Chapter 7 - The Naive Volunteer
2110 Words
Elsie's first morning in Newhaven began with a battle.
Not with traffic.
Not with her new job.
Not even with the terrifyingly large corporate building she was supposed to enter.
It began with her hair.
“I hate you.”
Elsie stood in front of the bathroom mirror, staring at the curling iron in her hand.
Her hair had apparently decided that today was the perfect day to develop its own personality.
Behind her, Livia leaned against the bathroom door with folded arms.
“You've been fighting with it for twenty minutes.”
“It won't cooperate.”
“Your hair doesn't work for you.”
“It should.”
“That's not how hair works.”
Elsie glared at her reflection.
“I need to look professional.”
“You do.”
“I look nervous.”
“You are nervous.”
“That is not helping.”
Livia laughed.
“Come here.”
She took the curling iron from Elsie and began fixing the last few stubborn strands.
“You're going to be fine.”
Elsie watched herself in the mirror.
She wore a simple cream blouse tucked into tailored black trousers, with a fitted blazer and small pearl earrings. Nothing excessive.
Professional.
Elegant.
Still unmistakably Elsie.
She looked down at herself.
“Do I look like someone who knows what she's doing?”
Livia considered it.
“You look like someone who is about to pretend she knows what she's doing.”
Elsie gasped.
“Livia.”
“I'm kidding.”
“I'm going to fire you as my best friend.”
“You can't.”
“Why?”
“Because you need me.”
Elsie sighed.
“Unfortunately.”
Livia smiled and handed her handbag over.
“Ready?”
Elsie took a deep breath.
“No.”
“Perfect.”
Twenty minutes later, Livia's car stopped outside Westbridge International.
Elsie stared through the window.
The building was enormous.
Glass.
Steel.
Sharp architectural lines disappearing toward the sky.
People in expensive suits moved through the entrance with the confidence of people who knew exactly where they were going.
Elsie swallowed.
“This is it.”
Livia looked at her.
“This is it.”
“I suddenly feel sick.”
“You ate breakfast?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Then it's probably fear.”
“Thank you for clarifying.”
Livia smiled.
Elsie reached for the door.
“Wait.”
“What?”
Livia grabbed her wrist.
“Important rule.”
Elsie looked at her.
“Don't trip.”
Elsie frowned.
“I don't trip that often.”
Livia stared at her.
Elsie stared back.
“You tripped yesterday.”
“That was luggage-related.”
“You tripped at your graduation.”
“The floor was uneven.”
“You tripped at my birthday.”
“You put a bag in my path.”
“You tripped over your own shoe last week.”
Elsie narrowed her eyes.
“You're ruining my confidence.”
Livia released her.
“Fine. New rule.”
“What?”
“Walk normally.”
Elsie nodded seriously.
“I can do that.”
She stepped out of the car.
Then immediately walked back.
“What?”
“My badge.”
Livia handed it to her.
Elsie smiled.
“Right.”
She stepped out again.
Livia lowered the window.
“Elsie!”
Elsie turned.
“Yeah?”
“Good luck!”
Elsie smiled.
“Thanks.”
“And don't fall in love with anyone!”
“LIVIA!”
The car sped away before Elsie could respond.
She stood frozen on the pavement.
A security guard nearby coughed suspiciously into his hand.
Elsie pretended she hadn't heard anything.
“Excellent,” she muttered.
“First day. Already humiliated.”
She turned toward the entrance.
And walked inside.
The receptionist looked up.
Then paused.
Her professional expression softened almost instantly.
“Good morning.”
“Good morning.”
“Can I help you?”
“Yes. I'm Elsie Ashford. It's my first day.”
The receptionist glanced at her screen.
Then back at Elsie.
“Miss Ashford?”
“Yes.”
A smile appeared.
“Welcome to Westbridge International.”
“Thank you.”
The receptionist checked the information again.
“You're joining the Strategic Partnerships and International Relations Department.”
Elsie nodded.
“That sounds important.”
“It is.”
“Oh.”
Elsie suddenly stood straighter.
