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EPISODE 5 - THE JOB.

Brandon left Wilson’s office, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. Getting a job at the EW Group had really become a dream come true. He never intended staging a protest or getting that dickhead to acknowledge him, but, the situation turned out in his favour. Way to go! His simple goal was to go there, apply, interview and maybe get rejected. Getting a job as a personal assistant to an asshole CEO of the EW Group was the exact opposite of what he’d wanted. Yet here he was. A PA. to Edward Wilson, CEO of EW's Group.

The trip to Human Resources turned out to be surprisingly welcoming. Brenda was a nice young woman with a lovely curve and smile. Somehow, in the short time between Brandon leaving Wilson’s office and finding the HR department, she already had the contract ready. In any other circumstances, Brandon would have flirted with her, but he was too frustrated now.

“Wow, you got it done within a short time?” Brandon said, skimming over the contract.

Breda laughed a little. “When you work for a big company like the EW, you learn to be highly efficient. Trust me.”

That… didn’t sound reassuring at all.

The salary made up for all the inconveniences Money couldn’t buy respect, but it sure made his life easier; Brandon wasn’t going to pretend that he didn’t care about it. He would work for Wilson for half a year, prove him wrong, and pay for his sister's college until he could find a job that he didn't really have to worry about not losing. There was nothing else to put on the line.

“I thought Edward was the boss, not Wilson,” Brandon said.

Brenda sighed, a shadow crossing her face. “Mr. Edward Snr. retired and gave up his position. Besides, this company solely belongs to Mr. Edward Jr. He built it from the scratch, up. The interference of his father is just unfair. I learnt that Mr. Edward Jr. Chose this path in honour of his mother, who was speculated to have committed suicide. He found a passion for buying damaged things and fixing them. That includes individuals, companies and whatever that, of course, has potential.”

Out of everything she said, the speculation got his attention. “Speculated, you say?” He pressed for more information.

“This is first-class information. Never known by anyone, but since we are colleagues now, what harm will it do to share a little information?” She peeked around to make sure that they were alone and then continued. “Some said that Mrs. Edward was murdered. She was a very nice woman and didn't have any reason to kill herself. Unless she had some she shielded from the world. Who knows? The dirty secrets among the rich are just so unbelievable.”

Brandon understood what angle she was coming from. Besides, if one of the Edwards could be like this, imagine what the rest are like.

Brandon decided to change the topic being that he was starting to get uneasy about the information. “Do you think he is a terrible boss?”

“What, I think, doesn't matter. He needs to be this way in order for the business to thrive. A soft man can never make a good leader. He is our boss, whether we cherish his attitude or not. Bonus point, he owns eighty percent of shares here. The remaining twenty is owned by a few board members. You see, you can't do much.”

Brandon scrunched his nose, unsure what to think. Then he let out a surprised whistle when he calculated the stock market The EW Group was worth one trillion, so you can imagine what a rich bastard Wilson was. No wonder the guy reeked of power, wealth and more wealth. That doesn't give him the right to be an arrogant ass.

“I see that you’re a manager and administrator,” Brenda said, looking at his file. “But you’ve made a good decision. If you can keep your job for the duration of the contract, anyone in the industry will hire you on the spot.”

Brandon blinked.

Probably correctly understanding his confusion, Brenda smiled crookedly. “Mr. Edward Jr. has a… certain reputation in the industry. If you manage to keep the job of his PA for half a year, you’ll prove yourself extremely innovative and adaptive in high-demanding situations. It will be the best possible recommendation to any prospective employer.”

Wow. Brandon laughed. “That doesn’t exactly sound very reassuring.”

“Welcome to the world of business. Things get messier than you can ever imagine,’” Brendan said. “Sign here.”

Brandon signed the contract, trying not to feel like he’d just sold his soul and freedom to the devil.

“Good luck,” Brendan said. There was a sympathetic, pitying glint in her eyes, which wasn’t reassuring, either. “You need plenty of it.”

Brandon smiled weakly. “Is he really that bad?”

She just winced and said nothing for a moment before glancing around. “Mr. Edward Jr is… difficult to please. I’ll be honest with you: his assistants don’t stay long. He has had a number this year. And after the company's expansion, his workload is insane, which means his PA’s workload is insane, too. You’ll have to travel all the time between Countries and the other offices of the EW Group. It will not be easy. And that’s without taking the boss’s difficult character into account.”

Brandon chuckled. “If that’s your idea of a preparation talk, it kind of is terrible.”

Brenda gave him a full smile. She seemed to hesitate before lowering her voice and saying, “It’s not that he tries to be difficult. I think he just can’t help it. He was raised like that.”

