"That?" Laura thought. Surely, he couldn't possibly be referring to her, right? She began to raise her head slightly.
She saw, yonder, Ralph seated on a chair right in front of a desk which was elevated from the normal floor by a pavement. He sat in front of opened windows, allowing lighting from the rising sun to pour into the abnormally large office, unto Ralph, making him appear even more majestic.
Laura could only imagine that she was receiving judgment from a kind of god. This made her drop her head into an even humbler position.
"Um…" Malthus was even more bewildered. "Is there something about her that you're not satisfied with, sir?" Malthus could only wonder what Laura must have done in the beginning hours of her first day, to annoy Ralph.
"Malthus, look at her." Ralph stretched his hand elegantly in Laura's direction, his baritone voice echoing in the room. "Could I be satisfied with anything about her?"
Ralph's words caused Laura's heart to tighten. She still didn't want to come to terms with the situation; she didn't want to believe that she was still the one being referred to. She held her bag firmly, maybe that could hold her from breaking down into tears.
"She meets up to the criteria for being a great secretary, sir," Malthus responded with a firm voice. "Amongst all the outstandingly experienced persons present, she proved to be the best."
"Leave us," Ralph ordered. Laura knew that she was the subject of the matter, but she stood still unmoved. It was not like she didn't want to move but she could not move; like she had forgotten how to move.
Noticing that Laura had not moved an inch, Malthus turned to her, "Laura?" Malthus called.
Hearing this, Laura forced herself to move, "Pardon me, please, I'm leaving now." She moved her legs slowly and exited the office.
Laura stepped out of the office, biting her lip and holding it firm in her mouth, trying her best to keep herself from crying. What was happening? Had she gotten on the bad side of the CEO? What exactly did she do wrong? Various thoughts overwhelmed Laura.
****
"She's not fit to work with me, Malthus. Take her out." Ralph said indifferently.
Malthus was taken aback, "Okay sir, I'll do that, but could you please tell me the reason why?" He could only say. Malthus knew that Ralph didn't like working with women, but he didn't think that he disliked working with them this much. There had to be a reason why. Malthus thought.
"She doesn't have a serious ambience, that's lowering to my person. You should know that my secretary should be an extension of myself." Ralph spoke with eloquence, extending his arms as he said 'myself'.
"I'm aware of that, sir, however, observing her records, both educational and otherwise; she proves to be one who would stand as a proper extension of your person, and would be able to reflect you appropriately." Malthus opined.
"Please give her a chance. Two months is okay for you to pronounce a judgement on what she brings, and her attitude towards work." Malthus pleaded. Ralph was silent for a moment before he spoke.
"Make it a month," Ralph said firmly. "If she does not prove her suitability within a month, she has to be removed from her position."
"Very well, sir," Malthus said.
****
Laura's heart was in her mouth. She had mixed feelings. Feelings of anxiety, sadness and anger. Anxious because she could lose a job role she was just given, and sadness and anger because she was never demeaned in the manner Ralph just insulted her. Although she was abandoned by her relatives, they never looked down on her—they all knew that she was a brilliant child.
The worst thing, Laura thought, was that he didn't even give her a reason. Although she knew that no one should have a reason to disrespect another human being, she was willing to excuse his excesses only with a reason; which he didn't provide. How could a person act in such a way? How could a person belittle another, calling them "that"?
She paced back and forth near the large desk positioned in front of Ralph's office. On it was a desk name plate which read: Malthus Higgs, Personal Secretary—CEO. She realised that could be Malthus' workspace. Leaning on the table, she breathed in deeply, eager to calm her mind.
Laura was furious, but still, she tried to compose herself. Taking additional deep breaths and releasing, she began to mouth "I'm doing this for Chance, I'm doing this for Chance," repeatedly.
In a moment of her mantra, the door to Ralph's office opened; Malthus walked out. Upon seeing him, she became silent and straightened her posture. He stood facing her, looking at her apologetically. "Laura, he's not always like this. I promise."
"I understand," Laura said, faking a smile. "Is everything fine now?"
"Uh, yes." Malthus released a deep breath from his mouth. "I'll be onboarding you on your various tasks as the Assistant Secretary."
Hearing this, Laura was relieved. "Shall we begin?" Malthus asked.
"Yes, please."
****
Laura fell exhausted on her bed. It was such a long day for her. Although she was grateful, she still was in disbelief about what occurred in the morning. Throughout the day, as she was onboarded by Malthus, Ralph didn't leave his office, once. She wondered if he was human.
Maybe because she always glanced to his window, hoping to catch a view of him, that's why Malthus asked her to leave early; he must have thought that she must have been too shocked by the earlier event.
"You should go home and take a rest, Laura, we'll continue tomorrow," Malthus said softly.
Laura still lay on her bed, refusing to move. She didn't want to go and pick Chance up from Grace's place because she wasn't fully herself; she wanted to use the remaining hours to rejuvenate herself and come to terms with her current situation.
Her current situation was that she now worked for a strange billionaire.