Cassie’s POV
Hold, please!"
I hurried into the elevator, jabbing the button for the fourth floor over and over until the doors finally closed. I let out a long breath, trying to balance the hot coffee I grabbed from Lola’s Cafe on my way to work and my handbag that was gradually slipping off my shoulder. I really thought I wasn’t going to make it on time.
The elevator dinged as it hit the fourth floor, and I straightened my skirt, checking my reflection one more time in the polished metal doors. High bun, glasses. Perfect disguise. He wouldn’t have a clue I was his date from last night.
I checked my phone as I walked into the hallway. 8:30am. Perfect timing.
I headed to Mr. Blackwood’s office, but it was locked. So I sat down on the long bench outside still holding the coffee like it was a trophy, waiting patiently for him to arrive.
A deep, husky voice broke the silence behind me. "Who are you?"
As I turned to see who was behind me, the cup slipped from my hand, as the hot coffee fell in slow motion, splattering on my shirt leaving a round stain my boobs area, then the floor and the little finding it’s way to his shoe, well polished expensive shoe probably worth my five months salary.
Fuck. I murmured. I just got that shirt!
He was just standing there with coffee in one hand, bag in the other. He wore an expensive-looking dark suit, styled so perfectly it looked made just for him. He had an intimidating eye that I probably didn’t notice last night, he looked more muscular. He was still standing there, waiting for my answer.
"I’m sorry! Sir." I tried coming close to clean the little drop of the coffee on his shoe, but he moved backward seeing me coming close.
"I asked who are you?"
"I’m your new personal assistant , sir."
He stared at me a bit too long, then his gaze went down to my chest, looking back up.
"Your name?"
"Cassie Hayes."
"So Cassie are you that slow that you can’t hold a cup of coffee properly." He continued. "Is this how you intend to work for me?"
"No sir, it was just a mistake." I mumbled, with my head faced down.
"Well, it’s a very costly mistake. Do you know how much this shoe cost?"
I couldn’t say anything, I was still in shocked and hurt from the temperature of the coffee.
"You know what! Call the cleaner, then you take your stuffs and leave here!"
Wait, did I just get fired? Not even up to ten minutes I met my boss I got fired?
"I’m sorry sir." I fell on my knees immediately. "I made a mistake, I promise I’m not like this." Almost letting out a tear.
"Do you want me to call security for you?"
"No sir, Please don’t. I really need this job, I promise I’ll do whatever you want me to. I just need one more chance, I won’t let you down."
He glanced at me. "Call the cleaner to take care of this mess you did, fix yourself and that nipples of yours popping out from your shirt then you come to my office."
"Thank you Sir, thank you!" I quickly stood up with my hand over my tits, I forgot my shirt is soaking wet and I was only wearing a light singlet inside my shirt.
I quickly took my bag from the bench and headed for the bathroom. I stared at the mirror, how can I be so clumsy! I just got this shirt not up to a week ago.
I took out the tissue paper on the counter, trying to remove the stain of the coffee on my shirt. As I was scrubbing it hardly to remove the stain almost in tears, a voice interrupted.
"What’re you doing?"
An elegant looking lady walking toward me. "Is that a stain?" She only looked at me once and pulled out her lipstick, applying it while her gaze were fixed on her reflection.
"You know that’s not gonna work." She murmured, barely looking at me.
I dropped the damp tissue paper on the counter. "This is horrible, I can’t go to Mr. Blackwood’s office looking like this."
"Mr. Blackwood?" She stopped halfway, turning toward me, she leaned on the counter focusing on me.
"Yes, I’m his new personal assistant, that’s if I don’t get fired again." I muttered.
"Girl, you can’t go to his office looking like this, you’ll be smuggled out." Her eyes went up then down at me. "Well, it’s your lucky day I’ve a spare corporate gown with me and I think it will fit perfectly."
She pulled out a well ironed gown from her bag, handing it over to me. "You can change into it inside the bathroom stall."
"Thank you, thank you." I responded excitedly, heading to the bathroom to wear it.
Five minutes later, I came out of the bathroom. Her eyes travelled from my head to my toe, then up again. "You look gorgeous, it fits perfectly."
"It’s really nice." Staring at myself at the mirror, it looked like it was made specifically for me. "Thanks, again."
"You’re welcome, you can return it tomorrow."
"Definitely, I will." Still looking at how it fits in the mirror. "By the way, I’m Cassie."
"Cecelia, but I go by CeCe. Head of PR."
"Oh, that’s really nice."
"If you’d ask me for a piece of advice for your new role, I’d say be careful everyone that worked for him didn’t leave the same way they came." She took her bag and left me standing alone in the bathroom.
How can she throw a bomb and just leave me like that, no explanation. Nothing, is he that bad?
I was standing at the front of his office trying to stable my breathing.
