Chapter Two

Chapter Two.

Anastasia's POV.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

I tell myself this, as soon as I drive to my destination. The traffic has delayed me, which I didn't calculate would happen, but I'm here now, and I'm late by more than ten minutes and I can't help but be intimidated when I get out of the car and was faced with the tall building of the Eclipse publishing company.

Oh, did I forget to mention that? Jeez. I resolve back to my calming mantra as my hands straightens my clothes. I can do this: I tell myself inwardly.

Shit! You're getting late the more. Pull your shit together. My subconscious is dramatically screaming from the inside, and before she won't stop screaming now, I take my first step towards the building.

It looks like its tallness reaches heaven. My eyes hurt when I try to see if I can see the end. Back to the important thing, I walk into the building and are faced by a blonde woman behind the registry counter.

Not that I don't see other people, stuffing the space, but I'm eyes are fixated on what I have to get done to attain this job. A smile sweeps up my face on getting near her.

She returns one to me, which I'm guessing is just an etiquette. Regardless, it is inviting and calming.

"Hello, morning. My name is Anastasia Sanusi. I'm here for an appointment with Mr Nicholas." I say to her and raise up my face, plainly acting that as she watches me, it doesn't intimidate.

"Oh, I will check that." Her smile doesn't fade even when she dropped her gaze to the computer at the other side of the counter.

"Oh, that's right. Please, come with me." She tells me as she moves from behind the booth and leads me to the glassy door by the left. "Walk to the very end of the room, Miss Sanusi, where you'll see an elevator. Please, take it to the third floor. You'll see another secretary there." And I guess I'll have to tell the other secretary all I've told this beautiful blonde lady again.

"Oh, thanks." I am quick to respond, realizing I'm delaying. She gives me a slight nod and goes back to her post. I don't find it hard to locate her direction and in a few minutes, I'm on the third floor.

My sight, fixating on the 'another secretary', her words, I walk towards her and tell her I have an appointment with Mr Nicholas.

Her smile drops a little when she looks at me again, "unfortunately, Miss Sanusi, a reconsideration to that appointment ended seven minutes ago." She tells.

Tell me you didn't get the job offer because you got there late without telling me that you got there late: says my inner voice, teasing in this critical situation.

"Oh, um, and can there be no rescheduling?"

She shakes her head in a firm no to tell me that. "I'm sorry, Miss Sanusi." Well, at least, she's still been nice and that's making this hurt a little. Plus, less humiliating.

"Um, thanks." Not knowing how to act, I get myself together but just as I turn to the elevator's direction, it dings, the door opening and a figure exit it.

Wait, that face is familiar. I find it hard to recall quite fast, which I'm definitely blaming on me getting fired indirectly without having even started the job.

"Anastasia." Says with a feminine voice, the figure that exited the elevator. She giggles as she makes her way to me.

Just then, my eyes flares and I realize who it is, but wait again...you have got to be kidding me. Miss Buchanan is also blonde? What is with Mr Nicholas and blondes in his workspace?

"Miss Buchanan?" I ask rhetorically, regardless, she nods at her the call of her name.

"In the flesh." She grins, but then, the sides of her eyes crinkles, "you know, it's funny how I didn't see you before..." All of a sudden, she halts, getting the drill. "Come with me. As your consultant and one of my outperforming selectee, I am not giving up on you now." When she finishes her words with that, my mouth gapes, not knowing what to say.

I feel I should say something and so, "thanks," should likely do. By the way, I wasn't expecting that she would select me. Well, in the last few weeks that she was appointed to be my new consultant to help me in understanding how things work, we rolled quite fondly of each other. Although, I think she shouldn't have told me that she has a favourite selectee, since she isn't meant to, but then again, she must have trusted me.

She looks at the number two blonde lady, who gets what it means and comes to take my coat. I say a small-voiced "thanks," to her, which she grins to.

Miss Buchanan and I enter into another elevator and in few minutes later, I'm in floor twenty-two. While it last, Miss Buchanan told me that the floors are exactly forty in numbers.

One thing I'm glad about and that's helped me calm my nerves is the fact that she's friendly in person. I mean, we've chatted quite a bit on mails, but meeting for the first time, seeing her not change her attitude anyway, it's inviting.

"Pardon me, Miss Buchanan, I was told earlier that my appointment with the CEO has been cancelled, is that true?" Regardless of anything, I think I should ask.

She releases a comforting smile, "oddly, yes, but there is a but." Okay, I don't understand that. "And you can call me Olivia." I nod, impassive.

I don't ask further questions too.

She leads me through the linear way till we pass an office, then to the one at the far end of the room. She stops when we get to the entrance.

"Here we are."

What? Where are we?

