AMANDA'S POV
I was the only person on the seventh floor as it was already 10 pm. Mr. Reynolds has already wasted a lot of my time by compelling me to arrange and rearrange the files in his cabin so I decided to go home after completing all the required pending work. James was not present in the office so it was easier for me to stay as his presence annoyed me to an extreme extent.
I placed all the mess correctly in their respected positions before leaving my cabin and also made sure to lock the entrance door. I walked through the hallway bypassing James's cabin and then I thought about doing some digging to get the relevant information; to assure myself that what is right and what is not, so I walked in without thinking anything more.
"This is wrong ", said the positive side in me.
"What he did wasn't right either ", said the negative side within me. Tonight, the negative side was dominant as compared to the positive one.
I first took a brief look over the files on his table, they were scattered everywhere so I just went through them without correcting the mess. They were all the professional ones so I could not enjoy any fruits out of them i.e they did not include any necessary information for my usage.
I then opened the drawers which were beneath his desk. It was shabby and messy too. I tried segregating the items with my hands so that I could view each one of them properly. I came through some mint chocolates, his pair of spectacles, and even 4 -5 packet of condoms. I wasn't shocked about him being a sex-hungry animal.
Nothing could be found in the first desk too so I proceeded towards the second, there were bits of paper. I looked at them one after another and something popped up in the mind that shook me because a paper read the letter "S" just as in Samarrah's wallet, though it read James. It felt like the paper was crumbled before and then was straightened. I took a picture of the paper from my mobile phone's camera.
I then rushed towards the other drawers as quickly as possible because it was turning late already. The only thing which was left for suspicion was his laptop, I just prayed to God that it wasn't password protected. I seated myself on his chair and opened his laptop. "please,God. please ", I tried butter polishing God, we all do this at least once, don't we?
I tapped on the start button of his laptop with my fingers crossed. Then there came an option "LOG ON AS JAMES" OR "ANOTHER USER "
I clicked on the initial button at once and I got access to his laptop, I wanted to hop and dance out of excitement but I controlled my emotions. I opened the images folder, I found myself in one of the folders. The picture had me, Mr. Reynolds and him, it was taken when we were in Pallapora town. There was a big cross on Mr. Reynolds's face and my face had a circle on it.
The cross on Mr. Reynolds's face totally shocked the shit out of me. He claimed to be his best friend forever. But, maybe he was just jealous of the fact of me being with Mr. Reynolds all the time. Every coin has two sides, so I had to totally jot down the point of James being the fuck boy so my presence or absence wouldn't affect him by any chance or maybe he had some sort of personal grudges towards Mr. Reynolds but I did take a picture of it too in my phone
And then I realized that I was not here to fight the case for Mr. Reynolds, I was here for my sister. I tried adding her name to the search bar because there were too many crappy pictures of him on his laptop and from which 60% included porn stuff. Too many options popped up after adding Sam's name, I clicked on them one after the other. It contained many pictures of James and Sam, hugging each other, kissing each other on lips, on the neck, on the forehead. All pictures were extremely lovely but considering the fact that he was a moron, they were fake too.
"I did not even touch her ", James words echoed in my mind, again, and again, the fact that he was lying was very clear for me and my doubt on him for making my sister pregnant was cleared too. I somewhat managed to find out all the pieces of the jigsaw. I now had to match them together to make a clear picture out of them.
I snapped every picture of them and then added all the pictures I took tonight in the safety deposit vault because Samarrah had this old habit of looking at my Albums. I had no idea about the new Sam but precaution is always better than cure.
I tried looking all around his cabin for assurance that I had left nothing important which could come in my use later and thankfully I had left no perks too of any clues for James to find out that I had been inspecting his cabin. I kept all his belongings in their respective places and assured myself twice before leaving his cabin.
I wanted to know everything about James because this guy was turning the element of mystery lately. I wanted to know why he lied in the first place, I wanted to know what was he planning against Mr. Reynolds, I wanted to know that did he have any idea regarding me as being Samarrah's older sister.
