The Starling Saviour

Chapter 78

'So, first day, take two,' Tommy announced humorously as we waited downstairs for Malcolm. 'But, if you want to delay it another day, it's cool.'

'No, Tommy, I want to do this,' I told him positively. 'I have been so bored without a job, and I am really looking forward to finding out what you actually do at work.'

'I do a lot, actually!' Tommy exclaimed, slightly offended. 'My father trusts me with a hell of a lot of stuff, so I have to deliver, or else he would not be happy.'

'Fair enough,' I nodded slightly. 'But I am nervous, only very slightly nervous. And to be quite frank, I have no idea how I qualify for this job.'

'Well, we both know I don't, yet my dad decided to give me a chance,' Tommy pointed out.

'That's because you're his son,' I said back, rolling my eyes. 'It's a family business, of course he would want you to be involved. You take over his whole empire after he, you know... I'm going to stop before this takes a very morbid turn.'

'But you're right,' Tommy agreed with me, overlooking that I had suggested his father's death. 'I do need to know how the company works and how to actually be a businessman, and I am learning that, slowly, with my father's help.'

'You're going to make such a good CEO one day,' I smiled widely, hugging him at once. 'And I would be honoured to work for you.'

'I think you already are,' Tommy winked.

'Alongside!' I took offence very slightly. 'But, of course, you will have to tell me and show me what to do for this first week, at least. Oh, I can't wait.'

Tommy just shook his head at my sarcasm as Malcolm joined us, the three of us being driven by one of Malcolm's chauffeurs in some expensive car to my nerve-wracking and highly-anticipated first day as a businesswoman.

Before I stepped into Merlyn Global Group, I didn't know what to expect, but once I was well into the lobby of the building, the importance of the role I was taking on really hit. I wasn't a businesswoman, yet I was supposed to work with Tommy in a business, and although I had intelligence and a degree, I suddenly felt out of my depth. Men and women wearing smart suits and serious expressions were just like my ex-coworkers at the SCPD, but the decor and size of the building was very different to any place I had worked at. It was so grand it was overwhelming.

'You're going to be fine, Aria,' Malcolm read my mind with reassurance. 'We all get nervous on our first day, and I wouldn't expect you to be any different. Now, I know you haven't exactly worked somewhere like this, so you'll only be learning the ropes with Tommy's assistance for the first few days.'

'Thanks, Malcolm,' I breathed, relieved. 'I thought I was going to be responsible for a lot of people and other companies then.'

Making our way to the reception desk, we received ID cards at the front from a security guy with a little too much product slicked in his dark hair, he greeting me with a piqued interest, clearly not recognising me for very obvious reasons. I constantly looked down at the shiny, marble-tiled floor, fearful that I would lose my footing and slip, embarrassing myself forever. But, I was going to be fine. All this unnecessary worry was the thing that made me feel on edge, and it wasn't like I hadn't been in situations worse than this; I had been shipwrecked on a dangerous, murderous island for goodness sake.

I just needed to focus.

'Ah, Aria, this is my partner and very old friend, Samuel Rosenburg,' Malcolm introduced me to some bloke who was stood next to him, both of them wearing very similar suits that made them look like two peas in pod as we stopped in the lobby. 'It's Aria's first day here, and so I'd thought I'd show her around.'