Dearest Angel Han,
Don't worry, you haven't been robbed, well not literally. I just dropped in and borrowed some things, without your permission.
I've got the perfect job Ann, now I can repay everything!
Whish me luck, pray for me!
Love you!
—your Lia x_x
Hanna's big brown eyes skimmed over the neatly formed letters on the orange sticky note, stuck on her front door. She furrowed her brows and opened the door. In all honesty, it looked like her house had been hit with a hurricane.
Mouth agape and eyes blow wide, Hanna stepped inside. Clothes everywhere, hair everywhere, dirty tissues on the floor, open closet doors, no light switched off— Had not Hanna seen Olivia's note on the door, then by this time she would be calling the police.
Hanna kept the bag of freshly brought groceries on the floor and picked up her new halter neck, white crop top which was covered in Olivia's brown hair and was dripping wet. She threw it away with a disgusted expression.
Hanna was left dumbstruck. She flipped Olivia's note and clearly it was written, "Did I dumbfound you?"
In a situation like this, the only thing the petite blonde could do was stomp her foot and shout on top of her lungs, "OLIVIA STEVENSON!"
>------$ $ $------<3
"Name?"
"Olivia-Ander! Olivander Hawkins," she replied firmly in her clear and sharp voice.
In the silence, she heard the pen scratch against the paper.
The chairwoman of Holmes Corporation tipped her chin with an, perfectly made, eyebrow arched up. A smile graced her red luscious lips. She was a woman in her late thirties, with sliver blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. High cheekbones and a dimpled smile. Her aura screamed perfection and elegance. She straightened her white silk shirt and stared through Olivia's soul.
Her gaze was cold and unwavering, scrutinizing Olivia's small, wannabe manly form. But Olivia's best defense was her poker face and controlled demeanor.
Do be controlled by your circumstances, Control your circumstances.
"Are you trilingual?" Chairwoman's wife popped a question. A woman in her early thirties, fiery red hair with warm brown eyes. Unlike the blonde's sharp features, she had soft eyes and a kind smile. Her eyes did not hold a challenge against Olivia's, but a curiosity.
"Yes, but not precisely, " Olivia replied firmly.
Holmes Corporation was having an open interview for the job of an assistant. Educational qualifications did not mean a part in this, nor did one's identity, status, certificates, degrees, or alma-mater.
The only thing taken into consideration was a personality assessment conducted personally by Mrs. and Mrs. Holmes. The room was brightly lit and they sat behind a glorious glass panel, rejecting anyone who tried to brag even the slightest bit about their materialistic achievements.
"Elaborate," the blonde woman, whose name template read Casey Holmes, asked, stroking her pin straight blonde hair.
"I hold fluent in seven different languages," Olivia answered crisply.
The red head, whose name plate read Macy Holmes, gave Olivia a pleased smile. "And would you list them for us, Mr. Olivander?" she asked in her husky voice, pen leaving cursive strokes on paper.
"Yes, Mrs. Holmes, they are English, French, Spanish, Korean, Japanese, Hindi and Arabic," Olivia replied.
Casey Holmes raised an impressed eyebrow. Olivia had covered most of the continental languages where the Holmes Corporation had branches.
Olivia's intensive childhood training was finally paying off. She never wanted to be a businessman like her father, so learning languages was what she considered a supreme waste of time. But nonetheless, she stands corrected.
Casey Holmes' lips slightly twitched up from the permanent pout.
"¿Cuántos manantiales has visto?" [how many springs have you seen?] Mrs. Casey Holmes questions.
"Veintiuno, para ser precisos," [Twenty one, to be precise] Olivia lied with a professional smile.
"Naze watashitachi wa anata o erabubekida to omoimasu ka?" [Why do you think we should choose you?] Mrs. Macy Holmes questioned, switching the conversation to Japanese.
"Je voudrais que vous répondiez en coréen," [I want you to reply in Korean] Mrs. Casey Holmes intercepted before Olivia opened her mout to speak.
"Naneun jeonche bijeuniseu bumun-eseo gajang hyoyuljeog-eulo ilhal su issneun salam-ibnida," [I am the most efficient person to work with in the entire business sector.] Olivia replied, brimming with confidence.
Mrs. Casey Holmes scoffed while Mrs. Macy Holmes let out an amused chuckle. The redhead placed an elbow on glass table and perched her chin upon her palm, eyes glinting as if she was brewing a master plan.
"Do you think you can do justice to this job?" Mrs. Casey Holmes asked, closing a file and neatly placing her elbows on the white table.
Macy was well aware of her wife's posture; she was interested in the boy's blank looks, calculated smiles and professional replies.
"Undeniably, I don't think I can," there was a pause. "I believe I can."
Olivia's mind ran a mile a minute, having thrust herself into this interview, everything depended on her presence of mind. This was now or never.
