The CEO’s Secretary

Queeneth standing in front of a wall mirror while admiring beauty and high level of fashion sense”hey baby hurry up with the breakfast your school bus will soon be here” she said to her daughter Rejoice. Stepping out from the vehicle that just dropped her off to work, is a busy environment, everywhere was busy with people rushing to work with briefcases and coffee. ”Wow, so finally I get to work in such a prestigious firm” Queeneth muttered. while standing in front of a glass building that looked so expensive for her nerve. She stepped into the elevator while admiring the serenity of the whole environment, everywhere seemed peaceful and quiet, getting off the elevator she majestically walked towards the receptionist because everywhere seemed confusing to her. It was her first day at work. “Hello ma'am my name is Queenth Gilbert” she said calmly, while stretching for a handshake, “Oh the new secretary” replied the receptionist, "Please quickly go to the third floor,second office by your right the manager is waiting for you. Everybody in the city had heard about him, proud, brilliant with an egoistic personality. And now, Queeneth is working directly under him. Queeneth found her way to his office, and knocked on his door but he didn't say a single word to her, then she quietly opened the door herself. She recognized him instantly, tall, clean cut and handsome. He wore a white tailored shirt like it was stitched on his skin, His black hair was combed back with perfection, His looks were cold, and harsh. The kind of man who does not need to raise a voice to command a room. “ Are you the newly hired Secretary Queeneth?” he asked before she could say anything,looking straight into her eyes with such a mean face. “Yes sir” I am, Queeneth replied with her voice shaking and sweats piling under her feet. “Why are you late on your first day of work?”, he asked again, looking at her furiously. “Em sir I'm actually 3 mins early” Queeneth stuttered. He snubbed and stretched out his hands with loads of files towards Queeneth” Make sure these works are ready before midday “ Queeneth nodded and hurriedly turned to leave the office. “And oh be very careful with those files, I sack people on their first day of work, ask around” Ok Sir thank you, Queeneth replied. “Ask the receptionist to take you to your office, Congratulations on your new job though, “ he said and Queeneth smiled a bit and left. She went into her office and was impressed with what she saw, “So finally I have a full office to myself, oh this work has come to stay, I'm going to protect this very one with everything within my reach “ she said while gazing around. A notification dropped on her phone. She brought out her phone from a thick leather bag and smiled. Anonymous lover: “Hey pretty, how is it going with your first day at work?” Queeneth: “I have the meanest boss ever, but I will definitely handle him, hopefully I will cope” Anonymous lover: “I'm proud of you “ Queeneth smiled at the message and hurriedly got back to work. Later in the day, she returned the files to his boss's office, after spending the whole day working tirelessly just to get done with the work at the given time. “Less I forget, I run a tight schedule, I do not accept disloyalty, excuses or laziness. I have fired people on their first day of work before. He repeated the second time, understand?”. “No distraction or any form of personal drama, Just work, I expect full attention when you're in this office, make sure to give it your all “. Her throat went dry,” if only you knew how much drama I have buried just to stand here “ she said in her mind. “Yes sir “she replied and oh the works are ready, she said stretching her hands towards his table. He was impressed with how fast she delivered but didn't say a word to her. Queeneth dropped the file and left his office. “How can a human being be this mean though” Queeneth murmured while trying to navigate things within herself. After work that very day, George went home researching his mind, trying to remember where he had seen Queeneth's face from before. “Her face looks so much familiar, there's no way I haven't seen this person before” he said while trying to figure it out. Queeneth rushed home to see her daughter that very evening after a very long day at work. “Mummy, how was your first day at work “ rejoiced, asked with such an innocent tone and smile. “It went well, though my Boss can be a handful, “ She responded. “Nobody should better not stress my innocent mom”, Rejoice chipped in “ Mom, you said my dad traveled and he will be coming back soon. I get jealous each time my friends show me the gifts their dad got them plus coming to pick them from school. Mom please when exactly is he coming back? “ rejoice asks curiously. Queeneth stood with so much guilt, her hands trembling and her heart racing heavily “ don't worry, he would soon be home to join us “she replied with her voice shaking. “I will go make us something to eat for dinner now,”she said, as that's the only excuse to leave that space at the moment. Later that night Queeneth got into a conversation with her online lover. Anonymous lover: “Tell me something you've never told anyone” Queeneth writes: I'm a mother. A long pause. Anonymous lover: That's beautiful. You must be a really strong woman. She blinked back tears. He didn't ask how, or when, or even who the father was, he just accepted. She typed slowly. Queeneth writes: he left before she was born Another pause. Anonymous lover: Then he's the fool. Queeneth smiled sadly. She had many questions to ask him, who he was, and where he lived. Why does he always say things that sounded like Denise? But she didn't dare. Instead, she went to bed with her daughter, singing a lullaby to help bring her out of the mood her curiosity placed her on. Queeneth was wondering how long she could balance the chaos of her truth. She was a single mother, that's her little secret and her boss mustn't find out. Not now. Not ever. Because her job was their only sustainable source of income. One morning, Queeneth came to work acting really strange and weird, her mood was influenced by how tough the situation was getting and the pressure she's getting from her daughter on revealing who her father is. “Why are you looking so dull today?” George queried, standing in front of her desk. “Nothing sir,it's just a minor headache” She quickly replied why hastening up to get done with the work she has on her desk. “Don’t worry, you can close for the day and have some rest at home” George said, acting kind towards her. Her colleagues were surprised to see George that kind to anyone before. The next morning, as Queeneth walked into the office with her head down, thinking on how to work best for the day and avoid any kind of trouble, she heard George's voice from the hallway. “Queeneth, meet my childhood friend, Denise, he just flew into the country. He will be working with us on a special project.” Queeneth froze. She looked up. And the moment their eyes met, so many experiences from the past resurfaced. It was him.