The Man She Betrayed

3. Facing The Hate

Clara

"I don't think I should be wearing your clothes to office." I said to Ava, as we both looked into the mirror. Dressed in her plum colors pencil skirt and black button-up shirt, I looked really decent and professional. But still, these were her clothes and I felt really embarrassed while wearing those.

"Idiot, you can wear anything you want from my cupboard." she said and brought out black heels from the cupboard. "Here, Perfect match."

Despite my protests, she didn't let me wear my old shoes so finally giving in, I slipped into the heels. After the outfit, I applied some makeup on my face and let my copper hair down so they reached my waist in light waves.

"I'll buy some outfits once I get my advance this week." I put my mobile and some important accessories in Ava's handbag and followed her towards the main door.

"You owe me a dinner in a five star hotel." she said as she slid inside her car and I seated myself on the passenger seat.

"Sure." I agreed.

...

I sat outside the office of Mrs. Steven, waiting for her to arrive. It was already 8:15 in the morning, fifteen minutes past the time I was required to be here. I had no idea what I was supposed to do and where was I supposed to go.

Time passed with the speed of a one-legged ant and it was exact 9am when I watched Mrs. Steven walk out of the private elevator, wearing a light green business suit that hugged her perfect curves. When I was a teenager, I was obsessed with fashion. I used to spend hours reading fashion magazines which was filled with pictures of people like Amber Steven. Unfortunately, nothing remained same after that incident.

She passed me her radiant smile as she walked towards me. "Good morning, Ma'am." I said as I tiptoed behind her towards her office.

"Call me Amber." she said and entered inside her office, ordering me to sit on the chair. She propped in front of me and then asked me to pull out a pen to write the important tasks.

"Have you seen your office?" she asked, retouching her makeup. Everything from her hand mirror to her purse reeked off money and I couldn't help but feel a little envious. I was supposed to have a future like her, but just one mistake and I ended up in a dumpster.

No, I won't be ungrateful this time. Life has given me another opportunity and I won't waste it I'm sulking.

"No." I shook my head.

"Ugh. I told Sean to give you a tour of the floor once." she sighed, rubbing her temples. "Come on." she said and stood up, with me trailing behind her.

There was a door on the back of her desk. It led to a small joined office, with a mahogany desk in the middle and walls painted in bright purple color. There was a huge collection of pens, highlighters and post-it notes on the desk that it got me excited.

There was door that connected the room to the hallway. She exited the office and knocked at the door that was facing the door of my office.

"It's the office of the COO of the office. You met him during your interview. Remember?" she said and I nodded. When we both heard Come in from inside, Mrs. Steven, Amber opened the door and barged inside.

My eyes fell on the sitting figure of Aaron, engrossed in the huge pile of files in front of him. His eyes flicked towards us and when he noticed me, his smile turned into a frown.

"Clara! Meet Aaron Vincent. He oversees day-to-day administrative and operative functions of our company. He was my junior at Stanford and let me tell you, one cannot find a better COO than him." she gave me a detailed introduction.

Aaron smiled at her without even acknowledging me. He was wearing a black well-tailored business suit, his hair messily combed back with few locks covering his forehead. I couldn't believe he was the same man I used to know six years ago.

"Aaron, can you please brief Clara about her job? I have a meeting with the finance department and I don't want them to be waiting for me." she requested.

"Sure, Amber." he forced a smile on his face and after Amber left, stood up and walked towards me. The air between us was so tense that I could feel it in my sweaty palms. He walked past me and I figured I was supposed to follow him.

He exited his office and stepped into mine. "Your job is filing all the important documents and keep them arranged in different categories, receive calls and direct them to Amber if they are important, correspond all the information to our clients and receive all the visitors that come to meet the CEO."

While he continued, my eyes didn't leave his face which stayed focus on the wall behind me. It hurt me deeply that he didn't even want to look at my face and in all honesty, who could blame him?

"The last secretary must have left all the important contacts and to-do list somewhere in these drawers. For today, find those lists and contacts, receive every call directed to Amber and be ready whenever she calls you." he told me.

After he was done, he was about to go but my stupid ass had to call his name to ask him the question that had been bugging me from days. "Why did you give me this job?"

He immediately stopped walking and his jaw ticked. Turning around, he stepped towards me until he was towering over me with his tall height. "What did you say?" his gaze was so piercing that I lowered my head to avoid looking into it.

I mustered all the courage I had to ask, "W.. Why did you give me this job? Is this some kind of a twisted revenge?"

A strange voice left his mouth, something in between a chuckle and a an angry groan. "Don't give yourself too much credit, Miss. Avery. You aren't worthy of any revenge." his words felt like a stab to my heart. "If it was upto me, I would not even let you walk around this building, let alone my office. It was Amber who gave you this job, not me."

Saying this, he walked past me and angrily shut the door behind him. Guilt and embarrassment clouded my senses because of his words. I hadn't realised that I had tears in my eyes until I felt one stream down my cheek.

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