CHAPTER 9- UNEXPECTED VISITOR

THEO

I couldn't afford to offend the boss on my very first day...he had just watched his own nephew smash my head onto a table because of a misunderstanding, and despite everything, he was standing in front of me with his hand stretched out...urning him down would only make things awkward.

I lowered my head before replying to him...

"...Thank you, sir." I placed my hand in his...his grip was firm but careful as he helped me to my feet.

"You can walk?" he asked.

"Yes, sir... I can try"

"Good. Come with me."

The entire office watched as I followed Professor Adrian into his office...everyone started to whisper...

"Is that the new employee?"

"Boss is personally taking him?"

"I've never seen him do that before."

"Didn't Blake just hit him?"

"I think that's the guy." My face burned with embarrassment.

I wished the floor would open up and swallow me whole...Professor Adrian didn't acknowledge a single whisper...his expression remained calm as he walked toward his office...when we stepped inside, he quietly shut the door behind us...He walked behind his desk before turning to face me...

"Sit..."

I glanced at the chair but couldn't bring myself to use it...Instead, I remained standing several feet away.

Professor Adrian looked back up at me...

"...Theo."

"Yes, sir?"

"I told you to sit."

"I'm fine standing." He sighed softly before folding his arms impatiently...

"And how exactly am I supposed to treat your wound from all the way over there?"

"Oh..." I looked at the chair again...for some reason, sitting in front of someone as important as him felt disrespectful...I clenched my fingers around the chair.

"I... I'm okay, sir."

"No." He said in a deep tone...I wasn’t scared of him but this Job was way more important to me than anything else so I just slowly sat down...

"There," he said. "Was that difficult?"

"A little."

"I can see that." He said as he walked toward one of the drawers beside his desk and pulled out a white first-aid box.

"...You keep one in your office?" I asked without thinking.

"I've worked long enough with stubborn people." He returned to where I stood and stretched his hand forward...

"Hold still." He whispered as he picked up a piece of cotton wool before pouring antiseptic onto it... “This might sting."

"I'll be fine."

"That's usually what people say before they complain."

"I won't complain."

"We'll see." The cotton touched my wound and it stinged so badly I couldn’t hide the pain I was feeling...

"Ah!" I instinctively jerked backwards away from him...

"I warned you."

"That burns!"

"It's antiseptic."

"It feels like fire."

"It means it's working."

"I think I'm dying... and it’s increasing the pain"

"No."

"...No?"

"You'll live." He said as he gently cleaned away the dried blood... "There...It isn't that deep."

"Really?"

"You'll have a headache for today."

"Only today?"

"If you stop exaggerating."

"I wasn't exaggerating."

"You compared antiseptic to fire."

"...Fair point.” He smiled slightly before reaching for another piece of cotton.

"This is your first job?"

"Yes."

"Nervous?"

"I think everyone noticed."

"I noticed."

"I've never worked in a company before."

"You'll learn."

"I hope so."

"You will." He carefully applied medication to the wound...this time I stayed still.

"Better?"

"Much."...He reached into the first-aid box and peeled open a small plaster.

"One last thing." He placed the plaster gently over the cut before pressing the edges down.

"There...Finished."

"...Thank you."

Professor Adrian closed the first-aid box before placing it back on the desk...then his expression became more serious.

"Theo."

"Yes, sir?"

"I owe you an apology...for Blake's behaviour."

"I..."

"What happened outside was unacceptable...My nephew acted without thinking...He shouldn't have laid a hand on you."

"I understand he misunderstood the situation," I replied awkwardly so I don’t look like the victim here...

"That changes nothing...No employee of mine should ever be assaulted inside this company...I promise you...It will never happen again."

"I appreciate that, sir."

"If Blake ever troubles you again...Come directly to me."

"I don't want to cause problems."

"You wouldn't be...You would simply be reporting one."

"Understood."

"Now...Is there anything else you need?"

"No, sir."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"You don't need painkillers?"

"No."

"Water?"

"I'm okay."

"Food?"

"I'm fine."

"...You really don't ask for much."

"I've never been good at asking." Professor Adrian quietly looked at me...then he unlocks his phone...after a few seconds later...My own phone vibrated inside my pocket...I hurriedly took it out of my pocket thing it was another complain from our neighbours regarding my uncle’s behaviour

"Check it." Professor Adrian gestured...a notification flashed across the screen...it was a credit alert of $100...I looked at my phone for a long time before staring back at Professor Adrian...

"...100 dollars? Sir..."

"I transferred it to you...as your down payment."

"I... Isn’t this... too much?"

"Too much?"

"For a casual job...I haven't even started working yet."

"So?"

"I don't deserve this."

"Theo."

"Yes, sir?"

"Stop thinking of it as payment."

"Then what is it?"

"A welcome gift."

100 dollars...that was way more money than I had held in months.

"So... You really expect me to keep it?"

"I transferred it."

"I can't send it back."

Before I could respond...the office doors suddenly opened...a young man carrying several folders stepped inside without knocking.

"Boss, I brought the—" ...His eyes landed on me...then on Professor Adrian...then back on me.

"...Wait...You gave the new guy a welcome gift?"

"Yes." The man dropped the folders onto the desk with exaggerated disappointment.

"You didn't give me a welcome gift when I joined...This is favouritism...I worked here for three years...I've stayed late...I've skipped holidays...I even covered for Malachi that one time..."

Professor Adrian finally looked up.

"...Boss?"

"Quiet, Lucas...I knew you were going to say that...Lucas."

"Yes, Boss?"

"Do you have something important?"

"Oh...sorry actually...I do...It's about the visitor downstairs."

"What visitor?" Lucas swallowed hard...

"He says he won't leave until he sees you and..." Lucas hesitated before finishing his sentence. "...And he specifically asked for Theo."