Ch 9: Early Awakenings

AN:

Hey everyone! I'm sorry for randomly doing the author's note at the start rather than the end. But OH MY GOD!!! We have 1.1K reads now!!! 😁😁😅😅😅 I don't know how to thank you guys! You're all freakin' AMAZING!! I love you all! 😘😘😘

Please continue to show your support by leaving me VOTES and COMMENTS! Please also continue to SHARE the story, and do FOLLOW me for updates! Also, a BIG thanks to those of you who have added my story to your reading lists! You know who you are, you gorgeous people! (And, without sounding creepy, I know who you are, too 😉😉) So, THANK YOU!

Please do let me know who you imagine in the roles of certain characters. So far, I have explicitly introduced:

Nicolas

Cecilia

Tom

Cole

Jason

Roger Knight (Cecilia's father)

Sophia (introduced this chapter)

More characters will be added as the story proceeds. I have also given you a brief idea of what Cecilia's mother may have looked like, so if you can think of someone for her, too, let me know!

Ok, now, on with the story! Xoxo

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Recap:

"Cecilia," her father suddenly spoke from behind her, startling her out of her thoughts.

"Cecilia, I don't know if you have spoken to Nicolas about this, but earlier this evening I told him that we should launch him at the Company's ball in 3 months. What do you think?"

Cecilia knew this was a purely rhetorical question, since once her father's mind was made up, it was almost impossible to change it. "Mmmm," she hummed in agreement.

"Good," he beamed. "Well, since you agree this is a good idea, you'll be joining him in his office at Freire corporation on Monday at 9am."

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"What the hell," Cecilia mumbled to herself, as she put away her laptop and yanked the laptop bag shut aggressively. "Why do I have to go to his office. Why couldn't he have come to ours? This is absolutely ridiculous!" She announced, theatrically, lifting her arms up in despair. It would have been quite an impressive performance, had anyone else been in her room to witness it. As it was, only her reflection in the wall mirror was present to appreciate her truly sound logic.

From the night of the ball on Saturday, Monday morning had arrived only too quickly, forcing Cecilia to get out of bed at 6.30am. 6.30! When everyone knew that she didn't like to even lift an eyelid before 10am! This was ridiculous! Especially since it took almost an hour in the traffic to reach his blasted office. Just who did he think he was, ordering her to be at work 9am sharp?! She wasn't his slave! She wasn't even his employee! How could he just have demanded that to her father?

Cecilia knew arguing with her father right now would do no good. Hell, it hadn't even done any good on the night of the ball. Cecilia recalled how much she had protested - but all in vain...

"What?! Papa, this is ridiculous! Why should I go there?" She'd screeched. "It's better for him to come to my office at Faith Knight corporation. Our building is so much closer from here, and so much more convenient... And, also, why the rush? We can start preparing after a leisurely brunch at 11am... And, also, why did he just tell you this? He should have come and discussed this with me!"

"Cecilia!" Her father's raised voice had immediately silenced her. "You will do as I say. This is Nic's project, and he will do as he sees fit. You are just there to assist and guide him. A bit like..." he'd pondered, thinking of a suitable comparison. "A bit like... well, a secretary, I suppose, or maybe an advisor," he'd mused.

"What?" Cecilia had gasped in horror. After haughtily telling Nic earlier that evening that she was going to be in charge of this project, was she really being demoted to the role of SECRETARY and ADVISOR? NOO!!! The shame! How would she ever show her face to anyone ever again, LEAST of all Nic? "But, papa!"

"I've made up my mind. Now, I don't want to listen to anything else," he had just looked at her sternly until she had nodded her head reluctantly. And she'd known then, a horrible sinking feeling inside her, that there was no way out of this mess.

That was the first time in almost a decade that her father had scolded her like a recalcitrant child. Cecilia hated that Nic was the reason why. Now, at the risk of upsetting her father, she had no choice but to obey Nic's demand. This was why she was now awake, at 6.30am on a Monday, getting ready to leave for Freire corp.

She fumed silently, as she shoved her essentials into a large handbag. "He just crossed the limit! What does he think? That I'm a child, and he can keep threatening to 'tell my father' ? What, does he think I will just obey everything he says silently because my father likes him? Ha! Just you wait and see!" She finished, pointing a finger in warning at the mirror - only to see the person there point a finger back. "Huh? How dare you, Mr. Nicolas Freire? How dare you point a finger at me? You want war? Fine! I'll give you war!" She looked around wildly for a weapon. Picking up a cushion from her bed, she launched it at the other person.

"Ha! Take that!" She smacked at the mirror with her weapon again. "And that! And that! How do you like that! Huh?" She grunted, hitting again and again until she was out of breath. She looked up, ready to celebrate her victory, only to see that the other person was holding a cushion too. She narrowed her eyes. "So, that's the way you want it, hmm? Fine!" She launched herself, hitting again and again, until the pillow finally cracked under the pressure, feathers flying everywhere.

An alarm went off, suddenly, distracting Cess from her war with the mirror. Cecilia glanced over, putting the deadly weapon down, only to see the words 7.20am displayed on the phone.

"Sh*t! Oh, no! Oh, cr*p! Hurry, Cess, hurry!"

