Bless The Broken Road

Chapter II - Dinner with a Client

"How's working with the boss?" Jodi asked as they left the company premises.

"I haven't seen him for the rest of the afternoon. He never left his office after the meeting." She answered truthfully. Though Zack specifically mentioned to her that the CEO's affairs should be kept within themselves, the secretaries. 

"You're so lucky," Jodi mused. The two of them were waiting for the bus’s arrival.

 "How come?" She frowned. She considered herself doomed the moment she got the position. 

"Ely, that's every girl’s dream position. Remember how Shanel bravely told Mr. Hansen to make her his assistant? You will get to see him every day! Plus, you're the only female secretary. That's quite an honor, being the first! How about you take this opportunity to seduce the boss?" Jodi continued teasing. "Then you'd be Mrs. Hansen! How lucky of you..."

Ely poked her friend's forehead jokingly. "That's going too far." 

She didn't think of those things. Ely had twenty-two years of her life to remember. She didn't have time to think of any other things. Least of all, getting emotionally attached to someone.  Even if he was the gorgeous boss.

"Hey, it's not impossible!" Jodi insisted her point.

When the bus arrived, they boarded together. Ely and Jodi usually go home together. It's because they live one bus stop away from each other. But since Ely just got the position of P.A. to the boss, they expected that they could no longer do that on a daily basis. The secretaries were expected to work longer hours than usual. But working closely with the boss also had its perks. They're ones of the highest paid employees with lots of benefits. For example, they each had cars of their own. Still others said that some were given their own unit near the office.

"You must work hard. And when you get yourself a car, don't forget to drive me home." Jodi giggled as if they're having the same thought.

"You've just got yourself a deal then," Ely agreed grinning. That was if, and only if, Mr. Hansen wouldn't fire her sooner than later. 

Jodi got off the bus first while Ely stayed until the next stop. Adeline told her to drive her own car then for her convenience. But for Ely, she found the bus more convenient. She didn't need to drive and had also the luxury to sleep during the forty-five minutes’ travel time.

They live in a first class subdivision in the north of the city. It's generally the place of the rich and the famous. From the gate, Ely would just ask Leo, Adeline's driver to come and fetch her. It was because, there's no public transportation inside. Residents strongly opposed the idea of having cabs entering the place as it was for them a security threat.  Adeline's house was also far from the gate so walking just didn't seem like a nice idea.

Although the place seemed to be the home of the richest, having a house inside didn't mean power. The richest and the most powerful had their own place.  The Hansens for instance, do not live in a place where they share common areas with other people. 

At home, Adeline wasn't around. She called Ely to tell her to eat first. 

"Are you with the kids, mom?" Ely asked.

"Yes, it's been a while since my last visit. I missed them."  Adeline founded her own orphanage two years ago. But long before that, she had been sponsoring foundations that give shelter to orphan kids. Ely figured that kids who lost their parents early were the closest to Adeline's heart. 

She believed that it was because Adeline was robbed off the chance to raise her own child. Ely knew this well, so she didn't hesitate when Adeline asked for her help.  Besides, she owed her so much. When she didn't know anything, Adeline was there. She guided her, took good care of her like a mother would to her own daughter. She gave her everything. That was also why even if she wanted to know more about herself, she respected Adeline's advice to not force herself.

"You will remember everything, Ely. Give yourself time to prepare." She had a guess that she had a dark past. And Adeline's protecting her from the pain of remembering it. She knew she only wanted the best for her so she wasn't forcing herself to remember.

Even so, she didn't stop hoping to know more about Elyana Green. Was it even her real name?

"I think I should come with you next time. Kiss the kids for me." With that thought, a picture of a cute little girl appeared on her mind. She smiled a little. She missed her. 

"Sure, I will. They were asking for you. I'll tell them you're coming to visit them."  Ely ended the call. She would just tell Adeline about her new position when she returns.

*

She got to office so much earlier the next day. It was her first official day as the CEO's P.A.  She was the second to arrive after Zack. The latter used the opportunity to brief her one more time. 

"Mr. Hansen is on a breakfast meeting. He's with Paul," he referred to another secretary. "He would be here by nine. Here, take this," he said giving her a tablet. "These are his schedule. As you can see, most of the dates are filled up to six months. What you will do is to confirm the schedules with the clients. If somebody cancelled or if Mr. Hansen cancels an appointment, reschedule them accordingly." 

She listened carefully. Afraid she couldn't take everything in.

"From now on, your priority is Mr. Hansen. It is your duty to attend to everything that concerns him. You have to please him no matter what. Again, he is your priority." He stressed. "You can always tap me when you need help or if you don't understand something. You will be wherever he is unless he tells you that he doesn't need your presence or if he needs another secretary to be beside him. Am I clear?"

"Crystal." 

"Good. Now, let's head to the pantry." Zack guided her to the pantry beside the lounge. He taught her how the CEO wanted his coffee and how often does he want his caffeine whenever he's in the office. "You are not permitted inside the lounge unless he asks you to. Got it?"

She nodded at everything and hoped hard she would not forget a detail. 

"Always be attentive. The CEO expects nothing but your best." Zack smiled at her. "The boss is kind. He doesn't bite."