"Where is here?"

"Your interview starts now. I hope you get the job." Finishing saying, she didn't even let me respond. She opens the fancy door.

My eyes rove the inside. Wow. It's so sparkling and beautiful. I mean, everywhere in here has been that attribute, but there are lots of portraits on the western part of the wall.

"Anastasia." Calls Olivia.

Jeez!

I haven't entered.

Hurriedly, my legs move and I almost trip on my way in but fortunately, I catch myself and breed a smile at the...two men inside the room.

There's Mr Nicholas behind his office desk, on his feet, his eyes peering at me...with concern? For some reason, I think he is concerned about me almost falling on my face earlier.

I catch him pull down his suit shirt and retake his seat on the black leather chair, before my sight shifts to the other person opposite to him, at the other side of the desk.

I don't recognize him. He's got a dark blonde hair that aligns with his dark brown suit coat on an inner grey lounge shirt. His features are sharp, bringing out such handsomeness I find myself having to snatch my eyes away from. I feel like he would hypnotize me, such as Mr Nicholas's eyes has.

"Miss Sanusi, please take a seat." Says Mr Nicholas in a concise tone. I do so quickly with a soft "thank you," coming from me.

He continues to talk, "do you realize that your appointment with me had ended minutes ago?"

"I'm deeply sorry for that."

"No need," says the other man, sitting next to me. Who is he, by the way?

A lump forms in my throat and I have a hard time swallowing it. My breathing hitches now and then.

"Oh, are you going to tell me what to do with my selectees now, Hillary?" Ask Mr Nicholas, his question directed to the other man, who is now a Hillary.

He rolls his eyes at Mr Nicholas and suddenly, my brain ticks at the manner they talk at each other. This is Hillary next to me, Mr Nicholas's best friend. Even, because of their tight friendship, the media does think they both founded the Eclipse publishing company. Anyway, that's not the main focus at the moment.

"Well, since you would like to talk in place, why don't you question her?"

My eyes flare at Mr Nicholas's opinion. He's putting the fate of the possibility of me, getting the job in the hands of his friend? That's bad.

"Well, I would have one question, Miss Sanusi, am I correct?" Questions Hillary. I nod in response, my throat unable to voice a word.

"All right. Are you a reader of fictional novels? An enthusiastic type, I mean to include."

"Yes, most of the time." Which is basically like all the time, but I can't even decide if I'm meant to be plainly honest or not.

"Oh?"

"Well, I'm attempting to be amenable." I mean that in another way.

"Good. So, if you are to read a mystery genre book where the protagonist, a queen, died as a result of being shot in a fight for the throne and then in the later scene got resurrected, what would you think? Take to notice that there had been no introduction of plain witchery magic evolved, just slightly involved nature powers." I blink at Hillary profusely, not understanding the reason why I am asked this kind of question for a nanny plus personal secretary job offer.

I think deeply and open my mouth to reply, "well, in a case, the queen could have died and got reborn in another lifetime and so goes for her soulmate, if there is one. Not only that, but I think that would have make sense, rather than she, getting resurrected without magic involved in the novel. And in another, I'd plot she got saved my someone or something she holds dear and in return, it fuels her anger into motivation to gaining the throne, thus, in that manner, giving us, readers, something to feel more emotional and inspired about."

Hillary smiles at me and then, looks at Mr Nicholas. "Well, I have got a new plot for that scene. Thank you, Miss Sanusi." His eyes returns to me.

A chuckle came from Mr Nicholas before he says, "well, glad you did. And now, leave. I should respond to my selectee."

"See you on Friday." That's two days from now. Hillary says before walking out of the wooden door.

My nerves spike up again, bringing me back to the actuality, that I'm in an interview. "Well, you got the job."

"Oh, um, thank you, Mr Nicholas. Regardless of me, being late?"

"Trust me, I can relate," he's being serious? "Plus, you got favoured. Hillary seems to like you. I think he sees more than being a nanny potential in you, and Olivia has an interest in you, as well." I feel lucky at this point. Olivia was a consultant to all of us selectees, but for some reason, she seems to like me more.

"Thank you, Mr Nicholas."

"I have to leave now, so wait here till Olivia arrives. She will give you information on what next to do." And now that I've gotten the job and my mind is very calm, I can now notice how alluring his voice is to my ears. His whole body is enticing to watch. Anyway, I need to look away before he catches me gawking at him.

"Okay." He takes his stand and walks away. To my defense, his butt in that tight trouser won't stop calling to me, and so I couldn't help staring again.

I should call Kyra as soon as I get out of here, or no, I should wait till I get home and make it a surprise. Yes, that would do.

I wait in my seat for Olivia to come and pick me.