Chapter 7 The Powell Family

Mia doesn’t expect to start the first day of her new job at the Powell mansion. Mr. Powell is on a business trip to Europe. Susie, who is tasked to orient Mia, takes her to the mansion to meet Mrs. Powell.

“As Mr. Powell’s assistant, you need to know the family well to handle complicated matters,” Susie said to her before they departed for the mansion.

Now they are sitting in the living room of the five-story townhouse on the Upper East Side, waiting for Mrs. Powell to grace them with her presence.

Mia couldn’t help but take in the spacious, sun-filled living room with amazement. Her eyes scan from the vintage chandelier, and the marble fireplace to the green garden outside before finally fixating on the photos hanging on the walls in front of her.

There are a lot of photos, mostly featuring four people, the Powell family, Mia assumes. Mia could recognize Mr. Powell. The female must be Mrs. Powell. The other two younger men must be their sons.

“I have a beautiful family, haven’t I?” Mia is startled and turns towards the woman who is standing in the doorway. The woman is in her fifty’s, tall, and in good shape. She wears a beige suit with a Chanel brooch on her chest. Her hair combed in a neat bun, her skin fair and line-free, her green eyes as piercing as a knife. Mia could tell she was a knockout in her younger age.

Mia realizes the woman is Mrs. Powell. She hurries to stand up, following Susie’s suit.

Before Susie could make an introduction, Mrs. Powell walks to the wall with the photos and asks Mia, “Miss Johnson, what do you think of my sons?”

“They, they are...” Mia stutters, struggling to find the right words.

“Mother, you are scaring her. Who would ask such a question on people’s first day at work? And Miss Johnson is feel obliged to make compliments since she works for father.” A man’s voice appears behind Mia.

Mia turns and sees a young man with a handsome face smiling at her.

“Nice to meet you, Miss Johnson. Ignore my mother. I’m Anderson Powell. ” Anderson tilts his head, holding out his hand for a shake.

Mia takes his hand and says, “Nice to meet you, too, Mr. Powell.”

“Call me Anderson.” He grins with his perfect white teeth. Mia smiles back. Anderson inherits his father’s blue eyes and her mother’s blond hair. And with his killer smile, and perfect body build, it is easy for women to fall head over heels for him.

“Don’t you have to meet Anthony for a shareholder meeting?” Mrs. Powell chips in.

“Duty calls. Got to run. See you around, Susie and Miss Johnson.” Anderson waves goodbye to Mia and Susie, kisses his mother’s cheeks, and leaves.

Mrs. Powell walks to the sofa and gestures for Susie and Mia to sit down opposite her.

“Miss Johnson, how did my husband find you? The last time he used eight months to find Lindsey. Too bad she only made the position last for seven months. What is in you that makes my husband make such a quick decision? ” Mrs. Powell eyes Mia with her cold green eyes.

Mia doesn’t know how to reply to the question. Apparently, Mrs. Powell has no idea that her husband helped Mia more than one time. Should she tell the truth?

“Through head hunter, Mrs. Powell. Miss Johnson has a perfect recommendation from her previous employer. ” Susie answers. Mia casts her a grateful look but also wonders whether Susie knows why she is employed.

“Miss Johnson used to...”

“I’m not asking you,” Mrs. Powell interrupts Susie rudely, then turns to Mia, “what is your previous work?”

“I worked as an executive assistant for a publishing house.” Mia is not sure whether the answer will invite more questions.

“Oh, a publishing house? The industry seems very far away from my husband’s. Don’t you think so?” Mrs. Powell raises her eyebrow.

“Yes...” Mia mumbles. Her palms are sweating. She is nervous about what is to follow.

“How old are you?”

“I’m twenty-five.”

“Too young and inexperienced for holding such an important position as my husband’s assistant. This position requires discretion and loyalty. A young woman, like you,” Mrs. Powell stops briefly and looks Mia up and down, no doubt silently judging her modest clothes, “who isn’t accustomed to affluence, can easily fall prey to the temptation of wealth.”

