Chapter 5 Reluctant Agreement

Amy's POV

I went back to my table and then started off organizing my schedule for the day's work. Micheal came over to give me some cool off as he knew I was going through a lot. After adjusting some errors in the schedule, I was about to print them when I noticed Mrs. Stella walking towards my table.

"Good morning Mrs. Stella," I said to her as I stood up. She is still my boss regardless of the rude man inside. Although she is friendly most times to me, I do not take it for granted as I in turn give her the respect she deserves.

"Good morning Amy, you should know that I'm highly disappointed," she started off saying.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Stella," I said with my head bowed.

"It's okay, you would have lost your job if not for my intervention," she said.

"Thank you very much, I'm grateful and I promise that I wouldn't let you down," I assured her.

"You better not, Mr. Munroe will like to see you when he comes," she said to me.

"He's inside, and I have seen him already," I informed her.

"What!" She exclaimed, as she straightened her dress and then went over to his office.

I went ahead to print out the schedule and then headed to his office to hand them over.

"This is the schedule for today," I announced to him as I dropped the paper on his table.

"Read it," he said without looking up.

"Sorry," I said in surprise.

" Read it out loud,".

He is unbelievable. I didn't have a choice but to read it to him.

"Hand it over to Mrs. Stella, she will take care of our clients, schedule me a meeting with the staff, I need to do a proper introduction before someone else ruins my expensive clothes," he said.

I nodded and left his office. He wouldn't forget the incidents in a hurry. "If only getting another job was easy I would leave without thinking twice," I thought to myself.

A Month Later

It's been a month since Mr. Munroe came back to Munroe Enterprise. Everyone worked as though they were stepping on eggshells, even worse pins and needles. He was giving us a tough time, especially me. I told Lily about my punishment, and she suggested I just give in, "Two months isn't that long anyways, better off than getting fired." she had said. It's been one month already and it clearly felt like a year. The stress, the office late nights, the overtime, the constant insults at any slightest provocation. It was quite exhausting and I was slowly starting to lose my mind.

It seemed like he hated my very existence, and to think this whole issue started because of a mistake, a harmless mistake.

He took it too personally and I was starting to think he probably had something else against me. He finds faults in everything I do and always makes me repeat whatever I've been asked to do. I just have one more month and maybe, maybe after the punishment, he will reduce his cruelty towards me. I hoped so. Mr. Munroe looks like the type devoid of emotions, I wonder why he is so cold to people, I have never seen him smile, he always had a frown on his face.

After closing from work today, I had to stop by the pharmacy to get some aspirin as I was on the verge of breaking down. I think I have reached my limit, from staying up late regularly working on seminars and projects, to the endless emails I get to reply to. It all became overwhelming ever since he showed up.

Getting home, I was too tired to even eat anything so I went straight to my room and I slept off. I woke up the next day with unbearable body pain and headache. I totally forgot to take the Aspirin I bought last night.

I tried to sit on my bed, but for some reason I was too weak to do so. I stretched my hands towards the glass of water by my bedside and then took the aspirin.

I replied to Lily's messages from last night and after a short while, attempted to get off my bed, I can't afford to be late to work, Mr. Munroe won't hesitate to extend my punishment and I can't afford that, not after anything I have gone through.

I successfully stood up from my bed but in my attempt to walk, I suddenly felt dizzy and weak at the same time, making me rest on the bed again. "I'm not in a good state to go to work" I thought to myself as I picked up my phone and called Mrs. Stella. She understood and told me to take care of myself. I was glad and relieved when she told me she would handle Mr. Munroe in case he has an issue with it.

I remained in bed until past 9 am. Ms. Susan came to my room and noticed that I was sick. She informed my mother who in turn called in our family doctor.

"This madness has to stop," my father said to me as the doctor left my room. My mother told him about my health despite me begging her not to.

"You are getting married in two week's time," he said to me and my eyes widened in shock.

"What! That's ridiculous dad. I'm not getting married, I thought we were over this," I said to him.

"I can't let you stress yourself any further, how can you choose this over the life of luxury I'm offering you?" He asked. I remained silent.

"You will get married in two weeks and that's final," he said as he turned to leave my room.

" I have a fiancé." I said immediately without thinking twice.

"Huh?" He said as he turned.

"Yes, father," I responded.

"Very well then, bring him to dinner this weekend. Then I will call off your wedding, if not you marry in two week's time." he said before leaving my room.

"Why do I keep making my life difficult? How on earth do I find a fiancé?" I asked myself.

After much struggle, my father finally allowed me to resume work the next day. I wasn't any better, as I still felt sick but I can't afford to stay at home when I have to find a fiancé, I have barely three days left. Although Lily had started looking for options, there wasn't any luck.

I got to the office some minutes late, I was already panicking as I rushed to the elevator, someone else entered behind me before it shut. "Missing work and coming late are we?" Mr. Munroe said to me. As if my problems weren't enough already.

"I'm sorry sir, I was si-" I attempted to finish saying but as usual he interrupted me.

"Keep your excuses to yourself, you know what comes next after you nonchalantly-"he stopped mid-sentence as the elevator made a loud noise and suddenly stopped moving.

"I think it's broken," he said as he brought out his phone but unfortunately he couldn't pull any call through. I couldn't concentrate as I began to feel dizzy and nauseous. The last thing I remember was him ranting before my legs gave in and everything went dark.

I opened my eyes and saw myself lying on his office's couch with a drip over my hand. I adjusted immediately, trying to get into a sitting position. "Remain still, or else you will land yourself in the Emergency Room, you should have stayed home since you were sick," he said to me as he walked towards me.

"I can't afford to, I have a lot to take care of," I said as I sat up. "Don't worry George is taking care of it, you need some rest," he said. That sounded new. Mr. Munroe asking me to rest? It's probably a trap.

"I can't," I responded.

"I'm ordering you as your boss," he said in a commanding tone.

My phone beeped almost immediately and It was a message from my dad. "You better not be lying to me about having a fiancé." it read.

I didn't know when I blurted out into tears.

"Of all times in the world, why can't I just have a peaceful life. I have tried so hard, I did my best to make my life better even after my parents' decision, yet my dad is still bent on marrying me off. What am I to him exactly? Two years of struggle, yet I'm still in this situation. How on earth do I bring them a non existent fiancé by the weekend? And now I am not even strong enough to take care of my health." I allowed myself to cry out my frustration forgetting I was not alone.