A Devil Boss

Chapter 4.1

Dinner had been excellent and full of energy and curiosity about what to expect today. Sera made her way to the elevator and rode up to her new office.

As usual, she bounced her legs restlessly and then entered the nicely furnished room with relief. She put her bag under the desk to be distracted and then booted up the laptop. Since she was well acquainted with technology, she had no trouble finding her way around quickly. 

She also found a few things to do in her calendar, so she got right to it.

Sera had been working for quite a while when Astarot left his office. "Would you like me to bring you a coffee?" he asked, slightly amused. Apparently, because Sera was so engrossed or because she hadn't gotten the coffee.

"What, no thanks. I already had one," she replied but stared at the screen and typed something. "You didn't say anything about wanting one." 

"Have you had breakfast yet?" he continued, leaning against his door.

"On my way here," Sera murmured, engrossed.

"I see. Did you find a place to stay?", Astarot wanted to know, slightly amused.

She shook her head and explained that she had two late afternoon appointments. The others hadn't called in yet, but it was unlikely that she could find an apartment so quickly. Crossing her arms, Sera leaned back and stared at Astarot. "I'll do my work and then leave, so I'm not late," she informed him.

"All right. If you don't get the apartment, let me know," he said, pushing himself off the wall. "You sure they don't want coffee?" 

"Not until I get tired," Sera replied. "Otherwise, I'm too awake. Thanks for the offer, though. If you want one in the morning, I'll bring you one," she promised, then pulled out the contract she had signed and read through in detail.

Astarot joined her. "Do you agree to the terms of the contract?"

She flipped through the contract and then pointed to a passage. "All in all, I am satisfied, but the pay is not commensurate with the hours worked," Sera remarked. She had assumed she would complete many more hours.

"That's just the hours in the office," Astarot explained. "The other item is about the events we attend regularly. They're part of it."

Sera frowned. She wasn't born for such events. "You should take your wife or someone who is your equal. A secretary has no place at such events," Sera asserted seriously.

"I don't have a wife. Besides, these are of a business nature. A circle of clients is important," Astarot explained in a calm voice.

The young woman stood up and crossed her arms. "That may be true. Only I don't see the point of being dragged from one posh event to another. It makes me feel like a trophy doll," she said, pushing the contract towards him. "But since it's contracted by you, I have no choice. Take it before I change my mind and discuss it further."

Astarot grinned and accepted the contract. "You should be prepared as a lawyer to attend such events."

At that, Sera waved it off. "Let me worry about that. Maybe I don't plan to appear as publicly as you do," she remarked, turning her attention back to her laptop.

"That's one of my recipes for success," he asserted with amusement.

Shrugging her shoulders, she replied that there was another way. "Besides, if I were a lawyer, I would talk to the people and not stand by like a watered poodle and remain silent," she added, before making an energetic hand gesture that meant he should leave. She wanted to get on with the job.

"You don't have to just stand by," he laughed and left the room.

With that, she was alone again and could devote herself to her work. 

After the second apartment viewing, Sera knew that building a life in Los Angeles wasn't going to be easy. Not only was she going to have to pay a retainer, but most wanted someone who had a steady income. Sera didn't have that to show for it yet. 

Moreover, the apartments had simply not been what they had been advertised as on the Internet. Sera would have liked to call the brokers to account for presenting a completely separate apartment. 

Frustrated, she stopped at a small bar to treat herself to a snack. She couldn't go back to the hotel because time was up. So she picked up her smartphone and Googled hostels nearby. These were cheap and would suffice. Sera was not going to be put up that quickly!

I wonder if she should call her boss after all? He had offered, and then maybe she could save money.

Looking at her watch, Sera sighed and took a sip of her cocktail. It was already plenty late, but she saw no other way out. So she dialed his number and waited for the dial tone.

He picked up faster than she expected. It was his office number. Was he still at work? "Astarot Diabolus. How can I help?"

"To make good on your offer and give me some assistance in finding a place to live," Sera replied without greeting, for she had a feeling he was well aware of who was calling.

"Then perhaps I should pick you up," he remarked. "So you can still get a place to stay tonight."

Sera declined and grinned. Had she known, after all? "I'll be at a bar nearby. I'll be outside the office in ten minutes," she said and just hung up without waiting for his answer. She didn't feel like discussing anything, especially after the unsuccessful apartment hunt. And she had the feeling that Astarot liked to impose his will. But a short walk would do her good now to collect her thoughts. 

She quickly finished her cocktail and then slid down the barstool before going on her way. Perhaps she had been a bit gruff, but Sera had long since ceased to be the woman who said yes and amen to everything but went her own way.

He waited casually, leaning against his car outside the office. Moreover, he didn't seem quite so noble anymore. Casual, like she knew him from dinner. "I was beginning to think you were lost," he said with a grin.

Sera grinned. "Can certainly happen. But what's the navigation for?" she countered deftly, then sighed. "I didn't know you were still in the office." Had she interrupted him doing something, perhaps?

"I figured you wouldn't be able to find a place," he said honestly. "You can't get anything acceptable here that quickly. But for the transition, I have something for you. Get in."

Sera didn't need to be told twice, and she settled into the passenger seat with a sigh. "Thank you. You're a lifesaver," she joked.

"I love rescuing fair ladies in distress," he joked back. "But I think you might well have had another plan." He got in and drove off.

Amused, she shook her head. What a strange way of expressing herself her boss had. As if he were from another century. "Hostels," Sera remarked matter-of-factly. "I wanted to leave that as a last resort. My luggage is still at the hotel. I had it locked up there so I wouldn't have to lug it everywhere."

"Need it now, I'll drive by," he said and actually turned toward the hotel.

It was definitely cheaper. Otherwise, they'd have to go back. For some inexplicable reason, Sera had a feeling she was going to get a nice place. She didn't think Astarot would put his secretary in a shabby room.

He stopped to get her things, and when she sat again, he drove off also. As he did so, he seemed amused somehow. "You don't have to pay anything for now either. It's enough if you take care of keeping the place habitable and maybe clean up now and then," he explained, turning into a street that led them away from the office.

Attentive to memorize the way, the young woman looked out the window. "That's an extraordinarily generous offer," Sera replied delightedly. Tidying up was something she liked to do because she wanted everything to be orderly and easy to find. She had nothing against people who lived in chaos. For Sera, these people were just too lazy to organize their lives.

"You don't have to worry about the garden," Astarot said, turning in once more. "You can use the sauna and pool. There's staff hired for that, too."

His list of what she could use sounded fantastic, but the fact that staff was there irritated her. If the apartment was empty at the moment, why were there staff there? Were they there to spy on the residents?

"The apartment hasn't been used for a long time, but it still needs to be maintained," he continued to explain, suddenly pulling into a driveway. "The maids haven't worked in the house for a long time, though. So it might be a little dusty."

The driveway was not as pompous as the actor's, but Sera liked that. Since she would be out all day anyway, she wouldn't be spending much time here. "No problem. I'll clean up before I go home and pack my things this weekend," Sera said, waving it off. Being allowed to stay here without pay was very good. It allowed her to save money.

The house that appeared in front of her was not as big as she had expected, but it was almost too big for a single person.

From the outside, she could estimate that there were undoubtedly more than just the standard rooms. There were probably four to five rooms in addition to the kitchen and bathroom.

Way too many, but she would only use the most important ones. Still, she would keep her end of the bargain and keep the other rooms tidy and clean. "A beautiful house," she remarked reverently. "Only one room would have sufficed, though."

"Haven't got it to offer, I'm afraid," he said soberly, handing her the keys to the house. "Would you like me to show you around?"