Chapter 4

Tristan goes straight to his office on the twentieth floor of the building. Jacob, on the other hand, takes some documents from his desk and brings them to the President's office.

While waiting for Tristan to go through the documents, he goes back to the executive office to check on the applicants’ files. There were a total of thirty-two applicants but none of them says Vernice Williams.

He tried looking again but he really couldn’t find it. He decided to call HR, but he was told that there was no one applying with the name Vernice Williams.

Left without a choice, Jacob asked for the HR head to bring him all the applications for the IT position instead. A few minutes later, Sandra came with the files and Jacob looked into them right away.

Trying to recall the face of the woman earlier, he checks the files one by one until he finds what he is looking for. Confused, he creases his forehead as he stares at the resumé.

The picture on the file was indeed Vernice. However, the name written on the file is ‘Belle Roberts’.

Jacob couldn’t help but wonder. ‘Does Vernice happen to have a twin?’, he thought, but that was impossible.

The Williams said it themselves, Vernice is an only daughter. 'How can that be? Can two unrelated people look the same?'

As he was confused, Jacob quickly stood up and went straight to the CEO’s office. He has no other choice but to disturb Tristan and show her Belle Roberts’ file.

“Boss…” he called as soon as he entered. He can call Tristan by his first name outside, but when inside the company, it’s Boss, Sir, or President, usually the former.

Tristan lifted his head, taking his eyes off the documents on his table, and looked at Jacob as he walked towards him with a document in hand. “What’s the matter?” he asked.

“You need to see this,” Jacob tells him as he hands the document over. Tristan looks into it and his forehead starts creasing slowly.

“Is this for real?” Tristan asks, brows knitted, Jacob nods at him. “How is that even possible? Are they twins?”

“I thought the same, boss, but remember what Mr. Williams told us? That Vernice is the only daughter of the household?” he reminded him, trying to help him recall the details about his ex-fiancé.

Tristan leans on his chair, rubbing his chin. “So is this just some funny coincidence?” He places the file on his table and chuckles. “Are they playing with us?”

He was just staring at the document. Jacob couldn’t bring himself to say anything. If Tristan is correct and the Williams are indeed playing tricks on them, then there will be heavy consequences for their actions and it won’t be pretty.

“Check on Vernice again and hire this girl as my executive secretary. I want results in 6 hours,” he finally says.

Jacob takes the file from his table and heads out of the office. He starts calling some of their people to do another rundown on Vernice.

He also informs the HR head of De Clarion Empire to send Belle to his office and send the other applicants home. The position of executive secretary is now closed.

Meanwhile, in the lobby downstairs, a middle-aged woman named Sandra approaches Belle. “Hi Miss Roberts, we’ve received your application and our boss was very impressed. Now, if you’d follow me,” she said nonstop, then pointed toward the elevator.

Belle was feeling ecstatic. “Am I hired?” she asked, and Sandra nodded at her.

She is looking at the floor indicator of the elevator while rubbing her palms together. The smile on her face looks like it’s there permanently.

However, although she is feeling elated from hearing the news, she also can’t help but wonder how impressed the boss was that she didn’t have to go through the interview. She was immediately accepted, just like that.

When the elevator door opens, she even jumps out of it, startling the woman in front of her. Jacob sees this and chuckles. 'Why is she so childish all of a sudden? Is this all an act? Is she trying to pretend she's not Vernice by changing her behavior?’ Jacob thought to himself.

He could clearly remember Vernice Williams, although he had only seen her twice. First was when Tristan sent her the ring and the documents for the villa.

When she met her, Vernice was looking smug and a snob. She didn't even bother talking to Jacob, she just took the stuff brought for her and left.

The second time was when Jacob met with her parents to talk about a partnership with their company in Dale. Vernice dropped by the restaurant and caused trouble for the waiter who accidentally spilled water on her purse.

Seeing her now and how innocent she looks, Jacob can’t help but wonder if she is the same person he met before. Although there were only two instances, he can already read Vernice’s character and it seems far from the girl he is about to face right now.

“Mr. Brown, this is Belle Roberts,” it was Sandra, introducing the girl next to her.

Belle smiles at him before extending her hand, “Hi Mr. Brown, I’m one of the new hires for the IT department,” she tells him.

Jacob and Sandra exchanged glances. Sandra feels a little anxious as she forgot to inform Belle that she was not hired for the IT department.

Jacob understood the situation. Instead of calling Sandra out for her mistake, he gestures toward the door of his office and Belle follows. He nods toward Sandra, telling her that she may leave.

“Please take a seat,” Jacob instructs Belle as he gestures toward the couch inside the executive office.

Belle is still smiling, so Jacob can’t help but think, ‘How can she still smile when she’s about to die in Tristan’s hands?’

“Will I be working from here, Mr. Brown?” Belle inquires as she looks around the office.

There are only two office tables with desktop computers on them. There are no monitors or surveillance systems, no network hub, and no IT equipment at all.

Even if she was hired as the Head of the IT department, her office should be located at the IT center for easy access at least. There is nothing related to IT in this office, so she is confused.

“I think there was a misunderstanding,” Jacob finally spoke. He takes his time studying the girl in front of her. She may look like Vernice, but she seems different from her.

 “Sandra forgot to tell you that you’re not here to work for the IT department, instead you will be working as the CEO’s Executive Secretary.”

Belle’s mouth drops open, surprised at what John just told her. ‘Is this some kind of joke?’