Chapter 2

Walking through the hollow hallway to my apartment,I could hear Katie and Luca's voices from the inside,accompanied by the screeching sound of a guitar. It took all the strength in me not to knock down the door in Rambo style and yell at them. I just breathed slowly in and out to calm myself. I can't believe this. While I felt this rage inside me,some morons called best friends are there practically having the best times of their lives. I wanted to cry.

Katie stops playing her guitar the moment she sights me walking in,Luca turning around to face me too.

"How did your interview go?!" Katie's voice is laced with excitements.

I shake my head negatively "I didn't get it,Kate. It was a total disaster,"my head throbbed "I'll just be in my room"

I walk past them,feeling their pitiful eyes watch after me. I still couldn't believe the day that started bad actually ended way worse.

There's nothing a shower couldn't fix,I thought,pulling off my blouse.

In the next few seconds I'm lost between the depths of my bath cubicle,savoring every moment of the water washing through me.

Pulling on a black T-shirt and a faded blue bum short,I walk back out to my bedroom,meeting Katie sitted at the edge of my bed,her pitiful eyes scanning me.

"What happened,Ash"she calls as I closed in on her.

Sitting down beside her,I replied "I didn't get the job,Kay,"the memory of that arrogant man at the cafe causes me to frown "to think that bastard actually made me go to the interview late"

"What bastard?"

"I stopped at the usual cafe to pick up a cappuccino and I met this arrogant jerk who practically walked up to the counter,ignoring the queue and ordered that he got served before us. And what's worse? The stupid counter girl actually watched him in awe,eyes full of stars!,"the thought causes the bile to build in my tongue "I got upset and he wouldn't even acknowledge me as I asked him to join the line so I spilled coffee on him!"

"You did?!"Katie palms her open mouth,horrified.

"D'oh. 'Course I did. And I went late to the interview because of him. I personally hold this against him,Kay. I think he's the reason why I didn't get the job"

Katie reached a hand over my back and robbed it "I'm sorry,Ash. Come on,there's nothing my cookies can't fix"

I nod,allowing her to walk me out of the room and back into the kitchen,passing Luca who's sprawled across the couch,playing a video game. He looked glad to be away from Katie. i didn't blame him.

Taking a bite from the cookies,I realized Katie had done herself well enough this time.

She giggles and said "looks Like my cookies wasn't a total waste after all"

I nod in agreement. at least,it did make me feel a bit better.

Katie tried cheering me up by asking me to join them for grocery shopping but I declined. I wanted to be alone. I was drowning in self pity by the time they left in my room.

Ricardo's POV.

reaching my office room,my PA,Madison who's situated at her desk just outside my office greets me with a big smile.

Becky appears almost immediately to give me her repost on our latest business with Mr pueblo who according to her was on his way here with his team.

Handling her back her report,she leads the way into the conference room. A few minutes later,my conference room is filled up and we began to talk business. Sitting for a meeting for hours was never my thing so I go straight to the basics so I could leave before anybody else.

After the meeting,I retire back to my office to do a few works before leaving.

Switching on my computer,I stared in total shock at the job my PA had done. My brows furrow as I saw the nonsense she prepared for me.

I quickly phoned her to come inside. She appears in a flash,her clothes exposing more of her body than I appreciated.

"Explain this to me"I turn the laptop to her,her work in full display on the screen.

"It's the alphabetical arrangement of the staffs name under the architectural apartment,sir" the movement of her red painted lips was slowly annoying me.

"Good. Now tell me why Hudson came before Cloris Sean"

"Um.....sir....I....Hudson's middle name starts with a "B" that's why I put it before Cloris Sean"

She obviously didn't see anything wrong with that?!

"Are you being serious,Madison?! Don't you fucking know the meaning of "middle"?! It's in the center! must I spell out everything for you around here?!"

I watched her head burry down,anger impaling me. honestly,she's got to be the dumbest person I've ever come across even though I gave her credit for being slightly better than the previous ones I'd fired almost as soon as they took the job.

"I'm sorry sir,"she cried "I didn't mean to distress you"

"Hell,you cause me great pain all the time,Madison!"

Her face suddenly loosen,her eyes starry as she walked towards me.

Stopping right in front of my desk,her thighs pushing into it,she places both hands outstretched on my desk,lowering her upper body and causing her breasts to pop out,almost leaving nothing for the imagination and ran her teeth over her lower lip. "I don't wanna cause you any pains,sir,"she speaks sensually"but since that can't be helped,I don't mind making you feel all better at all times"

I mentally glared at her. From the start,I knew she was sexually attracted to me,she practically wrote it all over her face but she was always way below my class like every other women. Too cheap and desperate. If anything,they all irritate me. That's all they they want. A good Sex. And then money.

