Her Assistant

Aveline Andruzzi 1

"This is your last chance, Brad. I am not going to repeat myself. I don't care how you're going to get me the deal. I just know one thing and that is you're going to get me the fucking deal." I hung up the phone without listening to his stuttering.

I heard a knock on my door so I turned on the intercom and told them to come in.

My secretary opened the door and came in, "Ma'am can I talk to you for a few minutes?" she asked nervously. She is working for me for almost 6 years but she's still a nervous wreck. People are nervous around me, because I fucking made me that way. And I fucking love it.

I looked at my watch, "Yeah, take a seat." I said without looking up, still typing on my laptop.

She quickly took a seat and blurted out "Actually ma'am, I have to move to Florida."

I chuckled, "Aaliyah, this is not the time for jokes."

"I- I am serious ma'am," She said in a quiet voice. The voice forced me to finally look at her. And, she was being serious. To anyone else, she must have looked the same as every day. But I saw it all, she had little bags under her eyes that were concealed with concealer but I saw through it.

Still, it were her eyes that gave her away- they had a defeated look in them, she looked lost and sad. I closed my laptop and sighed.

"Is everything alright? Why do you have to suddenly move? Is someone at my company bothering you?" I asked getting angry at even the thought of someone harassing my employees.

Her eyes widened, "No! No ma'am, I actually really enjoy working for you and this company. I just- my mother is really sick and she lives in Florida, doctors have very low hope they were saying something about an operation and your job pays really well but the operation is really costly. We have some land there, so I have to go and sell it, and be with my mother I don't have anyone else besides her." She said with a small sad smile.

She continued, "I am so sorry ma'am for my sudden resignation-"

I stopped her rambling with a smile, "It's fine, Aaliyah. I am sorry to hear about your mother and don't worry about the job. Go spend time with your mother, family is important. When do you have to leave?" I asked to get an idea about how much time I have to find a new secretary.

She smiled softly "Monday ma'am, I have a flight at 10 a.m."

I nodded my head, "You've been a real asset to this company, Aaliyah. Take care, I hope your mother gets well soon."

"Thank you, ma'am. Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something else too," she said nervously.

I nodded "Go on."

"Well, I know my leaving would create a problem, and it'll take a little more time to find a new secretary as I am suddenly leaving without any heads up," she said guiltily.

"For god's sake Aaliyah, stop feeling guilty. I know family is important. If you wouldn't have gone, then it must have bothered me." I rolled my eyes.

She chuckled a little, "Okay okay I am sorry ma'am but I just wanted to tell you that my cousin, has his degree in business, and he knows my work because we practically live together, so it'll be easier for you, because you don't have to find another person to fulfil my position, and he already knows my job, the rest- I can teach him, you can interview him on Monday. And then see if he deserves it or not."

I thought about it for a moment, it will be a lot easier as she said her cousin already knows the job and because holding interviews all day would be time-consuming, I'll just interview him and see if he's even capable of this job. If not then I'll inform the HR and they'll conduct the interviews.

"Okay, Aaliyah, if you're recommending, I'll see him on Monday." I smiled.

She smiled so big and nodded excitedly, "Oh! Thank you, ma'am! I'll let him know." She said and left.

Well, one less thing to worry about.

I opened my laptop again and begin to work. I have some new projects in mind. And then there's the Opening of our new hotel in Paris next month. I made a mental note to call my stylist. The buzzer of the intercom alerted me, I pressed the button. "Ma'am your 4 p.m. meeting will start in 10 minutes." Aaliyah reminded me.

"Thanks, Aaliyah," I said and pressed the button again.

I sighed and stood up. I walked towards the glass window and looked down at the people bustling here and there, at the busy lives of people, busy but still somewhat normal. And it somehow reminded me of the things I could never have. The normal things.

I rolled my eyes and walked towards the meeting room.

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