As soon as the elevator door closed, a hand landed on my shoulder causing me to half scream. I turned around only to see the lady from before staring at me with a confused look.
"Are you okay?" She asked and I nodded.
I lied. She nearly gave me a heart attack with that surprise approach.
"I'm sorry I left you standing, something urgent came up... please, come with me to see the boss" she turned and we both walked back into the office.
We got in and I carefully closed the door behind. There he was, the boss sitting behind his desk looking so dull and moody.
"Sir!" She greeted and said nothing after what.
His eyes fell on me and I shivered in fear. I understand what I first encountered wasn't the best but I've done nothing to deserve such a glare.
"What's your name?" I heard him ask but I was too lost in my head and scared to talk, I just stood there and stared back at him.
"Are you deaf or something little man?" He growled and I snapped out of my head.
"Brian Carter!" Then, I remember I told him my name earlier.
Does he have memory lost or is he getting old?
He turned to the girl and nodded, without a word, she excused herself leaving only me and the moody boss in the room.
I stood there, unmoved and just watched him stare back at me.
"Sit!"
I moved and sat on the sofa, steady with manly posture as I tried to keep a face. He threw a closed file at me all of a sudden, I wasn't ready but I acted fast as my instinct could lead me but no matter how much I tried to catch it, I couldn't.
It ended up falling on the floor and the papers inside scattered everywhere on the floor.
"You have to be fast, act like a vibrant man that you are" He roared, certainly displeased I couldn't handle such a small task
"I'm sorry,sir!" I quickly apologized and began picking up the papers one after the other. I went back to my seat, I did my best to arrange the file as it was.
"Go, give that to the Manager of human resources and when coming back, get me a cup of coffee" He ordered.
I got off my seat and left immediately. I didn't know who the manager of human resources was but I have to try. As soon as the elevator door opened, I spotted one of two of the ladies chitchatting again in a corner and I wondered if they really had no work to do or they were just being paid to gossip.
I approached them and cleared my throat, they turned to me with a forced smile on their faces.
"Sorry to interrupt you.. discussion but I'm looking for the office of the manager of human resources" I waited for them to speak.
"Right...just the door at the end of the room" one of them pointed, I followed the direction of her hand and saw the door.
"Thank you" I turn and leave. I'm pretty sure I will be the next person they'll start talking about but I don't care.
After I handed the document to the HR manager, I went ahead to make the coffee. Then realization hit me that I don't know how the boss likes his coffee and I never bothered asking.
I grunt in frustration, the urge to run my hand through my hair was there but I held myself back, I can't dare to spoil what I spent hours fixing.
I grabbed the tea cup, walked to the coffee machine and began making the coffee. I'll just go with black coffee with moderate sugar. That's the basic and most common way people like their coffee, especially old people.
Even though my boss wasn't old, he acts like an old man and what's the difference? Nothing, he can be compatible with my grandpa when it comes to character.
I carried the coffee back to the elevator. It was hot, and the small tea tray wasn't helping. I sighed when the elevator door opened and I could walk out.
As I stepped out of the elevator, I was so focused on holding the coffee well that I didn't notice my step and I bumped into the elevator door and the coffee poured all on me, straining my shirt
And just like that, I ruined everything.
I stood there, frozen, the burn of the coffee on me together with the fact I stained my office suit weighing down on me. I wanted to cry, that's the best of what I do but I can't.
Without a word, I walked back to the boss's office. His eyes landed on me the moment the door opened and he asked
"Where is my coffee?"
I beat my inner lips so as not to say anything bad, I walked and placed the cup with less than half of the coffee in it.
"I'm sorry, but it fell on me on the way"
He frowned, his eyes a dagger on my flesh.
"And the file?"
I snapped, my head cleared instantly of everything that was disturbing me.
"I handed it to the HR manager " my voice was faint, almost like it wasn't there.
He growled in frustration and anger, “Do you even listen when I talk, or are you just pretending to have a brain in that head of yours?”
My brows furrowed at him, "sir?" I don't understand what he's on and off about.
"I asked you to take the file to the HR manager so he can sign and you bring it back to me" he emphasized in his words.
Wait! Did he say that? I am certain he didn't say this part. All he said was I should get the file to the HR and get him a coffee on my way back.
"I'm sorry, sir, but I guess I didn't get that part" I mumbled, twisting my fingers.
"Are you stupid or something?" He asked and I gritted my teeth.
I couldn't just stand and watch him call me stupid when obviously I'm not.
"I'm new sir, not stupid " I muttered before I could stop myself. His brow arched, and for a second he smiled...I swear, I saw it.
"You've got the nerve " he nodded and leaned back on his seat, "what's your name again, little man?"
I trembled, afraid he would fire me. But still, I didn't waver, I held his gaze, hard and steady like my Grandpa's daughter I am.
He asked for my name? Well I wish I could tell him my real name. The name that comes with status, pride and wealth. The name many girls wish they had and my position, unmatched and unbeatable in this city and world at large.
BIANCA MCKENZIE, the one and only most beloved and dotted granddaughter of JOSH MCKENZIE, the king and ruler of the business world and most feared and respected.
I'm prideful, have lots of ego and my sense of respect is poor but standing here, I have to put everything aside and be the person I've made myself to be.
I have to forget about who I am, turn my back to the bigger me and go back to ground level if I want to earn my new life.
I don't want to be a girl who got her name thanks to her grandpa and is now living off wealth she never worked for. I want to know how it feels to work, to earn money genuinely and not be favoured because of who I am.
And in doing so, I need to put myself on the floor and be everyone's shoe wipe.
I lowered my head, realizing it is not Bianca Mckenzie that's standing before Mr Justin Miller, it was the ordinary Brian Carter, the person I created. And this Brian can't survive if he lets Bianca's pride get to him.
"Brian Carter, sir" I murmured and he nodded.
"I will choose you because you are new" he pulled open the drawer and threw a clean shirt in a sealed plastic bag at me. And I quickly catch it.
It seems like he's so used to throwing things. Is this the way he treated his previous PAs or is it just me he's been mean to? But his next words made me wonder if his hate for me has vanished or is it just in my head?
“You’ve got fi
ve minutes to fix yourself and act like my assistant. Fail again, and I’ll replace you faster than your coffee cooled.”