"Okay,"I replied "you're fired!"

The revolve in her eyes is priceless as she stared back at me.

"I'm not gonna say it again unless you wanna be dragged out by the security"

She scurried out of my office,anger contorting her well made up face. She knew better than to try to talk me out of firing her. At least I'd finally breathe around here. Mona was gonna hear a piece of me. I didn't keep her in this office to hire ingrates for me. All she ever did was hiring imbeciles and mentally incapable women who only cared about pleasuring me on my bed than actually putting their brains to use. If they even have one.

Dialing Mona's office number,she picks up immediately"hello sir"

"Get me another assistant before the end of tomorrow. You better pick somebody with brains this time or you can kiss your job goodbye For good"

Ashley's POV.

If I hadn't remembered sharing this apartment with two best friends,I'd have been reaching for a defensive object against whoever just badged into my house. Katie is jumping into my room almost immediately,just as I'd jumped off my bed.

"Guess what,guess what?!"

Uh. I roll my eyes.

"You scared the life out of me,Kay"

"Today isn't entirely bad after all! Because Katie always got your back,I found out something that would swing your mood right now!"

"Tell me then" honestly,I wasn't really up for whatever she was gonna say. I mean,she's Katie,no offense meant.

"While Luca and I were at the grocery store,I was going over some job vacancy sites when I came over some Marcello's Qrangé company and guess what?!!!"

"Okay enough with the screaming,Kay. And save me the glory details already!"

"Okay,okay,"the excitement in her voice was contagious "the company is looking for a woman for the position of a personal assistant"

My eyes grow wide like saucers "for real?!"

"Yes! You get to submit your résumé online! And guess what? They need somebody,and I quote,"A.S.A.P""

Quickly,I run back to my bed and retrieved my laptop. Setting it down,both of us crouched around it,I let Katie reach this site for me. On the screen of this page,there's an image of a huge sky scraper,below it a brilliant green yard in full display. Below it in red block letters :MARCELLO'S COMPANY. A JOB VACANCY AVAILABLE.

I gulped hard.

On the comment box below,there's no single applicant. I wondered why seeing as the job vacancy had been posted since 11a.m today and its way past 3p.m now. Maybe nobody knew about this company? That was the least of my worries now.

Quickly,I typed a message to the message box: hi. I'm interested in this job.

Katie and I I waited hopefully for a reply. The moment I saw the three bar dots moving,my heart picked race. I didn't know if I was just nervous or scared. Scared that the reply that's being typed right now is gonna tell me that there's been another person before me.

COMPANY: hello,thank you for reaching out. Submit your résumé directly to me through the email above and I'll call you back.

My heart melted into a puddle.

"Yes!!!" Katie screams,causing me to smile.

Quickly,I submitted and the company replied to get back to me in the next one hour.

I couldn't stop praying that this went right. I badly needed this job. I didn't care if I had to work behind a desk. I'll practically take any job at this point.

Moving the laptop to the kitchen counter,Katie decided we busied ourselves and not think much about what my fate was gonna be for the next one hour. While she busied herself in the kitchen,I sat close on the breakfast stool,eyes fixed on my laptop's screen.

"You're gonna go blind if you continue staring right into that thing,Ash"Luca offered,still plopped down on the couch.

"I told her so"Katie agreed,giving me a smile.

Uh.I was desperate,alright? They should understand that.

Opening my mouth to reply,the sound of an incoming message from my laptop stops me,shutting me up and bringing back my attention to it.

I thought I stopped breathing at the sight of the first word on the message.

COMPANY: congratulations,Ashley Shawn. You've been offered a job into the Marcello's Qrangé company. For more details,leave messages to the former email.

Your presence will be needed at the company tomorrow morning. For more details,check out the following link below and get to know the company better.

"Oh my God!!,"I screamed "I got it!"

"What?"

"The job! I got it,Katie!!"

"Really?!,"she hurries out of the kitchen to me "I'm so happy for you!"she fists me into a bone crushing hug.

"Wait,"Luca says,causing us to look at him "you got the job? Isn't that Like super fast? I mean,you don't even know this company,who knows? Could be some illegal company or something"

Katie rolls her eyes at him "the company is all over the internet,Luc,make your researches"

"Ah!"I scream again "I'm so happy! I need to call this company and meet them tomorrow morning"

"Did they leave a number?"

