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Working

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Chapter 3: Working (Evie's POV)

I stood in front of Rowan's desk while he moved around the office, mainly from shelf to shelf behind him, pulling out one file after the other. I was expecting him to tell me off for using my phone, which was due in all fairness, wrong of me. 

But it was Priya I was texting. She wasn't just my cousin, but my best friend. Anyhow, the reason I was staring at my phone and grinning was because she told me that her boyfriend of almost eight years now, Rohan, who she met during high school, was about to propose to her. 

She had a feeling but hadn't seen the ring or any bill, so naturally, I told her to play along and not ruin the poor guy's surprise. She had a perfect life and she earned every bit of it. As her cousin, I was genuinely proud of her and I admired her because there was her life and then there was mine. 

Actually, there was her life and then there was Rowan, who made it his mission to ruin mine. 

With a sigh, he placed all the files on his desk creating a loud thud, and caught them before they slid off. 

I folded my arms across my chest, shifting my weight. "If you're going to scold me for using my phone during your announcement, just do it already, please. I have things to do." 

"Like get back on your phone and text Priya all day long?"

My eyes narrowed. "Like finish the reports you want on your desk by tomorrow." 

"Well then, Lyubov, add more to that to-do list." 

I paused in confusion. 

He nodded down at the files. 

"I don't even know what those files are, Mr. Rowan." 

"They're reports from the last five years." 

I eyed the huge and heavy files. "All of them?" 

He watched me in amusement. "Just remember, you work for me now, which means all official work is done by my rules." 

"Of course," I muttered sarcastically. 

"I want detailed comparison reports of each year and I want them on my desk by the end of the day." 

I straightened up, my hands dropping to make a death grip on the chair across from his. "I'm sorry, what?" 

"You heard me. Detailed comparison reports," he repeated, enunciating his words more like I was a child. It only made me dig my nails into the expensive leather seat before me. "The sales, the techniques, the losses, the digits too," he elaborated. 

I watched him incredulously before scoffing softly. "And where do you suppose I can get the data from before I even started working here?" 

He shrugged a shoulder at me. "I don't know and it isn't my problem. Find it, by any means. It's your job." 

I released a controlled breath. "Can I know the purpose of this task before I torture myself any longer?" 

He held my gaze and then stepped back. "Shall I be honest?" 

"If you're feeling generous enough to. We both know you can be a good liar," I smiled. 

He rolled his eyes. "There's no reason." 

"There's no...? So, it is just punishment then, isn't it? For using my phone during your meeting and disrespecting you like that?" 

"Well, I wasn't thinking of the disrespect until now but yes, you made a good point, that too. What annoys me more is what a distraction you are." He let go of the files and then slid right off the table, landing on the floor rapidly. He looked me right in the eye, amused like he'd never been before. "Oops," he deadpanned. 

I took in a slow breath. "Let me tell you something, sir," I said, spitting out the last word. 

"Delight me, Lyubov," he replied, resting his hands on the table and leaning forward on them, the veins in his arms appearing under his weight as his muscles tightened.

"Just because I now work for you, doesn't mean I'm your slave. There's still a process around here that I have to follow as the manager of all departments. I have other things to do and I'm sorry but if this task is futile, then I can't waste my time on it." 

"Oh, but you have plenty of time to waste playing with Leo and distracting people at meetings you have no interest in participating in. Isn't that right, Ms. Spencer?" 

I glared at him, my eyes following as he rounded the table, stopping in front of me. 

"Evie, I don't work like my grandfather did and you know that." 

"Yes, I do. He was nice and not even close to half as cruel as you." 

He simply watched me. He pocketed his hands and stared down at me, his gaze traveling across my face before meeting my eyes again. He was standing too close to me because he knew it made me squirm and panicked and he loved to revel in my misery. 

I took a tiny step back, the tiniest, so small that it made no difference and was hardly noticeable. 

Another amused smirk tugged at his lips. "Sure," he finally said, nodding just a bit. "I'm more than half as cruel as him. But I plan to do more than half the work that he did." Despite the fact that he already did that the minute he joined this company. 

I've only been working here one year longer than him and even in that one year, I was merely an intern. 

But the day Rowan joined this company, not that it was in any losses, to begin with, he kick-started the journey to bring it where it is today. Once Rowan was here, his grandfather was the CEO in name only. Most work went through Rowan and Mr. Volkov was just someone who reviewed whatever Rowan said. And usually, what Rowan says goes. "If you don't think you can handle working with me," he said, taking a small step forward, making me retreat. "Then quit." 

