CHAPTER 6: Cheap Knockoff

"Hmm, this is definitely a cheap knockoff," Lucius said casually. "The original design costs about five thousand dollars. Yours looks like the fake version they sell online for two hundred."

He thought that, even though her ring looked exactly like his in every detail. It might be possible to be a fake version.

Alura's hands clenched on her lap, she felt really embarrassed. How can he be so rude by calling her ring a cheap knockoff?

Even though the husband she married might not be as rich as Mr. Hunt it doesn't mean he couldn't afford a five thousand dollar ring.

Especially since he could afford to pay for her father's debt, a debt of four million dollars.

And if truly his ring is custom made, maybe it's just the designer who chose to remake the same design.

But then again she couldn't argue with Mr. Hunt to avoid losing her new job.

"I see," she smiled tightly. Her voice was strained, clearly holding back her words. "You must be right, sir. I'm sure my husband just bought something similar."

"Probably." Lucius sat back down, turning his attention to his computer dismissively. "Was there anything else, Miss Wayne?"

"No, sir. Thank you again for the opportunity."

He hummed, "Monday. Seven AM, don't forget."

"Yes sir." She stood up and left.

The door closed behind her with a soft click.

Lucius waited for thirty seconds, before he pulled out his phone and took a photo of his own ring.

He zoomed in and stared at it closely.

A custom made one of a kind matching set for him and his wife, that's what the designer had promised him.

He should be the only one with that kind of ring, along with his wife Lily. Who he had married through lawyers just this afternoon, Whom he had never met and knew nothing about except that she was desperate enough to marry a stranger and his grandmother trusted her.

And it would be illegal if the designer had made the same ring for another couple. So hers is definitely a fake version.

He shook his head pushing the thought away.

He opened up his messages and a text message from his grandmother had come up an hour ago while he was in the board meeting.

"Lou dear, your marriage was registered successfully. I've attached her phone number.

Be kind to her, Lou dear. She's been through enough."

Lucius rolled his eyes at the last statement.

"Everyone has been through a lot." He muttered blankly.

Below the message, was a phone number attached.

He stared at the number, he thought of calling her and probably introduce himself. And also make some important rules, making it clear that this was just business and nothing personal.

His finger hovered over the call button, contemplating whether to call her or not.

Then his phone suddenly buzzed. It was a new message. From that exact number.

His eyes widened.

How did she know he was about to call? Had his grandmother told her to text him? But the timing was too perfect and coincidental.

He opened the message.

*Hi. This is your wife. Thank you for helping with my father's debt. I'm really grateful, I promise to honor our arrangement.*

Lucius read it three times not knowing what to reply.

She sounded really formal and polite, exactly the tone he would have used.

He sighed and just saved the number in his phone. Wife (Lily).

......................

Alura arrived at Hunt Corp at 6:45 AM the next Monday. She was fifteen minutes early, and was wearing the new corporate suit she bought thanks to the monthly allowance.

She let her hair loose and wore minimal makeup.

The fortieth floor was already occupied when she stepped off the elevator.

Patricia was standing by the secretary desk, looking like she hadn't slept in weeks. The dark circles under her eyes were completely obvious, yet she held a large cup of coffee like it was the only thing keeping her alive.

"You actually came," Patricia said with surprise.

"Of course I came. I got the job."Alura replied wondering what she meant.

"Yeah, well. Three people got the job before you and none of them lasted more than two days, I'm the longest lasting secretary so far." Patricia set down her coffee with a grim look. "Come on let's go. I have just a few minutes to tell you everything before Mr. Hunt arrives. Please pay attention because I'm not repeating myself."

She moved so fast that Alura had to scramble behind her to keep up, pulling out her notebook.

"His coffee should be black, at exactly fifty eight degrees." Patricia explained and showed her a thermometer she pulled from a drawer. "Not fifty. Not fifty five. Exactly fifty eight, trust me he'll know if you're off by even one degree."

Alura's brow creased, "How is that even possible?"

Patricia sighed in frustration, "He has top notch taste buds and the patience of a hungry shark. So don't bother, just follow the instructions."

She moved to the computer. "His schedule is color coded. Red for board meetings, blue for international calls, green for site visits, yellow for personal appointments, although he rarely has those. If you mix up the colors he'll tear your head off."

Alura swallowed and wrote hurriedly on her notepad.

Red, blue, green, yellow.

"He doesn't do small talk. So don't ask about his weekend, don't talk about the weather, don't try to be friendly. You're a staff, not a person to him." Patricia's voice was as if she was describing a natural disaster.

"Also, don't ever ask personal questions and don't ever cry if you want to keep this job. The last secretary cried during week one and he fired her immediately for emotional instability."

"But... that's too harsh." Alura whispered, looking around to make sure no one else heard what she just said.

Patricia scoffed, "Harsh is his default setting. So you better get used to it or get out."

She glanced at the clock. "He'll be here in two minutes. He's never late, he always arrives at exactly the same time. When he arrives make sure to greet him, although he won't respond but don't take it personal."

Alura's eyes narrowed, what kind of human being is he, and why the hell does he have so many rules.

"Does he even respond to anything?" She asked worriedly.

"Of course, he responds to perfection only. Just do everything perfectly and he'll ignore you. But if you make one mistake you'll wish you were invisible."Patricia advised with a tight smile.

The elevator dinged.