Stealing the Heart of Mr. Steele

"I SAID STOPI

The room grows silent. Pin drop silent.

Setting the stuff down gently, I turn to the small group gathered around me.

"Hi," I give them a friendly open smile. I am professional after all. "My name is Cordelia. Some of you may have heard I'll be starting today. I just wanted to thank you all for your warm welcome."

Keeping my smile firmly in step over the mess I just made of patterns and paperwork.

"If Theo could meet me in my office, that would be greatly appreciated. In the meantime," I look down at the papers strewn on the floor, "I'd appreciate it if someone could make sure that all of these materials make it to their expected departments.

With my head held high, I walk to the office that Atlas had led me to during the last visit. As soon as I shut the door behind me with a gentle click, I leaned against it for a minute or two, taking long, deep breaths.

I can't believe I just did that. I'm usually not so bold.

But it felt good. So good.

There is a gentle rapping on the door. Moving away from it, I lean against my new desk and invite the person into my office.

The person who enters is so ordinary I'm not sure what to think. With black hair tied back in a simple braid that is slung over one shoulder, a long velvet dress with a white collar, and a black tweed jacket, she looked like a combination of Wednesday Addams and Coco Chanel.

Smiling, I stand, my hand extended. "Are you Theo?"

"And..." she says as a way of greeting in a way that expresses both disinterest and boredom. "You wanted to see me, boss?" the last word was said with a sarcastically antagonistic edge. It is clear in both her posture and tone that she does not want to be here, that it is beneath her to be talking to me, and that she thinks I shouldn't have my job.

"Yes, I did," I raise an eyebrow. "We will be working together closely to make the deadline. Atlas..."

"Mr. Steele," she corrected. "If you don't want everyone to assume you are his whore, you might want to use his proper name and title." She advises. "Nobody calls him by his first name. It's either Mr. Steele or The CEO."

"I see. Thank you," I smile, my lips tight.

"Also, she continues. "If you want people to take you seriously, you will need to take yourself a bit more seriously. Bosses don't show up with us. They show up after or before but never WITH us," she smirks. "1 saw you in the elevator eavesdropping. I'm sure everyone else did as well. I'm pretty sure that Trevor was especially nasty knowing that you heard."

"Really," I raise an eyebrow. "And you know this because..."

"Because I'm not a fool," she scoffs. "You, however, seem to be completely clueless when it comes to running a big operation like this one. What are your qualifications again?"

I freeze. "...um.....".

"No hesitation!" she snaps. "Never hesitate!"

I flinch. I realize this is the wrong reaction when she shakes her head.

"I don't know what Mr. Steele was thinking sending you here to run this place, but since he saw fit to inflict this department with your leadership," she groans, "The least I can do is give you a fighting chance."

Sighing deeply, she pulls out a notepad and begins drawing a diagram with a list of information below. She then begins adding phone numbers and job titles to the back.

"Here," she tears the page out of her notebook and hands it to me. "Here is a basic map of all the departments that you might encounter. As lead designer, you will be expected to know who is in charge of each department so that you can get the help you need." I nod my head. She gives off such a strong aura of responsibility that I dare not ask any questions or offer any type of alternative response. Her matter-of-fact nature leaves no room for argument.

"On the back, I've listed everyone's names and phone number and special interests," I'm not sure why! need to know that Trevor likes bowling or that a woman named Sherry likes collecting toy penguins, but all of that information is here along with a list of favorite things and personal triggers. For example, when Veronica is drawing, never walk by her desk with hot chocolate the smell makes her gag and shell forget what she is working on.Content © provided by NôvelDrama.Org.

"If you want them to take you seriously," she looks me up and down, "You need to start taking yourself seriously. You look like an intern, so you were treated like one. Learn to take up space," she advises, "Give them no choice but to notice you. Don't be afraid to take control."

"Also," Theo continues, her voice sharp and direct. "Expect some of the crew out there to NEVER like you Your job has been available for almost a year and nobody here was seen as being good enough to take it, even though we were all doing parts of the job while we waited for the CEO to pick...you," her lip curls.

"I'm not going to be here forever," I admit. "I have a company of my own to run. Also, I'm pregnant," I point to my small round belly. "I can't be in this position permanently and I have no interest in being in charge of all of you. I'm only here because of At... Mr.Steele's insistence"

at's nice," her smile is tight. "Maybe don't say that part out loud to other people. The only thing worse than knowing you are taking a job that everyone wants is hearing you don't want it at all."

And on that note, she picks up a stack of papers off the edge of my desk and walks out. VictoryAnne Vice Author

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