Chapter 45
Iwas a bit stunned and confused all in one.
George, however, who understood exactly what had just happened, came over to my desk immensely disappointed.
”Guess you”re going on the private jet to Chicago,” he said, and my brows shot up.
”I”m going to Chicago?”
”Yep, on the jet. You missed that part.”
”I... why so sudden? I mean, do I have to go home and get my luggage or something?”
”No, going home in the middle of the day will draw attention.”
”Attention from?” I asked.
”Other interested parties in the firm. Not everyone here is on our side, even though we all work together. Some are only after their own fame and glory.”
”Right,” I said and settled back into my chair so I could process.
”Don”t worry about additional purchases; you can just get whatever you need in Chicago. Remember that frequent and sudden visits happen like this, so always have a bag of your important items like toiletries and stuff here in the office and ready to go. And then any other thing that can be easily replaceable, like clothes, you can get those wherever you both travel to.”
”So, this is a frequent occurrence?” I asked.
”Not frequent,” he replied, ”but be ready. Boss moves as needed and doesn”t waste time.”
”What about him?” I asked. ”Does he need new clothes or something?”
”Nope, has all his essentials on the plane.”
”Of course, he does,” I grumbled internally, and then George left the office.
I truly didn”t know what I was upset about; after all, I was leaving the office with Guy. It would be a first between us going away like this, and I know it was purely for work, but still, I was just as excited as I was ticked off about probably having to remain as I was until the next day or however long we would be spending in Chicago.
I truly didn”t want to be stranded, though, and was quite upset, so I thought of what I could do without making any ruckus.
And then, of course, my mind went to Mandy.
Her studio was far away, but I was sure I could find a reason to entice her to come to pause her day and take a little trip to my apartment and then to the office. There was still a bit of time before we had to leave for Chicago, so I immediately called her, and thankfully she picked up.
”I”m busy,” she immediately grumbled, and my heart deflated.
”Wow.”
”What? And what do you want? You”ve been so busy going to work every day in love with your boss that you”ve all but kicked me to the curb.”
The hits just kept coming.
”What do you mean?”
”Say what you want, I”m in a tortured mood; nothing”s going right today.”
And just like that, I found my opening.
”Fancy a trip to Manhattan and a hundred-dollar luxurious spa experience?”
She went silent.
”What luxurious spa treatment in Manhattan for one hundred dollars?”
”Jeesh, you really are in a pissy mood. I”m serious though,” I said.
”What spa treatment is this? It sounds like just what I need to calm the fuck down. Either this or a dick, but unlike you, I don”t work with my boyfriend.”
”He”s not my boyfriend,” my tone instantly lowered as I looked around, suspicious even of the walls and their ears.
”Of course, he is,” she said dryly. ”Get to the point, Hannah.”
”Sudden business trip to Chicago. I need skincare and clothes. Yes, I can do without, but I just decided to call to ask if you fancy a trip to Manhattan and that very reasonable and exciting hundred-dollar luxury spa treatment.”
”Hmm,” she said dryly, and once again, my hope dissipated because she was, for sure, not going to bite.
”Add an extra hundred dollars and cover my cab fare, and I”ll accept.”
”Damn it, Mandy,” I complained, but she was unmoved.
”I”m in the middle of my cry-important day.”
”Your work wasn”t going well; you need this, and you”re making me pay for it?”
”Touche,” she replied. ”Deal or no deal?”
”Deal,” I said, and then she laughed.
”I would have done it for free anyway; I really need this trip to Manhattan.”
”Of course,” I replied as I was so outrightly tricked just as I had imagined I would be with her.
”So, when can I expect you?” I asked. ”We leave at five.”
”I”ll be there in an hour,” she replied. ”I”ll leave now.”
”An hour and a half,” I countered. ”You have to go by my apartment. Call me when you get there.”
”Alright,” she replied, and the call came to an end.
About two hours later, I received the call from reception, and instantly, I hurried over to confirm that it was Mandy. Quickly, and before anyone could notice the personal guest, I dragged her with me, and we were on our way back to Guy”s office.
”Wow, you really work here?” she asked, her eyes taking in all the polished wood and marble around. ”This has got to be the most gorgeous office I”ve ever been in. And the view?—”
I glanced at what she was referring to through the glass windows of one of the conference rooms as we passed by and nodded in response.
”Yeah.”
Soon we arrived in the office, and I collected the duffel bag from her.
”Folded and all,” she said, ”There”s a change of a suit, blouses, flats, and skincare.”
She looked around as I quickly confirmed all that she was saying. However, just before I could throw my arms around her in gratitude, there was a knock on the door. My gaze snapped to her, my eyes wide, and it was as though she instantly read my mind.
”If you tell me to duck or hide under a desk or something, I will shoot you.”
”No need,” I replied, even though that was the first thing I had thought about. The pause, however, did me some good because it made me wonder who was knocking. It was definitely not my boss, so I checked and saw that it was Sandra. I instantly frowned, wondering what she was doing. When she headed in and I immediately saw the interest she had in Mandy, I understood exactly why she was here.
