Fate in Captivity

Chapter 14- The Intern

(Aubrey)

I woke up early and get ready for work. My day off was already ended and I should kept going forward and make lots of money, indeed. I just curled my hair and wear my heels afterwards, I looked myself on the mirror and I was contented by it. I grabbed my bag for today and my keys on the table, I am now ready to go. I get in the elevator and people were also getting in but they looked pressured than me and I don't how could I say that. I was about to press my keys to open my car but another car across mine, honked at me and I stopped walking. The headlights were opened so I was blinded by those, I cannot see clearly who is the person get off the car and casually walking towards me. 

"I would drive you today." I looked closely and just sighed when it was Julius again. 

"I do have mine, you can go." I flatly rejected his offer and pressed the key. I opened the door but he suddenly pushed me aside and closed the door. 

"I insists." he said and looks like I have no choice. 

"Alright, just for today." I locked my car and walked towards his car. I get in the passenger seat and he stopped when he saw that I opened the door for myself. I saw him shaking his head as he get in the driver's seat. 

"You sure is really an independent woman." he jokingly said to me as he put his seatbelt. 

"I know, so you don't have to drive me to work." I said to him and he just chuckles. I looked at him and he moves closely to me until our face met inches away. I was about to complain but he pulled something beside me and I realized that I was not wearing the seatbelt. 

"Too clumsy for an independent woman like you." he said and smiled. 

"Excuse me? I did not intentionally do that." I reacted to his words. 

"And I am not saying anything." he answered but his huge grinned tell me everything. 

"You were being such a jerk." I said to him and he chuckles. 

"And you were being such defensive." he said and started the car engine. We went out of the underground parking lot and drive straight to my company. 

After minutes of driving, we already arrived and he parked the car immediately. I get off and was about to say goodbye to him when I saw him putting the alarm on and walked towards then finally ahead of me. I just stare at him as he got us the elevator opened. We get on and I was still looking at him. 

"Penny for your thoughts?" he started the conversation and I was still looking at him, thinking why is he doing this. 

"Aren't you staring at me too much?" he added and I snapped. 

"Wait, why are you coming with me?" I asked to him and I realized we are now walking through the hallway near to my office.

"You will see." he plainly said and I just ignored him. 

"Good morning, ma'am." I looked at Aly who greeted me that and she just stared at Julius. 

"Good morning, Aly. What is my schedule for today?" I asked to her and walked entering my office, I felt that she was following me and the door closed. I looked at her back and Julius is not here, maybe he already left, that is what I have thought about. 

"You have to meet the interns today and you must give welcoming speech." Aly started. 

"What?! Did you made me some outline?" I asked to her and she only stare at me. 

"Of course not. It is your speech, how could I know what do you want to say there." she sarcastically said to me and I just sighed. .

"Alright, what is next?" I asked and sat on my swivel chair. 

"Your friends appointed a dinner with you." she said and I just scoffed. How they thought of including our personal rendezvous to my business schedules?

"Then?" I asked again.

"For the whole day, you must scan documents for the release of Fall collection of our company." she said to me. 

"Which brand are we collaborating this year?" I asked and she handed me a portfolio, I opened it and I just the brand, why am I not surprised by it? It was the brand Diaer, Julius' brand. 

"Figures, but don't tell me Julius was the one who would manage this project?" I asked to her and she just shook her head. What a relief.

"You would be talking with the Creation Marketing Team, Ms. Jannarine Lee." she said to me. Oh s**t! Why does it have to be her?

"No other person aside from her?" I asked and the door suddenly opens. 

"Why? Still hates me, Aubrey?" a person talked and I looked at her, it was Janna. 

"At least you knew." I plainly said and she chuckles. She walked towards the couch and sat on it. I looked at Aly and she just nodded at me then left. 

"I did not know you would really work for Julius' company." I said to her and stood up as I walked towards her. 

"Do you really think you won our game?" she arrogantly asked to me and I just scoffed. 

"Come on Janna, it is not a game if you are only playing it by yourself." I answered to her and leaned of the arm of the couch. 

"Still b***h, huh?" she said and grinned.

"Are you talking to yourself?" I answered back and she was only looking at me. 

"Shut up, here are the designs." she said and flopped the folder on the table. 

"Alright, I'll see if I have time to check on it." I said and smiled at her. 

"Don't be so sure that you would the one who would marry Julius." she suddenly said to me and I just laughed out loud. 

