Aries

Chapter 4

Nova

"I heard the company's going bankrupt."

"I heard Mr. O'Brien gambled all of the money away."

"I heard that someone's going to buy him out."

"I heard we're all going to lose our jobs."

My coworkers were hanging in the cafeteria and bouncing their rumors off each other. No one knew exactly what was happening yet. There have been rumors and talk among the workers that the company was going to be sold or bought, while others speculated that it was going bankrupt and none of us would have a job.

It was terrifying. I didn't know what was true or what was false. Mr. O'Brien has been cooped up in his office leaving us to our thoughts and not once has he reassured anyone or even sent out an email. We were all on edge, some more than others, but it was a job. A good-paying job and some of us had nothing else.

I've been so distraught that I bit off one of my acrylic nails right off. It made me so fucking anxious that I ended up prying all of them and shoving them in my drawer. Mr. O'Brien had two secretaries, me and Mick. Despite us working so close to the bastard, we still had no idea or clue on what was going to happen.

Mick sipped on his coffee that I knew had some Whiskey in it he typed away on his computer screen. I stood behind him and saw that he was perfecting his resume and filling out job applications.

We have been working alongside each other for a few years, and even though it started out as a temp job for him, he's been here longer. He was tall, well taller than me by a few inches, and slightly built with a soft-looking face.

Almost feminine and I blamed his thick lashes and the dimple he had on the left side of his smile. He had shaggy black hair that he always kept combed back and bright optimistic eyes.

"Better to be safe than sorry, right?"

"Yeah, you're right. I should probably redo mine. God knows what's going to happen."

As soon as the words slipped out of my mouth, a group of men stormed inside wearing blue uniforms with the words IRS in yellow block letters. They came in determined and tossed the warrant on our desks before barging into Mr. O'Brien's office. Mick stumbled as he picked up the paper and held it while we read it. I didn't understand a single thing, but Mick swore under his breath.

"That fucker."

"What? What does it say?" I asked, my voice shaking more than I wanted it to.

"He hasn't paid taxes in six years, and he's been embezzling. They're searching and seizing."

He slammed it down and I held my breath as more men swarmed inside. They came in and out of the building with boxes, and then they were cuffing Charlie and escorted him outside. He was screaming, yelling, swearing, and threatening while Mick and I just watched it happen. What else were we supposed to do?

These were the fucking IRS and I'm pretty sure they didn't want to stop and chat and negotiate. They swarmed Mick and I'd desk and threw everything they could get their hands on in other boxes while we waited in the office corner.

Two hours passed and everyone was waiting downstairs in the lobby while they questioned us. They thought Mick and I knew about this, which was impossible since we weren't his accountants, but secretaries.

They refused to let anyone leave and even some police arrived and barricaded the doors. Some people were restless as they fought with the cops only to be detained and cuffed.

"What the fuck is going to happen now?" Mick whispered harshly next to me.

I don't know. God, I wish I knew what was going to happen. Were they going to shut down the building? Were they going to kick us all out? Were we going to be jobless?