The CEO's Heart

Chapter 3 - Ms. Uncoordinated

Marie

That was so embarrassing.

After practically throwing myself at him because of these stupid heels, he thought I was drunk!

At a party like this!

Gosh, that was so embarrassing and unprofessional.

There goes my perfect first impression.

And that dress. I probably won't wear them anymore after tonight's fiasco. I doubt I'd be able to without remembering the smell of expensive wine and feeling ashamed.

Here I was aiming for cool and confident but now I ended up careless and inebriated.

Thankfully, Mr Woods saved me by explaining everything. I probably couldn't have gotten it out without fleeing the room in embarrassment.

But how could that rich jerk put me on the spot like that?

Asking me all those questions as if I was being interviewed. Granted that I expected him to do that, he still saw through my entire preparations and made me feel off balance and unprepared.

And I was already off balance from those cursed footwear called heels.

And what kind of person responds to the statement 'I look forward to working with you. ' With 'You mean you look forward to working for me? '

He is so damn condescending.

He thinks that just because he has a bunch of money and power, he can act like some kind of supreme overlord of the universe.

Well, he has another thing coming. My meek and cowed attitude towards him tonight was just a fluke caused by him catching me off guard. There's no way I'll allow him to walk all over me again at work on Monday. He needs to understand that we are going to be working 'together', not me working under him like some submissive corporate slave. I'm going to be his personal secretary for crying out loud!

Just wait, Mr Cole. On Monday I'll be ready.

******************

After staying for a little while, enduring the snickers and poorly disguised gossiping of some of Mr Cole's employees who were invited, I made my way over to Mr Woods and wished him goodnight, telling him that I was going home.

"I know that you had a rough night, so that's fine. And don't worry about work on Monday, it'll be fine. You'll do great things there, I just know it." He reassured me.

"Thank you sir. I will." I actually felt comforted by his words.

"I sure hope so. After all, I trained you myself." He chuckled.

I smiled at him and bade him goodnight.

I walked out of the lavish ballroom to leave, but as I got to the entrance someone's shoulder bumped mine, sending me almost careening to the ground again.

I'm definitely going to burn these shoes the first chance I get.

"Sorry, I didn't see you there." I apologized as I balanced myself.

"You think throwing yourself at him would make him notice you? You don't have a chance." The woman that bumped into me wearing a red dress said with a haughty look on her face.

Did she really think I was trying to seduce the boss when I had just met him? That's so dumb.

"What do you mean by that? That was an accident, plus I don't care about making him notice me. I don't need to. "

She looked at me in disbelief.

"Mhmm, you're saying you're not attracted to the super rich, super handsome single billionaire that you just jumped on? Sure you aren't."

I hadn't even noticed his looks during our interaction. I was trying hard not to die of shame to take note. Whatever, I'm sure that rich jerk isn't even that handsome.

Even though I know that he's been voted the Most Handsome Billionaire in the country for five years running. I refuse to admit it.

"Whatever, just back off because he wouldn't even look twice at a weird looking skank like you." She said with a surprising amount of venom in her voice.

Now this was just uncalled-for.

"Okay, listen. I don't care what exactly your job is or anything, but just to let you know that the super rich billionaire you talked about hired me to be his personal secretary, which is something that you could only dream about. Plus, the only person that looks like a skank here is you." I fired back at her while eyeing her ridiculous dress. Someone's trying too hard.

The people around us became quiet, and were staring at us.

I instantly felt a familiar surge of embarrassment from the unwanted attention and, with a final glare at the shocked face of the woman in front of me, I finally hurried out of there and got in my car.

"She was asking for it, talking to me like that. I just wish I didn't have to embarrass myself in public just to put her in her place."

I started the car and headed home. I have to prepare for Monday.

Arriving back at my apartment, I briefed my mother on the night's misadventures; her alternating between laughing and groaning in second-hand embarrassment at what happened.

"I'm so sorry that I made you wear those heels, honey. I thought that they would go so well with the dress and look classy so that you could impress those people, but I just ended up making you..."

I cut her off before she could keep fretting.

"It's fine, Mom. Everything ended up all right in the end. I still got the job and I have to report to work on Monday, so don't worry."

She looked relieved to hear that.

"Okay then, I guess I'll leave in the morning. You know how your father gets when I leave him alone for too long. I'll probably be gone before you wake up tomorrow."

My mom came over to my apartment to help me do my makeup and cheer me on before my first official meeting with Mr Cole. She knows how important the meeting was, so she came to support me.

"Okay, that's fine. I'll miss you." I gave her a big hug. My mom is the best.

"Goodnight honey."

"Goodnight mom." I said as I went to my room to get some important stuff organized for work before falling asleep.

*****************

Monday morning is here. I'm ready.

My clothes are pristine, not a drop of any kind of liquid anywhere. My shoes have flat heels touching the floor, and I'm here earlier than anyone else. The parking lot is nearly empty.

I bustled into the elevator, my spine firm as steel, my chin high in the air.

I'm not going to act like a submissive little girl today. Today I'm going to act like a CEO's secretary.

Stopping at the top floor and getting off the elevator, I strutted to my new office to get set up and get ready for the day's work.

My office is actually pretty nice and spacious. Beats that cement colored cubicle I was stuck in for years. It definitely looks fitting for a billionaire CEO's secretary. I even have a small waiting area with cool art on the walls and comfy seats for people waiting for appointments, plus my own coffee maker in my office.

I guess the rich boss has some taste in decorations.

I logged into the big desktop computer on my desk and put together the day's schedule. Meetings, documents to review and sign and other important stuff that someone running a business empire has to attend to.

Then I got up, straightened out my clothes and got ready to deliver the day's itinerary to the boss.

I hadn't seen him leave his office all morning, so I had to go to him.

I walked down the small hallway leading to the imposing door of his office and with what I hoped was a firm knock I tapped on it.

I heard his low, deep voice grant me admission, so I braced myself and opened the door.

His office was decorated minimally but still gave off a masculine and dominant feel. I shifted my gaze from my surroundings to Mr Cole to greet him when I saw the look on his face that made me involuntarily take a big step back, knock my elbow against the doorknob and send the documents I was holding falling to the ground.

I did it again.

I haven't even started my first work day, and I've already pissed him off.