The receptionist smiled.
“Don't worry. Everyone feels nervous on their first day.”
“Really?”
“Absolutely.”
“Even you?”
The receptionist laughed.
“Especially me.”
She handed Elsie a temporary access card.
“Take the elevators to the twenty-second floor. Your department is on the east wing. Someone should be waiting for you.”
“Thank you.”
Elsie took the card.
Then turned toward the elevators.
She took three steps.
Stopped.
Turned back.
“Excuse me?”
“Yes?”
“Which elevator?”
The receptionist pointed.
“The one behind you.”
Elsie looked over her shoulder.
“Oh.”
The receptionist smiled.
“Good luck.”
“Thank you.”
Elsie walked toward the elevator.
Behind the desk, the receptionist watched her disappear.
“She is adorable.”
The security officer beside her glanced over.
“She'll last three days.”
The receptionist frowned.
“Five.”
The twenty-second floor was considerably less intimidating than Elsie had expected.
There were rows of desks, glass meeting rooms, large screens displaying project schedules, and employees moving between them carrying coffee, folders, and expressions of varying degrees of exhaustion.
A woman with short brown hair approached her.
“You're Elsie, right?”
Elsie nodded.
“Yes.”
The woman smiled.
“I'm Nora Whitmore.”
“Nice to meet you.”
“I'm your assigned colleague for today. Come on.”
Elsie followed her.
“You'll meet the department head shortly. She's strict, but she's not terrifying.”
Elsie glanced at her.
“That's comforting.”
Nora smiled.
“Mostly.”
They reached a cluster of desks.
A tall man immediately looked up.
“Oh.”
Nora sighed.
“Don't.”
The man stood.
“New employee?”
“Elsie,” Nora said.
He smiled.
“Daniel Mercer.”
He shook Elsie's hand.
“Welcome to the department.”
“Thank you.”
Daniel looked at Nora.
“You didn't tell us she was this—”
Nora stepped on his foot.
“Ow!”
Elsie blinked.
“Are you okay?”
Daniel forced a smile.
“Wonderful.”
Another woman leaned over the partition.
“I'm Clara Bennett.”
She smiled warmly.
“Don't listen to Daniel. He's incapable of speaking normally around attractive women.”
Daniel looked offended.
“I was going to say professional.”
“You were not.”
“I was.”
“No.”
Elsie laughed.
Daniel pointed at Clara.
“This is harassment.”
“This is Tuesday.”
Elsie smiled.
For the first time that morning, her nervousness began to disappear.
Maybe she could do this.
Maybe Westbridge wouldn't be so terrifying after all.
Then Nora lowered her voice.
“Just one thing.”
Elsie looked at her.
“What?”
“Don't ask too many questions about Veyr Group.”
Elsie's eyebrows rose.
“Why?”
Daniel immediately looked toward them.
“Because we like being employed.”
Elsie blinked.
“What does Veyr Group have to do with us?”
Clara leaned closer.
“Everything.”
Elsie looked between them.
“What is Veyr Group?”
Three people stared at her.
Daniel slowly lowered his coffee.
“You don't know?”
Elsie shook her head.
“No.”
Clara looked genuinely shocked.
“You really don't?”
“No.”
Nora sighed.
“Veyr Group is one of the most powerful corporate groups in Newhaven.”
Daniel leaned closer.
“And the CEO is Zavian Veyr.”
Elsie waited.
Nothing happened.
“Okay.”
Daniel frowned.
“That's it?”
“What am I supposed to say?”
“You've never heard of him?”
“No.”
Clara looked at Nora.
“She really hasn't.”
Nora nodded.
Elsie looked confused.
“Is he famous?”
Daniel gave a humorless laugh.
“Famous isn't the word.”
“What is the word?”
“Terrifying.”
Clara nodded.
“Intimidating.”
Nora added quietly,
“Unforgiving.”
Daniel lifted one finger.
“And apparently allergic to smiling.”
Elsie frowned.
“Maybe he's just serious.”
All three stared at her.
