mind from when he found Lily. He sat up immediately,” Where is she?”“Second room on the second floor sir. Should I send for her?”“No”, he replied the staff sharply,” I’ll go see her myself “Ryder wondered what time it was when he knocked on Lily’s door. He was about to knock the second time when she opened the door slowly. Her face was a swollen red-like she had been crying.Ryder felt an instant pang of guilt. He shouldn’t have been so hard on her. She suffered also and almost got raped. He was too ashamed to even apologize to her.He took a deep breath, trying to adjust his nerves,”I’m really sorry Lily. Please can we talk?”Lily shifted to the side, letting him inside before shutting the door quietly. She stood there, silent.Ryder walked a few steps before stopping in his tracks to look at her,” You can’t go back there.”“Please do
It was the third and final night of Ryder following Lily to the shelter. He had confirmed it, this was where she was staying. He had also gone as far as checking her old house and found out that there were indeed new residents staying there. He decided to bring it up to her the next day, even if he knew she’d be angry that he had been following her.He watched her step down from the bus and make way to the shelter. But, she stopped to receive a call from someone and didn’t go in immediately.She was alone outside. Ryder decided to make sure she watched her go in before driving away.He watched her from a distance. She was pacing to and fro and laughing at intervals during the call. The thought of her flirting with some guy made him feel a huge pang of jealousy.He was still watching her before he realized that he wasn’t the only one watching her too. Across the road from him, there was a shabby looking man watching her too.He looked suspicious, his eyes darting around nervously. Ryde
“Is there a problem Mr. Banks?”, Lily asked as she was shocked to see Ryder standing in front of her office door on her way out.“I told you that you could call me Ryder just between us,”“I'd rather keep it professional sir.”“Hm. I need to talk to you but it seems I never see you after work these days.”“I’m here to talk sir. You can come in”, she shifted and opened the door wider to let him in.“No. I meant outside the company. Can I take you home?”“No!”, she said a little too fast.“No?”“No?” Ryder echoed, raising an eyebrow.Lily took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves. “I appreciate the offer, but I prefer to keep our interactions strictly professional. It's better that way.”Ryder looked at her for a moment, his expression unreadable. “I understand. I just wanted to make sure you're doing okay. You’ve seemed a bit distant lately.”“I’m fine, really,” she insisted, forcing a smile.“Alright, can we talk tomorrow? Immediately you come” he said, turning to leave.“Of cou
Ash stood on the doorstep, the weight of the travel boxes and bags making her departure feel more real. As she shut the door behind her, she noticed a car drive in.She stopped in her tracks and watched the man in the passenger seat get out. It was Lily’s boss, Ryder.“Lily’s not here”, she said flatly. Her tone expressed a mix of anger and frustration.“Oh-I was wondering why she closed so early today. I wanted to-““-why she closed so early?”, she gave a cynical laugh, dropping the large bag in her hand to the ground with a loud thud. “ She closed early because she’s meant to close by 6pm on Fridays, that’s why.”Ryder looked taken aback at Ash’s rudeness,” I know, we sometimes have business outside the company.”“With all due respect sir,I don’t think that’ll be happening anymore ““Excuse me?”“You know, sometimes I wonder how she’s able to stand you. From the first night at the bar, to pretending you didn’t know her at the office. Then repeating the same thing two nights ago? How
The sun ray pierced Lily’s eyelids, nudging her awake from a deep slumber. She blinked a few times, her vision slowly adjusting to the soft, golden light that filled the room. The scent of aged wood and the faint aroma of breakfast wafted through the air, making her feel both comforted and slightly disoriented.She turned her head and saw Ryder standing by the window, his back to her as he buttoned up his shirt. The morning light cast a soft glow on his silhouette, highlighting the strong lines of his frame. His movements were deliberate, almost methodical, as if he had done this countless times . Right then, the realization hit her that he was preparing to leave."You’re leaving ?" she called out softly, her voice was a broken whisper, almost a cry. He turned to face her, a mixture of surprise and something else she couldn't quite place in his eyes, then he looked away immediately.“You’re doing this again?”“I don’t know what you mean.”“Well of course you do”, Lily said, gettin
Racheal’s room was a picture of opulence. The walls were adorned with intricate gold leaf patterns, and the ceiling boasted a grand chandelier that cast a warm, luxurious glow over the space. Plush velvet drapes in deep burgundy framed the tall windows, and a massive four-poster bed with silk sheets and an abundance of pillows dominated the room. Expensive artwork hung on the walls, and a large, ornate mirror reflected the grandeur of the room.Racheal paced back and forth, her designer heels clicking on the polished marble floor. She stopped in front of her friend, Emily, who was lounging on a chaise longue, sipping a glass of champagne."I just don't get it, Emily," Racheal said, her voice tinged with frustration. "Ryder used to be so devoted to me. Now he barely even looks my way."Emily raised an eyebrow, taking another sip of her drink. "Maybe he's just busy, or tired like he said Racheal. You know how things must be now at the company ."Racheal shook her head, her perfectly s