I laughed dryly, "Excuse me? I quit? No. You quit." 

His brows raised with a tug of his lip. "I've been working here longer than you have, Rowan, and I'm—" 

"Not the CEO. No doubt, Ms. Spencer, you're great at your job, maybe even the best. But you're a manager, not a CEO. The responsibilities are very different, sweetheart." 

"I'm not comparing myself to you." 

"No. That's just what you were about to do." 

I glowered at him, breathing in sharply through my nose, trying to keep calm. 

"You haven't even started working for me yet, it's only day one. At least, switch your job within the company. Save yourself, Lyubov, come on." 

"I can't," I gritted, "I'm the head manager of all departments. I watch over every single department and make sure you get what you need in order to run this business. The day you find a good replacement for me and manage to convince me that they can handle what I do, I'll happily walk out of this office, Rowan." 

"Is that a challenge?" 

"It's a promise," I replied before rolling my eyes and brushing past him to round the table and pick up those stupid files. I kneeled down on the floor, gathering them, knowing that I had no time to put them in the right order here. 

I began standing up when he squatted down beside me, resting his elbow on his knee. "You missed one." He pointed right under the table. 

I rolled my eyes, placing the ones in my hand on his chair as he stood back up and then ducking my head, crawling under the table and retrieving the stupid gray file. I got back out and glared at him, still kneeling on the floor. "You're a prick, sir," I spat out. 

He nodded as if it was a compliment. 

"One day, Mr. Rowan, one day," I stood up, stacking the files properly and grunting softly as I picked them up in my arms. "Everything you do to me will come back to bite you." 

"I'll be waiting, Ms. Spencer. You're dismissed." 

"Open the door," I demanded. 

He only stared at me. 

"Please," I mumbled, "I can't open it, my hands are full." 

He shrugged, "Figure it out," and sat in his chair. 

"Fine," I snapped, dropping the heavy pile in his lap. He caught it before anything fell and glared at me, jaw clenched. I marched to the door and pulled it open, making sure it stayed open, before taking the files back from him. "Thank you, Mr. Rowan. Have a great day," I said sarcastically before walking out, leaving his door open despite his order to do otherwise. 

I thanked Jason as he opened the door for me since he was on his way out and then went to my desk, dropping these stupid files there but not letting them fall. I sat down and groaned, putting my head down. 

Priorities first. Work with deadlines and importance in mind. 

He wanted these by the end of today and the reports were due tomorrow. 

But they're more important. 

Yes. Reports first. I only had a few left anyway. 

I got to work quickly, making all the corrections in the reports still left before giving them back for editing. I walked to the head of the marketing department's table, Violet. 

Violet is one of the most difficult people to work with here. She doesn't even come close to Rowan, but when you tell her to do any work, chances are, she won't do it and instead, blames you when anybody asks. 

"Violet." 

She looked up from her desk, setting her nail file down. "Yeah?" she grinned. 

I held up her report. "You didn't write this." 

She laughed, "I'm the head of our department. If I don't, who will?" 

I looked over at Miles who was face down on his table. "He did. I know his reports from yours, Vi. You don't know how to write one." I walked over to Miles, knocking on his table. "Miles?" 

He lifted his head slowly and my eyes widened in shock. 

"Oh my God, are you okay?" 

He looked... horrible. His eyes were bloodshot red, his hair was all messed up, his lips were chapped, his skin was flushing red. "No," he shook his head quietly. He sniffled and I realized he was sick. "I had a sick leave today. But Violet called me in. If I didn't come, she'd get me in trouble," he groaned, putting his head back down. 

I glanced at Violet who simply shrugged at me. "Miles, go home." 

He looked at me again. "Can I, please?" 

"Yes, of course. Go home. Please, get some rest."

"But the corrections?" 

I paused, shaking my head at Vi. "I'll do them." 

"Really?" 

He sighed in relief and gathered his things. "Thanks, Evie." 

"No problem. Get well soon." I waited until he left to say anything. "You're going to hell," I told Violet. 

"I'll see you there," she called out after me. 

I guess I wasn't getting home on time tonight after all.

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Chapter 3

SORRY I HAVEN'T UPDATED

But as I said, I was traveling, but I got back home last night so I'll be updating regularly now!!!

next chapter: fate