A tensed silence followed her words. The pen in my hand froze at the N of the. NO I was writing. My heart raced mildly in my chest. Stay calm, Emma, I told myself silently. Slowly I dragged my eyes to hers, to meet her icy brown eyes gazing down at me with superiority and smugness.
Her bearing reminded me of Amelia, except Amelia is stunning in her elegance, and her cold and commanding presence draws attention to her.
The woman is more of a bitch than an alpha female.
Having calmed myself by thinking about Amelia, I politely answered her question. "Dudley group is a very large company. I am sure as good a worker as your friend, he or she can't possibly know everyone that works in the shipping company.
I finished my words with a beautiful smile that was all teeth and no where near my eyes.
The woman's face tightened with displeasure. She glared at me and then went back to her work.
I couldn't resist doing a victory dance in my mind.
Score one for me, Zero for the cold bitch.
For the rest of the time I spent filling the document there was no further incident. Once I was done, I moved the documents towards her.
"Finished," I looked at her brightly.
Wearing an unsmiling expression she took the papers and brought them to her face. She started going through them one by her, a furrow between her brow. With her glasses she looked like a school teacher grading her students papers.
Once she was done I couldn't resist a dig at her.
"Did I pass?"
I was a picture of innocence when her hawklike brown eyes flew sharply to me. Her eyes narrowed at me behind her glasses. It was obvious from the irritation on her face that she didn't like my joke.
"Look Miss Stone, you are I both know that you didn't deserve this job. I don't know what you did, or how you did it, but please do us a favor and stop with the childish jokes."
Her biting words hit right on the mark. She was right I didn't deserve this job. I neither have the experience nor the qualifications to be here. I felt embarrassed inside which made me retreat into myself.
This is a new company and I do not yet know who is who, now is not the right time to be pissing off. anyone.
"I am sorry," I said simply.
My apology placated her mildly causing the hardness around her expression to soften a little bit.
"Come with me," she barked rising to her feet.
I stood and followed her out of the door.
As we left her floor we made our way to the first floor where she showed me where everything is. The coffee room, Gym room, meeting room. And of course where other workers work.
The Dream Real Estate occupies three floor out of the fifteen floor office complex. The upper floor is the executive floor and also where the security is.
When we got there Ms Love pushed the door open to reveal a room filled with men and a computer in front of them.
"Hello, boys," she greeted as we both walked in.
They all turned from the computer and turned in our direction. The greeting and the smiles on their faces froze when they saw that she was not alone.
"And who is this hot little mama with you," one of the guys flirted a cheeky smile on his dark lips. He was a slim dark skinned guy wearing a black T and a brown dress trouser and a deep wave low cut. His brown eyes twinkled at me as he waited for a response from Ms Love.
"Is she a new employee?" Another fiddly questioned.
"Is she single?" another threw in.
I blushed furiously at their words. My eyes caught that of the dark guy and he threw a wink my way. I shook my head at him, and looked away just as someone walked into the room. He was a tall guy, slightly overweight, bald head, pale blue eyes and seven months pregnant.
"Calm down boys, and stop acting like some hormonal teens," his deep masculine voice echoed into the room.
"Thank you, Mark. Your boys were acting this is their first time seeing a woman in their life," Ms Love hissed, rolling her eyes for effect.
"None as hot as her," the dark guy threw in, looking towards me with a wide flirty smile on his lips.
"I thought you have a girlfriend, Conor," Mark threw back at the guy.
"We broke up," Conor answered sadly.
His break up was news to his colleagues who turned to him in shock. You broke up with Sandra, a few of them yelled, with all of them staring at the guy like he has done the impossible.
Conor looked down as he answered. "We broke up last Saturday. I got tired of her controlling ways, and also because I caught her fucking my neighbor."
The others looked at each other like they weren't surprised that this Sandra guy was cheating on Conor.
"Good for you, son," Mark patted him on the shoulder in a family manner.
"Yeah, good radiance to the bitch. You deserve better than her," another colleague said in solidarity.
From their camaraderie it was obvious that these guys are close. Despite their show of support they fail to see how badly hurt their friend was from the break up. It didn't matter that he was the one that broke off the relationship he was hurt, and he obviously loved the girl.
"Please can we leave the relationship mess at home. Here is a place of work, and you are here to work, and not whine about your love life or use it as a room to pick up girls no matter how much the said girl' s dressing encourages you."
Ms Love turned to shoot me a dirty look.
What! I looked down at what I had on. What is wrong with what I am wearing? The gown though short wasn't indecent. So why is she picking on me.
I looked up at her to still find her glaring at me but she looked away when she felt my eyes on her.
"I thought her name is Love," One guy mumbled very lowly that only few of us in the room heard.
I stifled my chuckle using my hand to hide my grin.
Mark shot the guy a look and then turned to Ms Love. "I am sorry Ms Love, what can we do for you?"
"We are here to pick her ID," she said sternly.
"Her has a name," I grumbled in my mind, wondering what the woman's problem is with me.
"And you are?" Mark looked towards me, kindness reflecting in his pale blue eyes.
"Chanel Stone."
The room went quiet and they all looked at me weirdly.
"What?" I looked from one guy to another, but no one was meeting my eyes.
"He really does have a type," Mark mumbled underneath his voice.
I didn't know if he meant for me to hear it or not, but I did, and his words confused, likewise the looks in the others eyes.
They were acting like they all know something that I don't know. And the feeling of being left out wasn't a good one.
Even Ms Love seems to know what was going on from the smug look on her face.
I haven't been here for long and I am already feeling left out.
"You two, please follow me to my office," Mark said into the tensed silence.
Ms Love and I did.
His office was a small one, sparsely decorated.
There was just a desk with a computer, and a chair. There was also a photo album on the table showing his family. His wife was pretty, and his three kids.
He opened his drawer and rooted inside it for few seconds and came out with my ID in his hand.
"Welcome to the company, Ms Stone," he stretched out the card to me.
"Thank you. Please call me Chanel," I smiled at him.
"On the condition that you call me Mark," he returned my smile with a polite one.
I nodded.
"Let's go," Ms Love barked and turned around, and without waiting to see if I was behind her headed out of the room.
Outside the security room Ms Love concluded her tour and orientation into the company.
"You are starting work immediately, Mr Valentine needs a secretary ASAP," she told me coldly, surprising me. I had believed that I will just come for the ID and orientation and then resume tomorrow.
"Where is his office?" I asked softly.
"At the end of this floor."
"Thank you," I turned to go, but she stopped me when she called out my name.