My Sweet Punishment by Amelia Brooks (best book club books of all time .TXT) 📕

       My cheeks were still flushed when Amanda reluctantly got up from her chair to show me my working place. She didn’t even look at me, just led the way in silence. Yeah, we’re definitely not going to be best friends. But I definitely need to find an ally here so I could learn something about the inner workings of the company.

       We did not walk for long, and just a few steps from the boss my office was located. After Amanda opened the door and handed me the keys, she uttered the last words.

       “I don’t think you’re going to be here for long, so there is any point in you settling in here,” she said with a grunt and disappeared through the door.

        I didn’t have time to show the girl a middle finger, as this bitch quickly ran away. She really pisses me off. Breathe, Mia. I never stooped to this kind of abuse. I’ve always been used to solving conflicts with words, but I want to make an exception for Amanda. I think that a couple of her hair tufts are clearly useless.

        I looked around. I couldn’t have ever dreamed of that. Not as big as Collins’ room, but quite spacious. Beige curtains shaded the pale walls. A small honey-colored office desk and matching cabinet stood to one side of the window. Simple, but very stylish. It felt like the office was just renovated, and no one had used it yet.

       I sat down on the soft chair and ran my hand over the table. Yes, Mia, you’re working now. I didn’t think that the moment when I would find a normal job would come so quickly. Or rather, the job found me.

    I turned on my computer and was poring over some office software when the phone on my desk suddenly rang. I was startled. What should I do? I, for some reason, felt uneasy about the fact that a stranger might call. What if it’s a client, and what do I tell him? But if I don’t take the call, it will be even worse. Will be fired for unprofessional behavior in disgrace.

       Stop being afraid of people, Mia! They won’t eat you, really. Although, one surely can. I cleared my throat and picked up the phone.

       “Mr. Collins’s personal assistant listening?” I spoke in a confident voice. I thought it was just like that.

       “Ms. Brown,” I heard my boss’s voice on the phone, “please, open your email. I’ve sent you my schedule for tomorrow. Check it out.”

       “All right, Mr. Collins,” I breathed a sigh of relief when I found out it wasn’t a stranger. And when did he quit being one?

       “And, Ms. Brown, you’ll be making my schedule from tomorrow. Of course, with my instructions” said a deep voice.

       “I understand, Mr. Collins.”

       “Okay, then get used to your place.” And the boss hanged up.

       I still held the phone to my ear, listening to the rapid beeps that mingled with the rapid pounding of my heart. I can do it. I can definitely handle it.

       I opened the mail tab, and my boss’s schedule appeared:

      8:30. a.m. - Meeting in the office with a lawyer.

      10:00. a.m. - Departure to the construction site.

      01:00 p.m.  - Meeting with the chief engineer of the “Scarlet” project.

      05:00 p.m. - Dinner at the “Lighthouse” restaurant with business partners.

      The schedule doesn't seem too busy. Although, who knows how long these meetings will take. Dinner? 05:00 p.m. Hmm.. My working day ends at 05:00 p.m. I hope I don’t have to accompany him to the restaurant, too. I was planning to work on my thesis this evening.

       I sat for a long time, studying different programs. Then Amanda brought me some documents that I need to read urgently, if not learn them.

        I didn’t notice how quickly it got dark outside the window. I rubbed my eyes with my fingers and looked at the time 09:10 p.m. Wow, it’s late. All right. I put the documents aside. That’s probably enough for today.

        I was about to leave the office when I heard drops start hitting the window, slowly at first, then faster and faster. It started to rain quickly outside. Oh, no…

       I was in such a hurry to get to work this morning that I didn’t have time to look at the weather forecast, and I certainly didn’t bring an umbrella with me. I opened the weather tab on my phone. Hell, they say it’s going be heavy rain for the whole night. This is a fiasco, Mia.

       By the time I get to the subway, I’ll be like a wet hen. Well, there’s nothing to be done. And I can’t cover my head with the jacket. I’m not going to run around town in just a bra. Okay, I’ll take short runs.

       I closed the office and headed for the elevator.

      “Ms. Brown?” a man’s voice called out to me, and I jumped. “Are you still here?”

       I turned around and saw my boss also heading for the elevator; probably, he also had stayed up late.

     “I decided to study the documents a little more,” I answered honestly, for some reason slowly stepping back.

       “Commendable. But I don’t think a young lady should come home so late and in such a revealing state.” I caught his eyes on my blouse, or rather where it should have been.