A Signature That Bound Us

Chapter Two

Aurelia’s POV

By the time I stepped out of Vale Enterprises, the sun was already beginning to sink behind the buildings. I stopped at the entrance for a moment and looked back at the enormous glass structure,

Vale Enterprises. For the very first time, I didn’t feel like a visitor, I was now officially an employee, that made me smile. I still couldn’t believe I had actually done it, I had a real job in one of the most respected corporations in the city and more importantly, I had signed the contract.

I let out a small breath and started walking toward the street, my feet were tired, my head was still filled with everything that had happened that day, and I couldn’t stop thinking about the man I had met in that office. Lior Vale, even thinking of his name made me shake my head, he was arrogant, cold, intimidating and far too comfortable with making people nervous but I wasn’t going to let one difficult man ruin what had been a good day. I had a job, that was what mattered. I pulled out my phone and checked the time, I was tempted to call my father immediately but then I changed my mind.

I wanted to see his face, I wanted to tell my siblings in person. I slipped the phone back into my handbag, then I stopped. I had an idea, there was a small restaurant a few streets away that my family liked. It wasn’t the kind of place wealthy executives went to for expensive dinners, but the food was good, portions were generous, and it had become one of those places that felt familiar.

Tonight was different and we deserved something special, it doesn’t have to be extravagant… just special. I ordered everyone’s favorite, when the cashier told me the total, I hesitated for half a second. Normally, I would have looked at the price twice but tonight, I smiled and paid. “It’s a celebration,” I said quietly.

The cashier smiled, “a new job?”

I looked at her, “how did you know?”

“You’re smiling like somebody who just got good news,” she answered.

I laughed, “maybe I am.” I took the bags and left, as I walked home, the weight of the day began to settle. I thought about the elderly woman from that morning again, everything had happened so quickly but underneath all of it was one simple thought, things were finally moving. They weren’t moving dramatically or magically, I wasn’t suddenly rich, I definitely wasn’t about to buy a mansion or going to wake up tomorrow and discover that my family had become wealthy, that

wasn’t how life worked but this job could change things slowly… steadily, one paycheck at a time.

I could contribute more at home, pay for some of my own expenses, save and I could help my parents when they needed it. Maybe, eventually, I could take some of the burden off my father’s shoulders, that thought alone made me smile. My father had spent most of his life worrying about everyone else, it was time someone worried about him too. When I finally reached home, I could hear my mother’s voice before I opened the door.

“Aurelia?”

“I’m home!” I announced, the door opened before I could reach for the handle properly and my mother stood there looking at me first, then at the bags in my hands, then back at my face.

“You’re late.”

“I know Mom.”

Her eyes narrowed, “what happened?”

I smiled, “why does something have to happen?”

“Because you’re smiling like that,” I laughed, my

mother knew me too well.

I stepped inside, “where’s Dad?”

“He’s in the sitting room.”

I put the food on the table, “don’t touch anything.”

My mother stared at me, “why?” She asked surprisingly.

“Because everyone has to sit down first Mom.”

Her expression changed, “Aurelia…”

“Let’s wait for Dad,” she shook her head, but she was smiling. A few moments later, my father walked into the room, he stopped when he saw the food.

“What is all this?”

“It’s Dinner Dad.”

“We have food at home.”

“I know.”

He looked at me carefully, “yet you bought this?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

I looked at both of them, then I smiled, “because

I got the job.” For a second, nobody spoke, my mother blinked and my father’s expression remained still. Then my mother rushed toward me.

“Oh, my God!” She wrapped her arms around me, I laughed as she hugged me tightly. “You got it?”

“I got it mom.”

“You really got it?” She asked again.

“Yes, Mom.”

She pulled away and held my face between her hands, “thank God.” Her eyes shone, then almost immediately, a voice came from behind us.

“Wait! She got the job?” I turned, my younger brother Justin stood in the doorway staring at me.

“Yes,” I replied smiling.

“You’re serious?” He grinned, “so we’re rich now?”

I burst out laughing, “no.”

He looked disappointed, “what?”

I shook my head, “we’re still exactly where we were this morning.”

My sister Mia appeared behind him, “at least let her sit down before you start asking her to buy you things.”

“I wasn’t asking,” Justin replied.

“You were thinking about it.”

“I was not!” He snapped.

I looked between them, “you two haven’t changed.”

My sister smiled and came toward me, “congratulations.”

“Thank you,” she hugged me, my brother followed, though his hug was shorter.

“I’m proud of you,” he said.

I smiled, “thank you Justin.”

He immediately pulled away, “but since you’re working at a big company now, maybe you can…”

“Don’t even dare,” I said immediately and that made him laugh. I knew exactly what he wanted to ask, he had always wanted me to change his phone. I would but not now, my mother shook her head.

“Leave your sister alone Justin,” we all laughed, the

room felt warm, I mean alive. This was home, it wasn’t perfect, wealthy or luxurious but it was ours. My parents had given us everything they could, and my siblings had grown up beside me through every difficult season, their happiness over my small achievement meant more to me than anything I could have bought for myself.

My father came closer, “you signed the contract?”

“Yes Dad.”

“When do you start?”

“I’ve already started.”

He stared at me, “you’ve already started?”

I nodded, “today was my fifth day and I officially became an employee today.” My father smiled, I had seen him smile many times in my life, but there was something different about this one. It was pride, relief and hope, he placed his hand on my shoulder.

“I knew you would do it,” he beamed.

I smiled, “of course I would,” I proudly said.

