She sat on her bed going through her mail. They were all bills and bills. Where to start, she had no idea. She had tried paying them off slowly, but somehow, she felt like she was in the same spot. After her parents passed away, she had decided to move out of her old apartment where they had lived together and look for a smaller and cheaper place and yet...things were not going as well as she wanted.

She felt tired and just threw her back on the bed and stared at the ceiling.

She sighed.

She picked up the locket around her neck and opened it to the picture of her parents with her in the middle.

"Mum, Dad...when will I get my breakthrough? I miss you guys so much," she said, staring at the picture lovingly.

Her phone suddenly rang, and she picked it up from beside her on the bed.

"Hello," she spoke up, sounding tired.

"Hello, am I speaking to Miss Emerson Smith?" A smooth lady's voice came through sounding polished and well trained.

"Yes, this is she."

"Congratulations. You just got the job as the P.A. to Mr Hendrix. You're..."

"I what!?" she exclaimed loudly as she immediately sat up, feeling shocked and surprised.

"You got the job you interviewed for this morning..."

"But how? I...I thought I was rejected. He asked me to show myself out of his office!" she narrated, still surprised at the news.

"Well, I was asked to inform you to report to work tomorrow morning. Can you do that?"

"Yes! Yes!! Yes!!! I'll be there. Thank you so much for this opportunity," she exclaimed happily before the call got disconnected.

She couldn't believe this was happening. She thought she had lost her opportunity but miraculously, somehow, she'd gotten what she'd wanted.

As there was so much joy in her heart, she forgot about her ankle and got down from the bed to her feet.

"Ouch!" she exclaimed as she fell to the ground.

* * * * *

She stood patiently at the back of the elevator with a smile plastered on her face. She made sure to wake up on time this time around. Okay, maybe she wasn't early, but she wasn't late either. As she stared at the working-class people in the elevator with her that were all dressed professionally, her smile grew broader. She had finally gotten an office job. A lady standing beside her noticed her creepy smile for no reason and Ema knew that.

"I work here now...just like you," she told the lady excitedly as she pointed to the ID card around the woman's neck. The woman just slowly nodded as she gave Ema a weird stare before she drew her gaze away from her.

Ema couldn't care less about the look from the woman. She had shared her happiness and that was all that mattered.

The elevator opened and Ema saw her new boss standing right in front of it. She wondered if he was getting on. Her question was answered as he stepped in after a few people got out. The few people in the elevator greeted him with respect. She wondered why he'd changed his mind and called her back. He'd clearly stated that she wasn't fit for the work. He'd asked her to leave his office and then, all of a sudden, she'd received a call to show up at work. Nevertheless, she felt she owed him an apology for the way she'd talked to him yesterday and for...well, sort of bad-mouthing him a bit. She also had to thank him for reconsidering her and calling her back.

"I'm sorry, please excuse me...please excuse me," she pleaded as she managed to squeeze her way past a few people, careful not to hurt her ankle.

"Excuse me, sir." She tried to get his attention as she finally stood beside him.

He took a look at her from the corner of his eyes without turning his head in her direction.

"Hi. I'm Ema...your new P.A. I...I just wanted to say thank you for calling me back. I didn't mean to..."

The doors to the elevator opened and he instantly walked out, leaving her behind, and the others in the elevator did too.

She tried her best to quickly walk out as well but...well, her ankle wasn't helping the situation here. She wasn't about to lose her new job due to her ankle. At least it wasn't fractured but just sprained. It would eventually get better. She tried to increase her pace to meet up with her boss, but it was impossible as his legs were longer than hers and his strides faster.

She finally got closer to his office and she passed a few employees at their desk hard at work. She felt amazed at the atmosphere. She had desired this for a long time now. She noticed her boss was talking to the same nice woman who'd helped her get to his office yesterday. Ema was glad to see her. She never got to find out her name or thank her dearly.

She finally got to where they were but just then, he walked away into his office.

She unknowingly sighed at her hard work gone down the drain.

"Ema, right?" the woman asked with a much warmer smile than yesterday's.

