*DIANA*
I was not sure how my Julian was going to react when he saw me, it had been over two hours ever since he had sent me off to the post office and I was sure that I was already in a lot of trouble. Olivia's anger would have to be dealt with some other time because I had my mind focused on what I could say to my boss so that I can ease the punishment that awaited me, it was barely my third day on the job and I had almost been fired more than once so this is not going to reflect well on my resume if I blow this opportunity. The cab finally came to a halt at the front of the Mateo Ramirez company's building, thought back to my early days in New York after we had newly moved to the big city, the first day that I had seen the building; I had told my mother that I would love to see the inside of the building and she told me that if I had worked hard then I would know what the inside of these tall buildings looked like.
"You can keep the change" I told the kind cab driver who had been nice enough to break some traffic rules all because I had told him that I was already late.
"Thank you so much" he looked at the building for a few seconds before he said anything.
"Can I please ask you a question?" he asked me in a polite manner and I couldn't help but wait for a few more seconds just to hear him out.
"Sure, you can ask me anything" I said in response to his question.
"I am sorry if it looks like I am prying into your business but it's just that I have been dying to know… do you work here?" if it wasn't for his apology I would have thought that he was just being nosy but I saw no harm in answering his question honestly.
"I do work here, why do you ask?" I had to ask him a question back so that it wouldn't seem awkward.
"No reason in particular but it's just that there was a rumor about the former owner being involved in the underground racket in the city, a place where the most dangerous criminals meet to make their plans in secret away from the eyes of the public and the central police… do you know how he died?" I was lost for a second as he spoke, it was as if I was in a move for a second.
"Who are we talking about again" I had to ask because I was lost.
"The former CEO of your company, do you know how he died?" he asked the question again and this time he spoke slower so that I could follow him.
"No. I do not" I shook my head for emphasis.
"He was shot, two shots in the back of his head and if you don't know the kind of psychos that kill like that then I suggest that you take some time out to search about them… then you would understand the reason for my curiosity… goodbye and don't forget to stay safe" the weird cab driver drove off after that strange conversation that we had, I stood there for a couple of minutes before I turned to face the big building that loomed in front of me like a bad omen, I walked slowly until I had gotten past the front desk and inside the elevator… my mind was awakened to a fact that I had been missing all these while, how did Julian's father died and who could have killed him in such a way?.
The elevator doors opened with a ping and I stepped out with my mind circulating round what the strange cab driver had told me, I had forgotten all of the worries that I had before and I waws focused on this new source of inquisitiveness that engulfed my mind to the point that I didn't notice how my legs had carried me into Julian's office without even knocking, I saw him standing by the big window observing the beautiful view of the city under the pink glow of the sunset, he turned to look at me and the sun glinted off one side of his handsome face making one his gray eyes to come alive with color, I gasped for a moment as I tried to recollect my senses and maybe catch my breath, he was staring daggers at me and I was sure that if looks could kill I was sure that I would have been dead ten times over.
"What took you so long?" the question came cold as his stare but I kept my cool and I placed my lies strategically, I was not hoping to fumble this time.
"I made a mistake with the address so I had to go back and re-send it… I was so silly and I promise that I wouldn't do it again" I spoke as civil as possible and I was polite so I was hoping that he would buy my false explanation.
"I see, but why didn't you just call me to ask for the address again?" it was a very good question but luckily for me I had a natural reason for that.
"I don't have a phone…" I stated blankly, he opened his mouth in awe, it was as if all the anger vanished from his face and his face was frozen in shock.
"I don't believe you" he said with a small chuckle.
"I am not lying, I never had a phone all these while".
"This is the twenty first century for Christ sake, why didn't you say something about this earlier?" as he spoke he fumbled through his drawers on his desk and he opened one that had multiple smartphones and analog phones that still had batteries in their backs. Julian tossed me a smartphone and he told me to turn it on which I did.
"I did not want to bother you with my personal problems and besides… I was planning on buying a smartphone with my salary but not an expensive one like this though" I admired the phone with so much admiration, it was one of those that you only see on adverts and commercials, I handled with caution cause it had a glass back.
"You should have still mentioned something as important as this earlier, I am the only one that has that number and I will use it to call you to know your whereabouts or in case I need you to do something for me in my absence" he was direct and straight forward, he didn't flinch when he spoke and he looked at me with such an intimidating confidence that I had to stop myself from getting wet.
"Thank you, sir" I said in gratitude to him, he gave me a look of cringe.
"Don't call me sir, it's Julian… save all that formal nonsense for when you are in front of my mother" he said with a smirk that made my heart to melt, I cleared my voice and I relaxed my hunched shoulders.
"Okay… Julian" I moaned his name subconsciously and he smirked in a kind of way that told me that there was another side of him that he was concealing, it was that part that I wanted to see so bad.
"As for your salary, I am giving you an advance so that you can have a good time with your family for the weekend" I couldn't believed my ears, I felt like hugging him but I couldn't do that, I just stood there and watch in surprise as he opened another drawer that had a lock on it and he brought out two bundles of hundred dollar bills, he put it in an envelope and he walked towards me with a calm smile, it was weird to see him act this way but somehow I loved the difference in his character.
"What for? I thought my salary only comes at the end of the month?" I asked in a confused voice as I took the fat envelope from him.
"Take it as a 'thank you' gift for your first week working Mateo Ramirez family, more better things would come your way if you continue on this diligent path and all we ask of you is your complete loyalty to the family. Please send my regards to your father for me, Raymond is waiting for you downstairs and he will take you home, goodnight Diana and have a splendid weekend" he shook my hand and he returned to the window without saying another word, I kept the question that I wanted to ask to myself because I did not want to spoil the mood by bringing up the issue about his father's death. I kept the money in my purse and I left his office without saying anything, he had one more word for me though.
"Always remember what your mother told you when you were little, don't talk to strangers" I did not know how to react to that but I was scared by that warning and most especially the look that he gave me afterwards, what could he mean by that?.