”Hi,” she greeted with the biggest smile on her face and offered her hand to the stranger.
”I saw you both sneaking over from reception. You”re Hannah’s guest?”
”Yes, I am,” Mandy replied and accepted the handshake. I took my seat and couldn’t help but stare at Sandra. At first, when I had just started working here, I thought she was just being helpful, but now it was immensely clear to me that she was a nosy person.
She turned to me then, and when she saw the bag, she didn’t ask about it, which I knew would have aggravated me.
”Have you two known each other for long?” she asked. ”You”ve never brought anyone to the office, so I always wonder who your friends were outside the office?”
”Really?” Mandy asked. ”Why don”t you guys go out for lunch or something?”
”She”s been incredibly busy trying to catch up,” Sandra replied before I could even get the chance to answer. ”You know she has minimum legal experience, right, so she has to study really hard. She”s made quite the number of mistakes, but she”s surprisingly very smart. The other secretaries who’ve been as pretty as her haven’t survived as long. It makes me wonder if it”s just that she”s smart or if there”s something else.”
She laughed out loud, but unfortunately for her bird brain, she didn’t even realize that she had exposed herself to the worst person of us, which was Mandy. I remained amused even though all the backhanded insults because her words now and for the first time had given me a bit of insight into her.
Gloria, the Human Resources director, had assigned her to me, but whenever I needed her, she was somehow not available. And whenever she gave me information, it was either incomplete, delayed, or inaccurate. My eyes narrowed as I watched her quietly; however, Mandy, on the other hand, had already begun to fume.
Mandy asked, her eyes bright and bubbling with curiosity.
”What do you mean exactly by you didn’t know I am her friend because she”s smart or something else? What other thing could it be?” she asked. ”You know Hannah has always had her tricks all through high school and even college. I”ve always asked her what her secret is. You know she”s never been fired, right? Who the hell hasn’t ever been fired? And she”s never even failed any tests? She”s freaking frustrating?”
Sandra was amused. ”Yeah, I guess. But I”m immensely impressed, though, so tell us Hannah, how come you haven’t been fired yet?”
I watched her and couldn’t help but blink. Mandy, by her side, had her eyes widened at me in shock, anger, and amusement.
”What do you mean by why haven”t I been fired?” I asked. ”Did you want me to be fired?”
”No, I mean, it”s the pattern here. It’s your boss”s pattern. He fires everyone. The females, I mean.”
”I thought the last three secretaries made monumental mistakes?” I thought that”s why he fired them?”
”Well, that was the case.”
”And the secretary before that was a man that worked with him for three years. He had absolutely no problems with him. He only left to be with his grandchildren because his daughter needed help.”
”Well, true, but?—”
”Was there any other? Have you been here long enough to know?” She shifted uncomfortably in her seat.
”Of course, he started this firm.”
”So, who else?” She stared at me, and then she smiled and got up.
”I think I should get back to work, and like your friend said, you”re doing great. But things can change at any moment, and of course, if they don’t, I”d really like to know your secret because I’m sure it”s not just because you”re okay at your job.”
”Wow!” Mandy said behind her, and we all turned.
”What is it?” Sandra blinked, as though she was completely oblivious.
”You are incredibly rude. Do you know that, or are you just acting dumb?”
Sandra gave her a weird look, and then she shook her head and went on her way.
”I”ll see you later, Hannah,” she said, but I didn”t respond. The door was shut, and Mandy turned to me and exclaimed once again.
”Wow! You are having the time of your life here. Fucking your boss and associating with vipers.”
”Shut up,” I said.
”But you see it though, right?” she asked. ”You noted how condescending she was to you? I hope you”ve not brought her close thinking she was your friend.”
Yes, I had noticed these things, but she also hadn’t been so outrightly rude to me ever before, and I couldn”t help but narrow my eyes at Mandy.
“You seem to bring out the very worst in people. She”s never been that way to me before.”
“Hm, hm,” she said. “Of course, you’d say that, and of course, you wouldn’t see it. Well, whatever was shown here, you better pay attention and be careful with her; she obviously wants you fired, and I cannot for the life of me wonder why.”
“She doesn”t want me fired,” I replied. “Maybe she”s just surprised that my boss hasn”t fired me yet. He”s fired everyone else. And well, she does have a point.”
Her mouth dropped as she stared at me, and truly, I couldn”t stand her presence here either. I wanted her gone.
“What?”
“You really think it”s because you two are dating that he”s tolerated you this long even with all the mistakes you”ve made, even the life-threatening one?”
“Hey, keep it down. And I”m not delusional. If we didn”t have the attraction we had from the beginning, yes, I believe he would have been far less patient. It doesn”t mean I”m not good at my job, and it doesn”t mean I”m lacking either. The point is that I”m getting better.”
“Hm, hm,” she said and rose up. Then she came over to my desk with her hand stretched out.
“My spa payment. Hand over the card and the added hundred.”
“Here’s your gift card,” I said and brought out the envelope. “And I”ll Cash App the rest to you.”
Smiling, she lowered her hand and gave me a kiss on the cheek, and just then, the door was pushed open.