Page 2 of Working For A Billionaire

I stare at him blankly, unable to think of an appropriate response.

"You may go now," he says, waving his hand dismissively. "Your desk is right outside the door. Lauren will be along in a few minutes to answer whatever questions you may have."

I stand there for several seconds, not knowing what to do, then walk out of the room quickly. The desk he is referring to sits empty, as if it had been years since someone occupied it. I walk towards the door, barely able to breathe, when I see a young woman coming in. She is pretty, with dark hair styled in a perfect bob. Her makeup is done nicely, and she wears expensive clothes. As I watch, she walks past me, heading straight for the desk.

"Oh, shit." I whisper to myself then whip back around and follow behind her.

Sitting down in the chair, she turns to look at me. "Are you the new assistant?" She asks with a slight southern drawl.

"Yes." I reply timidly.

"I am Lauren, the CEO's assistant," she says, then chuckles, revealing a perfect row of pearly whites. "You look terrified. Don't worry, you will learn everything you need to know soon enough."

"Thank you," I say with a polite smile.

Lauren stands up and walks over to my desk, handing me a piece of paper with a number on it. "He has a meeting in twenty minutes with Shawn Anderson from Anderson Aeronautics. If it gets physical, call me immediately, and if at all possible, take a video. I’ll be back around noon. We can have lunch and I can fill you in on your new boss."

"Thank you, Lauren," I reply gratefully, taking the paper from her hand, before her comment really has time to settle in. "I am sorry for being so anxious. It's just a little overwhelming."

"Don't apologize. I have seen grown men weep after a conversation with one of the Rutherfords and Harrison is the worst. I'll be happy to help. Call me whenever you need anything."

She walks away, and I watch her leave, my heart pounding in my chest. I look down at the number on the paper. It is clearly a cell phone number, but it makes my heart beat faster. I sit there for a few moments, trying to calm my nerves, before sticking the paper in my pocket. It isn't long before a man in blue jeans and a blue buttoned down shirt walked up to my desk.

“Good morning, how may I help you?” I ask in a rehearsed voice.

He frowns for a moment, then a wave of understanding washes over him. “Oh, you must be Harrison's new assistant. I am Shawn Anderson. Harrison is expecting me."

"Yes, sir. I am Riley. If you will just give me a second, I'll let him know you are here," I say, standing up. “May I offer you some coffee or something?” I have no idea where I would even start to go about finding a coffee, but it seems like something I need to say.

"No, thank you,” he shakes his head. “I’m in a bit of a rush.”

“Of course,” I nod, walking over to the door and knocking on it gently. A moment later, I escort Mr. Anderson into the office.

“Ah, Shawn,” Harrison says. “Take a seat.”

"No, I would rather stand while we talk," he replies.

I nod and step aside, letting him pass before exiting the office. The tension between the two men is hard to miss, and I see now why Lauren said what she did. They are like two hounds, fighting over dominion. I take a seat at my desk, my head spinning as I try to figure out what I should be doing.

There is silence for a while longer, then Harrison finally speaks. I’m shocked to realize that I can hear everything through closed doors. Eavesdropping is easy. Trying not to listen to something you can obviously hear is much more difficult, no matter what anyone will have you believe.

"So, I assume you have a reason for the sudden change,” Harrison says.

"I suppose you could say that," Mr. Anderson replies coolly. "I have heard many rumors regarding your family, and I am not sure I feel comfortable doing business with this company."

Harrison snorts. "You wouldn't be the first to say that."

"I am not sure if you are aware or not, but the Rutherford family have made a name for themselves by turning on each other. Harrison, my family is the most important thing in my life. I would rather do business with someone who shares my values. If you can turn on your family, then you can turn on anyone."

It was obvious what he was implying here.

"Shawn, I can assure you that my family isn't perfect, but we stick together. It is those outside the family that we have no problems destroying. That is how we have remained the top investment banking firm for so long,” Harrison clarifies.

"That is not what I have heard. I hear you and your mother have been fighting over this company since your father passed."

My curiosity peaks, although such a thing isn’t uncommon. Money has torn many families apart.

“Ah, gossip,” Harrison chuckles. He seems amused by it all. “I will admit my mother hasn't been the best person to work for, or with for that matter. She has changed a lot since my father died. Death in the family will do that to ya.”

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