Falling in love with the CEO's Assistant

Coincidences.

She hadn't had much time to think about it but she probably screwed up her only chance to get that job, she was busy mourning that she forgot about her missing phone. She glanced at the clock and it was late, by this time her mother would have finished setting up the table for their usual late dinner, even after her tiresome day she would still prepare dinner once they both returned.

She assumed Linda must have tried to call her back but she couldn't, she concluded that Linda had already deemed her not serious, I mean who wouldn't? she wouldn't blame her, now she was technically jobless. Should she just go back to Tim's bakery and beg for her job back? Nah she thought Tim would mock the living daylights out of her, she finally succumbed to the weakness that had already spread all through her body, and she finally fell asleep.

She woke up to several knocks on the door, pulling herself away from the bed felt like a hassle, her head was heavy, her eyes were very tired, and it was as if she had a hangover. She glanced at the clock it was 10:30 am.

" Shit." She groaned, how could she have woken up so damn late.

" Linda? " she stated in surprise.

" Hi, can I come in? " Linda asked politely.

" Of course. " Elena welcomed her in.

Linda took a seat and glanced briefly around the house and then towards Elena who had an edgy look on her face.

" Did you at any point lose interest in the job offer? "

" No, of course not. "

" I wasn't able to reach you and you didn't contact me, so I thought you lost interest. "

Elena was still a bit surprised. " But you still came here__

" Yes, I suspected something was up, you seemed excited about the job, are you okay? "

" I lost my phone__

" Oh.. "

" And my mom. "

Linda paused " You lost your mom? "

" Yes.. on Friday. She had a heart attack. " The bluntness in her voice didn't hide the pain.

" Oh my God. " Linda whispered. " I am so sorry, how are you holding up? my God, this is so sudden. " She stood up approaching Elena holding her by the arm.

" I'm... I'm a mess, it still feels like a bad dream. "

" So it was after your birthday, you must feel terrible. Elena, I understand if you still need time to__

" No. no " Elena exclaimed " If I'm still eligible I would love to go, this might be my only chance. "

" Are you sure? you look like shit... no offense. "

Elena Chuckled " None taken, I also smell like s**t, give me a few minutes. "

She ran quickly inside as she prepped for her supposed job interview. An ash color skirt that stretched down to her knee with a slit up towards her laps, with a black short sleeve shirt was the only appropriate clothing she could find inside her wardrobe, she knew she probably should tie her hair but no, she preferred it falling down and occasionally shielding her face a little. Linda scrutinized her immediately after she walked out of her room.

" Do I look bad? this is the best I got. "

" Uh.. you're missing something. " She took off her black coat and handed it over to Elena. " Take this. "

Elena hesitated.

" Take it. Looking good is good business you know. "

The ride was about thirty minutes long, since Linda hadn't told her where exactly they were going it aided her anxiety, when they officially came to a stop Elena couldn't believe her eyes.

" Stackhouse clothing?? " she exclaimed. " No. no, you've got to be kidding me. "

Linda smiled " Nope.. "

" What? the Stackhouse clothing? are you serious? "

" Get down Elena and see for yourself. "

Elena came down and followed Linda inside, she wanted to scream but also she wanted to hide her shaking palm and shivering feet. She had mixed emotions, excitement, and fear. Having a job alone was good news, but Stackhouse clothing? oo much. Never in her wildest dreams did she know that she would even step foot inside this building let alone work here, just who was Linda anyway? She remembered Linda introducing herself on the phone the other day as Linda Stackhouse, was she somehow the owner? Or was she married to the owner?

So all this time she conversed with someone of high caliber, oh no, it was suddenly beginning to feel hot even with the air-conditioning everywhere, she glared at people moving around with files, boxes while some of them spoke on the phone, they look all high-class and serious, did she belong here? Was this a mistake?

" Elena! " Linda called her name for the third time " Are you okay? you look like you're lost in thoughts. "

Elena sighed still glancing around with a paranoid look on her face " I don't know. this place...it's too sophisticated for me, I don't think I'll fit in here, what if I mess up? "

Linda placed both hands on her shoulders " So tell me, where do you fit in? in a bakery shop where you're underpaid and have to bare your disrespectful, rude, and ungrateful boss every day? "

" No," Elena said softly.

" I know you're scared, but I also know that you're strong and ambitious, it's time to choose which is more important, your fear of failure or your dream of success. "

Elena nodded in affirmation " I can do this. "

" Yes, you can. "

Linda swung the door in front of them open and they walked in, Elena summoned all the courage she possibly could. Before they got into the office they passed a neatly decorated mini office that looked like where she would work a transparent glass that demarcated both offices. They entered the second office, Elena glanced around very quickly, it was massive, there was like a mini sitting room in there, whoever worked here was the boss.

There was a man inside the office, he was tall, his blonde hair was tucked neatly to the back of his head, he wore a black tuxedo and from the looks of it, he appeared physically fit. He faced backward from them with a phone in his ear.

" Pierre you son of a__

Linda cleared her throat to get his attention which she did and when he turned Elena got the second shock of her day.

" Pete meet Elena Alvarez, your new assistant. "

Pete couldn't believe his eyes, he was lucky that there was a wall at the back of him, he almost fell to the floor. It was her, the woman at the hospital he thought, it had to be, that hair and those eyes, he wasn't mistaken, but how? What were the odds that she would turn out to be his assistant, what in the hell was happening right now? This was the woman he hoped he never got to see again.

" Elena. " Linda glanced over to her " This is Pete Stackhouse, your boss, and my brother. "

" Nice to meet you, sir. " Elena stated still trying to evade the fact that she was in shock. Pete moved over to where they stood to get a closer look at this woman, and yes it was her alright.

" Linda this is the woman you told me about? " Pete asked to be certain.

