Taken By The Arrogant Billionaire

Valerie had been friends with her for years and knew something was bugging her.

“Just spit it out already”

“By any chance… did you see the CEO?” Layla asked, tentatively.

“Of Smith Industries? No, I didn’t. Why do you ask?”

“Nothing. Just asking” she quickly looked away.

Valerie crossed her arms over the other.

“Now, this is getting suspicious. Do you have a crush on him?” She questioned suddenly.

“What! No, of course not” she replied a bit too hurriedly. Valerie squinted at her.

“You should change your clothes and come back for lunch” she pushed Valerie towards the stairs.

Layla breathed a sigh of relief after Valerie left.

“Whew! I almost blew my cover” she said and went back to cooking.

The next few days passed ordinarily. Sandy had still not returned.

Valerie sat on her bed, dozing off, when she received a message in her e-mail. She opened it and her eyes widened.

It said she had been chosen for the position of secretary at Smith Industries.

“OMG!” She exclaimed. She screamed and ran to Layla’s room.

“Layla!”

“Christ! Stop screaming my name, Val”

“Guess what?”

“You know I suck at guessing”

“I got the job”

“And how is….. wait, what! You really got the job?”

Valerie nodded excitedly.

“I’m so happy. We should go out and celebrate”Content from NôvelDr(a)ma.Org.

She ran back to her room to get her clothes as Layla stood rooted to the ground, with an unreadable expression.

She didn’t know whether Valerie getting a job at that company was a good or bad thing for her.

Valerie returned and dragged to a restaurant, where she ordered the most expensive dish on the menu. She had saved some money while she was still working. Moreover, her salary was going to be more than that anyway.

Layla shook her head at her enthusiasm.

Valerie did not stop talking throughout. Fantasizing how amazing an experience it will be to work in such a prestigious company.

By the time they returned, Sandy had already arrived.

“Where were you guys?” She asked.

“Sandy, I got the job” Valerie announced.

“Really? Wow. Congratulations hon” she went ahead to hug her.

Sandy’s phone rang and she bit her lip.

“Excuse me” she left to pick up the call under Layla’s watchful eyes.

“Hey” She nudged Valerie.

“Hm?”

“Is it just me, or you also think Sandy has lost some weight”

Valerie cocked her head.

“You think so?”

“Yes. She looks worn out”

“You think so?” Valerie asked again as Layla sucked in a deep breath angrily.

“Go to your room, Val” Layla said.

“You think….”

“Go!” She screamed as Valerie scurried off to avoid the wrath of the loco woman.

Valerie slept happy. She was to resume the coming Monday and was already impatient, wishing Monday would arrive as soon as possible.

After the long wait, it came and woke up as early as 6am, surprising the girls.

At 7, she was done and bolted out of the house without breakfast.

******************

“Isn’t she here yet?” Jared asked himself, impatient.

He paced around, biting the insides of his cheek.

He heard a knock.

“Come in”

Will entered

“She is here, boss”

Jared ran to his seat, crossed his legs and arms, then rested his back. Trying as much as possible to look cool.

“Bring her in” he ordered.

Valerie was brought into the office. She secretly wondered why the man who led her in looked so familiar.

She proceeded in and was immediately mesmerized by the magnificence of the off. It was thrice the size of her room!

She was even more dumbstruck by the man seated at the table. Beautiful was the right word for him. Still, he looked familiar.

“Good morning, sir. I’m Valerie Gardner, your new personal secretary” she announced.

He cleared his throat and straightened out his tie, which was never out of place.

“I see. You should ask him to show you around” he said.

‘She is damn pretty’ he thought as Will followed her out.

She toured almost half of the building until she could not take it anymore. Will was compassionate and agreed to tour her the next day.

Will turned to leave, but not before hearing her mutter;

“Why does he look so familiar?”

The first day of work was more strenuous than thought. She followed her boss to five different meetings. Five!

She trudged home after work, walking like a zombie.

She sighted an ice cream truck and suddenly craved it. She moved towards it but stopped in her tracks when she saw two people, one of whom she recognized.

“Ivan” her voice shook. Memories of that night came rushing back, and her heart broke into whole new pieces, not because of the memories but because he had someone else with him, a woman, precisely.

He was holding her intimately and even kissed her. Her eyes were blurred by tears which threatened to spill out.

A lump formed in her throat as she watched them walk away. He was the first man she ever loved.

“Forget him, Val. He is not worth it” she said as tears trailed down her cheeks.

She walked towards the truck and ordered a cone of ice cream.

She finished it in two gulps, hoping it will cool her down a little, but it didn’t.

She returned home with swollen eyes.

“What happened?” Sandy asked, worried when she saw her appearance.

“I saw Ivan”

Layla rolled her eyes.

“And?” Questioned Sandy.

“He was with another woman”

“Oh. So, the bastard moved on” Layla commented. “See? Definitely, he was already cheating when you two were together. He was never in love with you”

Valerie’s lips drooped as the cruel truth hit her.

“Do you know who she is?” Layla asked suddenly.

“Who?”

“His new girl”

“I don’t. Why do you ask?”

“I was wondering, I could beat her up or teach her a lesson however you want. Example…” She made a killing gesture with her hand.

“Layla!” Sandy was incredulous.

“What? Just wanted to help”

“Can you help me find out who she is?”

“Why? You want to do what I suggested?” Layla asked, expectant.

“Just wanna know” Said Valerie as Layla pouted in disappointment.

She stood up and proceeded to the ‘power room’ as she called it.

“Now let’s get to work”

She said as Sandy and Valerie surrounded her, watching her type some unidentifiable codes.