A Wife for the Billionaire
Chapter 136: SOFIA

Chapter 136: SOFIA

One thing kept me moving as I dashed out of the room, ignoring Emily’s screams that my hair wasn’t perfect yet.

Honestly I couldn’t care any less. I was already looking ridiculously as a senile secretary, or why not finish the prop with a disheveled hairdo?

One thing and only one thing mattered.

I couldn’t have Richard waiting for me. I couldn’t let him think he came before me. There was still the issue of last night, and I wasn’t going to add tardiness to it.

Technically I wasn’t late, a few minutes remained before 8 o’clock, but he wouldn’t care about that. Alicia had been irritably right, I had to always be here before him.

I caught a glimpse of him before the doors kissed shut. Thankfully he didn’t see me. I dashed for the other elevator and life in one of those rare moments it was too busy dealing with another to pay me any heed, the elevator was empty.

I hastily entered and punched the up button like a maniac. His was already moving before mine began. I bounced from foot to foot willing mine to go faster while praying that his would experience a technical problem and stop moving.

It didn’t though. By the time I exited from mine, he was almost at his office. Silently and hastily, I followed. Vera wasn’t at her desk, which was a surprise. I thought she would always strive to be here before her boss. Or maybe he had fired her, so that I would not only be his personal assistant, but his secretary as well, I wouldn’t put it past him.

"Good morning" I greeted, as he reached for the biometric scan by the side of his door.

He jumped at the sound, his case falling from his hand.

"For fuck’s sake!" He exasperated, reaching for his case.

"I didn’t mean to startle you, I just wanted to surprise you that was why I snuck up on you" I offered, beating him to lifting his case.

He opened his mouth to say something, and from the look on his face, it wasn’t going to be nice. But then, the weirdest thing happened, he smoothened his face, smiled and said,

"Thank you" taking the leather case from me.

"Excuse me?" I blurted before I could help myself.

"What?" He asked, still smiling.

I didn’t know what was more surprising, his smile or the sudden shift in attitude. I found it all very disconcerting, to say the least.

"I never thought I would hear those words from you, that’s all" I said, taking a step back.

His smile stretched, and it scared me because it wasn’t just a smile. It felt like the grin of that cat in Alice in Wonderland. It didn’t reach his eyes.

"I’m just in a good mood, that’s all. Shall we?"

I didn’t believe it one bit, but I followed him as he entered his office.

I was surprised to see that there were blinds where glasses had been. He walked to his desk, and pressed a button on his telephone panel and the blinds began lifting. Slowly until they disappeared at the top of the glass walls.

"You seem odd, what is it?" He asked, drawing my eyes away from the beauty of the morning sun reflected on the glass buildings just like the one we stood in.

"Excuse me?"

"That’s the second time you are saying that today, like I said odd" he said, sitting down.

"Odd?" I repeated, "you are one to ask that when you are the one being odd, weird even and for your information, I don’t buy the whole being in a good mood crap. It’s bull."

"How?" he mused, his head tilted sideways, with his fingers cupping his jaw and his index on his cheek.

"What do you mean by how?" I asked back.

"I mean how am I being weird?" He replied, crossing his legs. His face bearing amusement.

"That right there" I accused, pointing at him, "the Richard I know will never answer my question that meekly, nor would he be found dead with a ’thank you’ note talk more of voicing the actual words. He wouldn’t let what I did last night slide and don’t even get me started on the smiles"

Leaning forward, he asked,

"So you agree that what you did was wrong?"

"I... um, well not necessarily, but that’s not the point. The point is that this act of yours, I’m not buying it"

"Admitting a wrong shouldn’t be so hard, but people make it seem like a herculean task" was all he said, to my irritation.

"And how many times have you admitted a wrong?" I spat.

"Is that what we are going to talk about or are you going to finish what you couldn’t yesterday?" He said, providing the slips from under the stack of books meticulously arranged on his desk.

I didn’t know what to do or how to respond to that, even though I was pissed at how he dismissed my question.

"Well?" He intoned, when I didn’t say a word or take a step towards the slips.

"What’s the purpose of an NDA when everyone would soon know that I’m your personal assistant?" I asked, even though I already knew the answer.

"And she calls me odd" he muttered to himself, but his volume depicted that he had intended for me to hear.

"Forget it" I said, walking to take a seat.

"No, let me indulge you" he said, "who knows you might have forgotten. This", he pointed at the slips, "has nothing to do with your position as my PA, but more to do with your involvement with the selection process, hope you understand now or better still reread the contract"

I glared at him. But it was my fault that he was talking to me like I was dumb, I had asked a dumb question and I couldn’t fault him if he answered as if I was dumb.

Not giving him the satisfaction of seeming any dumber, I signed the contract without rereading it. And pushed it towards him.

He smiled as he collected the document. The smile of a villain who knows that his victim was trapped.

I couldn’t shake out the feeling that I had doomed myself already.

Someone knocked.

"Good morning Sir, sorry I’m late. I didn’t think you’d come in today" Vera said, as she let herself in.

"How nice of you to show up. I’m sure you remember Sofia, she’s to be my personal assistant, you will help her set up her desk over there, just by the door"

"But Sir, I thought I covered that position and of all persons, why her?" Vera whined, tugging at her coat to shield what she was wearing underneath.

She thought I was reading her. I didn’t blame her though.

"You cover what exactly when you show up to work ten minutes late?" He asked, "That it is Saturday and not a work day doesn’t even count for an excuse. Now, when was the last time you picked up my laundry, followed me to meetings, or even stood by my side for the duration of the meeting? It’s clear you don’t understand both jobs, perhaps with Sofia here, that will be clarified. Now, Sofia, where were we?"

Vera glowered, throwing me a grimace and grumbling as she left.

"You can’t possibly mean that I will be working in the same room as you?" I asked him, as the door shut behind Vera.

"Well, I will be needing you close to me, wouldn’t I as my personal assistant, and besides don’t all personal assistants stay close to their boss? Most don’t even get a desk, they just stand and flank their boss while doing all they are asked and might I add, without objections. Just be lucky you get a desk, if not the idea of you flanking me doesn’t sound so bad"

"But..." I tried to say.

"Uh uh, no objections" he cut in, waving his index in emphasis.

God, I hated him. I was only trying to point out to him that I would be happy taking Vera’s desk while she worked inside with him since she’s obviously smitten by him, but the prick won’t even let me talk.

But that had never stopped me before.

"And what if I tell you that I prefer taking Vera’s desk, she can stay in here with you"

"Not a chance, besides you are bound to me now. You are legally obligated to do as I say if you want your brand, or don’t you want that anymore or have you forgotten Article 4, subsection 3?"

Before I could answer, he said, taking the slips from where it laid on his desk,

"I think you’ve forgotten, so here’s a reminder," clearing his throat, which was just to spite me, he read,

"The Employer agrees to fully compensate the Employee with her demand of starting up her brand so long as she meets his demands to the latter. To the latter," he repeated for emphasis, "I do hope you know what that means?"

"Of course, I do," I replied immediately.

For my brand, for my dream, for my past, for the truth, I was willing to do anything, even sit and tolerate his prideful ass for 6 months. I would gladly endure it, because at the end I know the reward would be worth it.