MY SECRET BOSS

1

The big day has arrived. After two long months of infernal babbling, I'm going to meet the secret boss, the being who is making my days more difficult. On my bed, a mountain of dresses. I take one, try it on, take it off and run back to the closet in search of a more appropriate one.

My room is beautiful, an exact replica of a hotel I stayed in in London. I loved it so much that I had it made here for myself, in my apartment in Rio. The design was brilliant, using white, tobacco and beige. Stools with quilted details, decorated with pearly buttons. Each armchair came from Paris and cost me around five thousand dollars. The cushions came from somewhere else, the chest of drawers from somewhere else. The coffee table I bought at an internet auction. And the bed, made of perfect material, with a hand-carved headboard and canopy made of Egyptian cotton sheets, there's no better place to sleep, my bed is the best in the world.

Already wearing a new dress, I look in the closet mirror and smile.

My waist is outlined, my butt is discreet and my breasts are in the right place. The dress I've chosen is an executive dress that shapes my body perfectly. It has a sensational lace trim at the bust and short square sleeves, so I can wear a simple cashmere cardigan over it and take it off when I get to the restaurant. It's the perfect image of a fashion director. I look at the neckline and I'm glad I didn't reveal the small tattoo above my left breast, which I got last year in a moment of madness. I choose a pair of turquoise fifteen-heeled pumps. I run and sit down in front of the mirror to put on my make-up and do my hair.

I can't believe it! I'm finally going to come face to face with the guy, or girl. And when we're there, the only thing I'm going to say is: "Why? Why have you done all this to me in the last two months?"

Pause the makeup. Do you want to know what this horrible being has done to me over the last two months? I'll be quick, a basic summary of everything that has made me suffer. Mom and I think it's someone who was born into a poor family, has always been envious of me and now that he's come up in life, I don't know, winning the lottery, he wants to take what is rightfully mine. That's my only assumption. He never showed his face. I know he got a large percentage of Madde's shares, but he never showed up. He always communicated through his lawyer and doormat Lucas, or by email.

Well, the first order came about two weeks after the inauguration. And it left me so psychologically destabilized, it was something that made me relive memories I didn't want to remember anymore. I got the news from Lucas, the lawyer. What was I supposed to do? Just attend a bridal event that was going to take place here in Rio, and I didn't even know about it. Because, first of all, I'm not in charge of the bridal session.

Sometimes these events happen, Mademoiselle attends and I only find out about it on the day. So far, I wasn't alarmed, but then Lucas, with his miserable, fiftyish lawyer smile, dropped the bombshell: The venue was a private club, a farm, which brings back terrible memories. And what's worse: I'd have to wear Madde's best dress and be one of the models.

- What do you mean, Lucas? I'm not a model, I've never been one, nor do I have the stature and body for one.

- Sorry, Angelina. I'm just giving you the message. - He shoved a piece of paper at me - Here's where you should sign it so I can take it to my boss today.

- Sign what creature? - Trembling, I put on my reading glasses, tried to read and the words danced in front of me.

- A disclaimer that you will participate. If you don't, you agree to lose two percent of your shares.

I panicked and stamped my foot, but there was no way. I'd have to dress up as a bride and go back to the place that... I can't even go near anymore.

According to Lucas, this was for the good of the company. People would see me and it would give the product more credibility. As he's now the majority owner, he calls the shots and I do it. And off I went, dressing in a hurry, putting on make-up and crying a lot.

I already felt my legs go soft when I got to the door of the place and saw the words: Pride - Fazenda Para Eventos. There were other people, the press were already there, and I was taken to get ready.

Dressed as a bride, I ran to the bathroom, locked myself in and cried. With memories of my past. Of everything that happened on the day that would be the happiest of my life. In my thoughts, I could only see myself as a bride, seven years ago, yelling at my fiancé. The bastard had that offended look on his face and didn't even try to explain himself.

I remember sitting there, in the sumptuous bedroom, the same one I was now getting ready in, at the age of twenty, sitting in front of the mirror, dissolving into tears.

