She stood there fuming like hell and it explained what the sages meant when they said hell hath no fury like a woman’s scorn.
“Are you sitting or not?,” he went on to ask her
“I prefer to stand,” Claire said hatefully glaring at him.
Tristan Jenkins scoffed and muttered something under his breath and looked through the file in his hand. She could not believe he had just dished her aside. She really wanted to say something but for some reasons, she was tongue tied. She was supposed to tell how she felt like and what it was that bothered her. He had called her the very devil and right now she wanted to tell him how very much he bore semblance to the traits of the devil himself. Now he had overlooked her and was looking at whatever it was that had his attention. Claire did not know whether or not she had been dismissed.
While she battled with her thoughts, he was sitting there smiling within that he had her tongue tied as well as mesmerized. What was there not to hold her captive; he was a very dashing man and he heard they likened him to the comparison of Apollo only that he had raven black hair. It was tough for women to get past him without wetting their underneath. That was obviously the hold he had on Claire or so he believed. He convinced himself that was it as she could not even speak not less defend herself. He thought she had a quick tongue but now she was saying nothing. He most certainly was the boss. He had not expected to see her at work that morning and was shocked when he caught a glimpse of her limping back to the closet. He called Danielle and demanded to know if Claire was in the premises. The girl confirmed his fears and wanted to defend herself as having no part in Claire being there that morning.
He suddenly felt worried and angry but tried to understand it as something relating to work ethics and what people would say. He could not begin to imagine what reputation would be deducted from his five star restaurants all across the country when they discover he let a badly injured employee work. He demanded that Claire be called for and went to his office to fish out her file. Perhaps if he finishes with taunting her and that goes down well, he would then have other things they needed to do.
Now as he looked at the file and at her through the corner of his eyes, he could tell she was vexed or nervous. It had to be nervousness as women do not get vexed at him. Even if they did, it went away with time and that explained Claire’s situation. For a moment or there about, he had her in that position waiting for the accurate time to cut her short. Eventually his wait paid off. Probably Claire was even more predictable than the silly actress he had been playing with at the moment.
“Sir I…,” she began when he cut her off
“How’s your file nearly empty Miss Willows?,” he asked her suddenly looking up at her.
The way he had looked up shocked her that she found herself swallowing saliva from an obviously dried throat. She needed to find herself immediately least she makes bigger spectacle of herself.
“Empty?,” Claire asked confused
“Yes. Nearly empty though. No records. No passports. Absolutely nothing,” he said to her.
At the mention of a record, Claire flinched that she hoped it was not visible. She could not begin to think of what it would be like should he ask for the impossible. That would be her selling herself short and he would certainly make jest of her before tossing her into the street. She decided to come up with a defense and should he push for records, she would quit immediately.
“Sir I recently moved to Norman. I have none of it really,” she said
“Not even a passport photo?,” he asked her
“None sir.” Claire said.
The man thought for a while. When he spoke again, she was more than relieved.
“I understand the no records stuff after all, you’re merely a dish washer. However, the passport bit we cannot ignore. We need your face here missy.” he said pointing at the blank space for a passport on the file.
At least she would not have to quit.
“I’ll see to that sir.” Claire said
“No such thing as you would. Matter of fact, we go now to get that settled,” Tristan said to her.
Claire was marvelled and it should show on her face what great relief she felt. She began thanking him but he cut her short with a brush of his hand. He picked up his phone and called Alfredo to know if where the man was. Alfredo explained he was nearby and Tristan demanded he shows up at the restaurant. He was silent for a while as he listened to the old man speak before chipping in words.
“And do make sure you find a discreet place I could get a passport.” he said.
Claire could still not understand the reason for all the discreet stuff. He was a celebrity for crying out loud. Was that not like the best life one could offer to themselves. She reckoned how those of them that wear beneath the popular ones were made to live as a shadow of themselves. They could not eat, learn or speak in peace. Someone like her that was picked on by nearly everyone had the worst situation from everyone. Popular and unpopular alike. They all picked on her making her life a living hell as it were back then. She could remember how she made conclusion that she would never measure up as there was nothing popular about her. She was just a dumb blonde with no thoughts. She looked at her boss now and realized she had not really said thanks to him.
“Thank you so much sir,” Claire said
“Do you still prefer to stand or would you sit now? Alfredo would likely take a while to get here.” he said totally not acknowledging her being thankful.
Such an arrogant jerk with no thoughts at all. She glared at him for a while and then decided to use her number six. Certainly Alfredo would take a while as he had asked that he seeks out a place where they would be taking the passport. Claire walked over to take one of the seats opposite of him and sat down. She continued staring at him like he was some kind of person that arrived from another planet. The man would not even spare her a single glance as he made to focus on the workload on his desk. It was like he was trying to show her what busy people do with their time and she was beginning to feel rather stupid. He was winning. Infact, he had won already. Claire observed the handsome man before her and quickly forced herself to snap out of it. How on earth could she think about him as handsome at this very moment. Something certainly was going loose in her head. He got up, replaced files and all that. The typical busy working class man and she the dumb dish washer. She still found it hard to believe he had eventually cornered her into saying nothing totally.
He was enjoying it all. The air of dominance and feeling like he was some sort of alpha. He felt her gaze on him all along and intentionally continued moving around like he was suddenly too focused. He had proven his class and now was time to seal it in her brain. He was enjoying his game until she suddenly looked away at the man on the poster in his office. He wanted her to keep watching him alone and no one else. Tristan had no idea on how he was going to recall her to get her attention. The woman was simply stubborn no doubt and he had to accept her that way. Accept her? Like he cared about her really. He came back to sit and then cleared his throat.
“Why risk coming to work today respite your wound Miss Willows?,” he suddenly asked her and she looked at him.
She obviously had nothing to say as she kept opening and closing her mouth. Now he had her looking at him, he cared less about her answer which came out slowly. She said she just enjoyed the job especially as she gets to see the cook do his thing. Tristan smiled, she certainly was referring to him and how he had manned the kitchen to an extent she lost herself and broke a plate. He reminded her of the deduction from her salary and Claire said she certainly does remember. However she went on to apologize. She was still talking when Alfredo called to say he was outside.
“That would be all Miss Willows. We go outside now,” he said as he rose up
“Yes sir.” Claire ventured simply.
Curse her luck that day. She could not even avenge or properly lash out at him for being such a junkie. They walked out with her following like a puppy and him, the one and only celebrity lord. She noticed no one raised a phone nor attempt to steal a picture. Possibly he really had taken care of the previous day’s happening. There was something wantonly scary about this man and Claire hoped it was not all bad.