Ashley woke up early. Today was a Monday and the first day of work which she can't afford to be late.
Everyone was still asleep and Ashley quickly but quietly made breakfast for everyone and had hers.
She had her bath and wore her clothes. She wore a black pencil skirt and a blue short sleeve shirt and tied her hair into a ponytail. Ashley had shoulder length hair though it was slightly passed her shoulders which was unusual for a Nigerian except for treatments but Ashley hair was natural, her button nose had a tiny nose stud which she usually wore and carried some cash, her phone and handbag.
Ashley got to the office really early as all the employees are supposed to be around by eight thirty am but she got there by eight o' clock, nevertheless there were still people at the office.
She asked for directions to the graphics design department. Ashley didn't know where she would seat as people were alredy allocated to different seats. She walked to the office which she had her interview and sure enough she was around.
"Good morning, Mrs Donald." Ashley said as she entered the office.
"Morning Ashley, what is it?"
"Um...where can I seat?"
"Lemme check." Donna went through her laptop and said
"Go to No 24. Dept.1, that's your seat"
"Thank you."
Before Ashley left Donna said
"Ashley, please call me DD."
"Uh...ok."
"Wait, Ashley, you will get your ID this noon and after you find your seat, report to the boss office." Donna said surprising Ashley.
"Sure." She said though confused.
She remembered that annoying conversation with Dylan.
Ashley found her seat and then made her way to the thirtieth floor.
Ashley knocked on the semi-transparent door and a deep, emotionless voice said
"Come in."
Ashley stepped into the office and marvelled at the simplicity and elegance of the office.
"Miss Donald said you called for me."
"Yes, I did." Dylan paused and looked at Ashley and she felt her heart stopped.
Dylan had a pair of golden rimmed glasses and his brown hair was slightly messy.
"Have you thought about my offer?"
"What offer?" Ashley tried to play dumb.
"Work for me Ashley."
"But I'm already your employee."
"As my assistant."
"No,I..."
"If you don't work for me, I will make sure you and your sister lose everything you have"
"What the f**k?" Ashley thought angrily.
"Are you threatening me?"
Dylan raised his eyebrows and said
"Yes, What are you going to do about it"
"You bastard!" Ashley fumed. She had a fiery temper. She's nice, outgoing, and friendly but has a quick temper.
Dylan face turned visibly dark.
"What did you say?" He asked in a cold, emotionless voice.
Ashley knew she was annoyed but she was too angry to care.This bastard is threatening her to become his assistant, and if there are two things she hates most is being forced to do something and being threatened.
(That's like literally the same thing)
"You bastard. How dare you threaten me?..."
As she was speaking her face had gotten red and Dylan had stood up and walked towards her but Ashley could care less.
It was when she saw him standing directly in front of her she panicked.
"What are you doing?, you want to kill me?"
Ashley kept going backwards and Dylan, progressing towards her.
Ashley had backed the black leather sofa in the office and had nowhere to go and trying to move she fell to the sofa and Dylan was tall he could easily lean towards Ashley.
Ashley wanted to say something but Dylan stopped her by placing his lips on hers.
Ashley froze. Those soft thin lips were cold then it started moving.
Flashes of that night came back. The familiarity of those lips she couldn't get over.
Ashley began to move her lips too and both lips moved in sync though Ashley was a bit clumsy.
Dylan was addicted to her lips and he knew it.
Immediately his lips touched hers, he was addicted.
Dylan almost got lost in her lips as she placed her arms around his neck in an oddly familiar way and when he held her waist that seemed to fit in his arms.
Ashley was now standing.
All of a sudden Dylan broke the kiss.
His reasoning was still there, he wanted her to work for him for revenge, not for sex, and definitely not for love.
He smiled in a seductive way and said
"Now you have to work for me."
"Huh?" Ashley mind was a bit foggy.
"I said you have to work for me."
"Why?"
Now her mind was clear
"You have to be responsible for me."
"Excuse me?" Ashley Asked incredulously.
"Yes, you kissed my virgin lips." Dylan said shamelessly
"What?, everyone knows that Dylan Walker is a seasoned player."
Dylan chuckled.
"It's like you don't want to treat your sister illness." He whispered in her ear.
