First Day

Today is Bella's first day at the office as an employee. She was late yesterday so she doesn't want to make the same mistake again today. She still can't believe she got the job even after being so late at the interview. She honestly messed up. Maybe her manifestations are working after all. I wish I could tell him why I was so late. She sighs while washing her hair. After coming out of the shower, she puts on her black turtleneck dress. She curls her red hair on the edges slightly and puts on some makeup for the office look. She hopes everything goes well today.

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Asher wakes up feeling the same tension inside his head again. He keeps having these weird dreams these days where he'd see his wife cheating on him with some random guys. He looks beside to see his wife sleeping peacefully next to his body. But her sweet face gives him anxieties. He always feels like she's not happy with him. She's only there because of his money and position...and it's not his fault because her actions are questionable sometimes. He removes her hand gently and goes to the kitchen to brew his morning coffee. Even though they have several maids at home, he still likes to do his things on his own. While brewing the coffee, he remembers the redhead girl from yesterday, Bella, Bella Jones. Something about her has awestrucked him from the moment he looked into her eyes. She has an interesting, quite unique personality. Her answers to his questions at the interview have made him more puzzled. That girl completely lives in delusion and he can't wait to break her dreamland. He likes challenges. And that's why he decided to give her the job. He's going to give her so much pressure that she won't get time to live for her passion. She got this job the moment she said he was wrong. Nobody has ever been able to prove him wrong. And there's a reason for that.

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"May I come in sir?" Bella smiles knocking on the door and Asher looks up from his laptop.

"Again late today?" He asks coldly still looking at the screen. Bella can't help but shiver hearing his deep voice. He's so intimidating.

"But sir, I think I'm on the right time. I was told that office starts at 9 a.m." She says trying to sound confident.

"If you're the PA then you need to come at least fifteen minutes before your boss. You need to make schedules for me. Has no one ever taught you that?"

"Apparently no. Because I'm new at this. But don't worry i'll learn everything quickly," She smiles nervously.

"If I had to teach you these things then I would've opened a school, not a company."

"Did you fight with your wife today?" She asks him being irritated. Shit. Out of nowhere...

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that," He frowns.

"I'm sorry," She gulps down and Asher gives her a look. He then calls Nick and asks him to show Bella her desk and teach her everything about the office and rules. He's surprised that he hasn't given her the termination letter already.

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"Is he always grumpy?" Bella whispers to Nick as he shows her around the office.

"Depends on how much have you seen so far," He laughs.

"He's really intimidating."

"Yeah that he is," Nick confirms.

"I'm really scared because it's my first job. I thought he'd pick me as an intern but he offered me the PA's position and I don't know shit about this."

"Wait. This is your first job? It's really unlikely for him to choose someone inexperienced as his PA."

"Now I'm really confused," Bella sighs.

"Hey don't worry. I'm here, I'll help you out with everything," He smiles.

"Thank you... I just realized that we haven't introduced ourselves yet," She laughs, "I'm Bella Jones."

"Hey that's interesting. I'm Nick Jones," He says and she looks at him with surprised face.

"So we'll be like Jones squared?"

"Ha I love your sense of humor already."

They both burst out into laughters.

After looking around the whole office, they come to Bella's desk. It's just beside Asher's office room. She looks over the interior designs. She loves the exquisite design.

"So here are the rules," Nick starts to talk about them.

- Don't be late. He hates it when people are late at the work.

- Since you're his PA, be here before he comes to the office. Make sure to keep his schedules correctly.

-Never question his decisions.

-No personal discussion.

-Maintain the dress code.

-If you decide to skip the office for a day, it'll affect your salary.

-Be nice to everyone.

-Don't engage into gossips and dramas.

-You need to make arrangements for his personal events as well.

"Yeah that's all. Please abide by them or else you'll get the termination letter as soon as possible," He says and Bella nods nervously. She has already broken half of these rules but she's still in the job. Maybe he's giving her a chance because it's her first day. He's so generous for this. After teaching her about everything, Nick goes to his office. Bella composes herself and reads the rules again and again. She needs to give her best in this job.

During the lunch hour, Asher rings for Bella and she comes at his office immediately.

