-----
I awoke to the sound of my alarm going off. The sun was brightly shining and radiating its rays as I felt its warmth.
I became perplexed and glanced around the room.
I say under my breath, "I don't remember getting her," realizing that I am no longer in the living room where I had been, where I had been originally. I stand up to get ready, shaking off the strange sensation.
I leave my room and make my way down the stairs. I didn't bother to inquire about Lorenzo because I knew he most likely wouldn't be there.
He has also made it obvious that I should stay out of his way unless he asks me to, so I did as he asked.
"Good Morning, Dear," says Martha as she exits the kitchen.
I return "Morning Martha" and smile as I sit down at the dining room table.
She handed him a plate of waffles with strawberries and chocolate syrup and added, "Here is breakfast. Let me know if you need anything dear." I marvel as I ogle the cuisine.
How did she know that was my preferred flavor?
Given that the food is in front of me and that there is no need to waste any more time than necessary, I set my thinking aside.
The aroma of freshly made waffles filled my nose like a breath of heaven, and I reached for the fork and began to dig in.
I was finishing my last few nibbles when Martha returned to the dining area, smiling.
She inquired, "You like it, dear?" and I gave her a quick nod.
She pointed around, trying to give directions, and said, "That's great. Now I just wanted to let you know that the young master requested your presence after breakfast. Once you are done, you could make your way to his office. You can exit from that door and go straight to the second last door of the hallway. You'll see it since its the only black door and says 'Boss's Office' in big letters.
"Okay," I said, setting the fork down after finishing my last bite. When she realized I was done, she quickly snatched the plate from me and left.
A second maid quickly appeared with a bottle of water and offered it to me.
Before I pulled it out of her hands, I gave her my gratitude. She gave a respectful head gesture before leaving the eating area.
I closed the cap after a few sips of water and followed them out. I turned to walk down the lengthy hallway and gawked at everything. I didn't even realize I had run into someone since I was so entranced by all the cool pictures and artwork.
Still in my trance, I muttered an apology and murmured, "Sorry." When I tried to walk forward and saw that they hadn't moved, I finally remembered to glance up.
Lorenzo.
He responded in a mocking tone, "Oh so now you finally realize it's me," with a glare covering his face. I gave myself a tiny downward glance while berating myself for being so unresponsive.
I again apologized, "Sorry about that. The painting intrigued me. I didn't realize what I was doing," but he merely shook his head and walked away.
I gave him a brief moment of my attention before following his instruction to "walk."
I only had to walk a short distance to get to the door, as Martha had mentioned. I could feel Lorenzo's chilly and oppressive presence following me.
I wasn't facing him, but I could feel his eyes on me, watching every motion I made. He reached out to open the door to his office, and we were almost touching.
I entered with caution and was greeted by a menacing vibe. Only the most courageous individuals would dare to stay in this chamber for an extended period of time because it appeared to be dead.
He proceeded in the opposite direction and took his seat, gesturing with his hand for me to follow.
I took a moment to look around as we sat still before he started tapping a pen on the table. When I heard the sound, I immediately concentrated on his motion.
He raised an eyebrow and said, "So, do you know my I called you here."
I shook my head and said, "Nope. He hummed in response, leaning back in the chair.
My muscles tensed as I stared at him as he said with a sneaky grin, "Today, we're putting your skills to the test."
"Like-" I stumbled in my question. He acknowledged what I was saying by nodding his head in agreement.
He began by handing me an open laptop and saying, "Here's your task."
He said, "I will give you an hour to secure the digital assets. I have an asset that is currently very insecure and could be viewed by basically anyone with little to no effort." I gave the laptop a quick glance down and took a moment to study each of its parts before nodding.
"Your time has begun."
-----
I looked at the timer and said "Done" as I took my hands off the computer. To make sure that everything was secure, it took me about 47 minutes.
He replied with a very hesitant "Let's see" tone. He didn't believe in my abilities or my methods, and I could tell that very clearly.
He perused my writing while signed into his computer to determine whether it was reachable. As I had anticipated, it wasn't, and not even the most talented hackers would be able to get past the security to access these assets.
He gave his eyes a few blinks before turning to face me. His face experienced a surge of shock, but it swiftly subsided.
He asked nervously, "How did you do it?" making me smile.
I mockingly mocked, "A magician doesn't expose her magic now does she?" I only received the standard stare in response, so it appears that he did not appreciate this.
He asks in a serious tone, "Cut it out. What did you do. There is no way someone with this sort of expertise merely works as a waiter. I slouch back in my chair and give a disinterested shrug.
I answered, oblivious to his query as I peered up at him, "So do I get the job or no?"
He said while shutting the laptop, "Yes you do. I'll make you a member of the department even though you did something no one from my firm was able to accomplish. I still want you to work your way up.
As I enthusiastically agreed, a smile crossed my face.
He interrupted my jubilation by saying, "Now don't get too excited. You still have to tell me how you did it."
I respond, "I'll let you know when the time is right." He looks at me with narrowed eyes and then nods in agreement.
"You may go."
+++++
QOTD: Since 2010, which year has been your favorite?