The Female Boss (CURRENTLY ON HOLD)

Chapter 9

Neil's pov

The week passed like a hurricane. To describe it as a hurricane too would be an understatement. Unlike the first day at the office (which passed painfully slow) the remaining five days went on in a blur. I didn't imagine the first week would be so hectic, at least my experience contradicted it. I believed that the pressure of the work would be rather less here due to the collective efforts of Pamela and me. But instead the work seemed to get grueling day by day and I had nothing to do than stuff my face into the piles of spreadsheets and files. For so many days I spent half of the day in the office, working with Pamela.

For last two three days, however, Pamela wasn't able to stick with me as her mother scorned her for coming home late. I told her not to fret, and that I would handle the work completely well. Though it made me seem responsible and hard-working in her eyes, let's just say staying alone in the office up to late hours isn't thrilling at all. And that too with the tiredness of a whole day's work.

This week, however, gave me an opportunity of knowing and bonding with some of my co-workers. I was already good friends with Pamela, and I was really getting to know the principles and designations in the office. I also learned that Miss Bose not only was the director of the finance department, she also handled other aspects of the company and thus she was allotted with this special building for her all-round works. I was also told that she sometimes also handled the CFO's work. This explained my confusion over why she needed two assistants and why I was literally stuffed with piles of files. Being a hard-core workaholic, she liked to drown herself and the other people around her into an ocean of rigorous work.

The first few days in the office I spent with utmost caginess as I was being wary of Miss Bose. I doubted that she would let her animosity towards me pass so easily without any revenge. The kind of lady I came to know her as, I was sure she would take some action against me, and thus was being careful with her. I had already ruined my image in her eyes with my stupid and rash decision on our first meeting, I didn't want to angst her any further. Therefore, I agreed to do whatever she would ask me to. To my great relief, she made no move nor showed any signs of guileful plotting. In fact, we hardly saw each other throughout the whole week. I was hopeful that maybe, just maybe, she has forgiven me and has decided to bury the hatchet.

Though I was glad of her actions (or the lack, thereof ), I was greatly jaded by the amount of work I was assigned with. I had to take some of my work at home and finish them at night. My weekend party with my old friends had to be canceled because of my busyness. I couldn't even spare time for my office colleagues and only was able to spend time with Pamela at lunch hour. Never in my life have I ever worked so hard, and I was extremely fatigued with this amount of hard-work. My parents were obviously astonished to see me work this hard, and so was Akash. Ruby was upset that I was ladened with so much of work and she also offered to talk to Miss Bose about it. I refused. I was in the process of building up a good reputation, I didn't want to hamper that in my boss's eyes again.

On Monday morning, I was busy working when Pamela entered the room, "Neil, Ma'am has asked for you. She is in her chamber."
I sighed, "What does she want now?", Pamela shrugged and gave me an apologetic smile. She settled on the chair beside mine and began on the unfinished work I left behind.
Since Miss Bose and I weren't exactly on "agreeable terms" and there was lack of an extra chamber, she had decided that I and Pamela should share Pamela's chamber instead. Anyways, it was fine by me too, since I didn't have to endure her arrogant manners and haughty personality. Besides, Pamela was the sweetest co-worker anyone could ever ask for.

I rapped on the door twice then heard the firm voice of my boss, "Come in". When I entered and closed the door behind me, she looked up from her desk and gave me a smile. At first I thought it was my imagination, but when I stared cautiously, I found that she was actually smiling at me! A smile! In the few days I have been working in this office, I have never seen Miss Bose smile, at least not at her co-workers. I had concluded that she was a grumpy hard-working woman who didn't know how to smile. But seeing her smiling at me, no matter how little the smile was, shocked me to the core.
Through her pretty smile, she said, "Mr. Das, you are gawking at me. You know I do not like wasting time, don't you?"

I snapped out of my shock and plastered a smile on my face too, "I - I am sorry, Ma'am. I was just lost in thoughts."

She kept on smiling, even though I had started to observe it was completely fake, "See that you do not 'get lost in thoughts' often, Mr. Das, since you won't be having much time to do that."

I didn't understand her implication, "Pardon me, what?"

Her smile didn't falter, instead, it broadened, "Oh yes, Mr. Das I have a very important work for you. And you have to finish it up to this week only."

Ah! another work, And here I was starting to get paranoid. Ha! You are losing your manliness, Neil, suck it up, it's just another work!, "Indeed? And may I enquire what this work is?", I asked smugly.

Her mouth twitched into a devilish smirk, "Oh, it's nothing, you just have to organize a party!"

My mouth dropped open. A party? Where did this come from, I wasn't expecting this, "W-What? Party? What party —"

"— a sponsor party, Mr. Das. Let me inform you, our company is going to sponsor a reality show, and thus the CEO has himself asked me to prepare a sponsor party in honor of the cast and team. It will also serve as a launch party for the show. But the problem is that you have to organise this party by Sunday, since the party is on next Monday. So, that's it, hope you perform a good job, Mr. Das", saying this, she again resumed the work she was doing.

Unable to say anything, I kept on staring at her, processing her words in my head — sponsor party... In one week... You have to organize it, alone...

"I - I can't ", I shook my head vehemently and sputtered. Miss Bose looked up again.

"What can't you?" she raised an eyebrow. Her smile had vanished entirely, as if it was never there to begin with.

"I can't arrange a party in one week. I am an assistant, not a party planner. Please try to understand and depute the responsibility on someone else. "

She gave me a sweet smile, "Oh Mr. Das, you're not a party planner alright, but you are my assistant, and whatever I say will be a command to you. This party will be organized by you, and you only. I know you can do it, you have managed to do the file works meticulously, I am sure a party is not such a big deal."

I blurted out, "I don't think such a huge party can be organized in a week. Besides, I have lots of file work to do. You can't burden me with every other work, I am a human being too."

She raised an eyebrow at my outburst and smiled as if impressed at me for daring to defy her, "Don't you worry about any other work. You just focus on the party arrangements, file work can be managed by Pamela until the party arrangements are complete. Now, is there any other problem?"

I hesitated, "N-No.. But—"

Her face brightened, "Very well then, all fixed, I'll send you the guest list and the contact number of the cast and crew of the show. Now, get to work Mr. Das."

I sighed and contemplated leaving when her voice stopped me, "Oh! Another thing", I turned to her, "Please ensure everything turns out to be perfect Mr. Das. If anything in the party displeases our guests or my bosses, you'll be the one to face the consequences. Good luck, Mr. Das." Her face was back to the hard, cold expression that she always wore on her face.

I frowned and nodded. Well, get to work, Neil!

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A.N :  Hello friends! At the very beginning of this author's note I want to apologize to Ahana_bliss because I promised her long time ago that I would update, but I couldn't. Very sorry Ahana, you are a wonderful reader, I am lucky to have you as a friend.
Well, this chapter, according to me was a little boring, what are your opinions, please let me know in the comments section and if you like the chapter, please do not forget to vote! The next update will be in the June, since my exams will be over by then. Thank you so much for reading!