Past Lives

Chapter two

I checked my watch and it was 8:30 and I was going to be late for my first day at work “s**t” I cursed to myself. I packed Mia’s lunch bag and called for her “come on honey lets go” and she puts her shoes on, I do a quick check up to make sure we have everything. I grab Mia’s hand and we were off to drop Mia at school.

I quickly parked my beat up car that looked terrible compared to the other beautiful and expensive cars in the lot, I haven’t entered the building and I already feel out of place, I shook off that thought and hurried into the building

I was amazed at how beautiful and luxurious it was and now I was sure I was out of place and nobody even gave me a passing glance. I wore a tight fitted skirt and a blue blouse and the nicest pairs of heels I own, I looked good but compared to the people in here I looked homeless.

No I said to myself, I’m not rich but I am doing just fine and I got the job so I just need to prove to myself and everyone that I belong here, I took a deep breath and walked in.

I immediately approaching the lady at the front desk who was typing fiercely on her computer, she didn’t bother looking up when I approached “Good morning, my name is Ashley, I’m Mr. Ashton’s new personal assistant, can you direct me to where his office is?” she immediately stopped typing and stared me down from head to toe and she looked at me with disgust.

I could now get a good look at her and she had blonde hair and was wearing the tightest top I have ever seen and her boobs were almost falling out of her blouse and by the name on her desk I assumed her name was chole

“what are you doing here?” she asked

“I’m Mr. Ashtons new personal assistant” I replied

“I think you are mistaken, are you lost?” she said with a mocking smile, before I could answer she stood up from her desk, grabbed me by the arm and started pulling me towards the door

“what are you doing” I said in shock and I pulled my arm back.

“look, you are definitely in the wrong place, maybe the restaurant down the street because we don’t hire people like you here, Your whole outfit looks like it can’t pay my dinner”

At this point we had gathered the attention of the other people in the lobby and my I was so embarrassed I wanted the floor to swallow me

“Look, I applied for the Job and went through several rounds of interviews, let me show you my employment letter…” I said and grabbed my phone to show her my employment letter but she wasn’t listening

She grabbed me by the arm again and said

“I don’t care, cooperate before I call security and have you thrown out like a dog”

at this point I was too embarrassed so I didn’t bother fighting her, I could feel my tears building, the audience we had gathered were all staring at me like I was some animal and I just wanted to go home.

“What is going on here?” A voice said and chole immediately let go of my arm from the crowd and a lady I recognized from the online interviews, she was the one that gave me the job.

“Everyone got back to work” she said and the crowd dispersed.

“Ashley, I didn’t know you had arrived” she said with a warm smile on her face but I didn’t reply and she picked on the atmosphere in the room then asked “Chole, what did you do?”

“Nothing? I was just asking her some questions” I couldn’t believe my ears, she was going to act like she didn’t just insult and embarrassing me in front of everyone

“Nothing? You berated me, called me cheap, and didn’t listen to me no matter how much I tried to explain, you call that nothing?”

The embarrassment was long gone and now I was angry, I can’t believe she treated me like s**t. No matter who I am I don’t deserve to be treated that way.

“I’m so sorry Ashley, and Chloe what were you thinking? You can’t treat people that way, you need to apologize”

Chole scoffed and rolled her eyes “I didn’t do anything wrong, if I let every rat and cat into this building this would be a zoo and not a respectable office, I’m just doing my job” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing, how the hell did they allow someone this rude work here?

“Alright then” the lady said “I’m taking it up with HR officially” I expected her to apologize or to at least be bothered but she just smirked and said

“good luck with that” and went back to her desk. I was surprised, there was no where she could get away with that, right?

“I’m so sorry about that, come with me” I followed her but I was still in shock.

“My name is June” the lady said taking me out of my thoughts

“Oh, nice to meet you” I replied

“I know you’re sad about what happened but don’t let it get to you, she’s the residential mean girl and you’re not the first” That caught my interest

“what do you mean I’m not the first?’

“Well she picks fights with almost everyone around the office and has had issues with staff in the past, she looks down on people because she had a priviledged life” my brows scrunched in confusion

“then why hasn’t she being fired?” I asked genuinely curious.

“her father is on the board of directors and that was how she got the job in the first place, she has being reported to HR several times but nothing happens because her father takes care of it and she doesn’t get punished which just made her worse knowing she’s untouchable”

“Why don’t you report directly to the CEO then?’ I asked and she looked at me shocked that I even suggested that idea

“What?” I asked and she said

“Nobody talk to him directly, except during official meetings and on issues that personally affect him even then everyone can’t for the meetings to end”

“Why? How else is he supposed to run the company if he can’t properly communicate with his staff?” and she looked almost scared when I asked that question

“You don’t know? He has a terrible temper which makes him unapproachable, all his last personal assistants quit because of his terrible temper and crazy standards”

Great I thought to myself, I am now working in a company with not one but two psychopaths, and on of them is my boss, I don’t know if I can do this I thought to myself, but I knew I had to I had a daughter to raise and the job paid well, with the paycheck I can provide a better life for Mia, finally move out of that crappy apartment and get a better car if I had to deal with a little crazy I will.

The elevator stopped and the doors opened to what looked like the top floor and this floor was big and spacious, there were several cubicles and offices, We began to approach the office at the end of the hall the door had the words C.E.O etched to the front and there was a cubicle right beside it which I assumed would be my station.

She suddenly stops right before we enter the office, turns to me and says

“We are about to enter his office, so answer his questions quickly and do whatever task he assigns to you quickly, if you need any help just ask me alright?” she said with a smile on her face

“Yes of course, thanks” I replied and she warns

“he has quite the temper, so just do as he says and don’t take anything he says to heart okay?” I replied

“okay” then I took deep breath and she knocked, waited for the come in, she opened the door and we stepped in.

He was sited at the desk in the center of the room and looked up immediately we walked in and I found a pair on blue eyes staring coldly back at me, my brows scrunched in confusion, Wait… I know those eyes, and to my horror I was right it was him, Jake.