Married To My Father’s Revenge

Chapter 4: Learning the Hard Way

CHRISSY’S POV

I hurried out of Mr Blackwood's office with my heart racing.

This was supposed to be my first day.

My first official day as an intern.

I had imagined orientation, paperwork, introductions... maybe a little office tour.

Not...

"Meet me outside in five minutes."

No welcome.

No explanation.

No "good morning."

Just orders.

I quickly adjusted my blazer, took a deep breath and walked towards the company entrance.

A sleek black Mercedes was already parked outside.

The driver stood beside it while Mr Blackwood checked something on his phone.

He didn't even acknowledge my presence.

"You have thirty seconds," he said without looking up.

I blinked.

"What?"

"You've wasted thirty seconds already."

Seriously?

I quickly got into the back seat.

He entered from the opposite side and continued typing on his laptop.

The silence inside the car was unbearable.

I wanted to introduce myself properly again.

Maybe start over.

"I'm Chrissy Williams, sir."

No response.

"I'll be working hard"

"Quiet."

I immediately shut my mouth.

What kind of boss was this? I thought to myself.

The rest of the journey remained silent except for the occasional tapping of his fingers on the keyboard.

Twenty minutes later we arrived at a luxurious hotel.

He stepped out first.

I rushed after him... Nervous of course.

His long strides forced me to practically jog.

How was someone so tall?

By the time I caught up, he was already inside the conference room.

Several executives stood to greet him.

"Good morning, Mr Blackwood."

He simply nodded.

No smile.

Nothing.

One of the men noticed me.

"And you are?"

Before I could answer, Damien spoke.

"My secretary."

Secretary?

I was only an intern.

Still, I smiled politely.

"Good morning."

The meeting began almost immediately.

I quietly sat at the far end of the table with a notebook.

For the next two hours I watched him.

Mr Blackwood transformed completely.

Still cold.

Still serious.

But incredibly brilliant.

Every figure.

Every report.

Every proposal.

He remembered all of them without checking any documents.

Whenever another company's representative made a mistake, he corrected them instantly.

His confidence was... intimidating.

No wonder everyone respected him.

Or feared him.

Probably both.

After the meeting ended, everyone began leaving.

One of the older executives smiled warmly at me.

"You must be new”

"Yes, sir."

"Working under Damien isn't easy."

I gave a small awkward laugh.

"I've already noticed."

The man chuckled.

"Don't worry. If he hasn't fired you on your first day, you're already doing well."

Wait...

Fired?

On the first day?

Before I could ask more questions, Damien's deep voice interrupted.

"Chrissy."

I immediately excused myself and walked towards him.

"Yes sir?"

"Let's go."

No thank you.

No explanation.

Just...

Let's go.

Back at the office, he finally spoke again.

"Take these."

He placed six thick files on my desk.

"I need summaries before five."

I looked at the pile.

There were hundreds of pages.

My eyes widened.

"Sir... today's my first day."

"So?"

"I don't even know the filing system."

"Learn."

"I..."

"You have until five."

Then he walked into his office.

The door shut behind him.

I stared at the files.

Did he seriously expect me to finish all these?

A lady from accounting walked over.

She looked around before whispering.

"Don't take it personally."

I smiled.

"I'm trying not to."

"He does this to everyone."

"So he's always this..."

I searched for the right word.

"...cold?"

She laughed softly.

"That's actually one of his better days."

Wonderful.

I spent the next few hours reading through contracts and financial reports.

Everything looked complicated.

Every time I thought I understood something, another unfamiliar term appeared.

Still...

I reminded myself why I was here.

This internship wasn't permanent.

It was only for experience.

A learning opportunity.

In a few months I'd be back at school.

So why let one difficult boss ruin everything?

I could survive this.

At exactly four thirty, I walked into his office with the completed summaries.

He looked up briefly.

"Done?"

"Yes sir."

He took them.

Flipped through the pages.

His expression remained unreadable.

"You missed page seventy-two."

I frowned.

"What?"

"The appendix."

"I... I thought that wasn't necessary because—"

"I didn't ask what you thought."

Ouch.

"Do it again."

My eyes widened.

"The whole thing?"

"The appendix."

I quietly took the documents back.

"I'm sorry."

"You don't need to apologise."

I looked at him.

"You need to improve."

Why did every sentence from him feel like an insult.

I returned to my desk and corrected the mistake.

When I finished, it was already after six.

Most employees had gone home.

I knocked softly on his office door.

"Come in."

I handed him the corrected copy.

He checked page seventy-two.

Closed the file.

"You may leave."

That was it?

No "good job."

No acknowledgement.

Nothing.

As I walked towards the elevator, I couldn't stop myself from sighing.

What a day.

Outside the building my phone rang.

Caleb.

"Hey stranger!"

I smiled immediately.

"Hi.”

"You sound exhausted."

"I am."

"Bad first day?"

"You have no idea."

He laughed.

"So your boss is strict?"

I looked back at the massive Blackwood building.

"Strict is an understatement."

"Worse?"

"Much worse."

"That bad?"

"He barely speaks."

"Oh."

"He acts like smiling would physically hurt him."

Caleb laughed loudly.

"You'll survive."

"I hope so."

"Just remember why you're there."

Exactly.

I was there to learn.

Not to make friends.

Definitely not to impress Mr Blackwood.

"I know."

"You've got this."

His encouragement made me smile.

Maybe tomorrow would be better.

Hopefully.

The next morning I arrived twenty minutes early.

Maybe punctuality would help.

As I arranged my desk, Damien walked past.

Without greeting me, he placed another stack of files in front of me.

"These need organizing ."

"Good morning, sir."

He paused.

Looked at me.

Then continued walking as though he hadn't heard anything.

I blinked.

Did...

Did he just ignore my greeting?

Again?

I simply shook my head and smiled to myself.

Some people weren't meant to be understood.

And honestly...

I wasn't planning on staying long enough to understand him anyway.

This place was only a stop on my journey.

A classroom.

Nothing more.

Mr Blackwood could remain the coldest man alive.

As long as I left this internship a better person than when I arrived...

That would be enough for me.