Chapter 1: Panther

Panther.

That's what the big, elegant, yet intimidating Sign said and looking up at it at this moment was making my nerves go up a heap. Panther is the company I started working at today. How I got this job, you say? Trust me when I tell you, I have no flipping Idea. I mean, I'm not an idiot, I honestly am good at what I do, I have many qualifications including some extra qualities that are a plus. However, there is one thing that trumps everything, My Lovely Social Anxiety. Man, I can not for the life of me talk to people. I lack what you would call ''Skills needed for Human Interaction'' and It's not like I can't talk to people at all, Oh no. It's more like, I can't talk under certain situations, you see, like an interview for example, for one of the biggest companies, which I happened to be looking at right now. So, as I said before, believe me, I have no Flipping Flopping idea how I landed this job.

Breathe

I need to BREATHE.

Breathing is good.

I walked into the building, my chest pumped out with full confidence, before turning around and walking right back out. Mind you, this is the fourth time I've done this and now the security guard is looking at me strangely. I sigh and huff before nodding to myself, Okay! I got this. This is the last time! I take another deep breath and walk in through the revolving doors, into the reception area, which was, in fact, the size of my whole house. The room was completely covered in white tiles and white walls with accents of black and that is saying something. I walk up to the front desk, feigning confidence as I smile at the person behind the Mahogany Desk.

''Good Morning, I'm Adam Fane. I'm the New Assistant for Mr Lorenzo Della Rovere.'' Yes, I'm working for The Rovere, The Lorenzo Della Rovere. This is why I found it hard to believe that I got the job, not to mention that this was not even the job I asked for! I applied for an office job in Accounts! Instead, they informed me I was to be THE Lorenzo Rovere's assistant. Maybe because Mr Rovere was not actually at the interviews, maybe that's why they hired me by mistake... I mean maybe he did see me and made a mistake himself... I mean he isn't superhuman, He makes mistakes... right? RIGHT?

Lorenzo Della Rovere, 32 years of age, President of The Panther. He is known not to have a C.E.O. working under him because he likes to handle everything himself, which includes everything. After all, The Panther works in... well, Everything. Many rumours and media sources say that the company and Mr Rovere are both involved in the Italian mafia as well as nobility.

''Ah! Yes. Mr Fane, please wait a moment, I will call Ms Evans to Guide you to the Office.'' Replied the Pretty brunette sitting behind the desk, she seemed tired. I let my mind wander, Ms Evans huh? Sounds quite Se-...xy... Uh-... My thoughts halt as I watch a seventy-something-year-old lady walk my way and introduce herself as Ms Evans... I mean, nothing wrong with that, I'm sure granny was pretty hot in her time! Right?

''Hello, Dearie! You're the New Secretary? Oh, My goodness, I'm glad it's a male. Are you gay honey? I hope not for your sake! I adore gays but honestly, they are no better than girls in this situation you see. Please, tell me you aren't gay! Are you?'' I blink as the old lady starts talking, she keeps going on and on before I can even wrap my head around her words... I mean, I'm not Gay but what does that have to do with anything and why is she talking so fast, Oh my lord... I can't keep up!!

''Ms. Evans!'' The receptionist yells, making both Granny and myself Jump. We look at her and she glares at Ms Evans. ''Can stop scaring the poor guy and instead show him to the Office? Before he is late?'' Ms Evans stops and huffs, turning around with a grumble about 'Young people these days' and stomps to the elevator, making the receptionist face-palm and point at me to follow her. I run after her and get in the elevator after throwing the receptionist a helpless, yet grateful smile, which she returns. Also, what's with the hot name, it should be illegal for people above 70 to have the name Evans, also what's with the Ms?!? Not that I'm judging Granny, but I'm judging Granny.

After an earful of elevator rant by Ms Evans, we finally reach our floor, which by the way is very high up, like the 40th floor, honestly. The elevator opens into a small hallway with only one big intimidating door, made completely of Mahogany wood with silver handles. Ms Evans walks right towards it, stopping only a step shy of the door before raising her fist and lightly knocking on the door.

''Mr. Rovere, Sir, the new Secretary is here. I will now let him in.'' She opens the door and all the breath is knocked right out of me as I pale down, shakily taking a step into the office, I walk in a few more steps, before actually looking up to see the empty chair behind the grand and intricately made mahogany desk, places in front of the wall made completely of glass, overlooking a grand view. I gasp at the beauty before coming back to reality, I shake my head and shakily look around ''Mr. Rovere?... Sir?'' I look around and see no one. I walk forward stepping onto the black fur carpet, my eyes wandering over the glass shelf full of trophies and black and white decorations. There was one door to the left of the room and One to the left, I wonder what those are..? ''Anyway, Looks like I'm alone, meaning he isn't here,'' I mutter to myself.

I giggle and do a little happy dance, wiggling my butt around ''Woo hooo! He isn't here!! Oh YEAH~ Oh BOYYYY~ OooOOoooOOooo~'' I continue singing until I hear a throat being cleared behind me. I stop right in the middle of my dance, freezing up. ''Mr. Fane, if you are done with your little dance, I believe we have work we have to do.'' I whip around and gasp as they're on a screen that covers the whole wall behind me, sits Mr Rovere in all his glory. He looked unfazed, his face like that of a perfectly carved Roman Sculpture. My heart skips a beat as my face completely burns up, going red from tip to toe.

''O..Oh? Mr Ro... Rovere?'' I stutter, my lips quivering. Oh, my fudging heck!!! Fudge my fudging Life!!! ''I'm... I'm A.. Adam Fne..'' He raises an eyebrow as if to say No shit? I honestly wanted to just let the ground swallow me, only after I kill him, that mean jerk!! My teacher always said 'Judge a man by how much you want to bury him alive or burn him at the stake for his good looks. Anyone that good-looking isn't trustworthy.'' I finally understand what he meant. I already want to kill this asshole, I hate to admit that he is a creature of unfair beauty, even from behind an LED Screen. His dark long locks in a neat yet messy ponytail made his light grey and unusual eyes pop out.

