LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 102: Join the Team
"This oddly feels familiar. Kind of like deja vu, except I was the one at the door." Rachel gave Amelia Forrest a long scrutinizing gaze. "You're here to see Darren, aren't you?"
Amelia, usually collected, felt slightly nervous in front of the more composed and colder Rachel Teschmacher. She moved her legs to reposition her stance before saying, "Yes."
Rachel lifted her brow. "Let me guess, Ryan Anders sent you. He's either trying to settle, but I would say he's most likely to offer a deal that could mend the rough start and create an allegiance of sorts between him and Mr. Steele. He's sent threats, hasn't he? Things he plans to do if Darren doesn't settle and back off. And in these threats, he's also offered Darren a partnership, one that he says could protect Darren as long as he's his client."
Amelia frowned, clearly taken aback. "How did you know?"
Rachel gave an uninterested hiss. "These billionaire CEO's all talk the same, especially when they become infatuated by their money and power. It's all they rely on when they need something done. Leaves them blind sometimes to other channels of control."
Amelia seemed curious. "Intelligence?"
Rachel looked at her blankly but didn't answer. She eyed the yellow file in her hand. "Let me see it. The offer."
Amelia pulled away slightly. "Mr. Anders wanted it to be given strictly to Mr. Darren Steele."
Rachel lifted an insulted brow. "And you're speaking to his secretary. Now, let me have it."
She snapped the file from Amelia's hand and after giving her a cold glare, she began to go through it. "Tch. So I was right then. I was... very right. Hold on, is your boss really threatening supply chain manipulation and asset distribution blockage."
Rachel laughed. Short and mocking. "He doesn't even know what our assets are."
She read more. "Economic blacklisting, regulatory changes. Funny how many of these aren't even legal. I had no idea Ryan Anders was such a bully." She looked up and saw the uncertain, anxious look on Amelia's face.
"And you... you have got yourself in the middle of it, haven't you?"
Amelia's eyes glistened and quivered. Her voice dropped to a frightened whisper when she spoke. "I just need to talk to Darren Steele. Please."
Rachel saw the expression, the frantic look of desperation and search for freedom in Amelia's face. She recognized it.
"Didn't he help you?" Amelia continued, anxious. "He took you away from Gareth Smithers, didn't he?"
Rachel's expression remained bland. "Yes, he did." She sighed. "Well, Mr. Steele isn't here. He's finalizing a deal for our headquarters and finishing up with some personal stuff. I'm here on an errand to help with that."
She noticed Amelia slump her shoulders as her face fell in disappointment.
"But..." she spoke again. "I don't think it's a coincidence that I'm the one you met today. You graduated from Columbus, didn't you?"
Amelia replied curiously, "Yes."
"Good. Then you'll be useful. Come in."
----
They entered the living room of Darren's old house. Everywhere was quiet, but once they took their seat, the rhythmic tapping of Rachel's manicured nails against the wooden tabletop became the noise of the occasion.
Amelia sat on the couch across from her, hands folded in her lap, her expression composed but attentive.
The dim lighting of the lounge area softened the sharp edges of Rachel's gaze, but Amelia could still feel the weight of it pressing down on her like an interrogation light.
Rachel took a sip of her espresso, setting the cup down with deliberate care before finally speaking. "You can't be nervous, right? Working for Ryan Anders, you've certainly been in many high profile situations."
Amelia shook her head. "Not really. They were always so secretive. I was more of an errand girl than an assistant or a secretary."
"I see," Rachel smacked her lips. "And you've worked under Ryan Anders for how long now?"
"Two years," Amelia replied, her voice even. "I started as a basic assistant and worked my way up to executive secretary."
Rachel nodded, unimpressed. "And your qualifications?"
"Bachelor's in Business Administration, minor in Finance. When I graduated from Columbus University, I was at the very top of my class. I won the Young Financial Leader Award in 2007, the Wall Street Excellence Recognition the next year, and I was in this year's Fortune 40 Under 40."
A flicker of approval crossed Rachel's features, but she didn't let it linger. "That's all well and good, but degrees and awards mean nothing if you can't perform under pressure. Mr. Steele's company is only starting, it has to be perfect and that entails there will be a great amount of pressure. So tell me, can you work under pressure?"
Amelia tilted her head slightly. She had not even expected that she would be getting interviewed today for a job in the company of a man that she barely knew. But in the case of Ryan Anders, she knew she couldn't stay there anymore. He was a ticking time bomb.
"I've been working for one of the most volatile businessmen in the city for the past two years. I'd say that speaks for itself."
Rachel half-smirked. "Good answer." She leaned back in her seat, crossing one leg over the other. "You don't seem very comfortable, Amelia. In fact you appear to be uncertain."
Amelia gave a nervous nod. "You want to poach me. And I don't... I don't even know what I'm doing. I'm just running rampantly. I'm not even sure why I came here when my boss asked me to forget about it and return."
Rachel lifted a brow at that statement. Then she sighed, adjusting herself. "Poach is such an aggressive word. I'd call it giving you an opportunity to escape a sinking ship. Listen, if you don't want to be there, there's a reason. Don't let it happen first before you know it's time to leave, trust me."
Amelia gazed at her, breathing slowly. "Yes, you're right."
Rachel studied her intently. "Anders is a depraved man, I know. He hasn't done anything to you, has he?"
"No." Amelia shook her head, but her fingers curled slightly in her lap. "But I can tell he will. He's testing me, seeing how much I'll tolerate. I've seen him do it before. The moment he senses disloyalty, he becomes…vindictive."
Hmm.
They spoke more on Amelia's abilities and skills, including what she could offer to Darren's company and its growth.
Soon, Rachel came to a conclusion. "So, when it comes to you resigning, will there be any issues?"
Amelia shook her head thoughtfully. "Most likely. Mr. Anders is an egotistical man. If he even sees I'm leaving, he'll try to make my life hell."
Rachel didn't seem fazed. "If Mr. Steele finds you useful for his company, he'll send men to escort you to resign. That should handle any problems Anders might create."
Amelia blinked at that, though still nervous. "Okay."
This was a scary decision for her.
Rachel finished her scrutiny of her and sighed. "I'd like to see you join the team. I'm very confident in what Mr. Steele is building and I will put everything I have to make sure it's successful."
Amelia listened attentively.
"I think you'll be a good addition," Rachel said, getting on her feet. "But Mr. Steele is my boss. He makes the final say."
"Speaking of him, I wonder what he's doing now…"
There was another knock on the door. Rachel frowned and glanced at Amelia, who was also frowning.
"Stay here," she said to her and walked to the door. She peeked through, her eye widened and she quickly opened the door.
"Sandy?"
Sandy Meyers looked startled at the sight of Gareth Smithers's former secretary opening the door. "Rachel?"
At first, she was smiling, but then Rachel realized. "You want to see Darren?" she asked.
Sandy nodded.