Zoe was still standing by the elevator dumbfounded and terrified. The CEO had taken one irritated glimpse at her and turned away as if she wasn't worth his time. He was deeply annoyed.
Victor Baelish walked up to the floor receptionist instead and yelled,
"I shouldn't be taking the public elevator! Tell maintenance to hurry up and fix my damn private elevator!" he yelled at the receptionist.
"Yes sir!" she scampered for the telephone.
"I'll be in my office" the CEO said over his shoulders as he walked down the hall and turned right at a corner.
Zoe was still hadn't moved. She stood planted like a tree in dread and shock. The CEO hadn't spoken to her, it was as if he hadn't seen her rooted there in shock and remorse. He had also left before she could apologize.
Was it already over? Do I just turn back now? Zoe questioned herself confused on what next to do. The courage she had been mustering in the elevator vanished within the blink of an eye. She was slightly trembling all over again like when she had read up the CEO's profile on the internet. She had been so worried about not making a bad impression but
Would he even allow her into his office?
Zoe was still in deep thoughts when she heard someone call to her.
"Excuse me ma'am?"
The voice sounded again and again until Zoe came back to reality. It was the floor receptionist. She looked concerned and worried.
"Do you have any business here miss?"
Zoe was taken aback, it seemed that no one not even the receptionist had seen what had happened between her and the CEO.
Last chance, run away! A voice persuaded her to turn back while she still can but Zoe didn't. There was no courage, no nothing but somehow Zoe's feet kept moving until she walked up to the receptionist and began talking
"I'm here for an interview"
"Oh we've been expecting you"
"Really?"
"Yes, walk down the hall and take the left turn to HR. Mrs. Eugenia is waiting for you"
"Oh" Zoe gasped. The receptionist pointed in the opposite direction the CEO had gone. Zoe breathed in a sigh of relief that her interview was wasn't with him. Things had gone out of hand but they were looking up now. As long as she didn't meet the CEO again, she was safe right?
Zoe thanked the receptionist and headed for HR. She found it with ease.
The head of HR, Mrs. Eugenia was a lovely aged woman, Zoe felt warm when she was offered a cup of tea to calm her nerves. The old woman was sweet, she smiled while complimenting Zoe only to turn into a scrutinizing detective the next the minute.
"Why do you want to work for Victor Baelish?" she asked looking down at Zoe through her thick rimmed glasses.
"Because I want to earn a living" Zoe replied unsure.
"Nothing else? You can tell me dear"
"No nothing else"
Okay what's going on here? Zoe wondered. What was the old woman trying to say?
Mrs. Eugenia couldn't care much about been blunt pro max, her job was to make sure she was hiring professionals and not opportunists.
"Miss Zoe this company has a strict policy against forming personal relationships or attachments to the job. You will have to sign a contract to work with us"
"Sure of course ma'am"
"There are consequences and penalties for breaking the employment contract, which includes denial of severance pay, subsidies and insurance"
"I think I understand"
"Do you?"
"I think so or is there something you want to say specifically?"
"Alright, don't seduce the boss, he hates goal diggers, backstabbers, disloyal, deceitful employees. You look trustworthy so I'll have faith in you but please do not ruin your reputation or that of this company"
Suddenly it dawned on Zoe what Mrs. Eugenia meant. She was receiving a strict warning against having any affair with the CEO. Zoe snickered at the old woman's concerns.
She was one of the shiest creatures on earth. Staying back for the interview after the incident was a tremendous miracle. The only thing Zoe wanted was to literally be invisible like she had been when she stepped on his shoes.
Seducing the boss wasn't a problem when the boss didn't even know you existed. Zoe smiled accepting the first criteria for the job.
Mrs. Eugenia was much nicer after that. She proceeded to inform Zoe about the job. The CEO had three assistants which were his personal, travel and an office assistant. Her job was to assist the assistants, the CEO was a busy man and the people who worked under him were busier.
Zoe was astounded. She's never heard of assistants having assistants before but it was all good. The pay was great and she didn't need to come in contact with the CEO, she would receive her orders and tasks from the assistants themselves. Zoe thanked her stars that she wouldn't have to see the man with the murderous gaze and intent ever again. So far it was a good deal.
'I got the job, Thanks Beth!' Zoe typed into her phone as she made her way out of the building. If not for her best friend and her mom she would still be mopping around her bedroom in her pyjamas drawing art designs and comics strips for online websites and freelance gigs. At least now she could do that on weekends without feeling bad about how little it paid her.
Zoe promised Beth dinner when she came back from Fiji and a nice gift for her mom after she got her first pay check. She got to the stairs where she'd seen the sculpture earlier that morning, the mysterious stranger was nowhere to be seen. Still Zoe thought it would have been nice to be acquainted with someone if she was going to resume work the next day.
She loitered around the sculpture for a few seconds before noticing the aura in the air change around her. She could feel the powerful presence, no one had to tell her that the CEO was coming.
She ducked behind the sculpture by the stairs as Victor Baelish walked down with his entourage.
He had changed his shoes from the Italian she had stepped on to sneakers, he had also taken off suit jacket to blend his dressing. He looked deliciously hot. He was still speaking to the people with him when someone handed him the keys to his red Porsche.
The aura of power settled around him like an angel's halo, Zoe spied him from her hiding place and saw an invisible crown resting on his head. Victor was a king in his own world and his world lorded over others. He was an emperor with a god complex. Zoe knew that seeing him up close was too dangerous in case he recognized her.
Her plan was to never cross his sight, never let him see her and never be the cause of a problem. But little did she know that Victor's god complex made him see everything and everyone he lorded over.