I gave her my details and I was asked to take the lift to reach the CEO's floor directly.

The receptionist from yesterday greeted me with a warm smile which relaxed me a little from my pensive state.  "Calm down, the boss is strict but holds a good heart. He is on the conference call and I will send you inside once he finishes the meeting." She tells me, patting my shoulder.

The wait was escalating my worries to face the master but unfortunately I had no choice. After an hour of biting my nails I finally got permission to see him. "Who is Ms Mara Benjamin?" 

I jump on my feet to hear him ask the receptionist in a slightly irritable voice.  Great Mara, he doesn't even remember you.  "Sir she is the candidate who qualified the written test yesterday."  Rita tells him in a shaking voice.

"Send her in."  His voice was commanding, shaking me to the core.  Mara stay calm, he isn't going to eat you. 

"Good Morning Sir." I greeted the Alma mater in an almost mute voice and tried my best to overcome the anxiety. But fortunately he seems to have heard me as he tips his head up to look at me for a second and gives me a slight nod. His vision was then directed back to the laptop on his desk typing something on it.  "So Ms Mara Benjamin, is that your name?” 

I give him a firm reply like military personnel. "Yes sir." 

He looked amused by the intonation and gave a slight smile. I look at him without a blink, my lips parting slightly in exclamation. The macho knows to smile. 

I come out of my trance hearing him speak. "You know you have swiped two important records of this company's history?" Now I am puzzled. What does this sexy specimen intend to say? "Pardon me sir, but I did not understand what you meant." I speak to him in the same cadence of a chieftain.

"Well Ms Mara Benjamin, you are the youngest in my company's staff and the first undergraduate to be working in my enterprise." Did he insult me or praise me? If this suspense movie pulls on for long with this hunk, I will faint in no time. 

Getting up from his seat he brought a book from the book case and started reading its contents while he spoke to me again. Can this man not do one work at a time? That is why he is one of the richest men in the United States you stupid. My conscience tries to knock some sense. 

"You will be under probation for this month because you have zero experience and if you fare well your name will be recorded in the company's payroll." Fuck that! I thought I was already an employee of this firm.  My lips twist in annoyance. Thank Heaven, he hasn't seen it.

Returning back to his seat he opens the top drawer of his desk and forwards me a file.  "This is the file of Messrs Shaw and Co.  They are the distributors of our company's herbal products but since last six months they haven't paid us a penny for the goods and services we delivered.  Prepare a financial report of the company, assessing the total amount of debt they owe us.  We are going to sue them as defaulters in the court."  My jaw hangs open listening to his declaration.  Is suing someone so easy for him? Had I been given a chance I would sue the whole family of my mother’s murderer.  

“You may leave now."  His voice holds out a command bringing me out of the stupor and I release the breath I was holding since far too long. 

'Sexy brute' my inner voice shouts and I scurry out of his room like a hare out of the lion's den.

****

Home, sweet home I sing and dance reaching my house after getting out of the clutches of the iron man from the office. I was preparing dinner for me and my brother. He is going to return home shortly. I was chopping the vegetables for Italian pasta and dancing to the stereo playing in the background when I heard the calling bell. "Hey Mara," Anshi greets me with a hug. "How was your office and the boss?”

"Hot" was my simple answer. 

Anshi casually picks an apple from the basket, turns back to peek at me in shock. "What do you mean? Explain to me, young lady." 

I sat down beside her on the sofa getting myself another apple.  "Office is good but my boss is very dominant and controlling."

"He is also handsome.” Anshi adds and I roll my eyes. “I have seen his pictures in a lot of newspapers and magazines with spicy anecdotes. Give me more details, my sweetheart." She tells me as a matter of fact chewing on her apple. 

I narrow my eyes, gritting my teeth while she laughs having her fun at the cost of my irritation.  "The handsome is a man of few words and speaks only when necessary."

She taps the side of her head thinking deeply and adds. "Never let your feelings come out of the cranium in his presence."

I hit her with a cushion that was sitting beside me and enunciated in toughness. "Not even in my dreams am I going to let out my confessions to him." 

With a sigh I fan my face with my hand and continue to tell her dramatically. "Anyhow, with the course of time everything will change to a history."  

Bringing us a pack of chips I put on the TV to watch a movie on Netflix.

"Stumped," Anshi mutters. 

I look at her in irritation as she reflects the hidden truth of my heart which I didn't want to let out to anyone.

Chapter 9

Shannon Pov

Monday seems to be the busiest day of the week. Meetings after meetings seem to pile up one after the other.