Chapter 6: Strange
1096 Words
“I don’t know why I’m here,” I said, glancing at him.
He met my eyes and smiled.
“You work for me, so you shouldn’t be surprised when I ask for your presence,” he replied casually.
My eyes roamed around his lavish office. The walls were lined with various artwork, and on his desk sat a framed photo of two young boys. He noticed my gaze and chuckled softly.
“Those are my younger brothers. They passed away when they were just eleven. Sad, isn’t it?” I was at a loss for words.
What do you even say to something like that?
“You’re not the first person to be speechless after hearing my family story,” he said, standing up and walking over to the window.
“It’s understandable.”
There was a moment of silence before he spoke again, this time with a hint of curiosity.
“What is it about you, Rhian, that has me checking up on you so often?” I almost groaned, but remembered that he was a prominent figure in our community, someone not to be trifled with.
“So painful, I can only imagine how it must feel seeing that picture every day". I said, still trying to figure out his intentions.
“It doesn’t affect me like it used to. I’ve seen people come and go, crying, laughing, dying. Life moves on.” He said as he sank back into his seat.
“That’s true, Mr. Belcher.” I responded, avoiding his gaze.
“Hmm... Rhian, I want you to take charge of my office and handle my clients when I’m away.” He said, his eyes still fixed on me.
“But sir, isn’t that Bella’s job?” I asked, confused.
“Relax, Rhian. Bella is just my P.A. I’m the boss here, and I decide who does what. Besides, Bella’s workload is getting too heavy. I’m trying to ease some of it off her shoulders.” He said, standing up and walking toward me.
“But Bella never complains. She seems to enjoy her work, always smiling at staff and clients.” I said, trying to distance myself from whatever he was planning.
“Rhian, haven’t you heard the saying ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’? Bella’s willing to do anything to stay close to me, but there will be times when she’s unavailable because of certain clients. That’s where you come in.” He said with a sly smile.
“But why me? I’m still new here, just trying to learn and adjust.” I protested, still avoiding eye contact.
“It’s fine, Rhian. I’ll teach you myself. I’ll have my driver pick you up at 7 p.m. tonight.” He said, turning back to the window.
“Can we make it tomorrow? I’ve already made plans to meet an old friend this evening.” I countered.
“You’ll need to cancel. Work comes first.” He said flatly, still facing away from me.
I felt anger bubbling up inside me. “But she’s coming from the next community just to see me! We haven’t seen each other in ages, and besides, it’s not even during work hours.” I said, my frustration evident.
“As my secretary, you work around the clock, and you’ll be paid accordingly. No one questions my orders. You can leave now. Tell Bella to schedule a meeting with Mr. Jackson.” He said, his hands deep in his pockets, still not facing me.
As the sunlight streamed through the window, highlighting his broad shoulders, I couldn’t help but admire him from behind. He was an attractive man, someone any woman would want, but he was far too controlling for my taste.
“Okay, Mr. Belcher,” I replied, walking out.
As I opened the door, I realized Bella had been eavesdropping on our conversation. She looked bitter, and I had a feeling she wouldn’t let this slide easily.
“Mr. Belcher wants you to fix a meeting with Mr. Jackson.” I said, breaking the awkward silence.
Bella leaned in close, her voice a low whisper.
“Remember what I told you at the party? Stay out of my way, or you’ll regret it. I’m worse than a wolf.” She hissed before letting out a wicked laugh.
I raised an eyebrow. “Why whisper when you could say it out loud, Bella? You’re just his soft slave. You lack the confidence to get what you really want.” I shot back with a smile before walking away.
“How dare you talk to me like that!” Bella snapped, grabbing my arm.
I glared at her hand on my sleeve. “Do you want to hit me? Let go, Bella.” I said.
She smirked but slowly released her grip. “I wouldn’t waste my energy, but I’ll make sure your stay here is miserable.” She spat.
“Let’s see about that.” I replied, turning to leave.
Just then, Mr. Belcher’s office door swung open, and he stepped out.
“Bella, have you scheduled the meeting with Mr. Jackson?” he asked.
“Yes, sir. The meeting is at 12 p.m.” she answered, trying to cover up her earlier behavior.
“Hm. Rhian, are you heading to the company now? I can drop you off before my meeting”. Mr. Belcher offered, his eyes once again on me.
“It’s fine, sir. I drove today.” I said with a polite smile.
“Alright, see you later.” he replied, walking off.
I headed straight to my car, got in, and drove off. As I made my way to the office, my phone beeped. It was Mrs. Vera. I quickly put on my ear-piece.
“Hello, good morning, ma’am.” I said, keeping my eyes on the road.
“Hi, Rhian. How did your meeting go?” she asked.
“It was alright, but Mr. Belcher wants me to work with him around the clock. I’m not too keen on the idea,” I admitted.
“Wait... is he asking you to be his P.A.?” she asked, surprised.
“Kind of. Bella’s still the main P.A., but I’ll be covering for her when she’s busy. He insists on teaching me personally.” I explained, feeling a bit uneasy.
“Really? That sounds like good news! It could make your job easier,” she said cheerfully.
“I don’t know... I feel like he’s obsessed with having me around. I’m not comfortable with it,” I confessed.
- Writer
