Chapter 1

'Vee!! Vee!! You are going to be late for work! You don't want to be late on your first day!" My aunt Linda shouts from the living room, I can hear her moving about doing Lord knows what this early in the morning.

She is an early-riser, always wakes up very early feeling happy and bubbly. and at this particular moment I envy her so much for that, it is my first day of work and I woke up early around 6:30am to get ready but i'm still very much sleepy, my eyes are drooping close on their own and I am dragging my legs.

Waking up that early requires a huge effort from me. I will not  want my employer to change his mind and fire me today itself so I have to sacrifice my much needed sleep. I grudgingly went through my usual morning routine.

And i am now going through my small closet to find what to wear. "ok Aunt Lee, I'm up already!". I look through my closet for the nth time to look for something remotely decent for a job like mine as though something new would magically appear.

'oh God, what do I wear, what do I wear?' I don't know what is appropriate for a first day at work as an assistant, what do they normally wear?

I have always worked minimum wage jobs that do not require formal attire. Nothing as fancy as an assistant, that too to a successful entrepreneur at a huge mansion, one of the fanciest in the city. I maybe poor but I have dignity and always clean up nice, I do not want to be looked down upon by snobby rich people.

I finally give up and just throw on a black pencil skirt and a red button-up shirt. I put up my hair in a bun and apply some blush on my face and lip gloss then grab my purse.

I reach the living-room putting on my 1.5 in heels and find aunt Lee already there holding a cup of tea and lunch bag up for me. Oh what would I do without her?

"Good morning vee".

"Morning aunt lee, how was the movie?"

"I went in immediately after you, the movie wasn't fun without you. Good luck with your first day of work, I'm very proud of you honey." She says and I reach out and hug her.

Inhaling her comforting scent of vanilla and spice, it keeps me grounded. "Thank you so much aunt lee, you are the best! Love you!" I tell her then pull back and start walking away. "Don't have too much fun without me!" I shout out while walking towards the front door.

I head out to my old beat up truck and get in turning the key, luckily the car starts 'oh thank you God', it usually starts misbehaving when i'm in a hurry. Maybe I will get to buy a new car after I get my first few paychecks.

I then start my 30 minutes commute to my new work place. It is on the outskirts of the city and therefore out of the way of everywhere else. hmm, I wonder why they won't just rent an office space instead of using a home office since the company headquarters is in New York. Anyway, that is none of my business.

I take a sip of my tea and sigh, inwardly thanking my aunt Linda. She has been my rock through all recent events in my life. Both the good and the bad, I don't know where I would be now without her.

Although I can't say anything good has been happening to me recently apart from this job. And even this has yet to be determined. Everything had been spiraling down for me until she came in and saved me. I have been living with her in my family home ever since my parents died.

They died when I was on a summer break my junior year in college. Their plane crashed  on their way back from a vacation in Italy, they had been saving money for it and were very excited to go. Not knowing it will lead to their deaths.

I moved back into the family home and she uprooted her life from Dallas and moved in with me. Their death really took a toll on me, losing one parent is hard but losing both at once was very heartbreaking for me.

And they died with the guilt of pressuring me into doing something that didn't work out even though I had told them severally that I had forgiven them. That Coupled with the fact that I had just ended a horrible relationship, so I was very depressed.

I didn't have any friends to pull me out of it or distract me, it was just me and her. And she did her best, I will never forget what she did for me. My lack of tendency to interact well with people due to my lack of social skills also limited sources of distraction for me.

One of my weaknesses is my indecisiveness, which people preyed on in my past, I used to rely a lot on people to guide me and show me what I am supposed to do. So after coming out of a horrible relationship I started keeping to myself. It is not like I had people that were eager to get to know me.

Oh! There is the entrance, I slow the truck down to wipe my tears and freshen up my face before reaching the gate. It is a black gate duh, attached to a fence that goes as far as my eyes can see. And there is a small slate with the words 'THE BLACK MANOR' written on it attached to the fence.

When I reach the entrance I see there is no one there to open the gate for me, no security guard, nadie. How am I supposed to get in? I don't wanna be late because no one opened the gate for me and not because I overslept!

With the former I at least have gained something. I am already starting to get restless when I hear a voice through a small device attached to the wall.

"How may I help you Miss?"

Oh! Of course they would use a device silly me, why didn't I think to check it is a mansion with high security! I face plant and shake my head at myself.

Wait, how did they know there is someone out here? Have they been watching me since and thinking to themselves how pathetic I am?

"Hello Miss?"

"Oh yes sorry, erm I am Violet James, the new PA to Mr. Black he is expecting me, I have come to report for work".

*click* the gate opens, "okay". That wasn't difficult, I start driving through the driveway before I reach the house...no, mansion. Wow! This is beautiful; I have never seen anything like it.

I have heard talk about the place in my neighborhood from those working in the manor but thought they were all exaggerations, no they aren't. A year ago when a foreign construction company started work here it was all hush hush. No one even cared.

And because it is out of the way, no one knew what was been built until the last stages when they started hiring workers from my neighborhood. Damn! If I lived here I won't want to go anywhere, no, I would always be cooped up indoors.

I then park my truck out front and step out. Heading towards the front door I notice a doorbell and ring it. A tall middle-aged man bordering at least 55 years of age, with white hair wearing a black suit which looks like a kind of uniform opens the door.

'Welcome to Black Manor Miss James.'

My eyes zooms past the man that opened the door and I take in the beauty of the front room of the mansion. My jaw drops in awe, wow. oh I'm lucky I get to work here the place looks like a scene out of a movie. I can't wait to tell aunt Lee about the mansion.

The man clears his throat with a serious look on his face. Blushing in embarrassment I proffer my hand out to greet him "thank you...." I say waiting for him to tell me his name.

"Mr Steven", he shakes my hand.

"If you would just follow me, I would show you to your office and give you a tour of part of the manor you will have access to. I assume you already know what is needed of you?".

Okay, I get that he would show me my office since he takes care of the house. But what has he got to do with Black Industries? And What about my boss, where is he?

"Yes of course I do, the job description and my responsibilities were emailed to me. I'm sorry Mr Steven, what about Mr Black? Won't I be meeting him today?" I ask him while we are walking into the mansion, I'm assuming to my office.

"I am afraid not Miss james, Mr. Black is a very busy man you won't be seeing much of him at all. I am his representative and would communicate whatever he needs done to you" he says sounding proud.

"Oh, okay. Thank you". I say, feeling disappointed, I want to see the man behind all the mystery but i guess that won't happen anytime soon. But how will I work as his assistant if I don't see him?

I follow Mr Steven like a lost puppy, well I am lost alright, in my own world looking around the manor. It truly is beautiful, and the interior decorator did a splendid work.

There are different beautiful paintings hung on the walls. I am not into art so I don't know what they are or what the abstract ones mean but they look very expensive.

There are no personal pictures or items around, the place looks almost staged.  Like it was brought to life out of a home decor magazine, it doesn't look lived in. But it is still beautiful.