1.

HE couldn’t take his eyes off of them.
They looked so happy, something he wasn’t.
Sure, he was at least ten times richer than they were, but they were the ones laughing and smiling at that moment. Not him.
Allen’s dark eyes were practically glued to the couple eating a simple meal in the restaurant across from his company. They ordered very little, and he was certain that it was not enough to satisfy two grown adults. But they didn’t seem to mind. The man fed the lady, and he did not miss the sparkle in her eyes as they met his.
Allen wondered what it was like to have someone look at you with that much excitement and love. Usually, women looked at him with lust and want. They either wanted to sleep with him or use him for his money, or both. The strange thing was he didn’t seem to mind. He liked releasing some of his stress from work through sex with his numerous lovers. Then he would tell them to leave and he would spend the rest of his day in solitude, and that was the part he enjoyed the most. He didn’t like spending time with anyone but himself, because no one in this world had ever understood him like himself.
But that was obviously not the case with the couple he was still unable to tear his eyes away from. He could see the appreciation and happiness that radiated off of both of them from where he stood. A part of him wondered what it was like to actually be happy with someone. To be content.
There was a weird sensation swimming around his chest, and he could only identify it as loneliness. This wasn’t the first time he had seen a happy couple. He knew there were thousands, if not millions, of people like them, and he never felt this way. So why now? Why did he want what they had when he could get anything he wanted with his money?
Maybe it was because he knew that money could not buy happiness, not to speak of contentment.
A loud ringing noise infiltrated his ears like a needle through a cloth. Finally, he tore his eyes off the oblivious couple and looked at his phone. It was an alarm. He was supposed to conduct his interview for a new assistant. And that was another aspect of his life he seemed to be lacking in.
It felt as though he was cursed or something. His assistants never lasted long; either they were lazy and ineffective, too slow, or they wanted a sexual relationship with him. But the most appalling part was that there were a few good ones, but they never stuck around long enough. They would always quit a month later, or even less. He never understood why.
Slowly, he ran his large veiny hands through his ginger hair and walked away from the floor-to-ceiling glass wall. He strolled across his large, crystal white office and towards his desk. He grabbed his midnight black blazer lying atop his leather chair and slipped into it with ease. He adjusted the collar of his crisp white shirt before settling into his seat. He was so glad he didn’t wear a tie, he liked having the first three buttons of his shirt undone. He sent a quick message to security to let the prospects in.
As he waited for the first one to arrive, he went over her file.
Anna Woods.
Why did that name sound so familiar to him? Quickly, he flipped her file open. The first thing to catch his eyes was her photograph. Specifically, her crystal blue eyes. They were the most striking and clear pair he had ever seen. It almost reminded him of the ocean. But he had to remind himself that it could have easily been photoshopped. That was what a lot of people did these days. Especially those seeking job interviews. Then when they arrived for the interview, especially the ladies, they would cover themselves with layers upon layers of make-up.
No, Allen would not be fooled. He had been through this process several times anyway. He went through the rest of her file, and her resume was quite impressive. It was simple but also attractive, not to mention she had all the necessary requirements.
When a knock came from his door, Allen tore his eyes away from her file. He cleared his throat before saying, “Come in.” His eyes went back to the file as he listened to the door open and shut. His office was suddenly filled with the sweet scent of vanilla, and he could not have been more than happy. Most of his applicants were occasionally good but lacked personal hygiene.
“Good afternoon,” came a smooth, silky voice. It slipped into his ear like a gentle wind and left a comforting sensation in his troubled heart.
Despite that, he did not look up. He kept his eyes trained on her file before glancing towards his phone. He started the timer for the interview and gestured towards the seat situated in front of his desk. “Have a seat.” He said, and she kindly obliged. He could hear her shuffling around, and it did not take him long to realize that she was already seated.
That was when he met her eyes.
He was frozen.
The photograph was not photoshopped. As a matter of fact, if there was an opposite to photoshopping, then that was exactly what Anna Woods had done, because that picture served her no justice. It was as though he was staring at an angel.
