Chapter- 2

Chapter- 2

It’s better that I didn’t get the job in Rex enterprise and so everything happens for a reason, Ashley heaves a sigh having that thought.

Though she got the job, she’s still sad to know that she didn’t get something which she looked forward to having it. Life never gives everything you wanted, but Ashley wondered why it always been this way. She tries and tries but always ends up getting the last thing that she wishes. It badly hurts her sometimes but she has that mentality to accept what comes in her way, or else now she won’t here alive.

Plastering a smile across her face, Ashley stood before the mirror wearing her tailored suit which she wore for the interview as she has no better dress to wear for her first day.

“You can do it and you’re going to get everything you want,” she assured and turned to pick her bag which is placed on the bed, which she uses as a couch, table, and almost everything. It’s a single room apartment which can fit only a dresser and a bed. In this entire building, this one is the cheapest and tiniest.

Ashley walked out of the apartment after locking the door behind. The sun is shining brightly today making the day warm and vibrant. She has never done this before and it’s been so long since she clicked a picture of herself, today she had that urge to mark her new journey by taking a picture of herself.

That time, “Ashley!” Brian called her. He’s Janet’s ten-year-old son who just came out to go to his school along with his elder sister Marie.

“Hi, Brian,” Ashley smiled.

“You got the job?” he asked.

“Yeah,”

“Congratulations,” both of them said in unison.

“Thank you guys,” Ashley smiled.

“Shall I take a picture of you?” Marie asked her phone and Ashley gladly agreed, giving her phone.

She took a few pictures and gave it back before walking to her school bus which will arrive at the end of the street. Ashley walked along with them having a small talk. She walked in a separate way to the bus stop and to her luck, the bus is already waiting. She ran and got into it on time. Her office located just twenty minutes from her house which is kind of tiresome but she’s happier than yesterday.

She got into the building on time and met the person who interviewed her. She told about her work schedules and showed her place. After sitting comfortably on her seat for a moment, Ashley looked around her. This is something she has always wished in her life and now it happened. With a big smile on her face, Ashley opened her computer. As a typical first day, she doesn’t have any work and stayed in her place having a few jobs. In the afternoon, she went to have lunch with one of her colleagues and she also got her new id. She asked her colleague to take a picture of her with that, seeing her image made her emotional. The flashback of her troublesome past just past before her eyes, until yesterday she felt she’s never going to get anything that she wanted but now, it’s changing, which made her feel happier. The people who treated me badly and those who ditched me are all going to look up at me, and regret for treating me like that, she thought with a smile.

When she’s having her small lunch, she got a call from an unknown number. In a confusion, she slides to answer.

“Hi! I am Meghan from Rex Enterprise. Is this, Ms. Ashley?”

“Yes, Ashley speaking,”

“I am calling you regarding the interview you attended the day before yesterday,”

“Yeah, I got rejected,” Ashley rolled her eyes.

“Actually, the candidate who we selected wasn’t willing to take the job right now due to some reasons so we looked into the other profiles and thought yours would be perfect. Are you willing to work in Rex Enterprise?” she asked and Ashley was taken aback by that. It added even more happiness to the already exciting one. But here lies the problem, she joined in this company. How can she quit now?

With a distressed face, she said, “Sorry, I already got another job,”

“Oh,” that lady sounded in disappointment.

“But take your time and think about our offer. We are looking forward to having you onboard,” she said which made Ashley surprised. Why are they looking for me when they rejected me in the first place? And why are they even giving time for me?

“Okay, I will think about that,” she told and ended the call. Is it really from the Rex Enterprise? She got confused and thought about this for the rest of the day. While leaving the office, her colleague accompanied her to the bus stop.

“So” she got her attention. “How was your day?”

“It’s fine,” Ashley answered.

“But Ashely, I couldn’t say this in the office, and you should know this,” she started and Ashley becomes nervous to know what she’s going to bring.

“You know, I was working here for the past year and they haven’t increased anyone’s salary until now. I think this company is running on bankruptcy,” she dropped a bomb on Ashley’s head.

“What are you saying?” Ashley blinked.

“A lot of employees were looking for some other jobs and they hiring just to show the company is all fine,” she said. 

“So? What you’re trying to say?” I asked her.

