He drops beside me, his features all on me.
"Well, since my father decided to pull all the strings to drag me back to him, I have to for a job to sustain myself. He is the one who froze my accounts. Can you that?" I explain, and his face turns dark and pale all of a sudden.
He remains in a thinking state for a moment before speaking, "So, how is your father, this supposed vacation of yours connected?" He asks.
"I worked alongside him in the family business until days ago," I state.
"So you ran away from home and left the company hanging? Your father is furious, if he was able to freeze your accounts, I am afraid you are underestimating what can do next, Ellie,” he says, and I know he is right. But so what? That man has done his worst.
"He can do his worst, Damian. There is no way I am dragging my arse back to him his manipulative ways. This is nothing to make me go back. I will climb my way the ladder again without his help," I fume.
He rubs my thigh to calm me down. God knows how I hate my father. I despise him doing this to me. "What really is the deal between you two? What made you quit job suddenly and run away? This seems deeper than you explain,” he asks, my face and crossing his arms on his chest.
"I am just tired of him using me and dictating my life. I am sick and tired of being . His ways of thinking and doing things just deviate so much from mine, that is where we crash. I can't take it anymore, Damian."
"But you know running away from a situation doesn't solve anything, Ellie. He is your , and if he wants you back, he is not gonna stop. How long will you hide?"
I shake my head boldly. "I am not hiding anymore. I just want to be far away from and his madness, and this is the best and only way. I am not running away from place. If he dares to look for me, then I will confront him. I would like to see what he is willing to do to his own daughter."
"But, Ellie..."
"Damian, please. I'm done. Let's not talk about this anymore. It breaks my heart to how much my father is willing to go just to have me under his control again. I 't want to hate him more than I already do by thinking about him too much.
Please," I plead.
"Okay. I promise, I won't bring it up again. So, have you found a job? You know you 't have to go through all that hustle."
"I know. But I already found one."
"That first?" He curves an eyebrow.
"Yes,” I say with a sense of hope warming my heart.
He smiles at me. "Are they paying enough?" he asks.
I wiggle my head slightly. Anything more than a coin in my situation is better than down and waiting for life to slap me the way my father wants. "I can manage,"
I say with confidence.
"Manage, Ellie? Are you fucking kidding me? You are not that desperate to stoop to job just because a shit happened unexpectedly. You can stay at my house while find something decent. That hustle isn't for someone like you," he explains with .
"I get your point, but, no one is meant for that hustle, Damian. Shit just surprises you, it did to me, and I found myself here. Just let me do this. I can't rely on you for help the time. You have been kind enough," I explain.
Truth is, I have never been so determined as I feel right now. It's like I'm being to challenge myself. To show my father that I can’t only work for his , nor can I only survive with his money. He taught me how to work for , and I will show him what a great investment he made in that field.
"Why don't you work for me? You don't have to struggle like this. With your in the marketing field, I am sure I can find something for you in my . I mean, marketers are always in demand."
Good offer, but I can’t be a charity case, clinging to him for everything. "Thank you the offer, Damian, but I need to do this. Maybe if the job doesn't turn out to be as to me as I presume, I will consider your offer. But for now, let me do this." I .
"You are such a stubborn..."
"Hey! Don't you dare call me a bitch, or I will dismantle your face with this laptop," I .
"I wasn't going to call you that. You are too gorgeous to be called names like those," states.
I cock an eyebrow. He is such a flirt. "Really?"
"Yeah, really. Gorgeous but so nagging and stubborn." He rolls his eyes at that.
"At least I am gorgeous. That reminds me, I lost in the alcohol bid. What sort of am I in for this time around?" I ask.
It is still unbelievable that he did that for seven consecutive days, and he seems sober.
I thought he wouldn't be able to sleep without even a glass, even on the first day. I I was wrong - so damn wrong.
"I told you. You are in for a hot one, but at the moment, just focus on finding out what job is and completing your ongoing lessons, and then I can tell you my price."
"As you wish. Can you hold me now? I need someone to tell me that I will pull this mess," I plead. And yes, that is how free we have become, and I am it.
"Come." He opens his arms, and I snuggle into his warm embrace, as his arms wrap me. "You will pull through. I know you will, Ellie." He kisses my hair and his head there, while I close my eyes to his reassuring and encouraging words.
