Four

As white paper flooded the white tiled floor, Anna felt a rush down her spine. A rush filled with an adequate mix of confusion and hatred. As her eyes locked further with that of Drake Blunt’s she began to retrace her steps.

She was willing to work her butt off in the company as long as she destroyed him. But would working for him directly increase her chances to destroy him? Working as his secretary?

“Secretary?” she asked with a low voice and the man who had to be at least six foot, four inches tall smiled, his stance having an air of pride around it in a way that annoyed her.

And what on earth was his request? To pick up his date?

“Uh… I am sorry, but I didn’t sign up for this.”

“I know. But I want you to be my secretary regardless.” He made a quick retreat towards the window side by his right.

“Why? Anna was certain her face wasn’t hiding her distraught.

“I don’t even have an experience when it comes to secretarial work. How do you-”

“Amelia will put you through before she leaves.” Anna took a brief glance at the slim woman who was wearing a very confused look and that image stuck in Anna’s head who was already hating the man some more for abruptly putting an end to the woman’s career.

“Oh…” He let out a brief chuckle as Anna’s deadly gaze fell on him again.

“I am not that callous. I am firing Amelia from her position not her job.”

Anna arched her brow. That made no sense to her.

Drake Blunt took a step closer, his fingers now running through his styled hair which was a delightful mix of light brown and black. “I am going to transfer her to another department.”

"But-” The lady called Amelia tried to speak bur her boss seemed to have established his position quite well as she kept quiet by just seeing him pocket his hands.

“I am sick of seeing her face, that’s why I am firing her.”

Anna’s hands began their fisting exercise. He was being so casual about firing her, it made her wonder if he even flinched a little when her sister died. She also wondered if he was the one that ordered the incredulous suicide tale to be published.

Anyhow it was, Anna’s reluctance to become his secretary was already fading and she could already see new opportunities arising with working for him despite the high risks.

“So…” Drake Blunt must have read her recent decision off her face, the smile on his face was too grand, like he were a baby who had just been fed. “Are you accepting the offer? Don’t worry, as long as you do your job, you’ll be handsomely paid.”

“Mr. Blunt…” Her chest heaved dramatically as her eyes locked with his even intensely. “You have just gotten yourself a new secretary.”

“Good.” He jammed his palms together twice and rushed towards where she was. “Miss Hendrick… wonderful choice.” 

His large hands clutched her shoulders firmly. “Beautiful choice. Alex, please assign Amelia a new department right now,” he referred to the other man in the room who Anna hadn’t had the time to observe.

“Isn’t she going to introduce Miss Hendrick to the system?” The man had a friendlier voice that wasn’t attempting to flirt. Not that Drake Blunt was flirting with her, but everything about him had this sexual touch.

From his body hugging shirt, to his slight bouncing as he walked, to the smile he wore, everything she noticed explained quite well why women flocked around him even though he was sure to dump them after a short while.

“I’ll take care of that. I am certain I can teach Miss Hendrick here how to work for me within five minutes.” Anna was amused at his cockiness and she became curious. She wanted to suddenly experience the teaching.

Whispers that were barely audible and a lot of feet dragging happened as the man named Alex did as he was asked and soon, Amelia was gone and soon, it was just the cocky boss, his sturdy friend and the new secretary that was left in the large room.

“So… should I show Miss Hendrick to her office?” Alex asked and Drake Blunt shook his head.

“I’ll like Miss Hendrick to do something for me,” he said, taking few steps back, his eyes still not leaving hers.

“You want me to go get your date?” she asked as she recalled his absurd request from earlier.

He scoffed, shook his head and without a word, walked towards Alex who was working on something on his iPad. Anna watched the man as he whispered a few words to his friend, her snoopy side activated.

After some seconds, Alex nodded and walked towards the elevator, leaving Anna and Drake in the room.

Drake whose hands seemed to find it hard to resist being pocketed strutted to a nearby seat, his mouth making a whoosh sound as he fell onto the couch. 

Anna just stood and watched. But she did that for a little while as she hated being ignored.

“When do I get to start my work?” she asked, her voice cracking as she urged the beast within her to lay low. The beast wanted to tear Drake Blunt apart at that very moment.

As she watched his eyes slightly flick towards her, she sighed and wished things were so simple she could go rogue and tear the man’s shirt apart while asking him for the truth with her eyes reddened.

