Chapter 1 THE MEETING

“Here goes nothing” I said to myself as I walked into Mason Realty, that cold afternoon.

I was tired from the long walk round the streets of Texas city looking for the position of a secretary, Mason Realty was going to be the last company I was going to try out in Bunyard street before I retire for the day.

I entered into the office and headed towards the receptionist,

“Hello, I’m Melanie Adams, I’d like to inquire if there is vacancy for the position of a secretary here”

“Hi, I’m Sarah, sorry there are no vacancies, but you can drop your application, and I’d call you if there is a need for one” she replied nicely, that’s the nicest response I’ve gotten from a receptionist all day.

I submitted the necessary credentials, and left, silently praying the current secretary was going to be relieved of her job today, I know that’s an evil prayer, but really, a girl can hope.

I decided to take the long walk home since I didn’t have any money left on me to take the bus.

I regretted that afterwards, just when I was close to my apartment, a guy snatched my bag and ran across the street, I raced after him without watching the road, I was almost knocked down by an upcoming vehicle, but I swiftly turned around, and with so much force, I bumped into the side mirror and sent it crashing on the ground.

Just then I remembered my bag was empty and there was no need running after the thief, and now I was in trouble.

I looked at the car, it was a nice looking black car, I didn’t know much about cars, but this looked expensive.

I made a silent prayer that the car owner was nice and would let me go.

I stood still, sweating in the cold breeze as the car owner alighted from his car, I made a quick calculation, he was tall, cute, in an expensive looking suit, must be in his early 30’s, and he wasn’t smiling, this is bad.

‘Good morn, no sorry, afternoon sir, I’m so sorry about the damage, I was robbed and was going after the thief and and, I’m so sorry, (I made a quick calculation in my head, all I had was 20 thousand dollars in the bank), I could pay you 10 thousand dollars to have it fixed’ I concluded and realized I was saying rubbish.

“10 thousand dollars, do you realize what model this car is?

This is a 2021 Lexus RX 350, and replacement for that mirror costs 479 dollars”

I’m dead, I said in my head

The next thing I realized, he had taken a photograph of me with his phone, he then pointed his card to me, "Take this, call me 10am tomorrow so we can talk about this damage you have done"

With that, he got back into his car and zoomed off.

I entered into my small apartment, feeling sorry for myself, the little hunger I felt earlier had vanished and replaced itself with worry, 'what do I do?'

'How do I get out of this mess?'

I woke up to the ring of my phone, who was calling me at this time of the morning?

I looked at the small clock on my table, 8:00am, how did I over sleep?

I was supposed to be up, roaming the streets looking for a job.

The ring of the phone brought me back from my thoughts, I quickly picked up the phone, 'Hello am I speaking with Melanie Adams?' the caller said.

"Yes, this is her, how may I be of help?"

"Apparently, my boss sacked his PA and we are looking for a quick replacement, can you come into the office in an hour time for an interview?"

"Yes, I’d be there"

"Alright, I’d be expecting you at Mason Realty an hour from now, don’t be late" and with that, she hung up.

I jumped off the bed and flew into the bathroom, in exactly 52 minutes after the call, I was at the reception.

"Hello Sarah, thank you for calling me" I said to the receptionist I met yesterday

"Hello Melanie, I’m glad you could make it, the boss would interview you himself, take the elevator over there, to the 5th floor, the first door you see as soon as you are out of the elevator, you can't miss it, good luck, and be yourself"

"Thank you Sarah" I flashed her a smile as I dashed towards the elevator

I stood outside the door of the office, calming myself down, trying to breathe normally, just when I was about to knock, the door came open.

“Are you coming in or you are going to stand there all day?” that voice was too familiar to miss it, the voice sent chills down my spine.

I looked up and our eyes locked, I was in trouble, before me stood the man from yesterday, the cute man I had bashed his car’s side mirror the previous day.

His face could tell he recognized me too, how could he not, the debt from yesterday was too large for him to forget my face.

“I said call me by 10 not come to my office at 9” he said with a look of irritation

“I didn’t come for the damage of yesterday, in fact I didn’t even know you owned this place, I haven’t even look at the card you gave me yesterday to note that the you were the boss here, if not I won’t even have come here” I said feeling the need to be all defensive.

“Hmmm, why are you here then?” it was obvious he couldn’t wait to get rid of me

“I came up here for a job interview, I was told you needed a PA, but it’s quite obvious you won’t employ me, so let’s just go over how you want me to pay for the damages I made to your car yesterday” I was annoyed already.

“it’s quite obvious you can’t pay, take a look at yourself, cheap worn out suit, poor shoes, faded earrings, a wristwatch that’s not functioning, I looked at your CV, you’ve got good results, a considerably average but good school, hmm what else, no experience, well I’d employ you and keep removing a percentage from it for the car’s damage, but if you are unable to deliver and I sack you, we’ll renegotiate on how you will pay back the debt you owe me, the next door belongs to my secretary, she’ll tell you all you need to get started.”

What confidence this man has, who does he think he is? How dare him talk to me the way he just did?

“I’m not taking the job” I said so annoyed I was sure I’d burst into tears any time soon.

He sat on his chair with a smile on his face, that smile said all the evilness in that one man.

I walked out of the office, held my tears in the elevator, and was contemplating what I was going to say to Sarah when I got to the front desk, luckily for me, she wasn’t on her desk, so I raced out to the streets, waiting till I got to my apartment before I shed all the tears I was holding back.

I stood at the front of my apartment, I couldn’t believe what was before me. My luggage were outside and a big lock on the door. I knew what it meant, I was owing the rents, and I had gotten notice twice, but I didn’t expect this to happen so soon. What was I going to do?

I had no friend in the city, my dad was late, my mom remarried and I’d rather not call her, my step dad was an annoyingly proud man I didn’t want to have anything to do with him.

I was alone in Texas.

I sat on my bags thinking of what to do, after hours of thinking and dozing off, I woke up to a dark sky and no solution to my problem.

Just as though everything was against me, even the heavens, the rain started pouring down, and I began to panic, no not now, I don’t want any panic attack, no no, not now.

I buried my head in my palms and the rain stopped touching me, I looked up and saw an umbrella over me,

“What are you doing here? Please go away” I said to him, what did he want from me, he had put me in a debt, insulted me this morning in his office, and now he was here with an umbrella, what did he want from me?

“Get into the car, let me drive you to a hotel” I wasn’t ready to tell him I couldn’t afford a hotel, if I could I’d have done that before the night met me here, so I just ignored him and buried my head into my bags.

His next move was unexpected, he dropped his umbrella and carried me on his shoulders, why was I slender and lightweight?

“Put me down, I’m fine where I am, this is abuse, put me down now” he wasn’t listening, instead he put me inside the car and locked the doors, his driver got out of the car and loaded the trunk with my belongings.

“You are kidnapping me, this is wrong, let me go” I was burning with anger

“Shut up, you are too loud” he said as if he was doing the right thing.

How did he even know my house (oh yeah he had ran a background check on me), how did he know I was in trouble, what if he was the trouble, what if I was really being kidnapped, oh no

“let me go’ I was screaming loudly now “open the door, I need to get out of this car, my boyfriend is coming to pick me up, if you take me away he will know I’m in danger and call the police and you will…” before I could complete the nonsense I was spitting out, he kissed me.