Meeting
Welcome to Caressed Kisses, We hope you enjoy!
Chapter One, The Meeting.
HAYLEY
As I looked at him, with tears in his eyes, the world swirled with blackness around me.
********6 Months Ago.********
I woke up with a new guy in my bed, this seemed to happen alot since me and Nora went partying almost every night. It was colder than I had expected, my window was open and I could feel the cool breeze hitting my chest. My chest? Oh my gosh. I quickly ran to my closet searching for a t-shirt when I finally found one and continued to put it on. While I was hiding, Nora must have walked in.
"Nora!!" I screeched.
"What!?" She said in amusement.
"Im changing. Get out!"
I never knew why she walked into my room whenever or however she had wanted. But for some reason, it was only when I was changing. Nora had been my bestfriend ever since 8th grade. Although we had of course been running almost all of our lives, we stuck together. Wherever she was, so was I. Nora was one of my only friends, and i really needed her. We were both living together at the time, in just a little apartment, only when we finally saved up the amount of money to get one together. But that didnt stop her from doing whatever she wanted.
"Ill be out in a minnute" I said, now calm.
When Nora walked out, giggling to herself, I had noticed the guy in my bed had also woken up. What was his name again? He was just a one night stand. And I expected him to sneak out before I would come back.
"Ill be right back. Feel free to leave whenever." I said.
He groaned, and turned over to the other side of the bed, falling back asleep. I rolled my eyes and left the room. As I walked into the living room trying to sneak over to the balcony to get away from Nora's commentary of the guy who was in my bed, I could smell the fresh, warm smell of a cup of coffee. Nora then nodded her head, while listening to some country music, she definetly knew that I was standing there, because she raised her brow indicating if I wanted a cup, I nodded in agreement knowing my plan had been foiled. Once I had grabbed my cup of freshly made coffee, I went to stand over the balcony. It was breezy outside. During the fall time in Paris, it had always been colder then expected. The trees were turning color, The smell of nature and the feeling of wanting to sit in bed and watch movies all day, but it was darker outside, and also cooler. It was my favorite time of year. I was enjoying the view, while drinking my coffee, when I heard the balcony door squeak open, and then close again. Nora was standing right beside me.
"When are you going to stop bringing guys home?" Nora had said with a tone of annoyance in her voice.
"Soon, I promise." I said, not as confident as I inteded it to be.
"i know your lying, you need to find a job. I cant keep paying all the bills with the small amounts you give me."
We had shared rent, but ever since we moved I havn't been able to find a job. I had only had a part time job of being a waitress, but it didnt get me much.
"Hayley...I found an interview for a job I think you'd enjoy."
I sighed, shrugging my shoulders pleading her to go on.
"Its for Chase Gambio." She said cautiously.
Chase Gambio was the most rich, important, and powerful man in all of paris. Everyone knew that. And no one lasts more then one week in his company.
"What!?? Hell no. Im not doing anything associated with the mafia again. Do you not remember why we were running majority of our life? Its to dangerous, I won't." I said now angry at the question.
"Fine, but you really need to find a job and soon." Nora said.
Later that night, I thought about what Nora had said. if I found a job, I could help with rent and me and Nora could go travel the world like we had always dreamed of doing. I sighed while opening my laptop to look for job interviews. I scrolled until I found "Interview for assistant of Chase Gambio." I laughed to myself. This guy had a new assistant interview almost every day it seemed. No way I would even last ten minnutes in that facility. I kept scrolling and found the headline of "Company Candora Looking for an assistant or manager." I looked into it, and applied for a position, hoping to get in. After I applied. I fell asleep, with no one in my bed tonight.
When I woke up, I could tell Nora had gone to work because it wasnt blazing hot in the apartment and it was pitch silent. I opened my laptop, excited to see if I got in or not. And when I went to check my email, I got waitlisted.
"Waitlisted?! What does that even mean?"
I grumply rolled over and tried to fall back asleep, but I couldn't. I was already to awake. So, I got out of bed, and went to make myself some coffee while watching TV on the couch like I wanted to do before.
And all day I had checked if I had gotten in or not.
And all I kept reading was-
12:00, "Waitlisted".
3:00, "Waitlisted".
7:00, "Waitlisted".
Gosh I was sick of reading that word all day. When Nora got home, she asked if I had gotten in.
"Waitlisted". I said annoyed.
"Thats okay! That means you still have a chance, right?"
"I have no idea."
"Well, im going to take that as hope, and you should too." She said eagerly.
"Whatever." I said.
Later that night, after me and Nora had takeout for dinner, I made sure to check one more time before I went to sleep.
10:00, "Congragulations, your application has been accepted!"
I was estatic. I ran to Nora's room so fast that I thought I was going to slip and fall most of the way there. But once I came in, I told her the news.
"I knew it! i told you that you would get in!" she said.
"You start tommorow? So soon. Im so excited for you tho, congrats!"
Tomorow? I wondered if she had read it wrong. but when I went back into my room, she hadn't. I really did start tommorow.
"I don't even have an outfit!!" I said worried.
That night, I couldn't fall asleep, I was way to nervous. So, I spent most of the night looking for decent outfit. I had picked out the best of me and my closet's ability.
That morning, Nora had dropped me off right infront of the building. and I questioned if I was in the right place.
I went inside and the place was gorgeous. There was a marble floor and bright gold accents. it felt very welcoming.
I walked up to the receptionist and gave her my name.
"New assistant?" she said.
How did she assume I was the new assitant and not just another customer?
