Chapter 6 Elliot

Chapter 6 Elliot
Elliot’s POV
I slammed the door of my car harder than I should’ve. My head was pounding and I was furious. 
The third private investigator I had hired to find Vanessa just quit. The freaking third goddamn professional!
All of them gave up, one after the other, telling me the same thing. Vanessa Hayes had disappeared without a trace; there was no paper trail, no bank records, no sightings; Nothing!
She had fucking disappeared without a trace along with my baby four years ago. 
I took the elevator from the basement to the ground floor lobby and walked toward the private executive elevator. Everyone in this building knew it was strictly for me and no one else dared step foot inside unless they wanted to be fired on the spot.
I pressed the button with a little too much force and waited, jaw tight.
The doctor’s words still rang in my head.
"She is pregnant, Mr. Hayes. She was pregnant when she left." I hadn’t slept properly since hearing that.
She was pregnant and never told me. I had spent four years hating her and trying to forget her, but now… now I just wanted answers. Where was she? Where was my child?
At first I was angry she cheated thinking she wouldn't last long before she crawled back asking for money to survive but that was not the case; Vanessa went ghost and the thought of how I discarded her pricked me every single day. 
The elevator dinged, and the doors slid open. I stepped forward, then froze; there was someone already inside.
I stared at the woman; She was tall and slim, with short  blonde hair that framed her face perfectly. 
Her blue eyes turned toward me immediately and she looked nervous. Her skin had a soft olive tone, and she wore a fitted black dress with a cream blazer over it. She was beautiful; extremely striking but that wasn’t why I kept staring.
She was in my elevator. No one got into this elevator unless they had a death wish or no idea who I was.
I stepped in slowly, my eyes still on her.
“What are you doing here?” I asked coldly. 
She flinched slightly. “I… I’m here for an interview…Secretary interview.”
Secretary.
I almost laughed out loud. Another one? Another fool that would last three weeks, maybe less. Looking at her pretty face I’ll give this one two days before she quits.
“I see,” I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “Another applicant.”
She nodded quickly and looked down at her hands. They were clasped tightly in front of her. She was nervous. Good.
She should be. No one has been able to do that job right since Vanessa.
No one had done it like her.
She had been perfect, organized, fast, knew my moods before I did, never complained and never forgot anything.
I shut down the thought fast; I shouldn’t think about her. 
The elevator doors opened again, and I stepped out first. The woman followed me quickly, her heels tapping softly behind me.
“Mr. Hayes!” My CFO, Ronald, rushed up to me, looking flustered. “The meeting with the investors has been moved up. It’s happening now at Conference Room B.”
“What?” I asked bewildered.
“I’m sorry, they just arrived and everyone’s waiting.”
“Why the fuck didn’t anyone tell me?” I barked.
“You don’t have a secretary, sir.” Ronald said looking guilty and even I couldn’t reach you.
Of course I didn’t because no one lasted and they were all useless.
I ran a hand through my hair, trying to steady myself.
I turned around to face the applicant.
“What’s your name?” I asked her sharply.
She blinked, startled by the sudden question. “N…Nessa Adams.”
I stared at her for a moment. That name scratched at something in the back of my mind but I brushed it off.
“Can you handle minutes for a meeting?” I asked.
Her face lit up instantly, like a switch had been turned on. She looked confident. 
“Yes, I can,” she said quickly. “I’ve done it for years.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Good; that’s your interview.”
She blinked again. “I’m sorry?”
“You heard me,” I said, already walking toward the conference room. “Let’s see if you can actually work. If you mess this up, don’t bother coming back tomorrow.”



Two hours later the meeting ended and my temporary secretary had brought me a detailed report of the meeting which I opened without expecting much. 
Inside was the full report from the meeting typed, printed, and already arranged in perfect sections. It was very detailed and even action items were broken down in order of priority. 
My eyebrows furrowed as I flipped through the pages again. This wasn’t beginner’s work, it was brilliant. 
I leaned back slowly, holding the pages in one hand, stunned.
She had also been brilliant during the meeting; she had slid a tiny note across the table to me when she noticed a discrepancy. I was in the middle of speaking, but I noticed her hesitation as she waited for the right time to slip the paper under my fingers. I'd barely glanced at her, taken the note, and read it with a frown.
Looking at the report and the note again… I realized she had saved the company money and how sharp she was. Most people in that room hadn’t even noticed that slip but she did.
And she’d done it within two hours of walking into my company.
Can I have your resume? I asked and she handed me the folder.

I reached for it and our hands touched briefly. I jerked as shock ran up my arm. I looked at her again, properly this time and my chest tightened. Her long lashes blinked slowly as she tried not to stare. Her expression was calm, but I could tell she was watching me, too.
I got that feeling again. That strange, unexplainable feeling I got earlier at the elevator.
I quickly took the file trying so hard to ignore it and flipped it. 
“Can you start immediately?” I asked.
She blinked. “Sir?”
“You heard me,” I said, crossing my arms loosely. “You're hired as my secretary.”
Her face lit up for just a second and she smiled. “Thank you, Mr. Hayes. I’ll do my best.”
“I expect nothing less,” I muttered, my throat feeling dry.
“One more thing.”
“Yes?” she paused, facing me.
“You did a very good job today.” I said
There was a slight change in her expression, but it was concealed quickly and she smiled again. “Thank you.”
I nodded once and waved her off. She turned, walked to the door, and left quietly. 
As soon as the door clicked shut, I stared at the folder on my desk. Efficient and smart.
I had said the same thing once about Vanessa. I sat down slowly and opened her file again.
“Nessa Adams,” I muttered to myself.
I still couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d seen her before.