Chapter four: A deal with the devil
1164 Words
“You're back so early,” Noah, munching a handful of popcorn while watching the television, said in surprise as Catherine pushed the door open and walked in looking dejected.
She sank helplessly into the chair opposite Noah who at that moment noticed the look of dejection on her face.
“What's wrong?” Noah asked, placing a reassuring hand on her neck.
“ I got sacked from my job”
“What?! But why?” Noah asked, a thousand and one worries flashing through her mind. She no longer had a job, and they both depended on Catherine to survive, but now she, too, has lost her own livelihood.
“It's that man, Howard. He sent one of his boys to pick me up when I was on my way to work. On arrival at his office, Howard instructed me to convince you to accept the offer he made you yesterday, but I told him that it wasn't up to me. Next thing I know, he starts threatening me with my job and promises to get the immigration on me, when I attempted to walk out he promised me that id loose job and sure enough ten seconds later I received a call from my supervisor at the office calling to let me know that I've been relieved of my job”.
“ Do you think I should go see him?” Noah asked.
“ There's no need for that, tomorrow we'll just go and look for new jobs after all, there are a lot of job vacancies out there”. Catherine answered, heading to the room to change.
Throughout the next couple of days, Noah and Catherine went from one company to another in search of new job opportunities, but no company hired them, even those that had vacancies.
“How come every company we go to refuses to hire us?” Noah asked in frustration after their fortieth unsuccessful interview“ Do you think Howard has anything to do with it”
“ I don't know but I think so. I am going to go find something to eat,” Catherine said after a pause, and she excused herself to go to the kitchen.
Noah sat in the sitting room for a little more time thinking on what to do, then she got up, went into the shower, took a hot bath, and took a cab to Banes Enterprise headquarters. With the help of the employees she was able to locate the CEO's office
“Excuse me, I'm here to see the CEO, is he around? ” Noah asked the red-haired female secretary at the reception.
“ Is he expecting you?”
“sort of” Noah answered and the Secretary gestured her to sit in the waiting room then, she picked up the telephone and dialed Howard who was in the boardroom preparing his hand over note as the CEO of Banes Enterprise, he had given up hope of John's plan actually working after all tomorrow was the deadline from Mr Chang and the board of trustees yet they was no positive result.
“Hello, sir, there is a lady who wishes to speak to you,” the Secretary said as soon as Howard answered the phone.
“Who is she?” Howard asked irritably
“Noah. Noah Sanders ” Noah offered.
“Tell her to wait in my office and make sure she doesn't leave” Then turning to the board members who had gathered to hear his resignation speech he said “I'm afraid this meeting has been adjourned, you can all leave,” and walked out triumphantly a smile appearing of his face and his once down casted face lit up into those of the cold, powerful CEO he was.
Hello, Miss Noah Sanders,” Howard said, appearing behind Noah.” We didn't get to say a proper goodbye before you stormed out of my room the other night,” he teased, but only rolled her eyes at him.
“ A proper goodbye?” She asked rhetorically, “You called me a slut, remember?” Noah added again her voice all tensed up. Howard looked around and saw that some of the employees were looking at them and he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her in for a kiss.
The impromptu kiss took Noah by surprise and she soon found herself melting away in his warm embrace before she could even react. As she started to enjoy it Howard suddenly pulled away and took her into his office.
” Why did you kiss me?” Noah asked her hands, touching the lips that had just received Howard's kiss.
“ Don't worry, it won't happen often, especially when you finally move in with me,” Howard said, smiling. “Anyway, I figured that if we were to make our fake relationship look real, we might start by pretending in front of my employees since you brought their attention to us by raising your voice ”.
“ Who said I was going to fake a relationship with you?” Noah asked, sounding incredulous and Howard's face turned confused.
“ If you didn't come here to sign the papers, why did you come?” he asked.
“ I just came back to warn you to stop messing up my life and that of my best friend. It's already messed up enough having to deal with your fiancée's crazy fans every time I go out, and everybody on the Internet calling me a gold digger,” Noah said with all the emotions she could muster, but Howard merely smiled calmly.
“You're the one talking about messed up?” He asked calmly in a tone that sounded both threatening and vile and then suddenly his tone turned angry and if not for the soundproof door at the office the whole building would have heard his angry screams“You are the one that messed up my life, you are the one that came into my room uninvited, seduced me and made me have s*x with you and now you're trying to blame it all on me. And oh you think you're the only one whose life is falling apart?, I lost a billion-dollar deal because of you and an about to lose my position as CEO in a company I helped my dad build from scratch so you'd better stop acting like a goddamn child, work with me here, and sign this goddamn contract ”
“Fine, I'll sign it,” Noah said finally in defeat, picked up the contract, and impeded her signature into it, “but keep your goddamn money to yourself, also know that you are not to touch me inappropriately, and no real emotion,” She added and began walking out.
“Miss Noah?” Howard called and she turned“Don't fall in love with me, every girl does”
In your dreams, dreamer ”Noah replied determinedly and walked out.
- Writer
