There was no time to panic, all I had to do was translate right, it was just Japanese; a language I had picked up just for the fun of it, not like I had an intense form of training or anything.
"You pull this off, get your ID and get the hell out of here, you can do this" I gave myself a little pep talk before stepping into the meeting room.
It was ice cold sending shivers down my spine. The fact that I was compelled to change into a skirt two inches shorter than what I'd naturally wear didn't seem to help matters.
I took my seat on the opposite side of the table and it attracted snickers from a bunch of people.
"Miss, the translator usually sits beside the CEO"
I quickly got up and adjusted my seat extremely grateful that the hall was still half empty.
I sat beside him quietly still trying to wrap my head around the work files.
"Give it here" his tone low yet still very commanding in a way that made you want to give in to all his request.
"Who gave you this file?" he asked, his eyes scanning me from head to know, lingering on my exposed thighs, thanks to the skirt I was giving. His expression remained neutral although he seemed displeased.
"The intern, Jade" I replied observing that something was off.
"These are the wrong documents"
I was devastated, I had just spent the past few minutes cramming the wrong stuff.
I was just about to swallow my awkwardness and ask for help when the rest members of the meeting walked in.
"I hope you're a fast learner" he chipped in while standing up to have a hand shake with the foreign business men.
The meeting started and soon enough all eyes were on me.
They were probably wondering who this weird slutty dressed lady sitting beside the CEO was, or how I got into the building in the first place or if I even knew what I was doing.
Did I know what I was doing?
NO, I didn't but then again how hard could translating be.
The meeting came to an end and they all slowly filled out of the hall, I was relieved that I could finally leave, I was scared that I had messed things up but they all seemed to nod in agreement.
I still needed to find my ID.
"Where do you think you're going?" he asked stopping me in my tracks.
"To get my stuff and go home, there must have been a mistake somewhere because I don't work here"
He stared at me for a brief second before turning to the HR lady that had just walked up to us.
"MR. ..."
"Is she my new personal assistant or what?" he asked sharply.
"Well, legally yes"
"YES??" I questioned, how on earth did I get myself into this mess.
"You signed the contract"
"It was a mistake; how do I undo it"
"Undo it? people fight just to get in here nobody has ever tried to undo an employment opportunity" she asked surprised.
"I'll take it from here" he dismissed her.
"You seem like a really smart person and you know that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity so why are you refusing"
He was insisting I stay, why?
Had he remembered me.
"I have a really comfortable life outside the city and moving would be hard" I lied, well a half-truth in a way.
"The company can easily speed up your relocation, now you could easily decide to start parking and be in work properly dressed next Monday or you have till the end of the day to find me a new assistant up to the company standard and to pay a sum of three hundred thousand dollars for the three hours of my time you would have wasted today,
The ball is in your court"
"And I'll be holding unto this just in case you're thinking about disappearing on me" he called flashing me my ID before turning to leave.
I stood in the hallway devastated, it felt as though I was being shoved into a cag, how did I end up getting trapped like this,
What was I going to do?
My phone rang, it was Karen, I had completely forgotten all about her for the moment.
"I hope you're on your way home because I can't miss another day of work"
"I'm really sorry but I don't think I can make it today, how is he?"
"he's great but you have to come home, I'm going to get fired if I skip work tomorrow it's a Saturday and I don't have a place to drop him off"
"can't you take him with, I'm really sorry" I apologized"
"You know I can't bring a kid to the hospital while I'm working"
"Yeah, you're right, I promise ill figure something out before tomorrow".
That call was just the right motivation I needed, I had to do what was right for my kid and judging by how flat and dismissive My boss was, I was sure I had nothing to worry about.
I went to visit the HR and she didn't seem the least surprise.
She handed me the keys to my new home and car, a custom company ID and access to a really great moving company.
"you'll probably be needing this" she handed me some sort of credit card.
"The company would be covering your clothing expenses as they do to everyone
You also have access to the CEO's private jet, it seemed like you had some urgent business to attend to earlier on".
"Thank you, Mrs.,"
"It's Kate, Miss Kate to you"
"Yeah, thanks and I'm sorry".
I walked out of the office confused, I had come here just to leave but I had somehow managed to bag what seemed to be the most lucrative job on the planet.
One thing was for sure, I had to meet my son.
I picked up my phone and rang Leah.
"I might not come home tonight, don't wait up".