Taken By The Arrogant Billionaire

The next morning, Valerie slowly opened her eyes and sat up, stretched and yawned. She glanced at the wall clock – 7am.

“Great. Just great. Now I’m unemployed” She stood up and trudged towards the kitchen where she heard constant clinking of utensils. Layla and Sandy were making breakfast.

“Good morning” Valerie yawned again.

“Waking up early now that you have lost your job?” Layla said without looking back.

“Stop that” Sandy chastised as she rolled her eyes.

“I’m off to get some groceries” Valerie said and left. She headed directly to the department store not too far away.

She bought what she needed and was about to head back when she was stopped by someone. A man, specifically.

“Hello, ma’am”

“How may I help you?” She stared at him, suspicious. He chuckled lightly.

“You don’t have to be so guarded against me”

‘Does he want to hit on me?’ she wondered.

“I am here to offer you a job”

“A job?” She became even suspicious.

“Yes” He dipped his hand in his shirt pocket and handed her a business card. She glanced at it.

“Liam Roberts. Marketing officer at Smith Industries” She read out loud.

“You work at Smith Industries?” She inquired, perplexed.

He nodded.

“I want to invite you for an interview on Monday at 9am. It is for the post of a secretary”

“An interview? Why would you do that? I don’t know you, neither have I seen you before” she stated. Who walks up to an unknown person to offer her a job?

He smiled.

“Someone introduced you to me. A person who knows you quite well”

Without another word, he got into his car and drove off.

He picked up his phone and dialed a number.

“All done, boss. I invited her already”

“Very good” The man on the other end said, and the lie went dead.

Valerie was not herself for the next few hours. She was being offered a job in the largest company in the country? Was this really happening? What if it was a scam? Millions of thoughts were running in her mind.

“Are you okay? You look disturbed” Sandy’s voice brought her back to the present. “Care to share?”

Valerie sighed.

“I was offered a job”

“When? How come you didn’t tell us?” Asked Layla.

“It happened just this morning when I went to the grocery store when a man stopped me saying he wanted to offer me a job”

She gave them the card.

Layla choked on her food as Valerie gently patted her back.

“Oh my God! Smith Industries? How is that even possible? Woah! You are so lucky” Sandy exclaimed.

Layla had not recovered from her coughing fit.

“Hey, are you alright?” Valerie asked.

“Yeah. I just choked, you know, from the surprise” she said hurriedly. “Congratulations Val”

Valerie shifted in her seat.

“It’s too early for that. What if the whole thing was a lie?”

“It is not” Layla said with suspicious certainty, as two pairs of eyes turned towards her. She laughed awkwardly.

“I mean, for a giant company like that, they definitely would not lie about such.

Sandy seconded.

“He said the interview will be on Monday, at 9am”

“Today is Friday. You have two days to get ready”

“Yeah, I know, and I am nervous already. But don’t you find it weird? He didn’t ask me anything about my résumé? He just asked me to come for an interview”

“Maybe it’s your lucky day” Said Sandy.

None of them realized Layla had an odd expression on.

Monday morning arrived in a flash and Valerie made sure to get ready really fast, but not without the help of her dear friends.

She stared at the corporate lady in the mirror and smiled contentedly.

“Let’s do this, Valerie Gardner” She cheered herself on.

Layla and Sandy were waiting downstairs.

“I’m off, guys”

“You can do it”

“Good luck”

They chorused and gave her a hug.

Valerie immediately felt the jitters as soon as she stepped foot in the building. She inquired about where the interview will take place and was directed to the 6th floor.

Five people were seated already. She sat in silent. Oddly, not many people came for the interview. Only two came after her. Usually, for a company as big as this, even a low rank job vacancy is enough to attract a throng of people.

She was called in before a panel of six judges. Her insides shook in nervousness.

“Hello Miss? What is your name?” A scary, poker-faced man asked.

She answered as smoothly as she could. She was asked other questions, which she answered.

She walked out of the company in slow steps, unaware of the pair of eyes that had been trailing her since she stepped into the building.

“How was it?” Jared asked, his eyes locked on her as she walked on.

“The panel had no problem with her” Will answered.

“Tell them that this information must not get to grandfather before she is recruited. He will probably find one of his people to be my secretary and spy on me”

“Yes boss”

Jared turned to continue staring at his object of fancy, but she was gone. His tongue poked his cheek, disappointed.

Valerie returned to the house and knocked. It opened, and she wondered why the girls refused to lock the door.

She was met with a pleasant aroma as she closed the door behind her.

“You’re back” said Layla.

“Yeah. Is Sandy home?”

“Nope. She left to visit her parents”

“Oh. So it will be just the two of us now?” Valerie asked.

“Obvi. Why? Not happy?”

“Not really. But Sandy leaving me alone in the house with a crazy woman is a little too cruel”

Layla glared at Valerie.

“How was the interview?”

“I honestly don’t know what will come after this. Getting an interview in that company is already a dream come true for me, so I shouldn’t hope for much”

Layla pursed her lip, wanting to ask something but didn’t know how to.