My Life as Duke Starr's Assistant

My Life as Duke Starr's Assistant...[Part 21]

"Thank you for joining us for dinner," Virginia Sparks, or as I call her, Mom, said to me.

"I didn't think I had a choice..." I mumbled, tugging at my dark blonde hair.

"This is true," Victor Sparks, i.e. my father, said. "In that case, we should re-phrase. Thank you for obliging to our request," he corrected. I rolled my eyes. My parents were so formal. Sometimes I felt like they forgot I was their daughter and not another potential stock buyer.

"So whatever you needed to talk to me about must be pretty important since you decided to actually tell me in person rather than over the phone," I told them.

"Your ingratitude is painful, Valerie dear," Mom said. I rolled my eyes again.

"Your mother's right. Why is it so hard for you to believe that we wanted to meet for dinner for the simple fact that we missed you?" Dad asked me.

"Ummm maybe because you've been pretty absent the rest of my life. Why start missing your only daughter now?" I asked.

"Valerie, really. You need to stop being so melodramatic," Mom tutted. I resisted the urge to kick her under the table. Not out of respect, though. We were at a fancy restaraunt and I didn't want to cause a scene.

We sat in silence for a few moments, chewing our food noiselessly. Most people would find this situation extremely awkward. But not me. This was completely normal. My mother was never much of a cook. My father was excellent, but he never had time. Ever since I was a child, my parents would take me to various elegant restaraunts for dinner. It was no wonder I was so spoiled and arrogant.

"I assume you need to talk to me about something," I brought up.

"Let's just talk for a bit before we get to that," Mom suggested.

"How's work?" Dad asked.

I furrowed my brows at them and wondered if they even knew that I had been fired from the previous firm I worked and was now working as a celebrity's assistant. I felt a sharp pang in my chest as thoughts of Duke flooded my mind. I shoved them aside, though. I needed to deal with this headache first.

"Do you know where I work?" I asked.

"Camden Finance, of course," Mom replied.

"Wait, didn't that place go down?" Dad asked, his fork slightly raised in the air.

"Yes it did. Seven months ago," I answered. My parents looked at me sharply.

"Do you mean to say you're unemployed?" Mom asked me. I shook my head.

"No, I have a job," I answered.

"Of course she does. With her resume, anyone would be insane not to hire her," Dad said. I felt myself swell with pride at the off-hand compliment.

"Where do you work now?" Mom asked. I frowned, trying to think how to phrase my answer. I decided to just be blunt and reply straight up; like ripping off a band-aid quickly.

"I'm the assistant manager of Duke Starr," I replied. They blinked, confused.

Of course they wouldn't know who Duke Starr was. I didn't even know who he was until I started working for him. We were all oblivious to the mundane lives of those around us. We were too caught up in our business worlds.

"Who on Earth is Duke Starr?" Mom asked.

"He's a celebrity, Mom," I explained.

"You work for a celebrity?" Dad asked. I nodded.

"As what?" Mom asked. I closed my eyes to steady my frustration. They never listened.

"I just told you, Mom. I'm his assistant manager," I answered. I braced myself for the blow.