Watchful Eyes

“Congratulations, Ms Green! The deal is ours because of your excellent performance yesterday.” 

“Thank you, Mr Cortez!” I gratified. Yeah, the Kingston Corp won the deal which explained Montero's mood after the meeting. He hadn't contacted me yet, and that was both relieving and frightening at the same time. I couldn't fathom what he might be planning next. 

“BTW, I'm sorry for what happened there,” he said, looking genuinely sorry, although it wasn't his fault.

“It's alright.” I smiled. Even if he was a rude asshole, he kicked me out for my own good. Though everyone already saw what could be seen including Mr Cortez. My cheeks reddened realizing that, and my eyes wandered about until they fell on the black leather folder on his desk, written on the cover was 'V.V.I.' i.e. very, very important. “What's that?” 

His eyes followed mine, and his demeanor changed. “Uh, it's nothing.” He grabbed the file and kept it in his desk drawer. “What did you need again?” 

A frown made its way into my forehead. Whatever that file contained seemed to be of great importance and secrecy. I shrugged. It was none of my concern. “I need the financial records of Casper motels to prepare the contract.” 

“That you'll find at the finance department. Just give them a call.” 

“Um...” I scratched my head. “I don't know anyone from the finance department. Actually, I'm not familiar with anyone here except you, Mr Kingston and the doorman.” 

He let out a small laugh. “Alright. I'll call someone to bring it to you.” 

“Thank you!” I turned on my heels to leave when he called again. 

“Have lunch with me at the cafeteria. I'll introduce you to everyone.” 

That sounded great. “Sure!”

Coming back to my cabin, I found another task awaiting me: send a letter to fifty people, changing names and dates. 

A long sigh left my mouth.

What if I released a poisonous tarantula in Montero's bed or worse, in his suit?

Would he die?

Or would he bribe the tarantula as well?

If that particular person didn't exist, mine and so many other's lives would be so very peaceful. I would be working like a normal employee under a normal boss, worrying about bills and paychecks instead of certain phone calls and jail bars. 

Huffing, I concentrated on my task when startling me, my phone rang. Panicked, I looked at the caller ID and let out a relieved sigh, my mood immediately eclipsing. 

“Brooke!” 

“My girrrl,” the loud yet mellow voice of my best friend came from the other side. I hadn't seen her in months since I left England. 

“How have you been? I miss you so much!” 

“Me too, me too, but am I going to sit on it? Nope, nada. I'm coming!” she announced.

I jumped out of my seat in exhilaration, my smile painfully stretching my lips. “Really?!” 

“Yup, I already bought the ticket. I'll be there soon.” 

“Oh my God, I can't wait!” I was now bobbing up and down like a little girl. 

“Me neither! Listen, order ten cartons of ice cream for me. You know my favorite. We're gonna have a competition like before!” she yelled over the phone. 

I laughed. “Sure!” Ice cream competition till our brains froze out was our thing that we'd never get old to. 

A beep from my laptop diverted my attention to the screen. A new mail had arrived. Opening it, my eyes extended in sizes. It was from the boss next room, ordering me to report to his office immediately. 

What did he want now?

“Uh, Brooke, work calls. See you soon. Safe journey!” Hanging up the call, I skittered to his office. 

“Sir, you called?” 

“It appears you've a lot of free time, Ms Green,” he declared, not taking his eyes off the papers he was scrutinizing over. 

My brows knitted in confusion. “Why would so appear to you, sir?” 

He finally looked up, putting away the papers and resting his arms on the table. “You don't get paid for chatting with old friends at working hours.” 

My jaw dropped like a slackened socket. How the heck did he know that? If not... Hovering forward, I peeked at his laptop screen and gasped, my eyes bulging out like goldfish gogglers.

He had been watching me!

Red creeped up my face, and my ears burned. Even though I was aware of the camera in my cabin, I couldn't be a hundred percent sure of my activities to be modest every damn second. And what was I doing earlier while on the phone? 

