JOB FROM HELL
798 Words
*CHAPTER 2: THE JOB FROM HELL*
My first rule as CEO of Vance Industries:
`No mistakes.`
My second rule:
`Especially not from Ethan Carter.`
It was 7:00 AM in downtown Vancouver. Rain on the glass towers.
I was already in my office on the 50th floor, looking over the harbor.
Coffee in hand. Black. No sugar.
The door burst open.
Ethan. Hair wet. Tie crooked. Holding a stack of folders and a tray with 2 coffees.
"Miss Vance! I’m so sorry I’m late, the bus from Surrey got stuck on the Lions Gate Bridge—"
He slipped. Coffee went flying.
Straight onto the merger documents for the deal worth $400 million.
Silence.
I looked at the brown stain spreading over `VANCE + LORIMER MERGER`.
Then I looked at him.
Ethan went pale. "I-I can reprint it! I swear I—"
"Get out," I said quietly.
His face fell. "Miss Vance please, I need this job. My mom’s in the hospital in Burnaby and—"
"OUT."
He ran.
I pinched the bridge of my nose. Dad, why did I hire him?
---
*30 MINUTES LATER*
My phone buzzed.
`DIANA: Cousin ❤️ Heard you’re looking for a husband. I brought you some candidates for lunch at Cardero’s. 12pm?`
Cardero’s. Fancy restaurant on Coal Harbour. Where rich people go to lie.
Of course she knew about the will. The whole Vance family did by now.
I typed back: `Don’t.`
She replied: `Too late 💋`
I was about to throw my phone when there was a knock.
Ethan. Again. This time he wasn’t holding coffee.
He was holding a brand new, perfect copy of the merger documents.
And a dry cleaning receipt.
"I... I stayed up all night at the Kinko’s in Gastown and reprinted everything. And I paid to get your suit cleaned. From my own paycheck."
He looked exhausted. Dark circles. But his eyes were determined.
"I messed up," he said. "But I won’t mess up again. Please don’t fire me. My mom needs her surgery."
I stared at him.
He was a mess. Unqualified. Clumsy.
But he showed up.
"Fine," I said. "You’re on probation. One more mistake and you’re gone."
He sagged with relief. "Thank you, Miss Vance. You won’t regret—"
"Lunch. 12pm. Cardero’s. You’re coming with me."
His eyes widened. "As... as my boss?"
"As my PA," I snapped. "Don’t get ideas, Carter."
---
*12:15 PM - CARDERO’S, COAL HARBOUR*
Vancouver sparkled. Yachts in the water. Mountains in the background.
And at our table... sat Diana.
And with her were three guys.
All in suits. All rich. All staring at me.
"Ismaela!" Diana stood and hugged me. Her perfume was too sweet.
"I took the liberty of inviting some very eligible bachelors. Since you need a husband so urgently."
She said "urgently" like it was a disease.
The men smiled. One of them, a tech CEO from Kelowna, immediately held out his hand to me.
Before I could take it, Ethan stepped forward.
"She’s busy," he said. His voice was steady. "She has a merger to review."
Diana’s smile froze. "And who are YOU?"
"Her Personal Assistant," Ethan said. "Ethan Carter."
Diana looked him up and down. Cheap suit. Tired eyes.
She laughed. "Oh. The charity case."
She turned to the tech CEO. "James, why don’t you sit next to Ismaela? You two have so much in common."
James sat. Too close.
His hand brushed mine under the table.
I pulled away.
Ethan saw it. His jaw tightened.
Then, right in front of everyone, his phone rang.
He answered, and I heard a nurse from St. Paul’s Hospital in Burnaby.
"Mr. Carter, about your mother’s bill..."
Ethan’s face went white.
He looked at me. Then at Diana. Then at the rich men trying to buy me.
And he made a choice.
He hung up. Looked Diana dead in the eye.
"With all due respect, Miss Vance doesn’t need your help finding a husband."
He turned to me. "CEO Vance. We have a meeting in 20 minutes. At the office."
The whole restaurant went quiet.
Diana’s smile dropped. "You have NO idea who you’re talking to, boy."
Ethan just held out my coat. "I know exactly who I’m talking to."
I stood up.
And for the first time since my dad died...
I let someone fight for me.
As we walked out, Diana’s voice followed us.
"This isn’t over, Ismaela. That boy can’t save you."
Outside, Vancouver rain hit my face.
Ethan opened an umbrella over both of us.
"Was that... okay?" he asked quietly.
I looked at him. This broke, loyal, stupid boy.
"That," I said, "was the first smart thing you’ve done."
But in my head I thought:
`Diana won’t stop. And now she knows his weakness.`
*TO BE CONTINUED...*
- Writer
