CHAPTER 2
ROXANNE'S POV
I climbed the flight of stairs while supporting myself on the silver railings. I was bent on getting the job.
Gently, I made progress to the fourth floor and was shocked to realize that there was indeed an elevator that could have helped shorten my wasted time and energy.
I could see other aspirants trooping out of the elevator room into the waiting room. I took a minute to wonder why the receptionist hadn't told me there was an elevator. Did she have anything against me?
The waiting room was not as spacious as the reception room but was large enough to contain all the aspirants.
I timidly entered the waiting room in awareness of the watching eagle eyes on me. I knew that my dress was a sorry sight but what choice did I have?
I went in and sat in a comfortable corner where many prying eyes couldn't find. I sat and listened to the ongoing howling in the CEO's office and could already tell that the CEO was a rude man.
He could afford to. He was a multi-billionaire and owned one of the largest real estate companies in the state and also because he was a heavenly beauty. He knew all girls would kill to have a word with him, not to talk of dating him.
I could smell tension in the air. The smoky scent will remain in everyone's nose until they have met and conquered the raging CEO.
I, on the other hand, didn't mind his rudeness as I was quite bent on working and making ends meet against all odds. I knew how many rejections I had faced in the past four years. If I was luckily employed, I wouldn't mind the bitter icing on the cake
"Aspirant number eight," I heard my number being called and moved with wavering steps towards the CEO's door and opened it.
"Did you knock?" The supposed CEO asked, staring daggers at me. His coffee-brown eyes stared right through my soul and filled it with naked shame.
"I..."
"Get out and knock properly. Have you forgotten where you are? This is NattCom Real Estate Ltd and I am the CEO of this great citadel. You must show reverence for me" he said rudely with the wave of his wristwatch tied hands.
I silently closed the door, wondering if the company's workers all breathed a different type of air. I did what he asked and knocked before entering
"Out!!! You idiot, I never asked you to come in," he yelled, this time making sure everyone in the building could hear the command.
"I'm sorry sir," I apologized, going out again to knock.
I knocked thrice before I heard a soft "enter" that was indeed the muttering of a mooing cow.
He still had a stern look on his face when I entered the third time. His handsome face was in such a deep frown that he could pass for an old man.
"Did you greet? I suppose I'm very little in your eyes, I could pass for an ant. Will you get out and find your manners before stepping into this prestigious company? How dare you?" He screamed out at me so loud and harsh that my liver exchanged position with my heart.
"Pardon me, sir," I apologized again at the brink of tears as I went out knocked thrice, heard a rude "come in," entered and bowed while saying the words "Good afternoon sir"
"You're ill-mannered," he said, swiveling his chair this way and that.
"What position do you aspire to hold in this great company?" he asked, putting his pink lips to good use as he pouted.
I didn't drool nor faint at his pout rose pink lips as others will do. Rather, I gave an awkward smile and replied " I aspire for the position of a secretary... A cleaner," I stuttered in a disorganized state.
"Are you perchance mentally ill?" He questioned, looking disgustedly at me
"I'm not mentally ill Sir," I defended brazenly, even though I was visibly fidgeting.
He cleared his throat and said, "Looking at you, I can easily tell what job fits you," he sneered and continued "You're very fit to sweep the gutter, that job is just for you. We have no job here for rag wearers."
I blinked back the painful tears that clouded my eyes at the peppermint insult.
"But I'm a Christian," he continued, "And it'll be against God's teaching to stop the poor from eating the crumbs that fall from my table. I'll make you my office cleaner even though you aren't clean yourself," he eyed my dress with venomous disdain.
"I promise to be a good cleaner. I will never disappoint you," I said tearfully but still thanked my stars that I had landed an almost decent job.
"Of course, you should never disappoint me, or else you'll be thrown out to the dogs, old hag. And, thank you for cleaning my floor with your wedding gown. They sure did sweep fantastically," he mocked and crowned it with a giant roar of laughter.
"Off you go miss poor and dirty. Being a cleaner will thankfully give you an upgrade," he concluded, dismissing me from his sight.
I scurried away like a wet rat; bowing my head and making a cheetah run down the stairs, not minding the obstacles on the way. I intended to run far away from the awful, rude, infested mosquito net of a company and deep back into my old orphanage home.
I thought being independent would be a great reward, but I've found it to be the greatest curse ever.
I wondered if the orphanage would take back a 22-year-old orphan girl like me. I had been dismissed or rather sent flying into the world of misery as was done to every 18-year-old in the orphanage and given a meager amount that didn't even surmise for a month.
"Are you alright?" A voice called out behind me, just when I was about to make use of the company's exit. The question made me turn around with an insult on my lips to pour it out on anyone who dared to speak rudely to me.
The offender was a young girl of about my age who had a kindly smile. The smile melted the impending torrents of anger and made me force out a smile too.
"Are you leaving so soon? You have to input your details at the cashier unit today," she said, successfully stopping my glorious exit. She was equally an entrant like me for I had seen a face like hers in the waiting room.
"Come, let me guide you. I'm Mara by the way and you are?" She asked while leading me to the elevator.
I managed a stutter in reply "I'm Roxanne."
I quickly looked down on my feet, suddenly self-conscious of my faded shoe. My once black, now brown shoes looked like mud in comparison to her white sneakers. She was dressed all prim and proper. I was sure she had landed a job as a secretary.
"Have you been hired?" I asked, trying to ascertain what job a high-class person like her would apply for.
"Yes, I have, as a cleaner. I'm so delighted to be offered the job," she displayed so much delight that I, on the other hand, looked like an ungrateful cow beside the epitome of joy. Her black eyes made a candle-light up as it was almost the same shade as her black hair.
She turned to face me and continued, "You will make a good cleaner, considering how sparkling neat you are," I froze midway. Did she just mention that I was sparkling neat? That sentence alone gave my face a star light up. I was so overjoyed that I didn't care to ask how she knew I was a cleaner.
We got to the elevator and were about to enter when the queen of fury howled at us
"Don't! My darling orphan, no! That elevator isn't for you. Please kindly tell your elephant to lead you to the appropriate stairway. She needs the exercise herself," she shouted across the room, turning all eyes in our direction making both our cheeks turn watermelon red.
There was something unusual about the company, coz I couldn't fathom why they could afford to be so rude. Or do they buy, sell and rent embarrassment rather than buy, sell and rent lands? No one was there to answer my pressing questions.
So we turned and quickly scurried to the stairway when I bumped into someone.
"You fool, mind..." I froze in shock as I realized the person I had bumped into. I could feel sweat rolling down my blouse to my long skirt down to the floor. I had bumped into the rude CEO and his red angry face was a hint of the horror I was about to face.