3. Chloe
3
Chloe
The clock on the wall mocks me with its relentless ticking. 5:36 PM. The fluorescent lights overhead buzz with an irritating intensity, making my eyes gritty and my head throb. I massage my temples and take deep breaths.
Who needs waterboarding when you have annoying office lights?
My fingers are stiff from hours of typing, and the remains of a stale vending machine granola bar sit forgotten in the corner of my desk. This isn’t how I envisioned my first day at work. I’m supposed to be the life of the office, breezing through every single task I’m handed. I should be mingling with colleagues on my first day, not bent over sheets of paper, trying to figure out words smudged by coffee.
I stop for a second to stretch and glance at the clock again. 5:42 PM. Enough thinking. Time to get back to work. I push through the remaining files, double-checking every detail.
I can’t help but notice that the fluorescent lights are getting eerily louder. Maybe they’re on a cruel timer for those that stay late in the office. Or maybe they’re just trying to talk to me. That’s it…they’re buzzing out Morse code messages of encouragement. Or torture. At this point, it’s all a little hazy.
My phone vibrates on the table. It’s Amber calling.
“Sunshine and rainbows, sunshine and rainbows,” I mutter to myself as I pick up my phone.
“Hey, Chloe,” Amber says. “Let me guess, your first day has been so great you decided to work late. Or better yet, grab drinks with colleagues?”
“I wish,” I sigh. “I’m still hunched over the darn proposals, making sure everything is perfect before the end of the night. If it isn’t, I lose my job.”
Amber chuckles. “You’re kidding, right?”
“I wish I was. I’m still at my desk trying to salvage these files.”
“All this after you already had to get new clothes in the morning?”
“Yeah.”
“I told you Daniel is the worst.”
I look around the office. There’s no one around.
“Well, it’s not exactly his fault,” I say. “I’m the one who spilled the coffee over something really important. It was so embarrassing, Amber. And then, there’s his impossible attitude…like no matter what.”
“Yep, sounds about right.”
“You have no idea. I just want to get home already.”
“I can come get you.”
“I’d love that, but I gotta drop these documents off to Daniel’s house before heading home.”
“Well, that sucks. It’s called a nine to five, not a nine to forever.”
“Girl, nine-five doesn’t exist these days. You know that.” I bury my face in my palms and mumble, “I spilled the coffee so now I gotta clean up my mess.”
“I guess. Just be careful.”
There’s a knock on the door.
“I shouldn’t be that much longer.”
I hear the knock echo through the office again.
“I gotta go now, okay?”
I hang up. It’s definitely not Daniel on the other side of that door; he would have barged right into the office after knocking once. On second thought, knocking wouldn't even have crossed his mind. I distinctly remember how he sauntered in earlier today, without a single rap on the door, just to remind me of my impending deadline.
“Come in,” I announce.
A young man with a friendly smile pokes his head in. The dark mass of hair on his head is neatly trimmed. He has warm brown eyes and a jawline that suggests he spends some time at the gym. His attire is business casual, a crisp white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing a sleek watch on his wrist. The navy blue chinos he’s wearing complement his lean frame, and he carries himself with subtle confidence.
“Hey.” He holds up a brown paper bag. “Thought I’d drop by with a present.”
I match his smile. He walks over and points to the seat opposite me. “May I?”
“Of course. Please sit. I could use the company.”
“Trust me, I understand,” he says. “I’m Alex. I’m an Executive Assistant just like you, but I work for Mrs. Chen in HR.”
“I’m Chloe Summers.” I notice his lips twitch to the side. “Buuuuut, I guess you knew that already.”
He laughs. “Working in HR has its perks. I know a lot of things.”
“Like what?”
“Like the fact that you’re the eleventh Executive Assistant assigned to Mr. Andrews in the last four years.”
“Wow. Is he that bad?”
Yes, Chloe. You got a taste of it today, remember?
He shrugs.
“And what happened to the one who stuck it out the longest? Like, how did he even get to this point?”
“That was before my time.” He leans in to whisper, “I heard, though, that the one who had the longest tenure was his wife, but she passed away. Since then, there have been nothing but complaints, and I’m sure everyone can’t always be wrong.”
My heart sinks with sadness. That explains a lot. I can’t imagine losing a spouse, but it doesn’t excuse his behavior.
I arch an eyebrow, eyeing him suspiciously.
“So, HR you say?”
“Yep.”
“If this is some evil test to trick me into saying something I shouldn’t say, you can count it as a loss.”
“It isn’t a test.” He shoves the brown bag closer to me. “How about we talk about something else instead?”
“What’s inside? Welcome snacks? With a side of tequila, I hope,” I tease with a wink.
He chuckles. “Nah. There’s this Thai place just around the corner.”
“Aww, that’s very thoughtful of you. Thanks, Alex.”
“You’re welcome. On a serious note, though. How are you settling in?”
