Chapter Six
1504 Words
Vale Industries looked nothing like the places Ava had ever worked before.
This wasn’t a cramped café where the floor smelled like burnt coffee. It wasn’t a dingy office with flickering lights. Heck, it was even better than the fancy restaurant she had worked at. It was a kingdom of glass and steel, a place where projects worth millions were birthed.
That realization settled like a stone in her stomach as she stepped inside. If Callum was indeed this man's son—and she had no doubts about it—then he would be connected to the company in some way or another. And if he had any real power, then this whole thing might just be a colossal mistake. But Ava was never the type to back down from a challenge.
She adjusted her oversized blazer and strode in.
Immediately, she felt the temperature drop.
Not literally—but in the way people turned to look at her.
Not welcoming. At all. Not in the least.
Their gazes were sharp, calculating. A mix of confusion, amusement, and the kind of judgment that didn’t even need to be spoken out loud to be known.
She stuck out badly.
Her thrifted blazer—too big on the shoulders—didn’t match the sleek, tailored suits surrounding her. Her boots clicked against the polished marble, but unlike the women in their delicate heels, she walked with purpose, not hesitation.
She tilted her chin up.
If these people thought she was going to shrink under their stares, they had the wrong girl.
A polished receptionist—her name tag said Sienna—looked up as Ava approached the reception, her glance sharp but her voice, sharper.
"Can I help you?"
She had already decided that Ava didn’t belong here.
Ava smiled, leaning in close.
"Probably not, but let’s try anyway. I have a meeting with Richard Vale."
Sienna blinked. For the first time, she actually looked at Ava properly, top to bottom. She didn’t seem to know whether to be amused, disgusted, or both.
"Do you have an appointment?"
"Nope, but he told me to come in. Unless you want to be the one explaining why you turned me away?"
The receptionist’s expression didn’t change, but her fingers moved quickly over the keyboard. She found the confirmation in seconds, and though she said nothing, the tightness in her jaw told Ava everything.
She hated that Ava was telling the truth.
"Mr. Vale’s office is on the top floor," Sienna said coolly, her voice seething. "Take the executive elevator."
Ava winked.
"See? That wasn’t so hard."
She turned and headed toward the elevator, feeling the receptionist’s glare burning into her back.
The elevator ride felt endless.
When the doors slid open, Ava stepped out and walked into an office that looked more like a throne room.
The floor-to-ceiling windows offered a perfect view of the city. The desk was massive, dark wood polished to perfection. Everything screamed power and wealth.
And sitting behind that desk unbothered and effortlessly in control was Richard Vale.
He looked up as she entered.
"You’re punctual."
Ava shrugged.
"Figured I’d start with something impressive."
Richard leaned back in his chair, studying her. His gaze wasn’t intimidating, but the kind that saw more than what was on the surface.
"You don’t seem nervous."
Ava smirked.
"Should I be?"
He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he gestured toward the chair in front of his desk.
"Sit."
Ava dropped into the chair.
Richard rested his hands on the desk, interlocking his fingers.
"I’ll be honest. I don’t usually hire people like you."
Ava raised an eyebrow.
"You mean broke?"
A ghost of a smile.
"I mean unpolished."
Ava snorted.
"That’s a fancy way of calling me rough around the edges."
Richard didn’t deny it.
"You have potential. But I don’t do charity."
Ava leaned forward.
"Good. I don’t take charity," she said pointedly.
Their eyes locked.
Something shifted in Richard’s expression. A flicker of amusement, something close to approval.
Then, his phone buzzed.
He glanced at it, frowned, and stood.
"I have to take this. Stay here. Don’t touch anything."
Ava smirked.
"Can’t make any promises."
Richard chuckled and stepped out.
The second he was gone, Ava exhaled.
She had tried to act all tough and nonchalant, but inwardly, she was panicking like crazy. Richard Vale seemed too... calm, and she felt like the slightest trigger could pull him from whatever good mood he was in, and then she’d have no chance at this at all.
The room was awfully quiet. Too pristine.
