Chapter 2: Chapter 2

Ellie Miller

Astonishment at the sound of the alarm.

How I wish today was the weekend, but unfortunately today is still Wednesday.

I get ready in half an hour and go down to catch the bus. I particularly like to catch buses, of course, except when they are crowded, because then I can go and look at the various sights.

There was a time when I couldn't even do that.

When the driver stops, I get off and it's another 5 minutes walk to the building, I take the elevator and go to the floor where my office was and when I arrive Erika, my secretary, comes to meet me.

“ Ellie, Mr. Méier has asked you to come to his office as soon as you arrive," she says with a notepad in her hand.

“ Thank you Erika, I'll just put the bag in my office”

Erika is one of the few people I could consider a friend. She was short, had a beautiful body, had long black hair, and was always very well dressed. She was a very hard working person, and the same age as me.

After putting my bag in the room, I go to Mr. Edgar's floor, as I don't see his secretary, I go to his door and knock on it.

I hear one between.

“ Good morning sir, you called me? “ I enter and close the door.

“ Good morning Ellie," he says with his infectious smile,

if I could choose to have a father, I would choose one like Mr. Edgar

You might think he's only like that in the company, but no, your Edgar is totally the same way outside of it. He and Lucy would be my definition of the perfect family, of perfect parents.

“ As we can see yesterday, the inauguration was a success, so now it is our turn to make a success of the publicity. “ he says, and picks up some folders on the table and hands them to me. “ These are the proposals from the planning department, I would like you to take a look at them, and also to come with me this afternoon to the meeting at the Mancini company. Mancini should be the last name of the company's CEO”

I smile and pick up the folders.

“ Okay, see you later," I get up

“ Ellie," he says, "I know it's not your job, but your opinion is very importante”

“ You know I'm always there for you," he returns my smile.

“ Thank you, daughter”

I leave his room already reading the proposals, he always asks for my opinion on any proposal, sometimes I don't even understand the subject, but even so he thinks I am capable. I am almost certain that he sees in me the daughter he lost a few years ago, she must have been my age, and I heard that she was his pride, unlike his son Edward, who only gave him headaches.

After reading the proposals, I think about my life, it is funny, my life was full of proposals and goals, and ended up becoming a life of shit, and only now I managed to get back on my feet. But these are shits that I will carry for life, and I wish they were only emotional, but no, the physical ones did a worse job. Because even if my mind turned off bad memories, all I had to do was look at my marks and the deep pain would come back, marks that I made sure to hide, but sometimes it was impossible.

Life is like a roller coaster, one hour you are at the top, the next you are at the bottom. One hour you are overflowing with happiness, and another hour sadness is the only thing you see.

And I blame myself exactly for not noticing the signs that everything was going to take me to the bottom, and look, there were not few.

I take a deep breath and wipe the tears that insist on running down my face.

The morning flew by, and in the afternoon Mr. Edgar and I left in the direction of the Mancini Company.

The building is huge.

It's my first impression, I got dizzy looking up.

These people are really rich, my bank account cries.

After passing the reception desk, Mr. Edgar and I take the elevator towards the top floor.

As soon as I put my feet out of the elevator I feel a big chill, I cringe.

This is already becoming routine, I have to go to the doctor, I must just be sick.

We go to the secretary, this one unlike Erika, doesn't have a friendly smile, as soon as she notices us, she looks me up and down, with a judgmental look.

Even I look at myself to see if there is something wrong with my black pencil skirt and white social blouse, but I can't find anything.

I feel totally uncomfortable.

“ Good morning, I am Edgar Méier, and this is Miss Ellie Miller, we have an appointment with Mancini. “ Her Edgar speaks promptly, unlike the look directed at me, to him she gave a warm smile.

“ Good morning. “ I speak

“ One minute I'll announce you to Mr. Mancini. “ and she ignored me.

I em, now I see.

We follow to the door of the room, as we approach I feel another shiver, but this one is accompanied by a sudden dizziness. I grab Mr. Edgar's arm tightly, he is already looking at me with a worried face.

“ Daughter, are you all right? “

“ It must have been the pressure, I didn't eat well today. “ I lied, I ate enough to feed 50 people.

“ Are you sure? You can go home, I'll finish up here “ he looks at me seriously.

Before I can answer anything the secretary opens the door giving us passage, I give a smile to his Edgar, as if to say that everything is fine, and we follow.

Just like everything in that building, the room was huge, in the center there was a giant glass table, the mirrored glass wall gave a view of the wonderful view of the avenue, on the right side there were two doors, and on the left side one, and sitting on the chair with his arms resting on the table was him.

He, who from that moment on, would be the cause of my sleepless nights.

How does a person become even more beautiful during the day?

I am crazy.

He, who instead of looking at his Edgar, that he surely already knew, fixed his eyes on me. An indecipherable look.

Another shiver, accompanied by a warm sensation in my body.

I was extremely embarrassed by the look, and by remembering last night and my embarrassing fall.

“ Good morning. “ What a voice, sir, what a voice. “ Please sit down”

“ Good morning Dan. “ Mr. Edgar goes to the table and greets him like old friends, I limit myself to a small smile. “ I didn't get a chance at the party, but here I'd like you to meet the editor-in-chief of my company, Ellie Miller”

I hold out my hand.

“ It's a pleasure to meet you. “ And when he holds my hand it happens.

The Tchan.

That electric current, the one we read about in books.

My heart even skipped a beat.

“ The pleasure is all mine. “ He speaks, his voice coming out like someone who is tasting something, savoring it. His face doesn't show anything, so I put on my best face and sit down.

The meeting goes on, we show him the best proposals, and he speaks about the points he would like to change. I must emphasize the small detail that at no time do his eyes leave my face.

A curiosity permeated his eyes, and I was red with embarrassment.

And what's worse, something about him intrigues me, as if I am curious about him too.

What a strange thing.

“ As soon as the changes are made, I will send you again for final approval," Mr. Edgar says.

“ I'll wait then, to be as quick as possible, Ms. Miller could pass me her contact information to let me know. “ He speaks more calmly.

I look at his Edgar who seems not to have noticed anything unusual about him preferring my number over a formal e-mail.

“ Okay, Ellie dear could you pass him your number, please? “ he stares at me.

“ Sure.....Humm... I'll leave it with ......”

“ Write it down. “ he cuts me off and hands me a small pad.

Okay.

I write it down quickly.

“ Ellie, could you wait for me outside for a minute? I'd like a private with Mr. Mancini. “ I agree and go outside the room, I just find the formality of his words strange, but it's none of my business.

I sit in front of the secretary's desk, who stares at me as soon as she sees me there, I give her a smile, but in the same way as when I arrived, she ignores me.

Now I see, I haven't even spoken to the woman properly and she already considers me an enemy.

Great! I'm going to cry.

My cell phone vibrates in my hand.

"Hi Ellie, save my contact.

Dan Mancini"

I shiver as an involuntary smile takes over my face.

Now it is confirmed, I am sick.