It felt like a burden at first, the morning routine that was dedicated to the big boss. Yet, a soothing scent made all the co-workers enchanted. A wave of hawthorn with a hint of passiflora spread throughout the building, inducing serenity to all who were present. They were silent for a moment while grounding themselves.263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc2gID2UKB4
“Why is everyone so stunned by her presence?”263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbVOI8x6RUa
The slightly thick woman stopped in her tracks and turned around, scanning the newbie from head to toe. The newbie looked like a model and was extremely thin. That’s why her behaviour didn’t come as a surprise. Many recruiters, just like this newbie, had a sense of superiority and disdain flashed in their eyes. 263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5WtO5c9KT8
Knowing this display wouldn’t go unpunished, the woman left the scene without saying anything. Up ahead, colleagues were laughing at jokes and certain gossip. She turned her head to the right and looked at them. They had stopped talking almost immediately, bowing their heads in unison, and commenced their work. She only shook her head and continued walking with a smile on her face. Soon, she arrived at the office. With the toe of her pump heels, she knocked on the door. However, she didn’t wait for his response and walked in, handing the cup of tea to her boss. The aroma flew into his nose. He closed his eyes briefly while taking a large sip, feeling content. “Did you fire someone?”
The boss gazed out of the 14-story-high window and saw an ant being escorted by ten figures dressed in black. “I fired no one today, sir Berksten.”
He kept watching the scene like it was a play from an opera. Dimples appeared when he smiled slightly. She wondered what was on his mind. Moreover, she was thunderstruck. Who knew he could laugh like that? He always had a face made of stone, making everyone stand on their toes. Many didn’t know how to act in front of him, except for her. She could tell whether he was angry, enraptured or feeling blue. And, of course, she knew what he desired.
“What did the researchers say?” She said without thinking.
“Yara!” He looked at her from the corner of his eye.
“Sorry.”
In an instant, she bowed deeply, wanting his forgiveness. She had made a mistake that could cause her career to break down at any moment. He didn’t like questions. They were forbidden and unnecessary.
Her boss wanted to say something when he heard a roar through the whole building. It was a roar that made his whole being ascend. “We, flawed human beings, stand tall, aspiring towards integrity.”
The reflection of a hundred men and women could be seen from the windows of the building across the street. They looked like a well-trained army, both robust and intimidating. They all stared at the newbie that insulted the P.A. and once more they howled the company’s motto. The newbie ran away with her tail between her legs as she was watched by the company and many bystanders. This made the boss sit more upright in his chair. He realised that Yara had built the company from the ground, when it was dragged through the mud by the previous PA’s. His eyes widened, when he looked at her. “What’s on the agenda for today?”
She stood upright again and opened the folder. She summed up the tasks, then the process of several goals. Lastly, she reviewed the transactions that had been made this month. Even if they lived in a modern world, where one can look everything up, her boss still liked pen and paper. This phenomenon surprised her each time.
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Night had fallen, and almost all colleagues had checked out. Only the light on the fourteenth story was still burning. Yara had returned to the office with a cup of Rooibos. However, the place was empty. She walked up to the window and gazed at the street. In the distance, she saw her boss’s car disappear.
She took a sip of the tea and placed the cup on the desk’s corner. Seconds turned to minutes. The ticking of the clock became louder by the minute. She sighed and opened the drawer. Inside it lay a thick leather hardback. The word ‘Finance’ was engraved on it, with golden letters. It was a cover-up, for in reality it was a sudoku bundle with hundreds of pages. Her boss was obsessed with numbers. They made him, strangely enough, feel collected.
She lifted the black book and placed it in front of her, on the desk. Subsequently, her hand trailed across the surface of the drawer until she felt something soft against her skin. She pulled against the cord. The desk revealed an empty space, unveiling its true size. Yara dived with her other hand into the black hole and picked up a cinnamon leather journal. She slid with her hands across the bronze gemstones on the spine. A feeling of guilt creeped up to her, wondering how she could betray his trust like this.
She had discovered the tome six weeks ago. The clock had almost hit midnight, and her boss had disappeared once again. His sudoku was still on the table, so she wanted to put it in its rightful place. The desk had to be clean and prepared for the following days. This was one of her tasks as PA. Eventually, she noticed a string that she wanted to throw away in the dustbin. The plateau moved, and there she found his secret. Since then, she had a feeling that she couldn’t shake off, no matter how hard she tried. She worked extra hours at nights like these, waiting for the building to be completely cleared out.
812. 813. 817. 828. In the dead silence, Yara moved the numbers upwards. With each combination, she tugged at the lock, but it wouldn’t budge. It increased her frustration by the minute. She could yank the slot at any moment, still she knew she had to be discreet. Every misplacement, scratch or breakage, if he discovered it, he would personally burn her to the ground.
Why did she have to stick her nose where it didn’t belong? And on the flip side, what was he hiding from her? Many thoughts ran through her mind, making her feel overwhelmed. What was worse, was the tension that was building up while it was already at its peak. It slowly became clear to her that she shouldn’t do something so outrageous, and she became calm, ‘This secret isn’t worth destroying a work- and friendship of five years.’
She gave up and decided to ignore, to forget, the diary. When the moment came, he would let her come closer. He would show her the diary, his secret. And she would pretend to be surprised. Yara had a good picture of the scene, believing that this had to be the outcome.
This image, alone, was worth the wait. She let go of the lock. Her eyes trailed a shimmering object that descended. A loud jingle broke the silence and echoed throughout the office. Her eyes grew bigger. She had cracked the code. Her boss’s walls had fallen.
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***
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His one leg was still in half in his car, but he still bent forwards instinctively. A large hand was placed on his shoulder. He looked up at his boss, also best friend, who wished him good luck with his shift. Then, he let him go and Jun could easily step out of the car, “How was work, Micah?”
“Make sure Yara goes home on time,” he said solemnly.
Jun noticed that the distance grew bigger over the past six years, but he wasn’t prepared for this moment. It felt like he had received a punch in the face. His best friend treated him like he treated everyone else. How could he, while Jun was the one who always stood by his side? His eyes were growing bigger and bigger.
He could play along if Micah acted like this. He stood up straight immediately with his shoulders slightly backwards. “Does she work overtime again? Don’t you think it is suspicious?”
The boss was already on his way to his car and turned his head. A short nod, then he proceeded further. Jun grabbed his keys and torch. The last thing he heard, before he ascended the stairs, was the sharp sound of tires slipping against the asphalt.
His steps were hushed when he walked through the halls, only the sound of the keys gave his presence away. Every night he checked every floor and department, even the private rooms. Almost every story had two departments and up to five private rooms. With such a large building, it was nearly impossible to investigate every room alone. Ever since the boss’s relapse, he would do anything to carry a part of his burden.
Half an hour had passed, and he had reached the atrium, which was located on the eighth floor. Jun had a strong desire to run to the top floor to see what Yara was up to. He knew that it wouldn’t make a difference if he rushed through his work. With such a secured and advanced security system, there wasn’t anything thrilling about his nights. Yet, he decided to do his task with the utmost resolve.263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ82Rhs0cllQ
Ten minutes. A record time. He stood on the top and very last stair tray, staring directly at the office. He didn’t hesitate for a moment and rushed to the office door while he held his keys tightly and turned off the light, determined to report Yara’s misstep. Meanwhile, his eyes adapted to the dark, and he looked around. Nothing out of the ordinary was visible in the registration department. He looked in front of him, again, and quickened his pace. In ten steps he was at the door. He pushed the handle down and swung the door open with great force. In the illuminated darkness, face to face, he looked at the shocked PA that held a book in her hands.263Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD3E02sJafc
