Chapter 2- The Contract
1484 Words
Krystal's POV
I walked out of his office with my head spinning. The hallway was still quiet, the carpet soaking up the sound of my cheap heels. I found a small breakroom down the hall. It was nicer than any kitchen I had ever lived in. There was a coffee machine that looked like it cost more than my car, and rows of glass jars filled with expensive snacks.
My hands were still shaking as I reached for a ceramic mug. Black. Two sugars. I remembered it because I used to make it for him every morning in our tiny apartment near campus. Back then, he would wrap his arms around my waist and kiss my neck while the water boiled. Now, the thought of his touch made my stomach flip in a way that wasn't sweet at all.
I walked back into his office. Alex was sitting behind his desk, looking at a laptop. He didn't look up when I set the mug down on a coaster.
"The coffee, sir," I said. Using a title felt like a slap in the face.
He picked up the mug and took a sip. He didn't say thank you. He just stared at the steam rising from the cup. "Sit down, Krystal. We haven't talked about the money yet."
I sat back in the same chair. "I just need enough to live, Alex. I’m not greedy."
He let out a short, dry laugh. "That’s a lie. We both know you love the finer things. Why else would you marry a Valerius? My father told me how much he paid you to walk away. Did you blow it all on designer bags? Or did you lose it at a casino?"
I bit the inside of my cheek so hard I tasted blood. I wanted to scream at him. I wanted to tell him that his father had cornered me in a hospital hallway while my mother was gasping for air. I wanted to tell him that I hadn't taken a single cent, and that I had lived in shelters for the first three months after I left him.
But I couldn't. If I got too emotional, I might slip up. I might tell him about the boy at home who had his ears.
"I'm here for a job, Alex. Not a lecture," I said quietly.
"Fine. Let's talk business." He pulled a thick stack of papers from a folder and slid them across the desk. "I'm offering you two hundred thousand dollars a year."
My breath hitched. That was more than triple what a normal assistant made. It was enough to move to a better neighborhood. It was enough for Lysander’s school. It was enough to never worry about a grocery bill again.
"What's the catch?" I asked.
"The catch is me," Alex said. He leaned forward, his eyes boring into mine. "You belong to this company twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. If I call you at three in the morning, you answer. If I need you to fly to London in an hour, you're on the plane. No social life. No boyfriends. No excuses."
I thought about Lysander. Three in the morning was when he usually had his nightmares. "I can't do twenty-four-seven, Alex. I have... responsibilities."
"What responsibilities?" he snapped. "A cat? A boyfriend you're hiding?"
"No," I said quickly. "Just... things at home. I need some regular hours."
Alex stood up and walked around the desk again. He stood right over me, looking down. "You don't get to negotiate. You’re blacklisted, remember? You’re lucky I’m even letting you sit in this chair. You want the money? You sign the paper. If you don't sign it, don't bother coming back. I'll make sure the few doors left open for you in this city are slammed shut by noon."
He was being a monster. The boy who used to bring me flowers and help me study for finals was gone. This man was cold and mean.
"I need to read it first," I said, trying to hold onto some dignity.
"Read away," he said. He sat on the edge of his desk, watching me.
I flipped through the pages. It was standard legal talk, but there were clauses about "absolute discretion" and "total availability." My heart hammered against my ribs. If I took this, I would be his slave. But if I didn't, Lysander would suffer.
"Why me?" I asked, looking up from the paper. "You hate me. You have a thousand people who would kill for this job. People who actually like you."
"Because I want to watch you," Alex said. His voice was low and dangerous. "I want to see the look on your face when you realize what you threw away for a quick payday three years ago. I want to see you work for every dollar. I want to see you break."
"You're a cruel man, Alex Valerius."
"I learned from the best," he replied. "Do we have a deal, or are you going back to the bread line?"
I reached for the silver pen on his desk. It was heavy and expensive. My hand trembled as I signed my name at the bottom of the last page. Krystal Reed.
"Good," Alex said, snatching the papers back. He didn't even give me a copy. "Your desk is right outside those doors. There’s a pile of filing that needs to be done by five. And the phones haven't been answered in twenty minutes."
"Wait, now? I have to go home and settle some things first," I said, thinking of the babysitter. Mrs. Gable only stayed until 2:00 PM, and it was already 11:30 AM.
"The contract started the second you signed it," Alex said, turning back to his computer. "If you leave now, you're in breach. And I'll sue you for everything you don't have."
"Alex, please—"
"Go, Krystal. And make me another coffee. This one is cold."
I stood up, feeling like the room was closing in. I walked out to the little desk in the hallway. It was beautiful, made of white marble with a brand-new computer, but it felt like a cage. I sat down and pulled out my cracked phone. I had to text Mrs. Gable.
I got the job, I wrote. But I have to stay late. Can you stay until 7? I’ll pay you double.
I waited, my heart in my throat. A minute later, the phone buzzed.
Okay, Krystal. But don't be late. I have my shows at 8.
I let out a long breath. I was safe for today. I looked at the pile of folders on my desk. They were all marked 'Urgent.' I started typing, my fingers flying over the keys.
Every few minutes, I could hear Alex moving around in his office. I could hear the muffled sound of him talking on the phone, his voice deep and commanding. It was so strange to be this close to him again. We were separated by a single wall, but it felt like there was an ocean between us.
Around 1:00 PM, the door opened. Alex walked out, putting on his suit jacket. He looked perfect, like he had just stepped out of a magazine.
"I'm going to lunch," he said, not looking at me.
"Do you want me to come with you to take notes?" I asked, standing up.
He stopped and looked me up and down. His eyes stayed on my frayed sleeves for a second too long.
"No," he said, his voice dripping with scorn. "I'm meeting a business partner at Le Cirque. You aren't dressed for it. Stay here and finish the filing. And Krystal?"
"Yes?"
"Don't touch anything on my desk while I'm gone. I don't want your sticky fingers on my private files. I know how much you like to snooping for things you can sell."
He walked away before I could even defend myself. I sat back down, tears stinging my eyes. He really thought I was a thief. He really thought I was a monster.
I looked at the picture of Lysander on my phone's lock screen. He was smiling, his two front teeth just coming in.
"I'm doing this for you," I whispered to the empty hallway. "Just for you."
I spent the next four hours filing papers until my fingers were sore. I didn't eat lunch. I didn't even get up to go to the bathroom. I wanted to show Alex that I was a good worker. I wanted to show him that I wasn't the girl he thought I was.
- Writer
