FIVE

ELLEN

The reception was large and there were many people walking around, paying no attention to who came in or went out. Security cameras were mounted at different angles. Lily explained everything about the office to me. She didn't want anyone to know we knew each other until I got the job. I took the elevator by the right which she had told me led to Oliver's cubicle.

Once the elevator chimed, I stepped out into another reception. Four other women sat on a bench looking tensed. A young, handsome man approached me.

"Are you here for the interview?" I nodded, suddenly losing my voice. He looked at his wristwatch. "You are ten minutes late."

They were time conscious. "I am sorry."

"What's your name?"

"Ellen Knight."

He glanced through the paper, pronouncing my name as he looked through. I stood there looking all firm, but I was crawling on my hands and knees inside. He looked up and smiled.

"It's your lucky day, Ellen Knight. You are next. Have a seat."

"Thank you," I breathed and walked over to a tiny space left on the bench and puffed out a deep breath.

I was lucky indeed. If I had wasted more time outside this office, I wouldn't have gotten a chance for the interview. I fanned myself with my hands, hoping my makeup was not cloggy. The room was suddenly so hot.

"Ellen, you are up next," the young man announced and my heart sank into my abdomen. I looked at the woman leaving the office where DIRECTOR was boldly inscribed in a golden plaque on the top frame of the door, she looked flustered.

I walked up to the door, knocked once, and went in. Oliver Monero was sitting behind his desk, looking ruggedly handsome in a white button-up shirt with the first few buttons open, he had no tie on. He was looking at some documents and didn't bother to look up when I came in. I stood there awkwardly not knowing what to do or say. I didn't know if I should speak first or not. After a while of silence, I thought he had forgotten that I was standing there and decided to introduce myself.

"Hi, I am Ellen Knight and I am here for the—"

"What's your name?" his cold, curt voice cut me off. He still didn't bother to look up at me.

I blinked twice and swallowed the blow before replying.

"Ellen Knight."

"Are you single?"

My brows furrowed slightly at the personal question, but I answered anyway. "Yes." My voice came out hoarse.

"Do you live alone?"

"No." He was still looking at the documents in his hands.

"Do you eat shrimp?"

"No." This man was weirder than I thought. I don't eat shrimp or anything about it because Sophie was allergic to shrimp.

"Do you believe in love?"

I paused. Love. What kind of love? I loved Sophie, my family, and my friends, but I don't think I believed in romance or romantic love since it has messed up my life in more ways than I could imagine.

"I— I don't believe in love."

"You don't easily for in love, do you?"

"No," I replied briskly. I can never fall in love again, not after it took me to the back room and beat me black and blue.

His eyes left the papers and focused on me. I saw them squint at me in a bit of confusion and recognition. My eyes fluttered and dropped on the dark spruce desk.

"Do I know you from somewhere?"

"Not...not…really," I stuttered. My heart hammered so loudly that I could hear it in my ears. Part of me was relieved that he didn't recognize me as that would have cost me this job. But the other part of me; a subtle part that wanted to matter to him was disappointed that he didn't remember me, even after the bar experience, and my resentment for him doubled.

He waved it off. "It's not important anyway. The important thing is that you landed yourself this job. You will meet Dante for the job description and if you are not comfortable with it, you can say, I will let you go."

Before I had the time to digest the news and rejoice, he was already speaking on the intercom.

"Dante, I think I found the right person for the job. You can dismiss the rest." He turned to me. "Miss Knight, your work starts at 6:30 a.m. tomorrow at my place. I want my coffee creamy with a lot of sugar and I want it ready before I wake. Drop your address with Dante before you leave, someone would pick you up by 6:15."

He was so much like Sophie. She loves sugar a lot and wanted her hot chocolate creamy. I guess that was a trait they had in common. This would be tough on Sophie and me as I won't see her as often as I wanted anymore. Lily recommended an older woman who worked as a nanny a few blocks away from us, just like mom did before she died. I will drop her off with the woman as I go out in the morning.

"Are there any questions?" his gruff voice brought me back. His dark, brown brooding eyes were fixed on me.

I was so confused and overwhelmed that I couldn't think of anything at the moment. I had a lot of questions to ask but I will remember them later.

"Can I think about the questions and ask them later?"

"As you wish. You can go get your description from Dante, the man you met outside." I nodded and turned to leave. "One more thing." I halted. "Don't ever call me by my name, even if it's by mistake. We shall remain formal and don't try to touch me."

I was never planning to become informal with him anyway.

"Yes, sir," I said and left the office.

The other ladies were all gone before I came out and I somehow felt sad for them. The man called Dante walked up to me with a broad smile.

"Congratulations, Miss Knight, you got yourself a job."

My face widened in a smile. I think I like Dante. "Thank you."

"I told you it's your lucky day and you are just as lucky." I kept grinning from ear to ear as he shook my hand. I was indeed lucky. "Now, follow me, let me teach you all you need to know about this job. The dos and don'ts."

I trailed behind him feeling like I just won the prize in a big contest.