WHO IS CRYSTAL CASTELINO

3.THE NEW 'UGLY' RECRUIT

Once out of the house, Ashlee did not know what to do. She was penniless and completely alone in this world. It was almost 11 o'clock at night when she walked out of her father's estate. A terrible sadness gripped her.
"Ashlee," she heard someone calling her from behind. It was her granny.
She stopped.
" Don't leave, Ashlee. Everything here is yours. Don't let them take what is yours," she begged.
Ashlee kept quiet for a while looking down. " You would want me to live with self respect....don't you?"
Her granny nodded.
"Then don't hold me back. Goodbye granny," she said.
" Then take his key. It was your mom's apartment in New York you can stay there. Don't say no. You owe it to your mom." She said with tears in her eyes as she pushed the key and address into her hand.
Ashlee nodded. Hugged her and left.
The road ahead was dark and empty. An eerie stillness stretched ahead of her. It was not strange that there was not a soul in the street as the Zanetti Estate was in one of the poshest part of the town and thus people here zoomed in and out in cars and the mansions had extensive lawns and grounds around it. Ashlee took a deep sigh and began walking. She planned on going over to Arabela's or Kacper's for a stay. Maybe tomorrow mirning she'd fly to New York to her mom's apartment. At least that would give her a place to stay and may be she would manage a job somewhere after all the big apple was a city of opoortunities? She mulled as she dragged her suitcase and walked as she looked around for a cab.
Ashlee was musing over her plans for her life next when she was stopped by a shadow that cast before her.
" Hi beautiful," said someone. Ashlee knew whose voice it was. The anger and disgust burst though her veins hearing his slimy voice. It was Robert. The guy who lied to the world that he was the eye witness of Ashlee's misconduct. " Damn bastard!" She thought looking up. Oh God! That look, thought Ashlee. It was do revolting. It seemed like his eyes were open cesspools of ugly desire and lust it filled her with repulsion. He was leering at her as his eyes went up and down her body. It made her skin crawl and made her want to puke. But Ashlee was not a girl to be daunted.
"Move out of my way, you bastard," she growled trying to get past him as he saw his five equally leery friends coming out of the shadows to block her way. Ashlee moved back. She knew it was useless to fight six people. She needed to flee.
" Poor Ashlee Crystal Zanetti, Look what has happened to you," he said making a sound with his tongue as if he was pitying her.
" Not a shirt on my back...not penny to my name," he sang out adding," Not even a home to live in. What happened to papa's little darling? Daddy kicked ya out? Huh?" He asked.
" None of your business. Leave my way."
" No, besutiful," he said holding her chin with his one hand and he shook face rather roughly," I am the solution to all your problems. Just one night under me and I will solve everything. You papa will be eating out if your hand...just like he is eating out of your step siste's hand," he said pushing himself on her.
"NO," she yelled giving him one tight slap and pushing him away.
Robert fell on the ground with one push and then looked at her most menacingly.
" You bitch now you got me riled. You should have submitted to me. Now just wait and watch what happens to you," he said as he let out a whistle to summon his friends. Now there was almost eight guys circling around her.
" Time for some fun boys," he yelled and they joined him eyeing her with open lust in their eyes. The guy behind Ashlee came over and gripped her waist from behind before she could turn. His hold was tight and he dug his head in her neck as his hands moved towards her breasts " Where did you get this hot chick, Rob," he spat, " We are going to have a...." but he could not finish. Ashlee gave him a solid elbow punch right on his ribs. The guy gave a yelp in pain as his hand loosened and as Ashlee freed herself and bent down and lifted her elbow to wham his chin and nose as blood seeped out of his nose. She then turned and held his hand and brought him down as he and kicked him on his ribs and face. Now feel the heat the kick seemed to say. He gave another yelp and raised his head and then thud his face fell on the ground and he passed out. Ashlee did not wait. She dropped her things and began to run.
There was a hesitation among the Robert's friends but Robert urged,"Come on guys we are eight and she is alone. She is no match to us. Also we will get good money for this." They then agreed and began chasing her leaving their passed out friend.
Ashlee was a athelic women and a trained martial artist and it was not easy to catch her. She was too fast and acrobatic to catch easily. When it seemed that one of them would almost catch her. She jumped up and caught up a tree branch above her and swung on it and kicked the guy after her on his abdomen as he rolled away. The she dropped down and began running again. On one more occasion two of the miscreants almost caught her. But she ramned one with her elbow who tried to catch her from behind and hit the one before her between his legs. He howled in osin and rolled on the ground. She turned snd gave the guy behind a bolo punch and then a snap kick. He just turned and ran. Ashlee resumed running.
After a while of fruitless chase Robert called his friends. He asked his friends part ways. " Let's circle the bitch," he said and the chase began again. They caught her in a crossing circling her. Ashlee being a kareteka fought hard and it was not easy for them to pull her down. During that scuffle Ash came to know that the entire thing of her seducing and having sex was orchestrated by Irene and Irma. The pictures were of Irene wearing a wig like Ash's burgandy brown long hair. "The fact was Roy O'connor was madly infatuated with Irene and she used him to get you. I think she did not even need to sleep with him in return. Well I am more demanding I slept with both of them," he laughed, "and now I will sleep with you. I will have all the Zanetti women."
