classic

classic


After going through the documents, I felt dizzy, and my eyelids grew unbearably heavy. I tried to fight it, but nature always wins. My body betrayed me, and before I knew it, I fell asleep right there on the bed, my head sinking into the soft pillow.

The loud alarm from my phone jolted me awake. I shot up immediately, my heart racing, confusion swirling in my head until I remembered what day it was. My eyes widened. Today was Monday. That realization hit me like cold water. I grabbed my phone with trembling hands and checked the time. It was exactly seven o’clock in the morning.

A gasp tore from my throat. I jumped off the bed and ran straight into the bathroom. I turned on the shower, letting the cold water hit my skin as I scrubbed my body as fast as I could. My heartbeat refused to calm down. “God, I hope I am not late,” I whispered to myself anxiously. If I was, Diego was definitely going to be mad at me. Today was the very first day I was resuming my work. I was not supposed to be late. I had no idea how I allowed myself to sleep off like that. I should have set multiple alarms. I should have forced myself to stay awake.

As soon as I finished bathing, I rushed out dripping water, grabbed a towel, and dried myself quickly. I ran to the closet and grabbed a pair of white pants and a long sleeve top, then pulled a shorthand sweater over it. I slid my feet into a pair of low fashion shoes and hurriedly combed my hair. I straightened it a little and rubbed a bit of hair cream through it to tame the strands. After that, I grabbed the documents I had been reviewing last night, picked up my phone, and sprayed some perfume on my neck and wrists.

I rushed out of my room and into the sitting room, my mind still panicking, only to stop dead in my tracks when I saw Diego. He was already dressed in a perfect corporate suit, looking like a cover model from a billionaire magazine. Someone stood beside him, a young man who I guessed was his male secretary. Diego sat with one leg crossed over the other, staring down at his Rolex watch. There was no doubt he had been waiting for me. My heart skipped heavily in my chest because of how breathtaking he looked this morning. His hair was neatly combed, and his features were so perfect that I almost forgot how to breathe.

“Good morning sir,” I greeted softly as I walked closer. He raised his head slowly, his eyes cold and nonchalant, then he nodded.

“What is the time, and why are you waking up by this hour? Did you not see that we are waiting for you?” he asked sharply. I bit my lower lip hard and lowered my head in shame. I had no excuse. I did not even know he woke up so early. If I had known, I would have woken up long before him. I did not want to lose this job. I just forgot to set my alarm properly.

“I am sorry sir. It will never happen again,” I apologized quietly.

He did not respond. Instead, he stood up, and his male secretary stood up almost immediately after him. They began walking toward the exit, and I quickly followed them. No one needed to tell me to move. Once we stepped out of the mansion, I saw two cars already waiting outside. Both were sleek, expensive, and intimidating. As Diego got close to one, the bodyguard immediately opened the door for him. He entered the car smoothly, followed by his secretary.

I stood awkwardly at the front of the car, unsure if I was supposed to enter or wait until someone told me to. My palms were sweating, my heart pounding. It was not until Diego rolled down the car window and stared at me that I realized how foolish I must have looked.

“Are you just going to stand there all day?” he asked coldly.

Immediately, I rushed to the car and got in, accidentally slamming the door shut. My body pressed against the door from nervousness as the car began to move. The gate opened automatically, and we zoomed off into the morning drive.

After several minutes of silent driving, the car finally halted. I knew we had arrived at our destination. The security guards stepped forward and opened the doors for us. I got down and turned towards the building, and my jaw dropped instantly. My eyes widened in disbelief. For the first time in my life, I was standing in front of the Martin’s Company, a place I had heard about for years but never imagined I would come this close to. The building was massive, elegant, perfect. It felt like a dream. The Martin’s Company was the biggest company in the entire country, and now here I was, standing in front of it.

I waited for Diego, and when he began walking forward, I followed him by his side. The building towered above us, white, gigantic, designed with an architectural structure I had never seen before. Everything about it screamed money, power, and class. Now I understood why the company was so expensive, why everyone spoke about it with awe. And here I was, walking beside the CEO. It felt unreal.

The security guards sighted Diego approaching and immediately opened the huge glass door for him. For the first time in my life, I felt important. We walked inside, and my mouth refused to close. All eyes were on me. People stared openly, whispering among themselves. I knew they were wondering who I was and why I was walking beside Diego. But I did not care. I simply lowered my head slightly and followed him. The interior of the company was so large that anyone could easily get lost if they were not careful. The materials used to build the structure felt like something from the future. Everything was polished, sparkling, and breathtaking.

We walked for almost twenty minutes before entering an elevator. When it stopped, it made a soft ding sound and opened to reveal an office space that looked like a modern castle. Huge, elegant, and sophisticated. I immediately guessed this was Diego’s office. We stepped inside. He tossed his office bag over a classic couch and sat on his large office chair.

I remained silent, taking in every detail. The office was definitely built with millions of dollars. His name was placed on a carved board on the table. Documents were neatly arranged, and the marble floor shone so brightly that I could almost see my reflection. From the tall window behind his desk, you could see the city stretching out endlessly.

Then Diego turned to his secretary.

“Zion, please show her to her office. And make sure you send her some files to process and cross check. I want to test her abilities,” he commanded in a cold tone.

So this was his name. Zion.

“Okay sir,” Zion replied. Then he turned to me with a polite and warm smile. “Please let me show you to your office,” he said kindly.

I nodded, and we walked back to the elevator. We descended to the second floor. As we walked past the different sections of the building, I became even more amazed at how beautiful the company was. Some colleagues looked at me with curiosity, but I did not care. I came here for one thing. To work, make my money, and get out.

Finally, Zion stopped in front of a glass transparent office and pushed the door open. I stepped inside and froze. This was my office. It was beautiful. Neat, modern, and so comfortable.

Zion turned to me with another polite smile. “This is your office Lyla. I hope you like it,” he asked gently.

I nodded, smiling for the first time that morning. “Yes, I love it so much. Thank you,” I replied softly.

“Good to hear,” he said warmly.

I walked toward the office chair and caressed it with my fingers. To my surprise, my name was already carved on a small board placed on the table, just like Diego’s. I felt a strange spark of pride. Although my office was not as large as Diego’s, it was perfect to me. It made me feel renewed, important, valued. I pulled the office chair back and sat down gently. I rolled it a little, smiling wholeheartedly to myself. When I looked up, I caught Zion smiling as well.

“It seems you love the office so much,” he said softly.

I nodded. “Yes, I love it so much. It makes me feel brand new.”