Chapter 4 New job..

Sephora’s POV

I was still in shock as he dumped so much information on me.

He leaned down so our eyes would connect. "But I’ll take the coffee, Sephora. It’s the first thing anyone has given me in years that didn't come with a hidden price tag."

I watched in awe as he took a cup of coffee before striding back to his seat. After sitting, he took a sip of the coffee, nodded before addressing me one more time.

“You’re here to see the boss isn’t it?” He said, motioning to one of the seats. “Have a seat and let’s talk business.”

I remained still for a moment but when he raised his brow and I realised he was waiting for me, I grudgingly took a seat in front of him with my mind racing with questions.

"The boss?" I repeated, the word heavy in my mouth. "But... Sylvan, you were bleeding in an alley before I came to your rescue. You told me you were trying to make it in the industry and you even let me buy you dinner because you said you hadn't eaten in two days!"

A small smile appeared on his lips as he took in my shock, but his eyes remained unreadable. "I didn’t lie to you. I was sent abroad to build my own fortune from nothing, Sephora.

My family doesn't believe in handouts and if I couldn't survive a few thugs and a week without a credit card, I wasn't fit to run this empire." He leaned over in his seat. "I didn't lie about being in the industry. I just didn't specify that he owned it."

I leaned back, refusing to believe this. I had spent a year worrying about a struggling model who was actually one of the most powerful men in the country.

Even though he meant well for me, the fact that I hadn’t recovered from the episode with Kayden and also the fact that he hid the truth from me was too much to handle.

"I can't work here," I whispered, shaking my head as I got off the seat. "I came here for an interview, Sylvan. Not for... whatever this is. I don't want charity."

"It isn't charity," he countered. "You are the most talented interior designer I have encountered. I watched you back then, Sephora. I saw the way you worked hard with everything in you and you’re exactly who I need.”

He then reached for a file on his desk, got up, and walked towards me.

"I’m appointing you as my Personal Executive Secretary with a focus on Special Projects. Your first task is the complete redesign of the Devereaux Private Estate. It’s a legacy property, and it needs someone with good experience.”

He handed me the folder and the move made our fingers brush, causing bolts of electricity to travel up my arm. I let out a small gasp as I resisted the urge to make a run for the door.

"Consider this your first step in starting all over and to make it better, you’re going to be paid triple what people are being paid here. That is how much I trust you to do a good job.”

I wanted to walk away, but what else could I possibly do? Working here was going to be the first step in getting back to myself. With a deep sigh, I collected the folder and looked back at him. "When do I start?"

"Now," he said simply.

He then called someone to show me to my new space and just like that, I started working. I quickly lost track of time as I got lost in what I enjoyed doing and by the end of the day, my anxiety was gone.

When I closed for the day, I was suprised to recieve a text from Kayden but instead of an apology, he was throwing insults at me.

He accused me of using my body to get into Sylvan’s company and said he was willing to accept me back, if I left the company and came crawling back to him.

Amused by his guts, I told him to fuck off, before heading back to Betty’s place.

When I arrived Tuesday morning, I felt something was off. The other workers stared at me as I walked to my new setup and I had just taken a seat when someone stood in front of me.

I looked up to see it was Katie, the senior executive assistant I had met the day before, but this time she wasn't alone. Two other women stood behind her with their arms crossed.

"So, the charity case is back," Katie sneered, her voice loud enough to make the other assistants turn their heads.

"I'm here to work, Katie," I said, confused about what was going on.

"Work?" Katie asked with a loud laugh. "We know how you got this job, Smith. We’ve all been at this company for years, clawing our way up, and you just came from nowhere and took the top seat! Do you think we’re stupid? We know what girls like you trade for access."

"Why would you say something like that?" I snapped as my face heated up with both shame and anger.

"Save it, you whore," the girl to her left snapped. "Don't think for a second you belong here."

“You’re going to regret coming here, just watch.” Katie swore. Before I could form a response, they were already walking away.

When they left, everyone returned to working like nothing had happened, but I couldn’t shake off the feeling inside of me that something wasn't right.

After assuring myself that everything was going to be fine, I returned to work and as hours rolled by, I remained buried in work because the deadline for the project was today.

By the time it was evening, I had the final presentation saved in a secure company drive and a backup on my encrypted USB and only then did I finally relax back in my seat.

I was eager to show it to Sylvan, but when I learned he was in the middle of an important meeting, I decided to use the restroom and grab a coffee as well because I was famished. Before leaving, I left my USB still plugged into my workstation to finish a final sync and then I walked out.

When I returned, I walked past Katie, who had a smug expression on her face as she typed away on her computer. Thinking nothing of it, I walked over to my desk and took my seat but then I realized the USB was gone.

What?

I scrambled to open the company drive with trembling fingers as I searched for the special projects folder, but when I clicked in it, it was empty.

Fuck!

I lost control as I began to search the whole place. I searched the trash, the temporary files, and the cloud backups, but everything had been wiped.

Sylvan trusted me with such an important project and I was going to submit it immediately after his business meeting. What the hell was I going to do?

"Looking for something, Sephora?" I looked up to see Katie, who was standing not too far from me with a smug look on her face.

"What did you do? Katie, those files... Sylvan needs them for the board meeting in an hour!"

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said, still with that look in her eyes. "But I did hear a rumor that the Boss doesn't tolerate incompetence. Losing sensitive estate blueprints is a massive security breach, isn't it? That’s grounds for immediate termination and even a lawsuit."

I was about to lash out at her when we were interrupted by the security guard. He approached me with an envelope in his hand.

“Sorry to interrupt, but this was sent to you.”

Confused, I reached for it, but when I saw the bold stamp on the envelope, I froze.

Kayden.