Read with BonusRead with Bonus

Chapter 5

"That was amazing,Ashley" Trevor said as he followed me out,my attention fully on Mr Marcello who just entered into the elevator. He seemed upset about something and I couldn't get what. Didn't I do well at the conference? Didn't he like my contribution? Was I supposed to just flip the pages and not say anything? But everybody else around the table seemed to like my suggestions.

After hearing Trevor's voice from begin me,I decided not to think much about him. He can stay angry for all I care,as long as I get to keep my job,I'm cool with it.

"Thanks" I replied,only turning to acknowledge him before facing forward again.

In a split second,he was falling I line with me. "Why do you look upset? It was brilliant idea you gave out there" he inquired.

"I'm not upset,Trevor" I gave him a small smile.

"I'm just saying,Ashley. Don't let Mr Marcello get into your head" that said,he disappears into his office,leaving me on the spot to actually decide for myself that he might me saying the truth. To hell with my boss. I chuckled inside as I entered my office,I wouldn't day that to his Face,I'd be kissing my job goodbye before I even finished the statement. Oh,and Mona's job too.

For the next several minutes,I sat in my office,busy with the computer work a lady had given me. for the next thirty minutes I was on full gear,typing absentmindedly away. The ringing of my telephone startles me but I quickly pick it up and held it against my ear.

Before I could speak,a bold,almost creepy voice speaks first,the unmistakable husky voice of my boss "meet me at Sixth Haven. Now"

Quickly,I flinched off my chair like it burnt my back and grabbed my bag,passing Trevor who was coming towards my office.

"What's the hurry?"he asked,turning around to watch me go.

"Mr Marcello wanna see me" I don't wait for his reply before disappearing into the elevator and punching for the first floor. A few seconds later I was hailing a cab to a stop and telling the driver to take me to Six Haven. I'd never heard of the place,neither have I been there before but as the cab advanced into the streets,a frown crossed my face as I prayed it wasn't some stupid place I wouldn't have wanted to be. This is the kind of craps PAs have to deal with everyday and something told me this was just the beginning especially since this same man marked my face for being so rude to him three days ago at a cafe. Scratch that. I wasn't the rude one,he was!

When the cab pulled to a stop,I looked out the window to see a fancy looking building that is undoubtedly a restaurant. The walls are tinted black but beautiful and grande looking,flower beds decorating the frontage and making it almost hard not to gawk at.

I stepped down and made my way across the sidewalk and into the restaurant. The room I relatively wide,the inside dark and illuminated with golden lights. The tables around were Al tinted black but transparent at the same time. The room was filled up with people,walk in and eating at their designated tables. I stood for a while,looking around for Mr Marcello and I soon spot him at the middle,his eyes already watching me. The way he looked at me gave me the chills but I put on my poker face before walking to his table.

"You came faster than I imagined,"he says as I stopped before him,amusement in his every word.

"I don't really have a choice,do I?" I replied.

"Yes,you don't. Sit"

I reluctantly sit on the empty seat in front of him,trying to look anywhere but him.

A waitress appears before us and said to him "are you ready to order now sir?" Her smile was one to smack off.

His eyes not leaving me,he hands over the menu to her and replied "I want the third on the menu"

"Be right at you"she replied before hurrying back wherever she came from. I just sat there,quietly,my eyes trained on the flower vase in front of us.

"So,"he broke the silence "tell me about yourself,Asher"

"The name I Ashley,"I correct him,the disgust audible in my voice "Ashley Shawn"

"Right....."a smirk flirted in his lips.

"Why are we here?"

He leans back into his chair and watched me for a while before replying "you are dumb too after all. What says your time huh? It's past 12 and if you memorized your schedule well you'd know it's past my lunch time already"

"Okay.....well what am I doing here?"

A smile crossed his lips "you're here to make sure I have my lunch,Ashley. That's part of your job"

I fought the urge to roll my eyes at his comic statement. Seriously? Is he being serious right now? Fine. He wanna take this down the road? I'll show no weakness.

throwing him a fake smile,I speak "I'm sorry,Sir. I'll do better."

The waitress appears again with his order and served him before shooting him a quick smile and disappearing again. Ugh.

I just sat there and watched as he ate his food. I shift uncomfortably as the minutes passed by.

"You did not answer my question,Ashley"His voice causes me to finally look up at him. Then I remembered he'd asked me to tell him about myself.

Nodding slowly,I replied "I'm ah....I'm Ashley Shawn,finished from Nile University,grew up in California and I'm presently living in New York"

"Impressive,"he glances at me as he gulped down his food "how old are you?"

"I'm twenty two years old" he just nods and continued to eat his food. I gulp hard.

Then out of the blue,he said "why did you say what you said at my conference room"

"Excuse me?"

"All the stuffs you said about my Manhattan project? All the peace solution,what was that?"

"You didn't like what I said?"

"I asked you to explain to me,Ashley,"he said seriously"you don't answer my question with your question"

"I'm sorry but I thought it'd be better to have a face to face with these people and know what they want. Meet their conditions and...."

