So after being accepted with a little bit of hesitance by Wu Chun, Ella went to work on an early Wednesday.

And here’s the beginning of week 1

Day 1

“Ms. Chen, a cup of coffee please,” someone spoke from the receiver. Ella was just about to lean her head on her flat shoulders resting on the office desk, until Chun spoke and snapped her out of her attempted nap. She didn’t know why she was doing this. She was assigned to do paperwork and all that, but what job given to her is a work for a personal assistant. Yes, Charlene may be out, but this has got nothing to do with her job. But then, Chun’s still her boss. So it may be better to obey his rules, anyway. What's more ridiculous is the fact that she was given a receiver. Oh, and no, with Ella given the assistant’s job, her job of typing up paperwork wasn’t cancelled.

Immediately going to the pantry, she readied the “sugar”, the creamer and the coffee beans for brewing.

“Here sir,” and she handed it to Chun, who carefully placed it on his office desk. She watched him take a sip, but she never had the chance to see him gulp it. Instead, he fixed on a blow fish look. His mouth looked like it didn’t want to accept the taste that lingered.

“Sir, are you alright?” she asked worriedly. Surely, she wouldn’t want to get fired on the first day of work.

“Ms. Chen,” Chun started after forcefully gulping the sip he took just a while ago of the coffee. “Are you sure you put sugar in my coffee?”

“Ahm,” she bit her lower lip, not knowing the answer. She was pretty sure she did, only that she hadn’t double taste it for assurance. “I’ll go check,” she pointed to the pantry’s direction.

“No need,” he sighed.

“I’ll make you another one,” she offered. “It’s really okay. So that I could redeem myself. Honestly speaking, I don’t want you to fire me on my first day of work.”

“I won’t,” he said. “Relax,” he laughed. “Just get back to work.”

“Thank you, sir.”

--

Day 3

The telephone rang. It was the new telephone built in at Ella Chen’s desk. The receiver was removed. She thought it was bothersome and she wasn’t a police or guard, for that matter. She was just a substitute secretary who originally is tasked to do the paperwork for the company.

‘What if I get him back?’ she asked herself.

It’s been almost a month and a half since their break-up. She kept rubbing her head in confusion. She looked a little too desperate and taking a peek at his Sina Weibo blog didn’t help at all. It was a miracle Sina blogs weren’t blocked, but maybe the internet was only empathizing with her or the company just had a little difficulty of blocked sites and whatnot.

Until the telephone rang again, yet it seemed as if she hadn’t no time to answer.

This time around, Wu Chun came around and stood up from his office chair. He was wearing a red checkered suit today from Salvatore Ferragamo. A little bit informal for an office uniform, but nonetheless he’s wearing something decent and Ella Chen wasn’t better than he’s dressed.

“Ms. Chen,” he tapped at her back. He curiously looked at what she was surfing during office hours and rose a brow when he’d read ‘Jerry Yan’ in the profile name. He assumed it must be her boyfriend or maybe someone she’s stalking, but the office is not the place to be doing that. He coughed, then - a little louder than when he’d said ‘Ms. Chen’.

Ella gasped when she started to notice Wu Chun behind her. She exited the internet tab immediately and turned her office chair to face her boss.

“I…”

“Yes?” he pushed her on in speaking.

“I’m sorry,” she said.

“You must be,” he scoffed, in a funny way. Well, because it didn’t fit him to be doing that being the owner of Acer Inc. Taiwan. “Anyway, I’m going out for a lunch break. If any meeting should occur, please just reschedule them to 1 o’clock sharp or so. I’ll be back in 30 minutes.”

“Sir, the files you are holding…” she chimed.

“Oh, I’ll have these Xeroxed by myself.”

It sounded a little rude, but he said it with a smile nonetheless. With him doing that, it made an impression on Ella that he wasn’t trusting her in a secretary kind of way. Yes, she was dazing off these past few days, but he at least has got to give her a chance. But then again, he’s been too good to her by not firing her, so she should be more than thankful.

And Ella could only pout as she watched him walking out the 15th floor door.

--

On a Saturday morning, Arron woke Ella up with the news that their mom was coming back home early. On a mental note, Ella remembered that their fridge was still empty. Not that it wasn’t okay for her because she most definitely could have take-outs for Arron and herself, but her mom hated it the most.

“Arron, we need to go out today,” Ella chimed. She was on her bed, seated. “Mom doesn’t like empty fridges. Come on, we need to go!”

--

Arriving at the mall, Ella made sure she treats Arron first to make up for the last time delay. So they go to Top Man. Ella lets Arron pick what he likes and gives him money to buy it as she went out for a while to do her thing in the restroom.

Exiting Top Man made Ella relapse for the first time in a different way other than her break-up with Jerry. Her heart beat faster with every second that passed. She felt terrified as a dashing man with rimmed glasses walked the opposite way she was positioned. Surprisingly, this man also looked like he looked in the same direction she was looking at and Ella declared for only that time her of guys who wears glasses. She’d also forgotten to go straight the restroom.

“Ms. Chen,” the man greeted, taking his glasses off as he smiled at her and returning it just right after.

“Mr. Wu?” she asked in shock.

“Yeah,” he laughed. “I noticed you looking at me from a far. I didn’t know you’d notice me in glasses.”

“Uh, yeah,” she sounded awkward for it wasn’t exactly the reason she was looking at him, but she needed to sound like it was. At least, for that matter of time.

“Why are you here?” he asked.

“Uh,” she looked sideways, trying to look for an answer when Arron appeared at her side. “Just going mall-ing with my younger brother Arron.”

Chun scanned Arron from head-to-toe. Surely, he wouldn’t forget who this was. He made a mental note to self that it was a good day he was wearing rimmed glasses and a rather casual wear today, preventing some people to recognize him.

“I see,” he said, before a familiar voice to his hearing senses exclaimed…

“Zun!”

“I’m sorry, Ms. Chen, but I should be going now,” he smiled. “She’s waiting for me,” he pointed at that girl who called him a couple of meters behind Arron and Ella and before leaving them, said, “Nice meeting you,” to Arron.

“Jie, who was that?” Arron asked in curiosity, facing his confused sister.

“My…my boss,” she stuttered and walked a few steps before stopping to say, “Wait here.”

She hadn’t really told Arron she was going to the restroom, but the sign as to where she went had alerted Arron that she was.

“Ella, Ella, Ella,” Ella whispered, going back and fro at the big space the restroom is made of. It was a good thing only a few people were in, or else she would look stupid. One hand of hers held her cheek, the other at her chest. She looked like she was trying to stop the beat of it, but could not in any way.

When she’d position herself in front of the mirror, she looked at her reflection and swore she could almost cry at any second now. She recalled her broken heart and made a mental note to herself that she couldn’t have it broken ever again. After splashing water to her face, she swiped her face with a handkerchief and tried as hard to do 3 sets of the inhaling and exhaling routine before regaining her disposition.

And for the first time in Ella Chen’s life, she felt terrified. Worst, toward her boss.

--

© Meng Rui Fan