ROSE POV
"We gave you and Daniel the best accommodation around because we don't tolerate incompetence." He continued, finally looking up at me. "This is your last warning, Rose. One more, and you can kiss your job goodbye."
My heart skipped a beat.
My first day at work and I have already been given my last warning.
Daniel, just run away! You will regret it.
I bowed slightly and left his office after taking permission. I walked straight to the office I share with Daniel only to see him focused on what he was reading. Immediately I walked in, he lifted his head, and a small smile played on his lips.
"How was it? Did you get fired? I can help you pack your things." He said, smiling sheepishly.
My blood boiled but I couldn't react. I was already on my last warning. One more, and I would be sent back to my father's house, disgraced. The battle line has just been drawn and the war just got real. I didn't need a soothsayer to tell me that Daniel was behind it. Since he wanted to stoop so low, two can play that game.
I sat down on my seat, ignoring Daniel's stare. I reopened the story, and continued reading from where I stopped, repeatedly stealing glances at Daniel.
DANIEL POV
This is just the beginning. She thinks she is smart. While she was so focused on what she was reading, I put a sleeping tablet in her water. I am surprised that she didn't even notice. What a wimp!
I continued reading the story that I was reading, flipping through the pages bored. People really have to improve on their writing. I immediately rejected the person's story and moved on to the next.
Rose looked again at me, and continued reading. She has been doing that for the past ten minutes. I wonder how long she intends to keep it up because I am already getting bored. The silence is really killing me. I guess I need to spice up the work atmosphere.
"Hey Rose." I called out to her.
She didn't respond, rather she gave me that "don't you think about it" look.
"Rose!" I called out to her, my voice louder this time.
She ignored me, probably giving me the silent treatment. Worst mistake she can ever make.
"Rose! There's a spider on your shirt." I yelled.
"Where?" She screamed, jumping up from her seat and nearly tripping her computer over.
I couldn't help but laugh to my heart content while she searched for the "spider". On noticing my hysterical laughter, she walked over to my desk, picked up my book, and smacked my head with it. My smile disappeared, and I held my head in pain. That book feels like something that weighs about a thousand pounds.
"That's what you get for playing that prank on me." She replied to me, taking her seat opposite mine.
So she wants to play rough?
I took my glass cup and drank a bit of the water in it, and threw the rest on her body. She got so angry that she took hers, drank a bit of the water in it, and threw the rest on my body. I smirked knowing what she had just gotten herself into.
"That serves you right…" she paused, having realized her mistake.
She had drank once again from the glass cup that I had put the sleeping target in. Truly, she didn't learn her lesson. Her luck was that we were about two minutes from closing. I could clearly see shock and fear all over her face. I smiled knowing that the effect would start soon enough.
At exactly 6pm, our closing time, her eyes began to close slowly. She struggled to get herself to her feet, trying to find her way through the door. She didn't bother to bid the manager farewell, and hurried to the company's car. From a distance, you would think she had been drinking and couldn't control herself anymore.
After I signed out and greeted the manager farewell, I walked out of the company's building to where the company's car was packed. There I found the driver standing by the driver seat. On seeing me, he took his cap off, took a little bow, and put it back on as a sign of respect. I felt on top of the world.
I turned around to see Rose sleeping comfortably on the passenger seat, and had to hold back my laughter. One would think she came to work just to have a drink and couldn't control herself. She thinks she is wise. This is just the beginning.
I got into the seat next to the driver's seat, and the driver rolled out of the company and into the busy expressway. One would think I would have peace during the ride home but nooo, Rose had to snore. It was the way she was snoring that was annoying. She was snoring like a pig.
We got home after a very annoying ride, and I had to carry Rose into the house. I guess this is the consequence for my actions. She was as heavy as a bag of cement. For someone who is slim, she sure has a lot of weight. While I carried her, she snuggled closer to me, holding me tight and resting her lips on my neck, muttering some words in her sleep.
I really want to throw her into the dustbin that stood there but my conscience refused to agree with me. If only she knew what she was doing right now, she would probably use detergent and soap to wash her body. But I guess sleep brings out the innocence in people. The same monster that made me face my butt to the standing fan yesterday is the same person resting in my arms.
I would have carried her to her room, but it was locked. She probably locked it before leaving. Well, I dropped her on the couch, and went to the kitchen to make myself something to eat. After eating, she still laid on the couch, blissfully asleep. That irritated me. How can she be having peace while I am still in this house? But for some reason, I just couldn't bring myself to disturb her.
After a while, she turned in her sleep and opened her eyes. She stood up sharply, looking around as though she had been kidnapped, and then her eyes landed on me. She pointed her fingers at me, looked around, and having realized we were in the house, her tense shoulders calmed down.
"What did you do to me?" She asked, eyes fixed on me.
"I guess this is the "thank you" I get for taking you home from work after you slept in the car. You're welcome." I replied, sarcastically.
She stood for a while trying to recollect.
"It's your fault I got into that mess in the first place." She suddenly paused. "Did you take advantage of me?"
The question sounded off. Me? Take advantage of her? I'd rather sleep with a pig instead.
"Why would I? You're not really my kind of woman." I replied nonchalantly.
She seemed to have picked offense in my words.
"It's not as though you have a choice, which woman would want you anyways?" She said, straightening up her clothes.
"A lot of them, which could include you." I said, a smirk forming on my lips.
"Keep dreaming. I'd rather date a horse than to be with the likes of you." She replied.
"Says the lady who held me tight while I carried her into the house. You can lie, but your subconscious says the truth." I said, not interested in whatever argument she's willing to start.
"So you did take advantage of me." She gasped.
"Or you took advantage of me. Getting a free ride and all." I replied, I didn't really like where this was headed. "Just avoid me in this house."
"I would have charged you to court for taking advantage of me, but I realize that you are too poor to afford a lawyer for yourself, so I'd just have mercy on you." She replied, walking to her room.
Who does this human being think she is?
"Who do you think you are?" I yelled at her. I am tired of her calling me poor.
"The queen, and you are my lowly servant that has the privilege to live in the same apartment as me." She said, opening her door and walking into her room.
She really hasn't learnt her lesson. I'd make her regret her statement. By the time I am done with her, her kingdom will collapse, and she, the queen, will run away.
TBC