“Oh, Miss Hendrick…” The look on his face suggested he found pleasure in acting like she was not in the room. “While we wait, could you pick and arrange the papers Amelia fell down? I really can’t stand an untidy place.”

The side of his lip lifted after his last statement and Anna could tell he was already giving her tips to use when working with him.

Without a word, her eyes scanned the area which was littered with white paper and she reminded herself why she was willing to put up with anything thrown her way and soon, she was in bent over papers upon papers which she gathered to her chest.

While she did that, Drake Blunt was making random sounds with his mouth which combined annoyingly with tapping sound from his phone.

It annoyed her, but she kept her irritation from being expressed and once the last document got placed on top of the little stack drawn to her chest, she got up, walked briskly to where Drake Blunt sat cross-leggedly and said, “I am done arranging the papers sir.”

“Sir?” The man’s head snapped in her direction as though she had spoken a forbidden word and Anna wondered if Drake was one of those bosses that hated being reminded of how old they could get.

Her brows lifted ridiculously as she awaited the man’s explanation. 

“Miss Hendrick…” A finger on his right hand popped upwards in her direction and his blank stare intensified. 

“Is there a problem… sir?”

His head danced a bit as he adjusted in his seat a bit, putting an end to his ridiculous staring. “Miss Hendrick, I know you are new here… but I must say, I like you already.”

“Huh?” Anna was tempted to probe a finger into her ears to check if she had heard wrong.

“I believe we will have so much fun together.” His arms spread out in front of him like he was attempting to hug an invisible being. A quick shake of his left hand was accompanied with, “Drake Blunt and Anna Hendrick.”

The right hand experienced the brief shake next and with a dramatic, deepened voice, he said, “The gorgeous boss and his competent secretary… what do you think?” 

His eyes glittered as he directed the question at her. And Anna, who had a look that wondered how many loose screws he had, answered, “Uh… I have not even started anything… don’t you think it is early for you to decide that I am competent? Like, I said, I have never worked as a secretary.”

“And like I said, you will learn how to become one.” He got off his seat. “Miss Hendrick, I can tell you are a fast learner.”

She quirked her brows and after, she contemplated the number of times she had raised her brows, she could not help but conclude she would do a lot more of it considering how crazy things were becoming.

“I am going to-” His phone chimed and after a brief look at it, he looked back at her with his smile even wider, she notice a crack on his lower lip.

“Miss Hendrick, I am pleased to inform you that your five minutes lesson will be starting soon.”

“Soon?”

“Anna…” Her eyes narrowed at the use of her first name. “What you have to do is simple. Those papers in your hands… you’ll have to deliver them to the hundredth floor within five minutes.”

That sounded so easy, Anna wondered why he would give her such a simple task. She was already rushing towards the elevator when he stopped her. “I am not done Anna.”

In addition to his statement, the sudden detour of his voice to a somewhat sinister lane surprised her a bit. As she turned, Drake took long steps towards her and when they were close enough to punch each other, he stopped.

And Anna realized the glitter in his eyes were gone and replaced by a look that matched the somewhat sinister tone from earlier.

Effortlessly, he stretched his hand and gave her a small pat on the head and that action made the air become more tense. It was so tense, Anna could feel her cheeks constrict in reaction. If that was even possible.

“The elevators are not working right now Anna,” his voice croaked. “So, drop that idea and listen to my instruction carefully.”

As she nodded, she wondered if there something about Drake Blunt the public weren’t seeing. Perhaps he had some dangerous side to his personality. Without showing it, Anna made a little celebration in her head as she felt she had found something that could ruin the man if her speculations were true.

“I need those papers in my office within five minutes and you have to take the stairs.”

“The stairs?” Her jaw dropped. The building was huge enough to tell one that embarking on a journey via the stairs won’t be easy.

“If you are unable to get to my office within five minutes, you’ll be fired.”

“What?” Anna wondered if he had some kind of mental issue. Maybe he was those kind of rich people that liked to play games.

But somewhere at the back of her mind, she felt that he was joking.

The hard sole of his black oxford shoes announced his brief motion towards her.

“Fired.” He repeated firmly and Anna knew it was no joke.

“Behind the door adjacent the elevator is where you’ll find the stairs.” His eyes flicked to the watch on his right wrist and with his voice still stern, Drake Blunt said, “Your time starts now.”

And Anna surprised herself by rushing towards the stairs.