Chapter 10 Strange Behaviour
"Where are your shoes?" Bryce asked, staring at shocked Angela.
Angela blinked twice to make sure she was seeing right. Bryce left home Sunday morning and never returned. He didn't even call her, and this morning she walked into the president's office to find him sitting in the president's seat.
Is he the president? Angela thought, staring at Bryce. I am married to the president. She thought, still staring at Bryce.
"I asked you a question?" Bryce said, his expression changing into a frown.
"What?" Angela said, trying to remember the question Bryce asked earlier, snapping from her short daze.
"Where are your shoes?" Bryce repeated the question, and Angela stared at her feet, which were without shoes.
"I..I..," Angela began shifting her gaze back to Bryce, but she had nothing to say.
Bryce pressed a number on the phone on his table.
"Hello, Mr President," came Susan's voice.
"Come to my office, now," Bryce said, and Angela took a step back, wondering what was going on.
Bryce was acting like she was a total stranger; meanwhile, they were a husband and wife. She was not expecting any different treatment, but this kind of response from him was something she was not expecting either.
"Why is my coffee below the cup line?" Bryce asked, and Angela gulped.
"Erm, I..I," Angela stammered. "I accidentally spilled it. I am sorry," she apologised. Just then, just then, a knock was heard on the door.
"Come in," Bryce invited, and Susan walked in.
"Susan, why is my secretary naked?" Bryce asked, and Susan's eyes shifted to Angela's bare feet. "And why is my coffee below the line?" he added.
Naked, I am not naked. Angela thought about hearing Bryce's statement.
"I am sorry, Mr President. I will make sure she falls in line," Susan apologised.
"If this repeats itself, you are fired," Bryce said, and Susan acknowledged before pulling Angela out of the president's office.
Not wearing shoes can get you fired? What kind of rule is that? Angela thought.
"Why did you go to the president's office naked?" Susan asked once they were both inside Angela's office, and Angela was surprised by Susan's question.
"Naked?" Angela repeated.
She was fully dressed. It was only her shoes that were off. So why are they saying she is naked, like she walked into Bryce's office with no clothes?
"Yes," Susan almost yelled, making Angela take a step back. "Where are your shoes?" she asked furiously, and Angela lowered her head while responding.
"I am sorry. I had little time to complete the task. I took them off, so I could run down the staircase and back, but I forgot to put them back on when the boss called me unexpectedly," Angela replied.
"Address him as the president," Susan snapped, and Angela took a step back.
"Now, listen to me carefully. You don't take your shoes off even if your feet are bleeding. Ever! You dress fully to work, and you keep everything on and intact till you leave the office premises," Susan said through gritted teeth. "If you give me problems, I will give you hell," she added, leaning towards Angela, making Angela lean backwards, almost sitting on her desk, which was behind her.
"Now put your shoes on," Susan yelled, looking very furious, making Angela feel she committed a crime.
What happened to the caring, understanding woman I spoke with on Friday? Angela thought as she put her shoes back on.
"Now," Susan said and walked on her seven-inch heels to a cupboard behind Angela's desk and picked up some files.
She returned to Angela's desk and dropped them on the desk.
"The president will need these documents in an hour. Get to work," Susan yelled and exited the office angrily, but she closed the door gently.
Angela looked at the pile of files on her table and didn't have any idea what to do with them. She was also surprised by Bryce's behaviour towards her. Must he call in the HR because she was not wearing shoes? Couldn't he have told her that it was against their policy here?
She opened the first file and realised it was a project file. She checked the next file. It was a profile of a client's company. She moved on to checking the next file and the next file until she had an idea of what was in each file. She sat down and went through all the documents. She looked at the itinerary of the president, whom she had just found out was her husband, and got an idea of what to do. She needed to prepare different proposals for the client profile she saw for a meeting which was happening in an hour.
"I thought she said this should be done twenty-four hours before the scheduled time. How come I only have an hour?" Angela said on her lips.
Is this a punishment for walking into the president's office without shoes? Angela thought, but still got to work applying her business background knowledge and skills from school.
After half an hour, Angela managed to put something together and quickly sent it to the president's office.
"Sir, the document is ready, and the meeting is in half an hour," Angela announced, placing the document on Bryce's table.
"Sorry, Mr President," Angela apologised for addressing Bryce as sir, but he ignored her, making Angela feel a little embarrassed, but she stood there waiting for his response.
Bryce, without saying a word, picked up the file and went through it. He looked at the next file and what Angela had done and placed them back.
"Impressive," Bryce said coldly and stood up, heading for the door and leaving the files on the table.
Angela had a reason to smile upon hearing the praise from Bryce, even though it was said coldly with no expression. A couple of hours ago, the impression created for her first task was not great.
She picked up the files and hurried her steps to catch up with Bryce. Upon exiting the office, she saw the elevator door about to close. She ran towards it and stuck her hand into the elevator, which was almost closing. The elevator door crashed into her hand, and it opened again. She saw Bryce move slightly when the elevator door crashed into her hand, but he composed himself, standing inside the elevator like he didn't care. Angela entered the elevator and found a place to stand.
"Are you crazy, sticking your hand into a closing elevator?" Bryce asked, his voice deep and cold.
His hazy blue eyes were very piercing as he stared at Angela. Angela averted her gaze as she felt she might start feeling dizzy if she continued to look at him.
"I am sorry. I didn't want to be late," Angela said, lowering her head.
Bryce reached for her hand and examined her wrist. Aside from a small red mark on her wrist, she was okay.
"Does it hurt?" Bryce asked, applying a little pressure to the wrist.
"A little," Angela replied, finding his behaviour to be strange.
A couple of minutes ago, he acted like he didn't care, and now he's worried about her hand. Angela stared at him, and how gentle his eyes had become so gentle while examining her wrist.
"Never stick your hand into a closing elevator again. Do you understand?" Bryce warned and let go of her hand.
"Yes, Mr President," Angela replied and hugged the document she was holding close to her chest with both hands.
The elevator was already in motion to the floor where the meeting would take place. Angela stole a glance at Bryce, who was back to looking very cold and terrifying.
What a strange behaviour. Angela thought.