CHAPTER 7- SECRECY

THEO

"Professor?" I was so short of words so I just stood there speechless and hoping it was all just a dream...

Professor Adrian looked at me with the same calm expression he always wore during lectures. There wasn't a trace of surprise on his face, as though he'd expected me to react exactly like this.

Professor Adrian slowly stood from his chair and walked around his desk.

"Theo." I swallowed hard before replying him...

"What... what are you doing here?"

"Wrong question." He walked till he stood right in front of me.

"The correct question is... why are you here?"

"I-I..." He put his hands into his pockets staring back at me...

"You came here looking for a job." I nodded.

"Yes, Professor." He glanced at the two men before waving his hand...

"Leave us."

"Yes, Boss." One of the men replied before the others followed him out of the office and quietly shut the door behind them.

I looked from the expensive office to the bookshelves, then back at him...Nothing made sense to me...

"You own this company?" Professor Adrian sighed softly.

"Unfortunately for you... yes." I stared at him confused...

"But... you're a university professor."

"I am."

"So..."

"I also own this company." I couldn't even process everything he was explaining to me...

"You... never told anyone."

"And I intend to keep it that way...No one outside this building is allowed to know I'm the owner." He looked seriously at me...If I messed this up, I’m sure I’ll be dead for sure

"Not your classmates..."

"Yes, Professor."

"Not your lecturers."

"Yes."

"Not your family." My smile slowly disappeared as I heard that but I was slightly happy because I wasn’t really planning on telling uncle...

"...Yes."

"Not your friends." I nodded again...It’s not like I had any friends to tell anyways...

"Understood."

"I'll ask you one time only." He said firmly...Do you understand the rules?"

"I do."

"If anyone asks who owns this company..."

"I don't know."

"If anyone asks how you got the job..."

"I passed the interview."

"If anyone asks if you know me..." I hesitated for a few seconds...

"...I'll say you're just one of my lecturers."

"You realize what happens if this secret gets out?"

"I do."

"No...I don't think you do...You're either in this completely...or you're totally out." I swallowed hard before replying to him...

“I understand...”

"You make the choice."

Although everything happened so fast and I find it rather strange that he wants to keep this Job a secret...but...this was also the opportunity I'd been praying for...a real job...a decent salary...a chance to stop depending on professor Stephan...

I took a deep breath.

"I understand the rules...I won't tell anyone."

"And..."

"I'm ready to take the job."

For the first time since I'd entered the office...Professor Adrian smiled...small smile...barely noticeable.

"Good." He extended his hand.

"I'm glad we both understand ourselves...Welcome aboard."

Relief rushed through my body..."Thank you, Professor."

He raised an eyebrow then I nervously corrected myself immediately.

"Sorry...Boss."

"Much better."

He pressed a button on his desk...a moment later, the two men walked back inside.

"Take Theo around the building."

"Yes, Boss."

"Introduce him to the staff."

"Yes, Boss."

"Make sure he's familiar with every department."

"Understood."

"I'll see you on Monday." Professor Adrian finally whispered before I left his office....

"I won't disappoint you."

"I expect that you won't."

He returned to his chair and picked up another file as though our conversation had never happened...the interview was over...One of the men gestured toward the door.

"This way." I followed them out...the moment the office door closed behind us, I finally released the breath I'd been holding.

"I can't believe that." One of the men laughed.

"Most people don't."

"So everyone here knows?"

"No."

"They don't?"

"No."

"Then..."

"People only know what they're supposed to know."

"This company is full of secrets."

"You'll get used to it."

"I'm not sure that's comforting."

He chuckled...They led me through a spacious hallway filled with many employees...employees moved confidently between departments...Printers hummed...People discussed projects around meeting tables.

"This is the finance department." One of the men said...I nodded.

"And over there?"

"Marketing."

"What about upstairs?"

"Research and Development."

I couldn't hide my excitement.

"This place is huge."

"It gets bigger."

We entered another section.

"This is customer support." Several employees looked up and smiled politely.

"New recruit?" One woman asked.

"Yep." She smiled warmly.

"Welcome."

"Thank you." another employee waved. "Good luck surviving your first month."

Everyone laughed...I scratched the back of my neck awkwardly.

"Is it really that hard?" The man beside me grinned.

"You'll find out."

"You must be Theo." One lady asked

"Yes."