" Yes Snoopy I just said that, didn't you hear me "

Pete sighed " Could you not call me Snoopy in front of my assistant. "

" I'm glad you're already getting used to her. "

Pete threw a sharp glance towards Elena who he noticed was shaken to the core, why wouldn't she? Linda wasn't aware but the two of them had a little history, judging by how shocked he was to see her here he imagined how she must be. His instincts came knocking in and without thinking he acted on them, he wanted her to feel safe.

" It's okay Elena, take a deep breath, feel comfortable, I'm not gonna bite. You are gonna be working here right? "

he watched her let out a long sigh " Yes sir "

" Okay.. you'll have to excuse us, I have to introduce her to the others and show her around for a while. " Linda said.

Pete nodded before they exited the office he called " Elena before you leave I'd like to see you. "

Linda had taken her around the office and introduced her to almost everyone there, her head was clouded with thoughts but she tried to focus and observe her surroundings. Everyone was really surprised to meet a new assistant, she didn't know why, but they seemed nice at the very least. Was this fate's way of messing with her, the strange man who saved her life at the hospital, who she had thought about all week somehow turned out to be her new boss, this was going to be awkward, and what could he possibly want to talk about? well, she was kinda relieved, she got the job anyway, maybe this was her chance to properly thank him for saving her life back then.

" Elena this is Gabriel Rodriguez, our sales manager. " Linda replied

wait for a second, Gabriel Rodriguez? she knew that name from somewhere.

" Elena? " Gabriel responded " Elena! it's me.. Catalina's son? I saw you at your mother's funeral. "

yeah, now she remembered where she'd met him. " Oh, Gabriel, so surprised to see you here. "

" You guys know each other? " Linda asked.

" Yeah, my mother was a close friend of... uh, how are you doing by the way? " He didn't want to get into the details.

" I'm fine, thank you. " Elena wished he hadn't asked her that

" This is a good thing, that you know someone here. " Linda stated

" You're going to work here? " Gabriel asked.

" Yes, as the new assistant to the boss. "

" Wait what? " Gabriel shot a glance at Linda " Is she serious? "

" What's with everyone and the assistant position? I noticed people were looking all weird when I told them. " Elena asked now curious

" Well see__

" Gabriel shut up and go back to work. " Linda commanded before he could explain.

Elena wasn't quite getting it but no worries she would eventually, she followed Linda as she prepped for the next introduction. Suddenly the air changed, a woman walked in her direction, judging by how she was dressed she didn't look like she worked there. The woman stopped right in front of them.

" Who is she? I've never seen her before, you hired a personal assistant Linda? " The woman asked.

" No ma'am, my name is Elena Alvarez and I'm the personal assistant to Mr. Pete Stackhouse. " Elena extended a hand for a shake.

The woman paused for a second giving Linda a (what is she talking about) look.

" Excuse you? "

" I'm the new assistant to__

" I heard you the first time, I just assumed you're crazy or something, " The woman replied

" Elena this is Rachel Harris, Pete's fiance, a shareholder, and a Stackhouse model. " Linda replied.

" Nice to meet you, ma'am. " Elena said now feeling the weird tension

" Linda, who is this woman? " Rachel asked sternly.

" She is what she told you, Pete's new assistant. " Linda answered.

Rachel laughed for a short while but when she noticed the look on both women's faces she knew it was no joke. " Get outta my way. " Rachel shoved them aside, walking away. Elena saw Linda let out a devious smile like she knew who the woman was and what just played out here.

" Okay, Linda what the hell is going on here? does she hate me already? " Elena asked.

" No, she is just a jealous fiance, it has nothing to do with you. "

Judging by the slam on the door Pete knew who just came in and why.

" There's a woman walking around with Linda who claims she's your new assistant? " Rachel asked pacing around.

" And? "

" What do you mean and? is she your assistant? "

" Yes, she is. " Pete answered.

" Pete we talked about this, no more assistants, you must get rid of her at once! "

" Keep your voice down, and stop pacing around like a lunatic. "

Rachel stood still with a treacherous look in her eyes. " You must get rid of her right now. "

" I'm not getting rid of anybody, she starts work tomorrow. You'll just have to get used to it. "

" What now? you can't possibly be serious, Pete I want that woman out of here! "

Pete glared at her more treacherous than what she gave him and she got the memo, that look could strike fear into an inanimate object. She took a few steps backward " You'd give me that look because of that woman? are you sleeping with her? "

"Oh common! this again? you're so delusional, she just got here. "

" I don't care__

they were interrupted by a knock on the door.

" Come in. "

Elena walked into the room " You said I should see you before I leave sir. "

" Yes, I need to hand you some files and uh flash drive containing some information you will need. "

Rachel walked over to Elena " Can you give us a minute? I'm having an important discussion with my FIANCE. "

Elena noticed how she emphasized the fiance.

" No, you excuse us, Rachel. This conversation is over. "

" Pete! you can't be__

" Now! "

Rachel stormed out of the office with rage.

" Sit down. " Pete noticed the distressed look in her eyes, she looked so disturbed that she couldn't look him in the face.

" Are you okay? " Pete asked as his instincts kicked in again.

" I'm kinda worried, she already hates me and I haven't started yet. "

" Oh, Rachel hates everybody. "

Elena took a deep breath.

" About that day in the hospital__

" Don't ever talk about that again, do you understand? "

" What? about what? " Elena asked confused.

" That day at the hospital, I want you to forget it ever happened, everything I said to you. "

" Why sir? " Elena had to ask.

" You must never tell anybody if you want to keep this job. "

" Okay.. sir, I just wanted to say thank you. " She was stunned at his resolve.

" You can leave. "

Well, that was a hell of a day she sighed departing Stackhouse clothing, she had a feeling it would be even harder than she thought.