With it being so early in the morning the news didn’t register until she awoke, and she had to check her phone to make sure that she had actually received the call. Even though she was tired the happiness and relief she felt offset that, and she bounded down the stairs to tell her parents the good news. Feeling better than usual she spent the day updating her social media to let the world know that she had a job, and smiled as the congratulatory messages came flooding in. When the time for her shift approached the nerves started again, for there was still much work to be done. Getting the job was challenging but now she had to prove that she was worthy of the position.
Due to the strange operating hours her shift started at six in the evening. The sun was still bright in the sky but as she journeyed into town she saw everyone else in business suits leaving work and going home, while she was just starting. Soft electric lights were turned on in the skyscraper, and Claudia was there to meet her when she got out of the elevator. She congratulated Millie on having impressed her, and said that she hoped Millie would be an integral part of the team for the foreseeable future. After this she took Millie along the corridor and into a large opening where people were fast at work. It still wasn’t as busy as Millie would have expected, but Claudia assured her that there would be more people appearing as the night wore on.
“Since you’re new you will need time to adjust to the schedule,” she explained, “so we’re starting you off on these hours but eventually you will need to come in later and later. Obviously since there is a skeleton crew in the day we need those to be the more experienced people, so eventually if things work out you may end up working there, but for a while at least you shall be working through the night. It can be difficult at first, I’d suggest that you start trying to adjust straight away. The best way is to change your diet to reset your body clock, and it will offset your tiredness. If you need any help everyone has been through it before so just ask them, and we have scheduled in several nap breaks for you for your first few weeks so if you feel tired then go lie down for a bit. We do not want any mistakes to happen. Other than that I think you’re ready to go, do you have any questions?”
Millie didn’t, but Claudia said that if she did have anything to just ask the people around her. Millie took her seat at a desk. It was all rather ordinary, which was surprising considering how extraordinary the rest of the place was. Her co-workers were diligently tapping away and calling various people. Some were speaking in different languages, illuminating the global nature of the business. Millie had some simple tasks to do and started going through the folders. Her eyes boggled as she saw the revenue streams of the company. There were so many zeroes that she couldn’t quite comprehend them herself.
The work was standard and she was glad that it was something she knew how to do because she felt more confident as time went on. She spoke idly to some of her colleagues and they all said that it was a good company to work for, and that the pay more than made up for the inconvenience of having to work odd hours and to be cloaked in darkness. Some of them had even met Mr. Lioncourt and when they spoke about him it was in hushed tones of awe, which only made Millie more curious as to what he was actually like. They all seemed nice and friendly, and she was starting to think that this job could be the best thing that happened to her.
The first few hours were easy, but when it got to around ten in the evening she started to get tired, for this was the usual time when she started to settle down for bed. She had never been much of a night owl and was always asleep before midnight, and then woke at around six or seven in the morning to start her exercise regime. When she felt her eyelids falling she took a step back, and although at first the idea of napping at work was antithetical to her, she soon realized that it was necessary. She sighed as she pushed her chair out from her desk and walked to the napping room.
She never thought she’d ever work in a place that had a napping room, but she shrugged it off as just another sign that her life was going from dull to crazy at a rapid speed. The room was basically a big dorm room with bunk beds standing at the edges of the walls. Soft music played and ambient purple light gave the room a sleepy feel. Millie yawned and chose a bed near the end of the room for she wasn’t sure how many other people would turn up. There were nap breaks available for everyone but she got more because she was new. She curled up in the soft sheets and the alarm set a recommended time so that she would awake refreshed, rather than feeling worse if she interrupted a REM cycle.
Her first few weeks of work repeated this pattern, although slowly but surely she got used to the different times of day and grew to need fewer nap breaks. It still seemed strange sometimes to eat a hearty meal that late at night, but she soon adjusted and she just had to live on a different schedule than the rest of the world. Her parents hated it and thought that it was doing her harm, so she couldn’t wait to save a bit of money and move out, for having her own place would make her erratic schedule much easier to manage. She formed friendships with her colleagues and they often ate together, and she did the work to the best of her ability, even though she felt that she was ready for a bigger challenge. Only occasionally did she see Claudia, for she seemed to deal with other matters, but it was a pleasant place in which to work, it was just odd to come to work when everyone was going home and then going home when everyone was coming to work, especially since the sun was still bathing the world in its golden glory.
But after a few weeks Millie was feeling pleased with herself when she was summoned to Claudia’s office. A feeling of dread swam through her and she gulped as she went to the office, fearing the worst. She thought back through her mind and tried to think of any mistakes she may have made, and worried herself silly. Claudia was sitting at her desk as usual when Millie entered.
“Have you been enjoying your work so far?” she asked.
“Yes, it’s been wonderful, and I feel like I’ve been doing a good job, especially now that I’ve gotten used to the hours,” Millie replied.
