"Am I in trouble? Are you going to fire me?" I asked, with a trace of anxiety. I looked at her guiltily, squirming.
"Please stop fidgeting, Ms. Peterson. I'm not here to fire you, and you are certainly not in trouble," she said as the corners of her lips tugged up in a smile. "I'm here to hear your side of the story since my brother seemed incapable of telling the truth."
"What... what do you mean?" I stuttered, unsure of her words.
"So, you insulted him. That part is true, right?" she asked with a smirk, her eyes gleaming in amusement.
I stiffened at her words. "Is this a trick question? Are you trying to test me?" I asked, overlooking her delight at the situation.
"'No' to the first question and a 'Maybe' to the second. So..." she trailed off.
"Yes, I insulted him. The man belittled me. He was a prick, so I told him off."
"Yes, my brother can be a handful sometimes," she agreed, "but I assure you, he wasn't always like that. He became what he is now after our father died. I can't blame him. He worked hard to get our old man's company, but our dad gave the company to me instead."
"I'm sorry to hear that," I said after a beat of silence, not sure what to say.
"So, let's talk business," she stated and gestured for me to sit across her.
I sorted out my jumbled feelings as best as I could. My heart was beating rapidly as my thoughts raced on her implication of business. What kind of business does she want with me?
"Before I proceed, I want to know more about you. So, Andy, where do you live?" she asked, taking me by surprise.
"Oh! I currently live in my friend's couch in an apartment in Brewerytown," I said with hesitation, shy at this admission.
"Your salary is about three thousand a month, but is now less since you quit your other job, correct?" she asked.
"Yes."
"And you pay a portion of your father's medical fee? Is your salary enough to cover those expenses?"
"Yes," I replied softly as I stared at her, "How do you know all of this?"
"You sent an application for our job postings, Andy. We have your background file with us," she answered with a smile. "I also read that you applied as an art curator for our new gallery."
"Wait, you own Galleria de Belle?" I asked, stunned.
"Yes. An art gallery is a good investment," she replied with a chuckle. I finally noticed her blue eyes. They were the same shade of blue as Mr. Mogul's and were luminous in the light.
"Here's my offer," she continued after a brief pause, her demeanor turning serious and professional, "You can have the job as art curator if you work as my executive assistant for the next three months."
"Why?" I asked, astonished by her offer. Where is she going with this?
"I fired my last assistant, and I'm in need of one right away. You don't have to worry. We pay about forty-five thousand a month. I'll even throw in an apartment. After all, I don't want my assistant to be homeless," she replied with an enthusiastic smile.
I stared at her, my eyebrows practically disappearing to my hairline. The woman just looked at me stoically, just like her brother did before her. I mentally scoffed at the similarities.
"It's a generous offer, Ms. Maxwell, but why me?" I asked again, daunted by the offer.
"So far, you're the only woman who was able to look past his physical appearance and face him straight on. I've never known any woman, except me, my mother, or his assistant who can," she said with a grin.
"So...?"
"So," she said, pausing for a second, "since my office is beside his, I'll finally get some work done without my assistant drooling over my brother."
"Right, which means I'll be seeing him more often?" I asked though the answer was obvious.
"Yes. You'll see him every day."
I stood up from my chair, my face blank. So far, this was the greatest job offer I've ever had in my life. However, there's one big catch.
I can't be the only person who was indifferent towards him. On the other hand, I had seen him in a suit, and I have to admit, he is good-looking. I pursed my lips from the image which popped into my mind before I shoved it away.
I paced as I thought. She sat there, staring at me patiently, her eyes gleaming in amusement. It was evident she knew she was giving me an offer I couldn't refuse. I thought of some way to get out of it, but I badly needed the money. Plus, the apartment bonus would solve my housing problems. But was it worth it?
I stopped pacing and turned to face her. She sat up straight in her chair, ready to listen.
"I accept your offer, Ms. Maxwell, though, I have a request," I stated.
"What is it?" she asked, taken off guard.
"Can I have the weekends off?" I asked shyly, squirming under her scrutiny.
Her eyes softened as she replied, "Of course. I don't want to take your time away with your father."
"Thank you. So, when do I start?" I asked ardently, making her laugh in delight.
For the rest of the night, I worked my last shift at the club. Jack wasn't pleased to know his partner's sister had stolen his new staff member, but he was happy for me. Not once did he show how inconvenient it would be for him to find another replacement. I wanted to recommend Terry for the position. However, before I could even say a word, the man in question himself stopped me from doing so.