CHAPTEE 58
THE INTERVIEW
I am wearing a crown of confidence and a cheerful demeanour as I stroll into the . To my surprise, the hotel doesn't appear to be as tiny and inexpensive as the suggested. It's quite a high-class hotel Although it is not a five-star , it isn't as low-brow as I had envisaged. I'm sorry, but it seems like the boss is stingy and exploits the workers. All the same, I need employment. The little they are offering, though small, will be just crucial as long as I pocket them . After being checked out at the entrance and being told to go to the hall, I clutch my résumé to my chest and walk into the elevator.
Walking out of the elevator, I tap my feet on the sparkling tiles in the direction I was to. I get to the door and knock gently, and after a voice ushers me in from the , I push the door open.
I stride in, but I get glued-thunderstruck on the spot! Like, how many vacant slots stated on the website? Only one, right? I only saw the marketing vacancy. Don't me all these over twenty people are eying the same slot. OMG!
"Good morning, miss!" I turn my stupefied countenance to the two ladies behind the desk and wobble my legs to them. "Are you here for the interview?" One of asks nicely.
"Yes, miss." I respond, trying not to sound too despondent and strange.
"You are right in time. The boss should be here any minute. Please leave your hand of the resume with us and join the rest of the interviewees in the waiting area,” speaks again as the other shift her attention on a man who just arrived.
After handing them the envelope with a polite nod and a whispered "thank you," I join throng of job hunters lounging on the plush leather benches. These people are ! Paying just mere change despite their plethora.
I drop down next to a lady who happens to have mistook the job interview for a night . Or maybe she missed her way to the bar for a one-night stand that she really to coax. Goodness! Is she really going to walk in front of her supposed-to-be with this dress that covers only her goodies? Not even all because her boobs are at everyone in this hall. Huh!
I trace the helm of my black dress and slightly lower it. I'm just checking to make sure didn't ride up while sitting down. It's not short because it touches my knees even I'm seated. Hell forbid, I wouldn't want to envisage myself looking like this -naked blonde hottie seated next to me. If our boss has weak lust defenses, I doubt well-portrayed round bum and huge boobs will go unnoticed. Poor guy, and sorry us. If that happens to be the case, the bitch will have it. We will be screwed!
I look away from the blonde, the thought of having to go through this again boiling anger, but my eyes fall on another babe staring at me as if I were a serious threat to her ability to breathe.
Dang! Why is everything so freaking odd here?
"No! I must be hallucinating. This can't be her," She says, not even blinking or her stern gaze at me even after I caught her gawking at me. My lungs at her statement, and the look of bewilderment on her face is a topic for day. She looks like she is staring at a ghost.
I dart my eyes around her fair chubby face. Her complexity doesn't ring a bell at all, her actions are infuriating my demons.
"Sorry. Do I know you?" I query.
She bats her long eyelashes countless times, recovering from her shock. "It indeed is ,” she snaps, making me feel really uncomfortable now, “Ellie Marrie Riccaford!"
Everyone in the hall looks at her when she practically yells, their jaws plummeting to red carpet after a second as they shift their gazes at me.
Shit!
I choose to disregard their perplexed expressions and concentrate on the one that their attention. As if reading my mind, she gets up from where she is, creeps to where I am, and shoves herself in between me and Miss Naked Blonde. I'm that she separated us because I was starting to feel so uncomfortable like I the one wearing her shitpiece nonsense of a dress.
"Ellie!? Is this really you?" She asks.
I nod my head slowly, still floating at this weird bimbo. "And who are you?" I query.
"Grace,” she says joyfully. I shake my head to let her know nothing about her rings a to me. Not her actions and not even her name. “I was your classmate at brookside I transferred in form two," She explains, her round eyes narrowing and with an adorable smile.
Ooh!
Grace! The ever-slimming chubby cheeks, like we used to call her. The world sure is . "Hey! I remember you. Sorry, I..." I am pulled into a side hug before I can say else.
I don't remember us being friends or any close for those two years we studied . That is why her reaction right now caught me by surprise. I smile slightly, pat her shoulder gently. She pulls away, a broad grin that got me to widen mine on her face.
"This place isn't for people like you, Ellie. What in hell are you doing here? I mean, I have understood if I bumped into you as the one conducting the interview, but in interviewees que?" She asks, and my smile fades away abruptly.
"Yeah, I also would like to know that too. Unless you are a fake, a Riccaford can not here!" The blonde finally speaks in her irritating raspy voice.
I stare at her, and she challenges me. Look who is talking of fake! Isn’t all she all ?