Ema nodded happily at the fact that she could remember her name.

"Yes. Thank you so much for all your help," Ema appreciated.

"That's alright but...what happened to your ankle? Can you work like this?"

"Yes, yes I can. It's nothing. It will heal in a few days. I'm quite able to work," Ema defended, trying to show her vitality.

"Well...I'm not so sure about that considering you're working for Mr Hendrix..."

"Don't worry about me. I assure you that I can handle myself," she assured the woman with a wide smile.

"Okay, if you say so. I'm Mrs Sandy Williams but you can call me Sandy. I'll explain a few things to you later, but for now, Mr Hendrix wants to see you in his office," Sandy told her and Ema nodded.

She took in a deep breath as soon as she stood in front of his office. She assured herself that she could do this and then she knocked on the door.

"Come in," she heard his voice respond to her knock and then she turned the knob, pushed open the door, and walked in.

Just like yesterday, he had the same mannerisms and routine. He just stared down at the papers in front of him and did not look at her. She carefully walked up to his desk while sort of limping. She tried hard to hide the fact that her ankle was not alright.

She stood in front of his desk and waited for him to speak up. After all, he'd called her in.

"What happened to your ankle?" he suddenly asked without looking up to her.

She wondered how he'd noticed without taking a look at her. He barely, or rather hadn't, noticed her when she met him at the elevator earlier.

"I...I got into a little accident but I'm..."

"Can you run?" he asked, another puzzling question interrupting her.

"I'm sorry?" she asked confusingly, and he lifted his eyes up to her and raised an eyebrow. "Oh, run! Sure, I can. I used to be a good runner back in high school. I mean, I still run very well..."

"Miss Smith," he interrupted her.

"Y-yes, sir," she responded, as something told her she'd made a mistake.

"If you're going to work for me, you'll have to put a stop to your excessive blabbing. Do I make myself clear?" he told her as he stared directly at her, and she quickly nodded her head.

"Y-yes, sir. I understand very much. I have to stop talking..." She realised she was about to go on again when he raised both of his eyebrows at her.

She instantly covered her mouth with both her hands.

"I'm sorry, sir," she apologised upon the realisation of her mistake.

"Run," he ordered her as he relaxed back in his seat.

"I'm sorry?" she asked, confused again. He stared at her without repeating himself.

"As in...run...here?" she asked him, wondering why he would want that to happen. She knew he was definitely trying to put her down.

She took a look around the office and then back to his face. She couldn't understand the expression on his face. Was he daring her? It was obvious that she'd lied about her ankle being in perfectly good shape. She wondered why he would want to rub it in.

"I don't have all day, Miss Smith," he interrupted her thoughts.

She had to do something. She took a few careful steps backward and took in a deep breath, preparing to run as she pleaded with her ankle not to fail her.

"Meet Mrs Williams outside," he interrupted, just as she was about to take her first step to run.

She felt frustrated at his habit of switching conversation topics. She looked up at him. There was no remorse or change of expression on his face.

"She'll explain your job to you," he told her and drew his eyes away as he continued with the work in front of him on his desk.

She heaved a sigh of relief. She was okay and good to go. She turned to leave.

"Miss Smith," he called her to a stop. She turned to him.

"Yes, sir?" she answered with a new set of energy.

"How much is your net worth?"

"I'm sorry?" she asked, confused again.

"Miss Smith, there are two things I hate. Repetition and excessive blabbing. When I ask a question, I expect a simple and straightforward answer. Am I clear?"

"Y-yes, sir," she managed to answer, still feeling a bit confused.

He posed another puzzling question to her. "How much can you be bought with?" She felt confused at the strange question but she was ready to give him an answer.

"I'm sorry to say this, sir, but I cannot be bought by any amount. I live clearly on good principles," she told him boldly and courageously with a smile. She had no idea what all this was about but she was going to make sure she left a good impression.

Fingers crossed right now! Hope you're loving it. Please don't forget to vote, comment and share the story. Every support is much appreciated.