Song recommendation; The Weeknd – Professional
Alanna stared at the tall skyscraper in front of her, marveling at it's endless stretch as her squinted eyes tried to adjust to the hot, blazing sun. A little smile formed on her lips and she entered the building. She walked up to the receptionist but before she could open her mouth to say anything, her entire face lit up and she smiled brightly at her.
"Miss Ingram," she greeted. "Welcome to Carmichael group of industries. We are very pleased to have you ma'am." The smile hadn't left her lips and as welcoming as it was, Alanna didn't know why it felt very unsettling. This wasn't really the atmosphere she was expecting, even though it was good that she wasn't being bullied but this might as well be another form of bullying because it felt weird to be accepted just like that. She put on one of her fake smiles and nodded in appreciation.
"The CEO's office is the thirteenth floor. The elevator on your left takes you right to that office ma'am," she pointed and her eyes instinctively went there to look. Of course there was a private elevator. Alanna realized that they had been debriefed on who exactly she was and what exactly her position was going to be. The receptionist was welcoming but she didn't know how the employees or even the board of directors were going to take it. So far she hadn't felt the anxiety she thought would grip her the moment she stepped foot in there and she was glad.
She beamed at the receptionist, this time a little more sincere than the last. "Thank you so much— her eyes travelled to her name tag—Miss Grey." The receptionist's eyes lit up at the acknowledgement and it made a genuine smile form on her lips because she realized she hadn't been faking it all this time.
She left the reception area and took the elevator leading directly to the CEO's office. She wondered if Soren was in yet. It would be a but of a relief but also that man ruffled her in ways she didn't like and it wasn't for the right reasons. She heaved a heavy sigh as the elevator stopped and when it opened, she knew her fate had already been sealed.
The CEO's office was the only one that took the whole floor and it wasn't even the slightest bit surprising. At least there was a bit of privacy if nobody was up that floor. The place felt cold and she tried to stop the shivers creeping up her body. She saw the door to the office and happily opened it but her joy was short-lived as she came face to face with the person in the riom room. It was Soren. Her heart slammed so heavily against her ribcage, she felt the impact of it in her insides. She eased her stance, standing under his scrutinizing gaze.
"Good morning, Mr Orwell—
"You're late," he said, a frown already forming on his face. Alanna checked the time on her wristwatch. She was supposed to arrive at the office exactly at 8:00am. It was 8:01am. It was just a minute but looking at Soren's face, she knew it wasn't just one minute for him and she didn't say anything to defend herself.
"Punctuality is a discipline I take very seriously Miss Ingram. As long as you're learning under me, it is something you have to get used to. Are we clear?" She nodded. "Words, Miss Ingram," he sounded very done with her already and she bit her lower lip. "Yes, sir," her reply seemed satisfactory because he didn't say anything to that and went back to looking at whatever he was doing before she walked in.
While she stood, her eyes roamed the office, the articulate and intricate designs a beautiful sight, she dared not blink. The aesthetic didn't look like one belonging to a man. Even though it didn't have a very girly vibe, she could tell the office had been redisigned with a woman in mind. She looked at Soren, still engrossed in the file he was holding and her heart shook.
If she wasn't crazy and everything she was thinking was indeed true then Soren had gone out of his way to make sure this happened. He must have been the one to tell the receptionist to make her feel welcomed. Maybe she was reaching but at the moment the only person with enough authority to remotely do anything concerning the company was Soren. She sighed. It probably didn't mean anything.
Soren must have heard her sigh because he finally looked up from his engagement. His brows drew together in confusion and Alanna wondered what was wrong this time. "Why are you still standing there? Come here," he beckoned her over to him and she looked around her as if to probably properly register it was her he was talking to.
Realizing he was still very much staring at her, she made her way towards him. As she walked towards him, he got up from the chair and pulled it further away from the desk in her direction. Her eyes moved from his face to the chair, to his hand on the chair. Aye, no way right? She reached him and the chair was still pulled out with him towering over her.
Her brain, finally understanding what his gesture meant after the momentary shutdown, she awkwardly and slowly lowered herself onto the chair. The moment he saw she had sat, he readjusted the chair and pushed it closer to the desk and a small gasp escaped her lips at the sudden movement. He hadn't warned her at all.
She looked up at him and he was already staring at her, towering over her like a shield that was just there to protect her. Her ears turned red and she quickly averted her gaze.
He let go of the chair and walked around her to the two chairs opposite the desk that faced her. He sat on the right one, the chair directly overlooking her and she tried not to breathe.
"Welcome to Lingram group of industries, Miss Ingram. Let's work well together."
Wait, hold on. Lingram?! She stared at him wide eyed at the sudden new name drop and she couldn't believe he actually changed the name of the company. Also, (probably completely delusional), why the hell did it sound like a mixture of her name?!