Hired To Be Mine

Chapter 4

Nicole went through the records the second time. Her brows furrowed in concentration as she tried to get the accounts straight. A calculator at hand, a pencil in her mouth and her reading glasses perched on her nose, she stared at the papers in sheer concentration.

"Sim!" She yelled for a waitress. A long legged blonde walked into her cabin swaying her hips a little too much. Nicole couldn't help but roll her eyes at this long time waitress. "That's not gonna work" she said while Sim gave her a cheeky smile.

"One day boss. You are gonna give into this temptation" Sim said wriggling her eyebrows suggestively. Nicole shook her head dismissively,

"Get me something to drink. I have a migrane coming" she groaned removing her spects and leaning back on her chair.

"Sure. Marco's hot chocolate should do the trick" Sim said cheerfully knowing full well that her employer has a craving for chocolate. Nicole hummed in reply, relishing the memory of taste of hot chocolate with her eyes closed. Sim left to fetch her boss her ale.

Simmer was one of the first person's Nicole has hired. She was a high schooler, who didn't get into any college. Her being a homosexual didn't provide her any support from her parents or friends. She was all alone, lost and broken, more or less just like Nicole. When she hired Sim as a waitress, Sim couldn't be any more greatful. Nicole won not only her friendship but also her loyalty. She could trust sim with a blind eye, that's how close they were.

"Here you go, boss" Sim said cheerfully as she came back with a glasd of hot chocolate. Nicole was in the same position as she was when Sim left. "You gotta stop stressing boss" Sim sighed as Nicole straightened to takr the glass of heaven.

She moaned as she took a sip of the hot liquid. "You know you make that sound so..." Sim trailed off as Nicole raised her brows in question. Sim's flirty remarks were harmless but sometimes they got too much. One look from Nicole and she knew to shut up.

"But seriously boss", Sim said with seriousness, "you gotta stop stressing" she said.

"I can't stop stressing Sim. I wanna clear this debt off at once. I am sick and tired of giving away three fourth of my profits to the bank" she spat the word bank as if it was poisonous.

"That's the reason I need a job to pay off the mortgage. And what better than fashion industry?" She sighed sadly.

Sim looked at her boss's furrowed brows and stressed features and felt bad. Nicole was the reason she was off streets. Years back when she was broke and looking for a job, every other cafe or restaurant rejected her. No one wanted to hire a blonde with killer looks, assuming she was a bimbo with zero brains. With no job and no money Sim couldn't imagine how her life would have been if Nicole didn't find her that night at the bridge.

Now, she had a home, small but still, a place she could call home. Friends who actually cared and didn't judge her for her choices and lifestyle. A family who were everything to her. And recently she even met this wonderful woman Eva, with whom she was actually feeling something deep and real for once.

Eva. Eva!

And just like that an idea striked Sim. "You know what boss?" She smirked at her. Nicole knew something was up, with the look Sim was giving. "I think I can pull some strings for you" she said and flipped her phone to dial Eva.

***

".... and here is the list of the candidates who you need to interview tomorrow", Kelly said as she handed the file of candidates resumes and bio datas to Salim.

Salim took the file and opened them to go through the list. "Kelly, correct me if I am wrong, but weren't there 8 candidates up for the interview, until before I left for New Zealand?" he asked with a frown,

"Correct" Kelly agred with a nod.

" Then why are nine candidates in this list?" He raised a brow at his secretary. It was Kelly's turn to frown. As long as she remembered she shortlisted only eight candidates for the interview, so that it would be easy for her boss to get through with this. So where did the ninth candidate come from.

"Let me see..." she took the file from Salim and went through the details. "I don't know...." she trailed off, not knowing where she screwed up.

She picked up the phone that lay on the glass table and dialled the H.R department, "Eva? Can you come up to Mr. Salim's office please?" She asked and hung up before getting a reply.

"Didn't you check the file before bringing up to me?" He questioned. It's not everyday that his perfect secretary screws up something.

"I am your secretary. This is H.R's job. I have no clue what all those degree's are about so why would I strain myself?" She snorted and continued looking through the file.

A knock bought them to attention. Eva poked her head inside as Kelly asked her to come in. Eva Martins was a typical nerd. She dressed in slacks and shirts, wore black rimmed glasses that were too big for her face. Simply she was a fashion disaster though she worked in the fashion industry.

"You called for me?" She asked nervously. She worked in the H.R as a preliminary test conductor or what so ever her job title said. Basically she did all petty jobs. Like setting the interview room ready. Helping the candidates woth refreshments and screening. Making sure the printer worked and etcetera. She was usually unnoticed, until recently.

"Yes. Actually, why are there nine candidates listed for the interview, while I heard there were only eight when I checked before last weekend?" Kelly asked coming right to the point.

"Well.." Eva was head over heels with Sim. Like said, she was always unnoticed until recently when she went to the 'Cafe Amore' a couple of weeks ago where she met a blonde beauty named Simmer, who stole her heart.

She promised herself that she would never let anyone rule her life but one pleading word from Sim and she agreed to what ever Sim said.

"We have gone through each candidates resume and bio data thoroughly and finalised the list" she list.

"But why are there nine? I remember they said only eight candidates" Kelly asked not understanding the sudden change. Meanwhile, Salim studied both women carefully and observed their exchange.

"Um... may be there were any last minute additions" Eva shrugged unable to lie anymore.

"That's strange...." Kelly voiced her thoughts. "well let me check with the head of H.R" she said and took the receiver into hand when a ear piercing scream, dchoed through the corridor,

"STOP" Eva yelled grabbing the receiver and clutching it to her chest and away from Kelly's reach. An amused smile graced Salim's features. He was no fool, he understood that the candidate that made their way into the final list was provided with Eva's assistance.

And somehow it didn't anger Salim. He knew that it would be his decision on who will be chosen at the end. He didn't care how someone made their way up the ladder, he only wanted the best.

"What the.." Kelly was interrupted,

"Its okay Kelly. Don't fret. One more person won't be a bother" he said and dismissed Eva. She was more than grateful for it. She made a run to her desk as soon as she was out of Salim's sight.

"What..." Kelly couldn't find any words, she was still dazed with what happened moments ago.

"Its okay. Something tells me tomorrow is going to be fun" he said with a smirk playing on his lips.

*****

"....Okay. And? Okay, she will be there. Uff! Babe, honey, trust me! I am gonna make it up to you. Yes! Meet you tonight" A smile on Sim's lips and Nicole pressed her already crossed fingers more firmly for better luck.

As soon as Sim hung up the call, Nicole held her breath. "Guess you are up for an interview" she said in a sing song tone.

"Thank God" Nicole sighed. Sheikh's Fashion house is the top jewellery brand in the world. Their authentic works and the southern style that they incorporate are the best. And she has heard a lot about Mr. Salim Sheik during her college times, that she couldn't help but be excited about the interview with him.

Yes, she had a crush on him back then. And who didn't. The handsome Sheikh, though he wasn't an Arabian or anything, but still his name did naughty things to women.

He was like a wet dream for every girl studying fashion and so was Nicole's. She had a collection of his pictures in an album with cheeky love poems and heart doodles sketched around.

Though she wouldn't say it out loud, she was actually planning her outfit in her mind right then.

If everything went well, she would be working with her dream man for the next six months until the big fashion parade.

But what she didn't knew was Salim was anticipating the interview with her as much as her. Or rather he was awaiting to meet the person who chose the short cut to get an interview with him. He wanted to teach the person a lesson.