Daniel slowly sat down.
“She thinks he's just serious.”
Clara whispered,
“She has no idea.”
Elsie looked around.
“Why is everyone afraid of him?”
Nora glanced toward the glass conference rooms.
“Because Veyr Group doesn't tolerate mistakes.”
Daniel leaned toward Elsie.
“And because their CEO has a reputation for making grown executives forget how language works.”
Elsie smiled awkwardly.
“Well…”
She looked at her desk.
“I'm sure it can't be that bad.”
Daniel's expression said otherwise.
Before anyone could respond, the doors to the department opened.
The atmosphere changed.
A man in a perfectly tailored charcoal suit entered.
He carried a tablet in one hand.
His expression was calm, professional, and serious.
Nora immediately straightened.
Daniel stopped talking.
Clara returned to her desk.
The man approached the department head's office.
“Excuse me.”
The department head, Evelyn Hart, looked up.
“Yes?”
The man stepped inside.
“I'm Adrian Cole, executive assistant to Mr. Marcus Hale.”
Evelyn's expression tightened.
“Westbridge's CEO?”
“Yes.”
Adrian placed a document on her desk.
“There has been an update regarding the Veyr Group cooperation.”
Evelyn's face changed.
“What kind of update?”
“Veyr Group requires Westbridge to appoint an official project representative.”
“By when?”
“Forty-eight hours.”
Silence.
Evelyn stared at him.
“Forty-eight?”
Adrian nodded.
“The notice came directly from Veyr Group.”
Evelyn looked down at the document.
“And if we don't?”
“They will reconsider the cooperation.”
Evelyn closed her eyes.
“Of course they will.”
Adrian gave a polite nod.
“I'll leave you to it.”
He turned and walked away.
The moment the door closed, Evelyn leaned back in her chair.
“Everyone. Conference room. Now.”
Five minutes later, the entire department sat around the conference table.
Nobody looked happy.
Evelyn stood at the front.
“We need to appoint someone to represent Westbridge International in the Veyr Group cooperation project.”
Silence.
Daniel suddenly became fascinated by the ceiling.
Clara looked at her notebook.
Nora examined her pen as if it contained the secrets of the universe.
Evelyn frowned.
“We need a volunteer.”
Nobody moved.
“Anyone?”
Silence.
A clock ticked somewhere in the room.
Elsie looked around.
Why was everyone acting like she had announced a death sentence?
She raised her hand.
“I can do it.”
Every head turned.
Elsie smiled nervously.
“I mean… if you need someone.”
Daniel's mouth fell open.
Clara stared at her.
Nora looked horrified.
Evelyn blinked.
“You?”
Elsie nodded.
“Yes.”
Daniel whispered,
“She volunteered.”
Clara whispered back,
“She actually volunteered.”
Elsie looked at them.
“Is that bad?”
Nobody answered.
Evelyn studied her for several seconds.
“Elsie, do you understand what this project involves?”
“I think so.”
“And you understand that the representative will have to communicate directly with Veyr Group?”
“Yes.”
“And potentially attend meetings with their senior executives?”
Elsie nodded.
“Yes.”
Evelyn looked around the table.
Everyone else was still avoiding eye contact.
She slowly exhaled.
They had no volunteers.
And forty-eight hours wasn't enough time to force someone into the position.
Finally, she looked back at Elsie.
“All right.”
Daniel nearly fell out of his chair.
Evelyn continued.
“You'll be the provisional representative.”
Elsie smiled.
“Okay.”
Nora stared at her.
“Are you sure?”
Elsie nodded.
“Of course.”
Daniel whispered,
“She doesn't know.”
Clara whispered,
“She really doesn't know.”
Elsie looked at them.
“Know what?”
Daniel smiled weakly.
“Nothing.”
Elsie smiled back.
“Great.”
Evelyn gathered the documents.
“We'll begin preparing you immediately.”
Elsie nodded confidently.
“I'll do my best.”
Nobody at the table looked convinced.
Outside the conference room, the city stretched beneath the glass walls of Westbridge International.
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD