THE MEETING
1597 Words
Staring at each other, both shocked but it hit Nadia more, she felt he was of high class at their initial encounter but never imagined he was the CEO of the company she had applied to.
“You’re not Mr Luthor,” Nadia disposed.
“Like hell I am, also, you’re here for the interview? Interesting,”
Aiden replied in a sarcastic tone, rocking on his office chair.
“So, Mr Luthor is your brother or relation, I get it but better get off his seat before you get in big trouble”
Nadia replied, still in denial about Aiden being the boss.
“Are short people this dumb or are you an exception?, I shouldn’t have to prove anything to you so I suggest you watch your tone here, we’re not in the coffee shop, sit.”
The sound of authority in Aiden’s words backed up his claim and Nadia could tell, she sat down immediately, comporting herself and deciding not to debate.
“You have a name, or I’m supposed to guess it?”
Aiden asked Nadia trying to provoke her
Nadia played it cool.
“Nadia, the name is Nadia Brando. Here’s my resume… sir,”
she replied, handing him the resume.
“Sir?, someone’s learning quick”.
“You studied auditing, I see, you don’t look like you have what it takes to handle calculations, you seem to lose focus a lot, you’ll make mistakes.”
Aiden said to Nadia trying to trigger her by referring to yesterday’s incident.
Nadia moving closer to the desk replied
“I don’ t think it’s a right thing to judge a book by its cover”
she moved back.
During the interview, Aiden was determined to disqualify Nadia and test her temper but, all she did was answer professionally.
“Apologize” Out of the blue, Aiden requested.
“Sorry?”
“You want the job? Apologize for embarrassing me yesterday and spilling coffee on my suit”
Aiden replied with a little smirk on his face.
He could tell that she was a little bit desperate for the job and decided to take advantage.
Nadia clenched her fists and nodded in agreement but suddenly, the words of her mouth did not match her gesture.
“Look at me Mr man, in case you’re dumb, I’ll explain it to you”
Nadia replied pointing at him.
“You came in like an angry donkey and barged on me for some reason, I just turned, I wasn’t even moving, you hit me!”
“Now list…” Aiden tried to cut in,
“I need this job badly but I’ll be damned if i apologize for something I didn’t do and especially to a retarded proud person like you”
Nadia said, letting out all her frustration from yesterday’s encounter.
What did she just do?, she could have said sorry and would've been employed, did she screw up?
The smirk on Aiden’s face suddenly cleared, his eyes widened, his eyebrows dent, it was a mix of anger and shock for him. He sighed, arranging her resume she had submitted to him together.
“We will get back to you, Ms. Brando. You can leave,” he responded to her.
“Just like that?”
“You need a kiss?” He immediately replied, sternly staring at Nadia.
She picked up her bag and walked out of the office silently.
“Why didn’t he talk back?, didn’t he hear everything I said?, he should’ve replied”,
“Did I break him?”
Nadia kept questioning herself and Aiden’s reactions as she left the office.
She couldn’t wait to tell Julia what had happened.
****
“Everyone gets timid and scared around me, but why did I feel that way around her for a while?”
Aiden thought to himself.
“I want her. She thinks she’s so smart pulling the high horse card on me, she wants a job, she will have a job then.”
Aiden said with a semi jovial look on his face while rolling on his seat.
____
During Nadia's ride back home, she couldn’t stop thinking about Aiden’s reaction.
Now she had gotten home, she was about to hit the showers, it was still very early and she had enough time to rest before picking Ella.
Just then, her phone rang.
It was from Blumy Records.
“Hello, I’m calling from Blumy Records. Am I unto Ms. Brando?” the voice at the other end spoke.
“That was fast,” Nadia thought, and then replied,
“Yes, this is she,” very anxiously, she say and crossed her fingers.
“You have been accepted to work with our company as the personal assistant to the CEO, Mr. Aiden Smith. And he would like you to resume with immediate effect,”
the voice on the other end replied. It was a male.
