Chapter 5

Julian cleared his schedule for the day and cancelled all important appointments. He didn't ask any question, but just listened to the little part Calla was willing to share about herself. 

She carefully avoided mentioning the Kings’ name, but told a story about the people who ruined her life and walked away without a trace of guilt. 

"And what are you planning to do to these people?" 

Calla though for sometime. 

Of course, she wanted revenge. She wanted to make them pay for everything they did to her. She wanted to take her son back. But instead of saying all of that, she shook her head.

On seeing that, Julian furrowed his brows. "Nothing?"

"There's a lot on my mind. But there's nothing I can do right now."

"You can do anything you want with the right help, Calla,"

But still, she shook her head. "I'm not ready. I need to grow out of this. Out of being the helpless girl they once knew. I need to learn and grow. Only then will I be able to make a move."

Julian studied her for sometime and leaned back on his seat. "Then, I suggest you start learning." 

****

THE NEXT MORNING•••

Calla stood in front of the full-length mirror, barely recognizing the woman staring back at her. Her long, brown hair had been dyed into ashy brown that was curled and styled to frame her face while the contact lenses she wore had turned her blue eye color into a stunning shade of gray. 

Julian hadn't wasted time. 

That same night after the interview, he had an entire walk-in closet built into one of the main rooms in the mansion. Now, it was lined with expensive work shoes, designer bags, and outfits for every occasion. 

A few hours ago, a professional makeup artist had been brought to Calla and they had talked for hours while testing different looks that would change her appearance and make her look unrecognisable.

The woman had understood the assignment.

Smiling to herself, Calla adjusted the collar of her black blouse and stepped into a pair of nude stilettos. Her fitted pencil skirt hugged her waist perfectly like it had been specifically made for her, just like everything else.

The moment she walked down the stairs, Julian looked up and instantly froze. She looked nothing like the fragile and helpless girl he had brought into his home weeks ago. But behind that confident and composed appearance, Julian saw that she was nervous and still unsure of what the outside world held for her.

As she reached the bottom of the stairs, she greeted him quietly and he gave a small nod in return. Then Darryl, who was also dressed in a black suit like Julian's, stepped forward and handed her a tablet and a phone.

"Happy first day, Miss," 

Calla gave a soft smile in return and responded. "It's Calla. Thank you." 

Darryl gave a respectful nod and Julian finally spoke. "Ready?" 

Calla nodded, though her hands felt a little shaky. She had never truly been part of the real world. The orphanage had been her only home, and after that, she had lived in the Kings' household where she was treated as a slave. 

But this was her chance. Her beginning.

"You'll do great." Julian added after noticing how hesitant she looked.

Calla took a deep breath and smiled. She really hoped he was right.

A few minutes later, they arrived at a tall, glass building with silver letters at the top: "VOSSCORP GLOBAL." Calla blinked and her jaw dropped in surprise. Was this his company? 

When they finally entered the building, she looked around in awe. The lobby was massive, with high ceilings and white marble floors that gleamed under the lights. There was a grand staircase on one side and elevators that lined on the other.

Employees walked briskly in suits and heels, carrying tablets and files. Everyone looked busy and professional, but when they came across Julian, they paused and bowed slightly.

"I'll leave you with Darryl," Julian said briefly to Calla. "I have a few things to handle before the meeting."

Without waiting for her response, he walked away and Calla turned to Darryl, still trying to process the kind of world she had just stepped into.

Darryl smiled at her expression. "It's a lot to take in, isn't it?" 

"It's... It's a whole lot. I didn't know he was... this powerful."

Darryl chuckled lightly. "Being powerful is just his number one quality, you know. There's a lot more. But first, let's talk about the company he owns."

As they walked through the building, Darryl continued to explain.

"Vosscorp Global is just one of his companies. It's an investment group, but it also handles real estate, energy development, international trade, and even luxury assets."

Calla's eyes widened. "All that?"

"And more," Darryl said with a grin. "There's also his tech company which is based in the capital. The biggest in the whole world if you ask me."

He pointed to a large framed photo of Julian with a group of foreign investors. "He sits on the board of five other companies, but he owns three entirely. And every one of them is thriving."

Calla turned to look at him in disbelief. "Why would someone like him even need a personal assistant?"

"You'd be surprised. Mr. Voss doesn't trust people easily. If he's chosen you to be by his side, it means something."

They stepped into a wide hallway lined with awards and recognitions, glass trophies, gold plaques, and framed articles from international magazines. Calla stopped in front of one of them that showed a much younger Julian shaking hands with a foreign president.

"He was only twenty-two when he closed his first billion-dollar deal," Darryl said. "He doesn't talk about it much, but he built all this from the ground up."

Calla stared at the picture, her eyes wide with awe. He was her boss, the same man she had thought was just cold and distant…

"Mr Voss doesn't just build companies," Darryl added as they continued walking. "He rebuilds lives. He's helped orphanages, hospitals, and struggling communities without putting his name on anything."

Calla didn't say a word. There were no lies in what Darryl had just said because she was one of the lives he had saved and rebuilt. And one day, she was going to pay him back.

As Darryl led her down another wide hallway, something caught her attention and she suddenly paused. There was a television hanging high on the wall in the corner of the lounge area and although it was muted, the headline was bold and clear.

> "Business Tycoon Norman King Announces New Engagement, Confirming He's a Father of a Child Born via Surrogacy."

Calla's entire body froze and her breath caught in her throat as she stared at the headline. A child born via surrogacy... Her child. Each night, as she lay alone in bed, her thoughts always drifted to the little one. Was he okay? Was he properly taken care of? Was there someone to feed him when he cried? 

She had tried to forget that night. But the memory of carrying the babies for nine good months, of feeling them grow inside her, and holding the dead twin in her arms had never left her. Not once. And now, to hear about the other twin like this... from a public statement on TV crushed her.

Not long after, Norman appeared on the screen with a woman beside him. She was Fiona Penrose, the woman he had married while she was pregnant and locked away. 

Seeing them holding hands and smiling for the camera, Calla's hands slowly curled into fists by her sides. Her heart began pounding so loudly, she could hardly hear anything else.

Even with the ocean of distance between them, even when she was out of his life and trying to start anew, Norman still found a way to haunt her life.

"Miss Calla?" Darryl called out and immediately turned around.

He had been walking a few steps ahead but stopped when he noticed she wasn't beside him anymore. When he finally saw her and noticed the change in her face, he rushed back to her.

"Miss, are you okay?" 

She didn't answer. Her eyes, which were now glassy, remained fixed on the screen as if watching a ghost parade across it. Darryl followed her line of sight and looked up at the TV. 

"Do you know him? That's Norman King" 

Calla quickly wiped the tear away from her cheek and turned to face him with a soft, composed smile. "Yes, I'm fine. The news just caught me off guard."

Darryl didn't push. But his eyes lingered on her for a second longer, before turning back to the TV. Clearly, he wasn't convinced.

"Come on, let's keep going," Calla said, straightening her shoulders. "I want to learn everything I can today."

Her mood had been ruined, but she couldn't let it affect her job. This was her second chance and she was going to work harder and rise higher.