Chapter 5

By the fifth day, Amara was starting to enjoy her job.

She arrived early, finished her work on time, and made sure every meeting was properly scheduled. After the disaster on her third day, she had become extra careful.

Unfortunately, the other employees had started talking.She'd notice some weird looks and every time Amara walked past a group of employees, the conversations would suddenly become quieter.

Some whispered about the written warning she had received.

Others talked about how she had spoken back to Lorry.

A few even wondered why she was still working there after only five days.

Amara heard them.

She simply ignored them.

She had a job to do, and she was going to do it perfectly.

By the afternoon, everything was under control.

She had prepared the documents for the following day's meetings, answered emails, organized the brothers' schedules and made sure there were no clashes.

She was sitting behind her desk when the clock reached 2:40 p.m.

She walked up to Lorry's office.

“Mr. Lorry, Miss Sandra is waiting for you in the conference room.”

“Let's go.”

 She followed him.

As they walked down the hallway, Nick looked up from his desk.

“I think you might want to sit this one out, Amara.”

“Why?”

Nick hesitated.

“Sandra is...let's just say I'm not going either.”

Amara frowned.

Before she could ask anything else, Lorry spoke.

“Amara, you're coming with me. Nick, look up the Kingston proposal.”

“Yes, boss.”

Nick glanced at Amara.

“Oh, and Amara…”

She looked at him.

“Good luck.”

Amara narrowed her eyes.

“Why do i need it?”

Nick simply smiled.

"You'll soon find out"

Lorry continued walking.

Amara followed behind him.

Whatever was waiting for them in that conference room, she was beginning to think she wasn't going to like it.

When they reached the door, Lorry opened it.

The moment the door opened, a blonde woman came running toward Lorry.

“Lorry!”

She threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly and making sure her cleavage pressed against him.

Lorry didn't look surprised.

He simply stood there as if this was something he had experienced many times before.

When Sandra finally pulled away, she smiled seductively at him.

“It's been so long.”

Lorry looked at the folder in her hand.

“We're here for the proposal Sandra.”

Sandra ignored that.

“You never call anymore.”

Lorry remained expressionless.

Amara stood behind them, watching the exchange.

Sandra was acting as though she wasn't even there.

She continued talking to Lorry, flirting with him as they moved toward the table.

They sat down and began going through the proposal.

At least, Lorry tried to.

Sandra seemed more interested in adjusting her dress every few minutes, making sure she showed more than enough skin.

Amara watched her and the more she did , she started getting disgusted.

Finally, she couldn't take it anymore.

“I'm sorry, sir, are you sure we're not in the wrong meeting?”

That's when Sandra finally looked at her.

She looked Amara up and down.

“Oh, who is this?”

She gave Amara a dismissive look.

“Sorry, couldn't see you behind all those rags you got on.”

Amara looked at her.

Then back at Lorry.

She stood up.

“I think Nick was right. I don't need to be here.”

“Sit your ass down, Amara. You leave when I tell you to,” Lorry said.

Amara slowly sat back down.

Sandra rolled her eyes.

“Let her leave, Lorry. That way we can have some alone time. We haven't hung out in like forever.”

Lorry looked at her.

“And whose fault is that?”

Sandra smiled.

“Oh, come on. I made a mistake. I've grown and I know better now.”

Amara's irritation grew with every word.

She had tried to remain quiet.

She really did try for the sake of her job but suddenly, she couldn't stay quiet anymore.

“Seriously, Sam or Sandra, whoever you are, you need to start with business. Some of us have better things to do than watching you bitch around. Besides, boss clearly isn't interested in your plastic ass anyway.”

Sandra's mouth fell open.

“What?”

She turned toward Lorry.

“Lorry, you gonna let your useless employee talk to me like that?”

Then she looked back at Amara.

“Listen, bitch, Lorry and I have some chemistry and he'll never be interested in someone like you.”

Amara stared at her for a moment.

“That's it. I need to get the fuck out of here before I strangle this bitch.”

She grabbed her things.

“You know what I don't give a damn who you are, lady, but I don't need to, really. I've known you for less than ten minutes and I know all I need to know.”

Sandra glared at her.

“You dressed in revealing clothes thinking you can win a tender or something because you have history with Mr. Lorry.”

Sandra opened her mouth, but Amara didn't give her a chance to speak.

“But let me tell you something. Dressing like that makes you look like a cheap slut, not a businesswoman.”

Lorry remained silent, watching the two women.

Amara pointed toward Sandra.

“So now get your ass out of here and stop batting your eyelashes and exposing your fake boobs to Mr. Lorry because plastic doesn't turn him on, clearly.”

Sandra's face turned red.

Amara shoved the chair clicking her tongue.

“We don't run a brothel here, we run a business and time is money. So if you think he likes you, then you probably have his personal number so you can schedule a private meeting for this shit...not coming here looking like a chicken suffering from depression and anxiety at the same time.”

Amara paused at the door and looked back at Sandra.

“And for the record, I'm not interested in Lorry. I'm interested in this job.”

She turned toward Lorry.

“I'm out of here. Deal with her alone, boss.”

With that, Amara left.

The door closed behind her.

For a moment, there was complete silence.

Then Lorry let out a short, compressed laugh.

Sandra stared at him in disbelief.

“You're laughing?”

Lorry looked down at the proposal, trying to regain his composure.

But the corner of his mouth betrayed him.

“She has a point.”

Sandra's jaw dropped.

Outside the conference room, Amara was already walking back toward her office.

She was still angry.

She had no idea what Nick had meant when he told her good luck, but now she understood.

"Oh i think now you understand what i meant" Nick said coming out of his office already laughing.

"I should have listened to you but even if i did your brother wouldn't let me. Im probably gonna get my second warning" Amara said turning to Nick

"No relax, my brother can be tough but he's reasonable. You won't be getting a warning, I'll make sure of it."

"Your brother..reasonable? No i think you're mistaken. He seems determined to get me fired"

Nick started laughing uncontrollably 

"So what tactics did Sandra try this time?"

"Oh that woman...she pretended i wasn't there and started undressing him with her eyes. You should have seen her, exposing her plastic boobs and chicken thighs errgg...I'm allergic to sluts" Amara says like she's gonna puke and Nick couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"She's always been like that around Lorry, we only tolerate her because of her mother was friends with my mother"

"Oh in that case i understand why Lorry stayed but i don't think you need to feel obliged to do business with her just because your parents are friends. She is a real hoe"

"Well she is but she knows how to handle business well so we might need her as the time goes"

"Is it always this busy around here. Everyday i have meetings to arrange, emails to respond to...''

"Not always...we are currently working on a system that is going to help a lot of new businesses and old one flourish. If it succeeds we are going to be supper rich and i can finally get some time off...i haven't been in the streets for a while"

"The streets?"

"Whoring around you know...anyway so we are trying to pitch our ideas to potential sponsors because we need a whole lot of resources. Some sponsors are trying to reach out for all the wrong reasons so after maybe two weeks we will be set and your job will be easier. Most of the times you'll be sitting in that office bored"

" in that case i can't wait"

Amara says leaning on the wall

"Actually its time to knock out...wanna go out and grab a drink to celebrate?" Nick asks

"Celebrate what?"

"You lasting a week, trust me surviving my brother and this company is worth celebrating."

"I can't argue with you on that but I'll pass , i have a thing with my friends tonight. Raincheck?"

"Sure , no problem. Have a nice weekend Miss Val"

" You too and don't break too many hearts"

"No promises"

Nick says heading back to his office and Amara goes to hers.

A few minutes after that Lorry barges in..

"I need you to look up the..."

"Now?" Amara interrupted 

"Yes"

"I can't, whatever it is has tonwait until Monday"

"I am your boss and im telling you it is..."

"According to my contract i work six hours on Fridays and any minute after that is optional and overtime and I'm not doing overtime. Have a nice weekend sir"

She picked up her bag and left just like that.