Rabbit Hole (Romantic-Suspense)

Chapter 10: About to change

Chapter 10: About to change

Waiting for my response as he keeps his smile up, my thoughts become chaotic so that I just don’t know what to say seeing his eagerly waiting eyes—

“Ah, sure yes—architect Lennox, it is.” I blurted out, almost getting convinced of what he wanted.

Whew, that was close! Good thing I remember that man a while ago who greeted and called him architect—that was close! He won’t push through that now—

“No, just Lennox is fine with me.” He said, still keeping up the smile as if he’s not pretending to realize that I just dismissed the idea of calling him just by his name.

And when I thought he couldn’t look more irresistible with that persuading smile—his face saddened with his eyes drooping and broad shoulders falling down—I sat there, confidence frozen, but before I could give into him, I let my mouth run over without thinking and said—

“I’m sorry sir, I can’t.” Firmly dismissing the idea of not addressing him ‘sir’ as he wished before I got swayed, he then looked at me, staring straight, probably observing if there was a chance that I might let a chance slip.

This is utterly ridiculous!

“Oh, uhm well—if I ever get hired, you know? My co-workers would find it weird if I did that—it could cause misunderstanding and I don’t want that.” What the hell—who in their right mind would let their employee call them by their name—why is he even doing this? Even if he has an ulterior motive, can’t he see that he’s making it obvious?

There’s no way I’m going to call you by your name after all those stares I got just by walking with you, because if that could simply gather that much attention, who knows what more could happen if anyone hears me calling you by just your name?

"Oh, sorry, I put you in a tight spot there, huh? I’m sorry, don’t worry, I understand and congratulation! Seeing how amazing your portfolio is, I want you to start right away tomorrow morning—ah, please wait for me here; let me call someone to get the contract so we can finally settle this and if you have more questions please ask that person freely, okay?" He said, still holding my resume and portfolio as he directly headed out of the office to call for someone.

Alright, he seems pretty decent for a pervert.

"Alright sir." I said, looking at his back while he headed out of the door that kept pulling me to when I first saw him in the elevator.

Those broad shoulders—damn it, Alice.

Anyway, this interview has been the smoothest one I ever had. Considering his firm's strict reputation based on my research, I can’t believe I easily made it.

Did I make it through just because of pure skills? Wait, what am I thinking?

Was I expecting to get treated as a regular applicant when in fact, I knew behind the shutters that he must’ve an ulterior motive?

I thought, putting my hand on my nape, thinking the sensation had stayed with me till now.

No, Alice. For the first time, you’re desperately clinging to his favor to get in here, to get the job.

F*ck, but he’s the founder—CEO! Ugh, what if he uses his influence over me and—

Ah, no.

No ,no. Just to be sure, I’ll just have to accept this job for a while and while on it, I’ll just continue searching for more potential firms.

So that if he ever tries anything funny just to get in my pants, I can resign any time I wish.

Ah, yes. I’ll prepare weapons before the game starts—

After that, I took my phone out and started searching for nearby architectural firms.

"Hi, sorry for waiting, Ms.?" Suddenly, Ms. Allen arrives, snapping me back to reality, only to realize that I have been thinking about here for over twenty-five minutes waiting for him—oh, where is he?

"Gomez, Alice Gomez," I said, standing up and shaking Ms. Allen's hands. Sitting on the couch across from mine, where Lennox used to sit, she put down a folder of papers, sliding it on the table in front of me.

"Hi, Ms. Gomez, here are the contracts. Please read and sign them. Sir Astor said you will be starting tomorrow?" She said. With that, I took the folder up, scanning through the first five pages of it.

"Yes, he did," I said, glancing back at her. Dang, they sure have a lot to put in here, huh? I decided to sign all the papers to get an uncomfortable ambiance as deep silence submerges in the air.

Finishing all the labels I needed to sign, I handed them back to her. Dang, what kind of policies do they have here? I need to have a copy of this. I'll make sure to read them.

"—oh! He also would like to say that he couldn't send you off. An urgent call came." Ms. Allen said hesitantly, smiling at me.

"That's fine, thank you, Ms. Allen," I said politely, putting my pen in my bag.

He does not need to, anyway and, uh, somehow I'd get this feeling that she'd take it personally if I asked her to send a soft copy of them.

Hmm, should I ask Lennox? Uh, no. but? Ugh, never mind what could go wrong, right?

"You're welcome." She said, still looking at me as if she wanted to say something but couldn't.

"Then, I'll be on my way now—"I said, standing up. Whatever it is, Ms. Allen, now's your chance to tell me or never. I thought just as when she cut me off.

"Uhm, actually…if you don't mind, Ms. Gomez, I have a question." She said, standing up, hands gripping together, looking around.

