Chapter 2 TIFFANY MEETS ROLAND

Adkins was driving Roland back home after they left Ryker Fashion company in Sydney.

"Stop the car!" Roland blurted out of nowhere.

Because it had come suddenly, Adkins hastily hit the brake pad causing the tires of the car to screech noisily against the tarred road.

"Is there something you forgot, sir?" Adkins asked, slightly shaken from the sudden order.

"Go back and pull over at the bus stop," Roland told him. He was sure he saw her just now. The lady that Director Abbott laid off. What was her name again? He thought for a while and finally he recalled hearing Director Abbott called her Tiffany.

She was looking downcast. Roland felt oddly concerned about her. She bothered him and he hated it when something or someone bothered him.

He had to see her up close. Roland was sure if he did, then he would see she was just like all other girls. His curiosity would have been satisfied then and he would see that there wasn't anything actually special about her.

Adkins reversed the car and finally pulled over in front of the bus stop.

Roland got down from the car and walked over to where Tiffany was seated on the bench.

He lowered himself on the waiting bench next to her.

What the fuvk am I doing? Roland sighed inwardly. He couldn't believe he was the one seated in a bus stop, worried about someone he barely knew.

"Urhm!" He cleared his throat. "You need a ride? I could have my driver take you home or anywhere you wished to go...Seems it would take a while before the next bus would arrive."

Tiffany had noticed someone taking up the seat next to her but she had been so engrossed in her own worries to care who it was.

"Thanks for the offer but I'm not interested," she finally said after a long silence.

"Uh, I guess I was too forward. I'm harmless. I thought you looked a little sad. Actually I'm not very good at consoling anyone..." He stood and walked to his car where he retrieved a bottle of water from the car.

"Here, water?" He offered her.

She glanced at the water he was holding out to her, dug her hand into a bag beside her and took out a bottle of water.

"I have mine."

"Oh," Roland said. She was tougher than he had expected. But her toughness endeared her to him and made him more curious about her.

By the time she finished drinking the water, a bus had arrived and she got in.

Roland watched the bus drive off before he got back into the car. He couldn't stop thinking about Tiffany. There was something about her that made him curious about her. Something mysterious and yet alluring at the same time.

"Urhm, Adkins, have Director Abboth send me the files for her and tell him to prepare my office. I will be resuming work immediately."

"Huh..." Adkins was surprised. He had to look through the rearview at his boss. He couldn't believe he easily agreed to start working just like that.

"By her, you mean..." he was saying but his eyes happened to jam that of Roland through the rearview. And he didn't wait for him to reply for the answer to his intending question to pop up in his head.

"Of course sir. I will have him do that," he said and focused back on the road.

***************

SYDNEY

RYKER FASHION COMPANY

"There's a new boss?" A chubby average lady chattered with two other ladies. Her eyes danced in excitement.

"Gosh! He is so freaking handsome!" The second lady exclaimed. She wrapped her hands around her body in an embrace and grinned dreamily.

"Did you hear, he is the heir to Ryker Group. He is the chairman's son." the third girl added, making a futile effort to keep her voice low.

"Incredible! I hope he falls in love with me and sends me to the headquarters in Australia. I have always wanted to work at Ryker Group Headquarters." The second girl said dreamily.

"Director Abbott will be very busy in the days to come. Buttering up the chairman's son to receive favour from the chairman."

They all laughed but then they heard Director Abbott's office open, they scattered and quickly scampered back to their respective duty posts.

Tiffany had overheard her fellow workers go on and on about this new boss that just joined them.

She had heard of the chairman's son joining them but hadn't met him yet. It seemed everyone was already interested in him even before his arrival.

She wondered what he was like. He would most likely be like the arrogant rich pompous kids without manners.

"Whatever," she shrugged and mumbled under her breath.

It wasn't supposed to be her cup of tea. She only had to focus on work. It was only a miracle that she was reinstated in her position. She couldn't say what suddenly made director Abboth to change his mind but Tiffany was grateful to whatever it was.