Nadia, jumping to her feet, exclaimed, “Oh my God, yes, yes, I...” Suddenly, she paused.
“Hold on... sorry, I think there’s a mix-up somewhere. I applied for the role of an internal auditor, not a PA. What’s going on?”
The voice paused and sighed for a while before replying
“We are aware, ma’am, but Mr. Smith suggested that he wants you as his personal assistant, not an auditor. Besides, that role has been given to someone else already.”
“I... sorry...” Nadia tried to cut in.
“The details of the employment will be sent to your mail, ma’am. Please do well to read them. We will be expecting you,” the man continued, cutting the call abruptly.
Nadia’s mood suddenly switched, her face turned red, she clenched her fist so much her nails pierced her palm, as she tossed her phone on the bed.
“That bastard. I knew his silence was scheming. I won’t do it”.
After some minutes of grumbling,Nadia picked up her laptop and opened the mail.
“$25,000 monthly and $10,000 upfront for this month?!!! Nadia’s eyes widened as she sat on the bed reading the mail.
“Resumption is by 5:30pm today as you’re required to help Mr. Smith with a contract signing, this is the document, read through and write a speech and extra documents to support this.”
The mail read with a document attached to it.
It was just 12:00pm.
Nadia was confused. How she would’ve loved to decline Aiden’s offer and clear the ugly smile off his face but the thought of the bills piled up together made her question her decision.
****
"Finally!” Aiden cheered, he had settled his contract issue.
“All that’s left now is Nadia, it’s already 4;15pm, if she doesn’t come, I’m halfway finished, this was a risky play even on my part”
Aiden thought to himself, he had taken a risk by offering only her the PA role.
____
It was 4:30 pm and Nadia had picked up Ella from school.
"Come on, Dia! $25,000 monthly? That's fire! and think about Ella's fees and the bills. You can't pass up an opportunity like this,"
Julia reasoned with Nadia as they both spoke on the phone
"You know he’s just doing that to get under my skin, it doesn’t matter to him but it does to me julia, I want to be an auditor,"
Nadia protested grumbling like a child
"Okay, fine. But what if this is an opportunity in disguise? Look on the bright side,You'll be working closely with a CEO, and gaining experience”
"Who knows, you might even find a way to get an auditor role later on and even a mannnn,"
Julia suggested and teased.
Nadia thought for a moment. Julia had a point. She looked at the time and panicked. She had just over an hour to get to the office.
“Maybe it’s not for me. I have to stay with Ella and …”
“Shut up dia, I’m already on my way to your house, we will meet there and I’ll take care of Ella”
Julia cut in, interrupting Nadia’s lame excuse.
“Fine, okay”. Nadia finally decided.
____
“Good evening gentlemen”
Aiden began, the meeting had started.
“The documents will be signed as discussed but how about we discuss some more details for the development of blumy records now that I have arrived to take my place”
Aiden added, trying to stall for a while hoping a magic will happen.
The shareholders and Mr Luthor who was the acting CEO nodded in agreement but the manager of the other party cut in
“contract first please”
He looked at Aiden, his eyes narrowed, he could sense something was up.
Aiden needed the documents and the speech, he was stuck, surely, he’d be embarrassed.
Still, he continued,
"Not a problem, but there’s a minor issue,I…”
Everyone’s attention turned to Aiden, waiting for what he had to say but suddenly, Someone rushed in, barging the door open.
Aiden’s breath was cut.
It was Nadia. He was shocked but relieved at the same time.
“He forgot I had the documents sirs, excuse me”
Nadia interrupted.
“Here you go Mr Smith”
She handed him the documents and her laptop with the speech already written by her.
“Took you long enough”
Aiden whispered to Nadia and as their eyes met, he let out a smile of relief.
Was Aiden happy Nadia accepted the job or that she saved him the embarrassment that almost happened?…
- Writer