"I have a perfect sense of time," Olivia began, but suddenly Hanna's words rang in Olivia's mind. 'No sense of time, what-so-ever!' she continued, "I arrange and assign things perfectly," No sense of arrangement! Always the messy girl! "I was raised to be loyal, trustworthy and secretive," why can I never trust you Lia? Why do you always lie…about your feelings and candies! "I am hardworking and talented; I assure you that I will assist the Vice Chairman to meet all of his need, perfectly." Can you ever help yourself Lia? You are so clumsy!
Olivia ended with a smile, smoothly ignoring the pestering thoughts of her nagging best friend.
"Don't you think you have too much of self confidence?" Casey asked, a smirk playing on her cherry red lips.
"I am confident because I am capable." Olivia replied in a heartbeat.
Casey Holmes' red lips curved in a subtle smile. Macy Holmes smiled brightly, pulling the microphone, that was attached to table, closer to her lips, she spoke in it, "Secretary Lane, please call off the interviews."
Casey Holmes stood up, tall in her heels and experienced in face. She held out her hand. Macy Holmes held onto her wife's hand, standing up, tall in her heels and elegant in face.
Olivia's heart hammered in it's cage. She held a grounded expression, scared but not showing it. Slightly intimidated by their shining jewels and watches. But not showing it. She has been in their place. She has sat on the other side of the glass table and witnessed people breaking out in hysterical cries.
She has seen honesty being rejected. She has seen innocence being trampled on. She has seen armours shattering and hopes crushed.
The wives linked their arms at their
elbows, heading towards the glass doors of the interview room.
"Meet us at the Holmes household, Mr. Olivander, you are appointed," Macy called out before closing the door behind them.
She has seen lies being accepted, fakeness appreciated and facades winning people over. Olivia was born into it. She knows mind games well.
Birds of a feather flock together?!
Olivia released a breath she had been holding, a small smile appeared on her face. Her heart thumped in joy. Money. She is going to make money now! She will be able to treat her father now! She wanted to squeal, she wanted to jump, she wanted to cry, she wanted to laugh, she wanted to do a lot of other things that she didn't.
Because a camera was recording above.
Instead, she stood up with a cold face and walked out.
Bandaging herself in the extreme temperature of Albuquerque paid off. Being a man paid off. Being someone whom she wasn't, worked.
This was nice. Being a man was easy, right? Men surely have it easier in the world. It's fine. It is just the start.
How hard could it be, to handle a twenty-one-year old man?!
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"It's mine!" she shouted.
"No, It's mine!" he retorted.
"No, Mine!" she shouted back and leaned forward.
"Don't you dare touch it, you goddess of disasters! It is mine!" he screeched and lurched at the glass case. But before he could grab it, the girl wrapped her hands around it. Protectively shielding the case from his evil glare.
"Ha! Ha! Ha!" she scoffed, swaying the glass case from left to right.
The boy frowned and crossed his hands against his chest, trying to pull off an intimidating stance.
"What are you even going to do with it? You'll end up breaking it anyway, sooner than later. Just give it to me, then at least you can glance at it once a week. Right?" he explained, tipping left and right in order to snatch the case from her and make a run for it.
"You're an asshole," she snapped and threw the glass case at him.
The boy ducked, the case tore through air and crashed against the wall, right beside the door, from which Casey, Macy and Olivia were entering at that exact moment.
Miniscule shards of glass lept to attack random directions, right beside Olivia's head. Before she could raise her hands to defend her face from the incoming attack, Macy Holmes flung open an umbrella in front of Olivia's face and pulled her away in time.
During this split second of disaster, Casey Holmes did not waste even a blink.
Olivia gulped, heart hammering in Macy Holmes' strong embrace.
"See, that's what you do everyday," the boy scowled, pointing at the sparkling bits of glass decorating the floor in a mess.
"Yeah, because you always make my business your business. It is all you," the girl flips him off.
Macy Holmes closes her umbrella and steps back, "What a stunning welcome, my love!" Macy chimed.
"Yes, quite literally," Olivia choked out, pulling at her pants to make sure there was no glass to stick in her butt if she is made to sit. One step in this household and death is already tolling on her head. Good Lord.
The girl ran towards the redhead and hugged her, "Mothers! Welcome home!"
Olivia was still standing at the door way as a flurry of maids rushed in with brooms and dustpans and mops. Talk about being quick.
"You never fail to astound us, darling," Casey pulled the girl in a warm hug, patting her bushy head.
Alessandra Holmes, also known as the goddess of disasters, was an eighteen-year-old orphan, adopted eighteen years ago by the Holmes couple.
Alessandra sported curly light brown hair, competing and most probably winning against noodles. She had a wide forehead with sharp dark brown eyebrows arched upwards. A pointed nose, high cheekbones, full lips and her sun-kissed skin represented her perfectly as a high profile model.
Alessandra's doe brown eyes fell on Olivia, checking her out from head to toe. The brunette bit her lip, raising an eyebrow, winked at Olivia.
Flabbergasted, Olivia's eyes widen as she coughed and shifted a little away from Alessandra's line of sight.
"Who is that fine specimen?" Alessandra questions with a smirk, her eyes never leaving Olivia.
