23 My first job - 10 years ago
"Chunhua, I need you to focus." Oliva spares half a second to frown at me with those intense eyes of hers, fingers fluttering through the stack of papers in her tan arms before her attention is drawn somewhere off across the bustling hallway of the huge office building when someone dares to laugh under their breath.
"I know, Liv. I'm trying." I murmur back, stifling a yawn I know would only draw an irritated glare from the office manager.
Liv is the "all business" type. No fun, no games, only deadlines and endless meeting notes. She'd secured this receptionist gig for me, though she probably regrets that now.
"Trying isn't enough. Today is make it or break it for Mr. Bambang Wang." She hmphed, slapping the papers on my desk with that stern, workhorse glare as if she wouldn't be at happy hour tonight, dancing to rock songs with a huge margarita clasped tight in her hands.
I nod along obediently with her lecture, holding my breath until she whirls on her pastel kitten heel to head down the hallway, no doubt to harass some other unlucky slacker. My arms slowly extend long over my head as I finally release the sleepy yawn from its prison in my lungs.
Olivia snaps back towards me with a threatening finger as I dutifully salute, saving my eye roll until she once again vanishes amongst the people flying back and forth down the halls.
Tiredly, I slump down onto my little desk, letting my gaze roam boredly around me. I look anywhere except at the waiting busy work hanging precariously from the corner of my wooden desk. If I'd at least bothered to pretend to be busy, Liv probably would've saddled the intern with the work instead. She usually knew better than to trust me.
Honestly I had no idea what everyone was in such a tizzy about today. I have a rather bad habit of ignoring the mass work emails and memos that get circulated a thousand times a day. It's just too much to constantly be on top of.
The intern abruptly flies past me towards the main hall where the shareholders and investors have gathered, a huge pile of folders in her arms. Her thin, wire rimmed glasses dangle on the very precipice of her pale nose, my eyes following in morbid curiosity of the exact moment those glasses would teeter off her face and crunch below her ballet slippers. With a shake of my head, I quickly glance down at the papers to tug them in front of me.
No reason to be cruel, Chunhua, I gently remind myself with a little chiding click of my own tongue. Though, it would've been pretty hysterical. Giggling to myself, I shoot a quick glance back towards where the young intern scrabbles down the hall, her glasses still safe on her upturned nostrils. Instead of her wiry red hair, however, I only discover the most beautiful pair of serious eyes I've ever seen in my life. And then enters..
Mr. Bambang Wang
The Self made Billionaire
One of the most powerful men in China.
The entire office goes silent and still when he steps from his office, his thin black tie loose around his neck. His face, as is typical, is serious and stern. For the month I've worked here, I've never once seen him even get close to cracking a smile.
"Who's got the accounting reports from last quarter?" He asks, though the rough tone of his words is far more of a demand, his black eyes scouring the room for the unlucky person that he seeks.
From behind him, Olivia suddenly reappears, pointing that dangerous finger back at me.
Shit. Of course it's me.
My fingers curl around the stack of papers as I bite my lip and inspect it, looking for any clue as to whether or not I really hold the holy grail of paperwork that our CEO is waiting impatiently for. The neatly printed numbers make no sense to me though, and I can't seem to find a title or date anywhere.
His perfectly polished foot taps against the tile of the hall, echoing into the air, and when no one else comes forward I spring to my feet and hold the papers up above my head.
"Um, sir, I've got them… I've got them here." I sputter as the intern arches a crimson eyebrow and shoves her glasses back upright on her nose while Liv buries her face in her hand.
Mr. Wang strides forward towards me, every inch bringing him closer and closer and making my heart beat faster and faster. He'd never once looked right at me, not like this, and I found it hard to breathe under his solemn stare.