"Sorry but I did not think that would the case for us. We were arranged, I did not decide for it." I answered and just shrugged my shoulders. 

"I have to go, I was allergic with nerds." she said and stood up. 

"I got it. Have a fun death." I answered and I just looked at her until she left my office. 

That woman was Jannarine Lee, was also our classmate and was very in love with Julius since they were kids. If Julius was the heartthrob, you could say that she was the campus princess. Their company was also at the same line of industry with us but she decided to work for Julius' company- the reason? she wanted to seduce him. I mean she did not say that explicitly but you could say that was her only motive upon entering the company through her backers and connections. She did not take any interviews, or being intern, she was immediately became the leader of that department, probably next to the president as she was the one doing the designs and approving it. 

I did not know that she was still working to that company as I heard she was planned to study abroad for fashion designing, that was I heard during Zy's party. But looks like that little devil made a swift turn out from the hell and forcing herself to live together with humans. She was and still a b***h, she was always bullying me when I first attended that co-ed school and me being the nerd in her eyes. When I was rejected, she was the first one to throw bad words and laughs at me with her witchy witch friends. I just ignored them but one time, Cheen saw they were bullying me and she had her stopped delivering food for Janna's birthday party, as in on the day of the party. I heard Zy also heard it and she paid someone to release medical certificate that Janna was insane and came from mental institution, of course, this would not be possible without Camilla's help, she had every reporter in their company snoop around this story and articles was published everywhere. I just chuckles every time I remember that epic scene they did. 

I just grabbed the folder on the table and walked towards my desk, I should now start scanning these designs for me to finish early, I don't want to work overtime as we are going to have our dinner date later. I opened he folder and I saw the designs, this way more sophisticated than their usual designs, looks like that b***h wanted us to face difficulties on sourcing the clothes for that event, but it's me who she is dealing with, I could get these clothes easy as piece of cake. 

"Aubrey, you should now go to the hall." Aly said to me as soon as she opened the door, I just nodded to her and just finished writing on the sticky notes as my own reminders. 

I looked at myself on the mirror and just fixed some parts of my clothes. I went outside and the other employees were waiting for me, we all walked and get in the elevator towards the second floor where the company halls were located. We arrived and I entered, people starting to giving me applause and some are even standing ovation. I walked towards the podium on the stairs and I smiled as soon as I stood here. 

"Good morning to everyone who is attending this event for our new family. I am Aubrey Santiago and the current president of Imperial company, and I welcome you to this humble home of ours." I started and people began clapping their hands again. 

"I always tell my employees to be confident, this place does not only requires hard work but also confident. We drew and make clothes in the heart of this huge department store, we are offering new and fresh line of clothes that are unique to the eyes of customers- if you would work in this line, I asked all of you to be please confident with your own creations. I don't throw ideas, no one here do that. I don't criticize creativity, no one should do that. And I don't discourage people, no one could do that." I continued and I saw them listening to me. 

"So, for the new people who were accepted as interns, I welcomed you and hope you could unleash your uniqueness in this place. Thank you." I ended the speech and they gave me applause. 

"Now, for the next event, may we have Ms. Aubrey again for the pinning of identifications." The host said and I just stood on the stage waiting for the new employees to went up. 

One by one they were lining in front of me and I saw Aly went by my side holding the identification pins for each employee. Aside from ID used to access different doors and departments, they also have pins with their name on to be easily seen and monitored. I starting pinning these names on their chest and I shook their hands as I welcome them. I reached the end of the line and I thought I should not have myself walked towards it. I saw some guy, grinning and smiling at me, he was familiar but I am not sure where I saw or encountered him. I stopped in front of him and he was still staring at me while smiling, I am not sure why. I looked at the name plate and I just remembered, this is the Ken guy I met at the park.

"I welcome you for being part of Imperial." I said to him and start pinning on his chest. 

"It is nice to see you again." I heard him say to me and I just looked at him. 

"Aubrey?" I snapped when Aly called me. I walked towards the person at the end of the line while still staring at this Ken guy. 

"I welcome---"

"Surprised!" Julius exclaimed to me and I cannot move. 

"Why are you here?" I asked to him but only whisper, I don't want to attract attention. 

"Got accepted for an intern?" he sarcastically answered. 

"Why did you do that?" I asked again. 

"I want to be with you everyday." he nonchalantly answered. 

Did he just joined my company because of me?

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