''I know who you are Mr Fane. If you wish to continue working here, remember that Time is Money. The door to the Left is your office, it is also the filing room. Memorise the filing system by the time I come back. I have your Contact information, keep your phone on high alert at all times. I will be back in New York by tomorrow night. Remind the driver of my arrival today and make sure he is at the airport on time. I sent you my Email information while you were dancing away, I want you to look through the emails and reply to the ones that need replying, the rest are trash. Now, get going Mr Fane. Time is money and you are wasting it.''

I nod and turn around grumpily, mumbling to myself about the asshole ''Mr. Fane'' I stop and turn around, gasping as I look at him, his looks were enough to freeze hell. I gulp and bite my lower lip as his eyes stare back at me with a look so cold that it made Goosebumps rise all over my body. ''Yes, Sir?''

''I wish to make it clear, what happens in this room, stays in this room.'' He said, his voice causing me to tremble, ''Mr Fane, are we clear?''

''Y... Yes sir, Crystal..''

_______________________________________________

OMG!! Someone kill me now!! What the flipping heck does Lnd100215rep or Ship120402Con mean!?!??! Firstly, my office is fudging huge, bigger than Mr Rovere's Office. Now you may ask why I don't sound the least bit happy about it. Let me tell you, I only occupy 1/3rd of the office, the rest... ARE FILES, racks on racks on racks of bloody weirdly filed FILES. The wall behind my desk is all glass, it has the same breath-taking view as Mr Rovere, but I'm not facing that, I'm facing the dreadful piles of files. Oh, that rhymed. My desk is like the line between light and dark, life and death, Happiness and Sadness. At this moment, I'm drowning in SADNESS.

I whine to myself ''What the fuck does Lnd stand for?.. ughhhhhh..'' I pout to myself before gasping and grinning ''Oh! Maybe Google knows!!'' I laugh to myself in triumph and get up off the floor, where I've been lying, to get my laptop. I am not going to work from the dreaded company computer, it's on the desk! And it's so uncomfortable. I walk over and grab my laptop off the desk, just as I pick it up my phone vibrates, I move my laptop to one hand, picking up my phone in the other, unlocking it as I walk back to my spot on the floor.

1 Message

Mr Fane reply to business-related emails on my laptop. These are the account details.

Email: L.D.Rovere@Panther.com

Password: 0044asd0044560a21

Only reply to the emails concerning The Panther, all others are invisible to you, are we clear?'

I replied,

''Yes Sir, Crystal.''

I opened his account from my laptop and waited as it opened, gasping as I look at the number of unread emails. 194... there are 1-fucking-94 unread emails! Is this man a devil? Oh! Wait I still need to sort out the junk mail! Maybe, it's not that much work after all. My phone buzzes again and I look down.

'Mr. Fane, remember to contact my driver about my arrival, I will be arriving at the airport at 2:00 am exactly. The contact information will be sent to you shortly.'

'Yes, Sir.''

It's 2:00 by the time I receive the contact information and it's time for my lunch, so I will deal with him later I'm too hungry for this right now, I get up from my spot on the floor and dust myself off before bending down and picking up my laptop, I put it on the desk and shut my laptop off. I heave a sigh of stress at the amount of work, I walk to my door, and turn the knob to step out into the office. I walk out to see Mr Rovere still on the screen, sitting there and reading some files, He looks up from his work to look at me questioningly as I walk out.

''I was going to go get lunch, Sir...'' I say nervously, looking anywhere but at him. He honestly makes me nervous, he has a scary stare and voice and face and everything.

''Have you contacted the Driver?'' He asks in a deep annoying voice that gives people a 1000-watt shock to death out of fear.

''Yes, Sir. I intend to call him on the way down..''

''Very well.'' After that, he resumes the work he was doing before. I sigh in relief and walk out of the main office, going to the private elevator down to the Reception again. On the way out my eyes catch the tired receptionist from this morning and walk over to her, she's kinda cute. ''Tired?'' I smile at her, her head snaps up from the computer and she returns my smile with a tired one of her own.

''and hungry.'' She replies with a huff. ''How's your first day?''

''Not getting lunch?'' I ask, before replying to her question. ''It's going. He's the Devil.''

''It's too busy, so I can't'' She huffs and pouts ''and Hey, he's only a little evil, the devil is a bit much. I forgive him because of that ass though!'' She grins at me, winking and making me giggle.

''How about I get you something to eat on my way back?''

''I love you!' I look at her flabbergasted, she bursts out laughing at my expression before poking her tongue out teasingly ''I mean in a friendly 'You will bring lunch? For poor ol' me?' kinda way! You're an angel! Who asked me if I needed anything to eat.. I'm so touched I may just CRY'' She says dramatically, wiping away fake tears.

''Oh Lord, woman. Don't you dare cry!'' I glare at her playfully, ''Now tell me what you want to eat in the next minute or you get nothing!''

''BAGEL! I WANT BAGEL!'' She squeaks and Claps like a little girl on a ride.

''I just felt my first impression of you shatter, Here I thought you were a responsible adult!''

''HEHE, You Looooooooooooooooooooooooove me! Just be my Friend!'' She grins and says in a baby voice, making my heart melt.

''Okay, but only because that was adorable.''

''Huhuhuhu Now get that booty moving!! They will run out of Bagels!''

''Okay! Okay! Staph, woman!''

''My name is Ava, smartass! You should ask people their names!''

I leave the looming building with a grin on my face, the people in this place are a little weird.. but nice. I like it.