Chapter 4 Repayment Time

(Narrator's POV)

To Claire, the hug meant more than any words Grace would have said.

Let's go see your mother, Grace said as the both of them walked down the street

"Remember you are paying for today" Claire said as she tries to free herself from Grace's clutch

The girls decided to hang out in a well-known lounge in New York City, the most famous Rainbow Room. It's a posh lounge on the 65th floor of Rockefeller Center, with breathtaking views of the city.

It's known for its live jazz performances and luxurious cocktails.

Grace figured out that Claire have been going through a lot, she decided to take her out to relax.

But they went and left the lounge in silence, on arm wrapped around the other person.

It seems like Claire is in for a steep learning curve as she tries to adjust to the corporate world. She's used to working hard, but the corporate world is different from anything she's experienced before.

Mr. Alexander is demanding and has high expectations for her performance. She begins to feel overwhelmed and frustrated by the pressure she's under.

As Claire struggled to keep up with Alexander's demands, he began to notice her mistakes and shortcomings. He began to criticize her work, and soon, she was questioning her ability to do the job.

He was quick to point out her mistakes, and she began to feel like she was letting him down. She felt like she was sinking further and further into a hole, and she didn't know how to get out.

At first, Claire tried to prove herself to Mr. Alexander by working even harder. But the more she tried, the more frustrated she became. Eventually, she reached a breaking point.

One day, she made a major mistake that enraged Mr. Alexander. He was furious, and he called her into his office for a meeting. She was afraid that she was about to lose her job.

She walked into the office, feeling like a failure. She sat down across from Alexander and braced herself for what was to come.

(Claire's POV)

I sat in the chair, staring at the floor, Alexander spoke in a calm and measured tone. "Miss Matthews, I'm disappointed in your performance lately," he said.

My heart sank. But then he continued, "I know you're capable of so much more. I want to help you reach your full potential.

But I need to know that you're committed to this job and willing to put in the extra effort." He paused, waiting for my response. My mind was racing, trying to process what he was saying.

"I thought he was doing all these on purpose does he really not recognize me" I thought.

"I don't want to give up on you, miss Matthews," Alexander said, "but I need to see some improvement. I'm willing to give you a second chance.

Are you willing to do what it takes?" I took a deep breath and considered his words.

I knew how much I needed this job and how much I wanted to succeed.

Finally, I looked up and said, "Yes, I'm willing to do whatever it takes." Alexander smiled. "That's the spirit" he said.

"I want you to start by reevaluating your schedule and your priorities," Alexander said. "You need to make this job your top priority, and that means putting in the extra time and effort. Can you do that?"

My eyes fired up, "what, an extra time? This is extreme wickedness" I thought.

"Yes, I can do that," I replied. "Good," he said. "Now, I want you to take the next week to rework your schedule and come up with a plan to meet your goals, can you do that?"

I nodded . "Yes, I can."

"Excellent," he said.

"And one more thing," he said. "I want you to come to my office every day at the end of the workday and give me an update on your progress. Can you do that?"

I felt a little nervous, but this was an opportunity to prove my self. "Yes, I can do that," she said. "Good," he said.

"Then we have a deal. I'm going to hold you to it, and I expect you to hold yourself to it as well.

(Narrator's POV)

As Claire left the office, she felt a sense of hope and determination. She knew it wouldn't be easy, but she was ready to commit to doing whatever it took to succeed. The next day, she started to reevaluate her schedule.

She made a list of all the tasks she needed to complete each day and prioritized them based on importance.

She also set aside time each day for self-care, knowing that she needed to take care of herself in order to be at her best. It was a lot of work, but she was determined to make it happen.

Mr. Alexander was bent on making life difficult for Claire, he decided to send her menial jobs alongside that of the office.

He sends her to get him food, most times he complains about a particular ingredient lacking or excess.

Claire was taken aback by Mr. Alexander's behaviors.

She thought she had been doing a good job and making progress, but now she realized that he still didn't trust her.

She felt a mix of emotions - anger, disappointment, and even a bit of fear. But she didn't want to show any of this to Mr.Alexander.

(Claire's POV)

As I walked through the halls of Vision Tech one morning, I noticed a man who seemed to be new to the company.

He was tall and well-dressed, with a confident air about him. But something about him gave me a strange feeling.

His eyes seemed to follow me as I walked by, and he gave me a sly smile.

Later that day, I heard the man's name mentioned in a meeting with Alexander. "Mr Kelvin, I'm so glad you're here. I'm counting on you to help me with a special project," Alexander said.

I felt a knot in her stomach as I eavesdropped on their conversation.

"I had to find out what was going on", I decided.