But, we’re alone here? Aren’t we?

"I don't. What is it, Ms. Allen?" I responded, smiling, anticipating what she had to ask.

What is she nervous about?

"Oh, uhm, can you promise me first that whatever it is, you'll leave it here and not tell anyone?" She said, gasping in the air, as sweats starting to break free, looking anxious.

"A-alright?" I said, feeling unsure because of how she was acting.

"What's your relationship with—ah, never mind, it's nothing." With the way she acts, my anxiousness intensifies, but as much as I want to get it out of her, it'll be too forward to squeeze it out of her.

"Are you sure, Ms. Allen?" I asked, still curious.

"Y-yes, see you tomorrow?" Stammering, she avoided my gaze and headed back to her desk, looking through some papers on it.

"Yes, see you tomorrow," I said, brushing it off, as I could tell that she wouldn’t answer me right away.

Yet as if on cue, the moment I stepped out—no, maybe even before that—the employees' eyes outside sitting in their cubicles shifted their odd curious gazes on me, again.

Yet, as I walked out of the department’s office, the tension grew bigger. I wanted to run, but I fought the urge to do so. Until I get down to the lobby, I keep my chin and chest up, confidently making my way out.

For as far as I can remember…

I didn't do anything weird to receive such gazes—well, yeah, except getting walked by the CEO himself and getting personally interviewed by him, ugh, this will be a big deal, huh? Why? Are you guys jealous? You must all be thinking that I get through to his favor…

Well… probably…

Ugh, this is infuriating. I want this job but, when I look at it, it doesn't seem like he recruited me just based on looking from my portfolio—it's not that I'm not confident about my work, but seeing how the interview went –ugh, Alice, what do you expect?…

Also, I’m sure what Ms. Allen wanted to ask earlier was that—what’s my relationship with him.

To Lennox.

Ugh, dang it.

Finally, getting out of the building, the thought still couldn't get out of my mind. Waving to the coming cab on this side of the road, the images of their gazes still feels like I'm being watched out.

Ugh, that building was so suffocating.

I used to get stares almost everywhere, which made me prone to this treatment because I know those types of people swarm around.

Glancing back over the building that left me in awe earlier, I looked at its top floor before hopping in the cab.

Incredibly, the higher my expectation was, the lower it instantly went down after meeting those people.

Well, again, what do I expect? Dealing with Lennox is already stressful as it is. What more about his firm?

But I won't just sit still and accept those glares. I, Alice, won't go down without a fight.

I'll work my ass hard until no one will dare to look at me that way again.

Because this is reality, I have to toughen up if I wish to go up.

3rd person's POV

Meanwhile, at the CEO's office, someone inside looks through the window, standing tall, wearing his cold, severe, and stern face as he looks down on Alice, who was at that time waving for a cab. He looked back again at the paper he was holding.

Smelling the faint scent of her, Oh…lavender…

He thought, sneering while the memories of the past played in his mind.

Finally, you're here…Alice, my little—He jolted from his spot when he thought his eyes met Alice' when she suddenly glanced over the floor where he was on.

Alice, hopping into the cab naturally, he let out a sigh of relief when he realized that he wasn't caught looking menacing just now.

Anxiously sitting down in his chair in front of his desk, he brushes back his fingers through his black hair. Grinning widely while looking at Alice's picture on her resume, he uttered;

"Oh, Alice… you're intoxicating. Can't I just lock you up?" Just in time, a man in a suit came into his office after three rounds of knocks.

"Sir Astor." The man said, standing firm, both hands behind, as he faced Lennox's desk from a meter away from the door he came through.

Just as the day passed its turn to night, Lennox's expression changed, but unlike night and day…

It had always been the night to him, dark as ever. So dark that it caught his employees off their guard.

"Hey, George, before you talk, make sure it's worthy of the time you just took." He said, turning his chair around to meet the man, with his usual straight face and menacing eyes glaring at him.

"So, how's everything going?" He asked the man, as the ambiance in the office began weighing heavier by the second. Regretting calling his boss at the wrong timing, George gulped.

"Have you finally tracked that mother f*cker down?" Lennox asked in his usual unsympathetic tone, completely different from when he was in front of Alice.

"Yes, he's on his way now to one of our predicted areas near XXXA as we speak," George said, trying his best not to stammer, as he saw Lennox's glares grow sharper.

"Good. Drag him out of his rat hole. I'll get there once you restrain him." Lennox said, grinning devilishly.

"Yes, sir," George said, finally on his way out of the room.

Why do I feel like I'm the one being cornered? Tsk, working for this psycho sure makes it hard to breathe. He thought, riding down the elevator without a clue that starting tomorrow, everything is about to change.