"You've heard of him as well?" Isabella asked and I turned back.

"Kind of," I replied and her head bobbed thoughtfully, "I need to use the restroom, I'll be right back." I stood and they all nodded.

I circled the floor twice before actually finding the restroom. I washed my sweaty hands clean then stared at my reflection in the long mirror hung above the equally long sink.

It could be a different person, I deceived myself. I remembered him as smart and determined but he couldn't have made it. He shouldn't have made it. He was an asshole and assholes didn't deserve to make it.

I washed my hands again and walked out of the restroom. On getting back to the office, much to my dismay, Isabella and John were gathered around Joanne, staring intently at her computer screen.

"Come take a look at him." Isabella beckoned and left without much of a choice, I joined them.

It was him alright, and a better looking him too. My mouth instantly went bitter.

"He's hot, swoon-worthy." Joanne complimented the picture of him standing next to a podium with one of his hands in his pocket and the other, against the podium. He looked smart and aristocratic.

"I don't know, not so much." John shrugged.

"Typical lesser guy." Isabella rolled her eyes.

"They bully me, do you see how they do?" John complained to me and my lips lightly lifted into a smile.

"I totally agree with you John, he's not so swoon-worthy."

"You two must have buttons for eyes." Isabella rolled hers before walking back to her seat. I had barely sat on mine when someone entered the office.

"What's up Kells?" Joanne asked the woman.

"Everyone to tune into the info channel, the CEOs have news for us." She said and they all exchanged concerned looks. The flat-screen came alive with colour and a fairly old couple stood, facing presumably the camera that aired the video.

"That's Dieter and Leona," Joanne said from beside me.

"Good morning everyone." The grey-haired man greeted, "I'm not sure where to begin but Leona and I thought it better you hear the news from us before anyone else."

His wife, equally grey-haired like him but a tad more stylish stepped forward and held his hand.

"We had debts we didn't expect to catch up to us so suddenly. The company was at stake and was going to be taken away and everyone resigned from their jobs," Leona said, "but someone intervened and to cut the long story short the company has been sold."

I watched the faces of my coworkers turn sour. I felt sour too, not so much at the turn of events now but because I knew a little about debts and loans.

"This was our best option to make sure no one would be losing their jobs and have the integrity of our company preserved. Dieter and Leona technologies marketing company will now be a subsidiary of Illston technologies. Mr Illston will be here in two days when we make the official announcement to the press and world. Mr Illston will become the official CEO." Dieter said.

"Thank you," his wife finished and the feed was cut off.

"Wow." Joanne sighed.

"Don't they have children or something that could help?" I asked.

"Too wayward to care," Isabella shrugged.

"That's sad," I said and looked down at my desk.

The situation at hand was not only sad but almost laughable. Of course not Dieter and Leona losing their company but rather my new boss. That bastard was going to my boss.

"Yeah, well let's show you the ropes of the job yeah?" Joanne's smile was reassuring. I spared no more time to think about the new boss or anything else for the rest of the day, save for all the multicoloured files and documents of the company. It felt good working again.

"I live that way," I pointed towards the opposite direction Joanne and Isabella said they lived. It was now past six and my first day was coming to an end. John had left the office about an hour earlier due to a home emergency.

"Alright, we'll see tomorrow." Joanne waved.

"Good night pretty Ophelia." Isabella smiled. She and Joanne turned and walked further away from me.

I took the subway three streets down and walked the rest. My apartment was on the second floor of the five-storey building. The building was a bit shabby but it had a working elevator. A working elevator always bettered everything.

"I've been waiting for you blondie."

My keys dropped at the intrusion. I faced my landlord. He was a short, stout man with thinning copper coloured hair who loved money probably more than his life.

"Jiggy, good evening." I smiled at him tightly.

"Hope you ain't gonna delay your rent for next month again?" He eyed me and I shook my head.

"I promise to pay on time, good night jiggy." I quickly picked my keys and unlocked the door and entered.

It was embarrassing but it was the truth. I had barely been able to pay rent for my shabby apartment this month. I hadn't. My parents had stepped in to settle the bills.

This job just had to give.

Tiredly, I changed from my work clothes to pyjamas and went straight to bed. That night, I dreamt about the past, the good and the bad.

***

"Ophelia, Mary was just here, she needs you in the blue boardroom."

"Oh did she say why?" I asked and Joanne shook her head.

"Alright," I changed my course from my chair to the blue boardroom. It had been two days since my first day and today marked the official press release of Dieter and Leona signing and handing over their company to Illston tech. The media was probably on fire at the moment.

I walked into the boardroom and saw Mary and a blonde-haired woman I'd seen around both seated.

"Ah, Ophelia you are finally here," Mary smiled. I smiled back at her and placed myself on the seat opposite Mary with only the long table separating us.

