3
1648 Words
~DIORA~
A tiny moan flowed breezily from my mouth and my eyes fluttered open at the same time. My vision was a little blurry and my head felt a tad bit blank. I groaned, bringing my hand to my head, massaging it softly to ease myself of the ache that embedded itself into the core of my temples.
I tried to move my legs on the bed but I didn't fail to notice the twinge of searing pain that shot through them. I didn't allow that to deter me. I willed myself to get up from my lying position and I propped myself against the pillows.
The pain that lingered in my limbs, jolted a spark in my memory that had me wandering down memory lane again. I had to clamp my teeth down on my bottom lip to submerge the wave of self-loath that descended on me.
It was as though reality set in when I woke up in the morning on the cold floor of the storage room. I had spiralled into an abyss of denial for a while but the sight of my panties lying a few feet away from me was enough to prove that I had slept with a man I barely knew. I knew I was under the influence of alcohol, but it didn't make me feel any better. I didn't even know his name! I had been so horny and gullible that I barely picked up on his vagueness about information.
To add salt to injury, I allowed him to f**k me without using protection. I was a frantic mess when I realised that and I had to quickly sort myself out by making a stop at a pharmacy to purchase a morning-after pill. What kind of a girl sleeps with a stranger without protection? Me.
I didn't want to spend the rest of my time beating myself up about it, so I ruled it out as the fact that I had been incredibly turned on by him because it had been a very long time since I had been in contact with any man. I have been more of a closed-off workaholic girl. I never had time to really date. The one time I tried it. It didn't work out. I wasn't feeling it, so I broke it off.
It was baffling how I could still feel aches in my legs since our encounter. That guy sure knows how to drive a woman crazy…His thrusts were so raw, his touches were sizzling and oh, f**k__his voice___
"You are such a horny thing," I groaned, chiding myself. I brushed my hair off my face and snatched the alarm clock off the nightstand. My eyes widened in alarm—s**t! It's Monday! I was told to resume today!
"Dio Mio! Oh, my God!" I screeched and threw the covers off my body. With the speed of light that I used to bolt off the bed, I found myself landing on a floor with a loud thud and I winced.
I garnered the strength I had left and dashed into the bathroom to take a quick shower. I was out in no time, rummaging through my closet to find a suitable outfit.
"Stupid, stupid, Diora! You should have done all this before you went to bed!" I cried, blow-drying my hair.
I grabbed the first dress I could find, slipped on my undies and pulled the dress over my head. I retrieved a pair of heels and a matching black bag, sprinting out of the closet.
I was able to pull my hair into a neat low bun, to avoid looking disorganised. After taking a glance at myself in the mirror and seeing how well the Midi short-sleeved navy blue dress made me look professional, I stuffed my bag with my necessities.
I was mid-way through sorting my things when I noticed the shakiness of my hands. I paused, drawing in a long breath and then I puffed it out as slowly as I could. I dropped on the bed with a thud, slipping on my stilettos and then, I rose to my feet, grabbing my bag.
"You have got this," I whispered to myself, and proceeded to touch up my face with a little makeup, just to make my face appear brighter and not look so pale. I threw a wink at my reflection in the mirror after a few spritzes of my cologne before leaving the house.
I flagged down a cab that took me straight to Bell Firm.
____________________
The pictures, on the internet, and in magazines, didn't do justice to the aesthetic view the enormous building held. My mouth was practically hanging on the floor and I was struggling to pick it up.
I felt so intimidated as the height of the glass-like skyscraper towered my frame felt like that of an Ant. I was stunned to silence. I took a moment to allow my thoughts to wander to how breathtaking the building would look at night if it looked this beautiful in the morning.
The loud horn that chirped from behind me nearly blew me off my feet and I squealed, toppling over my heels to move to the other side. I spun around, casting a glance at the black Lexus before huffing and sauntering into the building.
I stepped in through the sliding glass doors, heading straight for the reception. I couldn't help but pick up on how bustling the lobby was. It was filled to the brim with workers trudging to and fro, going about their daily business. My eyes wandered around in fascination, unable to get enough of the luxurious interior design.
"Good morning," I flashed a warm smile at the receptionist. Her bubbly aura was quick to rub off on me, eliciting a light grin from me. Her blue eyes sparkled with warmth as they took me in.
"Good morning, Ma'am. Welcome to Bell Firm. My name's Julia, how may I be of help to you today?" I didn't miss the smooth transition of her words. It made her sound like an elitist.
"Uh…could you show me the way to the CEO's office?" I queried with a light smile and a look of surprise flashed in her eyes, prompting me to introduce myself, "I am Diora Thompson. The new assistant," I added.
"Oh," She chuckled, " Just take the elevator to the last floor. The HR representative is already waiting for you." She informed me. I threw her an appreciative smile and sauntered off to the elevator.
It wasn't hard to miss.
The lift transported me to the top floor and I stepped out through the doors. I mumbled a 'wow' under my breath, chuckling softly.
The feminine voice that came up behind me, the minute I started wandering around the lobby, must have noticed how lost I looked.
"Miss Thompson?" She was soft-spoken with her lilting voice yet confident voice.
I spun around to have my eyes anchored on her slim, elegant frame clad in crimson trousers and matching blazers. Her hair was rightly secured in a ponytail and the bold red lipstick on her lips augmented her amber eyes. She embodied the outstanding qualities of a true Queen.
"Yes…" My voice trailed off as I tried to conceal how intimidated I felt by her presence.
"Lilian Jones. The HR representative." She introduced herself, stretching her hands forth for a handshake. She was sporting a calm smile on her face. I shook her hands lightly, smiling.
"Diora Thompson, but you already know that." I voiced out.
"You are late. The boss has been expecting you," She began, walking past me and I trailed behind her, stuttering like an i***t.
"Yeah…uh…about that…I…" She cut me off, turning to me.
"You can save your breath. You don't need to explain yourself to me. You'll speak to him about it." She sent me a smile that spiked my nervousness. My palms turned sweaty, tightening against the strap of my handbag while I struggled to catch up with her long strides.
"Once you are done with him, I'll be the one to put you through things and show you where your office is. Good luck." I failed to realise that she had stopped walking and we were now standing in front of a door.
I swallowed, unable to speak, but I nodded in response. With one last smile, she sauntered off, leaving me a nervous trainwreck by the door.
My shaky hands grabbed the knob and I stepped into the office, shutting the door behind me.
I squeezed my eyes shut, drawing in a shaky breath. They fluttered open after a while and I muttered a silent prayer under my breath. And then, I spun around.
"Good morning, sir." My shaky, breathless voice was a contrast to how I had hoped I would sound in my head.
My greetings earned me nothing but a deafening silence that made it so hard for me to get air into my system. The little breath I had left, it felt like I was beginning to choke on it and my lungs were tightening up. I fisted the strap of my bag, trying to steady my quivering lips.
The atmosphere was thick with so much tension, denting my skin with sprouts of icy goosebumps.
All I could make out from where I sat was the figure seated on the swivel chair with his back turned towards me, alongside a mass of blonde hair. The stiffness of the frame almost had me concluding that it was a statue.
Until he turned.
Cold orbs clashed with mine, knocking the breath right out of me. My blood froze up in my veins and my feet were glued to the ground. My bag dropped to the floor with a loud thud that echoed in my ears like a deafening, incessant ringing.
Then, I stopped breathing.
- Writer