She forced a smile. She hoped so.  When the CEO was back, the office was immediately filled with his menacing aura.

To make her first day worse, Ely noticed that the boss wasn't in a good mood. Paul, who was behind him followed with his head bowed.  Ely felt her hands trembling. She couldn't move even when Zack's eyes were telling her to calm down.  Kristoff Hansen went inside his office while Paul to his work station. He immediately heaved a sigh of relief once the boss was out of his sight.

It seemed to Ely that such was a usual scene since nobody asked the poor soul what happened. Or perhaps gossip wasn't a thing for male secretaries. 

She was deep in her thoughts when the intercom beside her sounded. It was the CEO himself, asking for her presence.  Zack nodded at her. She brought her tablet, took a pen and notepad with her and knocked three calculated times. She entered the moment he allowed her. Unable to move her legs, Ely swallowed hard before braving the door. 

"Mr. Hansen," she walked up to him.

He was standing behind his elegant desk looking outside through the glass wall. His hands on his pocket.  His back was all Ely could see. But boy, wasn't his back enough to make a woman swoon? With those broad shoulders of his, would it feel good to lean against them? 

"Cancel everything related to Mr. Smith." He said, turning around, he loosened his tie and slammed his hands on his table, shaking everything on top of the poor wood. 

A little bit shocked, Ely almost jumped on impulse. The man was very angry as if he had just been offended by someone. 

"I don't want to see him again. We are not engaging in any sort of business with him! Tell concerned department heads to immediately sever ties with his company." 

"Y-yes, Mr. Hansen," Ely's hand was shaking, her notes looked like doodles.

"Scram!" He shouted.  Ely left at once without looking back.

With Zack's help, she was able to figure out who are those department heads that the boss referred to. She found out later on that Mr. Smith double crossed the CEO. Still, Ely was shocked with the punishment that the said person was about to receive. He's so dead. Everything he had would have to go down the drain without mercy.

At lunch time, Ely wasn't able to take her break due to over flowing work load. The other secretaries were barely leaving their seats as well. And of course, the boss himself seemed to never get hungry.

'Are they even human?' Ely's stomach was already complaining. 'So this is how it is to work closely with the boss.' 

At midafternoon, Kristoff asked for his coffee. Ely nervously complied. However, she almost ended up getting splashed with hot coffee. He didn't like it and told her to get away from his sight.  Zack brought his coffee instead. 

"Don't over think it, he's just in a bad mood," Zack passed by her table to encourage her. Maybe because he saw how deflated she was.  She was sure she got it right. She practiced several times with Zack that morning. 

"I won't." She forced a smile, wondering if she would come back tomorrow. 

"Don't ever think of quitting," Zack added as though reading her mind. "Mr. Hansen dislikes quitters the most."

Ely rolled her eyes, earning a soft chuckle from Zack who patted her shoulder before leaving.

When it was almost time to get off work, the boss told Ely to prepare to go with him to meet a client.  "Five minutes," he said via intercom.

Ely was very disappointed. She was very hungry. She didn't think she'd get to work overtime on her first day. Besides, Kristoff had no schedule for the night. Did something come up and didn't go through them, the assistants? 

Before five minutes, the boss came out of his office. Ely had no choice but to follow behind him. 

"Do you drive?" He asked but without waiting for her answer, already threw the key to her face. She caught it just in time when his car came to her view.

"Y-yeah, Sir, but-" for goodness sake, was the man really willing to let her drive his handsome black Maybach?

Ely didn't get the chance to protest further. As she was still trembling to even touch the luxurious car, Kristoff already got in the passenger seat and closed his eyes.  She hesitantly entered the car. Her boss seemed to be in a badly need of rest. 

The client that they were meeting in a five-star restaurant was an old man. Probably on his late seventies but still have that air of power around him. Ely could tell that he wasn't just a random person in the upper class. He was already there when they arrived but didn't mention anything about them being late.

It was Ely's first time to dine out with a client, but her expectations were altogether not present. 

First off, there were no pleasantries. Kristoff, just arrogantly sat opposite the old man. He didn't also introduce her and at one point she felt lost whether to sit or not. It was a good thing that the old man invited her to join them. She was hesitant but her boss didn't say anything so she assumed that it was alright.

"Thank you, Sir... My name is Elyana Green, Mr. Hansen's assistant." She took the initiative to introduce herself. 

"I'm pleased to see you, Ms. Green." The old man who didn't tell her who he was, smiled at her. He was kind and gentle that made her wonder if she had a grandfather.  If she had one, would he be as kind as this man before her?

The two men never talked about business. In fact, they almost never talked at all. It was her that the old man was occasionally talking to. He asked her about where she lives and how her parents were doing. She didn't really have an answer to that. But politely told the old man that her mother was doing fine in reference to Adeline.  After that they were quiet for the rest of the dinner. 

"Elyana, it would make me happy if you would come and visit me at home when you have time. Ask Adeline to come with you. It's already been too long since I last saw your mother." 

Ely was left speechless. He knew Adeline? Who was this man?  Probably seeing her confusion, the old man added.

"My name is Christopher Hansen, I am your grandfather."