"Yes. I'm so happy,Kay"

"Me too"she hugs me again.

"Congratulations,Ash,"Luca strolls over to hug me "be a good girl now okay? No swear words,this company sounds cool"

"You're right. You know I'm just so suddenly hungry now"

"I'm on that!"Katie announced,running back into the kitchen,while I stared back at the message,realizing how happy I am. Maybe today isn't entirely so bad after all.

I must've slept with a smile on my lips because when I woke up the following morning,I could feel a strange aura around me. I felt great about myself for the first time in forever.

Today,nothing was stopping me from doing this. Not even some guy at a coffee shop. I'm gonna be punctual. I'm gonna give my best smiles. I'm gonna be everything today.

I picked a sheath dress today and made my chestnut hair into coily ends across my shoulders. A black stilettos went great with my outfit,and then I was good to go. I'd started talking to the woman who identified herself as Mona last night and she'd pretty much given me more directions to the company.

When the cab came to a stop in front of a gigantically tall sky scraper,I felt my stomach churn in fear. This was it,there's no turning back. I straighten my dress on my body and hurried towards the revolving glass door at the front,where a security man stood with clasped hands. Giving him a quick nod,he let's me in through the revolving door.

Stepping into the wide,cold room,I felt relatively small as every eyes turned to watch me. I thought I was gonna fall over my face as I managed to stop at the brunette woman behind the desk.

"Excuse me,ma'am"I offered a small smile.

"Hello,how may I help you today?"

"I'm meeting a woman named Mona?"

"What's your name?"

"Ashley Shawn"

"What business do you have with her?"

"Its a job interview"

"Hold on"she picks up the telephone and punched a series of numbers before bringing the receiver to her ear and mouth. "Yes,hi. There's a woman by Ashley Shawn here to see you...okay"

She puts back the phone and gives me a smile "sit over there. She'll be out in a minute"

"Thank you" I return a small smile before sitting on the nearest pew propped against the wall.

A few seconds passes by before I hear clicking foot steps advancing towards me.

"Ashley Shawn?" I look up to the woman who just stopped in front of me. She's blond and slim,a pair of glasses sitting on the bridge of her nose,her pink full sleeved blouse accentuating her fashion sense.

"Yes"

"Hi"she extends her hand which I quickly take into mine,rising to my feet.

"Follow me" she turns around and I followed suit. She reaches the elevator and punches it's buttons. I follow her into the elevator. It felt like in just one second,we rounded ten floors and was stepping out into a wide room with office cubicles and busy people. If I didn't find this place beautiful then I got something else coming for me. She maneuvered through the cubicles and open a door at the far end,asking me to shut the door behind me which I do.

The office is relatively wide with beautiful wall Decors and interior designs. On the windows sat post of different protruded plants.

She walks over to sit on her desk chair,pointing for me to sit down too.

"So,good morning,Ashley Shawn. I understand that you're here for a job,correct?"

"Yes"

"The job is easy but also not as easy. My boss needs a personal assistant. The last one was fired yesterday just like the others before her due to her insufficiency and I hope you would do better. Please,my job depends on you"

I stared at her,trying to Mai sense of what she just said. Why would her job depend on my work? But I was in no position to ask anything.

"I understand. And I promise to do my best"

"Thank you. Left to me,I'd have asked you to submit those papers for me to go through while you go home to resume today but my boss won't have that. But either ways he's out of town today and won't be back till tomorrow so you can go home for today and resume tomorrow. Right after I show you your office of course" she gives me a warm smile.

"Okay"

I follow her back out,leaving my documents on her desk.

Once again,we take the elevator to five more floors before stepping out. This floor only has a conference room which we passed,two locked rooms,a door up front with an office space at it's front,demarcated with a glass office cubicle.

"Here we go,Ashley,"she points to the cubicle "that is your office. And that,"she points to the door behind it "is my boss's office. Your boss too"

I nod in understanding.

"Do you need some time getting to know the office?"

"Um ,that won't be necessary"I give her a smile.

"Then we're done here. I'll have you checked in our staff office so you get some few things to put you through your work. You can take them home"

"Thank you so much"

"Hey,my job is at stake here so do your best Okay?"

I smile at her absurd statement,brushing back my hair before nodding again.

Soon after she escorts me back to her office where another man shows me around to a room where I collected some papers before leaving.