My mother laughed, “look at her, she hasn’t even collected her first salary and she’s already acting like the CEO.”

“I have to start somewhere,” I replied.

My brother laughed, “please don’t become one of those bosses who starts shouting at everybody.”

I looked at him, “I don’t shout.”

My sister raised an eyebrow, “you shouted at him last week because he finished your cereal.”

“That was different,” and we all laughed. For a moment, the room was filled with nothing but laughter.

Then my father said quietly, “that’s my daughter. We sat around the table, for the first time in a long while, dinner was about to feel different, the atmosphere was lighter.

My mother looked at me, “you already told me a little about the people there, so I won’t start asking you everything again but now that your father is here, you can tell him whatever you haven’t told me.”

My father looked at me, “so?”

I took a sip of water, “there isn’t much.” He waited,

I sighed, “actually, I met someone today.”

My mother glanced at me, “who?”

“The CEO,” I responded.

My father’s expression changed slightly, “Lior Vale?”

“Yes Dad.”

“You met him today?” My father leaned back in his chair, “how was it?”

I gave him a look, “it was interesting.”

My mother smiled, “she told me that earlier, I can only imagine.”

I shook my head, “he’s not exactly the easiest person to talk to.”

My father studied my face, “what happened?”

“It was nothing serious,” I paused, “he questioned a report I submitted. He thought I had made a mistake.”

“And did you?”

“No Dad.”

Justin laughed, “so you argued with your boss?”

“I simply corrected him.”

Mia smiled, “that’s the Aurelia I know.”

I pointed at her, “exactly.”

My father didn’t smile this time, “you should be careful around him.”

I frowned, “why does everyone keep telling me that?”

My mother looked at me, “I didn’t say anything.”

“You didn’t have to, you already warned me this morning.”

She raised her hands, “I’m just saying.”

I looked at my father, “and now you too.”

My father smiled gently, “I know you, Aurelia.”

“Then you know I’m not going to go out of my way to frustrate him,” I said.

“I know.”

“The only thing connecting me and Lior Vale is work.”

“I know that also,” he said.

“So why does everyone keep telling me to be careful around him?”

My father reached across the table and placed his hand over mine, “because I’m your father.” I became quiet, he continued, “I’m not telling you to be afraid of him or allow him to intimidate you and I’m certainly not telling you to become someone you’re not,” his voice softened. “I’m simply telling you to watch out for yourself.”

I looked at him, “I will Dad.”

“Good,” he said as he gently squeezed my hand. “That’s all I’m saying.”

I nodded, “okay.”

My father leaned back, “and besides, powerful people sometimes have powerful enemies. You never know what can happen around people who live in that kind of world.”

I frowned slightly, “I’ll be careful.”

He smiled, “I know you will.” Then he gently reached for my hand again, “I’m proud of you.”

Those four words affected me more than I expected, I swallowed. “Thank you Dad.”

He squeezed my hand, “do you know what this means?”

I smiled, “it means I have a job.”

“No,” he shook his head, “it means you’ve taken your first step.” I looked at him, “this is not the end, Aurelia, it’s only the beginning of great things for you.” My mother’s eyes became wet, my sister smiled quietly and my brother lowered his head, suddenly less interested in joking. I looked away before my own eyes could do the same, this moment means the world to me. I’m super grateful for my family, my father stood. “Come.”

“Where to Dad?”

“We’re going to pray,” he said.

My brother groaned playfully, “Dad, can’t we finish eating first?”

“We can finish afterward,” he responded.

My mother laughed, “your father will not let anything happen without prayer.”

“Exactly,” we joined hands, while my father bowed his head, his voice was quiet. He thanked God for the opportunity, for protecting me. He prayed that I would have wisdom, meet the right people, be protected from people who wished me harm, never become arrogant because of success and then he prayed for something that made my throat tighten.

“Let the work of her hands prosper,” he said again.

I closed my eyes, “amen.” We all whispered, when we finished, I remained seated for a moment. I felt something I hadn’t felt in a long time, it was peace and it wasn’t because everything was suddenly perfect, that was far from it. We still had bills, responsibilities, dreams that seemed much larger than our current circumstances but now I had a starting point and I had my family beside me which

meant everything. After dinner, I helped my mother clear the table, my sister helped us while my brother disappeared into his room, claiming he had “important things” to do. We all knew that meant his phone, my mother laughed when she heard his door close.

“Let him be.”

I smiled, “I’m just happy.”

She looked at me, “I know,” she touched my arm. “You’ve worked hard for this,” she said. Later, when I finally entered my room, a strange feeling settled in my chest, I thought about the future, my first salary, my savings, helping my parents and maybe buying my mother something she had always wanted, maybe helping my father expand the little business he had spent years trying to keep alive. Maybe helping my siblings when they needed me and maybe one day having a home of my own, building something bigger than I could currently imagine. I smiled, I didn’t need everything immediately, I only needed a beginning and I had one. I changed into my night clothes and climbed into bed. My body was exhausted but my mind was alive and reluctantly, my thoughts returned to Lior Vale. His cold eyes, his controlled voice, the way he had looked at me when I refused to back down. I shook my head, “no,” I turned onto my side. “I am not thinking about that man,” a few seconds later, I smiled at myself, what was there to think about anyway? He was just my employer, nothing more. I closed my eyes, that night, I fell asleep believing I had finally found the beginning of the life I had always wanted. I believed the difficult part was behind me, I believed that if I worked hard enough, stayed honest, and remained true to myself, my future would eventually fall into place.