"Do you intend standing there forever you may as well as walk away?" His dark voice blurted out from the office.
I pushed the door opened, stepped into his office. The air felt different, very large, expensively furnished. The wall of the window behind him offered a stunning view of the city.
I almost startled at the huge portrait of him on the wall. It looked so intimidating, he acts so different. Same face but different personality.
His gaze was fixed on his computer, like I didn’t exist. "Thank you sir, for giving me a chance."
He slowly lifted his gaze up, for a moment it seemed like he was looking at me but not with his cold eyes, something softer before a twinkle of an eye he switched.
"You have just one week to prove yourself worthy, else you’d be fired permanently."
I just stood there nodding my head, rubbing my hands together.
"Did the HR tell you everything you need to know about this work or do I need to?"
"She did." I responded calmly, slowly bowing my head down, he has his eyes fixed on me and I trying to not get caught in my web of lies.
"Say them." Focusing on the computer in front of him.
"Sorry, but I didn’t really get you."
"Repeat the rules she gave you." He said scornfully.
"Be in the office before 9am, always get coffee and your table should be properly set before you come in, always book a lunch reservation at Maison Noir every afternoon."
Silence settled between us, I didn’t know if I should alert him I was done or just stand there like a status waiting for him to remember he was with a human being.
"I’m done, Sir." I blurted out.
Raising his gaze at me, "just that?" He looked at me almost disappointed. "I don’t have time to waste so I’ll give you the rules myself, this is the last time I’ll talk to you about it."
"Okay sir, let me get a book and pen to write them."
He looked at me like I was a just a waste of his time.
"Can’t your brain carry them?" He responded coldly. I just stood there imagining why I even bothered talking to him.
I was trying to show interest. There is literally no pleasing this man.
"First and foremost, you should be in the office by 8:30am. Anything more than that is considered late even if it’s just one minute."
This man is so impossible, is this really the man I was tripping over yesterday?
"Then, my coffee. You’re getting my coffee at Lola’s Cafe every morning. It must be strong, black and no sugar. Emphasis on "No Sugar."
By this time, his gaze was already on me, looking at me with my cold eyes while I try to hide my face.
Does he remember me? Is that why he’s been rude to me? Probably he wants to punish me before handing me over to the cops.
"Are you still with me?" Snapping his finger towards me.
"Ye...s Sir." I stammered, still lowering my head down.
"My desk must be properly arranged with the files I need for the day, neatly placed and make sure I never run out of this complementary sweet."
"Ensure to keep my calendar up to date, my emails filtered and files sorted out."
"You will always refer to me as Mr. Blackwood."
"Book my lunch every afternoon at Maison Noir. Don’t miss it because their slots are easily filled."
Maison Noir, it was never met for poor people even the average. The cost of food there can buy me food at the regular for at least a month. He doesn’t eat anywhere else. Ugh.
"Lastly, ensure your hair is always in bun. If I ever see your hair down, just know you’re fired."
He adjusted his sitting position, probably proud of himself for all the list he had bombarded me with.
"Your office is this one facing my office." I turned, it was directly opposite his, he can see me from his office through the transparent glass wall separating the two offices.
"You can go now." Gesturing his hand, asking me to leave.
I sank into the chair and let out a deep breath. I’ve had a hell of a day and it’s only 10am, I still have eight hours to stay here.
Why was he acting so strange? Had he recognized me after all — and was this him punishing me for lying?
I glanced at him through the glass wall separating his office from mine. I couldn’t help it but is this the man I was really tripping over? This rude sadistic man.
He was completely absorbed in his computer, like I didn’t exist at all.
I don’t think I’m going to last here. One week? Was he actually testing me for one week, or was that just something he said to scare me? Maybe I could manage it. The pay was tempting enough to at least try.
(Phone buzzed.)
The sound snapped me out of it. "Hello, Mr. Blackwood’s office. How may I help you?"
"By not staring at me during work hours." His voice cut through the receiver, flat and immediate. "Come to my office. Now."
I looked up — and there he was, watching me through the glass, like he’d caught me red-handed. Oh God. I pushed myself up and walked straight into his office.
"You sent for me. Sir."
"Yes." He didn’t even glance up. "Since you clearly have so little to do that watching me qualifies as work, here." He gestured at a stack of files that had to be at least five feet tall. "Sort them."
I groaned internally. I should’ve just kept my eyes to myself.
I hauled the files back to my office in stages, one heavy armful at a time, and by the last trip I was sweating like I’d run an actual marathon.
"When you’re done," he added, not looking up, "close the blinds on your side. So you’re not tempted to make watching me your full-time job."
"Yes, sir." I barely got the words out.
I dropped into my chair the second the last stack hit my desk, and slowly pulled the blinds shut, wondering just how far his particular brand of evil actually went.