I walked through the hallway, the lights were dim as there were fewer people in the office. Most of them included the watchman and the cleaners. The elevator had me alone in it, I was scared a bit because I was the kind of girl who did believe in tooth fairies and haunting witches, Vampires and werewolves are highly fictitious though.
I gathered all the courage and went through the empty lobby and finally reaching the entrance sighed and wished the watchman goodbye. I took a taxi and finally reached home. I ate something first and then side hugged mom and kissed her good night.
I curled myself around my favorite fluffy teddy bear with thoughts that were confusing me. I couldn't sleep, I was continuously swiping over the pictures I collected lately. I just needed to talk with someone over it but at the same time, I didn't want Francis and Gina to worry for me. I wanted to tell Mr. Reynolds for not trusting his best friend so much but I knew he wouldn't believe me and term that picture-evidence as 'photoshopped' .
I kept my eyes closed for a while and just decided to stay silent and also feel the silence after having a chaotic life.
-Tring Trong-
I rubbed my eyes tightly which may have caused my kohl to smudge, I didn't wash my face nicely yesterday because I was in no mood for it so I hopped directly in bed. I didn't even realize when did I actually sleep cause I was awake till late overthinking about everything.
I added toothpaste to my brush before twirling it around my teeth. I observed myself carefully in the mirror whilst brushing, the area around my eyes was surrounded by a lighter shade of black, maybe because of dark circles or maybe because of the smudge due to black liner. I rinsed my mouth thoroughly and washed my face and rubbed the face-wash more around the dark area.
Hopefully, it turned into a lighter shade of black and the rest of the mark could be hidden with a bit of foundation. I got ready within 10 minutes and went downstairs. Mom and Samarrah were already leaving for the doctor's appointment.
"Good luck", I waved them goodbye.
"Breakfast is ready on the table, have a Good day baby", mom rushed while catching Sam's hand tightly. She felt weak lately and that was the reason mom treated her like a kindergarten kid.
I stuffed the scrambled eggs with folk in my mouth and drank the orange juice which mom left on the table for me to drink.
I carried my handbag on my shoulders and left for the office again. I had a day off from college thankfully so I decided to reach the office prior then the normal time I go.
I encountered Sonia Josephs: my colleague and first-ever friend in this office on the gateway so I waved her cheerfully and went towards her and shook her hand.
"Hey what's up?", she questioned me whilst warmly shaking my hands.
"Nothing much, how about you?", she questioned me back and we both started walking together in the office premises.
"C-can I ask you something?", I finally questioned,
"Anything", she was sweet enough to answer that.
"Do you have any idea about James? the best friend plus the manager of this company ", I started inquiring about James again. These days I felt like I was working in an investigation department gathering clues now and then.
"That pervert?", she questioned back and my eyes widened with his answer.
"Yes, him. Why that name?" I questioned curiously.
"Because he has slept with almost every good looking slut of this office ", she looked at me and continued while walking "you won't believe "
"Make me ", I instinctively replied.
"he even promised some girls in my department that if they agree to sleep with him for a night, he'll grant them promotion", she looked annoyed.
"And did he ?" I questioned.
"Yes, of course, those girls sold themselves for a position, I doubt that our CEO supports him"
"No he doesn't, not at all ", I defended Mr. Reynolds.
"Good thing, Ill catch you up later ", she side hugged me and went towards the department where she worked in.
"See you soon around then ", I locked my sight on her till she finally disappeared.
After an hour I was in my cabin sipping upon my cup of coffee. There's a popular saying that
'no matter what the question is, coffee is the answer'.
I decided to think about an excuse so that I could travel with James to his place and find about his dirty little secret regarding Mr. Reynolds. I had gathered enough clues for Samarrah and I decided to skip the sister part and do justice to my job. The only way I could end at James's place was through slut based activities, no matter how much I hated it but I couldn't let anything wrong happen to Mr. Reynolds, though he was a jerk at times I couldn't deny the fact of him, helping me so many times.