"How do you know?"
"Why else was she fired from every job she had."
Ashley face turned pale.
No one knew about Taylor's illness apart from her and her family.
"You need fifteen million for it and Michelle is earning fifteen thousand a month and it's not enough because Taylor surgery in August which is in five months."
"I..."
"You got a job just to pay for your sisters bills and even went for a high paying job but still, Ashley, you can't get fifteen million in five months"
"What'd you want?" Ashley asked gritting her teeth because she knew Dylan was right.
"Don't ask me dumb questions Ashley. Work for me and I'll pay you five million a month."
"Five million?" Ashley asked suprised and shocked.
"Yes."
Ashley gritted her teeth and said
"I accept."
"Good girl, this is why you were always the smart ass, Michelle the calm one and Taylor, always the hot one." Dylan spoke hitting Ashley where it hurts most.
Her inferiority syndrome.
Ashley has always felt inferior to her sisters even after so many years. She wished she was as confident and lively as Taylor and as brave and collected as Michelle.
Ashley gritted her teeth and said nothing.
Dylan walked back to his seat and started typing, ignoring Ashley.
After standing for about 10 minutes, she finally asked fir her office.
"Dylan,where is my office?"
Without raising his head, he said
"Change that to sir."
Ashley eyes twitched and she bit her tongue suppressing the words about to come out of her mouth.
"Sir, please, where is my office?" She asked in a robotic voice.
"Go outside, Lawrence wilmslow you your office." He was still typing furiously.
"Ok sir."
Ashley composed herself and responded and the hands that have been gripped tightly by her side released.
When she left, Dylan sighed and finally stopped typing. He stared at the nonsense he had been typing on his laptop and sighed again.
"She's a witch." He muttered under his breath.
He was supposed to reply to an email from ATEL corps and because of Ashley, he had been typing nonsense.
_____________________
Ashley laid on her bed in deep thinking. She had just cone from work, didn't have dinner, ignored the greetings and worried glances from her family and went straight upstairs to her room.
There was no other option for her as Dylan had killed every idea of hers. She was just tired. She was still thinking about Dylan when a knock was heard on her door.
"Ashley, dinner." Nicole voice sounded through the door.
"Mum, I'm not hungry."
"But you have to eat." Nicole voice sounded stern and Ashley had no choice but tobopen the door and take the food.
"Thanks mum."
"Eat up okay?"
"Yes ma'am." She answered wearily.
Nicole kissed her forehead and told her good night.
As Ashley was picking in her food, another knock was heard.
"Ugh!" Ashley groaned, opened the door and saw Michelle standing there.
"Come on Ash, something is definitely wrong, speak up." Michelle was stroking Ashley head which was on her lips and Ashley was lying on the bed with closed eyes.
"It's Dylan." Ashley finally said after a while.
"You saw him?" Michelle asked in a suprised tone.
"I'm working at his company and..." Ashley told Michelle about the whole encounter with Dylan and tears had already found their way to her eyes.
"I don't know what to do, and Taylor needs the surgery."
The tears that were threatening to fall finally fell. Michelle was quiet but her hand was still stroking Ashley's head
"Ash, calm down, it will be fine, cool down." She paused and hesitated.
"I think I have a plan but..." Michelle said with hesitation.
Ashley eyes brightened with hope. She sat up straight and looked at Michelle.
"But what?, come on, say it."
"I dunno if it will work out well"
"We'll know if you tell me. Say it." Ashley continued to pressure Michelle.
"You want to make him pay, make him feel regret and make him feel the pain you felt when he slept with you and went out with Taylor, right?, then I say you dress to seduce, seduce to kill."
Michelle said carefully but regretted it when she saw Ashley eyes widen in suprise.
"Not to kill for real!, sigh, forget it..."
"Meech, you're a genius!." Ashley exclaimed before Michelle could finish talking.
"Thank you so much. I love you . Muah!." Ashley was practically glowing in joy and enveloped Michelle in a bear hug and kissed her cheek.
Michelle found it cute and rubbed her head fondly.
"Anything for you Ash."
That night, Ashley slept happily with hope fir tomorrow while somebody was tossing on their bed thinking about a particular fierce rabbit.