Then she saw it.
A laptop sitting open on his desk. Frozen. Blue screen of death.
Ava tilted her head.
What kind of billion-dollar company couldn’t fix a simple system crash?
Her fingers twitched. She knew she shouldn’t, but damn it, her instincts took over.
It took less than five minutes.
When the screen flickered back to life, she leaned back, satisfied.
"Amateurs."
Then—
"That laptop’s been acting up for a while now."
Her stomach dropped.
She turned slowly.
Richard stood in the doorway, watching her.
Ava froze.
"Uh, I know you said not to touch, but—"
"How did you fix it?"
Ava cleared her throat.
"Just basic troubleshooting. Forced a reboot, checked drivers."
Richard raised an eyebrow.
"You fix cars and computers too?"
"Not officially. Just… picked up some things here and there from odd jobs."
Richard was silent for a long moment. Then, he nodded.
"You’re hired."
Ava blinked.
"…Huh?"
That was way too quick. Too easy.
"You’re my new secretary, starting today."
Ava stared.
"You can’t just—"
"Actually, I can. I can do whatever I want."
A beat of silence.
"You’re not going to ask for my degree or work experience? Nothing?"
"I’m not exactly looking for someone with just educational experience, not at the moment. Your confidence makes up for it, to say in the least. I see some potential in you. We’ll work on the other... lacking aspects later."
Ava grinned.
"Well, damn. Guess I actually do work here now. Thank you, Mr Vale."
She needed a minute to take it all in.
That night, Ava burst through the apartment door.
"ELAINE!"
Elaine jumped from the couch, nearly spilling her drink.
"What? Are we being robbed or something?"
"No, but guess who just robbed Vale Industries of a whole-ass salary!"
Elaine stared, surprised.
"You got a job? That was quicker than I expected."
"Got myself a job as Richard Vale’s new secretary."
Elaine’s eyes went wide.
"You’re LYING."
Ava grinned, twirling around the couch.
"Swear on my student loan debt."
Elaine screamed.
"Oh my God, Ava, are you serious??? How in the world did that happen? You know who Richard Vale is, right?"
"I do know who he is, girl. He gave me the job himself."
Elaine grabbed Ava by the shoulders, shaking her.
"I can’t believe THIS!!!"
"Me neither," Ava laughed. "And I haven't even told you how it happened yet. You’ll be even more intrigued."
As Elaine fixed them something to eat, Ava told her everything.
Elaine paused mid-bite. "Wait. Callum Vale. Vale. That was the name on the reservation list, wasn’t it? I remember you mentioned that"
Ava froze. "I totally forgot about part. I was also wondering. Do you think they are actually related? It could be a coincidence, you know?"
"Maybe you should look it up before jumping to conclusions," Elaine suggested.
Ava grabbed her phone. A quick search later, she exhaled sharply.
"He's his son. s**t. I was expecting something more distant.", she said, biting her lip as she stared at the words on the screen.
Elaine looked at her warily.
"Ava… are you sure about this?"
Ava hesitated.
"I mean it's so odd that I met him the way I did, when I think about it. But what could possibly happen anyways?"
"Ava, the guy literally got you fired and you think hes going to welcome you with a bouquet and all smiles when he realises that his father personally employed you again??? I know I wouldn't." , Elaine said.
"Urgh, but I can't just back off just because of some silly little accident with wine, Elaine. I really need this job."
After a minute of brooding, Ava sat up, new found confidence seeping through her bones.
"You know what, I don't care anyways.", she said deviantly. "I doubt the Richard guy is going to fire me just because his spoilt son and I had a little accident with wine", Ava scoffed.
Elaine sighed and fell quiet. Ava knew immediately what was going through her mind. And Ava felt the exact same way.
No matter how optimistic she sounded, she could easily lose the job. Her luck could run out much quicker than it had popped up.
But later that night, as she lay in bed, she reassured herself.
She wasn’t scared.
She was going to rock this job, riding on whatever good luck she had left.
And no rich boy was going to change that.
- Writer
