Misha didn't understand what was happening.
When she arrived entered the floor where Mr. Thorne's office was, Marissa noticed her first. She seemed surprised, then grimaced, then broke into an exceptionally friendly smile.
"Hi, Misha. What brings you here?"
The lady asked, with a suspicious glance at the pile of folders she was holding, and a little confusion between her brows when she saw someone standing next to her holding another pile of folders. However, when she saw that it was Micky, her face beamed with a smile that was more than exceptionally friendly.
"Good morning, Mr. Thorne."
"Good morning, Ms. Caldwell. And Micky is fine."
"Oh, I really shouldn't," the coy woman put a hand over her mouth theatrically to hide a perfectly calculated laughter.
"It is enough to have just one Mr. Thorne in the company."
Marissa only nodded with glistening eyes and shifted her focus to the intern again.
"You were told to bring these folders here?"
"Yes, Ms. Caldwell," Misha responded with a hint of pride in her voice.
"Who are these for?"
"I was told to go over them myself."
"What for?"
"Ms. Seo - right? - will be working here from today," Micky answered on her behalf.
Marissa's jaw dropped ever so slightly, but quite visibly.
"How?"
It was then they noticed Mr. Thorne - the 'real' one - was approaching them.
Marissa's face lit up even brighter than before.
"Good morning, Mr. Thorne!"
James only acknowledged with his eyes and stopped a few steps away from the trio.
"Ms. Seo will be working here from today."
The blond senior didn't quite understand how this intern squirmed her way into the most coveted spot in the company. It also dampened her mood immediately. She was over the moon just until a minute ago by a sudden reassignment to start working in Mr. Thorne's office as well. She felt like she was given a golden ladder to climb on, only to find that she wasn't the only one invited.
"Ms. Caldwell, please show her to her desk," the boss ordered.
"And where… would that be?"
James said nothing and pointed toward a corner of the office with his chin, where a single shabby desk - that seemed so out of place for the sleek interior of the entire office and modern minimalist styles of other furniture - wedged between the corner of two walls with no windows.
Upon seeing the location, Marissa couldn't help but grin.
"Certainly, Mr. Thorne."
As the senior took over the pile of folders from the 'other Mr. Thorne' and started to lead Misha to her new work spot, the intern could hear the voice of the Emperor behind her.
"Micky. To my office."
And she thought she heard Micky sigh.
'I hope he's not in any trouble…'
Once arrived, Misha and her senior put the folders on the desk.
"It seems I'm tasked to look after you here as well," Marissa spoke.
"I will be in your care again. Thank you Ms. Caldwell."
"Please take a seat."
Misha sat on the tiny plastic stool placed in front of the desk. The stool was so low that only her head - barely - popped above the desk.
"You seem very comfortable there," Marissa quipped.
"Thank you! I'm so happy to be here," the awkward posture didn't curb her enthusiasm, yet, and the senior's sarcasm was lost on her.
"Your first task will be to read everything in these folders and make a summary report," Marissa said commandingly.
"Right… it seems a bit… lot? When should I finish it by?"
"Within today."
Misha's eyes widened and a panic set in - there was no way I could finish all this within a day, was there? She thought to herself.
But this was the first real test of her work ability. She didn't want to mess up this golden chance she got. After all, Mr. Thorne himself trusted her to work in full-time capacity after only a week of internship - in his office team to boot.
"Yes, Ms. Caldwell. I will try my best."
A smile that was ever present on Marissa's face disappeared in a split second, and she leaned forward - and down - to bring her face close to Misha.
"We don't 'try' at Thorne Media. We get things done."
"O… of course! I will get it done today!"
With that, the blond woman turned and walked off, leaving the nervous intern alone.
Misha let out a sigh, place the folder from the top of the pile on the desk, and started to read - or so she tried.
Reading like this was impossible. She felt like a child straining for a forbidden book on an adult's table, deliberately placed out of her reach. So she got up, thinking that it might be easier to read them while standing, but Marissa Caldwell was very quick to make her way over again to tap on her shoulder and gesture her to sit down again.
The young lady was puzzled, but she wasn't one to rebel, especially not on her first proper day at work. She did look around the office one more time though to get a glimpse of the arrangement. It was a little confusing that only she had such a tiny stool and an wooden desk that was creaking from the weight of the folders.
Across the office, she caught a glimpse of Mr. Thorne and Micky standing by the door. Micky didn't seem too happy. 'Probably reprimanded by that scary boss for some reason…' Misha thought to herself. But then again, she saw a smile on Mr. Thorne's face - for the first time today.
'Right, I won't let him down this time.'
The determined girl promised herself and got back to work.