I point to the workload on my desk. “What do you think?”
“I figured. If you can meet his high standards, then you’ll be the one that makes it.”
“Why does it feel like you have doubts?”
“Would you believe me if I say I don’t?”
“Right now, I don’t know what to believe. But know this, Alex. I will definitely give it everything I got.”
“That’s all you need to give.” He turns his gaze toward the sheets of paper on my desk. “How much is left?”
“I just have a few charts to create and then review every single page, word for word, image by image. Then I have to drop it off at Daniel’s. It would be much easier to email him, but he insisted on me dropping the physical copies off, as if he can’t print them at home or something.”
“Sounds like you got your work cut out for you,” he says. “Good thing you’ll have company until you’re done.”
“You’re kidding, right? This will easily take another hour.”
“All good. I bought us dinner to help ease some of that stress.”
In the end, we’re both wrong. The rest of the job takes up to two more grueling hours, and there he sits, directly across from me, engaged in a discussion about the company while generously offering suggestions and ideas.
By the time I’m done, it’s almost 7:45 PM, the harsh glare of the lights casting an unforgiving glow over the office. The exhaustion I’d been pushing aside finally hits me like a ton of bricks.
“Thanks, Alex,” I say, standing up from my rather cushy swivel chair. I’m sure that was purposely by design to keep the Assistants comfortable for long periods of time. “I really appreciate your company. You made my first day more bearable.”
“Glad I could help,” he grins. “You’ll get the hang of this in no time. Just steer clear of the big guy’s mood swings.”
I roll my eyes. “Isn’t that the truth.”
We walk out of the office building together, and the silence outside is a welcome change from the constant office hum.
“So,” Alex says. “Home, finally, huh?”
“Daniel’s home,” I respond. “Remember?”
“Oh! You were serious about that?”
“Yeah.”
“Wow. Well, good luck with that. I guess it’s goodnight here then.”
“Yeah, goodnight. See you tomorrow.”
I pull out my phone and request an Uber.
Here goes nothing.
As the driver pulls into a quiet suburban street, my heart begins to race.
My phone dings. It’s a text from Amber reading, ‘What’s up? Are you on your way yet?’
I quickly type ‘On my way’ and hit send.
Daniel’s house sprawls across two stories, with green vines elegantly draping along the beige and burgundy walls, and pots on the porch bursting with colorful flower arrangements. I glance at the address on my phone just to reassure myself that I’m at the right place. Somehow, I half-expected his house to be a stone-walled mansion shut away from sunlight like a vampire’s secret hideout.
Taking a deep breath, I grab the binder containing the revised proposals and step out of the car. The walk up the driveway feels longer than it should.
Reaching the porch, I hesitate for a moment before raising my hand to knock. The sound seems to hang heavy in the quiet evening air. A moment later, the door swings open, revealing a sight that makes me blink in surprise.
Standing before me is a young girl about ten years old. She has a mess of blonde curls cascading down her shoulders and bright, curious eyes that widen even further when she sees me. She’s wearing pink and white pajamas and matching bunny slippers.
“Hello,” she says.
“Hi, there,” I reply. “What’s your name?”
“What’s your name?”
It has only been a day, but I’ll recognize that attitude anywhere. She must be Daniel’s.
“I’m Chloe.”
“Michelle.”
“Hi, Michelle.”
She pouts. “Yeah, yeah. You’re here to see Dad, right?”
“How can you tell?”
“It’s not rocket science, you know. You all dress the same.”
“Right, that part. Trust me, kid, if it weren't for strict dress codes, I'd be in a Snuggie and slippers, too.”
She sports a smile. “Dad shouldn’t hear you say that.”
Before I can respond, a voice booms from behind her. “Who’s that, sweetie?”
A tall figure strides into the doorway, and my breath catches in my throat. He places his hand on Michelle’s shoulders, bringing her closer to him. I didn’t think he owned any clothes with color, but here he is, dressed in a sky blue T-shirt and matching sweatpants. His hair is slightly mussed, and there’s a faint dusting of flour on his cheek. He sure doesn’t look as stuffy as he does in the office.
That’s a relief.
“A lady for you,” Michelle says.
“Ms. Summers,” Daniel rumbles. “So, are you done or will I be on the hunt tomorrow morning?”
There you have it. I spoke too soon. I guess it doesn’t matter the setting, he’s grouchy all the time.
Michelle nudges him and he looks down at her, softening his expression.
I hand the binder to him. “Here you go.”
“I see,” he mutters. He glances at the binder, then back at me, his features unreadable. “I guess you’re safe…for now.”
“Are you coming in, Chloe?” Michelle asks. “Dad is making pancakes!”
Suddenly, Daniel’s brows furrow into a scowl, and an awkward laugh escapes him.
Absolutely, not, Chloe. Not even if he was the last man standing.