My Husband Is A Stranger

Chapter Four - Work

Clara arrived at the cafe where Julie and her always meet, she requested for the driver to drop her off far away from there because she doesn’t want to get unnecessary attention because of the cool ride she’s in.

The butler wanted to come with her for her safety, but Clara insisted that no one would come after her life because she’s just a poor, simple woman.

Clara successfully made the butler not to come as she asked for their numbers; she told them that she’ll call them if she’s done here, to which they immediately agreed.

She finally entered the door of their meeting place and the smell of the freshly brewed coffee embraced her nose that comforted her well-being as she decided to look around for her friend.

“Clara! Over here!” she almost jumped after hearing that familiar voice, she waved her hand after seeing that Julie was on the second floor of the cafe.

Clara ran over there to greet her friend with an embrace, “Oh gosh! I have missed you Julie!” she emotionally said before breaking her hug to Julie to look at her expressions.

“Well that’s unfortunate, I didn’t miss you,” Julie laughed when she noticed that Clara immediately frowned at her statement.

“Kidding girl! Sit down, there’s a lot, take note, a lot that you have to say to me!” Julie called some waiters to take their orders.

Clara started narrating about what happened to her yesterday, Julie on the other hand was seriously paying attention to her as she was worried about what her friend, Clara was telling her.

From the sound of it, her aunt doesn’t like to be with her at all because of the past that her mother and aunt have.

“Are you sure your aunt wants you there?” Julie raised her eyebrows while taking a sip on her frappuccino.

“Yeah, I think so, she spoils me a lot even if I don’t want to,” Clara claimed before taking a bite on the grilled cheese she ordered.

“It sounded like she needs something from you,” Julie sounded worried because she thought, who in their right mind would text someone if they knew it’s their relative? They could’ve just visited them where they live.

She thought wealthy people are impossible, “What does she need from me? I don’t have anything and you know that.” Clara laughed, so she just sighed. Julie Anne thought her friend changed, but she’s just naive up until now.

“You know, it’s not good to be nice all the time, they could abuse that,” Julie firmly said, so Clara just nodded at her.

“I know, I know, you always say that to me, no one abused me yet you know?” she smiled, no one would really dare because Julie was there to barricade her to those kinds of people.

That’s how sweet Julie is to her friend Clara, “How about you? What’s new?” Clara asked when she noticed that this meeting sounded like it was all about her.

“Oh! I forgot to inform you! I’m going to Boracay for a week! My father arrived yesterday and wanted us to go there to bond,” Julie happily informed Clara, whose sky blue eyes are now glinting with excitement for her friend.

“Waa! Lucky! When will you leave?” Clara sounded a bit lonely just thinking about her friend who would be gone for a week.

“I think tomorrow morning, text and call me if something happened okay? I’ll fly back here as soon as I can,” Julie firmly reminded her, so Clara just chuckled before nodding.

She knew how caring Julie was for her, but she didn’t know that it was this over the top, “Don’t worry about me, I’m with my aunt now, so I’ll be fine, just enjoy your trip okay? Say hello to Mr. and Mrs. Rose for me,” Clara reassured, but Julie wasn't convinced.

The loud ringing of her phone captured both of her attention, so she motioned with her hands that someone was calling, so Julie just nodded while sipping on her triple mocha frappuccino.

“Good morning aunty...Oh? Really? Thank you, aunty! I’ll be back there as soon as I can,” Julie just listened to Clara on a call, she already knew that she had to go even if she didn’t tell her.

“Okay! I’ll see you later,” Clara ended the call before looking at Julie, “I have to go Julie! My aunt wants to introduce me to a job,” Clara’s eyes gleamed, so Julie just smiled at her. She knows how much Clara wanted a job; she finished the course of business after all.

“I’m happy for you girl! Let’s bond soon after I get back,” she winked, Clara just laughed because even if she didn’t tell Julie, she knows her friend will bring home a souvenir for her.

Clara kissed Julie’s cheeks before giving some cash for the p*****t of their food, “I’ll see you soon, take care! Bye!” Clara excitedly left the cafe before calling the driver. She wanted to commute, but she didn't know the exact address of her aunt.

It didn’t take the driver and the butler to arrive, she immediately sat on the passenger seat before opening her phone to check if her aunt had messages.

“Where to ma’am? Are you going back home?” the driver asked, so she flinched before shaking her head at them.

“Oh no, my aunt said to meet her at the Crayford Company,” she happily informed, so the driver just nodded before turning the steering wheel to the right, stepping on the pedals.

Clara shifted her gaze on her phone again, she couldn’t forget what her aunt told her on the call. Her aunt is looking for a new secretary and everything about the company is about business, so she was so excited about it.

“Do you guys think I’ll do good on being my aunt’s secretary?” she nervously asked before peering at her companions inside the Ferrari. Both of them looked at each other first before glancing at her.

The butler and driver just nodded, “I’m pretty sure you’ll adapt well there ma’am, though I can’t tell if the workers there are very welcoming, I heard that every one that is working there are very competitive,” the butler informed, so Clara just bit her lower lip.

“That’s great right? It would be good for the company’s performance,” Clara claimed, but the butler just lowered his gaze at her.

“I’m pretty sure you would understand once you have arrived there ma’am,” the butler just gave her a polite smile, so Clara felt pressured for a moment.

What does he mean about that? Clara thought before shifting her gaze at the moving scenery on the side of the windows.

She didn’t think about everything else as she felt giddy about the work that she’s about to have, she’ll do her best on the interview later.

“Oh, I almost forgot! I’ll just print my curriculum vitae and other paper works that I might need, can we stopover at the printing shop?” Clara requested, which was immediately obeyed by the driver.

