Billionaire business deal

Chapter 39: new starts

Chapter 39: new starts

"Okay Anna, I love you but I really need you to start working again" Kate sits on my bed, blocking my view of the tv, "it's been 4 months since you moved back in and I really need some help with the bills. Especially electricity" she tells me as I sit in my mound of blankets and duvets.

"But I think I just need a little longer" I look past her at the episode of new girl playing behind her. It's the second or third time that I have rewatched the series.

I know I haven't done much the past month but the one time I went to get sanitary products I was hounded by the press. I do not want to read articles about what people think about my choice on tampons again.

Kate doesn't get it. Even now when she's looking into my screen eyes. She won't get it. Yeah sure me and Christian were faking it but I thought we had a connection and now it's been 4 months and he hasn't tried to text me or call me once. He could have even sent a messenger pigeon saying sorry or how are you or... I don't even know.

"Okay I was gonna tell you about this last week but you threw a pillow at me so," Kate exhales and turns to Elliot who is standing in the doorway, he nods at her, "we got you a job interview at a editorial publication in town".

What?

"Why?" My eyes are fixed on EE and she squirms under my eye contact, "do you think I can't do that for my self".

"Hey Anna, it was me that sent your application" Elliot walks into the room and stands next to Kate, "I thought it would be good for you to put that new qualification to use so that you can start climbing the ladder and eventually run the place" he says slowly, clearly unedge.

"Do you think I should do it?" I speak without thinking. It would be nice to have something to do.

"Yes" they say together.

Kate then explains to me that the interview is in a few hours and I don't think I've ever ran a bath faster.

Sinking into the tub, my tense muscles ease in the warm foamy water. I can't remember the last time I actually had a shower or bath, I probably have a whole can of dry shampoo in my hair right now.

Oh god what have I become.

Staring at my reflection in the mirror- oh my! So many dark circles. I wash my face before grabbing my makeup bag.

Taking my full coverage foundation, I mix it with my illuminating moisturiser to hide this dull complexion I have gathered over the last months. Layering on the concealer and bronzer to try and add some definition to my face- wow it's been a while since I have done makeup this heavy.

Leaving my eyes plain, I blow dry my hair and tie it into a low ponytail. Brushing my teeth, I clamber into a white shirt and a black pencil skirt before jumping into a pair of black heels.

"Oh wow" Kate stands from my bed as I walk into the room, "you look so professional I love it!" She squeals and passes me my bag, "your CV and ID is in there along with your portfolio".

"Than-"

"Oh look who rose from the dead!" Elliot interrupts me as he swings into the room, I roll my eyes at Kate and ignore his comment. He's not wrong though, I haven't felt this normal in months. Maybe work will be a good thing for me.

"Soooo whose gonna drop me at the interview?" I ask knowing they weren't planning on driving me anyways, they exchange a panicked look and mutter some nonsense, "calm down I'm joking" I say as I leave the room and head into the kitchen.

Taking the left overs off the sides I tuck in to my lunch and soon I'm rushing out the door for the interview. How I didn't get food on my white shirt I'm not sure.

Pulling up into the car park I gaze up the side of the large building. It's heavy on the eye, made mostly out of glass and a few matt black columns- very sheek.

"Hello there welcome to Vance publishing's, do you have an appointment?" The woman at the desk greats me as I approach,  I step off the hard marble flooring and onto the mat infront of her desk.

"Ehh yes I have an interview, my names Annastasia Steele" I tell her as she types away on her keyboard, I don't even know my interviewers name- oh no.

"Perfect, Miss Steele if you would like to take a seat I will let Mrs Brown know you are here" she points her manicured nail to the seats behind me and picks up the phone.

After a short time of waiting, a woman who I assume is Mrs Brown approaches me.

"Annastasia Steele?" She extends her tanned hand towards me to shake and I do so.

"That's me you must be Mrs Brown, lovely to meet you" I let go of her hand and follow her as she starts to walk away.

"Please call me Claire" she tells me as we enter the elevator.

Claire's skin is a beautiful colour and I can't help but feel extremely pale next to her. Her height is also rather intimidating as she must be close to 6ft plus then her heels make her slim body tower over me by quite a bit.

We exchange small talk as we approach her office.
"Wow. Now that's a view" I walk over to the wall which is covered in glass and admire the view. It stretches all the way to the state boarder I'm sure of it.

"It's pretty impressive" Claire sits on the desk and reaches for a piece of paper from the hard wood. "So I've looked at your CV and I must say that course you recently took in France has really interested me. Do you have any work from it to show me?" She places the paper back on the desk as I walk over to the chair.

She sits in the chair on the other side of the desk as I place my essays onto the desk, I'm very glad I dated them otherwise the progression through the course would have been a lot harder to explain.

She takes each page at a time and skim reads each article.

"You must really love this man" she speaks up. Her voice full of certainty.

Huh?

What?

"I wasn't writing about anyone in particular" I stutter trying to diffuse the weird feeling in my chest.

She eyes me from over the desk.

"Okay well I did but it was unrequited love" I give in, hoping that she will leave it be and asses my work for its self.

She only hums to herself as she picks up another page.

Oh fuck.