Mia feels humiliated and is at a loss for words. Her years’ experience with poverty doesn’t make her immune to snobbery and humiliation. Poverty is not a crime. No one wants to be born poor.

“Mrs. Powell, I‘m capable of handling complicated matters, and...”

Before Mia could defend herself with a full sentence, she gets interrupted by Mrs. Powell.

“I may need your help with my husband’s 60th birthday party. My husband has a list of people he invited to the party that he wants the invitations to be personally delivered. Who is more fit for this job than my husband’s assistant? ”

“Yes, of course, I’m willing to help.” Mia is not happy with Mrs. Powell’s rudeness but feels this is the right answer. She also ponders what had been said to her by Mr. Powell about not even taking orders from his wife. But this order seems to be innocent.

“Okay then, You can ask the doorman for the list. You may leave now.” Mrs. Powell stands up and walks towards the door to the garden.

Mia heaves a sigh when she is out of the mansion. Susie laughs and asks, “Nervous, right? She has that effect on people. But the lucky thing is that you only answer to Mr. Powell.”

“Thank you for helping me there. I really don’t know how to answer her question.”

“No problem. We both work for Mr. Powell. And we should stick out for each other.” Susie’s soothing smile warms Mia up. Mia likes her instantly.

“A bit introduction to the Powell brothers. Stay away from Anthony. He ruins every woman he touches. Anderson, on the other hand, is a sweetheart. But never get involved with your boss’s sons. Things could get ugly. Mrs. Powell is very protective of her two boys. She thinks every woman approaches them with an agenda. She thinks no one is her sons’ equal. You will be fired immediately even if she has a little bit suspicious that there is something going on between you and one of her sons.”

“I won’t get involved with them. I want to keep this job. Thank you for the kind reminder.” Mia is grateful she has a kind-hearted mentor.

“Good. Feel free to ask me any questions. Be careful when you are around the family. Things can be very tricky to handle.”

Actually, Mia wants to ask how close Mr. and Mrs. Powell are but decides to ask later when the right time comes.

“Now, let’s see who is on the list and if there is any information I could provide.” Susie is looking at the invitation list carefully.

“Mr. Flannor can wait for a bit. Mr. Scott cannot. He is the supreme judge and a close friend of Mr. Powell for more than twenty years. But you must deliver the birthday party invitation to Mr. Wayne today. ”

“Who is Mr. Wayne? ” Mia asks curiously.

“Mr. Wayne is Mr. Powell’s eldest son.” Mia feels confused by the answer.

“If he is Mr. Powell’s son, shouldn’t he be a Powell?”

“You don’t read society pages or gossip magazines, don’t you?” Susie seems to be surprised.

“No, I don’t.” Suddenly Mia feels inadequate about this job. It seems gossip magazines are one way to get to know the upper class she is working for now. She makes a mental note to list reading gossip columns her homework.

“Mr. Wayne is the son of the deceased Mrs. Powell. Mr. Wayne uses his mother’s maiden name.”

Mia feels dumb for not googling the Powell family before. The family seems to be more complicated than she originally thought.

“I’ll call Mr. Wayne’s secretary and tell her you will deliver the invitation card to Mr. Wayne’s office in one hour. I got to run. I have a meeting to attend. I’ll ask the driver to drive you to the Wayne Plaza. ”

“Thank you, Susie.”

Sitting in the waiting lounge on the top floor of the plaza, Mia curses herself for leaving her cell phone at home. She left for work in a hurry after rushing to the pharmacy to buy some prescribed pills for Calvin. Right now there is nothing she could do to salvage her total ignorance of the man she is waiting to meet. She couldn’t even g****e Mr. Wayne.

The beautiful secretary with red lips walks to her, “Miss Johnson, Mr. Wayne has fifteen minutes for you. Follow me this way.”

The secretary leads Mia to a grand office, then leaves and closes the door. A man in a dark suit is standing tall and staring out of the floor-to-ceiling window.

Mia feels the man looks familiar, even though all she could see is his back. She suddenly feels nervous and lightheaded.

Then he turns back.