I giggle in embarrassment. If I do say yes to this job, I need to be on time. This was a whole new different lifestyle and I had to fit in quickly. Tardiness wasn’t going to be forgiven here. Bernard opens a glass door leading to a huge office and ushers me to enter. The woman who had been lounging on the chair inside the office, straightens her spine quickly and rises to her feet just as swiftly. She looks at Bernard then at me and smiles. I almost sighed in relief. This was the first warm smile I received from someone other than Bernard in here.
“This must be Sophie?” The woman asked, politely jutting out her hand for me to shake.
My eyes fall to her name tag, this time not wanting to embarrass myself by saying the wrong name.
Alice.
I quickly take her hand in mine and received a firm shake from her. I smiled.
Alice looked to be in her thirties and had the shiniest black hair I had ever seen. It was a short bob haircut with the ends tickling her jawline. It went well with her small face and green eyes.
I was almost jealous of how good she looked. While I looked like a blob of poop compared to her.
“My name is Alice, it’s so nice to finally meet you, Sophie. Mr. Beckam has said nothing but good things about you. He praises you actually.” She flashes Bernard and me a grin.
“Alice you know how I hate when you call me by my surname. Bernard is just fine. We’ve known each other for ten years.” Bernard puffed out a heavy breath and walks around what I pre sume was his desk. It’s littered with papers.
“This man will have me ending up insane with the amount of paperwork he has me going through so early.” Bernard groaned, shifting through the papers and attempting to make his desk look neater.
aan
I gave Alice a confused look which she answered with an amused smile.” The CEO is hell bent on making everyone work hard for the amount of money he pays us’. Or so as he puts it.”
Poor Bernard.
He looks up from his endless paperwork and grins at me in embarrassment. “Sorry for the mess Sophie. I had the time to clean it up but I was too busy looking out the glass to remember.”
“I told you to do it remember? But who was the one who said he had enough time to clean up before Sophie gets here?” Alice whips while crossing her arms.
I giggled.
Bernard looks flushed as he was put on the spot. “If I have you two teaming up against me I’ll be finished. It’s a good thing you’re leaving Alice.” He joked.
He then drops his eyes to the desk and then hummed. “I think my PA should be done with printing out the contract. I’ll call her now.”
His fingers inch closer to the phone when a light knock came from the door. Bernard lifts his gaze to the door. “Ahh must be her.”
Bernard calls out. “Come in.”
It clicks open a second after and in walks a young woman with flaxseed colored hair. She looked to be a little bit older than me and if I were to guess, I’d say she was twenty five or twenty six.
Her eyes scan over me and she smiles politely before scurrying over to Bernard and handed him a dark blue file. “Here Mr. Beckam. The contract is ready.”
Bernard nods, prying the file from her hands. “Thank you Lisa.”
Lisa scurried out of the room before Bernard could even place the file on top of the messy desk.
He opens it and draws out a piece of paper. He scans over the words and nods. “Okay. This looks good enough.”
Lifting up his head, he nudges his chin to the chair in front of the desk. “Have a seat Sophie. Sorry I hadn’t told you to earlier.” He murmurs sheepishly.
I settle myself on the seat and Alice walks to the side of the desk. Bernard hands me the paper which I assume was the contract. “Read it thoroughly. If you agree to the terms you’ll sign at the bottom. I’m really hoping you would.”
I nodded and scan over the words. My eyes widen a bit at the amount of money he was will ing to pay me annually. “I-I thought you said a hundred thousand dollars annually and not one hundred and thirty thousand?” I asked confused.
If I was correct with my calculations, I’d be receiving ten thousand eight hundred and thirty three dollars every month,
This was way too much for someone who didn’t have a college degree.
Bernard nodded. “I did, didn’t I? But I’ve changed my mind. I believe you deserve this amount Sophie and Alice would show you everything you need to know.”
Alice spoke up. “I see potential in you just as Bernard sees in you. I’m willing to do my best to show you the ropes before I leave. If you agree to the terms and conditions, I can start showing you today.” She
smiled.
My eyes widen. Today?
Living on more than 10k a month sounds really good. I can afford to buy Ashton everything
he needs. I can buy a new car. Rent somewhere safer…..
I can do lots of things.
“Work days are usually Monday to Fridays from eight to four-thirty. Bernard mentioned that you have a son who’s in daycare?” Alice asked.
I nod.
She nods. “So we shifted around the times to make it more compatible for you. Work will end around three.”
I nodded, gnawing on my lips. There was absolutely nothing wrong with the contract. Every thing seems peachy and mindblowing to me still. So there was no reason for me to say no.
“So what do you say, Soph? Are you going to be my new secretary?” Bernard smiles’ at me brightly. This man was really going out of his way to help me.
I didn’t want to disappoint him by rejecting his offer.
“Do you happen to have a pen?” I smiled.
I’m going to give you that better life Ash bug, just you wait.
Sophie’s pov
As soon as I signed the contract, Alice was very excited to show me the ropes.
“You’re a natural.” Alice complimented me when I followed all her instructions without any trouble.
I grinned, thanking her.
The job wasn’t hard and I was sure I’d adapt to it very quickly.
The phone rang and Alice ushered me to answer it. She gave me a proud look the entire time Thad been on the phone.
Handing me the notepad, she had me write down the caller’s information and their purpose of calling
She grins brightly when I put the phone down. “You’re very good at this Sophie. I can see why Bernard’s been speaking so highly of you.”
I smiled.
“If you don’t mind me asking, I’ve noticed you’re quite young….. how old were you when you had your son?” Her question wasn’t annoying but it did catch me off guard.
It wasn’t the first time I have been asked this sort of question before. Mostly everyone had been skeptical of my age the moment they knew I had a child.
Society frowned upon young mothers, especially those who are teen moms.