AN ENTICING OFFER

AMBER: Amber stepped into the CEO's waiting room on Monday morning immediately after the meeting, with the minutes in a file, and a cup of coffee in her other hand. She wasn't feeling too excited this morning, but that didn't stop her from doing her usual duties as a manager. Knowing fully well that her boss didn't like people coming into his office without knocking, she stood still, arranged her dress, and then silently placed her hand on the door to knock. "Who is it?" She heard a voice. "Amber sir", She quickly replied, and there was another long silence on the other side of the door before she heard him say, "Come in." She walked into the office and then stood in front of his desk. Her boss wasn't even working on his computer or doing anything important, so what took him so long to even ask her to come into his office? Mr Martins just had a way of disrupting her day, which was why she didn't like coming into his office alone. "Get straight to the point Jackson, I don't have all day," he said coldly. Says the man who spends the whole day in the office playing video games. He was such a lazy man and if it weren't for the good work everybody at the company was doing, he would probably be on the streets now, begging for money. Amber could remember the first time she stepped into this company four years ago to intern during college holidays. She heard about this company from her best friend, Andrea, who was dying to work for them, so they decided to go together. Jack Martins, the founder and owner of Martin Car Repairs and Sells, was the CEO at the time, and so they loved to work there. Until he retired due to a disease unknown to them and had his second son, who was known for his negligence and womanizing abilities, take care of the company. It has been two years of absolute hell for Amber, doing her best, getting beat up verbally about it, getting harassed by him, and still not getting paid what she deserved. But it wasn't just her, every other employee in this company was getting the same treatment. "Are you going to say something, Jackson?" And the good-for-nothing man wouldn't stop calling her by her surname, he didn't have one bit of work ethic in him. "I'm sorry sir, I brought the minutes for the meeting" Amber explained, before handing him the file which he tossed on a side of the table. He always does that every Monday, "My coffee?" He asked and she quickly gave it to him. "With cream and sugar?" He asked. "Yes sir, I got the order right," Amber told him. "Alright then," Amber bowed her head in respect and left his office quickly before he would try to pull any silly stunts with her. Her breathing relaxed when she finally took her seat in the office filled with other employees working on their computers. Her best friend, who immediately noticed her, walked over with two cups. "Hey", Andrea smiled and Amber took the cup of coffee from her. She drank from it, "Thanks" "Don't mention it" Andrea said, before sitting by Amber's desk. "So what did he do this morning?" "Surprisingly, nothing much, just being his usual asshole self, and most times I want to kick him in the balls and just watch him yelp in pain" Andrea burst into laughter hearing Amber rant. "Oh well, that isn't in the job description, so unless you want to lose it, your thoughts should only be thoughts," she said. "I know" Amber let out a sigh and Andrea patted her back gently. "You should get back to work and finish early so you can head back to the hospital to see your dad. I will wrap things up and make dinner," Andrea said. "Thank you so much, you are such a darling" Amber smiled and Andrea nodded before stepping away. Amber was once again alone by her desk as she stared at the family photo framed on the desk which had her father, who was now lying in the hospital battling with cancer in it, her younger sister Dana, who was in college and, in the end, she, who was trying so hard to survive. The smiles on their faces were real. That was three years ago when Dana graduated from high school. None of them knew that it would be the last time their father would walk or talk. "Miss Jackson, the marketing strategy meeting starts in ten minutes, so get ready." She looked up to see the team leader, "Yes ma'am" ***** "You are late". Amber turned to see Dana already sitting in the hospital room with a novel in her hands. "Jeez! You startled me, Dana. I told you to stop crawling up on me like that", Amber frowned, before walking up to their father's bed to sit beside him. Dana rolled her eyes, "Why are you late this time?" She asked. "I had to attend a meeting at work" Amber replied, "I told you to stop coming here on a school night, Dana. Why didn't you go home?" "I have the right to see Dad". Dana had never understood Amber, no matter the angle she explained from and it always made Amber so upset. "I am here now, so leave," Amber said and Dana got up from the chair, and picked up her things in anger before storming out of the hospital room without a word. As soon as Dana left, a sigh escaped Amber's lips. She knew that she was being so hard on her sister, but she had to be, so that Dana wouldn't also end up in a crappy company working her ass off for nothing. Later, Dana would think of this and understand better, probably when she is older. "Dad, how are you feeling today? The doctor said you aren't making any improvements, why?" Amber asked, before bursting into tears. She spent the night as usual sobbing in her father's arms, praying that he would miraculously wake up and reunite their family.