"And what,"he cuts me off "give each other a hug and bye bye to the difference between us?,"he leans back on the chair again "you think like a child,Ashley"

"I'm sorry but if my idea is so bad,you didn't have to face all those people and actually make a presentation"

"You looked like you could handle it"

"I did,okay? And look at you throwing it all on my face. You could at least pretend to appreciate my effort"

He doesn't say anything,and then four seconds later,he said "for a mere employee,you speak too casually to your boss"

Realizing that he's right and that I'd said to much to him,I said remorsefully "I'm sorry,I didn't mean to come out so blunt"

"What I don't understand is why I still keep you when you're proving to be so stubborn"

My lips went into a thin line,speechlessly. I need to shut up some time. And I decided on that. The waitress returned shortly after to clear his table and left almost immediately after that. I felt this strange urge to roll.my eyes each time she smiled stupidly at him. Just as I'm about to ask him when we were due to leave since he was done eating,a tall, blonde woman wearing so much make up.and wrapped in a rather too revealing mini gown approached us,her lips blinding from.the shinny red lip gloss all over it.

She stops before Mr Marcello and firmly planted her long fingers on his shoulder from behind,causing him to turn his face to see her.

"Mr Riccardo"her voice is robotic and sickening,it suited her just perfectly.

His lips widens into a soft smile as soon as his eyes met her's and she leaned into him to plant a firm kiss on his lips. I immediately avert my eyes as that was too gross to see.

"How are you Jas" he asked,lacing her as she walked from his back to Stand beside him.

"Perfect as I'll ever be,"her eyes flies to me "who's this?"

"oh she's just my secretary"he replied mockingly but I don't budge.

"Oh,I see you got another one,"she said amidst laughter,causing a vein on my forehead to pop out of place "they never last,do they? I told you,Ric,"she bends over him,her half naked breasts throwing out more all over him "you should hire me for that job,I'll assist you so good"her voice is seductive and somehow,I'm able to understand who they were to each other.

"Oh I'll take that into consideration"he replied with a smile and almost snort.

"Ashley,"he calls me suddenly and I looked at him "you can go back to the office now. Cancel my schedules for today and fix them on tomorrow's,however you choose to do it."

It takes me a second before I could nod before picking up my bag and hurrying out of the restaurant,anger contorting my face. Pervert......

when I got back to the office,it was already fully afternoon and I quickly busied myself with rescheduling Mr Marcello's meetings. After making series of calls to inform them of the change of plans and apologize for the inconvenience,I was exhausted. When my stomach rumbled like an erupting volcano,I remembered I hadn't eaten anything through out the afternoon. The thought reminds me of the one two hours I'd spent watching my stupid boss eat at that goddamn restaurant. And that Jas girl talking about me like I wasn't there. I quickly tried finding a spot to eat when I came across the small canteen attached to the building just outside our office building.

When I returned back to my office I had absolutely nothing to do. Then it crossed my mind that Katie hadn't called me all day. So much for a best friend huh? I pulled out my phone and dialed her number.

"Hey it's Katie with the 'K'. I think I'm shopping or tanning my skin somewhere in Florida. Just leave me a message right about.......... now."

The beeping sound after her voicemail causes me to curse under my breath. I wondered what she was doing. For the next four hours,Mr Marcello didn't come back and I couldn't care less. I wouldn't mind him working from somewhere else. My the time 6pm clicked,I started shoving my phone into my bag to leave when Trevor appeared.

"Hey,Trevor. I didn't see you all day"

"Yeah,just came back from someplace down town,"he smiled "are you getting ready to leave?"

"Yeah"I Stand up and strapped my bag over one shoulder.

"I'm actually leaving myself,do you mind if I drop you off?"

"Ah....,'the offer had taken me by surprise,I didn't know what to say for the next second except to blow out the air which threatened to hold my words back."sure,"I nod.

"Alright" he turns around and I followed suit into the elevator. We got down to the garage somewhere inside the building. His car is a dark blue sports car,spotless and looking new. He ushered me in before sitting in himself,throwing me a quick smile before driving out onto the streets. He glances at me once we fit into the road and asked "so how was your lunch with the boss?"

"Um....." I didn't know if to tell him that I totally hated it and that he made me super uncomfortable in my own skin or just......"it went fine" I lied anyways.

He just nods "that's good. Where's your street?"

"27th Avenue,fifth apartment estate"

"Oww'Kay"

He drives up in front of my apartment lawn and waved me goodbye before I walked in.

I took the elevator to my floor and stepped down in front of my apartment room. The moment I pulled the door open,I nearly jumped out of my skin as two hands grabbed me and jerked me further inside,accompanied by a festive yelling.

"Who was that,Ashley?!,"she finally lets go of me after successfully dragging me to the center of the sitting room,causing me to frown. "I did not see his fave,Ash but I can tell he's handsome! First day at work and some rich guy I already dropping you off? Damn,girl,I said damn!"

My eyes glance over to Luca who sat on TB couch. He shrugs at me before I looked back at Katie's questioning eyes.

"Katie,I've had a pretty long day today"I said tiredly,running my palm over my forehead for effect.

"Yes,yes,it's normal to feel that way! I made spaghetti for you!"

I give her a questioning brow "when did you start cooking,Kay?"

"I joined an online cooking class"

"You what?!!! For how much? If it is not free,God help the two of you,I'll skin you two alive"

"Why the two of us. I tried talking her out of it"Luca defended himself.

"Don't worry,Ash,"Katie said "my dad is paying for it"

oh his poor dad. She's always robbing him off money to engaged in series of stupid things. First she robbed him off money to join some yoga class,then more money to learn in a fashion class,then to put up a flower garden,then to take a clown class - I mean,who takes a clown class?- and now a cooking class?

I seriously couldn't stand Katie right now. I walk past her,feeling suddenly feverish and she doesn't stop me. Today had been so far one of the worst days of my life and I had this feeling that it was gonna get worse than better.

Previous Chapter
Next Chapter