Chapter 22: Weird looks

"Ms Stone!"

I turned around to face the brunette, a bright expression that hid then irritation I was feeling inside on my face. 

"What do you want now? Old hag," I mumbled inside, as I waited impatiently for her to speak. 

"Try to keep it in your pants while you are here," she coldly admonished, her brown eyes as cold as ice as they peered at me from the few distance that separated us. 

Her words shocked and confused me, as I do not know as to what she was referring to. I have an idea what her words meant, but I do not understand why she was using it in reference to me. 

Does she know? 

The thought made my heart skip a beat, but when I looked closely at her there was nothing in her expression to indicate that she knows my secret or why I was here. 

"Excuse me!" I snapped with a deep furrow between my brows. 

A righteous indignation appeared in her expression. "Oh, please don't act all innocent, like you do not know what I am talking about. I know girls like you. You are the ones that make hard working ones like us look bad. We have the brains, but then you sweep in with your looks and the job is yours, and without an interview for that matter." 

So this is what her beef is all about. She is angry that I got the job without an interview. A taunting smile appeared on my lips as I asked. "So how do you know?"

"Know what?" She snapped irritatedly, like she is mad that I dared to question her back. 

"That I can't do the job," I smirked at her, a trace of amusement in my voice. I was enjoying making her mad. The woman is just too much. Without knowing me she had judged and rendered verdict. And one not in my favor. 

I detest people like her. Judgmental people. Forget being cautious. I am not going to let her treat me like crap. I don't care who she is. 

She glared at me, looking very irritated that I was speaking back at her. 

"Humph!" she scoffed with a haughty expression on her face. "We will see about that," she snarled and turned to leave, then paused mid way and muttered in a deadly tone. "Make sure you don't make any mistake, because if you do, you find your ass so out the door before you know what hit you." 

After her warning she walked away in a quick arrogant stride, without looking back. 

I stood in the hallway staring after her disappearing form with a worried thinking expression on my face. She is going to be trouble. 

The last thing I need is someone watching my every movement, and looking for reasons to get me sacked. 

"Hey! Are you alright?" A feminine voice asked behind me. 

I turned around to face the person with a blank expression on my face, pushing away my worry. 

Few distance away from me stood a pretty brunette, about the same height as me, but slightly slimmer, and a lot of freckles on her face. 

"I am fine," I smiled politely at her. 

Her grey eyes took me in. From head to toe. Her perusal wasn't rude, but one filled with curiosity. 

"Haven't seen you around? Are you knew?" 

"Yeah. Today turned out to be my first day," I mumbled with a forced smile, even though I wasn't happy about it. I wasn't ready to meet Amelia's husband. In fact the thought of it was making my stomach queasy, and not in a good way. 

"What do you mean?" 

"I thought I was only getting my ID today, and then to start work tomorrow or next week---The last part I added in my mind----but the cold bitch said to start immediately." 

"By cold bitch, I assume you are talking about Ms Love?" 

I looked up sharply at the brunette. She was wearing an amused expression that let me know that I wasn't in trouble or something. I am sorry, I shouldn't have called her that, I muttered blushing furiously. 

"Why not, that what she is? No one here likes her. She is hard core. Always on everyone's case, and threatening to fire you if you step out of line." 

"Can she? I mean does she have the power to fire you?" With that woman's hatred for my person, I don't want to lose my job even before I get to accomplish the reason Amelia sent me here. There is five million dollars on the line. 

"I think so. She and Mr Valentine are pretty close." 

The blood drained out of my face at her words. I am pretty fucked. I should have listened to my gut when it asked to be cautious, and now I have pissed off one of the people in this place with the power to fire me. 

"Hey, are you okay? You look pale." 

"It is nothing," I waved off the brunette concern with a nervous chuckle, while inside I was dying from anxiety, and racking my mind on ways to mend bridges with the cold fish. 

"I am Lucy," she smiled at me. Her smile was friendly, and open, with no hidden agenda or malice. 

Even though the brunette comes off as very chirpy and over friendly, I wouldn't mind being friends with her. 

"Chanel," I smiled back at her. 

"You wouldn't happen to be, um..." her words trailed off as she once again ran her eyes over my form, a weird expression on her face. It was the same one those security guys had on their faces when I said my name. 

What the fuck is going on? 

"Is there a problem with my name? People keep having a weird reaction to it." I frowned at the other woman. 

A hesitant look appeared on her face. She looked like she wanted to say something, but is worried that she would anger me with her words. 

"What is it?" I encourage, ready to solve the mystery of the secret looks once my name is mentioned. 

"It is not your name, but your looks." 

I narrowed my eyes at her. Does she also have a problem with my dressing? 

"It is not even that short. Why is everyone making beans about the gown!" I snapped looking down at the gown again. 

"What! No no, it is not your gown. They are fine," the brunette refuted quickly, and when I looked at her she looked like she was fighting not to laugh. 

"It is not funny," I glared at her. Since today, people have been acting all weird around me, and I don't appreciate being treated like I am some criminal. 

The smile disappeared from her face, and a look of remorse replaced it. "I am sorry. I am sure it is not nice being judged for something that is not even your fault," she said kindly. 

I didn't relax my guard despite her apology. I still do not know what I am getting judged for. No one here knows what I do for a living, so it must be something else. 

"So why am I getting judged?" There was curiosity in my voice, as well as annoyance. 

The blonde winced before blurting out: "You are blonde." She had a sheepish expression on her face. 

My forehead wrinkled at the thought that everyone has a problem with me being blonde. Surely I can't be the only blonde in this company? "What, did a blonde bomb this place?" I quirked a brow at her. 

She chuckled, and then shook her head. "No, nothing like that. It is just his type, though..."

She trailed off again, her expression telling me that there is more to it. 

I raised my brow significantly, asking without speaking for her to complete her words. 

"Please, I am not trying to be insulting," she apologized before saying what she actually wants to say. 

I rolled my eyes at her nicety. "Quit playing nice, and just spit it out already."

"You are shorter than his usuals, and very you know," she used her hand to gesture to the shape of my body, while her face looked so red that they could almost be in flames. 

"You mean curvy?" I asked with amusement. 

She nodded still blushing. 

Her innocence is so cute. 

"And by he we are talking about...?" I left the blank for her to fill even though I have an inkling as to who she was talking about. 

"Are you not Mr Valentine's assistant."