Chapter 2 Squaring my shoulders

Getting to the office the following day was not as hard as the first day, though I still had to trek from the bus stop where the bus had dropped me to the building because I was trying to manage my finances. I was beyond happy, though still surprised at the way everything panned out. My mum was so happy when I told her yesterday. This was going to change our lives, I had made enquiry about getting her a caretaker, my work schedule was sent to my email yesterday and it was hectic. Being the personal assistant to the CEO required lots of traveling and late nights at the office. “Good morning.” I cheerfully greeted the receptionist as I walked past her area, she smiled at me in reply before attending to the man who had walked up to her table. Soon, I was in the elevator and proceeded to the last floor where the office of the CEO was, and my office too. “Good morning, Miss Huttinson.” It was the woman from yesterday, one of the interviewers. “Good morning ma’am.” “This way. The boss is waiting to see you.” And she led me past the work station of other staff, taking me towards a door. She stopped and pointed. “This is your office. Go inside, drop your things and let’s go meet the CEO.” I nodded and obeyed instantly. Slipping into the office that was said to be mine, I could not help but gasp. It was spacious and neat. Everything looked so new that I wondered if I was the first personal assistant of the boss or they replaced them when a new personal assistant is employed. There was a desktop, a telephone, a printer and scanner. There was even a small TV hanging on the wall of the office, the window was floor to ceiling but the closed curtains prevented the morning sun from streaming in. My hand traced the edge of the fine table made from polished wood. Wow! I was about to squeal when I heard a knock. “Let’s go Miss Huttinson. I have duties this morning to do.” Oh, I’d almost forgotten the woman outside. I quickly put my things down and went to her. “I’m sorry.” “Let’s go.” Taking the lead, she rapped on the door close to mine. “Cone in.” The voice was gruff, it definitely belonged to a male. I quickly wondered what kind of person my boss was. His age and personality. I berated myself for not doing a research on him, I needed to have something to help me familiarize myself with him. The woman opened the door and gestured that I go in before her. Exhaling deeply, I walked in as confidently as I could, plastering on a professionally polite smile. “Good morning Sir.” He raised his head from what he was doing and I almost gasped in surprise. I did not know what to expect but it was certainly not this beautiful face. He was really handsome, though he was wearing a cold expression. His rich brown eyes scrutinized me. “Who is she?” His baritone voice was as rich as the color of his eyes, and it was deep enough to make any woman swoon. That was enough, I told myself sternly. I was not here to ogle my boss, I was here to work for him and earn a living. “She’s the new personal assistant, Sir.” The woman clad in a quite expensive, very beautiful dress that made me wish I was wearing something as tastefully designed as hers explained to him. “Hmm.” He turned his gaze on me again and I tried not to squirm under his intensely cold, dispassionate stare. “What is your name?” He directed to me. “Zendaya Sir. Zendaya Huttinson.” I replied calmly. He looked like the kind of man nobody trifled with. There was this dark, brooding aura that oozed off of him. “How old are you?” His eyes remained on my face unblinking. I sighed inwardly, my whole body reacting. My insides roared with apprehension. “I’m twenty four Sir.” His eyes went back to the woman beside me. “Of all the applicants, she did best?” “Yes Sir.” She replied, a small smile creeping up her face. What was happening here? I was even the only person they had interviewed. I was already proud of myself for landing this job and mom was already over the moon about it too. I did not understand what was going on here but I hoped it was not going to end badly for me. “Alright, you can go.” He dismissed the lady. Without another word, she left and it was just the two of us in his office. I decided to let my eyes roam the length of his office, it was many times bigger than mine, and even the TV in his office was bigger too. “Are you just going to stand there or you’ll get to the business of the day?” I returned my gaze to his face and realized he had caught me admiring his office. Feeling stupid, I lowered my eyes. “What do you want me to do this morning for you sir?” “First off, take a seat and join me.” He instructed curtly. Without wasting time, I sat on one of the chairs opposite him. Looking at him expectantly, I waited for my next instruction. His head already buried in the documents he was perusing when I’d come in, he slid one across the table to me. “Go through that file and tell me what you understand by it.” My brows furrowed, I wondered if he was trying to test me. To know if I was good enough for this position. Straightening my back and I opened the document. “Alright sir.” I was going to prove to him that I was good enough. He was going to see that employing me was not a mistake and it was something he would not regret. Squaring my shoulders, I began to conscientiously go through the document.