Her ocean-like eyes pierced into his, putting him under a spell he didn’t want to break away from. Her dark hair was bobbed, and her face reminded him of a ball. It was so round and perfect, her nose was straight and her cheekbones were prominent. But what stole his breath were her baby pink lips. They glistened under the light and could captivate anyone from both genders. Her lip gloss was the only form of make-up on her face. Everything else about her was natural.
Allen did not fail to notice her shift in her seat, and it was then he realized he had been staring.
Shit.
He cleared his throat before regaining his composure. Allen switched his demeanor to a more professional one. Deep down, he was ashamed that he had let his guard down. He was not one to stare at anyone, but this woman, Anna, had completely taken him off guard.
“Welcome to McArthur’s, Anna. As you know, this company deals with real estate, home appliances, and furniture. I have read your resume and I am quite impressed, but I would like you to tell me more about yourself,” he said, all this in a business tone. Not once giving off a hint of emotion, he was unreadable as always.
Anna’s lips lifted a bit; her smile was nervous but also excited. She played with the hem of her black skirt and her white shirt felt tighter even though it was perfectly fitted. She did not fail to notice the way Allen’s eyes slid to her cleavage and she wished she hadn’t left her first three buttons undone. But she made sure to keep her eyes on him. Even though it was rather difficult to do so. His gaze was so intimidating to her, it felt as though she was transparent and he could see right through her. It was like he was looking at her past, her future, the truth, her lies and sins, as if he could see it all. But that would just be crazy, wouldn’t it?
“Well, I am twenty-six years old, like it was stated in my resume. I grew up in Texas, but I moved here in search of a fresh start,” she said simply. She wondered if he wanted to know stuff like her favourite color and dream car, but that wasn’t the type of thing discussed in interviews, now was it?
“How did you hear about this position?” He asked, dropping the file in his hand and placing it on the table. His eyes were solely on her now. She felt uncomfortable under his gaze, but in a good way. It just made her uneasy and nervous. That was the last thing she wanted. She had been building her confidence for this moment, but just one look from him and all that training was tossed out the window. Who exactly was this man?
“I went through your company’s website and found that you were looking for an assistant,” was her answer, and he nodded.
“But why my company? That sounds way too much to be a coincidence,” he said, and Anna had to blink several times to make sure she was seeing properly. He appeared to be smirking, but it was so faint it was almost unnoticeable.
A blush crept up Anna’s cheeks, and she averted her eyes for a brief moment. Her words rushed out of her mouth so fast she almost thought he wouldn’t understand her. “I saw your picture in a magazine and decided to look you up.”
There was a brief pause, and the silence was deafening. Anna felt as though her heart was about to burst out of her chest with the way it was pounding against its walls.
“Why should I hire you, Anna?” was his question, and he could tell she was in deep thought. This was the part that actually surprised him. Most prospects would confidently answer this question because it is very common.
“To be honest, it depends on you. I don’t know what the future holds because sometimes I can be quite clumsy, and at times I lose track of time. I can be quite temperamental too, and I probably shouldn’t even be saying this.. ” She sighed at the end of her sentence, and Allen had to admit, he was rather amused. She was a fast talker, but she was also honest. Her small hand went up to her head to massage the crease between her eyebrows, and she met his eyes once again. Her voice was calm and determined when she said, “But I won’t let that get in the way of my duties to your company. I will do my best to make sure you and I work well together and I will be the best assistant you have ever had.” She plastered a rather bright smile on her face, and it was contagious.
Not many things were capable of making him smile.
“Alright, you can go. You will receive an email later this evening informing you if you were accepted or not,” Allen said, desperately wanting to take his eyes off her, but that was basically impossible. He did not fail to notice the way her shoulders slumped and her expression fell.
It hurt him. But why?
She probably thought she wasn’t getting the job, but what she didn’t know was that Allen had already made his decision, and he still had two more applicants left. A part of him wanted to call off the interview, but it wouldn’t be fair to the other two applicants. No, even if he already wanted Anna as his assistant, he should at least give the others a chance.
He watched Anna rise from her leather seat and walk towards the door. But just before she left him, she turned her back and said, “I hope you have a good day, Mr. McArthur.”
With that said, she left him.
A question hovered in his mind; wasn’t he the one supposed to tell her that?
Thank you for reading.