She scurried around, shoving everything she needed in her bag before taking a record 10 minutes in the shower. She picked up the cream skirt suit she had laid out the day before, hurriedly doing her makeup. Just as the clock handle was about to strike 8.00, she closed her front door with a click.

"Well done, Cessy!" She beamed, mentally patting herself on the head. "Well, here goes. Day one working with the Devil."

She took a step forward.

***

"Miss Knight? Miss Cecilia Knight?"

Cecilia dragged herself out of her sleepy daze to see a woman in a sharp grey business suit staring at her with concerned blue eyes. "Yes, sorry?"

The perky little blonde smiled kindly. "Do you want me to show you to your office?"

"Yes, please! I don't think it would set a very good impression if I was found wandering around like a lost sheep." Cess joked, feeling instantly at ease with this woman.

"Yes, I've been known to do that on more than one occasion." The blonde laughed. "There is literally nothing more embarrassing than walking in on an important meeting because you didn't recognise the different door for the printing room. Would you like me to give you a tour, so you don't end up in the same distressing situation?"

Cess gasped in mock terror. " Oh, the horror! Oh no, something like that would surely scar me for life! Please, please save me from a situation like that, I beg you, please!" She clung on to the blonde's arm, widening her eyes in despair.

The other woman burst out laughing. "Ok, I like you already. I think you'll do just fine here."

Cess smiled back. "I like you, too. By the way, what's your name? I'm getting tired of having to think of you as the 'blonde woman' in my head."

"Oh, sorry! I completely forgot I wasn't wearing my badge today. My name is Sophia Black. I'm Mr. Nicolas Freire's personal secretary."

"Oh, nice to meet you." Cess smiled warmly, holding out her hand, which Sophia gladly shook. "I think you and I are going to be good friends, Soph."

"I think we are, Cess," Sophia grinned broadly, before leading her to her office. It was quite spacious - maybe not as big as her own back at her father's company, but still quite large. The framework was all glass and stainless steel: very sleek, very masculine, and very cold. The only compensation was a large window, the backdrop showing the London business hub. This company was smack bang in the middle of Canary Wharf, the most expensive area in London.

Sophia left Cecilia to settle in, promising to come back around lunch time for a tour. Cess dropped down onto the large chair with a sigh, putting on some soft music for ambience as she picked up the pile of files left on the desk for her. For the next two hours, she looked through some of the proposals for the design, catering, location and entertainment options for the evening ball, and was surprised to find herself impressed.

Was this all Nic's doing? No, it couldn't be. More than likely, he'd passed everything over to a staff member to do. After all, if he was at all serious about the ball, wouldn't he have come to greet her? Wouldn't he have found her by now? It was past 11am now. If he wasn't even going to be available, why did he call her so early? Cecilia felt her rage build, as she smacked the folder back down on the desk.

Suddenly, one of her favourite songs by Beyonce started playing from the iPod. Right then and there, Cecilia decided she needed to let off the steam before she exploded at someone. Checking to make sure the door to her office was closed, she shrugged off her suit jacket and slipped off her black pencil heels.

The grey carpet beneath her feet felt soft and fluffy: perfect, she thought with relish, for doing a little crazy dancing!

"Cause if you liked it, then you should've put a ring on it... If you liked it then you should've put a ring on it... Don't be mad once you see that he want it... if you liked it then you should've put a ring on it... Wuh uh oh uh uh oh oh uh oh uh uh oh..." Cess belted at the top of her voice, moving her body to the beat.

The door to her office opened slowly, revealing an amused Sophia. "Uh, what are you doing, Cess?"

Without saying a word, Cess dragged Sophia over, pulling her jacket off and forcing her to dance along.

"All the single ladies! All the single ladies!"

After a moment of hesitation, Sophia just shrugged laughingly and decided to join in, slipping her heels off as well. The two danced together, twirling around, singing their heart out.

Cecilia picked up the round pen holder from the desk, holding it up like a microphone.

"All the single ladies!" She sang.

"All the single ladies!" Sophia echoed, clapping.

"All the single ladies!" Cecilia shouted.

"All the single ladies!" Sophia shouted back.

"Now put your hands up." She ordered, pointing her finger at Sophia.

Soph obeyed immediately, throwing her hands in the air.

"Up in the club, we just broke up... I'm doing my own little thing... You decided to dip but now you wanna trip... Cause another brother noticed me..." They sang together, sharing the fake mic, arms around each other.

They continued to laugh and sing around the room, showing off their dance moves as they played the song on loop. As they approached the finale for the third time round, Cess ditched the mic, the both of them clapping along to the song, strutting towards each other.

"Wuh uh oh uh uh oh oh uh oh uh uh oh! Wuh uh oh uh uh oh oh uh oh uh uh OH!!!" They finished, collapsing against each other, laughing with exhilaration.

The sudden cool breeze hit Cecilia first, along with the unnatural silence. She turned to face the door along with Sophia and froze immediately.

There, by the open door, along with three older men behind him, stood Nicolas Freire.

And he did not look pleased.

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AN: Dun, dun, dun!!!! What will Nic do to her? Who were those other men? What do you think of Sophia? Be sure to let me know in your comments! I hope you liked the chapter. Please vote and share if you did! Thanks! Xoxo

P.s. Pic is something along the lines of what I imagine Cecilia's outfit to be like.