The Billionaire's Lesson by Anya Adonis Page A

said, “I wouldn't do that if I were you. He's not the
one who writes your check.” Roberta resumed her earlier pose.
“Now uncross your arms, puff out your chest and hold your head
up high. If you're going to make it in the business world you must
exude confidence.”
    She, of course, did as she was told. Her erect
stance a mockery of professionalism as her long, nylon-ed legs
wobbled, her red face purple-ed and her eyes misted.
    Dad didn't betray his delight with a grin, but I,
having spent so much of my life decoding his cryptic expressions,
detected in his slightly arched eyebrows his pleasure. He left her
hanging like that for a time, and said, “Very good, Roberta,
you may sit down now.”
    She exhaled deeply and confused creases weaved
their way across her forehead. I imagine, she was wondering what
she'd done wrong and expected she was unaware of her role as a pawn.
    I would've liked to tell her sorry, run my fingers
through her hair and tell her everything would be alright –
anything to make her smile, to wipe the kicked puppy dog look from
her face.
    Dad assumed a canned fatherly tone, and said, “It
was very difficult, I imagine, for you to get your job here.”
He pulled out a personnel file, smacked it down on his desk and after
leafing through it for a few seconds, he said, “First real job,
too.”
    “Yes, sir.”
    “Satisfy my curiosity will you? What
circumstances have compelled you to join the workforce?”
    “My Mother was a seamstress, but since she's
taken ill she wasn't able to keep the business going. I took a
secretarial course and got a job here.”
    “The pay is barely enough, isn't it?”
    “We manage.”
    He tutted and gave her a hurt look. “Don't
lie to me, Roberta.”
    She let out an almost exasperated sigh.
    She might just have a little spirit in her,
underneath her shy exterior.
    “ The pay...
it's barely enough,”she said, and the little fight in her
seemed to fade.
    “ But better
than anywhere else though?”
    “ Yes.”
    “ You
appreciate that, at least?”
    “ I do.”
    “ Good.”
Dad's face broke into a sickening grin. He didn't smile much and when
he did, well, it wasn't generally a good thing. My nerves wound up
tight, anxious of what he'd say next.
    He placed his hands on
his desk and weaved them together, absentmindedly twiddling his
thumbs. “I would like to help, give you a raise and perhaps
some other consolations.” He let her ruminate on this for a
moment before frowning at her. “Unfortunately, your performance
has been barely adequate. It would be difficult to justify the extra
expenditure to your supervisor, particularly when others are more
deserving.”
    She was bad at hiding
her emotions. It was hard for me to watch as she crumpled in her
seat.. I wondered if she had any inkling, as I did, that he was
leveraging her, breaking her down, getting her cornered and
desperate,
    “ However.”
His eyes gleamed and he stared at her perky breasts, clearly
contained in a white bra as the sad state of her dress' fabric was
nearly transparent from wear. “Were you to assist me in a
personal matter, I might be able to justify an increase in pay. Would
you be interested?”
    A lump formed in
my throat and I swallowed it back hard. Where is he going
with this?
    She smiled cautiously.
“Yes sir, I would.”
    “ Excellent.
Now understand, due to the sensitive nature of this matter, you will
need to sign a nondisclosure waiver.” He reached into his desk
and quickly scribbled out a few notes on a form he removed. Passing
the paper to her, he pointed to a signature line, and said, “Sign
here, dear.”
    I'd had enough. She was
signing her soul to the devil whether she knew it or not. “Dad
– ”
    “ Not now.”
He waved his hand dismissively at me and shot me a warning look.
    She signed, dated the
agreement and asked, “Okay, what now?”
    “ I need you
to do one more thing, to show me you're the right person for the
task. Stand up please.”
    Roberta,