Chapter 2.

Lillian

I followed them to the elevator looking like a puppy drenched in cold water. The receptionist whose name turned out to be Helena had been glaring daggers at me. I noticed that some buttons on her shirt had popped open. She had been arching her back, pushing up her already exposed boobs. 

 Obviously, her squeaking like a church rat all the way to the elevator wasn't to annoy me but to impress her boss.

Mr. Stone face hadn't even glanced at her the whole time. He had glanced at me once when I almost tripped and had to grab his hand for support. The look he gave me was enough to slit my throat. 

He was scary and cold. 

We entered his office which was grand and bigger than the apartment I lived in. 

“Get me my work file and the sketchbook”.He ordered. 

Helena stomped out of the office immediately leaving me and Stone face alone. 

He turned to face me, taking a step towards me. “ You will type out every single page until your fingers break, and then you'll print out each document and sort them out before the end of today “. 

I swallowed, nodding my head like a squirrel. Well, at least this means I got the job and I don't have to go back home.

Helena came back with a file as wide as a pizza box and as big as the Oxford English Dictionary. 

I stared at the file and then back at him. “ Is this ? “ I couldn't finish my statement because I was afraid that I was right. 

“Mr. Kent, she apparently was supposed to be the new secretary”. Helena spoke,eyeing me with a disgusted look.

His eyes fell on me again, looking me up and down. “ Is this how you dress to work ?” 

Helena hummed giving me the 'I told you so look '. 

My voice cracked. I don't see anything wrong with what I was wearing ,it was just a plain simple yellow dress. “ I was about to.......”. 

He snapped,cutting me off. “ I don't care, get to work !”. 

I jumped rushing over to the stake of files.

“ Helena, show her the ropes ”. He said and walked out of the office. 

“You don't deserve to be here, you belong in the streets ”. She snarled at me slapping my hand off the files.Picking it up, she worked over to a transparent door. 

Fire was practically coming out of my nostrils. “ You belong in a brothel ”. I retorted. 

She shot me a glare. “ This is your workspace.”

She said dropping the files on the desk.

“ Hope your fingers break as you type the rest of your life out ”. She flipped her hair arrogantly and stomped out of the office. 

 Turning toward the stack of files, I sighed in frustration. She didn't even explain what I was supposed to do with these papers. 

 Sitting down on my chair I looked around my workspace. The only thing that separated me from his office was a glass wall and blinds. 

 Sighing, I picked up the first paper, scrutinizing it. Now I understand why it was called a work file. It was like a sketch of the original documents. There were so many errors, I suppose I was supposed to edit each one of them. 

 I wanted to cry. 

It was impossible to finish this within a week let alone a whole day. I turned to the computer and started typing. 

    My job was to edit each paper, print them out and stack them up accordingly.

Stone face returned with that same look on his face exactly like a stone. His line of sight fell on me again. With long strides, he closed the distance between us. 

“Type faster”. He scolded.

I flinched, unable to move my fingers faster than they already were. 

“ Move your damn fingers !” He yelled again.

I was breathing like I had run a hundred miles. “ I would rather not make a mistake”. I told him.

He bent to my level until our faces were inches apart.“ You already made a mistake by bumping into me and ruining the project I had worked on for six months. So if you don't want me to lock you up in a place where you'd never see the sunshine again then pick up the pace !”

I had to bite down on my lips to suppress the sob that threatened to escape my lips. “ Why can't I just photocopy the original documents?”. 

“ Because the original documents are soaked. You can't put wet paper in a photocopying machine, Mrs Ace ”. 

“ But….but… wouldn't it be easier if I just typed from the original documents?” I dared ask.

His left brow twitched, a sign of irritation.“We are on the 8th floor, Mrs Ace. You're telling me that you want to go to the first floor then outside this building to pick up 156 pieces of paper then run back upstairs and then wait for it to dry before you start typing?”

He raised a brow, his gaze darkening.“I'm not a patient man, Mrs. Ace. These documents are due in less than 24 hours ”.

I had really messed up. Come to think of it, it wasn't entirely my fault. If Helena had just let my dress be, then I wouldn't have been in this situation. But then if only I could afford better clothes then I still wouldn't be in this position. 

I bowed my head, avoiding his heated gaze.“Patience is a virtue, sir ”. 

I immediately regretted saying that because whatever self-control he was holding on to finally snapped. 

He slammed his hands on the desk, making me jump and release a yelp. 

“ If you do not type and print out every single document before 10am tomorrow, I swear I'll squeeze you into a ball and throw you out the window.”

My eyes were as round as saucers. I would have laughed, but he might actually throw me through the window. 

Sensing the amusement in my eyes, he glared at me and waltzed back into his office. I then realized there were no windows here, just a bunch of glass. 

 I began typing as fast as I could. I didn't stop until I felt my hands going numb.

I stopped to massage them a little when his voice rang through." You're slacking off Mrs. Ace!". 

I flinched and returned to work. I continued typing until I lost track of time. By the time I looked out the window it was already dark. I looked back down at the stack of files, I hadn't even gone half way. 

 I took out my phone that now had a cracked screen to check the time. It was already 7pm. I had managed to ignore the rumbling of my stomach, but I couldn't anymore. My whole body hurts. 

   I turned to look in his direction and found him intently staring at me. 

 I looked away immediately, my entire body tensing. 

  Few minutes later, a lady walked in. She was holding a cup of coffee and some sandwiches in her hand. I became jealous thinking she was bringing him snacks while I was about to die of hunger but instead she passed him and walked straight up to me. 

 It was so unexpected that I had to look in his direction again and found him still staring. The lady left, and he walked up to me next. 

Deeping his hands in his pockets. “ I don't want you collapsing when you should be working all night ”. He growled. 

Was he expecting me to work all night.“ I can't work all night ”. I had to get back home and go for my night shift at a bar or I would starve till I received my first paycheck. 

He smirked, the very first expression on his stone face . “ Oh, yes you will ”. 

“You don't expect me to sleep here? “. I raised my voice without realizing it. I had been so stressed out that my nerves were acting up. 

The smirk on his face disappeared. A frown settling in.“ Who's going to finish the mess you created?”. 

My voice cracked. The free bus leaves by 7:30. If I miss it, then I'll have to use the money for my groceries, and then I'll have nothing left on me . That also implies that I'll be late to my night shift and then there'll be a decrease in my only source of daily income. 

“ I'm sorry, I promise I'll be here early tomorrow”. I said I was deeply remorseful. 

Not waiting for his reply, I gathered my things which were just my purse and phone. 

He scoffed, disbelief all over his face. “ Seriously? Millions of dollars is on the line here, and you're just going to leave? ”. 

I really felt bad, and I hoped I wouldn't lose the job for this, but I can't afford to miss that bus.My rent was due and I had a lot of debts that I must pay before the end of the month.“ I'm deeply sorry, I promise I'll be here by 5 tomorrow”. 

His left brow twitched. “ You should be ashamed.Your parents must be ashamed of you, a mere shadow of what they've wanted. Don't come here tomorrow, you're fired!”

 The first tear escaped my eyelids. “ I don't have parents.“My voice was barely a whisper. 

 I stood long enough to watch his eyes widened a fraction before running out of the office.