She needed the job at least until she could get a better one but she knew there probably weren't any better companies out there like Ryker company. She needed the job to take care of herself and her daughter.

She let out a sigh and got back to work.

"Miss Tiffany, do you have the report ready?" Miss Medline, head of the sales representatives, came over to her desk.

Tiffany looked up from her computer. "Urh, not yet."

"Oh-oh, what are we going to do?" Medline said and folded her arms thoughtfully. "I need to go to the sales showroom and I need the report..."

"It's fine Medline. I will handle that," Tiffany said.

"Really? Oh my God Miss Tiffany. You are the best! I didn't want to miss when Director Abboth would introduce the new hot director so I was hesitant to go there."

Miss Medline couldn't hide his excitement. She grabbed Tiffany's hands and squeezed in appreciation before she hurried back to her seat.

Tiffany quickly rounded up the sales report, printed it out and started out of the office to the sales showroom.

"Please hold! She squealed as she practically ran over to the elevator that was on the verge of shutting.

Apparently if she missed it she will have to wait for another minute to catch the next one. Luckily the elevator was held for her.

"Oh, thank you," she said, panting from the run as she got into the elevator. It was almost filled to the brim and packed with people. She would have considered waiting for the next turn but she knew she had no time.

She managed to squeeze herself into the remaining tiny space. The air felt so tight and she could barely breathe. Tiffany realised she was trapped in between two fat men. Their bulged stomach poked her as they breathed in and out.

Tiffany let her body stiffen together. She inhaled but didn't release her breath. She regretted not taking the next turn.

Suddenly she felt a hand grab her and before she could say jack, she felt her back slap hard against the elevator walls.

"Ouch!" She almost groaned but a hand had already flown over her mouth muffling her groan.

Tiffany felt a figure tower over her. She looked up to meet a pair of dark blue eyes staring down at her. For a moment, she got hooked and without even knowing she stared back.

"Do you like what you see?"

Tiffany heard a deep voice say and she jolted.

"Erm!" She coughed, hanging her head low. She tried to wriggle away but then discovered that the tall and broad body of the figure shielded her from other people in the elevator.

Could it be that she saw her discomfort between the two fat men? She wondered for a moment.

She wanted to look up at him again but stopped herself.

"Seeing how energetic you are, you must be in a good mood today," Ronald bent and whispered into her ears.

She had seen her enter the elevator and noticed how uncomfortable she was in-between the two fat men. He couldn't bear to watch it and acted on impulse.

She almost shivered at the sound of his deep voice. He was very close to her. Too close she could inhale his scent. Musky vanilla cologne drifted into her nostrils.

Thankfully the elevator creaked and opened.

The people sauntered hurriedly out except the figure before her.

"Can you move, the elevator has stopped," Tiffany said.

"Oh right," Roland said and stepped away.

Tiffany started out of the elevator.

"No thanks? Well, that's by the way. How are you today?" She heard him ask her and stopped in her tracks. Next she turned and faced him.

"Do I know..." Tiffany was saying when the familiarity in the face struck her.

She scoffed in sheer surprise.

"You, did you follow me here?"

"Me? Would you believe me if I said I actually ain't someone that would do that."

He sounded like all these rich snobs and Tiffany hated his guts.

"What do you want from me?"

"Well, I don't know. I'm just... curious about you. But believe me I had no idea I would bump into you in the elevator. It's the first for me. It's quite strange. I never get curious about anyone nor have I ever been interested in someone's life."

"Well, how about you channel your curiosity somewhere else. Because I too have no intention of investing my time in you," Tiffany said, rolled her eyes with irritation and started walking away.

"Are you sure about that?" Roland called after her.

He watched her until she disappeared out of sight.

He dug his nails into his thick hair and scratched.

Who exactly is this woman?

No woman had ever stared at his face without melting on their feet. How could she ignore him like she didn't just see his handsome face?

The more she ignored him, the more he wanted to get into her space, the more his curiosity about her piqued.

"Sir, did you forget something?" Adkins asked behind him.

Roland exhaled slowly, smacked his lip together and slipped his hands into his pockets.

"It's nothing, let's go."