“I am just saying this because don’t waste your time and energy on a place where you won’t get benefitted,” she said and that stuck hard on Ashley because she doesn’t want that too. She wanted a job that will give her the future she wanted and Rex enterprise is perfect for that. It’s one of the biggest companies which always benefits the employees, even if she quits from the job in the future there are many companies willing to accept her seeing her experience there.

When finally, things were falling back to its place but again you’re pushed into a mess, how it will feel like? Ashley was right now in that state. She got no option than accepting Rex Enterprise’s Job which she always wished.

Why God? Why? You’re giving me what I wanted but why this guilty sense like I am going to do something wrong, Ashley frowned for suddenly having this change in mind. She got utterly tempted to work in Rex enterprise and she didn’t want to miss this wonderful opportunity. Ashley decided to make the best decision for her tomorrow. 

She got home at 6.00 pm. The sky has turned dark; she got thirty minutes for her shift at the supermarket. She doesn’t want to leave that job and asked them to change her in the part-time category. Sitting in her claustrophobic apartment is one of the worst things she could do after the tiresome day at work and that’s one of the reasons she continues to work at the convenience store. Slipping into the uniform, Ashley came out of the apartment.

While walking she reminded the incident that happened the day before yesterday. That man, the tattoo on his hand; Ashley missed to see his face properly. Even if I saw him, what I am going to do? She brushes it off. Yet she’s quite daunted by that man thinking those types of people should never be out.

While crossing the pub which is closed now, she got that fear she had at that time. Without looking further at the place she walked as fast as she could. Relief spread across her chest when she stepped inside the convenience store.

Today she was assigned to work in the cash counter. While she’s doing her job, her manager asked her to come to his office.

When she entered inside, “Here she’s,” a bald man said. He looked intimidating, rough, and more like a thug yet he’s handsome and along with him, a dark stout man who looked equally intimidating was standing beside. Ashley thought it must be something to do with the other day. She saw something that she shouldn’t.

Leaving her inside, her manager locked the door and walked away. How terrifying it would be to stand with these two men who are looking like they are about to kill her.

“Is there any problem?” she asked when they kept staring at her. She suddenly remembered these two men, she saw them in the car. That tattooed man ordered them to finish off the business.

Why are they here? Ashley had that dread on her eyes while looking at them.

“You were at the Pub, the day before yesterday, am I right?” that bald man asked, placing the gun on the table.

“No, I am not,”

When people are at the scariest situation they tend to tell lies which are so stupid and she did the same. They know that she was there and lying here isn't going to work out.

The dark man chuckled, “Look baby, if you going to lie, I am sorry but you have face to some bad consequences,” he said and they both came close to her.

“Yes, I was there. I am not going to tell anyone and I forgot everything, okay,” Ashley said in frustration.

“That’s doesn’t matter to us, we want to know what you saw there?” the bald man said.

“I saw a man chased by a group of men. And then I didn’t see anything and walked away,” she lied.

“You didn’t anyone there?”

“No,”

“You didn’t saw us?”

“N-No,” she stuttered because she feels this conversation is going somewhere.

“Really?”

“Yes, I don’t remember you,” she said.

“Okay, fine then. Erase this from your memory too, that’s the best for your life,” he warned.

“Sure,” Ashley nodded.

The men walked out of the room, leaving Ashley alone. But one thing that she doesn’t know was a pair of eyes looking at her through the camera that’s right above her head.

“Boss, what you think?” the bald man asked on the phone when he got inside the car.

“She’s lying,” the reply came back.

“So, what you want me to do? Shall I finish her?”

“No, Bristol”

“Leave it to me, I will take care of her,” that raspy voice said.

“Okay, but I think she won’t be a problem,” Bristol said.

Heaving a sigh, “I know but I can’t leave her like that,” “She saw me and she has to pay the price.” he answered and ended the call.

Standing in that grey penthouse, that man’s silhouette stared at the glimmering city probably wondering about his plans for Ashley.

After coming home, Ashley couldn’t be at ease.

How did they find me and even my workplace? she thought stumbling on her bed. She felt she has stepped in a dangerous mess; she knew people like them will always set eyes on people who bother them.

Are they going to find that I lied or they know it already? Ashley wondered in Dread.

The man who she saw on the other day, she doesn’t remember his face anymore but just his tattoo is still on her memory. She wants to forget this in order to escape and soon she has to find a better place to get out of everything. So for all this to happen, she has to join Rex Enterprise.