5: the contract

While Aria was dressing up for the job interview, Anna barged into the room and hugged her. Aria was taken back, her brows creased with confusion.

"What's the problem?" Aria asked her sister.

"You've replaced our fridge and television. Isn't that enough reason for me to be happy?"

Aria thought she hadn't heard hee propely. "hm? replace what?"

"Our fridge and television!" Anna squealed. "The delivery man brought it this morning, he said you, Aria Spencer, ordered it."

"But I didn't."

Anna was finally convinced that her sister was unaware of the purchase. She folded her arms below her chest and they both stare at each other for while.

"Anna I'm running late for my interview, I guess we'll have to talk about this later."

-

When Aria walked into the office, the chilly air greeted her. She took deep breaths and threaded towards the reception desk. She tucked a stray strand of her hair behind her desk and smoothen non existent rough edges of her pencil skirt. Since birth, she had not been to a job interview at a well known company. Therefore, an onslaught of emotions was threatening to reduce her to an anxious mess. She didn't know how to behave, fear and anxiety was creeping in as her heart palpitated.

"Good morning." She greeted the receptionist behind the desk with faux confidence.

The receptionist looked like she was in her early tweenties. She responded to her greeting with a smile. "Welcome to RL enterprises, how may we be of help to you?"

"I'm here for the interview."

The receptionist's face morphed into a sad expression. "Oh I'm sorry, the interview ended few minutes ago."

It felt a knife had stabbed Aria's heart. She could hardly understand what the receptionist had said, somehow she believed she had heard her wrongly.

"Sorry what did you say?" Aria asked.

"I said the interview had ended few minutes before you came in."

"There must be way out. Please help me, I really need this job."

"The CEO is the one interviewing the applicants and he has declared it over. I'm sorry ma there's nothing I can do."

"But it's just 9:15, the interview was scheduled to hold by 9:00."

"Most of the applicants had their interview online and the few ones that came in person, came earlier than the stipulated time so everything was done in just a few minutes."

Aria didn't go through the flier properly so she didn't know that there was a way she could have scheduled her interview online. She felt stupid. She hated everything, her life, the world for being so unfair to her. Maybe one day she would end it all for now, she had to fight for this opportunity. She needed to money to release herself from their financial slavery her father's debts had put them in, plus her mother's hospital bills was still there. Anna would go to college and even though she was already applying for scholarships and hoping to get one, she would still need financial help from her.

Aria wasn't going to let this go. "Is there a way I can see the CEO?"

She shook her head. "That's not possible. So long you don't have an appointment, you cannot see him."

"But-"

"Please if you don't mind, I'd like to finish what I was doing before you came in." She finished with an apologetic smile.

Aria's fist curled in annoyance and helplessness. "Can you lead me to his office please."

She sighed. "Walk down the hallway, the first office to your left is his office."

-

Aria took deep breaths, recited a mantra, and muttered a short prayer before knocking at the door. The door opened by itself. When she stepped in, she noticed the back of the chair was facing her. It was high backed, so she couldn't tell if it was occupied by a person. She wondered what action she should take next to get her presence noticed if at all there was a person sitting on the chair.

"I guess she's here already." A familiar voice said, and then almost immediately, he spun around to face Aria, and then he removed the phone from his ear and placed it on the table.

Aria could have sworn that she lost her breath for second. Robert forehead creased for a spilt second but then again, he was quick to regain his composure. His blue eyes pierced her entire body in scrutiny. She averted her gaze from his, feeling awkward. She hoped he wouldn't talk about what had happened between then that night.

"Oh well, look who we have here." Robert said.

"I-t's nice to see you again, I guess." Aria stuttered, eyes roaming around everywhere but him.

"My receptionist informed me that you insisted on being given a a chance to have your interview."

"U-h-m she's right. I also want to plead on her behalf-"

"Don't worry, you may step forward."

As she walked, she almost tripped on her heels. He noticed her misstep and a small smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. Aria thought that she looked clumsly and unprofessional already.

"So why should I offer you this job?" He asked.

Aria was expecting this question, and she had practiced her response. She had read on the internet that most employers usually ask this question to be sure they were offering the job based on competence.

"I have a strong background in office management and I'm very detailed oriented. I'm also highly organized and able to multitask effectively. I'm willing to go extra mile to make I deliver the best services to my employer. Further more, I have an associate degree in office management and accounting… therefore I believe I'm a good fit for this job."

Robert nodded his head, mulling over her statement. "Hmm but with all these amazing skills you still lack punctuality skills."

Aria's breath hitched. "I'm sorry sir."

Robert liked how she was at his mercy. She had ran away after what happened between them but now that he had her, he was willing to own her.

"You can't pretend that you're unaware that something happened between us that night."

"We can get an annulment." Aria said.

"We have to give them a proof that we were actually drunk when it happened and how the hell are we supposed to do that?" Robert asked.

"I don't know," Aria said, feeling uncomfortable with the conversation. She had been running away from confronting this. "Are you offering me the job or not?"

"I'm offering a better deal."

"What's that?"

"I'll offer you the job and pay you higher in exchange for your silence."

"Meaning."

"You won't tell anyone about how we got married." Robert stated.

Aria needed the money more than anything and she was sure she could fufil his condition. "That's fair."

"You may have to escort me to some events as my wife but no sex," he stated before he winked at me, "except you want it ofcourse."

"I wouldn't want that."

"Just sign the contract." He handed a file over to her. He knew she would coming, his personal shy had somehow figured out that she applied for a job at his company.

Aria looked at the document in front of her. All her financial problems would end, if only she scribbled her signature.