"Yes sir? Should I bring your lunch?" She asks him.

"Do you know where that is?" He lifts up his eyebrows, "My wife brings them everyday. But she hasn't come yet. She isn't picking up the calls either."

"Should I bring you something from the office canteen?"

"No I don't eat junk foods." Then what the fuck am I supposed to do? Bella whispers inside her head.

"Okay sir I'll see what can I do," She fakes a polite smile and leaves the office.

Almost half an hour later, when the break is over, Bella comes back to his office with food container.

"Sir, here's your food from home. I managed to contact your driver. He brought this," She breathes out. Asher looks at her with an intense stare.

"Keep it," He says calmly.

Bella keeps the container down and turns around to go to her office. But he calls her from behind.

"Wait," He says and she looks back, "Did you have lunch?"

"...No."

"The break is over."

"Yeah I know. I'm going to my office to work. Did you think I was going to canteen to eat now?" Bella can't help but roll her eyes at him. This man really hits her nerves sometimes.

"But you should eat something."

"I should but I can't."

"Sit down," He orders.

"What?" Bella snaps her head.

"Sit down and have the lunch with me."

"Well. Wow. No it's fine. I'm not hungry."

"I didn't ask you. It's my order."

"But isn't that unprofessional?"

"It's my office. I'll see about that."

Bella looks at him in disbelief. He's really being serious right now. She doesn't want to lose her job so she decides to keep quiet like a sweet girl and eat the homemade food. Asher gets up from his chair and comes to the couch. He opens the container and serves her half portion of the food. She looks around his office nervously while he does so.

"Eat," He says while taking his plate.

"Thanks," She says as she takes the plate.

She looks at the food and it looks so pale that it takes away her appetite. But she doesn't have a choice, does she? She starts to eat the food silently.

"Wow that tastes awful," She says taking the first bite. Shit did I just say that out loud?

Asher looks at her with a knowing stare and she gulps down.

"It's called healthy food. Not everything is going to taste like your favorite junk foods," He says.

"Who told you junk foods are my favourite? I love homemade healthy foods too but trust me when I say this tastes bad."

"It tastes delicious to me."

"That's because your wife cooked it." Bella don't go so far. You'll end up being in trouble.

"My wife didn't cook this. It's the maids."

"Oh so that's why..."

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I'll bring the lunch for us tomorrow and then you tell me which one tastes better."

"Ridiculous. You don't need to bring food for me."

"Are you scared of losing?"

"I never lose."

"Then let me bring the lunch tomorrow and prove yourself right."

"Fine. But only for tomorrow."

"I haven't said otherwise," She rolls her eyes.

"Good."

"So friends?" Bella shifts her hand towards him and he looks at her like she has grown two heads.

"I'm your boss..."

"Not during the lunch time please."

"I've never seen someone as unhinged as you," He sighs, "Act professional."

"Sorry..."

"When is my next meeting?"

"About in two hours, Sir."

"Fine. You may leave after that," He says, "And yeah my wife wants to hang out with her friends today so make a reservation for her."

"Okay Sir." Typical trophy wives...

Asher raises his eyebrows noticing her dull behavior again. He was waiting for a comeback where she'd say that she is only his PA, why would she work for his wife. But she seems easily defeated. Maybe breaking her will be easy after all.

After finishing the food, Bella gets up from the couch to go back to work.

"And listen," He speaks up and she stops, "Only during the lunch break." He says and her eyes lit up. So he agreed to be friends with her?

"Thanks, oh my God," Her cheeks blush up and she smiles cheekily at him. Asher feels a weird sensation inside his stomach while watching her smile like that. He looks away uncomfortably. Why did he agree to do this?

"And uh. Also, bring me a coffee every morning from that regular shop of yours."

"Sure blondie- sorry...Sir."

"What did you call me?"

"No-nothing eh my pronunciation sucks sometimes."

"Call me Asher."

"Okay Sir...Asher," She mumbles being nervous.

"You may leave now."

She nods and leaves his office room being flustered. Why do you have to be so clumsy all the time? She puts her hands on the face feeling embarrassed.

Asher watches her go away with an amusement in his eyes. And for the first time in few years he does one thing...

He chuckles. Genuinely.