“He was raised to be an ass?” Brandon said doubtfully.

A chuckle tore out of her throat. She glanced around again before murmuring, “Don’t let his high standard fool you. He isn’t American. He was raised differently, and he had seen a fair share of life. Rumours even have it that he is hated by his father. That is why he tries his best to be the better one among his other siblings.”

Brandon’s eyebrows drew together. “That is a lot for a man of his standard. Shouldn't he be idolized by his family for becoming successful independently?” He didn’t subscribe to the notion that a family is still segregated. He grew up in an abnormal one, but everyone was treated equally. Then, if he wasn't from America, where else could he be from?

“He is from Italy,” Brenda said, giving him a look. “From Sicily.”

Brandon blinked, utterly confused, before realizing what she must have been hinting at. “Are you actually implying he’s part of the Mafia?” he whispered, a laugh bubbling up in his throat. This couldn’t possibly be real.

Brenda winced. “No,” she said, looking like she already regretted bringing it up. “But there are strong rumours that his family is. They’re well-connected and have ruled a large spectrum of Italy for as long as the family existed. So, you can probably guess how he grew up. He’s used to everyone doing as he says—he takes it for granted and sometimes can get carried away.”

Brandon stared at her. Great. So, not only was his boss possibly a member of the Mafia, but he also didn’t understand the concept of “no.” “Must have been nice to be born with a silver spoon in your mouth.”

Brenda shook her head and lowered her voice again. “I told you that he is the outcast of the family. He moved away from them to start his own life. Tired of leaving in his father's shadow and before the incident today, he wanted to announce his termination of anything connected to his family. Now, he is solely an independent man.”

“You can’t know that,” Brandon said sceptically. “They could be helping him. This might all be a show to promote the family and make him look good.”

Pursing her lips, she shook her head. “His family completely cut him off as soon as he made the choice. The father only put up a show for the press, but his family knows the truth. Even when Mr. Edward Jr. got sick that its cause wasn't disclosed to date, his father never visited. He was in a coma for a long time. That is why as soon as he got himself, the first step he took was to change his name. Make sure never to address him as Mr. Edward or let him hear the name. It is either sir or Mr. Wilson. He doesn't want any linkage with his father, including the name his father bears. Mr. Wilson has been through a lot, and you can't totally blame him for turning out this way.”

Brandon shrugged. Now that he thought of it, he sees a little sense in his attitude. Maybe he is mad at the word for abandoning him. It doesn’t excuse his attitude. “You address him as Mr. Edward, don't you think that you need to take your own advice?” he muttered.

“Oh, I am so careful around him not to make that mistake. It won't end well.” Exhaling, “that aside, he is an icon in the business world, just…”

“Just not a good boss,” Brandon finished for her.

Brenda grimaced a little. “He’s… a complicated one.” She smiled at him. “I see something different in you. This time around, this PA is going to get through and finish his contract. I believe you. But a word of advice, make sure to stay almost invisible around him and don't expect him to be different towards you or make mistakes and think that he will tolerate it because you are you're new. He doesn't tolerate excuses.”

“That’s very reassuring,” Brandon said with a chuckle. “But thanks for the warning. I appreciate it, really. You just saved me from getting fired. With all these heads up, I am sure to do better.”

Blushing, she smiled, looking slightly confused. “I’m not even sure why I told you all of that. I could lose my job”

Brandon grinned. “Who is stitching among us? No one. He would never find out. Besides, I have a rare condition which doesn't allow me to betray people who trust me.”

“Really? And what is the name?”

“It doesn't have a name yet.”

"What a joker?” She chuckled.

He really has never told on people who confided in him. Brandon was the first person to trust in any situation. He would never let you down. People often told him secretes, whether he wanted to listen or not. Maybe his looks. He was a typical white boy: handsome, a green-eyed brunette, with a firm jaw and nice smile. His nose was button-like at the top but sharply straight. He was very attractive. Despite all that, he found it difficult to connect with women because they wanted him for his kind heart and always end up using him.

Brandon gave up on love after his ex married his supposedly best friend a few years back. He had plans of settling down with her after he secured a good job, but she broke up with him through an email, saying that he wasn't the kind of man she wanted. Brandon had been so confused that he ended up drinking around the breakup period. As soon as he tried to heal, the news of the wedding reached him.

Brandon was still in doubt if this was really happening. He highly doubted that Wilson wanted him as his PA for potential, The mere idea was laughable. Even before speaking to Brenda, he’d suspected Wilson would make his life a living hell just to prove a point, and now he was sure of it. Well, too bad. The bastard didn’t know Brandon at all. Brandon wasn’t going to give up, regardless of what Wilson threw at him. It was going to be a fistfight.