Shit!

“Sir,” I gave him a tight-lipped smile, “although I don't mind the camera in my cabin, I don't particularly feel comfortable being watched like that.” 

“This is called surveillancing.” 

The calm, impeccable tone in his voice caused my eyes to twitch and fingers flex in anger. “This is called privacy invading,” I retorted.

“If you find it so problematic, you know the door,” he replied, flatly, gesturing behind me. 

That infuriating jerk! If I could, I would shove his arrogance where the sun doesn't shine and stomp out of this building right this instant, but my legs were shackled. So I flushed my pride down the toilet and gritted out the next words, “I'm sorry, sir. I don't have any objection.” 

“Excellent. Then I expect you won't have any going over those either.” His long, slender finger that I both hated and secretly admired, pointed somewhere on my right. 

I turned in the direction, and my eyeballs lifted on my forehead. There were files, more accurately, piles of files on top of his cabinet. Was he mental? Did he plan to bury me under them as punishment for wasting time?

“Sir...” I trailed.

“Yes, these are the cost and profit analysis for some of my new resorts. I want you to go over them and make sure every single digit is accurate.” 

It felt like someone dropped the entire globe on me. I wanted to roll on the floor crying, throw my legs and arms in the air and curse him till my throat soared. Working on the current project already tested my patience and now all these? When was I exactly supposed to finish everything? Two hundred and five days later? 

As if reading my mind, he opened his pernicious mouth, “Two days. You're dismissed.” Then he went back to examining the papers like I didn't even exist. 

My shoulders slumped as a long exhalation left my mouth. 

God, save me. 

But He didn't, for it took me not one day, neither two but three darn working days to finish checking over those digits, yet the bloody tycoon wasn't happy for allotting the extra day.

Whatever. I was done finally and would you look at that, it was almost break time. Time to have my promised lunch with Mr Cortez and see faces that were not Dimitri Kingston. 

Standing on my tippy-toes, I hurled my arms in the air and did some good stretches, bending and whirling, making sure to loosen the stiff joints. 

The bliss...

Until my eyes widened, remembering the camera, and I squealed, running out of the room to escape certain watchful eyes.

In the cafeteria~

“From what I heard through Sarah, even an aged woman once flirted with our boss in the middle of a meeting,” Howard chatted, gaining a series of laughter from the other employees. 

“Our boss is such a hottie that every single female drools over him,” Jessica added, displaying a set of dreamy eyes.

“Have you drooled over him yet, Hazel?” Melody asked, grabbing everyone's attention as all heads turned to me with anticipation.

Eyeing them, I smiled. “Well, you'll know from the papers when I drool.” When hell freezes over for sure.

Everyone burst out laughing.

“Girl got a good humor. I like that.” Anthony winked, stuffing his face with a spoonful of spaghetti. 

I chuckled, rolling my eyes. There's always a guy like that, eh.

The lunch was great. Mr Cortez introduced me to so many amazing people. Turned out, under the unfriendly boss, most who worked were nothing but friendly and welcoming. I was happy, but the feeling of guilt as always subverted the comfort, thinking of the way I was deceiving all the hard work of those good-hearted employees. 

The corners of my eyes stung, and my hand lifted, wiping the tears off before anyone noticed. Right then my phone buzzed, and I excused myself to the deserted hallway, dread filling my heart. 

“H-Hello?” 

“The next project,” the infernal voice spoke.

I closed my eyes, the tears I had been trying to keep at bay, rolled down my cheeks. I had no other choice. “C-Casper motels,” the words left my mouth in a reluctant whisper. 

“See you there.” 

I opened my mouth to protest, but a tap on my shoulder, froze my heartbeat as well as the air approaching my lungs. Gulping, I slowly turned, and my eyes widened. 

There stood the manager before me; only this time his expression wasn't so amiable. 

“Who were you talking to, Ms Green?”