"I'm sorry if I wasted your time."

"Oh no it's okay," she waved it off, "I'm not sure if you two have met since I didn't have to opportunity to do a general introduction but this is Heather Jack and she's also new to the department."

"Nice to meet you, Heather," I smiled at her which she reciprocated.

"I have news for you two but it seems the new CEO is already here," She stood up, "Good morning Mr Illston."

Heather stood up as well and I followed suit, not fully prepared to face the man I'd hated for the longest time.

The laptop and TV screens hadn't exaggerated his appearance. He'd always been good looking but he looked even better now. The years may have added to his height or perhaps it was just his new aura. His dark brown hair and eyes were always two shades apart; it was still so. He must have been visiting the gym regularly over the years too, I noticed. His eyes were unguarded for a few seconds and I saw the confusion and shock, naked as day.

Yes, fate toyed with us both.

My gaze didn't linger. I retook my seat and awaited the pending information like my heart wasn't racing.

"Good morning," his voice was still as deep and smooth, "Is this about the reevaluation?"

"No sir, these are the new employees from my department, Miss Ophelia Duhamels and Miss Heather Jack." She dropped some files in front of him as she spoke.

I spared him a glance.

"I along with HR yesterday decided they can temporarily work with you, as the PAs you require per se," Mary paused when my head raised, "Mr Illston will need assistance sorting through everything here and for now, we cannot afford to hire more staff at the moment. You are both new but I don't doubt your abilities at all. Plus I noticed you both have minors in computer science which will be very helpful." She smiled, the impact of her words to me, unknown to her.

Was I jinxed by the universe?

"Is that okay with you sir?" She asked and he nodded while looking through the files Mary dropped, "is it okay with you two?" Mary turned to us.

"It is I guess," Heather said and without much of a choice, I nodded. Fuck me.

"It's all good and settled then. We can discuss the rest of the details later," Mary stood up, "I'll leave now, goodbye sir."

"I need to use the restroom." Heather smiled apologetically.

"Of course and thank you, Mary." His deep voice sounded again.

In a bit of a haze, I watched as both ladies walked out of the room. Staring back at him, he was still gazing down at the files which I gathered were probably I and Heather's Resumes.

"Says here most of your working experience was in Seattle, why did you move back to New York?" His dark eyes lazily accessed me and I cleared my throat.

"Is this a second interview?"

"Maybe," He shrugged and leaned back. I hated him, I hated this.

"This is ridiculous," I muttered.

"It is isn't it? This job, this moment, everything. There's no need to waste time I'll let Mary know of your real disposition." He nodded and stood up.

"Wait, what? I need this- I didn't-" I quickly stood up as well then sighed, "due to some unforeseen, personal reasons, I had to move back here or must I share?"

"No."

"Thank you, sir." I smiled tightly.

"I'm back."

Heather walked back into the room smiling.

"Good, we can go, miss Duhamels the files please?"

I should just quit, walk out and hunt for another job for the next few months and have jiggy kick me out unto the streets.

I silently picked the files on the table and walked behind him. The elevator took us all to the highest floor of the building.

"What about the former CEOs PA sir?" Heather asked as we walked along the narrow hallway. We turned to the left and met with a wider hallway that had a set of four tables, two on either side opposing each other.

"She was fired about a month ago." He replied and Heather nodded, "you two can work here for now and I'll have the extra tables removed later." He stopped to open the white double doors that ended the wide hallway.

The office was wide, well furnished and possessed a great skyline view of the city and buildings nearby.

"A lot of records, sheets, software have to be reviewed again and I'll mostly be at meetings with the board of directors or at Illston tech but I believe you two can and will help me handle it all well?"

"Yes sir." Heather smiled.

"Good." He said, "Miss Jack you can start with gathering the files on app reviews and sales from the last two years from the marketing and sales team and I don't like the furniture, miss duhamels work on getting them completely changed. You can have the extra tables outside removed as well."

"Okay sir," Heather said then quickly left the room.

"Miss Duhamels, is there a problem?" He slowly turned to face me, where I still stood.

"Yes, I don't know a single thing about interior design or decorating." I protested indignantly. One dark brow lifted in amusement before his features cooled and his face went blank.

"You are my PA now. Your job is to assist me but if you can't do that, you may as well leave now." His lips were straight but his eyes were no longer blank. Rather, they seemed hopeful. Hopeful that I would leave. I wish I could too.

"Of course you'd want me to leave." I laughed without passion.

"Ophelia—"

"How soon should I have the furniture changed then?" My smile was shallow.

"Friday." He stood straighter.

"That's in two days."

"Well, you should probably get to work now then."

I bit my inner cheek.

***