How did he have the nerve? How could he disrespect me like that? Just like me, who had always loved him unconditionally, even enduring his madness and fears and demons, without asking, without wanting to know what made him so troubled. In six months of dating, without knowing him properly, I already wanted him by my side forever. And I almost gave in to a scoundrel.

My mind shows me scenes by the hour, like a movie, scenes that I swore I had completely erased. In a leap of memories, I'm already leaving that same room, seven years ago, stepping firmly and not even expecting bridesmaids, or godmothers, anyone. I stepped out of the door of the farmhouse and hurried towards the walkway in the space at the back. It was fall, and brown and yellow dried leaves were part of the decoration. Everything was so beautiful. People didn't understand that I was rushing in without a wedding gown and that he was standing there talking to his two degenerate brothers and when he saw me, he didn't understand.

I pulled up my dress and ran across the catwalk.

- Love? - He asked, coming towards me. Then I slapped him in the face.

- Angelina! - I hear knocks on the door and wake up from my bitter sea of memories. Angel, we have to go. - It's Beth, my cousin. - It's about to start. You'll be the first. Everyone's waiting for you.

I wipe my eyes, my make-up is smeared because I've run my hand over it. I open the door and she and Olivia's eyes widen when they see me.

- Angel! - Beth puts her hand over her mouth. I push Beth away and run outside. Like a mad cow I manage to find Karen, my employee who runs the bridal department.

-Who ordered this event here? She looks at me, trembling.

- I don't know. It's Madde's event, I thought...

- You did? Who gave the order? - I shout and she turns pale. With a clipboard in her hand, she flips through the sheets and hands them to me.

- Here.

I look at the signature. It's Lucas the lawyer's. Fury seizes me. I get away from her and I can still hear her shouting:

"Am I fired? And Olivia says: "Let's get on with the event, Karen".

I run, but Beth holds me back before I get out of the house.

- Hey! Angel! Sit down. Your shares. Two percent is too much for you to lose. You can't go backwards. I look at her, Olivia is already approaching with a glass of water.

- It was here Beth... do you remember?

- Yes, I remember. But it was all a coincidence. Millions of events take place here every year. It was a coincidence, Angel. - I drank the water, took a deep breath and eventually she persuaded me to come back, put my make-up back on and enter as a bride. I felt humiliated; after all, it reminded me that

I had ruined everything that day, seven years ago.

The bad news came out the next day: "Once again as a bride, Angelina Velasco loses her pose and appears with her face tied up in photos"

The second time he, the boss, trolled me was at another event. I was calmer, and even happier, because Lucas assured me that the boss would be there and might be able to say hello. Lucas assured me that the bridal event was just an unfortunate coincidence and that his boss was humbly apologizing. I would finally get to meet him.

Everyone had to wear ball gowns. And when I walked in, I was in a strip club, all dressed up. And to make matters worse, the agreement I signed said that I had to stay there for at least half an hour. I sat down at a table, with all those men staring at me, and tears of hatred just ran silently down my eyes.

When I left, it was raining, and the car with the driver wasn't waiting for me. When I called him, he said he couldn't come because the car had been towed away. I stood in the rain waiting for a taxi. I didn't even notice Madde's exclusive dress soaking through my hair. I was literally in the gutter when a taxi pulled up and poured water on me.

Once again, Lucas apologized and said that it was him who had got the address wrong. He even showed me the actual order from the boss, which had a different address.

Now, at this moment, I'm going to a dinner for two to meet the boss. It's a wonderful evening, there are no dark clouds to rain on, I've already checked the address, it's a really nice restaurant, I've just called and there's a table reserved under Lucas' name, everything will be fine and if Lucas shows up, I'll hit him in the face with my scarpin. Even if he's already fifty, I don't care.

After fixing my hair and makeup, I look in my jewelry box and I don't like anything. I want to give the impression of a powerful woman who hasn't fallen out with the company. So I open my safe and take out an emerald bracelet and an emerald earring.

I look in the mirror and smile. Perfect. I take my coat and bag and leave the room. Today I'm going in my car so that nothing else happens. In fact, I don't even want to think about what happened the night of the strip club. I'm happy to finally meet my secret boss, the person who is running my life.