Chapter 6

CHAPTER Six - Avoid Trouble, Caught In Trouble 

Sophia’s POV

To avoid trouble like yesterday, I arrived almost an hour earlier than the normal time because of Ethan’s message, leaving my children’s in Adrain’s care, I don’t need to worry about them, they love him so much and he took care of them like his own children.

The office was still very quiet when I came inside, of course it’s not the time for resumption and most of the staff had not arrived yet, and the few people around were busy with their own work.

I looked around for Ethan, but he was nowhere to be seen, I went to his office and I didn’t see him too.

I sigh, he was the one who told me to come early, yet he was not even here, I knew he was purposely doing all these to me, well, I just needed the salary so bad.

I walked toward my desk and sat down and honestly,  I really felt so tired, not only physically but also emotionally, everything about being here was exhausting, I just hope I coped well seeing Ethan every day, pretending  my children did not exist around him, pretending  I was not still angry.

Pretending that seeing that little boy in his office had not broken something inside me all over again.

I lowered my head and closed my eyes briefly. Just a few minutes, that  was all I wanted.

While I was sitting there, a woman’s voice suddenly reached my ears.

“Mrs. Alan Lena”

My eyes opened immediately. Alan?

That was Ethan’s surname and Lena, the name from years ago, that got pregnant for Ethan, that shows they are legally married.

I turned my head so quickly that my neck almost hurt.

A woman was standing some distance away, I  could not see her face clearly because several employees were moving around her but I saw a small boy beside her, that must be the boy that entered Ethan’s office that day.

The woman was holding his hand, the  little boy looked around happily while talking about something.

So she also worked in his company too, she works here with me? 

Then someone smiled and said again, “Mrs. Alan, Camille  asked us to send these documents to you.”

The woman nodded, the  little boy laughed.

For a moment, everything around me became blurry. I did not even realize I had stood up.

I stared in that direction, trying to see her face properly.m but before I could, they disappeared around the corner, just before I blinked my eyes .

I slowly sat back down on the chair, tightened around the edge of the desk.

Five years, five  years of raising two children by myself and  now he was acting as if I was the one who destroyed everything.

The sound of footsteps stopped me from thinking, that could be Ethan. I looked up and it was Ethan.

He walked in without even looking at me at first, then his eyes landed on me.

His brows immediately furrowed. “Why are you standing there doing nothing?”

I blinked. “What?”

His face darkened. “I asked why you’re standing there doing nothing.”

I stared at him still confused,

He asks  “Nothing?”

“Yes. Nothing.” I continued  “There is nothing left for me to do. I finished everything you gave me yesterday.”

He placed a file on the table.“That doesn’t mean you stand around.”

I folded my arms. “Then what exactly am I supposed to do?”

His eyes moved around the office, then he pointed toward a corner. “ Then Clean.”

I thought I heard him wrong. “Clean?”

“Yes.” He nodded 

For several seconds, I simply stared at him.“Am I a cleaner?”

His face remained expressionless. “I am your boss”

“And?” I asked, this time I was tired and I don’t care even if he fired.

“And secretaries don’t clean offices? .” His eyes narrowed slightly as he continued “You work for this company.”

I looked more serious now, “I work as a secretary, not as a cleaner, not as a maid here” 

Just then, he looked up, “ You do whatever task you’re assigned, if you are tired, then get out”

I could not believe what I was hearing, this  man was unbelievable.

“I can’t clean.” The moment the words left my mouth, he nodded once.

“Fine.” He said 

Something about that answer made me nervous.

“Fine?” I repeated.

He looked very serious now, “Thousands of dollars deducted from your salary.”

My eyes widened. “What?”

He ignored me. “Failure to obey instructions, wait for deduction from your salary” 

I opened my mouth, then  closed it. 

The amount mentioned was enough to pay several bills, enough to buy things for my children, no! Our children needed,  I hated him, I honestly hated him.

“I’ll do it,” I muttered.

“What was that?”

“I said I’ll do it.”

Now he looked satisfied, before leaving, I grabbed the cleaning supplies so hard my fingers hurt.

The entire time I kept telling myself it was only a job.

Only a job, yes, only a job but the moment I started cleaning, my eyes began to sting.

I quickly turned my face away, No!  I would not cry.

Not here!  Not in front of him.

I swallowed hard and continued working.

But no matter how much I fought it, tears still slipped down my face.

And the worst part was that I was not even sure whether I was crying because of Ethan or  because life had become so difficult that I could no longer tell where one pain ended and another began.