A Signature That Bound Us

Chapter one

Aurelia’s POV

“Are you telling me that my report is wrong?” The question came out before I could stop myself and that made the room completely silent, I stood on the other side of the enormous mahogany desk, my fingers resting against the folder I had placed there less than a minute ago. The office was so quiet that I could hear the faint hum of the air-conditioning above us, the man sitting behind the desk didn’t look up immediately. He simply continued reading the report calmly and deliberately page after page, as though I hadn’t spoken. I glanced toward the floor-to-ceiling windows behind him. The city stretched beyond the glass, all steel, concrete, and moving vehicles several floors below. From up here, everything looked small… including me. At least, that was probably how people were expected to feel in this office, to feel small, unimportant and intimidated but I wasn’t going to give him that satisfaction. I looked back at him, Lior Vale, even the name was weighty. I had heard it repeatedly since the moment I started working at Vale Enterprises five days ago. The employees lowered their voices when they mentioned him, assistants became unusually careful with their words.

Apparently, Lior Vale didn’t tolerate mistakes or like being questioned, people who crossed him rarely lasted long. Well, I was about to find out how much of that was true, he finally lifted his eyes and they were colder than I had expected. “You’re telling me,” he said slowly, “that a document submitted to my office containing an error is not your responsibility?”

“I’m telling you that the document I submitted does not contain the error you’re referring to,” I responded. His brows moved slightly, I opened the folder again and pulled out the printed financial summary. “This figure,” I said, placing my finger on the page, “was provided to me by the finance department yesterday at 4:17 p.m. I checked it against the original transaction records before including it.”

His gaze dropped to the page, “and you’re certain?”

“Yes,” I replied.

“You don’t sound uncertain.”

“Because I’m not,” something changed in his expression, it was barely noticeable but I saw it.

Most people probably wouldn’t but I wasn’t most people, I had spent too many years learning how to read people’s faces because my family couldn’t afford the luxury of ignoring warning signs. My mother always said I had inherited my father’s stubbornness, while my father called it courage but to me , I suspected it was a little of both.

Lior leaned back in his chair, “do you know how many people have stood where you’re standing and told me they were certain?”

“No,” I replied.

“Hundreds of them.”

“Then I suppose I’m not the first.”

“No,” his eyes remained fixed on me, “but most of them eventually discovered they were wrong.”

I folded my arms, “then you should probably show me where I’m wrong.” For the first time since I entered the room, he looked genuinely interested. He obviously wasn’t impressed or amused but interested, he picked up the report again while I waited. I wasn’t going to apologize for something I hadn’t done or lower my voice because he owned the building and I certainly wasn’t going to pretend I didn’t understand numbers simply because I was standing in front of a man who had more money than my entire neighborhood combined. After another moment, he reached for his laptop, there were few clicks here and there, his eyes moved across the screen. I stood there looking at him while he checked something else before he finally he looked up.

“You’re right,” he said casually.

I blinked, that was it? “You’re right?” I repeated.

“Yes,” he answered dismissively.

“You accused me of submitting incorrect information.”

“I questioned the information,” he said defensively.

“You said it was wrong.”

“And I was mistaken.”

I stared at him, there was no apology, no embarrassment… nothing, I exhaled slowly. “I think an apology would be appropriate.”

The room became silent again, his expression hardened. “You think?”

“Yes,” I replied.

“You’re very comfortable telling me what is appropriate or not.”

“Only when I believe I’m right.”

His jaw tightened, I could almost see the irritation forming behind his eyes and honestly that was good, at least he wasn’t bored. He closed the laptop, “you’re new.”

What has been new got to do with apologizing, I wanted to say but I changed my mind. “I’ve been here five days,” I said instead.

“And already you’ve decided how things should be done.”

“No,” I picked up my folder, “I’ve decided that if someone accuses me of making a mistake, they should be prepared to admit it when they discover they were wrong.”

For several seconds, neither of us spoke. Then he said, “What’s your name?”

“Aurelia Laurent.”

“Aurelia Catarina Laurent?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

His gaze lingered on me for another moment, “leave the report.”

I placed it back on the desk, “and the apology?” His eyes narrowed, I gave him a polite smile. “I’ll take that as a no,” I turned toward the door.

“Aurelia?” I stopped and looked over my shoulder.

“Come back tomorrow morning.”

“For what?” I asked.

“I have another assignment for you.”

I frowned, “you’re assigning me work?”

“Yes,” he answered nonchalantly.

“After that conversation?” I gestured with my hands.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

His expression became unreadable, “because you didn’t lie.”

That answer caught me off guard and before I could respond, he returned his attention to the laptop, that was my cue that I had been dismissed. I walked out, the moment the door closed behind me, I released the breath I’d been holding, “unbelievable,” I muttered.

“Aurelia?”

I turned and a woman standing several feet away looked at me with wide eyes, “what is it?” I asked.

She glanced toward Lior’s office, then back at me.

“Did you just argue with Mr. Vale?”

How did she know that? Was my voice that loud? Why should I even care if anyone had heard me, “I corrected him.” I said, she opened her mouth slightly and that made me raise an eyebrow. “Is that illegal here?”

She quickly shook her head, “no,” she answered.

“That’s good then,” I walked away. I had been temporarily working at Vale Enterprises for only five days, yet somehow that was enough time for me to realize that people here had developed an unusual relationship with fear, they feared making mistakes, speaking too loudly, disappointing their superiors and apparently, they feared Lior Vale most of all but I didn’t, maybe that made me reckless or foolish or even both but I had never been good at standing quietly when I believed something was wrong. It had gotten me into trouble more times that I remembered, that morning was a perfect example. I had been on my way to work when I saw the accident, the traffic was moving slowly along the busy street outside the corporate district. I had been checking the time on my phone while walking toward the entrance to the building when I heard a sharp screech of brakes, then came a scream. I looked up immediately and an elderly woman was lying on the pavement, a grey colored

car had stopped several feet away. For one terrible second, everyone simply stared, some people

slowed down, some pulled out their phones while others whispered. Nobody moved to help, I didn’t think much about it before I ran.