"Yes." I said, confused. "My name is-"
"Hayley? Hayley Grace Quinn?" She said with assurance.
"I um, yes." How did she know my name? I mean, I did write it down when signing up for the application, but it felt odd to me that they knew it was me.
"Up the stairs to the right is where she is. She will explain everything to be done everyday." She said, not even looking at me this time.
"Thank you. And may I ask, how did you know it was me?" I said curiously.
"Honey, I always know. Now don't be late on your first day." She said, this time looking at me with a hint of assurance.
"Thanks." I said, walking away still feeling odd about the whole interaction. I decided I wasn't going to let it interfere with my first day. So I adjusted my shirt and went up the stairs and to the right.
It was a long hallway, there were portraits of random people who I didn't know everywhere. When I reached the door, I knocked before hearing,
"Come in."
I slowly walked in, making sure to close the door behind me. I introduced myself.
"Hi! My name is Hayley. I came for the assistant position?" I said confidently.
"Yes, oh yes. Hayley! I like my coffee dark, with no sugar and a teaspoon of creamer at 7:00 everyday. After that, you will check up on my emails and only ask me questions after 10:00 A.M. And today we have a very important meeting with another industry, and I expect you to be there at 12:00 sharp. not a second early or a second later. any questions?" She said it like she would say it to one hundred more people after me.
"Oh, um okay!" I said.
"Well, what are you waiting for?" she said, starting to face annoyance.
"Yes ma'mn." I figure that it would be dumb to fight especially if it were my first day.
I started to look for the coffee machine around the whole builidng. I checked my watch, it was 6:45. Shit. I need to find this before im late for my first instruction on my first day. Once I found the coffee machine I made the coffee exactly like how she had asked, before returning to her office to hand it to her.
"Not bad, Hayley."
I nodded, hiding my confidence. I don't think she would expect me to remember all of that.
"Your computer is in the room next door. its right next to my room if I need anything."
If SHE needs anything? What if I need anything? Gosh, she was such a bitch, but I had to ignore her, I went to my computer and started clearing her emails.
I was starving by 11:00. So i ordered a salad from the cafe next door. Once i came back, I went to the "Important meeting". It was 11:57. I started sprinting to the office, trying not to be late. But when I walked in, the meeting had already started, and I was late. I rushed to my seat right next to my crappy boss. It didn't even mind me to look around. When I sat down, I finally had the chance to look around, not realizing that it had been silent since I had walked in. Once I looked up, the first person I saw was Chase Gambio.
Thee Chase Gambio.
When I looked at him with his narrow and eyes that made me look naive. He stared at me, I could see the rocks from underneath his shirt demanding to escape. I had only seen pictures of him, but in person was a lot different..
His gaze was looking right at me, and I practically almost squealed when I saw him. I didn't want to admit it, but he looked so...hot.
"And who is this, Showing up late to my meeting." Chase said looking at me, emotionless. The only emotion I saw was a hint of annoyance in his eyes, but he tried to hide it.
My boss spoke up,
"Mr. Gambio, this is my new assistant, Hayley Grace Quinn." She said, I looked at her nervously, slowly detaching from Chase's gaze.
"Why are you late, Ms.Quinn."
He said it like it wasn't a question, instead a demand. Demanding me to respond. He again, was staring at me, and I couldn't tell if he was trying to intimidate me or not.
"I went out to lunch." I said simply. "Excuse my tardiness." I said trying so hard not to scream how hot he was.
"Don't let it happen again." He said now looking down at his papers trying to figure out what to discuss next.
"But sir, you never give second chan-" One of his buisnessmen said.
"Excuse me?" Chase said, now looking like he could snap this guys neck in 0.2 seconds if he wanted to. And I was 99% sure he would.
"Do we have a problem?" My boss said inturupting.
"Don't interupt me." That sure did shut my boss up real quick.
"Your fired. Get out." He didnt even look at the buissness man beside him. He simply said get out like he could be replaced at any given moment.
"But sir-" Wow, the buissness man was really pushing it.
"Excuse us for a moment." Chase then grabbed the man by his arm and dragged him out of the room. It didn't even seem hard for him to carry him. I saw him kill the guy.
He
just
killed
someone.
WHAT!?!
I just witnessed a murder. And I saw everyones gaze look away, disturbed. I couldn't, I stared. I stared at the man who had just killed someone. He then walked back in.
"Where were we?"
How could he just continue on like that happened everyday? What about the police, what would happen? I was so confused, but didn't dare to say a word. We then continued on with the meeting, like nothing ever happened. I was writing down notes when I heard him say.
"Im offering a deal. More of a deal where you have no choice." Now pointing his attention to my boss.
"Im buying your company wether you like it or not. How much?
My boss was in shock, and so was I. In total shock of how much power this man really did have.
"Its not for sale, Mr.Gambio." My boss said, she was so worried.
"You know I dislike having to repeat myself. How much?"
Is this actually happening? Did I just get a job here for stupid Chase to buy it over? Please boss. Don't give up. But she had no other option.
"Fifteen million." She said, with no expression.
"Deal." Chase said, I could see he was now slightly grinning when he fowarded his eyes towards me.
"How much for the assistant."
No way. I was never going to work as an assistant for him. after this whole meeting, never. I would have been to disgusted to ever work for him.
My boss responded quietly.
"None, you can have her."
Excuse me? Was I really that worthless?
"She's worth a whole lot more than that."
"Fine, Five hundred thousand." My boss said confidently, not thinking that he would actually buy me.
"Deal."