" Not so easily," said some one from behind. Ash turned to see Phillip along with Kacper and Arabela. Her gran had called them to inform that she had left home. And Robert and his friends got the beating they deserved. Ash moved in with Arabela before all of them went to New York.
Next morning Rodriguez asked Phillip to transfer money to Irene's account for the payment of her course.
"What about Ashlee?" Asked Phillip, "She has got admission in Columbia State University. While returning home she had told me. She had got full scholarship but since you told her as a child that affluent people should not take scholarships she did not opt for the scholarship."
Rodriguez's face showed anger,"what she did was unpardonable. Anyway she is here. I will pay for her too ."
" You don't even know your daughter has left home?"
Rodriguez looked surprised.
Phillip told him everything he heard last night. He found it awkward but did not hide anything ...even about Irma's cheating on him." Come on what is it Rod," he asked, " Seems like you want to wash your hands off your old family, Eh?"
" its not that. I love her more than myself."
"Really? Didn't seem so when you only paid for your step daughter's education,"
"I...i.."
"Or when she was almost getting raped last night."
"WHAT?"
"or when she had no place to go to last night."
" find her Phil and bring her back. And bring that bastard Robert to me."
" I will try. But let me tell you....she will never come back to you. You have lost her forever. You have let her down....you have let Maria down."
Rodriguez held his head with his hands as tears of guilt ran down his face. What had he done? He could not forgive himself. Now it all made sense. The way Irma gradually spoke against Ash gradually filling him with venom against her..initially it was as if she was supporting her and then as if she was trying to save her and more lately she was openly criticising her. Everytime she did that she had juxtaposed her own daughter's goodness. He was swayed so much by Irma that recently he agreed to disinherit Ash to transfer 50% of his company's shares to Irene. What was wrong with him? Thankfully the process was not over. His lawyer said that there was a portion of his wife's will that needed to be considered. Her will said he could not transfer his shares to anyone other than Ashlee.
Rodriguez was angry with Irma but he was a careful man where his money was concerned. He did not want to lose all his money in alimony. He called his private investigator and had a rather long chat. Then he called Ashlee.
Ashlee was in the airport when she opened her instagram. There was a post from Irene. There was a photo of Rodriguez and Irene was hugging him. " Papa ecstatic about my college. Who needs scholarship when my daddy is hell bent on paying everything. She should worry whose dad refuses to acknowledge her." Ash shut her eyes and deactivated her instagram and Facebook account along with that she deactivated her account called family.
Five minutes later Ash got a call from her father. She did not take it. He called again and again. But she did not pick up the call . She then switched off the phone took out her sim. She did not need this number anymore. " I've to get a new sim...when I get to NYC," she told Arabela and Kacper.
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Fast forwarding to her present. Ashlee walked rather absent mindedly down the road. God knows why her recruiting agent wanted an ugly person for this job. He had seen her and had said, "You won't do. They want an ugly person for the job...someone who doesn't know French?"
" What?" Ash could not imagine this could be a requirement for a job.
" I can appear real ugly. Please, please give me this opportunity. I need a job and also I always wanted to work in Kyrotime. I have read about Kylo Abreo, ( though she did not see his pic)how he built this company from scratch while he was still in college. "He is my ideal. Please let me go for this interview. "
" okay...but do you know french."
"No," she lied.
"Okay..Go tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock. Meet Josephine Smith."
Ash was thinking all this and walking but sudden whoosh of a Mercedes Benz CLK GTR roadster got her as it swerved past her in full speed maneuvering rather stylishly into the underground parking lot..It is a different matter that it tried to take her wig along with it and flew her skirt up beyond the permitted etiquette level. " Damn that guy!" She told herself, " Fuck your car...fuck you...fuck your fam..." she stopped. The car was backing up. Shit, he must have heard it, Ash thought, run or forget your job.....she told herself choosing the former. She ran inside and quickly asked for the washroom and hide inside it. Thankfully that guy did not follow her.
Ash walked out of the washroom 10 minutes later and walked over to the receptionist in the ground floor. She looked at her as if she was in a shock. Arabela had done a good job giving her a horrible make-up, false freckles and a blue tinted glasses with a terribly mismatched spectacle frame. Lastly as she has risen to go....Kacper shoved a false buck tooth on her incisors and had yelled, "puuurrrrfect."
She looked at herself on the mirror and said," Everyone has a bit of ugliness within oneself...only the unfortunate ones have to show."
Anyway the shocked receptionist sent her to the 26 th floor. Ash nodded and went up.
Josephine Smith was waiting for her. She looked every bit the pretty bitch that she was. Blond hair, blue eyes, blood shot red lipstick. She was pretty but there was something mean and conniving about her face which made her look like a vamp. Her clothes looked professional but kind of too tight and her two upper buttons of her shirt were open to show her ...well....plump and enticing boobs. Gawd! Do I have to work under her? Thought Ash," I hate her already."
