The real boss around here

"How is this possible?"

He got up from his seat and with barely 3 steps with his long legs, he was standing In front of me.

"Damien…"

"That's Boss to you, Mélie Shapman."

I took a step back as if he'd been too close, the words tingling in my ear.

He cleared his throat and addressed me in a manner as though he had only just met me, "Your work here starts tomorrow..."

"...as my personal assistant." He added.

"What??!" "You're kidding me, right?"

"Do I look like I make jokes, Mélie Shapman?"

The look on his face told me he wasn't kidding. But why would he offer me a job in his very own company and that too as his PA?

"I can't work here." I said, feeling too uneasy and far too suspicious to accept the offer.

His lips curled into a sardonic smile, "Don't tell me you're afraid of me now, Mélie Shapman. I thought you have gone past that now, seeing as you've grown wings now."

He was daring me and at the same time reminding me of my mischief. I blinked rapidly as I stared into his face. He couldn't be trusted- but something pushed me.

"I'm not afraid of you, Damien Jaeger."

He gave a throaty chuckle, "That's wonderful." His voice held sarcasm, "See you tomorrow, Mélie Shapman."

He made for the door, almost walking past me. Then he said in a lower voice, "See you at home...wife." And I was left standing alone in his office.

"Mélie Shapman." Someone called. I turned my head to the door and saw the woman who had interviewed me earlier standing by the doorway, "You can go now."

I staggered to the door, "Uhm, see you tomorrow then, Mrs…"

"Martha. The name's Martha Jones." She said, grinning nicely at me, "I trust you are different, Miss Mélie Shapman. You seem so."

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh, nothing serious, Mélie. Can I call you Mélie?"

Her friendliness reduced my tension.

"You know, none of Damien Jaeger's personal assistants has ever spent a month in this company."

I wasn't surprised. She noticed, "Hmmm, doesn't that sound like a challenge?"

I shook my head, "It's not like that, Mrs Jones."

She chuckled, "We'll see then." We walked into the elevator together and she got out before I did as I was heading to the ground floor, "See you tomorrow, Mélie."

Once out of the elevator, I walked towards the door and almost forgot about the rude receptionist when she cleared her throat.

"I'm really sorry for my rudeness, ma'am." She apologised and I smiled at her, regardless if she really meant it or not.

"It's okay." I said, "We'll see each other more often from now anyways so holding grudges wouldn't be good for colleagues."

She grinned widely, "Congratulations ma'am."

"Thank you very much." I replied before walking out of the building.

As I got into my car, my mind became clouded with thoughts; What was Damien Jaeger's plan by offering me a job in his company and that too as a personal assistant? Was it a trap to teach me a lesson?

I remembered Martha's words, "None of Damien Jaeger's personal assistants has ever made it past a month in this company."

It was going to be his way of punishing me. I exhaled deeply and tightened my fingers on the steering wheel, mentally preparing myself for what was to come.
~

I walked into the mansion with a very faraway mind and hadn't realised that someone was after walking my way until I bumped into the person.

"Can't you see where you're going?" Ella spat angrily.

"I didn't see you there. I'm so sorry." I apologised and walked past her to the staircase.

"I knew it was all your doing."

I halted in my steps and turned round to meet her with a confused look on my face, "What are you talking about?"

"Oh don't pretend to be oblivious about what I'm talking about, Mélie." She said scornfully, "I know exactly what you cooked up in the kitchen that Sharon served me yesterday."

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh, don't pretend like you don't know what I'm talking about." "I asked Sharon myself."

"You think you're the boss here, aren't you?" Her face wore immense hatred for me.

My head was already starting to hurt, "Look, Ella. If you're done blabbering, I'd really like to go rest now."

"Sharon!" Ella yelled and her voice worsened my headache. Almost immediately, the shy little maid ran into the living room, "Now, remind me of what you told me in the kitchen."

Sharon looked at me with pleading eyes. She was guilty and so was I.

"The cake was made by Madame, Miss Ella."

"Madam Ella! How many times have I told you to address me as 'madam'?"

This was getting too much. My patience had been reached and so I broke, "Look Ella. I made the cake myself and I was going to eat that cake until you insisted that you wanted my cake. Now won't you leave the poor girl alone?"

Her face squeezed in disbelief, probably wondering how I was going to eat that horrible cake. She hissed without saying anything else and walked past me, intentionally bumping my shoulder.

"You don't have to be afraid of her, Sharon." I said.

A mischievous smile appeared on Sharon's face, "I'm not afraid of her madam." "And she only wishes to be you by forcing me to address her in the same manner as I address you." She added mockingly.

Our eyes met and we roared into laughter. I laughed so hard in spite of my splitting headache. Everything had gone exactly as planned.

Flashback:

I'd just finished transferring the cake from the pan when a young maid walked in.

"Good morning, madam." She greeted shyly and I returned her greeting, "May I help madam with the…"

Her words faded, unfinished as she stared at the deflated football cake in front of me.

"Was supposed to be a vanilla sponge cake but we sort of messed up." I confessed and I noticed a silly smile hidden under her lips.

"Yeah, baking isn't quite my thing."

"Maybe I can teach madam how to bake a proper cake." She said and suddenly drooped her shoulders as if apologising for getting a little too comfortable with me.

I smiled and brushed it off, "I'd love that." My reply shocked her, "Now about the cake."

"What about the cake, madam?"

"I was thinking you could serve it during dessert at the table." I said and her brows arched up in confusion, "I won't be eating that, don't worry."

"I suspect someone else would want it." I added, "Especially if she notices how special it is."

That person was Ella. Ella had the annoying habit of taking anything I requested from the kitchen staff off the table for reasons I didn't know. It always left me wondering why she wouldn't just ask the staff to prepare her the same thing. Anyways, she was going to learn to stop such bad habits the hard way.

End of flashback.

"It's exactly as you predicted madam." Sharon remarked. I could remember Natalie laughing about it as she said the exact words Sharon was speaking right now. But it didn't seem so fulfilling at that moment because Damien Jaeger wasn't part of the plan. And now, he was punishing me for making a joke of him. I wondered how he would punish Natalie and the others.

"I'm going to get some rest, Sharon. I've got a terrible migraine."

Sharon's lips formed into an 'o', "Would madam mind some herbal tea?"

"Yes, thank you." I replied and she dashed into the kitchen to get my tea ready while I went up to my room.