“Good, good, it’s always important that we’re on the same schedule so we can be more efficient. Your work has been impressive as well, and you have been a good addition to the team. You’ve even managed to capture the attention of Mr. Lioncourt himself,” she said, and Millie wondered whether she detected a hint of jealousy in Claudia’s voice. The thin woman pursed her lips and tapped her fingers on the surface of the desk.
“For the rest of this week you shall be Mr. Lioncourt’s assistant. Go to the penthouse suite now and meet him, he will tell you what you need to do.” Millie was flustered for she didn’t know how to respond to that. It was such an honor but she didn’t feel like she was prepared to meet him. It was all such a shock.
“Is everything alright?” Claudia asked when Millie didn’t respond.
“Yes, yes, I’m sorry it’s just that, well, I wasn’t expecting this…”
“No, well, if you are going to be a success here then you will have to learn how to deal with the unexpected. Mr. Lioncourt is expecting you and he hates to be kept waiting. I suggest you leave now,” she said with a thin smile and a raised eyebrow. Millie looked at her and then rose sharply, practically jumping out of her chai as she ran towards the elevator. She then paused and wondered if there was anything she needed from her desk, and started towards it, but then remembered what Claudia had said and knew that she didn’t have any time, so she went to the elevator and pressed the button, waiting anxiously for the car to arrive. Her heart was fluttering in her chest and she had to swallow again to try and calm her nerves. She had no idea what to expect when she entered the elevator, and as the doors closed before she the tension rose as Millie ascended to meet Mr. Lioncourt.
Three
Millie breathed deeply as she thought about what she would say when she finally met the man behind the company. The elevator seemed to take an eternity to arrive at its destination, and she almost wished that she hadn’t been chosen for this assignment because she was so scared that she’d do something to screw
it up. The doors finally opened to a large penthouse suite. Through the door she could only see the same windows as the rest of the building and a large open area. A coffee table stood in the middle of some furniture, and a grand piano was sitting at the far end of the room. Millie peered out tentatively, wondering if she should enter the suite or wait until she was called. When she saw nothing she stepped out and said ‘hello’ in a cracking, wavering voice. She walked further into the room and as she did so the whole place opened up. There was a fireplace, a bar, and a kitchen area. There were other doors leading to different areas, but she wasn’t about to venture into those.
Her footsteps echoed around as she walked into the middle of the room. Artwork hung on the walls, although most of it was abstract and she didn’t know what it meant. The place was bigger than any apartment she could dream of, and she marveled at it. Her jaw dropped open, and then she jumped when Mr. Lioncourt strode into the room.
“That is the reaction I was aiming for, and it’s the one I usually get. What first caught your attention? It was the piano wasn’t it, they always love the piano,” he said. He walked up to Millie and shook her hand. His flesh was cool, much colder than she had expected, and she almost didn’t know what to do or say. In stunned silence she looked at him and froze because he had such a magnetic aura about him. His sharp angular face was eye-catching, and his thick hair was straight and smooth. His lips twisted into a smile that made it seem as though he knew a secret that nobody else did, and it gave him a confidence that Millie found irresistible. She knew in that moment that Mr. Lioncourt was unlike anyone she ever met, and was most likely unlike anyone she would ever meet. He was wearing jeans and a white shirt that was unbuttoned at the top. His sleeves were rolled up to the elbows as well, showing thick, sinewy forearms, and Millie’s heart was racing.
“I’m, um, I was sent up by Claudia.”
“Yes, I know, I sent for you Millie, please, come in and make yourself comfortable, would you like something to drink? A martini perhaps?”
“Yes, okay,” she said, even though she had never tried a martini before. She went to the sofa and perched on the edge, feeling uneasy because she had no idea what to expect. She glanced around to watch him pour the drink, and then took a long sip when he handed it to her. He walked over to the piano and tinkled with the keys, and then looked out to the city.
“Would you come here for a moment?” he said, and there was an assertive tone in his voice that made Millie’s knees go weak. She walked over and stood by his side. They were standing so close that she was sure he must have heard her thundering heart, but he made no mention of it if he did. She caught his strong, masculine fragrance as well. It was intoxicating, and the mere fact of being in his presence was playing havoc with her senses.
“This is my kingdom Millie. I look out at this and I see a world that I can improve. I can use my gifts to make this a better place, and now you’re a part of that. I don’t bring every new employee up here but there’s something about you. Claudia saw it when she interviewed you, and even just meeting you for a few moments now I can see it myself. You are going to be an important member of this organization, I can feel it, and I wanted you to see behind the veil for a little while, so that you can see the true face of this company.”
The offer was one that Millie couldn’t refuse and she was delighted with the opportunity, but also a little daunted because she had no idea why Mr. Lioncourt would choose her out of everyone.
