Silently falling for you

CATHERINE POV Today was Monday yeap it's the beginning of the new week and my hundredth day at work at the Collins enterprise. Yeah my name is Catherine moss I intern at Collins enterprise am 23 years,yeah 23 and my life is complicated I just got off a call with my Dad his been calling me money I literally sent him $70 yesterday I don't get why he squanders money like this I always tell him to limit his spending limit but no he doesn't listen he goes drinking and gambling and am left to pay he's debt things weren't like this everything started 11 yrs ago FLASH BACK I was 12 and I just got back from school when I heard voice from our leaving room i can't do this again am fed up I can't take this anymore am leaving you with your problems behind me Make sure u take care of the baggage and my mom left me with my dad that's when everything changed he no longer laughs with me, he goes out and comes back recking of alcohol He just changed totally END OF FLASHBACK Now it's the beginning of a new week and I was currently engaged in a very serious task which was the stapling of reports. If you had told the teenage version of me that I would eventually land a position at a multi-billion-dollar global empire, I probably would have laughed in your face. Collins Enterprises was the kind of company people sold their souls to join.We didn't just make tech here, we made the tech that made the tech. The lobby was all glass and expensive looking, the air smelled like expensive cologne. And at the top of it all sat ALEXANDER COLLINS He was the city’s most eligible bachelor, though "eligible" was a strong word for a man who seemed to have been carved out of a block of ice.I had seen him a few times in the lobby.He was always followed by a wall of security guards and a secretary who looked like she had never eaten junk food in her life.Mr. Collins never looks left or right. He never smiles.He just focus on where he was going as if the rest of us are inconsequential beigns "Stapler job again I looked up to see Maya leaning over the partition of the cubicle next to mine.Maya was a marketing intern and the only person in this building who didn't make me want to fake my own death to get out of a meeting. "The stapler is a formidable opponent," I said, finally clicking a row of metal into place. Maya laughed."At least you have a desk.I spent all morning organizing Mr. Felix digital system ,He has a folder named 'Stuff' with four thousand documents in it.” "At least 'Stuff' is descriptive," I countered, leaning back in my chair."I’m currently filing 'Project Alpha.'It sounds like a secret weapon, but it’s actually just a logistics report on office furniture shipments to New York branch." "Living the dream, Catherine" Maya teased.She glanced toward the elevators."Did you see him today?The ice king? "Mr. Collins? she asked Yeah, I saw the top of his head as he went into the privateelevator this morning.He looked very... executive.I think his suit costs more than my college tuition." "He’s handsome, though," Maya mused, popping a raisin into her mouth."In a 'I might fire you for breathing too loudly' kind of way. "He doesn't even know we exist, Maya.We’re just the background noise in his very expensive life." My phone buzzed on the desk, vibrating against the wood.I glanced at the screen, and my stomach did a slow,unpleasant roll.The screen read: Dad calling. "I have to take this," I said, my voice losing its sarcastic edge. "Go ahead.I'll keep an eye out for the supervisor," Maya said, her expression softening."She knew my relationship with my family wasn't exactly perfect. I stepped into the stairwell, the heavy door muffling the sounds of the office.I waited for the third ring before answering. "hello? "You took your time," my father’s voice came through, thick and demanding as always.He didn't say hello.He never did. "I’m at work, Dad.I’m an intern, not the boss.I can't always jump when the phone rings." "Don't give me that smart-mouthed attitude," he snapped.I could hear the clink of glass in the background.It was only 11:00 AM."I got another notice from the bank.That loan we talked about I haven't seen the money yet I closed my eyes and leaned my head against the cold concrete wall. "I sent you half of my paycheck on Friday.I need the rest for groceriesI’m living in a studio the size of a closet, Dad." "You’re working for the richest man in the country.You’re telling me you can’t find a way to get a little extra?Something?"A bonus? The fear I had carried since I was sixteen flickered in my chest, a reminder of why I never argued too loudly.My father wasn't just a man who made bad choices.He was a man who knew exactly how to make me feel small and powerless. "I’ll see what I can do next week," I whispered."I have to go.My supervisor is looking for me." "Don't forget who looked after you when nobody else would, Chatrine send the money He hung up without a goodbye.I stood in the quiet stairwell for a minute,taking deep breaths.I hated that he still had this much power over my mood.I hated that I was working myself to the bone just to fund his habits.But mostly, I hated that I was too scared to tell him no. I wiped my face, straightened my blazer, and headed back to my desk.I needed to focus.I needed to be an efficient intern so I could keep this job and eventually move far enough away that he couldn't find me. When I got back to my station, Maya was buried in her computer, but there was a shadow hovering over my desk.It was Mr. Melvin my direct supervisor.He was a man who loved spreadsheets and generally ignored me unless I made a mistake. Right now, he looked like he had seen a ghost. "Catherine," he said, his voice sounding a little strangled. "Yes, Mr. Melvin Is something wrong with the New York report?I can redo the formatting if—" "Forget the report," he interrupted, wiping sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief."Pack your things.Or don't pack them.Just... come with me." I blinked, my heart starting to race.Am I being fired, sir am so sorry I promise I won't make mistake with the report again just give it back to me before the day ends I will get back to you with a new complete report I will make sure a cross check it before submitting it to you and they won't be any mistake again sir just give me a second chance sir it's won't repeat itself again sir pls sir don't fire me "Fired?" Mr Melvin let out a high pitched laugh "No I just got a call from the executive suite.They need a translator for the 2:00 PM flight to Fiji.Apparently, the lead consultant's father had a heart attack, and the backup is stuck in California HR went through the files and saw you’re fluent in the Southern Dialect." I stared at him."The Southern Dialect?I mean, yes, my grandmother taught me, but I’ve never used it for business." There is always a first time Catherine I mean there is no need if you haven't used it Mr Melvin said ushering me out of my cubicle Maya’s head popped up, her eyes wide with shock."They need someone now. The helicopter leaves from the roof in twenty minutes." "The roof?" I tripped over my own feet. MR Miller, I’m wearing a cheap blazer and I have a half-eaten bagel in my bag.i can't go to a high level business trip like this "You aren't going to a meeting, Cath You’re going to the 21st floor."I froze.