Oh My CEO, chapter one

Mr Sanchez’s office was quite interesting… Sophia contemplated the room, before turning her gaze back to the man occupying the desk – her immediate boss. There were chocolate wrappers everywhere, his documents piled to the top of his desk and slid across the floor.

He was a strange man, but he was an efficient administrator, the only problem he had was that his office was always a disaster, as was his appearance. He was in his fifties, his eyes a little deep-set with thick lashes that gave them a unique look. His nose was a little crooked, probably from the fights he’d been in when he was a dashing young playboy…

Maybe I should tell my mother that he’s the one I want to marry,”

Sophia smiled at the thought, shaking her head at the absurdity of it. He was too old, too disorganized to contemplate, and on top of that he was going bald, and what little hair he had was growing like a disease on his bald head. He wore suits all season long, even when it was extremely hot.

Sweating was second nature to him, and dabbing his face with the endless supply of wipes he possessed was his motto du jour. The perspiration was a little stronger as she watched him squirm in his seat. She wondered if this was a good reaction, maybe it wasn’t a promotion after all.

She put that aside and gave him a wide smile to put him at ease. “Leroy said you needed me urgently. Have I done something wrong, Mr. Sanchez?”

Sophia raised her eyebrows, pursing her dry lips. Mr. Sanchez gasped as if he’d been dreaming while Sophia was speaking. He twisted his fingers and placed them on the desk.

His gaze focused, his voice reassuring. “It’s nothing like that, Sophia. You’ve been our best employee this year, and in previous years too. It would be a shame to let you go. I intend to keep you here until you retire”.

Sophia smiled, her worries fading. Maybe he was going to promote her after all. “I’m relieved to hear that, Mr. Sanchez, and I promise to do better this year…. “ he announced, adjusting his tie, which seemed to be smothering him. Sophia’s mouth fell open in shock before she pulled herself together. “But you just assured me that you’d keep me here until I retire…”. “I know, I know, but something urgent has come up. We had a lot of candidates we considered, but I know you’re the only person capable of taking on this mission, so I recommended you, and you were accepted.” Sophia nods, patiently waiting for Mr. Sanchez to struggle with his words. “You will become the director’s assistant,” he blurted out. “A what…” Her eyes widened in shock. Was he demoting her? He wanted her to leave her position and become an assistant, which was almost tantamount to getting fired. “Mr. Sanchez, you’re demoting me… I don’t understand what’s wrong with me…”. She stutters, her heart burning in her chest. He cut her ramblings short with a wave of his hand. “You haven’t heard everything, Sophia. Don’t worry about the salary, it’ll be doubled.” He got her attention enough for her to calm down. She was still skeptical. “But I’ll only be an assistant, why is my salary doubled?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. “You won’t just be an assistant, Sophia. You’ll be the company owner’s assistant. You’ll be working on the top floor. Think of all the connections you can make, but you’ll have to stay with him for six months.” He watched her, waiting for a decision. She took her time to think. He was right, the big bosses were all at the top. She had always been fascinated by those who worked above her. She wanted to know how they brought her ideas to life, how they knew exactly what she was trying to emphasize through her creations, how they hooked their investors and those elaborate dinners she was always hearing about. Plus a double salary. That’s all she wanted. “Just for six months?” Mr. Sanchez nods, “Just for six months, then you’ll go back to your little corner of boss. During those six months, you’ll have to get used to taking orders, drinking and talking…”. The director is a very difficult man with a temper. If you don’t have a backbone, you’ll run away in a month. You have to get back to work at five in the morning, because that’s the time he comes into the office to get things done, he likes to be ahead of everyone and everything. He prefers to do what he wants. Do you understand?” Sophia pondered. He was probably an old man, so it wasn’t that difficult. She knew she could handle verbal abuse having resolved conflicts in the sales department. Some customers were made to set off angry buttons you never knew existed, Mr. Lennox couldn’t be that bad. “I’ll do it, Mr. Sanchez. I can face any difficulty to get an increase in my salary. I’m ready for anything,” she says, smiling as she imagines her shopping list, some of the items she’d checked off put back in place. “He pulls out a document and hands her a pen. “Just sign here and it’s done,” he said, dabbing at the sweat running down his nose. Sophia took the pen and affixed her meager signature to the document. He stamped it with a flourish, looking pleased with himself. “When’s he arriving? “He’s already in his office,” he said in a way that almost made Sophia burst out laughing. She swallowed, surprised by the information. “That’s odd, I shouldn’t have been told a week earlier”. “I was informed of his arrival yesterday. A word of advice: inform your team members so that they can be vigilant. He’s a perfectionist who doesn’t tolerate any form of incompetence”. Sophia nodded, he sounded like an asshole to her. “I’ll let them know they need to be on their best behavior. “Good luck Sophia,” he wished, wiping the drops of water beading on his forehead. “I know I’ll need it, but are you sure you’re okay, Mr. Sanchez? She asks worriedly, as her clothes are soaked. “I’m perfect, Miss Sophia. You can leave now, I have to get back to work”. “Okay, sir. She walked out of the office, gently closing the door behind her. She stared at the closed door, worrying about Mr Sanchez. “I was going to tell him to take off his suit or turn on the air conditioning, but he might take it the wrong way. She sighed and shrugged as she headed for the elevator. Mr. Sanchez’s office had been like a torture chamber. The other offices were so different from hers that it was like entering another dimension. He’d been working there for twenty-eight years, so he was a bit old-fashioned. Rumors had it that he was related to Lennox Ray, the company’s owner, rather like a distant cousin, and that was why he was allowed so much freedom. He was a good boss, and the way he chose to run his business had never bothered her. But now that she had to work under a new boss, a manager whose comments were negative, if not downright frightening, she felt a little unsettled. She straightened her shoulders; I’m sure he’s not that bad, or was he? She took a deep breath and exhaled, expelling all the negative energy surrounding her. Sophia promised herself she’d be the best assistant he’d ever had. Not that she’d quit when extra money was on the line, just because of a tyrannical boss. How hard could it be to work for an old perfectionist? She could accept that. “Let’s go get that money.”