The siren suddenly rang and it was certainly a signal of Mr. Reynolds for me to be ubiquitous in his cabin. I marched towards his cabin the moment I got a call.
"We're in real hurry Miss Waters ", Mr. Reynolds looked at his watch.
"What for ?", I questioned watching him hurriedly.
"the model which I appointed to feature for our company's new outlet suddenly has a cramp in her leg ", he loosened his tie " the clients could be here any moment, I need you to run your contacts and find me the best girl you can "
"I-I ?", I stammered.
"Yes, you! make sure she's pretty and is young and confident, maybe a bit bold like you. ", he stared at me continuously "or maybe you can replace her.
I was aghast by his decision. I had this "o" already formed through my lips. "No, I can't do this! I have never ever ever ever done this before ", I decided to repeat the word ever so that it made sense.
"How about an increment of 10% in your salary ", Mr. Reynolds smirked.
"Are you trying to label me again ?", I raised my brows.
"It's a genuine offer ", he moved his hands through his messy hair whilst looking at me.
"I'll try! ", I was somehow convinced.
"Great! I'll appoint some people to train you " he looked at me "You just have to wear an exotic dress and stand next to me for a picture in the best selling cover magazine. It's an amazing opportunity to engage myself socially plus the picture would be on the front page with my interview and some tips by me to the young practicing entrepreneurs.
"Mmhmm ", I nodded.
"Little do they know that no one can ever be Aaron Reynolds !", he smirked and said the lines anyway without any questions. His self-obsession was not something very new to me.
"True sir! No one cant be as remorseless as you ", I said sarcastically with a smile.
"People like you force me too, don't spoil my good mood now and go dress up and add some plastic to your lame -morning face "
Uh! did he just call me ugly? I wanted to choke him but then how can I forget about the 10% increment. "Yes, okay ", I turned my face against him and kept the Hazel Grace constant within me by saying the word 'okay'
I rushed into my cabin and washed my face with clean water and wiped it with a towel after looking at myself in the mirror. I poked myself through the mirror and laughed at my fatuousness.
"Can I come in madam ", a group of girls peeped through the main door of my cabin and asked me permission to get in. I felt obliged because after asking permission from Mr. Reynolds infinite times someone asked me too, though on the instructions of the devil himself.
"Sure, ladies ", I tried acting bossy.
Then all walked quite precisely in a queue whilst coming towards me. One had a big hanger neatly covered with a huge paper in her hand. The other one had a makeup bag, the third one came with an accessory bag and the last one had some sort of machines in her hand which on deeper observation could be figured out that were straighteners and curlers.
"Are you the one ?", the dominant one of them questioned
"Since it is my cabin, of course ! ", I replied.
"When's the last time you have been to a beauty-parlor ? ", she questioned and I could sense her judging my not so plastic skin.
"What kind of a question is this? I do go to beauty salons. The last time I went was " I thought for a while "I don't remember but I did go "
"Could be seen ", she was so sarcastic and rude, oh my god.
"Okay, what else ?", I gave the most plastered smile ever.
"Let's get started girls ", she gave me a light dress and ordered me to remove the one I was wearing. It took me 5 minutes to change the dress and wear the one she provided me. It was very comfortable and lightweight. It was a short dress more like a sleeveless top which ended three inches above my thigh.
"Look at your eyebrows girl ", she looked at me closely by almost popping her head in mine. She threaded out the unnecessary hairs and gave them a point.
"Wax her legs ", she ordered the girl who was standing with the accessory kit. She carefully placed it on the table and came towards me with the wax kit.
"I did wax my hair this week ", I objected ! a part of me was scared with the waxing shit, it felt like a part of me died after every hair which was nailed out my body.
"I like your humor girl ", the sarcastic bitch added up to her comments again. The other girl came close to me and firstly powdered up my skin and then applied striped full of wax all over. She waited for 2 minutes and then pulled out the strips along with the unnecessary hair. I was taken care of like a bride whose wedding was preponed.
"ouch ", I was moaning out of the pain.
"Chill baby ", the other one was comparatively better.