Josephine seemed rather happy to see her. Almost immediately she started explaining the job to her...showing her the order of the files so that she found them easily etc. She told her she had to start working the very next day. " I will be going on leave as I have an operation. I will be out of work for 45 days," she said.
" So, what would be my job role," asked Ash.
" You will be the PA of The CEO Kylo Abreo."
Oh god! Can this be true. I will be meeting my ideal and idol. Surely I am dreaming....but don't wake me, she thought with a dazed expression.
" I will ask him if he is free to meet you," Told Josephine asking her to wait as she disappeared behind the heavy wooden doors before her. She came out after a good 20 minutes giggling and laughing with an extra button open.
" Come in," she said to Ash making way for her to enter the room. Her heartbeat was racing. She was about to meet Kylo Abreo the Maverick of the computer world....the wonder boy...the the future Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Nintendo rolled into one....she walked gingerly behind Josephine till her eyes fell on the man. No doubt he was one of the most amazing specimen of manhood- tall, hot, handsome etc etc. The best part was his snazzy though studious pair of glasses which gave him a super intellectual look which most women found irresitable. His whole personlity was charming and when he spoke it added to his charm. But Ash was shocked to see him. Her jaws literally fell open. He was the "nerdy playboy" whom she had filmed in the act with Irene! That guy was Kylo....oh Shit!Another dream beats the dust. God! You are cruel.
Kylo looked up as a look of distaste spread over his face. " She won't do," he said," Where did you find this specimen Josh," he asked," I am sure you were too insecure, eh?" He said walking up to her and slapping her butt.
" Awwww," she made a moaning sound in response which made Kylo grabed her waist and what ensured after that, to Ash's shock, was a semi make out session before her.
Ash looked at her feet as she stood waiting for them to finish. She would have walked out of the room and the job under normal circumstances but right now she needed this job.
" Hey you?" She heard Kyro calling her. He had stopped whatever he was doing and had gone back to his seat behind his expansive desk which looked rather messy and haphazard.
Ash looked up. " you have a resume?"
Ash handed him her resume.
" sit," he said taking the resume rather carelessly, " Josh wait outside please. I will call you."
Josephine looked little surprised. But she went out.
Kylo skimmed through her resume. "So, your name is Ashlee Zanetti and oh! you are just 18. You are too young for the job don't you think."
" For a person who began his career while in college...it is surprising that you should think age is a factor. "
Kylo looked up from the resume looking surprised. " you seem to have done your homework, Miss Zanetti. I am impressed."
" Glad to know that....Mr Abreo Sir. But since you were quite media friendly during the span of last few weeks. A general habit of reading the newspaper served the purpose."
Kylo arked his eyebrows. Looking at the girl for the first time. She was smart...she knew how to answer. But dear god! she was ugly and that thing on her head was a wig....a very ugly and cheap one. He couldn't make out her eyes clearly behind those blue tainted rather ugly pair of spectacles.
" Your grades and scores are very good I see," he said going back to her resume.
Ash said nothing. Who are you to judge, you fucking bastard, she thought as image of his bare body flashed in her mind. Her mind went for a toss.
" Miss Zanetti....Miss Zanetti," Kylo was calling.
" I am.sorry Sir....just got distracted."
Kylo snorted irritably as he continued. "What are your plans with this job?"
" Well, since the duration of my recruitment is as short as 45 days, I have no plans other than acting honourably enough to ensure that I am paid my promised salary. Had it been longer stint I could have tried thinking of more fantastic goals. But let me tell you Sir, the filthy lucre supercedes all goals."
Kylo laughed. " You are funny Ms Zanetti."
" I was told by the old and wise, when your appearance takes you nowhere.... try humour. It might work."
" It sure did work ....So, Miss Valetti, you can start work tomorrow." He called Josephine over phone and asked her to to brief her about her work.
He was opening his laptop when he suddenly looked at her and asked," does your appearance bother you, Ashlee? I am going to call you by your first name...now that you are recruited. I think Lee works better with me."
" As you wish Sir. Going back to your question. No, my appearance does not bother me....but I guess it does bother people I meet."
" like?"
" like you asked where Josephine got a specimen like me.."
" I am sorry if you felt bad."
" Not at all....I am quite used to it," she said as she rose to follow Josephine.
" Lee," he said looking little guilty, "it is true that like feminine beauty... but I never let it come between my work."
Ash looked at Joshephine and then at Kylo. He still had a faint stain of her lipstick on his lips." I can see that," she said as a faint smile formed on her lips.
Was she trying to be sarcastic? The thought angered Kylo. " So I expect efficiency, hardwork and value for the money that I will be paying you," he said rather sternly," do you get me?"
"I do sir," she said and then as she turned to leave she muttered, "dannatamente lascivo bastardo." (Damn lecherous bastard in Italian). She really did not want to say it aloud but it accidently slipped her mouth.
"What exactly did you say?" He asked frowning.
"I said more hardwork and efficiency, its Latvian."
" Latvian, Eh?....Ahhh!" He said looking at her go.
Kylo was very fluent in Italian. He knew exactly what she said.
" Seems like this ugly bitch has brains....and some attitude that needs taming. Unfortunately I have already recruited her," he regretted.