"Please have a seat." ...She opened a folder.

"We'll just complete a few documents."

"No problem." She handed me several forms and folders to fill in my details...

"Full name...Home address...Emergency contact." She glanced at another page. "I'll also need your bank account details."

I looked up at the man standing beside me...

"My account details?"

"Yes." He nodded...

"So early?"

"You haven't even started working yet."

"I know..." I laughed nervously. “I just thought that would come later."

"It's part of our employment procedure."

"So it's normal?"

"Perfectly normal...Payroll setup."

"Oh." That made sense...."I was overthinking."

"It happens." She pushed a pen toward me..."You can write it here."

I carefully wrote down my account number and bank information before handing the paper back...she checked everything.

"Perfect." She said as she slipped the paper into my file. “You’re all set."

"So...I start Monday?"

"That's right."

"Today was just the interview and orientation."

"I actually got the job..."

"You did."

"Thank you."

As we left HR, my excitement became impossible to hide...I had a job...a real job...No more worrying about how I'd pay my fees.

Everyone here seemed scared of something...Nobody questioned his instructions...Nobody joked around him...I leaned toward the man walking beside me and whispered...

"Can I ask something?"

"Sure."

"Why does everyone seem nervous around the boss?" He smiled politely.

"People respect him."

"That much?"

"He expects excellence."

"And if someone doesn't perform?" ...The man simply shrugged.

"They improve."

That wasn't exactly an answer...before I could ask another question...someone appeared at the far end of the hallway.

No way...It couldn't be...but it was...Blake.

He was walking toward us with a confident grin, talking to another employee...the moment I recognized him, instinct kicked in...I immediately turned my face away...Maybe he wouldn't notice me.

"Theo?" I was startled but I kept walking..."Theo!"

Great...He'd seen me. He walked closer me and fastening his pace

"Theo!" I slowly turned around.

Blake stood only a few feet away, staring at me in disbelief.

"What are you doing here?" I forced an awkward smile at him

"H-Hi, Blake." He looked at me up and down.

"You work here?"

"I...I got a job."

"You?"

"Yes." He let out a loud, mocking laugh.

"You're joking."

"I'm serious." He looked at the two employees beside me.

"This guy?"

One of them answered calmly...

"He's our new recruit." Blake scoffed.

"No, he's not."

"This guy's a liar."

"I—"

"He probably sneaked in."

"That's not true." Blake stepped closer.

"I know him." He said pointing directly at me.

"He's a broke university student."

"I really got hired."

"Oh please...Someone should check the computers...I bet he came here to steal."

Everyone started murmuring...

"Steal?"

"Who is he?"

"Did security check him?"

"I knew something felt off." I shook my head desperately to let them all know it was all just a lie...

"No...I didn't sneak in...I was interviewed."

"Liar."

"I have paperwork."

"Liar."

"I just came from HR."

"Liar." He murmured as he grabbed my wrist.

"Come on." I tried pulling away.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm taking you outside."

"Let go."

"You don't belong here."

"I said let go!"

Several employees simply watched but nobody seemed to move from their seats

Blake tightened his grip.

"I'll hand you over to security myself."

"You're hurting me."

"I don't care." He dragged me toward the entrance.

"I said I WORK HERE!"

"Keep lying."

"I passed the interview!"

"No, you didn't." People began whispering even louder.

"Maybe he's really a thief."

"I don't know..."

"He doesn't look dangerous."

"Looks can deceive." Why wasn't anyone helping?

"Blake!" I whispered but he ignored me.

"Blake, stop!" But he pulled even harder...I stumbled forward.

"That's enough." Professor Adrian’s voice cuts in...Blake turned around.

"So you're the one making all this noise." Professor repeated again...Blake immediately forced a smile.

"Uncle."

Professor Adrian looked at Blake's hand gripping my wrist.

"Let him go." Professor Adrian commanded but Blake only laughed awkwardly.

"Uncle, this guy sneaked inside. I was just helping security."

"I said...let him go." Blake hesitated before replying...

"He doesn't belong—" But before he could finish...Professor Adrian's fist slammed into Blake's face with terrifying force.

Blake stumbled backward before crashing onto the floor...

Professor Adrian looked down at Blake with cold, emotionless eyes.

Blake... slowly lifted his head, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth as his eyes filled with disbelief.

He stared at Professor Adrian.

"...Why are you protecting him?"