Rrriiiing!
Rrriiiing!
It wasn't my phone ringing, but my alarm, and my eyes snapped open with a startle, my body shooting up as I looked around confused.
The first thing I noticed was the sunlight pouring through my curtains—a very bad sign—then I looked at the ringing device.
9:47 am
"Fuck."
Today was Wednesday, not Saturday, work started at 8 am and I was already more than an hour late.
I flew into a flurry of actions, staying in the shower for only a few minutes and donning a new set of clothes in record time. Grey shirt with black stripes, black pants, black shoes, and then a tie.
I combed my hair as best as I could, picking up my bag and rummaging through it as I made my way to the door.
A flurry of thoughts went through my mind as I turned the door handle, but then I paused.
At this moment, the events from the previous night hit me.
My eyes saw that the wall was back in perfect condition, my floor smooth and lacking any sign of a stain, but I saw the pieces of my desk still on the floor. The halves of my desktop, which had been resting on it, also lay scattered on the floor.
"Ms. Ciara, a hunter."
The revelation was still as shocking as when I found out yesterday, making me stand still, but then I remembered my work and, for the first time, the assignment I had been given the previous night.
"Shit!!"
I literally ran down the stairs, exiting the building and stepping onto the road, waving a taxi with haste and directing it to my destination.
"How could I have fallen asleep?"
My ride to work was full of unrest, and when the cab came to a stop, I paid and nearly ran into the building. I worked as an accountant in a finance management company. Taking the elevator, I hurried out to my desk immediately after it opened, stepping into a room full of various individuals behind computer screens. But just as I reached it, a voice called me from behind.
"Alfred."
I paused in my tracks, turning to see a pretty brunette, her skirt tight and showing her long, silky legs. I recognised her, she was the manager's secretary.
"The manager wants to see you."
"Now?" I questioned nervously.
"Yes, now," the woman bit with finality.
Around the office, I could feel several gazes fall on me, pitiful looks on most faces.
Gripping my bag, which hung by my left shoulder, I followed behind the brunette, her swaying bubble butt unable to distract me from the trepidation I felt.
The journey wasn't long. We reached a room with glass walls and she opened the door, following in after me.
Ignoring the furniture and plants that decorated the office, I went before the table on the other end, standing before the manager who sat on his black leather chair, twirling it left and right. Her heels clacking, the secretary moved to the side, and I was left under the gazes of both individuals.
"Alfred, how are you?"
"I'm fine, sir."
He nodded, then turned to his computer, tapping a few times before looking back at me.
"I don't see the report you were supposed to have sent last night."
His voice was calm and his expression benevolent, but I could feel the tension in the air, the atmosphere building up to something worrisome.
"I wasn't able to complete it, sir."
"Why?"
"The workload from yesterday was too heavy, sir, and when I got home, before I knew it, I slept off."
"So you refused to complete the report?"
"No, sir, I was just too tired and didn't know when…"
My lips silenced, a shiver going through me, my expression stiffening and it wasn't just me. The brunette's face paled and in front of me, the manager's face tightened.
The man quickly got to his feet just as the door behind us was opened.
My body threatening to tremble, I turned around, watching as a tall young man in a black suit with an extremely handsome face walked in.
"Sir, I didn't know you were coming!"
The manager rushed from behind his desk, going past me to stop in front of the young man, bowing as he extended his hand, the deference and extreme submission he had for the figure clear.
Donald Belgium, that was the man who had entered. He was the son of the company's founder, already designated to be the man's heir, and most importantly, he was a B-class Hunter.
It wasn't my first time seeing him, but while others focused on his background and achievements, whenever I saw him, my attention was always on his shoulder—specifically, the purple ghoul that coiled around on his neck, sleeping.
The ghoul was like a caterpillar but with large soft spikes all around its body. Its name was Belch, Donald's summon, and that was as far as the internet knew about it.
Every other piece of information about the creature was secret, not even the fact that it rested on Donald's body, always with him, was known.
With my eyes, I could see the summon, but clearly it wasn't the same for hunters, not even the powerful ones, else they would have leaked the information already.
Without shame, the manager went to kissing Donald's ass, showering words of praise without reserve.
"Who is he?" Donald's gaze fell on me, and against my desire, my eyes moved to the ground.
"An employee who failed to meet up on a report."
I felt the man's eyes analyse me.
"He seems to be just arriving at work."
"Ehhh, yes, sir."
"Jerry, I'm disappointed in you.
In the last meeting, I mentioned how the company has to keep to a strict code; tardiness is not to be tolerated."
"No sir, I'm not tar...."
"Silence!"
The words were spoken calmly but they stuck through the room like thunder.
A chill went through everyone and for me a stabbing pain appeared in my heart, having my grip my chest in pain.
"I'm sorry Sir, I'll handle this immediately." the manager hurriedly said
I had my eyes to the floor, but I could feel the manager turn to me.
"Alfred, you're fired."