Chapter 1:

Chapter 1:

I stared at my reflection a few moments longer in the mirror. I lingered a little while on the spot that had conveniently for no reason shown up this morning; I had covered it With foundation so it blended better into my milky skin.

My eyes stared back at me, brown and looming. I noticed that one is slightly swollen, making it appear bigger than the other. For no apparent reason, I kept biting nervously at my lips, knowing fully well that I was smudging my clear lips gloss, but I couldn’t seem to stop myself.

My anxiety was going through the roof and I hadn’t even stepped out yet.

“Sidney, are you there ?” I heard the voice of my best friend May echo from my phone.

“Uhm, yeah. I’m here;” I replied, clearing my throat and diverting my eyes to my FaceTime call wit May. She was still in bed, and to be honest that’s the only place I wish to be now, rather than about to head out for this new job in a complete new state.

You know this idea of being in an unknown territory, not knowing exactly what t expect. The new environment, new faces, and everything just freaks me out. It was clear that May had picked up on that.

“Sidney. look, you will be fine. Now please for God’s sake can you stop beating yourself up “ May said rolling her eyes at me . Did she just roll…

“Now I’ve got to go back to sleep. It’s still early and my roommate is kind of a light sleeper”.

At this May glance over to the other side of her room, she seemed to say something to someone, but it was whispered.

“I miss you, I know you’ve got this and I love you” She hung up.

“You’ve got this”. I repeated May’s words .

Once again I’ve been left alone to stare at my reflection as it glances back at me in the mirror of my new apartment.

I was wearing a black blouse and a grey office trouser suit. I was vaguely aware of the ache coming from the high– heels I was wearing, and my hair were neatly packed into a bun with few strands of curly hair over my face as bangs, those were confident bangs . I adjusted my glasses, if they weren’t to aid my sight, I swear I will option out.

I don’t like the idea of dressing so cooperate but with this new job, I better embrace it.

“Okay Sidney, you’ve got this, just breath. You can do this

I sighed deeply, picking up my bag that was slung lazily over my chair and began heading out of my apartment. I had barely unpacked most of my belongings, and they lay just scattered around in brow boxes, I walked around them like I was in some kind of a maze before making it to my front door.

I stepped outside and was immediately engulfed with noises and lots of people bustling about.

Only being here for a few days I already found that, life here is very different from that of my town.

I hope I get used to living here. But I will have too. I had worked at Tech -life industries for the past two years, with everything in me, I dedicated myself to my job and I loved it. I have been recently promoted which lead to me leaving my place to this alien place, California. It was a very long journey from Detroit. But I really really needed the money, so what other choice do I have than accepting the job offer?

“Hey, watch it woman! “

Too late, I stumbled forward, lost in my thoughts, I collided with a young man with a cup in his hands which I presumed to be coffee . Yeah, it’s indeed a coffee , as I glanced over the brown substance over my blouse.

I gasped and looked down at my shirt. My first day at work was already morphing into a disaster. I tried to blink back the sting in my eyes from both the burn in my neck and the overall embarrassment.

“Oh, sorry, sweetie,” the man said hastily. He was barely even looking at me and he was off, moving on with his life, going his way, I mean what did I expect him to do?.

I stood there for a while not knowing what to do, I clutched my black bag tightly on my knuckles. I could feel myself slowly crumbling and breathing was becoming difficult.

“ Already Late on your first day “

I had just entered Tech-Life industries. It was a huge towering building which was not surprising seeing as this was the Headquarters. It stood so majestic and I was already feeling belated by it already just standing from outside.

Now the intimidation I was feeling seem to be multiplying by hundreds as I stood outside checking in my heels.

I’m feeling like running back to wherever I’m coming out from.

A blonde-haired woman with her hair backed out in a pony tail stared at me from piercing blue eyes. She had a frown etched into her face amd had wrinkle -lines all across her forehead which were only visible when she talks, or smiles.

“I’m sorry,” my voice came out in a quick breaths. I encountered a small inconvenience on my way here”

My mind slowly recalled the man who spilled the coffee and how I had to stop at a public bathroom to get this stain off my shirt, I’m so lucky I later settled for the black instead of the white.

It was still apparent, but not as obvious as before. After missing my bus, I still had to wait for another fifteen minutes before I the next bus, and when I got out, I practically ran my way to here. So my feet are killing to say the least.

The blonde hair woman looked me through from head to toe, she doesn’t seem all pleased with my stood before her, sighing, she motioned me to follow her and began walking away, her heels clicking loudly against the marble floor of the office.

“I’m Alex white, I will be helping you to settle and get into your new job as the CEO personal Assistant this first weeks. I hope this late coming doesn’t breed into an habit.”

“This will be the last of it, I promise it won’t ever repeat” my voice was etched with desperation, but what can I do? I badly needed this job and I’ve traveled a long way for it, and now I’m already off with a bad start.