“Ma’am!” I dropped my handbag beside me and knelt next to the woman, she looked frightened and confused. One of hands was pressed on her knee, while the other trembled against the pavement. “Don’t try to stand up,” I told her. “Please, just stay still.”

“I… I can’t move my leg,” she said.

“Okay, please don’t move it.” I looked toward the driver, a man in his thirties had stepped out of the car. He looked shaken, but instead of coming toward the woman, he kept looking around anxiously. “Call an ambulance,” I said.

“I’ll handle it,” he replied.

I frowned, “handle what?” I asked him.

“I’ll give her some money, she probably just fell.”

I stared at him, “excuse me?”

He glanced at the woman, “she walked into the road. I didn’t see her properly.”

“That doesn’t mean you get to decide she doesn’t need medical attention,” I cut in, people were gathering now. Someone finally called emergency services, the driver lowered his voice.

“Miss, I said I’ll take care of it.”

“And I’m saying she needs a medical professional.”

He stepped closer, “don’t make this bigger than it is.”

I stood up angrily, I wasn’t particularly tall, but I didn’t step back. “A woman is lying on the ground because your car hit her,” I said firmly. “You don’t get to decide how serious her injuries are because you’re afraid of the consequences.”

His face hardened, “you don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“And you don’t know whether she has internal injuries.”

He looked around, “I’m leaving.”

I immediately moved between him and the driver’s door, “no, you would do no such thing.”

His eyes widened, “you can’t stop me.”

“I can call the police and tell them you tried to leave the scene,” that statement stopped him.

“You’re threatening me?”

“No! I’m telling you exactly what I’m going to do,” a few people nearby murmured in agreement and that made the man look increasingly uncomfortable. Within minutes, the police arrived, the paramedics examined the woman before carefully placing her onto a stretcher. She kept reaching for my hand.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

I squeezed her fingers, “you’re going to be okay.”

One of the officers approached me, “did you witness the accident?”

“Yes,” I replied and proceeded to taking my statement, I told him exactly what I had seen, there was nothing more or less. When they finally took the driver into custody for questioning, I looked at my watch and my heart dropped. I was very late, I grabbed my handbag quickly and hurried toward Vale Enterprises. By the time I entered the building, I was breathing hard.

The receptionist looked at me, “you’re late.”

“I know,” I responded.

She looked at the clock, “Mr. Vale is in the building today.”

I paused, “which of the Mr. Vales?”

Her expression changed, “Lior Vale.”

That was the first time I heard his name that morning, I simply nodded, “then I should probably get upstairs.” I had no idea that a few hours later, I would be standing in his office, refusing to accept the blame for something I hadn’t done and I certainly didn’t know that my refusal to be intimidated would be one of the first things he would remember about me and I certainly didn’t know that before the day was over, I would sign a contract that would change everything.

By five o’clock, I was sitting in a small conference room with a thick document in front of me, it was the employment contract. I flipped through the pages quickly, there were clauses about confidentiality, corporate conduct, termination, compensation, responsibilities, and several other legal terms that made my eyes ache. The HR representative pointed to the signature line, “once you sign, we’ll process everything.”

I looked at the document, then looked back at her.

“When do I start?”

“Immediately,” she replied.

I thought about my parents, my certificate, the bills waiting at home… the opportunity I’d spent months trying to get, then I picked up the pen. I should have read every single page carefully, I know that now but that evening, I was tired, relieved and far too focused on finally getting the opportunity my family needed. So I signed it eagerly, Aurelia Catarina Laurent, my name sat neatly beneath the final clause. I smiled, I had no idea that I had just signed my way into Lior Vale’s world and I had absolutely no idea how difficult it would be to find my way out.

I packed my bag and walked toward the elevator, then my phone vibrated, it was my mom calling, I answered immediately. “Hi, Mom.”

“How did it go?” She asked immediately .

I smiled despite myself, “it went well.”

“Really?”

“Yes mom,” I continued smiling.”

“Thank God,” her voice softened with relief, in all honesty I understood her perfectly, “and the people?” She continued.

I looked back at the closed doors, “they are interesting.”

“Interesting?”

“Very interesting I must say mom.”

She laughed, “you have to be careful, Aurelia.”

“I always am mom,” the elevator doors opened and I stepped inside, I had come to Vale Enterprises for one reason because I needed the job, it wasn’t

because I dreamed of working in some glass tower surrounded by people wearing expensive suits or because I cared about the Vale name and certainly not because I wanted to impress Lior Vale. I needed the opportunity because my Certificate was finally within reach, and without it, attaining some level in my career would become even harder. My family didn’t have money to fall back on, we lived comfortably enough to survive, but there was nothing extravagant about our lives. Every major expense required planning, every unexpected bill mattered. My parents had spent years sacrificing what they could so that my siblings and I could have opportunities they never had, I wasn’t ashamed of where I came from, not even for a second.

I remembered that morning, before leaving home, my mother had straightened the collar of my blouse and reminded me not to let anyone make me feel inferior, I had laughed before responding. “Mom, I’m going to work, not war.”

She had looked at me seriously, “with rich people, sometimes there’s no difference.” I had laughed even harder, now I was standing inside Vale Enterprises, I was beginning to understand what she meant. My mind flashed back to Lior’s office, I had no idea that the conversation we had would be the beginning of something neither of us was prepared for, I didn’t know that the man behind that intimidating desk would eventually become the center of a part of my life I would spend years trying to forget.