Clara printed all of the papers that she might need and bought a brown envelope after she arrived at the printing shop. Luckily, she looked formal enough to attend the interview so she doesn't have to go home to get changed.

After fixing and printing up her papers, they left the printing shop with glee and now Clara’s staring at the huge company outside of the car. There’s a silver bold name of ‘Crayford Company’ plastered on the tinted glasses of the building. It’s so huge and high up that it could make you feel sick if you stared at it for too long.

Clara exhaled out a lungful of air before opening the door of the car, her heart pounding so rapidly against her chest.

“Ma'am, call us if you needed to be fetched later,” the driver informed her together with the butler after Clara got out of the car, “And you’ll do great ma’am,” they’re giving her a warm smile that’s very comforting to her pressured well-being.

“T-Thank you,” she beamed before waving her hands at them as they left her in front of the huge company.

After composing herself, Clara swiftly paced and took the flight of stairs, and entered the main building with confidence.

Clara’s eyes wouldn’t stay put after she got inside, she was admiring the whole company because just like her aunt, it shouts class and elegance.

The furniture is all still a combination of red, black, and white. Now she’s sure that her aunt likes those colors as all of her company has the hint of those shades.

She found herself at the front of an elevator ride before pushing the buttons beside it, Clara’s humming silently to release the pressure she was feeling.

Clara was told by her aunt to go up to the 14th floor because that’s where her office is located, the two panels of the elevator opened creating that familiar alert sound, so she smiled and entered there with some companions on her sides.

“Oh um, what floors are you guys going to be taking off?” she politely asked because she was willing to push the buttons for them, but they didn’t mind her as they just pushed the button of the floor where they’ll take off.

“Or you can just push it by yourself too,” she nervously chuckled because she felt embarrassed because those people beside her weren’t talking as she felt that they’re looking down on her with their intense glares.

She also noticed that after she entered the company, everyone was silent and serious. They’re glaring at their workmates that bothered her, it’s like they feel inferior with each other.

Maybe this is what the butler was talking about, Clara thought before she took off the 14th floor, it was also quiet over there as the tapping of her heels was the only thing that she could hear on the marbled-tiled floors.

Clara sighed in relief after seeing the front desk on that floor and smiled at the woman standing over there.

“Excuse me,” she called, so the receptionist looked at her without acknowledgment, “I’m Clara Crayford Crest, is my aunt inside her office?” Clara politely asked, so she immediately nodded at her after hearing Clara’s name.

“Yes, she’s inside, let me take you to her ma’am,” the receptionist replied sparingly as she went out of the desk and walked past her.

Clara assumed that she should follow her and so she did until they both arrived at a huge white door with golden handles.

“She’s inside, you may come in, she’s on a call as of this moment,” the receptionist informed before bowing her head at Clara.

Clara thanked her before exhaling out a lungful of air and reached out to the handle of the door, it made a creaking sound after she opened it and entered the space enough for her to fit in.

She took her time to examine her aunt's office, everything looks expensive, and just like what the receptionist said, she’s in the middle of a call, and it’s a heated one.

Her aunt hadn't noticed her yet, so she remained quiet and slowly went to the chair right in front of her aunt’s desk.

“Didn’t I tell you that we’ll meet later?” her aunt sounded pissed, “Yes, I’ll bring my new secretary I’m telling you about so hold on to that promise,” Serene reassured on the call while puffing some cigarette.

Clara, on the other hand, was surprised to see her aunt smoke, she just thought her aunt isn’t into that kind of thing because she’s very sensitive about dirt.

“Ugh! You’re such a pain in the neck Klaus! We’ll be there and be sure to prepare the freaking papers. Yes! You’ll be surprised to see how ‘gorgeous’ she is,” her aunt slammed her phone into her desk that shocked her for a moment.

“Gorgeous isn’t even close to what I’ll call her,” Serene hissed before throwing her cigarette on her trash can.

Serene massaged her forehead before looking on the front, “O-Oh Clara dear, you’ve arrived, sorry you have to witness that, just business being business,” Serene immediately composed herself after she noticed her step-niece right in front of her.

“Did you hear what we talked about?” Serene sounded anxious, but Clara just shook her head because she didn’t hear what it was all about.

“No, and it’s alright aunty, I understand,” Clara sweetly smiled before placing the brown envelope she prepared a while ago on Serene’s desk.

“Here’s my curriculum vitae and some other requirements that you have to check before we proceed to the interview, aunty,” Clara informed, so Serene raised her eyebrows. What is this brat doing? She thought.

“What’s this for dear Clara? I’m afraid I can’t remember telling you to bring this,” she confusingly asked Clara before resting her palms on her desk.

Clara was surprised for a moment before furrowing her eyebrows, “Don’t I have to pass this for formality, and how about the interview, aunty? I should be having that with the HR manager right?” Clara was baffled, so Serene just laughed at her.

“You won’t be needing that, you’re already hired as my secretary dear,” Serene winked at her niece before standing up, “I’m the owner of the company remember? So I could just hire you if I want to,” she added confidently.

Clara was confused and surprised at the same time, even if she tries to think about it, it just doesn’t sound right if her aunt did that.

She doesn’t want a job like that, as much as possible, she wanted to feel that she deserved that job on an interview she passed. What would the other people working here say?

What if there was a secretary before her that lost her job just so she could work here? She was about to confront her aunt about it when she was dragged out of the office.

“And you already have your first task now that you’re my secretary,” her aunt excitedly told her while she’s resting her hands on Clara's arms.

“R-Really?” Clara tried to hide her disappointment, she didn’t want to do this because she still felt that it wasn't right.

“You’re going to accompany me to a meeting tonight at a fancy restaurant, so go home, I already called some people to fix you on your first day,” Serene mysteriously smiled at Clara.

To be continued...