Endless: REWRITTEN

8. Topaz

Natalie

I accepted the job with Archose, and when I did, a giant weight was lifted off of my shoulders. The job paid better than managing Brad's campaign and I was to start right away, which means I wouldn't have to keep chipping away at my savings. My bills would get paid, the office has welcomed me with open arms, and not to mention that I'm... actually starting to really like Robin. Really like him. It's terrifying, needless to say, but if I'm reading the signs right from him, he might really like me, too. Life was going pretty well.

I knew it wouldn't last long, though.

"So, we do have some people for you to meet. You'll sort of be acting as their sidekicks in a way. Not assistant, but like a wingwoman," Viola explains to me.

"Sure thing," I reply politely.

We arrive at one office, each office being sectioned off by glass walls, and some offices having doors attached to them and being bigger than the rest. Those offices must be reserved for the higher-ups in the company. We knock, and then enter to see a young, blonde girl going through her filing cabinet. She notices us enter, and gives a brilliant smile.

"Hi!" she chimes. "Sorry, I knew you were coming. You must be Natalie." She approaches me, and shakes my hand firmly. "Marianne Nelson."

"I am, nice to meet you."

Viola speaks up. "Mari is my co-operator of Archose. We opened the business together five years ago." They smile at each other briefly. "She's also my wife."

"Oh, that's awesome," I smile at them. You could tell there was some undeniable spark between them when they got in the same room.

Mari and I speak for a little bit before Viola takes me out of her office. She leads me to a staircase that leads to the second floor of the company. "Up here is sort of our human resource department and other occupations. Once we get a bigger building, things will be organized better, but our setup isn't terrible right now. Here, I'll have you meet the chief insurance officer. He's sort of my third in command here."

I didn't know what I was walking into. I was just innocently being introduced to all the important people of the company, minding my own business. Then, for the third time, I run into him.

"You work here." It's all I can say to the blue-eyed demon deflowering my niece.

He looks up from his tasks, and his eyes widen substantially. "Oh, fu—"

"So you two know each other?" Viola, innocently, bless her heart, inquires.

Mordecai and I simultaneously say, "We keep meeting."

"And this is your Chief Insurance Officer?" I question as politely as I can muster, swallowing down the contempt I feel.

"He's good at what he does," Viola tries assuring me. "He's saved our asses more times than I can count."

A muscle in my jaw twitches. "Interesting."

"Well," Viola grins, as if she can't sense the tension in the room. "Since you two know each other, Natalie will be working as a consultant for the company. So you two will be seeing a little bit of each other."

In Corporate America, 'a little bit' means 'a lot'. Or at least that's what Viola means in this specific instance. I look back at Mordecai, internally seething, while he looks back at me with a mix of defiance and smugness.

"I can't wait," I tell her, trying to keep the venom out of my voice.

A phone rings and Viola fumbles in her pockets, pulling the device out. "I'm sorry, this is a big client. I'll be right back."

Oh-so conveniently, she leaves the office, effectively leaving me and Mordecai alone. A circumstance that should never happen. Ever.

"Shut up," I spit at him as soon as the urge to laugh crosses his face.

"I didn't say anything," he chuckles. "Natalie, you know this happened for a reason."

"Karma? Probably."

"Does consistently hating my existence put gas in your car? Or is it just a hobby for you?"

"I'm not discussing this with you right now," I put a hand up to him. "Because unlike some people, I maintain professionalism in the workplace."

"You'll never make my relationship with Cheyenne feel like a mistake. I'm sorry, but it's not going to happen."

"What more can I do, Mordecai?" I laugh bitterly, pressing a finger to my forehead. "I've already exposed your criminal background, removed her from you, tried to convince her to at least think about what she's doing. She's an adult. All I can do now is be there for her when you hurt her."

"You are not her mother."

"And you are not her soulmate."

"Then I guess we're both delusional," he hisses quietly.

I sigh sharply. If Mordecai and I had the entire day to argue, we would. We literally had a three hour argument the day I found that he and Cheyenne resumed their relationship (which, much to my chagrin, was also the same day they consummated it). It only ended up in us despising each other and Cheyenne having a strained relationship with me and me only. I know that at the end of the day, if she were to choose between me and him, it'd always be him. That's what being young and in love does; it inhibits your judgement. I can't blame her for that, or it would be hypocritical of me.

"Look," I decide. "We're co-workers now. And I can overlook your relationship with my niece for the sake of keeping this job, because I actually really like this environment. But you're going to have to work with me, and not be the smug, arrogant, son of a bitch that my niece somehow doesn't see."

"Fine," he shrugs. "As long as you're not the close-minded, narcissistic hot-head that my girlfriend does see."

I stick my middle finger at him, but then stash it away as soon as Viola reenters the office. She gives the two of us a sheepish smile. "Sorry, that was important. Anyway, I hope you two got reacquainted. Natalie, I'll show you your office and then we'll get started on your training."

"Sounds wonderful," I grin at her while simultaneously shooting a glare at Mordecai. He waves a farewell to me condescendingly, and my blood inexplicably boils. God, how could she date such an ass?