“Thank you Mr. Lioncourt, it means a lot, it really does. I’m not entirely sure what I’ve done to deserve this but I’m very happy to be working here and if you think I deserve this opportunity then I am going to do it to the best of my opportunity.”
“Please, call me Tom,” he said, and flashed her a wide smile filled with gleaming, immaculate teeth. He took the glass from her, and as he did so their fingers brushed and an electric tingle shot through her.
“Come over here and tell me what you think of this,” he said, and they stood in front of one of the works of art. It was a yellow painting with streaks of black and red whipped over the layer. Small splashes of other colors were present too. They stared at it for a while, and Millie felt under pressure because she thought that she should have some deep opinion or profound thought. Tom was a sophisticated gentleman and she didn’t want to come off as a complete philistine, but while she tried to think of something important to say her mind drew a blank and there was nothing. She shrugged and turned to Tom.
“I’m sorry Mr. Li- I mean Tom, I just…this really isn’t my thing. I’ve never been much of an art critic and the only thing I see when I look at this is, well, a mess.” She gave him an apologetic look and hoped that it wouldn’t cost her the job, but she had to be honest with him. Tom chuckled.
“It’s okay, I appreciate your honesty. I could tell you some interpretation like this is a representation of the chaos of the universe, and the little dots are explosion of souls as they come into existence, and that the long black streaks are the rigid lines of fate that we are bound to, but the only reason I actually have this is because one of my friends is an art dealer and he insisted that I have some things to spruce the place up. Personally I’d rather have something else, but it does brighten the place up I suppose.”
Millie felt relieved at this and laughed away the anxiety. They went over to the sofa and sat down, and Tom got Millie to tell him about herself. At first she was hesitant because as far as she was concerned she was just ordinary, but Tom teased her and got her to talk, and eventually she started telling him things that she didn’t even know she remembered. Tom had a way of getting her to reveal her deepest secrets, and to tell him things that she never would have told anyone else, and yet she felt completely comfortable doing so. At one point she laughed and wondered if she had actually just told him that she had a childhood fear of rabbits.
“I can be very persuasive,” he said, “that’s one of the reasons why I’m so successful in this field.”
“And what are the other reasons?” Millie asked, cocking an eyebrow.
“I can’t give away all my secrets. For all I know you were sent here to infiltrate my company and sabotage me from the inside.”
Millie reeled back in horror and laughed.
“You were the one who asked me here!” she exclaimed.
“As a precautionary measure perhaps,” he said, his smile was a mischievous one. Millie narrowed her eyes and shook her head. She couldn’t believe that she was sitting in the penthouse suite and flirting with the owner of the company, at least, she thought it was flirting. It had been a long time since she had flirted with anyone, and soon enough the subject of conversation turned to her romantic past.
“And why has there not been a man to snap you up?” he asked.
“Many have tried,” she said, laughing, but it was followed by a wistful sigh, and she soon turned serious. “I don’t know,” she continued, “I guess I’ve always found it difficult to meet new people and the relationships I have had haven’t exactly been good examples so I haven’t been enthusiastic to start a new one. I’ve also prioritized school over everything, and then work. And now it’s hard to meet new people. I don’t know, I guess it’ll happen when it happens but I’m in no rush.”
“Mm, time is a strange thing, it can seem like a companion for most of your life and then suddenly it feels like a predator, snapping at your heels like a crocodile.”
“And is there anyone special in your life?”
Tom smiled mysteriously and then took a long gulp of his drink. “There have been occasions when I have felt a great fondness for people.”
“But never love?”
“Love is an interesting concept. What does it really mean?”
“I’ve always thought it meant putting someone else’s needs above your own. Maybe that’s simple but I think that’s an essential part of all the different types of love.”
“And that’s the problem my dear, I simply love myself far more than I c
ould ever love anyone else.” He looked at her directly and deeply. His gaze penetrated her soul and reached down into the deepest parts of her. She felt more naked and vulnerable than she had ever been, and yet she also felt safe. And on that note they stopped talking about personal matters and he told her about her duties. She got to work right away as he left to take care of some important matters, and she got down to work in the penthouse, imagining a life where she was living there instead of him.
The following couple of weeks were a little mundane because she was basically running errands for him, although occasionally she had to send out e-mails to various contacts and in this way she got to see how the business was run. She was also privy to some private documents, for which she had to sign a non-disclosure agreement, and she got a thrill every time she saw something secret like that. She liaised with Claudia a lot as well, and although at first she had not been sure of Claudia’s personality, Millie had come to realize that it was just a product of working for Tom, for he was an eccentric sort and she often had to deal with strange requests, like going to a certain shop and getting a certain type of food on a whim, or ordering some strange concoction of a meal from a particular takeaway restaurant. At first she had been driven crazy by this but after talking to Claudia she realized that it was just a part of the job.
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