“ I hope so” Alex white responded without glancing back at me, she walked into an open elevator and I followed her in. “You got a very good recommendation from the Tech-life branch in Detroit, that’s why you here, Do not disappoint us”

Her voice was firm.

I gulped audibly.

Seconds later the elevator opened with a cling, I followed Alex, trying to keep up with her in my heels . She was wearing heels as well, but walked like a model, like she’s being paid to wan on heels like it’s a profession. The floor we were on was more busier, I got few questioning glances from people, and immediately I got self-conscious.

“It’s time for you to meet the CEO” Alex white stated. Taking me down a corridor, the noises from the people began to fade off, and all I could hear was my heart beating in my eardrums and the sweat trickling down my back. I walked wondering if Alex whites could hear it too.

Isn’t it crazy how I had worked in the company for the past two years without having any idea of who the CEO was, or what he looked like, I knew little about him. And here I was about to become his personal Assistant. I had once had that the CEO was a very private person, he doesn’t have any of his pictures or life on social medias, maybe that contributed to why I didn’t know who he was.

Wow.

We came to a stop at a looming grey door, and Alex knocked before slightly opening the door and strolling inside.

“Miss Diaz, you’re new personal Assistant has arrived.”

“I thought I was going to pass out right there and now, cause for some reason I can’t help picking up my jaw as it hotly dropped. When I thought of the CEO, I had imagined a boring white man probably in his 50’s, there was no clue to have prepared me for what was before me.

First! The CEO was a woman. Not man .

It was a Miss not a Mr. i mean, if I start acting up now it’s totally understandable . Second, she was way younger than I have imagined.

The room was massive, with an enormous window showing a beautiful view. With was lined with shelves of thick books, and there she was seated at a large black desk, her legs crossed I’ve the table while she flipped through a stack of papers some in her hands while other are piled on the desk. She has long thick black hairs that was tied into a man bun. She was dressed in a white vintage silk shirt with grey suit pants and she topped it with a beautiful pair of heels, which looked like it was made just for her. I felt my feet scream out to me from inside my tight heels.

I hadn’t realized how long I’ve been ogling at her, not saying a word until I heard Alex whites clear her throat . The CEO had still not looked up at me, her eyes were buried in the books in her hands.

“I hope this one can hold things together and not dart away after the first week like all the other did Alex” the CEO stated, her captive came out loud and clear and there was a hint of an accent which I can probably get my head around it. She still haven’t looked up and was just busy flapping through the papers.

“I hope so too,” Alex said turning her gaze at me, before averting them back to the CEO.

I didn’t know my heart could beat as fast as it is beating now. Why has others quit after a week? What is the problem about. And why haven’t the CEO acknowledged my presence or at least look at me.

Here I was thinking I had hit a jackpot or almost achieved something great, but It seemed like I’m going to be fired as quick as I had been hired.

“ I’d leave you to it, Miss Diaz” Alex whites stated before giving a little curtesy and making her way out of the room. Now I’m left alone in the lions den.

I listened as the door shut behind her and was filled with surprises when I found myself wishing that she hadn’t left me alone with the CEO. My eyes were still fixated at her even tho she hadn’t made an attempt of lifting up her head. I suddenly feel very cold and hot at the same time I was at sea I didn’t know what to do, Isn’t that weird enough.

I mustered every bit of courage I have living inside of me.

“This promotion is an honor and I’m so glad to finally meet you Miss… “

My voice was trailed off just as the CEO raised her head and finally meet my gaze. I could feel my heart stop for a second. She hard dark black eyes , a slim long nose, and her lips were plump and fully pink. She held my gaze intently and slowly smirked. It still haven’t slicked how young she was and I’m sure she isn’t much older than me.

Alex whites is probably way older than her, but yet she is the CEO.

“I’m Maria Diaz, call me Miss Maria”

I finally placed the accent, it was Italian , which wasn’t so obvious, there was just a hint of it.

Her voice was music to my ears.

“You must be Sidney Sheldon”

I nodded my head in response, not trusting my voice at all, my eyes still locked at miss Diaz, I shifted awkwardly under her intense stare, for a moment I wished she could go back ignoring me .

She stood up slowly from her desk, towering a feet above me. I already felt intimated enough as it was I dug my nails into my palms and bit my lips. She dug her palms into her pocket looking down on me, the smirk returned to her face.

“I look forward to having you work alongside me Sidney Sheldon, well that’s if you mange to proof you can last longer than others.”

Then she chuckled. Imagine how insane it is to laugh after saying such thing. Honestly I was a trembling mess standing right there in my heels and not knowing what to say or do afterwards.

“Get Alex, to show you around and explain how your job works, think of today as an orientation. Tomorrow I want you in my office at 8:30am, i don’t disappoint”

With that, she strolled out of the room. I listened to the door shut behind her, leaving nothing but the echoes behind as it engulfs me, and for the first time I realized my breath which I have held for long, my eyes where still glued at the spot where she stood few seconds ago.