75

75
“The new secretary?” Kendall asked in surprise. “Weren’t you supposed to start tomorrow?”

The girl blinked cluelessly. “I was? Oh, that’s so embarrassing. I’m so sorry, I had no idea!” Awkwardly clutching her bag, she started backing away. “I’ll c-come back tomorrow—"

“No, no, it’s okay,” Kendall gently said, holding out a hand. “Come on in.”

The girl hesitated. “Can I? I won’t get in trouble for coming early?”

“Of course not!” Kendall smiled, hoping to dispel the girl’s fears. She seemed incredibly nervous, and Kendall felt sorry for her.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“What’s your name again?”

“Judith,” she answered. “I’d love to say, ‘the name’s Judith, but friends call me Judy’. But I have no friends. So, it’s just Judith.”

Kendall blinked. Confused, she let out an awkward laugh. “I see!”

“Yeah,” Judith said, pushing up her glasses.

Sighing, Kendall took in the girl’s entire outfit, realizing that she’d really avoided any kind of office-themed clothing. She was dressed like she was going to a hippie book club. But at the same time, the way she was clutching the strap of her shoulder bag and glancing nervously around made Kendall feel sorry for her.

“It’s okay, Judith,” she kindly said. “I’m sure you’ll make friends here at Ashcroft.”

Speaking of friends, Kendall had to update Tanner, Georgia, and Sam on how she’d been reinstated. She hadn’t seen them since the night they’d gone out, although they’d texted each other a few times since.

“Did you make friends here?” Judith asked, snapping Kendall out of her thoughts.

“Hm? Oh, yeah. I did, and they’re great. It was a bit rocky at first because I’m the boss’s secretary, but now we’re cool.”

“You must be very popular,” Judith said, studying Kendall from head to toe. Her shrewd eyes noted all the expensive jewellery and the luxurious clothing.

She blinked. “Me? Oh, I don’t think so.”

“You’re a natural blonde.”

Kendall froze. For a second, it felt like her entire system stopped, and in the next second, it took off at an exponential speed. Her heart practically exploded in her chest, her blood rushing in her veins as her brain processed those words.

She successfully controlled her breathing, staring at Judith. “I… Sorry, what?”

“You’re a natural blonde,” Judith repeated, staring into Kendall’s eyes in her weirdly perceptive way.

“No, I’m not.”

“Yes, you are, I can tell. Your hair’s black, but your lashes are a shade lighter than black. And the green of your eyes looks a little unnatural with the black hair.”

“Don’t be silly,” Kendall said, forcing her mouth into a smile. “I’ve always had black hair, and my eyes do not look unnatural. That’s a little offensive.”

“You’re easily offended. Where do I sit?”

The conversation left her spun, and, trying to gather her wits, Kendall pointed at the desk that had been placed directly across hers. “There. Y-your computer will arrive by the end of the day…”

“It’s cool,” Judith said, sitting down. “What kind of work will I do?”

Kendall stared at her for a moment more before blinking and snapping out of it. “Uhm, just…” She went over to her own table and sat. “Normal office stuff. Filing, keeping records, answering phones, making copies—”

“Oh.” Judith rolled her eyes.

Frowning, Kendall tilted her head. “Are you sure you want to work here?”

“When do I meet Lucien?”

“Okay.” Kendall stood, deciding that this weird conversation had gone on for long enough. “Look here. When you’re at work, there’s a certain way you behave and a way you don’t. Calling the boss by his first name is definitely something you don’t do. So, that’s Mister Sinclair to you.”

Judith pursed her lips, pushing her glasses higher on her nose bridge. “Okay. When do I meet Mr Sinclair?”

“When he calls for you. Until then, you can stay quietly seated.”

The girl made a face, but said nothing more. Sighing, Kendall sat and turned to her laptop, finally starting her work for the day.

She hadn’t even been typing for five minutes when a loud sigh interrupted her.

She glanced over at Judith. “Is there a problem?”

“I’m bored,” the girl said. “Can’t I help you with your work? Or do something.”

Kendall sighed. Raising a hand, she pointed at the narrow corridor to her right. “That goes to our kitchen area. Make yourself some coffee, if you’d like.”

“Oh. Okay.” Getting up, Judith made her way past Kendall’s desk and went down the short corridor, appearing in a clean and spacious kitchen area.

It was fancier than any place her homeless self had ever lain her head.

But she wouldn’t complain. She was clean, her hair was done, and she was wearing new clothes to match the role she’d been given. It was the best she’d looked in months. So, she wouldn’t mess this up.

Now that she was alone, she glanced over her shoulder and took a moment to breathe. Fuck, it was hard acting all timid and nerdy. The glasses on her face made her feel stupid, and the ugly skirt kept getting tangled in her legs.

Huffing, she snarled in Kendall’s direction. That was the little bitch her father wanted her to watch? What was so special about her that the great Eliott Cross was so interested in her? Judith had no way of finding out. And if she tried to, it would likely piss her father off. As much as she admired her father, she also feared him.

Judith had been born in and had lived in a brothel for the first ten years of her life. Her mother died when she was ten, after which she was thrown out onto the streets. She’d gotten by well enough with her skills, which were theft and lying. She’d been in and out of orphanages, which got her through school, albeit inconsistently. At eighteen, she’d been kicked out of the orphanage and had been completely homeless ever since.

She’d sworn that she would never sell her body, and now, at the age of twenty, she could proudly say she’d stuck to that. She had helped bury a few bodies, but had never sold her own, so that was great!

She’d always known her father’s name and had followed him around for about a year and a half when she became homeless, never able to come close.

One day, she’d cornered him in front of cameras, and he’d laughed her off as one of the orphan kids he was sponsoring. That was the first time he’d given her that beautifully friendly smile, and Judith had heard the angels sing. Her father was amazing; she just needed to become worthy of him.

He’d given her one or two hundred dollars over the past ten years, and she treasured the memory. Imagine how much he’d give her once she got him to love her?

Maybe, if she did a good job, she’d be off the streets for good. Maybe Eliott Cross would finally decide she was worthy to be his daughter.

She’d accomplish the first mission he’d given her. Turn Lucien Sinclair against his secretary, Kendall. Make Lucien fire her.

Judith knew just what to do.