Chapter 4

Marco's alarm buzzed, jolting him awake. He groaned as he remembered his impending interview. With only an hour to spare, he decided to freshen up. As he scrubbed his body, he toyed with the idea of a new necklace design, but his groggy mind refused to cooperate. He needed caffeine, and fast.

He rushed to the nearest Starbucks, the baristas already knew his name and his order. As he waited for his Americano, he noticed people snapping photos of him. He was used to being a recluse, only appearing in public when he craved coffee. But to others, he was an enigma, and they seized every opportunity to catch a glimpse of him.

He settled down with his pencil and sketchbook, eager to let his creativity flow. However, the constant chatter and noise around him proved to be too distracting. Frustrated, he headed to his office, but his plans were thwarted by a head-on collision with someone.

His coffee spilled all over his crisp navy blue shirt, and his briefcase tumbled to the ground. He cursed his luck, ready to unleash his anger on the hapless person. But all his irritation evaporated as he saw the small, delicate figure who bent down to retrieve his briefcase. Her red-brown hair cascaded over her face, making her even more alluring. She apologized profusely, her voice sweet and genuine. Marco was so taken aback that he couldn't even speak.

She noticed the coffee stain on his shirt and felt terrible. Without hesitation, she handed him a wad of cash. "I'm very sorry," she said. "Use this to buy a new suit."

Marco was flabbergasted. The girl, whom he assumed to be an ordinary person, had just given him money. And not just any ordinary person - he was the CEO of a multi-billion dollar company. He felt insulted, but he couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. "Did she think I'm poor?" he exclaimed to himself. "She must be unaware of who I am."

He threw his coffee cup in the bin and saw an old man begging for alms across the street. He approached him and handed him the wad of cash. The old man was overjoyed, thanking Marco profusely.

"It's not me you should thank," Marco said, amused. "It's the girl who thinks I'm poor."

~

At 8:00 am, Chloe gazed at Patricia, still sleeping like a log. She couldn't help but marvel at her peaceful state. Pat looked like an angel, innocent and pure. But Chloe knew better; she was a devil in disguise. She marched towards the window and pulled the curtains apart, letting the sunlight grace Pat's face.

“Rob, close the windows. It's too early,” Pat complained, burying her face in the pillow.

“Wake up, sleepyhead. It's morning,” Chloe said, hands on her hips.

“Just give me some minutes,” Pat mumbled, tossing the flowery pillow aside.

Chloe rolled her eyes, knowing that Pat's "some minutes" meant "some hours." Not in the mood for an argument, she returned from the bathroom with a bowl of water. She sneaked up to Pat's queen-sized bed, and with a swift motion, she splashed the water on Pat's face.

Startled, Pat jolted up and glared at Chloe. “What the fuc--”

Chloe smacked her head, not tolerating any profanity. “You splashed water on my FACE and my BED. Now, you have given me a lot of job to do,” Pat grumbled, getting up from the bed.

Chloe rolled her eyes. “If you woke up like a normal person, I wouldn't have done that.”

“I told you that I'm going to wake up after some minutes,” Pat protested.

Chloe chuckled, folding her arms. “Did you intend to do so?”

Pat snorted. “Whatever...” She walked off into the bathroom, flipping Chloe off.

Chloe burst into laughter. “I'll set your clothes on the bed!” she shouted.

No response.

Shaking her head with a smile, Chloe left the room, waddling her feet because she felt heavy carrying herself. Her baby was getting big, and she couldn't wait to welcome the new addition to their quirky family.

After a few minutes, Patricia emerged from the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her body, eyeing the skimpy red strapless gown and ankle strapped heels with disgust. She made her way to the wardrobe, selecting a more decent dress that she had ordered the previous day. After three days of training, she had become a fast learner and made Chloe proud.

Patricia donned a casual outfit consisting of a green long-sleeved turtle-neck top and a black pencil skirt. She added a touch of lip gloss, grabbed her black leather bag and slipped into her black sport shoes before making her way out.

“What the heck?! What happened to the clothes I left on your bed?” Chloe asked as soon as she saw Patricia descending the stairs.

Patricia let out a hiss, “There's no way I'm wearing that slutty dress.”

“But you look like my grandma in those clothes,” Chloe retorted.

“Why, thank you,” Patricia giggled, not the least bit bothered by Chloe's comment. “I'm going to dress my way and do it my way. No one's interfering.”

Chloe cursed under her breath, knowing that Patricia would never listen to her. “Fine,” she said, giving in. “Go ahead with your stupid clothes.”

Patricia chuckled, “Anyways, I'm off for the interview.” She had sent the agency fake documents, which were processed and accepted by the company for the interview.

“I hope your outfit rips into two, leaving you in your undies,” Chloe shouted as Patricia gracefully walked out.

“I reject it,” Patricia replied with a laugh, closing the door behind her.

She arrived damn late and was quick to point the finger at Starbucks for her tardiness. According to her, they had her waiting for what seemed like an eternity for her beloved mocha, and to top it off, they didn't even get her order right. And as if that wasn't enough, she managed to spill her drink all over some poor chap's fancy suit, blaming Starbucks once again for their slippery floors. The nerve of those baristas, making her lose both time and money!

Now, in a frantic rush, she paced back and forth in front of the elevator, her heart pounding like a jackhammer. She had never been so nervous before, her hands trembling, and sweat pouring down her face like a waterfall.

Desperate times called for desperate measures, and as she mulled over her options, she hit upon an idea. If she gave the man whose suit she had ruined some cash, he wouldn't give her any trouble, right? It was worth a shot, she thought.

The thought of not getting the job terrified her. Losing her current job was not an option, and this new opportunity was the light at the end of the tunnel. She couldn't mess this up.

The elevator let out a final ding, and the doors slid open with a loud whoosh. Patricia hurriedly stepped out, looking around for the interview room as per the receptionist's instructions. She spotted a group of ten people sitting on chairs in the corridor, facing a brown door. Assuming it to be the interview room, she made her way over and forced a smile at those staring at her.

As people started coming in and out, Patricia grew more and more nervous. Finally, it was her turn. As she stood up, she saw Marco strutting towards her, looking as elegant as ever.

"What is he doing here?" she wondered to herself.

"Hey, coffee guy!" she called out to him, hoping to hide her embarrassment.

He turned sharply, his face lighting up with a smile at the sight of Patricia. Ever since she left his coffee shop, he had been dying to see her again and show off his wealth to impress her. He frowned slightly when he remembered what she had called him. Everyone in the corridor was now staring at Patricia, wondering what kind of relationship she had with the CEO.

"Are you here for the interview too?" Patricia asked him, oblivious to the stares.

Marco smiled mischievously, "So she is here to apply for the job."

Just then, the door opened, and a short, blonde woman stepped out, greeting Marco with a seductive smile and reaching for his briefcase. He usually ignored such advances, but today, he wanted to show off his wealth to Patricia.

Patricia stood there, mouth agape, wondering who this man was. Marco noticed her confused look and smirked, feeling satisfied.

"There, there, no need to rack your brain. I'm not poor; I'm the owner of this company," he said with a smug look, walking inside with his shoulders held high.

At that moment, Patricia knew she was done for.

"Oh, shit!" she muttered under her breath, mentally preparing herself for the worst interview of her life.