I left before the club closed and rode home with Terry—Jack's idea. On the ride back, I mulled over the conversation I had with Alexandra. Though she told me her reasons, I believe she didn't tell me even half of it. I was quite sure she held something back. However, I wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth, so, for now, I let the matter rest.
~~~~
The next morning, I woke up at the usual time and did my usual routine. The whole apartment was quiet. I was glued to the television when a knock on the door broke the silence. I was so startled by the sound I almost jumped off the couch.
I tiptoed to the door after the knocking stopped. Curious, I looked through the peephole. As I got a good look at the person on the other side of the door, I felt my heart skip a beat.
His dirty blond hair was slick back, and he was wearing his usual suit without a tie, two buttons were undone. He paced back and forth, hands deep in his pocket. I continued to stare at him in shock, not quite sure what to do.
In frustration, he balled his hand into a fist, intent on pounding on the door. Before he could do so, I opened it. He stood there, inanimate for a second before he cleared his throat and took a steady breath.
"Good morning, Mr. Maxwell. What a pleasant surprise," I said with a bland smile, which made him purse his lips.
"Can I have a few minutes of your time?" he asked, his voice deep and controlled.
"Sure. What do you want?"
He didn't reply. He simply looked at me with a raised eyebrow.
"Aren't you going to invite me in?" he asked.
"This isn't my apartment, so no, I'm not. We can talk right here. It wouldn't take long, would it?"
He took another steady breath. "No. It wouldn't take long."
"Go on," I said encouragingly.
"Did you talk to my sister yesterday?"
"Why do you ask?" I countered, avoiding his question.
"Why do you always challenge my patience?" he said through tight lips. After another deep breath, he repeated the question.
"Yes. I met her last night," I said, giving in. "If she hadn't introduced herself as your sister, I wouldn't even know you were related. She had better manners."
"What did you talk about?" he asked, ignoring my jibe.
"It's none of your business, Mr. Maxwell," I said, deliberately trying to be difficult. Thankfully, Terry called out my name from his room and inadvertently saved me from further interrogation.
"If you're not going to tell me, I'd assume the worst," he stated stonily.
"It is the worst. For me, at least," I said.
Before he could answer, Terry appeared behind me, only wearing sweat pants. We both looked at him as he stood there, his eyes wide in shock. Before they could react, I quickly said goodbye to my unwelcome visitor and slammed the door in his face before he could say another word.
"What was that about?" Terry asked, still in shock.
"The man was asking for directions," I said indifferently.
"Right. Like William Maxwell knows anyone from this side of town," he said with a snort. He shook his head in disbelief but didn't pursue the subject. I continued watching television as if nothing had happened.
~~~~
In the back of my mind, I knew Mr. Mogul would strike back sooner or later. When it happens, I'll make sure I wouldn't be caught off guard.
True enough, he was waiting for me outside, standing next to his sleek black car with another man beside him. I stopped a few feet away from him, eyeing him aloofly. When he noticed me, he walked towards me, meeting me halfway.
"Our conversation is far from over," he said through clenched teeth.
"Apparently, it isn't," I mumbled and sighed wearily.
"What did you discuss with my sister? Is she planning something behind my back again?" he asked, his eyebrow scrunched in annoyance.
"If you'd just back up for a moment, I would gladly answer you." I held up my hand in defense.
He stepped back slightly and held out both of his hand in surrender. After letting out a breath, I answered him.
"Your sister offered me a job. That's it. Nothing more."
"That's it? Are you sure?"
"Yes." I nodded curtly.
He brushed his hair with his hand, tousling it before he let out a breath of relief. When his eyes locked with mine, he flashed a genuine smile which turned into an arrogant smirk.
"Well, thanks for nothing," he said as he turned around and waved, brushing me off.
I stood there for a second and watched him walk back to his ride before springing into action.
"Oh! I forgot to tell you. I'll be working in the same place as you this Monday. You better get used to seeing this face on a daily basis," I called out tauntingly.
He stopped mid-stride and turned to look at me.
"See you, Mr. Maxwell. Have a great day." I nodded my head in a gesture of farewell and walked in the direction of the bus. I didn't dare look back. I smiled triumphantly at having the last word again. Take that, Mr. Mogul!