365 Days with the Celebrity

Chapter 13 - First Day at Work

Golden rays of sunlight shone on Ariel's face as she hesitantly opened her eyes to the intruding brightness. Then it dawned on her - she was no longer in The Grand Tower but in Leon's Waltz's penthouse! Still feeling surreal about her win, Ariel pinched herself a few times with an excited smile. It was her first peaceful sleep in years, on the softest and most comfortable bed she'd ever laid on. The night was so quiet and clean, unlike the daily noise and polluted smell of the traffic that could be heard from The Grand Tower. She peered out at the windows and was star-struck by the daylight panoramic view of the glittering sea and its surrounding city skyline, realising also how high the penthouse was. The sea was a clear splash of bright turquoise blue with yachts, ships and sailboats dotting its surface. There were also many extravagant yachts parked by the beach nearby.

Ariel glanced at her bedside clock and to her horror, it was 9.30 in the morning! She had forgotten to put the alarm up as she was too distracted by her new home. She jumped out of the bed, tied her hair in a messy bun and flew into the kitchen, and rushed vigorously to cook the superstar's first meal of the day consisting of scrambled eggs, avocado salad and wholemeal toast, as stated on the timetable in the notebook that was given to her by Vinny.

Once she was done, she placed the aromatic hot plate of food on the island table, not realising that an unsmiling Leon from a distance was glowering at her.

"Didn't I tell you that breakfast is at nine? Why did you wake up so late?" He hissed.

She jumped at the sudden voice. "S-sorry, sir. I forgot to adjust my alarm last night," Ariel replied nervously.

He stuck out his hand at her, " I don't care your reasons. I do not tolerate mistakes or lateness. One more time and you're out!"

"Y-yes, I understand," Ariel stammered in fear, lowering her eyes from his glare. "W-Would you like to eat your meal now, sir?

"Eat it yourself. I just gobbled my cornflakes," Leon shook his head and stormed off to his room.

"Tsk-tsk-tsk. Didn't you promise that you would not disappoint?" Ariel turned to see a smirking Vinny standing nearby, whom she did not notice earlier. "Didn't I tell you that this is serious business? Don't be fooled to think that Leon is nice all the time. He can act like a storm in a teacup if you're not careful."

"Y-yes. I'll be careful the next time."

"You better do," Vinny shook her head at her and followed after Leon.

Ariel's spirit sank in dismay, staring at the rejected food aimlessly with the fork. She shut her eyes and replayed what had just happened. Those same words, "serious business" used by both Vinny and Madam Yong. This was not going to be easy. Leon's threat had caused shivers down her spine. Even Bloody Mary was more forgiving on her first day of work!

After finishing the breakfast that Leon refused, Ariel looked around the six-bedroom mansion in the sky that had a home movie theater, a private office, and a home studio for Leon to practice his songs and record his demos. At the living room, there was a standing telescope facing the windows and a stylish peninsula fireplace with three-sided glass panels. The minibar, which was a few feet away from the kitchen, was a circular structure that had rows and rows of bottles of alcohol of many varieties. Part of the structure was partially a table with a few bar stools.  Even though she was a teetotaler, Ariel could tell that the collection of alcohol consisted of the most expensive and finest selection of wine, whisky, vodka and beer she had ever seen. They would be useful to cook some really tasty dishes with. Across the living room was a library with massive shelves filled with books, surrounding a comfortable sitting area with the plushest and nicest looking sofa seats. This looked set to be her favourite place for chilling out for a good read during her breaks.