Chapter 209 - Stop flirting with her, Shreya.

Anne's brain felt as if they were electrocuted. She felt as if she was going crazy.

This was the first time working anywhere for her and she really needed the job quite desperately. Even though she has a degree in English lit, she did not get any job related to her field. At least not one that paid as much as it did at the Imperial.

Between searching for a job and family, she barely had time to eat… let alone keep up with current affairs. So, she never saw the headlines a couple of days ago. But she did research on who was her boss… but all the internet had was that the Imperial was partially owned by Sri Corp and the other majority half was owned an un-named promotor who likes to be anonymous. There was speculation that it might to Akash Srivastav… the son of Anand Srivastav. She did not know anything more about anything here.

Because of her fluency with the language, they had promised her shift in reception but that would follow after her two months of training. And in these two weeks, she will be shuffled between every possible job within the Imperial so that she can know the nook and cranny of the operation here.

But staring back at Shreya, she was doubting whether she will be able to walk out of here in one piece let alone keep her job.

"You… You… You are the President??" Anne asked hesitantly. Everyone here always addressed Shreya only as 'the President' in order to keep her position here a secret. It was a strict rule within the Imperial. Since Anne wasn't the one to ask questions, nobody clarified who the President was. And she just naturally assumed that the President of the Imperial will be a man even if it was not Akash Srivastav. And even if it was not, she never would have guessed the President will look like a college girl going through rebellion.

But because of her good-natured self, she did not even consider that maybe Shreya was actually lying to her and that maybe Shreya was actually pretending to be the President… but then that can't really happen since the elevators will need a master key which Anne has now- for employees or a PIN that only Shreya knows, in order to get into this particular floor. Without these two things, the elevator would never stop on this floor. It was designed to ensure the absolute privacy of Shreya.

"Why? I do not look like one?" Shreya asked back still keeping her relaxed teasing face.

"No… no… no… I mean… I did not mean it like that. It's just… you and your… your dress…" Anne started without really knowing how to continue while her eyes subconsciously grazed over Shreya from head to toe scared.

"What's wrong with my dress??" Shreya asked shocked looking at herself. She was still in the dress she had worn when she had flown out of the Bahamas. She was in a jean that was ripped and distressed in quite many places, and she wore a grey t-shirt that was way too big and falling out of her shoulders.

But before Anne could even try to deny and defend herself, Srinivas pitched in to help. "You are dressed more like a bum than a President of a luxury hotel… You are wearing torn clothes… literally." as he gave Shreya a once over. He was completely ruthless.

"Hey!! This is fashion." Shreya protested in her defense while pinching Srinivas on his arms, "and I was not talking to you…"

If passer-by saw this scene, they will have confusion as to who was the boss here and who was the employee. Shreya and Srinivas could easily pass as siblings than that of an employee and boss. But then Srinivas was not an exception here… Shreya behaved like that with almost everyone. For a boss who ruled the business world of the whole country, she rarely got offended. And even a more peculiar sight was her being serious with her employees. She really hated treating her employees as someone below her until of course, they do not take advantage of her treatment.

"I'm sorry, Mr… No… no… I'm sorry, Ms. President… I am really sorry I did not recognize you. I am really sorry… I will leave you to your room." Anne pitched in taking advantage of the small gap she got between their banters and gathered her thoughts and apologized. She was just about to bail from the place before Shreya could remember and fire, but to her agony, Shreya was faster than her as she called out.

"Hey, what's your name butterfly?" Shreya really liked this little girl in front of her. Her red embarrassed face made Shreya want to pinch the living shit out of her cheeks. But Anne did not see it that way. She thought Shreya wanted to know her name so that she can contact someone about the issue.

Anne froze on her tracks. She can already see her next few months of attending one interview after the other all over again. She was way too innocent and naïve for office. So, interviews and job hunting had been particularly hellish. But before she could open her mouth, Srinivas pitched in and said, "Stop flirting with her Shreya. NO wonder she thought you were a guy! Look at her. She had paled all over again."

"No, no no… It is not like that. I know she is a woman. It is just… can you not fire me, please. I really need this job! Today was my fault… but I promise it won't happen again… Please…" Anne begged with her eyes glistening. But no tear tumbled down. She held back her fear with her sheer will power.

"Woah… When did I fire you?" Shreya asked bewildered. She just wanted to know her name.

"You just asked for my name right? Wasn't that because you wanted to raise a complaint?" Anne asked looking back into her eyes hesitantly.

"Well, of course not! I am not such a cruel person." Shreya exclaimed defensively. "I just like you… so I asked for your name! That is all…"

"Stop flirting with her Shreya…" Srinivas reprimanded all over again. If possible he really wanted to swat on the back of her head but Srinivas refrained himself seeing as they were in public and he still had some sense that Shreya was his boss… even though he was not sure how long it was going to last if he keeps spending so much time with her like that day in and day out.

Shreya was just about to argue back when Anne interrupted and introduced herself hesitantly, "I'm… I'm Anne… ma'am"

Shreya was instantly distracted and cringed. She turned to Anne and extended his hands to introduce himself nad greet, "Oh, don't call me ma'am. It makes me look old. I'm Shreya. I am very pleased to meet you, Anne."

Anne's sweaty hands met with Shreya's and she shook them nervously saying, "Pleased to meet you too, ma'am."

"Hey, look at that. I found your apprentice." Shreya said looking at Srinivas. After all, it took her better part of the months they knew each other to make him call her by her name. And it paid off only now. That too barely so.

Anne then scrambled from her place and opened the suite doors and held it open for Shreya.

Shreya let Srinivas go in first before taking her phone to make a call.

Anne hesitated for a second before closing the doors and pushed her cart out leaving Shreya in the corridor alone.

But when she heard Shreya talking to her manager, her foot stopped on track unconsciously as she looked back at Shreya nervously.

Shreya, of course, noticed it. She closed the mouth of the phone and talked to Anne instead, "Don't worry. You are not getting fired. You are getting promoted."

That stopped Anne on her track all over again.

"Yes, Ed. Anne…" Shreya answered into the phone.

Anne could not hear what the other party said but after a second, Shreya looked at Anne and asked, "Your full name is Anne D'cruz?"

Anne did not know why she was asking but her head unconsciously nodded.

"Yes, Ed. That's the one. Transfer her personnel files to my office and mail me a copy now. Find someone else in her place for the Imperial." Shreya said and cut the call.

She then turned to Anne and asked, "You want to work for me?"

Anne's brows frowned as she answered, "I am working for you…"

"I mean at Sri corp.?" Shreya clarified.

Anne blanked for a second before process the information and answering Shreya, "I would love to but I don't think I have the necessary qualification, ma'am"

She did not want to miss the opportunity but then she really could not afford it either.

"You know how to read and write?" Shreya asked.

"Yes, ma'am" Anne answered diligently.

"Well, I will take care of the rest. Here is the address. You can take the rest of the day off from here. And report to this address sharp at 9 a.m. tomorrow…" Shreya said.

Anne absentmindedly wondered, "What will I be doing exactly?"

"You will be my personal assistant…" Shreya said and entered her room leaving behind a shell shocked Anne behind.

This was Shreya after all. Impulsive and quirky.