"Olivander Hawkins, he will be Jin's replacement," Macy informed with a fond smile. Olivia nodded, careful to not make eye contact with Alessandra.
Olivia gave her a commercial smile, holding out a hand for her to shake. Alessandra all but leapt at it, shaking it vigorously. "Alessandra Holmes, pleasure to make your acquaintance," she introduced herself.
"Likewise; I'm looking forward to working with you," Olivia replied with a nod. Good enough.
"Ah! This is destiny!" Alessandra gasped, a mischievous smile gracing her lips. "I see, in that case, let me guide you," She continued, watching Olivia with a smile, "If it's okay with you?"
Before Olivia could open her mouth to reply, Casey Holmes beat her to it. "Perfect! Move on! It's a brand new day to work!" she cheered out, throwing her handbag somewhere and pulled her wife by the waist.
Olivia bit the insides of her cheeks, maintaining a poker face, she decided to follow Alessandra out of the room.
"Mr. Olivander, you look quite sexy!" Alessandra suddenly exclaimed, turning back so that their faces were inches apart.
Bewildered, Olivia coughed in Alessandra's face and jumped back, apologising out of curtsey. "I appreciate the compliment," the ravenette managed to choke in a loud and clear voice.
Alessandra scowled and rubbed her face with her sleeve. A wide, fake, smile graced her lips as she patted Olivia's shoulder and carelessly replied, "Ah, No Problemo!"
She took hold of Olivia's hand and led her through the lavish hallways, interlacing their bony fingers with each other, not before commenting, "Your fingers are extremely sexy as well."
Olivia squirmed, gulping while waking. The Holmes mansion was a stereotypical rich house— an absolute maze of richness.
The Holmes lived a lavish life. Their home was a sea side mansion, decorated with anything and everything one could need and call 'luxurious'. Alessandra was pointing at paintings, explaining which one was from where and costed how much when she flung another hand and hit a flower vase.
The bejewelled vase crashed against the marbled floor and Olivia sucked in a breath.
"Ah," Alessandra dryly sighed as Olivia stared at the broken pieces.
"You…" someone drawled out. Winding round a corner walked out someone pointing his index finger at Olivia.
She gave him a tight lipped smile, gulping a little. Her glass green eyes scanning his mousy brown hair and sleepy brown eyes. Obviously nobody could change overnight. He was still the same, square jaw, round nose, arched eyebrows, puffed cheeks.
Olivia wanted to face palm herself, as soon as she recognized the man standing in front of her was the one who said, 'let's meet never', and left her to do community service at the Sheriff's. He was Ralph Rodriguez.
Well, fuck. Talk about small world.
Alessandra simultaneously glanced between Olivia and Ralph with a lingering smirk.
Ralph jumped over the broken vase and paced towards a horrified looking Olivia. Alessandra tried to guard her 'man' but Ralph pushed through.
"You…" Ralph started, pointing his index finger at Olivia, "You are that person!" he exclaimed, looking bewildered.
Olivia choked out coughs and Alessandra instantly took the opportunity to rub her plams over Olivia's back in a soothing manner.
"I am sure you are misunderstood…" Olivia draggedout,t in her deep and clear voice.
"You both know each other?" Alessandra voiced out, raising an eyebrow while enjoying feeling Olivia's back up.
As if on cue, Ralph lurched forwards and hugged Olivia, shoving Alessandra away. "You are the one God created for me. My one and only." He completed, sighing contentedly after burying his face in the crook of her neck.
Olivia, on the other end, learnt how to breath again. She stood frozen, her heart almost galloping. What was this sheer dumb luck she was stuck with.
Alessandra could only gasp. With wide eyes she pulled Ralph away from the collar of his shirt. "Back up, he's mine!" she announced, pulling Olivia in a hug.
Olivia rolled her eyes. This was too much of a heart attack.
Ralph rolled his eyes at his best friend, "Ally! We promised to woo the same boy without any claims!" he whined out and then spoke seriously, "This one is so sexy, who he is?"
Olivia gently shoved Alessandra aside and
held out her hand, "Olivander Hawkins, starting today I'll be working under the Vice Chairman."
Ralph sucked in a breath. "My man is gonna have no time to date me," he pouted to himself which earned him a head smack from Alessandra. "Our man," Alessandra corrected with a pout.
Olivia and Ralph rolled their eyes in sync. This was too exhausting.
"Rudolph Rodriguez, but I prefer being called Ralph, " Ralph shook Olivia's held out hand. "Go on, you better hurry."
He nodded painfully and got out of the way.
"Yeah right, its the first door to the right. Leander's in his room." Alessandra informed.
Olivia nodded, ecstatic to escape the dumb and dumber.
She had a hunch that she was going to regret the further steps she took, but nevertheless she did not have a choice. It was blind luck, the job and her decision to dress as a boy, it was her fate.
She wanted to overcome the shortcomings in her life. She had to repay her debts to Hanna and had to save her father. So she decided to go with the flow, because that was the type of person she was.
Just as she was about to turn round the corner, she heard Ralph shout, "Mr. Olivander, your hugs are so soft!"
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