Elena's POV
"You're a disgrace to me, and no longer the sole heir to my fortune, until I say so." The disappointed voice of my father still echoed in my head from our altercation last week.
I am struggling to put in the buckle of my heel, unfortunately for me I'm already late for my first day as an intern at Redland Enterprises. If it was left to me this would never happen but my father doesn't disappoint.
"Elena! Get down here right now. Your breakfast will get cold." Nonna Anita screamed from downstairs.
"Coming, Nonna. I'm facing World War two with my buckle right now."
I finally got a hang of it and rushed to my mirror, I looked pretty simple for my first day but I loved it. I picked up my bag and rushed downstairs towards the dining table.
"Hi, Nonna. Hope you slept well?" I clumsily sat on my seat at the dining table.
"I did my little munchkin. Hope you did too?" She pinched my cheeks like some kid.
"Nonnaa! Don't do that anymore, I'm no kid."
"Well start acting like it." She retorted and headed to the kitchen.
As usual my Dad gave me a displeasing look, giving me a once over.
"What in the world are you wearing? Jesus! Nonna, look at the kid you told me to give a chance to. She's wearing jeans and a shirt on her first day, a Monday."
"Hi Dad." I muttered with a forced smile. "The least you can do is to actually say hi."
"After the thousands of dollars you cost me in bringing those videos of yours online down? You still living under my roof is a privilege."
I heaved a sigh but remained completely silent at his sudden outburst. Like can't he get it, we all make mistakes.
Let me rewind, briefly. So I just graduated from the University of Oxford, and went clubbing to celebrate. One stupid decision of getting completely drunk, made rounds all over the Internet.
Frankly, it was funny to me but a complete shame to my father.
"Cut the girl some slack, Sir. She made a mistake that can be easily corrected."
"She does all these because I'm always there to clean her mess up." He then turned in my direction. "I dare you to mess this up, and you're done."
He stood up in irritation and walked out, just when he got to the door, he stopped as if he remembered something. "I will cut off your allowance and freeze your accounts if you dare me."
Yep, he gave me an ultimatum which was to either work with Redland Enterprises as an intern or get my allowance gone with all my accounts.
After he left, Nonna and I finally took a deep breath.
"Nothing I do is ever good enough for him." My shoulders slumped dejected.
I thought following his bidding and starting out as an intern to his business partner will make him a bit soft towards me.
"You are good enough, little pea." She pulled me into her arms and I hugged her tight.
"So I packed up your breakfast. Take care little one."
I placed it in my tote bag and stood up rushing towards the door.
"Love you!"
"Love you too!"
In less than twenty minutes I got to Redland Enterprises in Midtown Manhattan. The building is massive.
My nerves were everywhere, I was cleared at security checks and went to the receptionist.
She eyed my attire with disdain. "Are you lost, Miss?"
My mouth fell open at the blatant insult. I soon put myself together and cleared my throat. "I'm not. My name is Elena Thorn and I'm a new intern here."
She still gave me the once over, this bitch shouldn't dare me. I'm trying so hard to be polite. She shouldn't push it.
"You should dress more appropriately, this is not some zoo. Come with me I'd get you settled." She said with a haughty look.
I gritted my teeth but said nothing. If I did we would be in a cat fight.
***
It was lunch time already and my stomach growled aloud. I didn't get to eat my breakfast but I will now.
I asked for directions to the cafeteria and finally got it, finding a lone table and settling in.
My phone buzzed out loud. I looked at the contact and grinned. "Girl, I've missed your crazy ass! I haven't been able to reach you since last week." Rosalyn, my best friend, screamed on the phone.
I rolled my eyes at her antics. "Yeah, after getting me in trouble with my Dad."
She huffed slightly. "I'm sorry, okay, my brother literally grounded me for a week. I just came to work today."
I giggled at her expense as I opened my food pack and dug in.
"It's not funny, El."
"It is funny, at least you also shared some consequences with me. But, wait did I hear you say work?"
"Yes girl, my grumpy brother finally accepted to open me my own fashion design studio but in his building."
"Where?"
"The Redland Enterprises. Isn't too far from your house right?"
"Wait what? Like the Redland Enterprises?"
"Yeah, why?"
"That's where I'm interning now!" Some coworkers gave me a look of hostility. "Sorry," I said to them, lowering my voice.
"What! We gotta meet, it's still lunch break. I got caught up with a design, can you come? There's like forty five minutes for us to talk."
"Fine, tell me where?"
"I'm at the top most floor with my brother. It's Room one three….."
"Hello?"
My screen was blank, I tried turning it on but nothing. Shit! I forgot to charge my phone yesterday.
I guess I'd just go, at least I'd get to meet someone fun rather than my stuck up supervisor.
I took the elevator to the top floor, after reaching there. I walked to the reception but it was empty so I then saw a door to my right with the number one three eight. At least it has the first two digits, I pushed it open.
"Girl, you're so lucky I'm here to give you some spark to your life. This office is as boring as hell, like literal mannequins walking." I giggled to myself.
Rosalyn had turned her chair facing the window and still hadn't turned to face me.
I approached the organised table and leaned against it.
"Lazy ass, you better turn that seat before I spill my food on you."
To my utmost surprise, an extremely handsome man captivating blue eyes turned towards me, not Rosalyn.
In my shock I hit his pens all over the table and into his cup of coffee.
The irritation was evident on his face. "Who the hell do you think you are barging into my office like that?"
"I….I" No flipping word was coming out, whether it's the shock or his extremely handsome face.
"Cat got your tongue, woman?"
"N….no, I….I"
"Stop stammering like some idiot, now get out."
Wait, am I the one he is talking to like some trash?
"No." I folded my arms and made myself comfortable.
How dare he? I know I couldn't say a damn word but the least he could do was to be nice.
He picked up his office phone. "George, come pick up some stray, out of my office" He eyed my attire. "I don't like trash around me."