"Madam, straighten her hairs or curl them ?", the hairdresser stepped in and asked the bitchy one permission as she stood over me while letting me sit on the chair just like a mother does when her children deny eating anything.
"Straighten them from up ", she moved her hands through my hairs explaining her carefully that till which point she has to straighten "Curl them all from here, soft and bouncy ones ", she caught the lower strands of my hair while showing her.
I could feel the heat on my head because of the excessive machinery used but I just sat still without moving an inch because the lady standing, on the top of my head, was scary as fuck. She ordered me to push forward my hands towards the other girl so that she could do the manicure treatment over them. I felt like a princess, no lie.
The girl doing my hairs on completing her task showed it to her boss and she approved it after examining them properly. My manicure and pedicure treatment was done too, my nails felt lively and perfect.
"Should we do the Makeup first or sort out with the dressing part?", the dominant lady asked me.
"Anything, what you like ", I had less idea about this field so I just decided to agree with whatever she does.
"Come on, makeup experts ", she called upon two girls, the rest of them comforted themselves on the small couch in my cabin.
They both came towards me and smiled cheerfully and advised to me stay still as much as I could and also to keep my eyes closed. Opening my eyes wasn't beneficial too because I couldn't see myself. The only place I had a mirror here was in the bathroom.
I could feel them contouring my face and highlighting up the necessary areas, darkening my eyebrows, and adding fake blush to my cheeks. They used a large eyeshadow brush and applied one color to the base of the lashes and blended it all the way up till the brow. And then they used crease defining brush to apply the second shade in the crease, blending up and out toward the outer corner of the eye along the edge of where the brow bone began.
They lashed up my eyelids giving them volume and when I peeped a bit I saw them using a Mac lip liner followed by a lipstick to complete the look.
"can I look at myself now?", I pleaded out of curiosity.
"after you dress up completely ", she passed me the dress.
I took the dress, it was a bit heavy then usually what I wore. I carried it with both my hands and tried walking towards the washroom.
"What are you doing, girl?", she questioned me while pulling me through my right hands.
"To the bathroom, for changing of course ", I tried getting away.
"You can't change the dress there, you will need us for wearing it ", she tried instructing me.
"No I can wear it myself and since I have to change here, can you guys stand out for a while?", I asked them politely.
"yes, sure! I'm guessing that you do have an idea that we don't wear inner wears under such kind of dresses.", she closed the door.
I nodded as I knew but I didn't. I opened the dress and it was a white off shouldered gown which had a black Saturn belt at the stomach and it was a bit deep so some part of cleavage could be seen. I unzipped it from the back and settled myself in it, I turned my head around and tried pulling the chain to complete the gorgeous gown look. I pulled harder but my hand just didn't reach so I pushed myself a bit, thankfully I got a grip on the dress so I pulled the chain upwards with all my strength. I suddenly felt that I got something in my hand, I stood still and looked at it.
My whole world collapsed as it was the chain of this dress, I had pretty much spoiled the dress so I just caught the front part with my hand settling the dress on my body, and asked the ladies to get in.
"I'm so so sorry! I turned around ", my vision blurred because my eyes were watery.
"It's okay love! ", the dominant one came close to me and hugged me. She was not bad about a person too.
"We will find a way out ", she caressed me by rubbing my arms while side hugging me.
"I have a plan ma'am", one of them turned the situation lit. She went towards the jewelry box and picked up a diamond-studded broach.
"oh my god yes ", she grabbed the broach and asked me to turn around, I did as per the instructions.
She pinned the broach to my back which made it prettier and also corrected the flaws. I turned around and smiled at the women and apologized for my clumsy behavior.
" you look so beautiful ", she exhaled while side parting my hair and adding a broach to it too.
"Thank you ", I rushed towards the bathroom to look at myself and I couldn't believe it was me. I never knew that I had such kind of a prettier version too. I pinched myself and then realized that it was happening for real but I was a bit scared too for confronting the media and doing the photoshoot with Mr. Reynolds.
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Do look at Amanda and her gorgeous outfit!