Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 113717 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 569(@200wpm)___ 455(@250wpm)___ 379(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113717 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 569(@200wpm)___ 455(@250wpm)___ 379(@300wpm)
Though I appreciated the stand, I knew it would only make things worst for me, I just wasn’t sure how. I guess I was about to find out.
“I need you to not discuss me with my employees, you think I don’t know what you’ve been saying about me?”
“But I haven’t…”
“Silence. You better watch your step young lady, don’t forget it’s only because of my kindness that you’re even here. Do you know how much it cost to live here on your own? To have to pay bills, have food on the table, and a job that pays well? When I came here I had no one. So I would think you’d be grateful for all that I am doing for you, instead I find that you’ve been talking about me behind my back, spreading lies.”
I started to defend myself against these new accusations, for all that she had been in a better mood, she always seemed to think I was undermining her somehow with every little thing. I wasn’t sure if that was her usual behavior but by the way the others ignored it I guess it probably was.
I’d heard whispers about the last assistant and had been bending over backwards not to suffer the same fate. I no longer believed that my mother’s dear friend wouldn’t hang me out to dry in this fair city.
Whatever, I wasn’t a child anymore and I could certainly put up with her erratic moods if it meant having a roof over my head and a job until I found my way.
I tried once more to reason with her, “aunt Marion I promise that I haven’t, I would never do such a thing…”
“Of course not, you’re too sticky sweet to say a bad word aren’t you? Well you might be able to fool some people with that innocent schoolgirl act, but it’s lost on me. Don’t forget I know where you came from. How friendly do you think your new pals would be if they knew you’re nothing but a pig farmer’s daughter?”
The smirk on her face was ugly and distorted. Should I tell her that in fact the others did know of my background since I hadn’t seen any reason to keep it from them when they’d asked?
I wasn’t ashamed of my life back home, just because I wanted something different doesn’t mean that I would change anything about the life I’d led; except maybe where no one had asked me to the prom or out on a Saturday night, but those were minor.
In the end I held my tongue and waited for whatever spell had befallen her to pass. I suppose my silent acquiescence satisfied her this time because without another word, she turned and left the room. That warm glow I’d been enjoying was long gone and I snuck down the hallway to the washroom to take a quick shower.
I’d already been warned about being wasteful in the shower. I longed for a nice hot soak but was sure that was out as well. When the misery of my situation threatened to choke me I battled it back. It was only for a time, I told myself; nothing is forever.
It was only on Monday of the following week that I knew why I hadn’t seen Callan. I’d decided that I could call him that to myself; how was she to know after all? Anyway, the buzz around the office was that he had been away, some last minute thing at one of his other businesses, but that he’d been spotted coming into the building this morning.
That’s when I also learned that along with the magazine, he owned a movie studio and a newspaper, as well as a whole slew of other things that I couldn’t wrap my head around. The man I’d met hadn’t seemed like the mogul type, but apparently that’s what he was.
I was like a sponge soaking up every ounce of information I could get about him. Of course all the girls thought he was the hottest thing on two legs, though none of them had ever spent any real time with him.
They all seemed to think he was this bigger than life persona, way beyond their reach, and nothing at all like the man I remembered buying me a burger and talking to me about my dreams.
I tried to keep my interest well hidden and was sure I had succeeded since no one seemed to catch on to my infantile crush. I pretended ignorance whenever his name came up and that just garnered me more information.
All the while as I bustled around from place to place carrying out aunt Marion’s orders, I felt more and more depressed. Now I knew I could never have him. If these girls who were way more sophisticated and beautiful than I didn’t think they stood a chance, then there was no way I would ever be in the running.