Bernice Wang timed in at the company lobby at exactly half past six in the morning. She was excited to report on her first day in the company. Also, she was scared to death of being late. It would not be good if she gets fired for being tardy.
When she reached the top floor, she felt that she needed to use the restroom. However, to her dismay, the floor only had a male restroom. After all, no female employees are working close to the CEO. Well, except for her.
Since it was still early, she decided to use the emergency stairs to look for another restroom. She had only pretended to be male by voice before. This is her first time acting like a man with high stakes of being caught.
She actualy forgot about the details of going to the restroom.
She had descended three floors before finally finding a female restroom. She sneakily opened the door and checked for occupants. Once she deemed it clear, she immediately went inside and locked the door.
She was panting even before she entered a cubicle.
After relieving herself, she checked her disguise in the mirror.
"Heh..." she sneered. If she had a brother, he would look like the man in the mirror.
She had skipped a lot of vanity and skin care for the past days for this. She touched her cheek. 'Damn, it's rough!' she pitied her skin.
She even let her eyebrows grow as they will, making it a bit bushy and more masculine-looking.
She of course also skipped on the lipstick, and settled to dab on some colorless lip balm. She cannot go to work with wind burn, but she should not look like 'he' sways the other way.
She adjusted her suit and glanced one more time at herself before breathing in and sneakily opening the restroom door once again.
Seeing no one was there, she hurriedly went back up the stairs.
Before opening the emergency door of the top floor, she breathed in deeply for five times to calm her heavy breathing.
It was fifteen minutes before eight. The head of the huma resources told her to be at the CEO office before eight.
When she was just outside the office door, she cleared her throat, modulating her voice with some murmurs, before knocking.
She was not expecting that her boss was already in, but she knocked just in case he came in early.
She gulped when she saw a tall man in a neat suit standing by the tall windows.
The office looked like the boss's office in one of the comic book series where a monster would attack and throw off the man from the broken glass window.
She wondered why this man hates women so much. Wait...or does he only like men?
She cleared her throat once again.
The man moved a little with the sound.
"Good morning, Sir." she greeted.
The man elegantly turned around to face her, revealing his gorgeous face.
"Jarvis Li!" she could not help but exclaimed.
The tall man frowned immediately. "Aren't you a man? How come you're so loud first thing in the morning?"
She gulped, then she bowed. "Sorry, Mr. Li."
"Take these." He threw several folders towards her.
She scrambled to catch all of them.
"How did you pass PE in high school?" The man walked past her.
This man...was very familiar to her.
He was her first love.
She could still remember how he gave his rejection in her face back in high school.
...
"Jarvis Li! I...I like you!" She had her eyes closed and head bowed as she confessed.
When she looked back up to him, he sneered.
Then he straightforwardly told her, "I will never date the likes of you. Get lost."
He was heartless.
The naive and hopeless romantic her back then ran away as tears flooded her vision and streamed down her eyes.
However, this episode in her life became a lesson when years went by.
She began to believe that it was just a simple crush and it was funny.
.
Seeing him again still gave her a shock though.
'Will he recognize me? Will I get fired on my first day?! Why does it have to be this guy?! I could have gotten a perverted old man, but no...I got this heartless jerk! At least the old man will not throw me off the window...' She looked at his back. 'This guy has the possibility to do that.'
She kept her face calm with difficulty as chills ran down her spine. She was still trying to weigh her options as she walked when her face slammed on his back.
Good thing that she was wearing oxfords and not heels. She was able to maintain her balance and not fall down with the impact.
Jarvis Li looked back at her, frowning.
"If you were driving my car and not yourself, you will be paying a hefty amount by now."
She was irritated but she kept her head down. She cannot argue with that, and she was afraid that he would recognize her if she stare back into his face.
Seeing his new assistant keeping quiet, Jarvis Li felt that he was not fully in control of this person. He could not decipher what he was thinking.
"Well, what were you thinking about that you lost focus of your environment? Why did you even come to report today?" He was trying to pry but he did not forget to sound harsh.
"Pardon me, Sir. This will not happen again." Bernice Wang tried to shut down the topic.
Of course, she will never tell him what she was thinking about. She might even take this secret to her grave.
Jarvis Li scanned the petite man. 'He looks fragile.'
He was about to hand over his car keys, but he decided against it. He will not risk his life with someone who was daydreaming while walking. This new assistant could die by himself if he wants to.
"Get in." Jarvis Li ordered as he got into the driver's seat.
Bernice Wang was about to open the back passenger door when her boss shouted.
"Who am I, your driver?! Sit here!" He pointed at the shotgun seat.
She was thoroughly awakened from what was left of her contemplation. She hurried to sit on the front passenger seat, shut the door and put on her seatbelt within few seconds.
As they drove, there was awkward silence.
She thought it would be rude to request to play some music so she kept quiet.
He was trying to conceptualize his reason of firing this new assistant as he looks weird and acts weird.
He began talking as he drove, "What was your name again?"
Bernice Wang had wide eyes. Since she had limited time to have her credentials tampered, she only replaced her given name and gender.
She gulped as she replied, "Bernard, Sir. I'm Bernard Wang."